Abandoned tricycle yields 3 bodies near National Museum

Three heavily tattooed men were shot dead Thursday morning in Manila near the National Museum in what police believe to be a turf war between rival drug groups.

The victims whose bodies were found inside a tricycle were identified only through their aliases Michael Kabayo, Toto and Baby Mata, according to Senior Insp. Roderick Dean Carza of the Ermita police station.

A jeepney driver told the police that he was plying his route on Taft Avenue near Manila City Hall at 2:30 a.m. Thursday when he heard gunshots ring out. He then saw four men wearing black jackets leaving the area on two motorcycles.

When he stopped at the corner of P. Burgos Street beside the National Museum, he spotted a tricycle with license plate number HL 4036. Inside the vehicle were the bodies of three men.

The police described the victims as heavily tattooed men with dark skin. Michael Kabayo was in an aqua blue shirt and gray shorts, Toto was clad in a red shirt and gray checkered shorts, while Baby Mata was dressed in a white shirt worn over a black undershirt, black shorts and leg warmers.

Also found at the scene were nine casings from a .45-caliber pistol and six others from a 9mm firearm.

Supt. Alejandro Yanquiling, Ermita police station chief, said they were looking into the possibility that the killings were in connection with a turf war between the Baseco and Intramuros drug groups. But he added that they have yet to determine which group the victims belonged to.