Victims of summary killings in Iloilo suffered before death—post-mortem

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—Lou Facto had 18 gunshot wounds including 10 in both thighs and eight in the head and chest.

Sherwin Taasan was shot eight times and was most likely beaten up before he was killed. His left arm was fractured and had bruises in the chest and face.

He also had second-degree burns between his nose and mouth, possibly due to electric shock.

These were shown in post-mortem examinations conducted by Dr. Noel Martinez of the Police Regional Office-Western Visayas (PRO-6) crime laboratory on the two victims of summary killings whose bodies were separately found in Iloilo last Saturday.

“These indicate that they were most likely beaten up or made to suffer before they [were] shot fatally,” he told the INQUIRER.

Facto’s body was found in Barangay (village) Sooc in Arevalo District in Iloilo City with his faced wrapped with packing tape and his hands tied.

Meanwhile, Taasan was shot and his body left behind in a grassy lot in Barangay San Vicente in Leganes town in Iloilo. He was forced off a passenger jeepney in Iloilo City by unidentified men who pretended to be law enforcers serving a warrant for his arrest.

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The two victims had previous criminal records.

Taasan, 38, was previously arrested for theft and was also involved in a murder case. Facto, 33, had just been released from detention for a still undetermined criminal case. He was also linked to illegal drugs.

The killings have raised alarm from the Commission on Human Rights and Church leaders on more summary killings of suspected criminals.

The PRO-6 dismissed speculation that two killings were the works of vigilantes.

“The crackdown on criminals is being implemented within the bounds of the law,” said Supt. Gilbert Gorero, spokesperson of the Western Visayas police office.

He said the killings were still being investigated and the perpetrators being identified.

“They could have been killed due to personal grudges or because of conflict within criminal groups,” he said.

He said police units were directed to identify and go after the killers.

The PRO-6 said its stepped up campaign on illegal drugs resulted in an 80-percent increase in operations last month compared to the same month last year.

Gorero said 63 operations were conducted including buy-bust raids and searches. These include those in Iloilo (46), Aklan (5), Antique (4), Capiz (5) and Guimaras (3).

The operations resulted in the confiscation of 104.16 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P624,960.

Sixty drugs users and 25 pushers were arrested with 61 cases filed in court, according to Gorero. RAM