Bato Dela Rosa eyes inspection of alleged 'mass grave' in Sitio Kapihan

An inspection of an area where a mass grave was allegedly located will be part of the Senate public order committee’s agenda, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said Friday as the panel is set to visit Sitio Kapihan in Socorro town, Surigao del Norte Saturday.

“Pag mass grave, ito ‘yung mga may posibleng merong mga mysterious death na nangyayari, ano.  ‘Yung circumstances behind these people who were buried in the mass grave, titingnan natin kung 'yung pagkamatay ng mga taong ito ay natural o anong mga causes ng pagkamatay at bakit nasabi nilang mass grave,” Dela Rosa said in a phone interview.

“Hindi naman tayo mag-e-exhume, titingnan lang natin, mag-interview tayo d'un kung sino-sino mga pinaglilibing doon,” he added.

(We will inspect this alleged mass grave because when you say it is a mass grave, possibly there were mysterious deaths. We will look at the circumstances behind these people who were buried in the mass grave and we will check if they died of natural causes. We will not exhume the bodies. We will just check the site and interview relevant individuals.)

Dela Rosa said they will recommend to the proper authorities if their inspection would require further action.

He said he is the only senator who will visit Sitio Kapihan as some of his colleagues were not able to secure plane tickets going to the province.

He will be accompanied by other senators’ staff members, he added.

Although he will fly solo to Surigao del Norte, Dela Rosa said it does not mean that the issues in the area are less important.

Last week, the senator said the ocular inspection of the Senate at Sitio Kapihan is aimed at producing a “very credible committee report.”

The committee report can be expected after another hearing at the Senate, Dela Rosa said.

A joint Senate panel is looking into the alleged operation of a shabu laboratory in the province, alleged systematic rape, sexual abuse, trafficking, forced labor, and child marriage involving the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc.

Apart from the filing of appropriate charges against people behind the alleged forced marriages, Dela Rosa said the committee report might recommend a review of the Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act to possibly amend its provisions on protective custody of children.

The possible amendment was floated after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said authorities found that there were 19 child brides and three child grooms at Sitio Kapihan.

The Justice chief described the supposed marriages as “common law relationships” or “live-in relationships” as these were void.

Currently, SBSI leader and alleged cult leader Jey Rence Quilario a.k.a Senior Agila and three others are detained at the Senate.

A Senate panel earlier cited them in contempt after Quilario and the others repeatedly denied that child marriages took place in the Surigao del Norte-based group despite testimonies by the alleged victims.

The issue first came to light after Senator Risa Hontiveros in September said that more than 1,000 minors were being sexually abused by a religious “cult” in Socorro town.—AOL, GMA Integrated News