Expert: 3 Ampatuan massacre victims had shattered skulls

An expert witness in the Ampatuan murder trial on Wednesday said the three massacre victims he autopsied all died with shattered skulls due to gunshots from a heavy firearm. Senior Inspector Dr. Felino Brunia Jr. told a Quezon City court that he already found a huge portion of journalist Jose Duhay's skull missing after it was "totally blown off" his head. The medico-legal expert from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory also said Duhay, a reporter for the local newspaper Filipino Chronicle, sustained eight gunshot wounds all over his body. The most fatal of the wounds was the one that literally blew off his skull, caused by a bullet that entered through his left jaw and exited through his head and created a wound that measured 27 centimeters (cm) by 15 cm. Brunia said the top of the victim's head and the back of his skull were already gone when he conducted the autopsy. Brunia performed the autopsy of 14 victims for two days from November 25 to 26, 2006 in Koronadal City. Duhay's wife was seen holding back her tears during Brunia's testimony. The prosecution lawyers also passed around photographs of Duhay's remains. Victim Rubello Bataluna, meanwhile, suffered a fractured skull after being shot on his left temple, causing "extensive damage" to his brain. He was also shot in his torso causing damage to his lungs. Ronie Perante, another victim, was shot on his neck and the bullet exited through his head, Brunia added. The victim also sustained wounds on his body that lacerated his lungs. – VVP, GMA News