Policemen recover bodies of 3 unidentified males in Sampaloc, Tondo

Three unidentified males, believed to be victims of summary execution, were found Wednesday in two separate places in Manila.

Two were found strangled with a nylon rope, their hands bound with transparent packing tape, in Sampaloc around 3:50 a.m.

The bodies were discovered at the corner of P. Campa and J. Barlin streets in Barangay 466, Zone 46, by barangay (village) watchman Benjamin Chua.

Four hours later, another body was fished out from the waters of Pier 18 in Vitas, Tondo. The victim’s arms and feet were tied with electrical and nylon cords; his mouth was gagged with a plastic bag.

Dumped

In his report, case investigator Senior Police Officer 2 Edmundo Cabal of the Manila Police District (MPD) Homicide section quoted Chua as saying that witnesses saw the bodies dumped by unidentified persons driving a white-colored car.

The victims, estimated to be around 30 to 40 years old, are identifiable by their respective tattoos.

Marks

The slim, 5’2”, fair-complexioned skinheaded victim, wearing a white T-shirt and fatigue-type short pants, had the words “Young, wild and free” and the image  of Jesus Christ on his back, and the words “Hate it or love it” on his upper chest, and “Live strong” on his lower abdomen.

The medium-built, 5’5” victim, wearing a white-colored tank top and denim short pants with a black belt, had the words “Ninong Boyet Policarpio” tattooed on his back.

Third victim

The third victim found in Tondo was estimated to be around 40 to 45 years old, 5’8” to 5’9” in height.

The unidentified man, who was only in his underwear, was spotted by Police Officer 1 Danilo Bautista of the Philippine Coast Guard.

Case investigator SPO1 Amelito Lopez of the MPD Homicide section said the victim could have been dead for four to five days.

“But he had no signs of injuries like stab or gunshot wounds,” Lopez said.

Victims of summary executions are not uncommon in the city, with most of them turning out to be notorious criminals, said Inspector Joselito de Ocampo, MPD homicide chief.

Not all the victims have been identified, and some of those who are, remain unclaimed by their families, he said.

De Ocampo added that those behind the executions could be fellow criminals wanting to monopolize the loot, or were out for revenge. “They could also be the work of vigilante groups,” he said.

As in previous cases, the suspected summary executions on Wednesday remain under investigation, with the search for suspects and witnesses still underway.

The police said they saw no link in the two cases.