Slaughter of Innocents

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CASE BRIEFS: From July 7 to 9, six persons, one of whom a foreign national, were reported to have been murdered in separate incidents. Two crime suspects were murdered over revenge rendering courts useless; three others were killed by “vigilantes” and one over continuing unsolved robbery cases.

In Cases No. 2 and 5, these murders explain the loss of faith by aggrieved parties of crimes as they themselves takes the laws into their own hands. Even though the perpetrators of these murders could not be ascertain whether or not they are relatives of the victims, but these deaths often impliedly endorsed or well receive.

The lack of faith to administration of justice has in fact breeds the notion of an alternative justice—”the vigilantes”. Vigilantes could carry on killing their targets because they knew they would not be held to account anyway and that they have had the implied acquiescence of the public; and the victim losses faith to any notion of justice as they themselves could not obtain any sort.

This killing proves true to Cases 3, 4 and 6. The police digs into the victim’s background instead of investigating who the murderers were, the victim’s deaths was prematurely concluded as perpetrated supposedly by vigilantes; and the other one had his corpse found in a bush which has traces of torture.

Case No. 1: Vietnamese gunned down

Victims:
Killed: Nguyen Lee, 27, Vietnamese national, 27, of Tacurong City
Wounded: Trieu Lee, of legal age, resident of Digos City
Date: 9 July at past 1 a.m.

An unidentified armed man shot a Vietnamese national to death, injuring another while onboard a motorcycle along 1st Crumb Street in Digos City on July 9.

Nguyen Lee, 27, who hails in Tacurong City, was on his way home with his brother Trieu and a friend named Jessie Maratas onboard a Honda Dream motorcycle at past 1 a.m.

Jessie Maratas, who drove the motorcycle, bared that two unidentified men onboard a DT motorcycle, appeared beside them. One of them, he said, pulled out a gun and shot Nguyen who was sitting on the rear portion of his motorcycle.

The suspects sped off to unknown direction after the incident.

Nguyen, who succumbed to four gunshot wounds in his body and hand, was rushed to the Gonzales Hospital, but later died while undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, Nguyen’s brother, Trieu, who was hit with a stray bullet on the left portion of his body had also been treated at the same hospital.

According to the victims’ relatives, Nguyen originally resides in Tacurong City, but visits his brother in Digos City every week to collect money and to supervise their lending business which was left by their parents, who are now residing in the United States.

The victims’ relatives, on the other hand, insisted that the victims have not offended anyone.

Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Anthony Padua, chief of the Digos police, said they will further investigate whether the shooting has something to do with the victims’ lending business.

Case No. 2: Murder suspect leaving court shot dead

Victim: Jasper Canton alias Tabilong, 28, resident of Sitio Buli, Barangay Duljo-Fatima, Sugbo City
Date: 9 July at 5:30 p.m.

On July 9, Jasper Canton, who was supposed to be charged with attempted murder before the Palace of Justice in Sugbo City, was shot dead in front of his mother and his two siblings just a few moments after he went out of the justice hall.

In his investigation, SPO1 Roger Nedamo, homicide prober, said Canton was onboard a public utility jeepney (PUJ) together with his mother and his two siblings at around 5:30 p.m. on their way home after the complainant named Jenny Mejares submitted an affidavit of desistance causing the prosecutor to order Canton’s release.

When the jeepney reached near the City Central School in Osmeña Boulevard, an unidentified man approached the jeepney and shot Canton using a revolver hitting him on his head.

Witnesses inside the PUJ said Canton fell down in front of his sister, while the suspect, who was clad in a black jacket and a helmet, sped off with another unidentified man onboard a blue motorcycle.

SPO1 Nedamo, on the other hand, claimed that they tried to follow the suspects’ motorcycle, but were not able to intercept them as the traffic was heavy.

Canton’s family brought Canton to the Cebu City Medical Center, but the latter was already declared dead on arrival by the attending physicians.

Police are making further investigation of the incident. Canton was said to be involved in clan wars.

Case No. 3: Police digs into victim’s background than killers

Victim: Gilson Bindanillo, 21, resident of Union Village, Barangay Mankilam, Tagum City, Davao del Norte
Date: 8 July

Gilson Bindanillo was playing billiards at a billiard hall in Union Village, Barangay Mankilam in Tagum City in the evening of July 8.

While playing, two motorcycle-riding men appeared. Witnesses said, one of the men approached Bindanillo, pulled out an undetermined caliber and shot the latter several times without provocation.

Bindanillo, died instantaneously with three gunshot wounds, while the gunman left the scene of crime with his companion.

Police are now making investigation to know the background of the victim and to possibly identify the suspects.

Case No. 4: “Vigilantes” kills yet another man

Victim: Bartolome Alforque Jr., 24, resident of Kilometer 9, Matina Pangi, Davao City
Date: 7 July at 7: 45 p.m.

Bartolome Alforque Jr. is still under critical condition at the Davao Doctors Hospital after he was shot in the jaw by one of the two unidentified suspects in Sitio Toril Clip in Catalunan Grande, Davao City on July 7.

Investigation conducted by the Talomo police homicide probers revealed that Alforque was onboard his motorcycle with one Maria Liza Ratales at around 7:45 p.m. on their way to Catalunan Grande when the incident happened.

Probers said two unidenitified men onboard a motorcycle followed Alforquez’s motorcycle. One of them pulled out a gun and shot Alforque once hitting him at the left portion of his jaw.

Just like other vigilante-style shooting incidents, the suspects sped off to unknown direction leaving Alforque wounded and Ratales with several lacerations in the body.

Concerned citizens brought the victims to the Davao Doctors Hospital where Alforque remains in a critical condition.

The responding policemen, on the other hand, have not recovered any empty shells or evidences in the scene of crime. They are making investigation to know the background of the victim and to establish the motive of the incident.

Case No. 5: Man killed over revenge rendering court useless

Victim: Teodolo Alquisar, 30, habal-habal driver, resident of Purok 1, Magsaysay, Carmen, Davao del Norte
Date: 7 July

In the evening of July 7, Teodolo Alquisar was playing basketball in Purok 1 Magsaysay, Carmen in Davao Del Norte.

Probers said while playing, a lone gunman approached Alquisar and shot him several times in his neck and body. The suspect immediately left the area with his unidentified companion who was waiting onboard a motorcycle just a few meters away from the crime scene.

Alquisar was brought by some concerned citizens to the Davao Regional Hospital, but he was already declared dead upon arrival.

Alquisar’s relatives believe that the incident has something to do with Alquisar’s affair to a married woman last year. Alquisar’s affair with the woman was allegedly known to the woman’s husband.

“Ingon sa igsuon atong victim nga dako ang ilang pagduda nga kadtong bana sa iyang uyab-uyab sauna ang mitira sa iya (The victim’s sibling claimed that they suspect that the woman’s husband was the one behind this incident),” a security guard of the Davao Regional Hospital, said in an interview.

Police are still making investigation of the incident.

Case No. 6: Corpse of a man with traces of torture found

Victim: unidentified man, found in Cagayan de Oro City
Date: 7 July

On July 7, an unidentified man, clad in a short pant, was found dead in a grassy portion of Zone 9, Bulua in Cagayan de Oro City.

The victim, believed to be tortured, was discovered by the responding police with 14 stab and gunshot wounds in the different parts of the body.

Police only recovered four empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol at the area where the body was found. The victim has no identification card or any document with him when his body was searched by the police.

One Pablito Jayawon said he was walking in the area at around 1 p.m. purposely to collect woods and barks of trees when he smelled a foul odor. He said he looked everywhere and found the dead body just about 12 meters away from the highway.

Jayawon then reported the matter to Barangay Chairwoman Marlyn Lagumen of Barangay Canitoan who sought for police assistance.

Police said they can start with their investigation whenever the victim will be identified.

The cadaver of the victim was then brought to the Bollozoz Funeral Parlor for autopsy.

Source: SunStar Super Balita