MANILA, Philippines -- The teenage leader of a gang allegedly involved in several drive-by shootings in Tondo has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and filed a petition for bail before a Manila court.

Vic John Encinas, 19, the alleged leader of the ?Tres Puntos? Gang, was arraigned on Wednesday before Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 26.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of killing Bryan Lorenzana, 19, and Ricky Almario, 21. Both were shot dead on Aug. 3 last year as they were walking home from a friend?s house. Their companion, Vincent Tordera, survived the attack which was carried out by motorcycle-riding men.

During the arraignment, a court employee said that when the police removed Encinas? handcuffs, several people?including the litigants?moved away from him or ran out of the court room.

The source, who requested anonymity, told the Inquirer that most of the people in court were obviously afraid of Encinas. Their reaction prompted Pampilo to order the police to assign more men to secure Encinas.

His Tres Puntos Gang was earlier linked to several incidents of indiscriminate shooting in the past two years which were carried out by motorcycle-riding men between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. with the victims chosen at random. Jeannette I. Andrade