Missing ex-Court of Appeals justice found dead in Tarlac
MANILA, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation on Monday confirmed that the body found in Capas, Tarlac more than a month ago, was those of missing Court of Appeals Justice Normandie Pizarro.
Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said this was based on DNA test results.
"He (Pizarro) was last seen at a casino in Clark last 23 October. His car, an early model Honda Accord, was later on discovered somewhere in San Simon, Pampanga," Sugay told reporters.
The retired justice last spoke to one of his sons on October 23 at around 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., according to Sugay.
Pizarro's remains were later on discovered in Capas on October 30.
NBI officer-in-charge Eric Distor noted that the body, which was found under a pile of leaves at a secluded quarry site in Barangay Lawy, Capas matched Pizarro's DNA by 99.99%.
According to the NBI, the Pizarro's right hand and left-hand fingers were cut off as if to remove the possibility of identifying him through fingerprints.
Pizarro wrote the decision clearing former Palawan governor Joel Reyes in the killing of environmentalist and broadcaster Gerry Ortega in Puerto Princesa in January 2011.
He also wrote the decision that acquitted alleged pork barrel mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles in her serious illegal detention case.
Another controversial decision that Pizarro penned was the ruling that dismissed the compensation claim of about 10,000 human rights victims from the Marcos estate.
In April 2018, the Supreme Court fined Pizarro fined Pizzaro for P100,000 following an anonymous complaint that accused him of "being a gambling addict who would allegedly lose millions of pesos in the casinos daily." — with reports from Kristine Joy Patag and The STAR/Marc Jayson Cayabyab
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