Slaughter of Innocents

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DEPRIVE ANY CHANCE TO REFORM: On June 30, three persons had been attacked on vigilante pretext; one of them was killed, in separate incidents in Cagayan de Oro City and Davao City. In the former, the victim had been announced as a member of a gang while the former had been attacked supposedly by Davao vigilantes. In the latter’s case though, even victims’ relatives have already resigned to these continuing killings that they themselves had expressed defeat and acquiescence as the victims had somehow committed wrongdoings in the past.

Case No. 1: Yet another gang member shot dead

Victim: Celmar Radaza, 30, resident of Everlasting Street, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City
Date: 30 June at 8:30 p.m.

On June 30, victim Celmar Radaza was found with several gunshot wounds in his head and body along 20th Nazareth Street in Cagayan de Oro City at around 8:30 p.m. A piece of nickel (tingga) was found inserted into a part of his body by still unidentified suspects.

Probers reported that according to witnesses, Radaza was just standing along a dark portion of the street when two men onboard on two different motorcycles appeared. One of the suspects allegedly shot Radaza several times.

The suspects were later seen speeding off with their motorcycles after the incident.

Radaza was still breathing upon the arrival of the responding policemen. However, he was declared dead on arrival in the hospital. He succumbed to a gunshot wound near his liver, two in his shoulder, two at the back portion of his head, and one gunshot wound in his body where police found an engrossed piece of a nickel.

Police recovered empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol at the scene of crime, a cellphone, and a small sachet containing white crystalline substances believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu in Radaza’s hand.

Radaza, who has indelible marks in his body, was said to be a member of the so-called BM-29, a notorious group in Cagayan de Oro City.

Police are still making further investigation of the incident. They are somehow confident that the case will be solved eventually using the victim’s cellphone as it was found with a message from someone saying “Magpa-deliver ko bali P1,000 (Bring me some, worth P1,000).”

Case No. 2: Victims’ relative resigns to killings

Victims: Caryl Lloyd Abellana, 20 and cousin Christian Abellana Arsua, 23, both residents of Crossing Ulas, Davao City
Date: 30 June 12 midnight

On June 30, Caryl Lloyd Abellana and his cousin, Christian, were playing card games (tong-its) in front of the Susan Store in Crossing Ulas, Davao City at around 12 midnight. While playing, two unidentified men approached them, one stabbed Abellana hitting him in his stomach, hand and shoulder, while the other suspect shot Arsua with a caliber .45 pistol. He was hit on his right thigh.

The suspects were seen fleeing onboard a red Honda XRM motorcycle to unknown direction after the incident.

SPO1 Reynaldo Gustilo, prober of the Talomo police precinct, said the victims were still confined at the Davao Medical Center for treatment.

People who knew the victims believed that the suspects were members of the vigilante group, Davao Death Squad (DDS), who is pointed out as the responsible in the continuous unsolved killings in the city.

“Mga DDS to sila, wa na ta’y mahimo diha kay naa man pud na sila’y sala sauna (The suspects were members of the DDS. We cannot do something about what happened to the victims because they have done something wrong in the past),” one Jojo, who was known to the victims, disclosed in an interview.

The members of the Talomo police precinct are further conducting investigation of the incident.

Source: Sun.Star Superbalita