MACO, Davao de Oro — The fatalities of the February 6, Masara landslide in Maco, Davao de Oro tried to survive by climbing the steep soil but died of suffocation, said National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) medico-legal officer Dr. Charina Carmelita Labrador Wednesday night.
Most of those retrieved at the ground zero in Zone 1, Barangay Masara, Maco, Davao de Oro on the evening of February 6, pilled up about two meters away from the safer ground.
Labrador said they “Noticed abrasion on their palm and their chest which we suspect to have been caused by them climbing a wall to survive. May mga abrasions dito (pointing on her palms and wrist) “Yes possible they attempted to climb.”
The NBI collected specimen samples from the eight still unidentified for the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) before they were buried last night.
Labrador said they doing ante-mortem and DNA sampling from the family members of the victims in an effort to identify the cadavers.
The victims died of suffocation, Labrador explained.
Workers of Apex Mining were immediately identified since they still have their company identification cards on their bodies while others have identifying marks like tattoos and jewelries which was identified by their families.
Some cadavers have already decomposed, she added.
On Wednesday night, eight unidentified bodies were temporarily buried at the public cemetery in Maco public cemetery while waiting for their proper identification.
All specimens needed to be frozen to preserve it.
Labador said claimants of the still unidentified cadavers need to under DNA test and must bring proof if they are family members.
“We need to bring legal documents for us to establish their relationship so they can claim the cadavers,” she added.
