Truth Commission starts public hearing on EJKs with Raymart Siapo case

The Truth Commission on Friday began its public hearings on alleged extrajudicial killings (EJKs) with the case of 19-year-old Raymart Siapo, who had a clubfoot disability.

During the session, Raymart's mother Luzviminda Siapo testified about the circumstances surrounding her son's death, saying she believed he was abducted and killed by armed men whom she alleged were connected to the police.

"Sana kung may kasalanan 'yung anak ko, may due process din. Hindi, walang gan'un kay Raymart. Walang due process," Luzviminda said.

(If my son had shortcomings, then he should've been given due process, too. But Raymart did have that. No due process.)

Luzviminda was working abroad when Raymart was killed in Navotas on March 29, 2017 during the Duterte administration's drug war.

According to Luzviminda, witnesses told her that some 14 masked and armed men allegedly went to their neighborhood and entered their house before he was killed.

Raymart allegedly ran to a friend's house after being pursued. Luzviminda said the armed men threatened the family sheltering him, prompting him to come down.

She said witnesses told her Raymart was then struck with a gun, covered with a jacket and taken away on a motorcycle.

His relatives reportedly went to a nearby police station to report the incident but found no officers there. They later went to another police station but were unable to locate Raymart.

Hours later, the family was informed that Raymart was found dead.

"May humahagulgulol daw sa labas. Tapos pagkatok, sabi noong pamangkin ko, 'Uncle, nakita na si [Raymart].' Oh, saan na?'. Sabi niya, 'Patay na, nasa Eusebio [funeral service] na,'" Luzviminda said.

"Ang bilis ng oras ng pagpatay nila. Gan'un sila kabilis pumatay ng tao. Wala silang awa," he added.

She also testified that she only learned after returning to the Philippines that Raymart had been placed on a drug watch list. She disputed allegations that he was involved in the illegal drug trade.

According to Luzviminda, the barangay blotter alleged that Raymart was selling marijuana, while a police report supposedly indicated that shabu and a firearm were found.

She questioned the conflicting allegations and how Raymart could have possessed a firearm.

Luzviminda further alleged that a police officer offered to help her obtain justice by creating a false narrative that would blame another person for her son's death.

Forensic findings

Forensic expert Dr. Raquel Fortun also appeared before the commission and presented preliminary findings from her examination of Raymart's remains.

Fortun said Raymart's remains had been exhumed after years of burial and were eventually brought to her team for examination.

The remains were incomplete, with several bones missing, which limited the forensic assessment.

"Ang daming nawala," Fortun said.

X-rays of the skull showed small fragments suggestive of metal or possible bullet fragments.

Fortun said the skull also showed evidence of a previous autopsy, but she criticized the procedure's documentation.

The death certificate listed gunshot wounds to the head as Raymart's cause of death.

The PNP medico-legal report described three gunshot wounds to the head. It said one wound entered through the right cheek and exited through the left neck, while two other wounds were described as penetrating injuries, with bullets reportedly recovered.

The report also described fractures and brain hemorrhages.

Fortun noted that the report mentioned stippling, which can indicate that a firearm was discharged from an intermediate distance.

However, she raised questions about the reported bullet trajectories, saying some of them appeared unusual and required proper documentation and reconstruction.

"Medyo unusual 'yun kasi puwede rin namang nagkasugat ka dito, nag-separate. If you hit the bone, 'yung bone ma-displace. So, again, I would want to see documentation in the same way that I document my findings because I expect to be questioned," Fortun said.

"Nasaan ang pictures? Nasaan ang drawings niya?" she asked.

The remains also showed perimortem skull fractures or injuries sustained at or around the time of death.

She said the cause of death was gunshot wounds, but she noted the exact number of shots could not be determined from the available remains.

"As to the manner of death, Fortun said she would classify it as homicide," Fortun said.

Truth Commission chairperson Atty. Raul Pangalangan said Thursday that findings and evidence gathered by the commission may be forwarded to the Philippine government and international human rights organizations for possible action.

Pangalangan, a former International Criminal Court (ICC) judge and former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law, assured that the commission has no intention of "demonizing" anyone as it only sought to uncover the truth. — VDV, GMA News