Abducted ex-cop’s kin seeks DNA test on human skeleton in drum

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Police Colonel Henry Biñas, director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), said Tuesday that the family of retired Police Major Lito Pirote requested them to subject to DNA test the human remains sealed in a drum which was found on the shoreline of Barangay Banago last December 30, 2019.

Biñas said Pirote’s daughter coordinated with and told him about their plan during the New Year’s break.

To recall, Pirote was abducted on April 19, 2019 by unidentified armed men outside a hotel after he met with his lawyer to discuss the dismissal of the illegal drugs case filed against him.

Pirote was among the five police officials who were relieved from their posts after being included by President Rodrigo Duterte in his “drug matrix” for allegedly engaging in the recycling of illegal drugs in October 2018.

Pirote’s daughter denied the President’s claims, saying her father already cleared his name.

His family remains clueless on his whereabouts almost nine months after he was snatched away.

Biñas earlier admitted they were facing difficulty in determining the perpetrators of the abduction because they lack witnesses and physical evidence to support the investigation, although they continue probe into the incident.

He said he advised the family to coordinate with the station commander of Police Station 2 for the conduct of the DNA test which will be done in Manila.

The family wants to check if samples from the remains will match with the DNA of Pirote, the city police director said.

The skeleton of an unidentified person is now in the custody of the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO).