6 dead in Quezon City, Caloocan shootings

MANILA, Philippines - At least six people were gunned down in Quezon City and Caloocan since Saturday.

Vendor Erwin Cita, 30, was walking near a bus terminal along Montreal street in Barangay E. Rodriguez, Quezon City at around 9:35 p.m. on Saturday when two assailants riding a motorcycle repeatedly shot him.

Investigators found seven spent .45 caliber shells at the crime scene.

Brian Vincent Francisco, 25, was on his way home when he was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assailants near his house along Sta. Maria street in Barangay Holy Spirit at around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday.

In Barangay Batasan Hills, an unidentified man was slain by two men riding a motorcycle at around 1:30 a.m. yesterday.

The victim was found slumped near his motorcycle (SL 2806) with gunshot wounds in different parts of his body, police said.

A witness told police the assailants trailed the victim when he entered Sugartown Subdivision.

Recovered at the crime scene were eight fired cartridge cases and a slug.

The victim was described by police as between 40 and 45 years old, around 5’6” in height, and clad in a red shirt and black pants.

In Caloocan City, the killings were believed by residents to be the handiwork of a death squad.

Florante Calubag and his family were in their house in Barangay 177 when three armed men barged in and shot him twice shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday.

Calubag’s widow told police her husband was involved in the illegal drug trade and her pleas for him to stop fell on deaf ears.

At around 11:45 p.m., Roberto Encarnacion of Kingstown Subdivision in Barangay 171 was found dead at a grassy portion of Nova Hills Subdivision with a bullet wound in the head.

Encarnacion was wrapped in a white blanket and his face was covered with packaging tape. A sachet of shabu was found near his body.

“Pusher ako (I am a pusher). Belat,” was written on the blanket. The last word of the message means “serves you right” in Filipino.

Construction worker Richard Recto, 39, and his partner were sleeping in their house in Manggahan, also in Barangay 171, when four men wearing masks barged in and shot him repeatedly.

Police recovered 15 spent 9mm shells at the crime scene.

Recto’s relatives admitted that he was into illegal drugs.