Army troopers exhume victims of NPA’s “Oplan Ahos-Zombie”

Press Release
By DPAO, 8th Infantry Division, PA
March 14, 2010

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City, Samar  –  An untold graveyard of the NPA’s famous “Opan Ahos” was uncovered by the Army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion (63IB) at Sitio Hepat, Brgy. Cajecsan, Mondragon, Northern Samar, in the afternoon of March 6.

Report reaching to this office from LtCol Joel Paloma, commanding officer, 63IB disclosed that the graveyard was discovered following a tip from civilian who have personal knowledge on the atrocities carried out by the terrorist sometime in 1980 as a result of their nationwide anti-DPA campaign.

Four (4) skeletal remains were exhumed from three (3) different hollow pits of about a hundred meters apart.

With the assistance of the local PNP and barangay officials, elements of 63IB exhumed the said skeletal remains for the family to give more decent burial.

Dug up from the first pit is the skeletal remains that later identified as Modoy Martirez of Brgy. Cajecsan; Esmen Adriasola of Brgy San Agustin in the second pit while the father and son Francisco and Roque Tulin of Sitio Canawa, Brgy. Mirador owned the third pit.

As of press time, troops is continuously conducting search and retrieval operation for more possible skeletal remains in the area in order to assist the victim’s family in giving decent burial to their love ones.

According to LtCol. Joel Paloma, “63IB will continue to provide any possible help or assistance in order to give the victims a full justice.”

“This is a clear manifestation of human rights violation that must definitely be given due attention and make the people or group behind this pay their blood debt against the law”, LtCol. Paloma added.