Farmer among those killed in Mamasapano massacre

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MAGUINDANAO – A civilian’s corpse has been recovered from the site of a bloody confrontation between members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police Special Action Forces (PNP-SAF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The body of Oren Mangulamas, a 25 year-old farmer, was retrieved from the corn field in Sitio Amelil, Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao. Forty-four members of the Philippine National Police were slain in the violent skirmish.

Esmael Mangulamas, the older brother of the slain farmer, said that Oren may have been thought to be an informant of the PNP-SAF, and taken hostage by the rebels before the outbreak of the heavy gun battle.

The elder Mangulamas noted that his brother’s hands were tied, and that he sustained several gunshot wounds all over his body.

He clarified, however, that Oren was not an informant, and that he simply lived near the place where the battle occurred.

“Hindi S2 yung kapatid ko. Nandyan sa maisan dahil malapit bahay n’ya d’yan. Nakatali na kamay nya, (My brother is not an S2. He was in the corn field because his house is nearby.),” Esmael said.