At least seven more men fell victim to vigilante-style killings in different parts of Metro Manila, with one of the dead dumped on the street with a cardboard sign that also named eight Quezon City policemen as alleged “recyclers” of confiscated “shabu.”
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said a still unidentified man who was apparently strangled and tortured was found around 3 a.m. Thursday on Central Avenue, Barangay Culiat.
Attached to the body was a sign in Filipino that read: “Don’t follow my example. I’m a pusher who works for cops recycling shabu, Capt. Damaso Gayattao, PO3 Jojo Torrefiel, PO2 Max Tarafe, PO2 Mike Narag, PO2 Christian Barredo, PO2 Richard Galvez, PO2 Gary Gaerlan, PO1 Bolastig and Tata Glen.”
The QCPD director, Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, confirmed in an interview that the names were that of his men, but stressed that this “raw information” provided by the sign still required an investigation.
88 relieved of post
Gayattao is a senior inspector from the District Public Safety Batallion, whose members also include Torrefiel and Tarafe. Barredo, Galvez, Gaerlan, Narag and PO1 Alvin Bolastig are from QCPD Station 9 in Anonas.
On Wednesday, Eleazar ordered the relief of 88 QCPD members from two major anti-illegal drug units, a day after one team leader suspected of recycling shabu was killed in an encounter with fellow officers. The order covered 35 members of the District Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (DAID-SOTG) and 53 members of the anti-illegal drugs task group of Station 6 in Batasan.
NBI clearance
In Manila, a Chinese-Filipino man was found dead along R-10, Tondo, around 1 a.m. He bore multiple stab wounds, had a metal wire around his neck and his face was wrapped in duct tape.
Identified by the police as Jaime Bayaca Ong, the victim had a cardboard sign saying: “I’m a drug lord (Chinese).”
A bag found next to the body contained his passport and a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation indicating he had no criminal record. The documents also indicated that Ong hails from Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, and his latest address is in Tikay, Malolos, Bulacan.
Killed in front of wife
In Muntinlupa City, vigilante killings also claimed two more men who police said earlier surrendered to be documented as drug users.
At around 3 a.m., three men broke into the house of 37-year-old Lamberto Rodriguez in Southville 3, Brgy. Poblacion, dragged him outside, and shot him in the head three times, said Senior Insp. June Reyes, Muntinupa police’s investigation chief.
According to Rodriguez’s wife Myrin, the couple were sleeping beside their two children when the gunmen forcibly entered their home. Myrin could do nothing but watch helplessly as her husband was executed, Reyes said.
Based on police records, Rodriguez was a confessed drug user and peddler who was among those who voluntarily surrendered on July 13 to barangay officials, in compliance with the Oplan Tokhang campaign of the Philippine National Police.
About two hours later, a still unidentified man was found dead, blindfolded and hogtied on Don Pedro Reyes Avenue, Barangay Tunasan, again with a cardboard sign saying he was a drug pusher and a car thief.
In Marikina, a man’s body was dumped at the back of St. Camilus Seminary on Tanguile St. in Marikina Heights. Discovered shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday, the victim had multiple stab wounds and a piece of paper with the message: “I’m a pusher.”
He was holding a motorcycle key and, a few feet from the body, was the motorcycle, according to a report by the Marikina police chief, Supt. Virgilio Viloria.
In Pasay City, a village official was shot dead by two men who also left a placard calling him a drug peddler before fleeing.
Pasay local execs targeted
The police identified the victim as Moises Jennings Aliviado, 39, village councilor of Barangay 61, Zone 8, who was shot while having a drink with fellow officials in front of his house on Leonardo Street around 9:30 p.m.
Two hours earlier, Alberto Arguelles, 48, chair of Barangay 4, Zone 2, was shot along E. Rodriguez Street also in Pasay. He was standing at the corner of E. Rodriguez and Tankian streets when two men on a motorcyle coming from FB Harrison stopped in front of him.
The backrider shot Arguelles several times before the duo fled toward Roxas Boulevard. With Jodee A. Agoncillo and Erika Sauler