|
Friday, July 04, 2008
Families’ hopes depend on DNA
By Elisabeth P. Baumgart and Katrina A. Balmaceda
CEBU CITY -- The public viewing of bodies retrieved from the Princess of the Stars was stopped yesterday, as authorities explained it will only delay DNA sample collections that will help identify their lost kin faster.
“Hindi na pwede ang viewing,” Dr. Renato Bautista, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) medico-legal division told the families at the Cebu City Sports Complex.
Arroyo Watch: Sun.Star blog on President Arroyo
“It is practically impossible for you to recognize anyone just by viewing the bodies,” he explained.
Rudolfo Bumutano, 58, confirmed that when he tried last Saturday and Monday, he couldn’t see whether his wife, daughter and grandchild were among the bodies. The Mindanao resident agreed it would be better to depend on the DNA matching.
The decision to halt viewing of the bodies came 13 days after the Sulpicio Lines vessel capsized in stormy weather off Romblon, with 800 passengers and crew aboard. About 700 remain missing, many of them believed trapped inside the vessel.
For now, the retrieved bodies will be stored in six refrigerated container vans at the Cebu Port Authority parking lot. They will be guarded by the PNP Maritime Group 24 hours a day. Only 172 bodies have been shipped to Cebu so far.
Shift
Dr. Rene Cam, NBI 7 Medico-Legal Officer, confirmed Dr. Bautista’s explanations, saying that the bodies were already in a “far advanced stage of decomposition.”
Since retrieval has been stopped—while authorities focus on containing any damage from a cargo of toxic pesticides—any bodies that will be removed from the vessel would also be impossible to verify through an inspection.
“That is why we would prefer that we resort to scientific ways of identification,” said Cam.
The International Police (Interpol), with the help of the International Commission on Missing Persons, has offered their help in identifying the bodies through DNA matching.
At least 3,000 deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) kits are set to arrive in Cebu City next week.
But though the NBI will start taking blood samples next week, Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble said the wait for results will last for many more months.
Noble guaranteed, however, that the process is very accurate.
Demonstration
Members of the Interpol and foreign disaster victim identification (DVI) specialists visited the relatives of the sunken ship’s passengers Thursday.
The group explained and demonstrated the process of blood sampling for DNA analysis.
A sample DNA kit was used as Olaf Worbs, a DVI specialized officer from Germany, extracted blood from Noble’s fingertip. To further assure the crowd of the safety of the process, acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also extracted blood from a volunteer, Caridad Cuyos Villacarlos.
Villacarlos had lost Levy, her 27-year-old daughter, to the ship’s sinking. She cried in nervousness as her turn for the blood sample extraction came.
But after the process, she announced it did not hurt at all. The crowd cheered in encouragement. She added that though she was nervous, she did it so that she could see her daughter again.
The relatives agreed they will allow their blood samples to be taken for DNA analysis when the 3,000 DNA kits arrive from Norway next week.
Priorities
Noble said that Interpol will also train 30 police officials to handle the DNA collection.
“Uyon na gyud mi nga dili na mo tanaw sa patay, kay mao sad, dili na naman ma ilhan (We agree that it’s impossible to recognize anyone just by viewing the bodies now),” said Aristotle Paca, 35. Paca, who lost his son and mother, agreed it was better to rely on DNA matching from now on.
For Catherine Orande, 32, the test will be crucial.
With no dental records and no official documents with fingerprints, Orande described the DNA matching process as “our only hope.”
Rama appealed to the Cebuano crowd to allow relatives from Luzon to be prioritized in the collection of blood samples.
Each DNA kit costs $500-$1,000 while a standard price for DNA analysis is P30,000. The kits, along with a mobile laboratory, come from the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) DNA Program.
Each kit contains a blood stain card with a unique bar code, a pair of gloves, a needle and an alcohol pad.
Blood samples from at least two of the victim’s immediate family members will be analyzed on a computer through the blood stain card. A bone sample taken from a corpse’s femur will be used to analyze its DNA.
Unpredictable
According to Norwegian DVI specialist Torkjel Rygnestad, DNA analysis is quick and easy. However, it is the matching of DNA that poses a problem.
“It’s not easy to predict. We don’t know what we’ll find,” Rygnestad said.
Supt. Anthony Obenza, chief of the Philippine Center on Transitional Crime Visayas Field Office (PCTC-VFO), said that before anyone can give a blood sample, he or she has to be interviewed by trained officers of the Philippine National Police.
The interview will take 45 minutes, at most.
Obenza added that necessary documents—birth certificate, affidavit of relationship, NBI clearance, certificate of marriage, special power of attorney—also have to be presented before blood sampling can begin.
But with only a few days left before the DNA kits arrive, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) pulled out of the CCSC late Wednesday afternoon.
Representatives form the PAO said they did not know why they were asked by the Manila office to pull out.
Deeply sorry
Public attorney Al Rey Ouano said in a text message sent to Sun.Star Cebu that PAO regional head Atty. Marie G-Ree Calinawan did not comment on the pullout.
Rama stressed, though, that victims’ relatives can still approach the PAO for help at the Palace of Justice.
Before leaving the CCSC, Noble of the Interpol told the crowd that he was “deeply sorry” for their loss.
But Rygnestad assured that as long as all blood and bone samples are in, then, “All will be identified.” (Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (July 4, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
