Bacolod’s ‘Chop-Chop’ series: One piece at a time

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By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Ano naman ayhan ang masunod na ibilin na utod? (What severed human body part will be dumped here next?)

This is the question that some residents are asking following three cases of mutilated human body parts reported here this year. This has alarmed some residents, even the local government.

More questions are also left unanswered – who are the persons behind this? What is their motive, and who owns the severed body parts?

Police are blank on the owners of the severed body parts as they suspect that they may be owned by deceased individuals.

Based on the reactions of some people I know, these incidents have caused them to fear – fear for their safety, as these things could seemingly happen to anyone. “Ka delikado na gid sa Bacolod,” as I’ve quoted some of them.

But there are those who see these as a punishment for some who are linked to illegal activities, particularly illegal drugs.

I could not really recall if there were similar incidents here in the past, but this is the first time that I have encountered these cases in a span of four months.

I am personally alarmed over this because there are people who could actually do this to stir fear in the community.

I could not bring myself to look at the photos provided because they were too gruesome.

The first incident was reported at Purok Kagaykay, Barangay 2 on Jan. 25, where two severed hands placed inside a plastic container were found by a garbage collector.

The severed hands were even believed mixed with some ingredients of boiled pork soup or nilagang baboy. A piece of paper with the names of some personalities linking them to illegal drugs was also found.

Two months later, a pair of severed human feet were found dumped in front of an establishment along C.L. Montelibano, Barangay Villamonte on March 29.

Police are looking into the incident as a case of alleged harassment or threat against some businessmen listed on a paper as the possible motive.

The following month, a severed hand, along with a note linking a policeman to illegal drugs was also found dumped at the roadside at Zone 3, Ilang-Ilang Street, Purok Riverside, Barangay Bata on April 17.

These incidents have pushed Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez to ask the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to expedite the selection of the next Bacolod top cop to address the peace and order situation here, considering that then Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir will retire from the service on May 14.

Benitez said the public needs to see the results of the investigation. Thus, he stressed that the city needs an efficient, result-oriented head who doesn’t take things lightly.

The police said that they will conduct a background investigation to determine if these mutilated body parts were owned by individuals who were killed here or in other places.

“Whether the crime happened here or not. It is alarming,” Benitez said, as he stressed that the public wanted to see the results of the investigation.

A day after Benitez expressed his alarm over these incidents in a media interview, Police Colonel Noel Aliño assumed as acting director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) on April 18.

Benitez is hoping that cases of mutilated human body parts will stop. “Dapat mauntat na na. Daw gina taunt ta abi. Daw indi normal. Ngaa himuon mo na unless daw ka isog na gid sa imo na daw wala ka na gid kulba?,” the local chief executive said.

For his part, Aliño, in a Thursday media interview, said that he directed the policemen to look for missing persons in an attempt to identify the owners of the severed body parts.

“Kung hindi man dito, baka meron sa province, or sa ibang lugar,” he added.

Aliño said that there should be coordination with morgues and funeral parlors to account for the deceased persons.

He said that he is planning to create a tracker team or a special investigation team that could focus on probing such cases. “Kung kaya, gagawan natin ng special investigation team para mag imbestiga talaga,” he added.

As of press time, the owners of the severed body parts have yet to be identified. The policeman who was also tagged in illegal drugs is under probe.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) condemned the mutilation of two hands of an unidentified person here in January.

In a statement, the CHR said that they are conducting an independent motu proprio investigation on this case.

The CHR denounced the culture of vigilantism, including any attempt to subdue the rule of law and other human rights, such as the right to due process and the right to life, liberty, and security.

CHR has long since recognized the ill effects of drugs, as well as the value of efforts combatting its illegal use, sale, and production in the country.

The Commission, however, stressed that initiatives for the general welfare of the people should remain respectful of the human dignity and rights of all.

It is high time to pivot the perspective of seeing drug use as merely within the purview of crime and order, and start treating drug dependence as a health condition that should be addressed through evidence-informed and rights-based approaches, the CHR said.

CHR, pursuant to its independent mandate as the country’s national human rights institution, shall continue to strive in guiding the government in its actions and approaches to the drug problem in the interest of upholding the rights and welfare of all.