Military expects to uncover more mass graves in Leyte

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 25, 2006

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  After uncovering two more graves containing remains of alleged victims of the purging conducted by the CPP-NPA-NDF in the 1980s, the military in Leyte revealed they expect to unearth more mass graves based on to tips it has been receiving from residents and former NPA leaders.

In an interview with PIA, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Lacurom, the commander of the 43rd Infantry Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Sogod, Southern Leyte said that two mass graves were discovered last week in remote villages of Inopacan and Baybay towns.

Lt. Col. Lacurom revealed that four skulls were unearthed on September 12 from a mass grave in Sitio Bugang, Caulisihan (the same barangay where Sapang Daku mass grave was located), Inopacan town while two skulls were uncovered three days later, in a mass grave in the far-flung barangay Monterico of Baybay town.

Monterico, Lt. Col. Lacurom said is 79 kilometers away from the town proper of Baybay, passing through Barangay San Juan in the town of Mahaplag. On the other hand, Barangay Caulisihan could be reached by passing through Barangay Monterico in the municipality of Baybay.

The discovery of more mass graves in Monterico and Sitio Bugang confirms the earlier stories of the residents and witnesses who said that while the purging victims were being led to the “Garden” at Mt. Sapang Daku, some of them couldn’t bear the torture and died along the way, Lt. Col. Lacurom intimated.

Right now, the military is working on the leads of a presence of a mass grave of about 18 people in Sitio Mahangin, Barangay San Antonio in Hilongos, Leyte, Lt. Col. Lacurom added. The military had earlier estimated to about 300, the number of persons killed during the purging called the Anti-Venereal Disease Campaign within the ranks of the CPP-NPA.

Lt. Col. Lacurom said that since the discovery of the mass gravesite at Mt. Sapang Daku in Barangay Caulisihan of the municipality of Inopacan on August 30, the 43rd Infantry Battalion has maintained an advance command post at Barangay Gumbang, Baybay, Leyte.

Lacurom said his troops will remain indefinitely in Barangay Caulisihan and at the advance command post at Barangay Gumbang on orders from Major General Rodrigo Maclang, the commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, to search for more gravesites in the area.