“Tagadala ako ng droga sa Leyte. Ikaw na susunod (I’m a drug courier in Leyte. You’re next).”
This was the message written on a piece of paper found on a body stuffed inside a blue plastic box that turned up on Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City on Tuesday morning.
Exactly a week ago, a black plastic box also yielded a body whose head was likewise wrapped in packaging tape.
A check of the documents in the wallet of the victim discovered yesterday identified him as Bernard Alacre, 29, a native of Liloan, Southern Leyte, living in West Cupang, Muntinlupa City.
Beside him was a backpack containing a white envelope labeled “Boss Nolan, So. Leyte” and 15 sachets of suspected “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) valued at P31,500.
A taho vendor noticed the box near a bank around 5:15 a.m. and informed the security guard, according to case investigator PO2 Christopher Nero.
Unexpected find
Police cordoned off the area and bomb disposal operatives conducted a technical screening. When the box was cleared, lawmen discovered the body inside, together with the message and a blue backpack.
The victim had “Bernardo” tattooed on his right arm. There was a piece of wire twisted around his neck while his head was wrapped in packaging tape and covered by a garbage bag.
Hours before the discovery of the body, two brothers were killed in a buy-bust operation in their house, also in Pasay City.
The police identified the fatalities as Djerome Lim, 21, and his brother, Michael, 23, who both died from multiple gunshot wounds. Both were residents of 2297 F.B. Harrison Street in Barangay 13, Zone 4.
Operatives of the Southern Police District Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group said they carried out the buy-bust at 2:40 a.m.
Based on the investigation conducted by SPO1 Giovanni Arcinue of the Pasay City police, the suspects drew their guns “upon sensing the presence of police operatives.”
Misfired
However, their guns misfired, allowing the policemen to shoot back and wound them.
The brothers were brought to Pasay City General Hospital but they were pronounced dead on arrival. Their bodies were taken to Rizal Funeral Homes to be autopsied.
Crime scene operatives recovered a .38-caliber firearm without a serial number and a 9-mm gun with serial number SN 5370919F6.
The police also found a small, light green container with 10 plastic sachets containing suspected shabu and two unsealed sachets containing traces of the same substance.
Meanwhile, a drug suspect was shot dead by men who entered his house on De Setyembre Street, Sun Valley Naia Barangay 197, Pasay City, at 7:10 p.m. on Monday.
Two armed men wearing bonnets and caps barged inside the house of Louisito Boja, 38, and riddled him with bullets while a third suspect served as a lookout. The three later fled on a motorcycle.
Case investigator PO3 Alfredo Aquino Jr. said Boja’s mother, Mila, had accepted her son’s fate because he remained a drug courier despite his earlier surrender under “Oplan Tokhang.”