NDF consultant Ericson Acosta remains autopsied; family to discuss legal action –lawyer

The remains of National Democratic Front (NDF) consultant Ericson Acosta were autopsied, with his family awaiting the results before discussing taking legal action on his death, the Acosta family’s legal counsel said on Tuesday.

The family's lawyer, Atty. Luchi Perez, said forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun with the UP-PGH Manila performed the autopsy on the NDF consultant on Monday.

Perez said this was upon the request of the family.

“In so far as the remains of Ericson Acosta is concerned, the autopsy has already been done by Dr. Raquel Fortun with the UP-PGH Manila and we are still awaiting for the autopsy results. Wala pang na-disclose na final results from the doctor,” Perez said in an interview with GMA News Online.

“It is the request of the family kasi marami pang victims ito, so the family wants to know what happened with the body,” she added.

The lawyer said they will wait for the autopsy results before proceeding with any legal action.

“We will have to discuss any legal proceedings with the family, but as of now we let the family grieve, tatapusin muna natin yung wake and we will also have to take into consideration the final autopsy results before we proceed with any legal action,” she said.

“We will not put the matter to rest and we will proceed with any legal action concerning the matter,” she added.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) earlier said it would launch its investigation into the deaths of Acosta and a peasant organizer.

Perez, however, said they did not have any updated communication with the commission.

“Ang last communication namin was last December 2. So right now, wala pa kaming update kung ano ang process or ano ang procedure na gagawin nila for the investigation,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr. told GMA News Online that the family wanted to know the circumstances that led to Acosta’s death.

Reyes said Acosta’s remains were cremated on Tuesday at 11 a.m.

“We are very concerned with the mindset if one is labeled with 'terrorist,' one does not have any rights under the law,” Reyes said.

“We are very concerned on the mindset na if you are labeled with the CPP-NPA you are automatically targeted for execution even if you are unarmed. That is the whole scene we are looking at here. [Even] his companion is unarmed and they did not deserve to die that way,” he added.

Reyes said Acosta’s remains were in UP Diliman for a tribute from his friends and comrades.

NDF-Negros spokesperson Ka Bayani Obrero said Acosta and a peasant organizer were killed in a military operation in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on November 30.

Obrero said the 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) and 47th Infantry Battalion (47IB) captured the two alive in Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi around 2 a.m.

But a few hours later, Obrero said the military tagged Acosta and his companion “casualties of a fake encounter.”

According to Bayan, Acosta was an NDF consultant during the 2016 to 2017 peace talks for the drafting of the agreement on socio-economic reforms.

He also participated in the formal peace talks and discussions of the reciprocal working committees, Bayan added.

Sought for comment, Philippine Army spokesman Colonel Xerxes Trinidad said they respected the decision of Acosta's family.

“We respect their rights as well as with the rights of every Filipinos that we have sworn to protect from all kinds of threats,” Trinidad told GMA News Online. — DVM, GMA Integrated News