Murder raps filed vs Tagum Death Squad members, ex-Davao city mayor

MANILA, Philippines–The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday filed multiple murder and two counts of frustrated murder complaints against former Tagum City, Davao Mayor Rey T. Uy and 29 others for the death of over 80 people by the Tagum Death Squad (TDS).

In the 29-page transmittal complaint by the NBI to the DOJ, included in the complaint were police officers Superintendent Abraham Katre (Ret.),  Senior Police Officer 1 Rolly Sabitsana, Police Officer 1 Alex Maniego, SPO1 Divina Agocoy, SPO3 Jose Bingil, PO3 Leonardo Abrenica.

Also included in the complaint were Conrado Palen aka Rading, a New People’s Army rebel returnee; Victor Cuaresma alias Kulot; Wrenster Azarcon alias RenRen, the alleged triggerman; Eduardo Cabutad; Junard Cuaresma, Noel De Ocampo aka Noynoy; Romnick Minta; Jomri Abayon; Elbeth Tirado aka TrongTrong; Junjie Olita; Juan Olita aka Wani; Allan Rosello; Michael Ramos; a certain Jun Concepcion; a certain Gary “long hair,” a certain Dandan and Tonton.

The NBI also included in the complaint those who hired the  TDS namely Ronilo Daclison; spouses Rosalie and Rembert Delumbar; Hernan DeLos Reyes of the Dietary Section of the Regional Hospital of Apokon, Tagum; Nicasio Lemente, former provincial Agrarian Reform Officer of Tagum City; and Richard Arnado.

Minta and Abayon who have been detained at the NBI revealed the composition of the TDS, its operations and active participation of the police and local employees assigned in Civil Security Unit of Uy.

Uy, who served as Tagum Mayor for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2013 allegedly created the TDS to rid Tagum City of “weeds” such as thieves, snatchers, drug pushers and other criminals.

“He [Uy] provided payment and equipment for the operations, using the Civil Security Unit (CSU) as cover to lawfully issue guns and motorcycles used in the killings,” the complaint stated, adding that the killers got their  salary as members of CSU.

However, later on, the squad was used for contract killings to eliminate business competitors, employees, tribal leaders and police officers that were a threat to the group.

Out of the 84 victims of the group, two survived. Their victims were as young as 14 years old, Jamal Tangote, a Muslim who was shot to death in 2008 and Waren Haye, 17 who was killed in 2011 because he was allegedly a drug user and a thief.

Last year, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a report calling the Philippine government to investigate the death squad in Tagum City.