Pubdate: Mon, 17 Jan 2005
Source: Sunstar Davao (Philippines)
Copyright: 2005 Sunstar
Contact:  http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1991
Note:  also listed for feedback
Author: Joy G. Romares

24 KILLED IN 15 DAYS BY SUSPECTED VIGILANTES

* 22nd victim was feeding toddler son inside his parent's eatery when
shot five times
* Kin of 23rd victim admit he was a drug user but no
longer a pusher
* 24th victim had just been released from detention
for snatching

KILLINGS continue to accelerate as three more men were shot dead
Saturday, raising the death toll to 24 in the first 15 days of 2005.

The latest to join the fast-growing list of vigilante-style killings
in Davao City were Reynaldo Doromal, 43, son of the owner of Revelinda
Eatery located along Jacinto Extension, Mario Garces, 35, separated,
and resident of Garcia Heights in Bajada, and one Meljay Pitao, 19, of
Andaya Street, Daliao, Toril.

Doromal was inside the Revelinda Eatery around 3:30 p.m. feeding his
two-year-old son when an unidentified man entered and shot him in the
chest with a handgun.

Witnesses said that as Doromal fell of his chair, the suspect went
nearer and shot him four more times; thrice in the head and once in
the left ear.

The suspect, who was described to be around 5'6" tall with curly hair,
and who was clad in white t-shirt and maong (denim) shorts, sped off
onboard a DT motorcycle with two more men onboard.

Police recovered five empty shells and three slugs of caliber .45
pistol at the crime scene.

Police have yet to establish the motive of the killing by looking into
the background of the victim.

Later on the same day, Garces was walking with his two friends in
Garcia Heights at around 10 p.m. when two unidentified men onboard a
motorcycle appeared and shot him thrice.

Garces was declared dead by the elements of the Scene of the Crime
Operation (Soco) team led by Police Sr. Insp. Tomas Dimaandal.

Garces was hit thrice in the back of his head.

Recovered at the scene of crime were three empty shells and a slug of
caliber .45 pistol.

Senior Police Officer 1 Jay Rueben Plaza, investigator of the San
Pedro police precinct, said the victim's family admitted Garces was a
drug user. "As alleged by the victim's family, the victim surrendered
some time ago and no longer sells drugs; he has since then been just a
user," Plaza said in the dialect.

Meanwhile, Pitao was with his friend named Kervin Dumali, 18, on their
way home to Andaya Street in Daliao, Toril from a disco near midnight
when two unidentified men appeared.

Investigation conducted by Toril police investigator Francisco Pana
showed one of the men pulled out a gun believed to be caliber .38
revolver and shot Pitao thrice in the chest, once in the side portion
of his body, and once in the shoulder.

The suspects fled on foot as soon as Pitao fell to the ground,
dead.

Police recovered four empty shells of caliber .38 revolver at the
scene of crime.

Police still have to check whether the victim was involved in illegal
activities.

The cadaver of the victim was brought to Angel Funeral Homes in Toril
for autopsy.

Doromal, Garces and Pitao's deaths came after one Tata "Hudas" Toco,
22, was gunned down Friday afternoon, a day after he was released from
the San Pedro police station for a snatching case.

Toco, before his death, had been in and out of detention for various
petty crimes.

Toco was about to board a tricycle on de Guzman Street in Barrio
Obrero when two men aboard a motorcycle appeared and shot him to death. 
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