Pubdate: Wed, 06 Apr 2005 Source: Freeman, The (Philippines) Copyright: 2005 The Freeman Contact: http://www.thefreeman.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3437 Author: Ryan P. Borinaga Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/Summary+Execution Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/areas/Philippines VIGILANTE KILLINGS: 44 VICTIMS LATER COPS ARE STILL IN THE DARK The number of victims of so-called "vigilantes" has reached 44 in the past three months and yet the police have nobody to point to the killers or anything to jumpstart the investigation. Of that number, 11 are believed to be drug-related and police investigators are looking into the possibility of internal squabble within the underworld as the motives. Thus investigators said there is a possibility that only 33 killings were perpetrated by the so-called vigilantes believed operating in the city since December. Homicide investigator Mario Monilar said they actually tried their best to locate witnesses since the first killing but nobody is willing to cooperate. "Nobody showed willingness to cooperate with us on matters of identifying the perpetrators. Information is very important in criminal investigation because it answers who did it," Monilar said. Only three cases have been filed in court, those on the murders of Teofilo Zamora, Rogelio Pardillo and Dominador Villamor Jr. But these could not be considered a breakthrough because two of these were due to personal grudge traceable to drug rivalry and the other was of mistaken identity. The absence of solid development in the wave of killings prompted the members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to seek for the intervention of no less then President Gloria Arroyo. Initial speculations fell on Mayor Tomas Osmena who, last December 21, announced he was creating a hunter's team who would aggressively go after criminals. A day later an ex-convict was gunned down at the pier area. But Osmena denied having anything to do with the killings although he acknowledged he might have inspired them. Most of those killed were former detainees of the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center, either as drug pushers or robbers, while others were tagged as notorious criminals. - ---