Saturday, March 15, 2008 Gang member killed By Joey P. Nacalaban
"WHY did they kill my son? He is not as bad as other people perceived him to be."
This was the question of the grieving father of a 21-year-old trisikad driver who was shot to death Friday in Barra, Baragay Macabalan, Cagayan de Oro City.
Saidamin Saripada alias "Orak", of Maranao descent, met his untimely death when one of two motorcycle-riding men shot him using a .45 caliber pistol.
Elements of the Scene Of the Crime Operatives (Soco) found 4 empty shells and 1 deformed slug of the same caliber near the body.
Ibrahim, the victim's father, could not help but sob upon seeing his own son bathed in a pool of blood.
His reaction is utterly helpless as he went nearer the body, slowly touching the victim's face and mumbling a prayer.
During an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro, Ibrahim admitted his son, who was a BM29 member, has committed some misdeeds to society but added the latter had already paid for his crimes in jail.
"Oo dunay pagka pilyo to ako anak pero tungod man pud sa iyang mga bugoy nga barkada, nadala lang siya. Ang ako lang ngano patyon man gyud nga duna may balaod nga mosilot," Ibrahim in between sobs, said.
Bystanders in the area who were able to witness the incident said the victim was driving his trisikad when armed men stopped near him and shot him several times.
SPO1 Penel Ramas of the Macabalan police precinct confirmed that the victim had just been freed from the Lumbia city jail for a theft case.
As to the identities of the killers, Ramas said the investigators are still gathering data from the witnesses.
"Ingon sa mga tawo diri ang mga suspetsado nagsakay daw og motorcycle kolor blue nga walay plate number. Silang duha nagkalo busa lisud mailhan," Ramas said.
Muslim community elders immediately took the body of the victim and brought it to the mosque for some customary burial practice.
Last month, another trisikad driver was shot and killed near a police precinct in Agora. Just like the other summary executions in the city, the gunmen are still unidentified.
Earlier, Mayor Constantino Jaraula vowed to take action against the so-called "vigilantes," saying such individuals should not exist in the city.
"Vigilantism could only portray a negative impression of our place as it would never solve problems. We are not barbarians here, we adhere to the law," Jaraula said.
