REPORT ON THE DENTAL EXAMINATION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ALLEGED BODY FOUND AT TAN-AWAN, CARCAR LAST JULY 18, 1997

Requesting Party: Atty. Sisinio Andales and Atty. Eric Carin

I. PURPOSE: To review and examine further data pertaining to dental characteristics contained in the exhibits submitted by the prosecution that might be used as a basis for the positive identification of the cadaver as that of Marijoy Chiong. 

II. MATERIALS USED: Magnifying lens, 2 enlarged photographs: (1) Exhibit B picture in which Marijoy Chiong sitting inside a van, (2) Exhibit I the picture when Marijoy Chiong won a beauty contest. Both pictures showed a wide smile exposing her upper anterior teeth, and a post-mortem photograph of the victim in a funeral parlor which showed the night side of the face. Interview with PNP Forensic Dentist, Major Langcaon, last December 8, 1998.

III. Expert opinion given by Dr. Anastacio Rosete, Jr. who:

          1. Graduated with a degree of Doctor of Dental Medicine 1985 and passed the licensure exam on the same year. 

          2. Head of Q.C. Rescue Immediate Assistance Medics, Office of the Mayor 

          3. Head of Q.C. Forensic Dental Group in the identification of victims of Ozone Disco Fire. 

          4. Forensic Odontologist of the Lung Center fire victims. 

          5. Associate of Prof. Bailen as Forensic Odontologist in the Sulpicio Lines Princess of the Orient Tragedy tasked by the Office of the President (Malacanang). 

          6. Consultant of Family of Victims Involuntary Disappearance (FIND).

IV. OBSERVATIONS: 

          A. The post-mortem dental charting allegedly done by the Dental expert of P.N.P. Cebu (Major Langcaon) on the body recovered from Tan-awan, Carcar, Cebu was not submitted to the court as a basis for the positive identification of the cadaver. 

          B. Post-mortem photographs of the body were not properly taken because not all angles of the face and mouth were taken and those taken which might contain dental information were out of focus and therefore not informative. There was no frontal view taken on the face that might be compared to two (2) clear frontal photographs of Marijoy Chiong, which could help establish a positive identification. 

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          C. That the Ante-mortem photographs showed that Marijoy Chiong had an ideal set of upper anterior teeth which indicates a possibility that a dentist was looking after her teeth. 

          D. Moreover, the dental information from the cadaver which could have more accurately estimated its age, was not apparently utilized for age determination. This would have been very useful for young adults within the age bracket reported for Marijoy Chiong. 

V. CONCLUSION:
          Based on the exhibits presented by the prosecutions experts which include court testimonies, photographs of the then living Marijoy Chiong as well as the few and substandard photographs taken of the cadaver, it was not sufficient and therefore possible for the undersigned to confirm positively nor rule out the cadaver as that or not that of Marijoy Chiong. 

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS:

          A. I therefore would like to recommend that all pertinent records relating to the dental profile of Marijoy Chiong be obtained by tracking down her dentist(s). 

          B. That the cadaveric dental chart and observation made by the Cebu P.N.P. Crime Laboratory Region 7 and all documents pertaining to post-mortem odontological profile of the alleged body of Marijoy Chiong retrieved last July 18, 1997 be produced for use as an aid in positive identification.

          C. I further would strongly recommend that a proper exhumation of the body be made so that proper identification procedures that would include odontological and anthropological methods be carried out.  

          These recommendations, I submit could lead to a positive identification of Marijoy Chiong beyond reasonable doubt for the peace of mind of all concerned.

                                                                            signed: DR. ANASTACIO N. ROSETE, JR.
                                                                                                       Forensic Odontologist