Slaughter of Innocents

When this victim is killed, the police investigator was baffled why he should be killed. Preoccupied by his notion that only criminal suspects, for him usually had tattoo, had been target of murders in General Santos City, then who is this murdered victim? The police’ insinuation had been proven wrong. This person is no criminal at all. This, however, is how police investigates cases of suspicious deaths there.

Unlikely target for having no tattoo?

Victim: Dalmacio Tiewen, 28 years old; of Purok Balunto, Barangay Labangal, General Santos City
Date: May 22 at 9:30am. His body is found in Purok Nopol, Barangay Conel

Dalmacio Tiewen was last seen by his colleague, Sammy Toremocho, on his way to get his salary the day before he was found dead. His corpse, is described as his right arm was tied with a wire to his neck, when found by a villager, Angelina Opinon, on May 22. He bore several stabbed wounds. It is Angelina who reported the incident to the San Isidro Police Station who had come to investigate.

“His corpse, is described as his right arm was tied with a wire to his neck, when found by a villager. He bore several stabbed wounds. “

The police investigator, Police Officer (PO2) Marvin Caresma, was baffled why the victim’s is killed though. PO2 Caresma, in absence of identification cards and documents from the victim, instead impliedly suggest the victim should have not been killed since he had no “tattoo”, an indication he claimed as proof he was a person of bad character. Obviously P02 Caresma insinuates to indirectly justifies the victim’s death as akin to the continuing vigilante killings there.

“Dako ang akong pagtuo nga posebling gilabay sa maong lugar ug sa laing dapit gipatay, na challenge gani pud ko kay walay bisan usa ka tatoo ang lawas sa biktima nga makasulti ta nga dautang tawo, (I strongly believe he was killed somewhere and dump here. I’m also challenged since we could not even find any single tatoo on his body that could have prove he is a person of bad character)”. P02 Caresma said.

But P02 Caresma’s theory had been proven unfounded when the victim’s body had been late identified and claimed. Dalmacio’s dead body found its way at the local funeral home where his colleague, Sammy, had it identified after hearing it at a local radio station. The victim has not been able to report for work and come to his place after he was last seen.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has already raised concern into the General Santos City Police’ (GSCPO) sloppy means of investigation and collection of forensic evidence into suspicious deaths taking place there. In its statement, it strongly criticize the manner by which the local police investigates cases of suspicious deaths there.

This police’ remarks on tattoo as proof of person’s bad character, instead of thoroughly investigating his death, is absurd. The police in this case had already concluded prematurely and he insinuates, to merely supports their unreasonable prejudice. Having a tattoo, even if let’s say this murdered person had had, does not prove anything. It does not also justify his death.

“…police’ remarks on tattoo as proof of person’s bad character, instead of thoroughly investigating his death, is absurd.”

Also, the AHRC had expose the police’ improper recording and lack of an existing public mortuary there. It has been the private funeral’s who had absorbed a de facto duty to collect this information on recovered corpses instead of the police and concerned authorities. They, too, had to coordinate with the local welfare office to make public announcement in claiming unidentified corpses.