Kin of 'Stars' victims allege bodies were not examined keenly

CEBU, Philippines - The relatives of the victims of the MV Princess of the Stars yesterday said the bodies that were buried at the Carreta Cemetery were not examined thoroughly the reason why they remained unidentified until now.

They refuted the statement of lawyer Arthur Lim, who represents Sulpicio Lines Inc., the owner of the ill-fated ship, who said that they exhausted all means to identify the cadavers but failed.

Lim said that for more than a year, they kept and stored the 38 cadavers for a continuous investigation and examination to identify them through DNA test but they were unsuccessful so they decided to bury them.

He added that Dr. Renato Bautista, who headed the team of forensic experts who worked on the identification of the bodies retrieved from the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars, could no longer find the identification of the remaining cadavers.

However, Public Attorney’s Office head Persida V. Acosta said there are lots of means to identify the remains, including anthropological and dental test.

Yesterday, in a hearing at the sala of Regional Trial Court Branch 10 Judge Soliver Peras, the defendants, through Lim, said that the identification of the remaining bodies that were recovered from the sunken ship should remain in their side.

Acosta however strongly opposed the idea, saying it has been more than a year since the defense stopped their investigation and identification of the unclaimed bodies even if her office had offered to help and to get the authority in identifying the skeletal remains.

Lim retorted that the PAO should not be allowed to do it because it is not a neutral party.

Acosta explained that since DNA test is very expensive, they could try several modes of identification through anthropological and dental examination and they don’t have to spend much money because there are experts and lawyers who volunteered to help them.

According to her, there are 104 cadavers that are still being examined and in the process of identification. She said they have already identified seven and successfully turned them over to their relatives. (THE FREEMAN)