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Kin of Navy officer found dead in 1995 asks Aquino to reopen probe


Relatives of a Philippine Navy junior officer found dead aboard a warship more than a decade ago are seeking a fresh probe into the incident under the administration of President-elect Benigno “Noynoy" Aquino III, a GMA News report said. Family members of Navy Ensign Phillip Andrew Pestaño, whose death was declared a suicide by the military, is calling on Aquino and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to reopen the investigation on the death of the junior officer.
“Pakiusap namin sa Aquino administration na maimbestigahan ito (We appeal to the Aquino administration to investigate this)—an honest-to-goodness investigation," Pestaño’s father, Felipe, said in an interview aired over GMA News’ “24 Oras." Although the AFP said Estaño killed himself, separate investigations by the Senate and the Ombudsman on his death concluded he was murdered, supposedly due to his knowledge on corruption going on within the Philippine Navy. Last March, the United Nation High Commissioner on Human Rights (UNHCHR) also concluded that Pestaño’s death was due to homicide and not by suicide. The AFP, for its part, said it will look first into the findings of the UNHCHR before reconsidering a fresh probe on Pestaño’s death. “We will have to secure that document first, that UN resolution, then conduct a study on that since this incident transpired 15 years ago," said AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Arnulfo Burgos.—Andreo C. Calonzo/JV, GMANews.TV

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