Skeletal remains found at DOJ construction site

Construction workers unearthed skeletal remains at the Department of Justice (DOJ) main office in Padre Faura, Manila, during excavation for a new library.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla stated that the discovery site could potentially be an archeological site, leading to a possible deferment of construction.

The DOJ has engaged forensic pathologist Dr. Raquel Fortun, an anthropologist, and an archaeologist to examine the discovery.

The remains, believed to be of three to five individuals, were discovered near the surface while workers were digging the foundation for a soon-to-be-constructed four-story library.

The area is believed to have been an execution site during World War II, with similar discoveries made in 2009 during construction.

An archaeologist will conduct a stratigraphy study on the site, and further investigation into the social context of the area is needed as the remains were moved.