3 Chinese serving life terms killed in jail

TAGUM CITY—Death waited for three Chinese nationals caught in Parañaque City and serving life terms for drug offenses, even inside the maximum security facility of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) in Davao del Norte province.

The convicts—Chu Kin Tung, alias Tony Lim, 46; Li Lang Yang alias Jackson Li, 54; and Wong Meng Pin, alias Wang Ming Ping, 53—were stabbed by two Filipino inmates on Saturday night and died at the hospital, according to Chief Insp. Andrea dela Cerna, spokesperson of the police regional office.

Two of the victims had been serving double life terms each after being convicted by a regional trial court for operating a drug laboratory in Parañaque City six years ago.

Senior Insp. Jay Nocidal, police chief of Dujali town which has jurisdiction of the sprawling prison facility, identified the assailants as Fernando Magdadaro and Leopoldo Tan Jr., both of Davao City. Magdadaro is serving his sentence for murder while Tan was also convicted of drug charges.

The Chinese were inside the Cell No. 6 of the disciplinary dormitory when they were attacked at 8 p.m. They were transferred there after cellular phones were recovered in their cell when prison authorities conducted Oplan Galugad (Search) around 3 p.m., Nocidal said.

“The two Filipino prisoners were held at Cell No. 6 for an unrelated infraction. When the victims saw the suspects, the former allegedly accused the latter of tipping off prison officials that they were concealing cellphones,” Nocidal told the Inquirer by mobile phone.

After the Chinese allegedly threatened to have the families of the suspects killed, their assailants “decided to strike first,” the police official said.

Police raiders arrested Chu, Wong and another Chinese, Li A-ging, on Jan. 29, 2010, for allegedly operating a “shabu” (methamphetamines) laboratory inside a house in BF Homes Subdivision in Parañaque City. Containers of shabu, chemicals and pieces of equipment for making the illegal substance were recovered.

Judge Danilo Suarez found the three guilty of violating Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Anti-Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and sentenced them to two life terms.

Nocidal said police investigators looking into the prison deaths were coordinating with officials of the DPPF and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.