A couple and two siblings-in-law were shot dead by masked men on motorcycles in separate attacks in San Juan City on Tuesday night.
The killings happened about half an hour apart, with the police saying packets of “shabu” and drug paraphernalia were recovered from the victims.
One of the victims was also a potential recipient of financial aid given by the city vice mayor to “Oplan Tokhang” surrenderers who want to start life anew.
According to a report to Senior Supt. William Segun, the city police chief, about 10 men barged into the home of Anthony Zamora, 37, on Morales Street in Barangay Salapan, where they shot him and his visiting brother-in-law Jonathan Madrinan, 47, around 11 p.m.
The attack left Zamora’s 12-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter traumatized. His wife was at work at the time.
Madrinan, a resident of Taytay, Rizal, had been a house guest of the Zamoras since last month.
Neighbors interviewed by the Inquirer said the assailants arrived on seven to eight motorcycles, with one of them pointing a gun at onlookers as they approached the Zamora residence.
Crime scene investigators led by Senior Insp. Joseph Logronio found two pieces of aluminum foil, a disposable lighter and a sachet of shabu in one of Zamora’s pockets, the report said.
Barangay Salapan chair Charles Tejoso said Zamora was one of the 40 Tokhang surrenderers in the village who initially registered but became inactive in a church-based drug rehabilitation program.
Barangay secretary Suzette Varon said Zamora could have received P10,000 from Vice Mayor Janella Estrada had he stayed on the program.
Earlier that night, in Barangay Progreso, at least 14 masked men came for Nicholas Evan Pinili, 50, and his wife Mercedes, 49, at their rented home on Santo Domingo Street.
The couple were shot several times and died on the spot, according to the case investigator, P02 Karl Sawey.
The male Pinili had a sachet of shabu tucked in his waistband when found, the incident report said.
Barangay Progreso chair Carmencita Domingo said the couple earlier presented themselves under Tokhang and had since been active participants in local government programs for drug surrenderers.