Cops eyed in Caloocan barangay chairman’s slay

MANILA, Philippines - The killing of a barangay chairman in Caloocan City – reported to have links to the illegal drug trade – could have been perpetrated by police officers, sources said yesterday.

The extent of Edres Romuros Domato’s drug connection had been worrying authorities, a top police official told The STAR.

“This could be one of the reasons why he was assassinated,” the source said.

Domato, 56, chairman of Barangay 188 in Tala, was in his Toyota Fortuner along Quirino Highway in Quezon City when the assailants shot him at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, Senior Superintendent Alex Alberto, Fairview police station commander, said.

Alberto said they were checking closed-circuit television footage for the possible identification of the suspects.

Two hours after Domato was gunned down, Hadji Ibrahim Romuros, 60, was reportedly shot by Domato’s brother, Jawar Romuros, in Barangay Paridhi, Marawi City.

Police are investigating if the killing of Romuros could be related to Domato’s murder.

The source said Domato’s killers wanted to silence him to hide the identities of the politicians and police officers involved in the illegal drug trade.

“Or it could be part of the campaign to eradicate illegal drugs in the city,” the source said.

In August last year, the Caloocan City Council passed a resolution to investigate Domato for allegedly protecting drug dealers in his area.

Police raided 10 drug dens in Barangay 188 and arrested 21 people in 2015.

“We are also looking at other police officials who could be protecting members of drug rings operating in the city,” Mayor Oscar Malapitan said.

The mayor said illegal drug activities in north Caloocan would be reduced following Domato’s death.

The source said the killing of Domato could be compared to the ambush of Chief Inspector Romeo Recalde in Quezon City in 2013.

“It is possible that the same men are responsible for both attacks,” he said.

Reports said Recalde knew a lot about the illegal drug trade in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area.

Killing field

Police describe Barangay 188 as a “killing field” and the most dangerous place in Caloocan.

City police chief Senior Superintendent Bartolome Bustamante said it was risky for police officers to enter Domato’s “territory” because his followers “are armed and ready to shoot it out with police.”

Police said several persons reported missing in the village were killed and buried in vacant lots in the neighborhood.

Bustamante has deployed K-9 teams to find the bodies.