Pubdate: Thu, 06 Jan 2005
Source: Mindanao Times (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Mindanao Times.
Contact:  http://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2980
Author: ASA, JGD

7 MEN SLAIN IN FIVE DAYS

No Let-Up!

Without let-up, motorcycle-riding gunmen have returned to the streets, 
killing three persons here yesterday.

At 2 pm Wednesday, two more were slain by the vigilante hitmen along 
Salmonan, Mini-Forest, Barangay 23-C, here, Hours later, at 6:45 pm, one of 
the two unidentified motorcyle riding hitmen shot dead Joel Tingson, 32, 
single, a resident of corner Father Selga and Malvar Streets, in front of 
the Brgy hall of 8-A.

The victims who were shot at Mini-forest earlier in the day were identified 
as Edwardo Napalit, 39, allegedly a former Civilian Volunteers 
Organization, of Juan Luna Street, and Faisal Ali Sr., 34, of Lizada Street.

Witnesses said the two were just through crossing Quezon Boulevard when two 
armed suspects approached them and shot them at close range. They both 
sustained gunshot wounds on the head and were declared dead on the spot by 
the Scene of the Crime Operation (Soco). Meanwhile, initial investigation 
conducted by the elements of the San Pedro Police Precinct revealed that 
Tingson came from throwing their garbage in Malvar St., when the suspects 
blocked his way and without provocation gunned him down.

He sustained two gunshot wounds in the head and one in the chest, killing 
him instantly. Investigators recovered three spent shells of .45 caliber 
pistol from  the crime scene. The identity  and motive of the suspects are 
yet to be determined by the authorities.

3 Dead on Tuesday

On Tuesday alone, three men suspected to be involved in illegal drugs were 
gunned down in three separate occasions here.

At 4:40 p.m. that day, a handicapped tricycle driver was shot by two armed 
men along Malvar Street, this city. Nestor Luna, 34, was reportedly 
attending the store of his elder sister together with his friends when 
three suspects arrived and looked for "Nestor Pilay", referring to the 
victim. Luna's friends allegedly ignored them and instead ran away, leaving 
behind the handicapped Luna.

Two of the suspects allegedly pulled their handguns and peppered the victim 
with bullets, hitting his head thrice.

Luna died on the spot while the suspects fled on board a motorcycle towards 
an unknown direction. It was learned that the victim was already a survivor 
of a shooting incident sometime early last year.

Almost two hours later, a jeepney conductor who was a drug surrenderee was 
gunned down by one of their passengers when they reached the junction of 
Panacan and Buhangin. The victim was identified as Aldacel Jumat alias 
Robot, 20, of Landmark I, Sasa here. According to jeepney driver Junil 
Carman, an unidentified person who was among their passengers shot Jumat 
several times inside the vehicle. Carman said as he braked, the suspect and 
the other 15 scared passengers jumped off the jeepney and ran away towards 
different directions.

Jumat succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds on the different parts of his 
head and body.

Responding policemen recovered four spent shells and a deformed slug of a 
.45 caliber pistol from the crime scene.

PO3 Alfreo Heliane, investigator of the Sasa police station, said that 
Jumat was a gang member involved in a series of riots in their area of 
jurisdiction. Heliane said he was also a suspect in the shooting of a 
certain Marlon Cabog using a homemade firearm on November 28 in Macondray, 
Km. 13, Panacan.

Cabog was reportedly wounded on the back and was treated at the Davao 
Medical Center. He allegedly did not file a criminal case against Jumat.

Heliane said they are not discounting the possibility that Jumat was just 
killed by relatives or friends of persons whom he had a personal grudge. 
Some 30 minutes later, another 33-year-old drug suspect was killed in sitio 
Bakalan, Barangay Leon Garcia, Agdao district here. Jason dela Cerna 
sustained two gunshot wounds on his head and died on the spot.

Witnesses said that dela Cerna was only hauling water outside his house 
when a lone suspect appeared from behind and shot him twice at close range. 
The suspect casually fled on foot towards Carpenter Avenue.

The victim's cadaver was later brought to the Patalinghug Funeral Parlor.

First Victim

Rizalito Abellana was allegedly the first vigilante victim this year after 
he was shot to death at around 11:20 p.m. on January 1 while he and a 
cousin were on their way home in Ulas, Talomo district here.

The series of killings brought the number of vigilante-related victims to 
seven just this year alone. Last year, a total of 98 persons were killed by 
the mysterious killers.
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