Spate of killings part of syndicates’ purging

CEBU, Philippines - Police Regional Office-7 director Chief Superintendent Noli Taliño believes that the series of killings involving suspected drug personalities in the region could be a result of the drug syndicates' "internal cleansing".

He said drug syndicates may have been eliminating cronies, especially those who already surrendered to the authorities, who they think would snitch on their operations and identities.

"Kaya ang iba, inunahan na ang mga police," he told reporters yesterday.

In Central Visayas, PRO-7 recorded a total of 69, 190 alleged drug peddlers and users who turned themselves in to the authorities as part of the police's anti-drug program dubbed as "Oplan Tokhang."

The program called on drug lords, peddlers and users to cease from their illegal activities and be part in the effort to eradicate illegal drugs in six months in line with the anti-criminality program of President Rodrigo Duterte.

The police assured to monitor surrenderers who have no pending arrest warrants and are allowed to return to the community after submitting themselves to the profiling in the police station.

As of yesterday, a total of 102 persons with alleged link to illegal drugs have been killed in Central Visayas, 48 of whom were shot by unidentified assailants, while the remaining died in legitimate police operations. Based on the reports of the police, some of those killed by unidentified gunmen were Oplan Tokhang surrenderers.

Taliño said they could not yet rule out that vigilantes are behind the incidents. He, however, said the deaths caused by unknown assailants are being investigated. The latest additions to the death list were recorded in the past two days.

A 26-year-old man was stabbed by unidentified men in White Road, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City at 1 a.m. yesterday. Police identified the victim as Dennis Bacalso Impis, resident of Sitio Malipayon in the same barangay.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim was walking on his way home when two persons who were waiting at a shanty suddenly stabbed him several times which caused his death.

Police learned from the victim's mother, Josephine, that he was released on bail for illegal gambling and was also a drug user. The day prior, a shooting incident happened in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City.

Police found the victim identified as Danny Tagalog already lying unconscious on the ground with a cardboard covered his face bearing the message, "POSER AKO! AYAW KO NINYO SUNDA!"

Police rushed the victim to the hospital in an attempt to save him, but he was declared dead on arrival.

In Mandaue City, a 38-year- old man was shot dead by unidentified men riding a motorcycle in Kobe Housing, Barangay Canduman last Tuesday night.

Jenmar Carvajal sustained several gunshot wounds on his face and some parts of his body, according to Senior Police Officer 2 Tirso Plania, investigator of Mandaue City Police Office - Station 6.

Carvajal was walking when one of the motorcycle-riding gunmen shot him several times. Police recovered from the crime scene seven empty shells of .45 caliber and two deformed slugs. Carvajal earlier surrendered to the police station.

Meanwhile, an illegal drug seller was shot by his cohort at Sitio Lawis, Barangay Maghaway, Talisay Cebu last Tuesday morning.

The victim identified as Jackson Segundino, 33, resident of said place, was allegedly shot by a certain Willy Parame, resident of Sitio Napu, Barangay Tapul, Talisay.

Talisay City Police chief, Superintendent Aileen Recla, said that the victim reportedly was not able to remit P1,500 drug proceeds to the suspect. Recla said while Segundino was with his two friends cooking, Parame arrived and immediately shot the victim.

Recla said that they requested both Segundino and Parame to surrender during their Oplan Tokhang but declined. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Christell Fatima M. Tudtud and Iris Mariani B. Algabre (FREEMAN)