Survivor tells how Navotas drug gang’s ‘meeting’ left 2 dead

It’s like a plot from an Erik Matti or Quentin Tarantino film only what happened was real, involving two dead suspects and a survivor who told the tale, resulting in a manhunt.

Two suspected drug peddlers were stabbed to death by a member of their own gang in Navotas City, the police said, quoting a survivor of the assault.

The bodies of Mark Alexis Fuentes, 21, and Crisanto Sigua, 35, were found in a house on Chunkang Street, Barangay Tanza, where the group on Thursday held a “meeting’’ that later turned violent.

Another gang member, 25-year-old Joel Espinosa, was also stabbed but managed to escape from the house. He remained in a hospital where he gave a statement to the police on Saturday.

PO2 Joemir Juhan, the case investigator, said Fuentes, Sigua and Espinosa were invited by the house owners, Mario Mangali and stepdaughter Arlyn Francisco, to the 2 p.m. gathering on March 3. Also present at the meeting were siblings Jerome and Ronnie Bolista, Linneth Caballero and Arcenia Mangali.

Based on Espinosa’s account, the meeting initially had a party-like atmosphere, where music was played and food was served. But the mood turned tense when some of those present accused Fuentes, Sigua and Espinosa of being the “Judases” of the group.

Jerome Bolista suddenly held the three at gunpoint, while Ronnie Bolista tied them up with a nylon cord and covered their mouths with duct tape. Ronnie then stabbed them with a katana or Japanese sword, killing Sigua and Fuentes on the spot.

The bleeding Espinosa played dead for a moment before jumping through a window to escape. He sought help from village watchmen, who later found the bodies of the two victims at the house.

A responding police team arrested Mangali and Francisco, the alleged leaders of the group, but could no longer find the other suspects.

According to PO3 Edgar Valera, who took Espinosa’s statement, Mangali and Francisco would be charged with murder and frustrated murder this Monday for their role in the killings.

Quoting Espinosa, PO3 Valera said Mangali and Francisco were snarling at the victims as they were being stabbed, calling them “chicks who wanted to usurp eagles” — or upstarts daring to take over the drug trade in that part of Navotas.

PO3 Valera said before the killing took place, the local police had an “asset” or informant in the gang but this person was apparently unmasked by the members.

The informant was found dead in Barangay Tanza last month, PO3 Valera said. TVJ