Slaughter of Innocents

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Robbery may be considered common crimes; however, when incidents related to this would result to a pattern of systematic murders to emerge, the authority has the obligations to take effective and adequate action to protect lives and properties.

Also, in the Philippines, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has had clear mandate under section 24, of Republic Act 6975, for them to ensure protection of lives and property, cases are effectively investigated and held those responsible to account.

Article 3, section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution also upheld that no one shall be arbitrarily deprive of their lives. When concerned authorities fails though, systematically, in protecting the people’s lives despite a pattern of murder, this itself is already constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of life.

The UN’s General Comment No. 6 has also long held that the government should “take measures not only to prevent and punish deprivation of life by criminal acts, but also to prevent arbitrary killing by their own security forces”.

Below are individual cases of motorcycle drivers who had been slaughtered in General Santos City in recent months. all these cases, however, remains unsolved;

SLAUGHTER OF MOTORCYCLE DRIVERS:

Breadwinner orphans five children

Date: April 27 at around 7pm in Purok Kulasi, Barangay Labangal, General Santos City
Victim: Danny Ramirez, 37; of Purok Matinabangon of the said village

Danny Ramirez was himself shot dead by gunmen also riding on a motorcycle. He had just left from his home telling his wife, Delia, that he would come back shortly after ferrying some passengers. Driving passenger motorcycle is where Danny earns his livelihood for his family.

It is said that as Danny was coming out from his village, he had been followed by his attackers riding on another motorcycle from the place where he had come from.

Immediately after getting a chance, they shot him dead at close range. The motorcycle Danny though has not taken –which is contrary to previous incidents of killings of drivers where attackers also took them away.

His wife Delia said of his husband’s death: “Wala ko magdahum nga patyon nila ang akong bana kay wala man kiniy dautang rekord sa among lugar. But-an man kining akong bana. Gani naningkamot siya nga maghabal-habal aron lang dunay income ug dunay ikapakaon sa among mga anak kay lima ka buok. Ang akong anak, unsaon man nako kini karon sa pagpadako nga wala na ang ilang amahan. (I never thought they would kill my husband. He had no criminal records in our place. He was a good man. He had been a responsible husband by working as driver to be able to feed our five children. How am I going to raise by children without a father?)

Sa ako lang sir wala ko masayod nganong gipatay nila ang akong bana (I really don’t know why they had to kill him)”, she further said in an interview.

Six slugs from a .45 caliber pistol had pierced into Danny’s head killing him instantly. The police, too, were able to recover the empty shells at the crime scene.

Murdered, robbed for his newly loaned bike

Date: April 21, at around 10pm Purok San Roque, Barangay Labangal, General Santos City
Victim: Steward Devenagracia, 22; of Purok Matinabangon of the same village

Steward Devenagracia, whose identity has not been known three days after he had been murdered, was shot dead while he was also ferrying his passengers. He was one of the many drivers who gad fallen victims to increasing incidents of motorcycle robberies wherein robbers also kill the driver.

Steward was last seen ferrying a female passenger from a wharf in Makar, of the same village, where he usually awaits for passenger, before he was found dead. Usually drivers are not suspicious of female passengers amidst the unabated killing of drivers. It was not immediately known though whether the woman was involved; but there are suspicious she could have been used as bait.

Steward suffered gunshot wounds to his head the pierced through his back.

When the shooting took place, villagers living nearby heard two gunshot wounds but were unable to recognize the identity of those who had killed him. They, too, were unable to identify the victim as he was lying dead to the ground. His dead body was first taken to a nearby Labajo Funeral Home where his relatives had identified only days later after he failed to come home.

Steward’s motorcycle, which was loaned by his family from an appliance center three days earlier, was also stolen by his attackers. He was wearing at the time a green jacket, a khaki short pant and a white shirt.

Steward’s mother said of him: “Nanginabuhian na ang akong anak bisan gabii aron daw dunay ikapalit og gatas sa iyang usa ka anak, kay kaslonon pa unta na sila sunod nga tuig apan napigaduhan lagi hinungdan nga sunod tuig pa ang ilang kasal, daan na man na siyang gisultihan nga moundang na lang sa iyang paghabal-habal kay daghan na ang gipamatay sa dakbayan pero bisan og usa wala pay nasulbad ang kapulisan, ingon niya sa ako nga wala na siya nagakompiyansa,” matud sa inahan.

Shot in front of his sister

Date: April 20 at 12:30am along Purok Jhonny Ang Paradise, Barangay City Heights
Victim: Roger Bagalangit, 23; of Purok Saludin, Barangay Labangal

Roger Bagalangit was shot dead in front of his sister, Resalie, shortly after coming out from a village where they had a drinking session along Jhonny Ang Paradise. They were waiting for a ride on their way home, when one of the attackers, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, suddenly appeared shooting Roger.

Roger was hit at the back of his head piercing through his forehead. His sister immediately took him to the Socsargen County Hospital but he had died on his way. His sister believes he was the attackers’ target since they did not harm her.

Soon after the shooting, the attacker was seen escaping together with another person onboard a single motorcycle waiting for him nearby.

Gunman casually walked after shooting victim dead

Date: April 9 at 8:30pm at corner Magsaysay Avenue and Salazar street
Victim: Romy Aristoteles, 33; a resident of Zone 3, Purok Matinabangon, Barangay Labangal

Romy Aristoteles, a passenger motorcycle driver, was waiting for passengers he could pick up on street, when a gunman, armed with a .45 caliber pistol, suddenly shot him to the back of his head.

After the shooting, the attacker casually walked away from the crime scene.

Romy fell with his blood splatter to the ground. His fellow driver, Eleazar Patallo, immediately come to his rescue after he was shot. He took him to the St. Elizabeth Hospital but few hours later he died. Romy’s body was taken to the Labajo Funeral Homes.

Romy had suffered gunshot wound to the back of his head that also pierced through his forehead. A slug from .45 caliber pistol had been recovered from the crime scene.

Romy’s family was clueless to what could have been the attacker’s motive or reasons of killing him.

His passengers shot him dead

Date: April 1 or 2; at San Pedro Street, Mateo Road, Barangay Bula
Victim: Jun Villamor, 57; a resident of Sto. Nino, Alabel, Sarangani

Jun Villamor was shot dead by two of passengers he was ferrying who allegedly had attempted to steal the motorcycle he was driving.

Jun was last seen driving his motorcycle with two other persons riding on his motorcycle. Before slamming his motorcycle underneath the back of a utility vehicle parked along the roadside, witnesses have heard gunshots.
Two of the attackers were seen escaping from the crime scene, one of whom was seen having difficulty of walking apparently from his injuries.

Jun suffered two fatal gunshot wounds from his back that pierced into his mouth. His artificial teeth frame was also found some 80 meters from where his dead body was pinned under a vehicle. His was identified through the motorcycle registration he had from his wallet. Some of the driver, who had come to the crime scene, had also him identifying him.

His motorcycle, a red color Honda Wave model, was in total wreck.

Two of three suspects held; driver victim killed

Date: February 8 at 3:30pm along Sitio Linaw, Tinuto
Victim: Norsayda Dalagan, 16; of Barangay Bawing, General Santos.

Norsayda Dalagan had been hired by three passengers when they started attacking the former by repeatedly stabbing him as they pass through an inhabited place.

The three attackers, namely Armand Alero, 23; Arthur Ali Gosting, 23; and Teng Rebulan, 23, hired Norsayda’s service from Barangay Bawing towards Sitio Tampat, Barangay Tinuto. All the attackers were living in the same village.

However, upon reaching Sitio Linaw, Tinuto, they suddenly started stabbing Norsayda from the back. After the incident, the three men escape taking with them Norsayda’s motorcycle. They had hidden the motorcycle in a remote place.

But a witness who had seen the incident immediately reported to a nearby army detachment. One of the soldiers station there, Staff Sergeant Samuel Abucay had immediately responded by going to the crime scene which resulted to the arrest of one of the suspects. Alero. Staff Sergeant Samuel said Norsayda was still breathing when they arrived but he later died as they were about to take him to hospital.

“Nakit-an nako sir nga anaa sa daplin kritikal ang drayber nga si Norsayda ako na lang gipasakay sa usa ka sakyanan aron dad-on sa ospital apan wala na makaya sir nakabsan na siya sa iyang kinabuhi (I saw the driver in critical condition along the roadside. I thought of taking him to hospital by another vehicle but he already died),” Samuel said.

As the police were taking Alero to the nearby Municipality of Maasim, Sarangani, they had been informed that another suspect, Arthur, was seen escaping by riding on a passenger van. The police set-up a checkpoint along Barangay Bawing and eventually resulted to the arrest of Arthur. The two arrested persons were detained in Maasim.

Survives murder attempts by neighbor

Date: February 4; at around 8pm
Victim: Roger Gojeli, 19;

Roger Gojeli was ferrying his neighbor, a certain Iko, when the latter and his companion started repeatedly stabbing him, as they were forcibly taking his motorcycle.

Roger suffered 24 stab wounds to his head. The suspects had escaped and abandoned him for dead thinking that he was already dead. Roger, however, played dead along the roadside, and immediately reported to police when the attackers left.

Roger said alyas Iko had hired him for Php30 to send him to Lote Calumpang from Purok Mauswagon, Labangal. However, as they were passing through in a dark place the suspect started stabbing him.

They immediately took the victim’s motorcycle with them.
Found dead at a roadside

Date: March 10; at around 9:15pm in Purok Bulaong Extension, Barangay Labangal
Victim: Danilo Bactol, 45; a resident of Purok 3 Lanton, Barangay Apopong

Danilo Bactol was found dead and his motorcycle stolen shortly after he was last seen ferrying two other passengers whom he had picked up. He suffered gunshot wounds to his belly and back which reportedly resulted to his death.

Danilo’s body had been found at a roadside by some of the villagers in the area.
The motorcycle was driving, Honda Bravo X-100 with license plate number MC 4670, could no longer be located. It was apparently stolen by the attackers as it happens in other cases.

Danilo was taking the passenger to Purok Bulaong, a place close to where he was found dead, when they themselves had him killed. The police were able to recover two empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol. Danilo suffered two fatal gunshot wounds.