Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Rueda-Acosta INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / EDWIN BACASMAS
The Public Attorneys’ Office (PAO) believed that the taking of DNA samples from the parents of 14-year-old Reynaldo “Kulot” De Guzman was illegal with the absence of a counsel witnessing the procedure.
PAO Forensic Laboratory on Tuesday issued a statement saying the taking of samples, and asking consent for a DNA test, should be done in the presence of a counsel. In the case of the parents of Kulot, a lawyer from PAO should be present.
De Guzman’s body was found at a river in Gapan, Nueva Ecija last Tuesday. His face was wrapped in packaging tape, he sustained bruises on his face and body and 28 stab wounds. Of the 28 stab wounds, forensic examination showed that three of the wounds were inflicted when he was still alive due to tissue reaction.
The boy’s parents, Eddie and Lina, were able to identify the body based on Kulot’s surgical scar on the neck, a wart on his knee and a birthmark at the back of his ear.
The Philippine National Police (PNP), however, said the DNA of the body did not match that of Kulot’s parents’ meaning the body found in Nueva Ecija is not the biological son of Eddie and Lina.
The same statement said it is suspicious that the PNP still took the effort to conduct the DNA considering that there was no identity issue.
READ: PAO dismisses PNP findings on De Guzman’s DNA
The PNP, however, on Monday explained that the DNA test was a standard operating procedure on their part.
“If it’s an SOP on their part, how come they did not conduct a DNA test on Kian and Carl,” PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta said in a separate interview. Kian delos Santos is the 17-year-old victim in the “one-time, big time” drug raid in Caloocan last Aug. 16, while Carl Angelo Arnaiz was the 19-year-old companion of Kulot who disappeared last Aug. 10. Carl’s body was found in Caloocan on Aug. 18.
“There was no issue at all on the identity of the cadaver and that there are no other claimants. The PAO Forensic Lab therefore will take no further action on the DNA result as it appears to be of very little credibility given the circumstances surrounding its release,” the PAO Forensic Lab added in their statement.
Aside from the DNA test, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos added that an examination of the body “found it to be uncircumcised when they know pretty well that Kulot was circumcised. Yan tingnan din po nila yan (They should also look into that).”
But Forensic expert Dr. Erwin Erfe who led the team of three doctors in conducting the forensic analysis of the body said “the body we examined has evidence of previous circumcision (with overgrown penile skin). The police might have misinterpreted it.” /jpv