Drug suspect who surrendered shot dead

A SUSPECTED drug pusher who surrendered to authorities in Quezon City two weeks ago was killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen near his house on Sunday night. Mario dela Cruz Sr. was pronounced dead on arrival at Capitol Medical Center after his family rushed him there.

A day before he was gunned down, the 52-year-old Dela Cruz failed to attend a briefing, part of the terms of his surrender, the police said.

Based on a police report, the victim and his friend were talking outside a neighbor’s house at the corner of H. Francisco Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Barangay Paraiso, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City, when they were approached by two men on a motorcycle.

Case investigator PO2 Anthony Tejerero said that according to the victim’s friend, Wilber Escalona, the suspects asked Dela Cruz, “Why are you here?” The back rider then took out a gun and shot Dela Cruz repeatedly as Escalona escaped.

Quezon City Police District director Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said on Monday that they learned that the victim, an alleged drug pusher, surrendered to barangay officials two weeks ago under the police’s Oplan Tokhang.

Authorities recovered from the crime scene three cartridges from a .45-cal. pistol. Based on the Inquirer’s kill list as of Aug. 4, around 200 persons have been slain by vigilantes since June 30.