The remains of former Court of Appeals Justice Normandie Pizarro, who has been reported missing since Oct. 23, were confirmed on Monday, the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation said.
Pizarro’s remains were found in Capas, Tarlac on Oct. 30, but the NBI needed to run DNA tests and other analyses on the cadaver since its fingers had been cut off, rendering fingerprint identification impossible. His hand was also amputated, GMA News reported on ’24 Oras’.
“Our DNA test results showed that the cadaver recovered in Tarlac are the remains of retired CA Justice Normandie Pizarro. Dental evidence gathered by our forensic team matched with the dental records of the former member of the CA,” NBI Director Eric Distor said.
“The NBI forensic chemistry division report showed a 99.99 percent DNA match,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters in a Viber message.
“The NBI is focusing on four persons of interest. One of them is willing to divulge what he knows,” he added.
DOJ Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar also confirmed the NBI finding in a message to reporters, asking them to contact bureau spokesperson Ferdinand Lavin.
“Initial investigation also shows that Justice Pizarro was brutally killed in Tarlac seven days before he was found dead last October 30,” Distor added.
Pizarro handled and dismissed cases filed against pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.
The CA justice was last seen in Pampanga on October 23. He was reported missing by his relatives shortly afterward. On October 30, authorities found Pizzaro’s car abandoned in San Simon town, bearing traces of blood.
Last week, senators called for an investigation on the recent spate of killings and disappearances in the country, including that of Pizzaro.
The NBI said it would continue investigating the case to determine Pizarro’s cause of the death and the motive behind it, as well as persons of interest.
“We’re talking of at least three persons of interest,” NBI’s Lavin said.