By JEN BAYLON

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Bacolod City has finally identified the owner of the severed body parts recovered outside their office in March of this year.

NBI-Bacolod chief Atty. Renoir Baldovino said the victim was identified as Baltazar Lamata, a resident of the city’s Barangay Pahanocoy.

Baldovino said Lamata was confirmed to be the owner of the body parts based on the fingerprint analysis results.

Lamata, identified as a drug personality by the NBI, was reported missing last February.

Baldovino said they are trying to reach out to the victim’s family for additional details in the conduct of the investigation.

He claimed that the family expressed fear because of the threats.

“We are having problems in reaching out to the family as they are not cooperating with us,” Baldovino said.

The mutilated body parts — a left hand, a left leg and a pair of ears — were recovered in front of the NBI-Bacolod office along Aguinaldo Street in Bacolod’s Barangay 4 last March 1.

The body parts included a note with the message, “William de Arca NBI Protector ni Hanz Lopez Drug Lord.”/JB, WDJ