TACLOBAN CITY – One day after high-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were reportedly neutralized by government forces in Catbalogan City, Samar Monday, Aug. 23, the headless body of a woman was recovered in nearby Barangay Bisitahan, Tarangnan, Samar Tuesday, Aug. 23.
Police recovered the still unidentified body at around 10 a.m. They also found a damaged motorboat and its engine in the seawater.
The cadaver was taken to the Rural Health Unit for autopsy while an ongoing investigation has been launched to ascertain its identity.
Capt. Ryan Layug, 8th Infantry Division spokesperson, said they are investigating if the body and damaged boat are related to the explosion of a motorboat in Catbalogan. "We are thankful as the surfacing of these hopefully will help us on our investigation," he said.
8th ID commander Major Gen. Edgardo de Leon has not confirmed nor denied if the motorboat was boarded by couples Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, high-ranking NPA officials who are wanted for the Inopacan Massacre in Leyte and other crimes.
"There were assessments that they could be the Tiamzon leaders. However, we could not categorically say that it was them," De Leon said.
Reports have said that the Joint Special Operations Task Force Trident and Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) encountered more or less 10 armed men traversing toward the south of Buri Island where the Tiamzons were allegedly neutralized.
However, De Leon said that they have a high degree of certainty that there was a Very Important Person (VIP) of the NPA who was reportedly trying to escape from the cordoned area of the continuing military operation.