Witness: Another Ampatuan massacre victim likely raped

Another female Maguindanao massacre victim — Leah Dalmacio — might have been raped because seminal fluid was found in her genitals, an expert from the police crime laboratory said on Thursday. Chief Inspector Dean Cabrera of the police Crime Laboratory told the Quezon City court hearing the Ampatuan multiple murder case that Dalmacio's genitals and her underwear tested positive for semen. "There is definite evidence that the victim was sexually abused or had sexual contact," said Cabrera. Dalmacio was a journalist of the "Soccsksargen Daily circulated in the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, and General Santos. Violent death During Thursday's hearing at the Quezon City Hall of Justice, Cabrera said Dalmacio sustained nine gunshot wounds to her head, trunk, and extremities. Two of the injuries were considered fatal. Cabrera said Dalmacio probably died a "violent death" due to the multiple gunshot wounds she sustained. An autopsy report showed that Dalmacio's left ring finger was partially cut off. According to Cabrera, his findings showed that the amputation happened when the victim was still alive. Cabrera claimed to have conducted close to a thousand autopsies in his career and had testified in court more than 300 times in the past. Another rape victim Cabrera earlier revealed that traces of semen were found in the remains of another massacre victim. On Wednesday, Cabrera said victim Rahima Palawan might have been raped or had sexual contact before she died because seminal fluid was found in her vagina. Dalmacio and Palawan were among the victims in last year's Ampatuan massacre. On November 23 last year, the relatives of Mangudadatu were on their way to file his certificate of candidacy for Maguindanao governor when they were ambushed and killed in a hilly area. Mangudadatu, the vice-mayor of Buluan town at the time of the massacre, eventually won the gubernatorial race in the May 10, 2010 polls. The 57 people who were killed and buried in a mass grave in Ampatuan town included Mangudadatu's wife, his two sisters, as well as journalists, lawyers, aides, and motorists who were witnesses or were mistakenly identified as part of the convoy. Other victims Apart from the case of Dalmacio, Cabrera also testified on the autopsy reports of other massacre victims including: