Shoot-to-kill order vs family killers

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—Mayor Vicente Emano on Thursday issued a shoot-to-kill order against the suspects in the killing of a family of four whose bodies were dumped in a septic tank.

“I order the police to shoot if the suspects try to fight back. They (suspects) don’t have a heart. They killed even the innocent, defenseless children,” Emano told reporters.

On Wednesday, police discovered the bodies of Christopher Lastimosa, his wife Leah, and their children Christian, 9, and Chanly, 6, which were dumped in a septic tank at the back of their house in GSIS Subdivision in Barangay Canitoan here.

SPO1 Ansari Pagador, investigator of the Bulua Police Station, said the bodies were discovered after Chona Pepito, Leah’s sister, reported to the police that the family had been missing since Monday.

Chona said she went to Lastimosa’s house and found Armand Abuyin, Christopher’s helper-mechanic.

Abuyin allegedly claimed that the family went to Manila. Chona said she suspected that something was wrong when Abuyin prevented her from entering the house.

With policemen, Chona entered the house at around 10 a.m. Wednesday and found blood stains in the kitchen which led them to the makeshift restroom at the backyard.

Pagador said the bodies, already in a state of decomposition, were found inside the septic tank.

But Abuyin accused Christopher of being a drug pusher and was using his house as a drug den. He said the killing stemmed from a P70,000-drug money debt.

Abuyin said that on Sunday night, Eric Malong, an alleged drug pusher, and two other companions arrived at Lastimosa’s house. There, they had a drinking session.

But Abuyin said Malong and Christopher had an argument over money that the latter allegedly failed to pay.

“It is drug money that he owed Malong after selling his drugs,” Abuyin said in a radio interview.

Abuyin said two others, who he did not know, participated in the crime.

Abuyin claimed that Malong, Christopher and the two others also took drugs on the night the killing happened.

Police are now looking for the three suspects. Bobby Lagsa, Inquirer Mindanao