Forensic specialist Dr. Raquel Fortun, who carried out an post-mortem on National Democratic Front advisor Ericson Acosta who was killed throughout a November 2022 armed encounter with Philippine safety forces, mentioned her examination raised extra questions on how Acosta died.
During a Saturday press convention throughout which she offered her findings, Fortun mentioned that Acosta’s physique acquired deadly photographs within the entrance and twice within the again with one of many bullets hitting his backbone.
According to Fortune, there was no signal of hemorrhaging within the space the place he was shot within the again.
“Very severe yan. Yung aorta tinamaan eh. You would expect a lot of bleeding there. But how come walang bleeding? Meron ngang parang sugat na intestines din, wala ding hemorrhage,” Fortun mentioned.
“Magble-bleed ka kung buhay ka pa. Pag patay, hindi na.”
Fortun additionally raised questions relating to the route of the gunshot wounds discovered each on the back and front of the chest, stating that this was not in step with the standard wounds sustained from shootouts.
“Usually it’s just uni-directional, meaning it’s a barrage of shots galing from one source na tatama sayo. Malayo yung you have shooters from different sides kasi matatamaan din yang mga yan eh. So ang tanong natin is: Ano yan, inikot ba siya tapos binaril pa? Madaming tanong.” Fortun mentioned.
According to the navy reviews, Acosta died on November 30, 2022 together with peasant chief Joseph Jimenez throughout an armed encounter in Kabankalan, Negros.
With the latest post-mortem elevating extra questions, Fortun defined that her examination was restricted to the proof she had at hand, and her examination was performed as greatest as she may with the restricted data she may entry.
“This is the reason why we have problems. Walang sistema [ang forensics] sa Pilipinas. Dapat dito, basic homicide investigation,” Fortun mentioned.
“In an ideal scenario, I would put together everything. Findings ko sa katawan, ano ang [crime] scene, anong sinasabi ng mga tao, asan ang ebidensya, saan nakuha ang casing. Dapat yan ima-match. Walang ganyan sa Pilipinas.”
Sought for remark, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar advised GMA News Online, “We stand by the report of our troopers on the bottom who knew precisely what occurred.“
The Justice for Ericson Acosta group had known as for a ballistics report on two bullets recovered from Acosta’s physique with the firearms of the troopers who had been allegedly concerned within the encounters on November 30.
The Commission on Human Rights started its probe into the loss of life of Acosta in December, whereas the Armed Forces of the Philippines denied that any human rights violation occurred in the course of the encounter as “there is no need to lie about the incident.” — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
