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Thursday, December 30, 2004
3 more felons slain
By Jovy S. Taghoy & Allan I. Varquez
Sun.Star Staff Reporters
Three more men were killed within 10 hours yesterday, but police still failed to arrest any of those who attacked a total of 13 suspected felons in the past eight days in Cebu City.
Henry “Boy Tigre” Milagrosa, 38, died on the spot after a lone gunman on a blue motorcycle stopped in front of him and shot him thrice at 11:15 a.m. in Barangay Carreta.
Before sundown, Darwin Mabugat, 31, was found dead in Horseshoe Hills, Banawa at 5:48 p.m.
Less than four hours later, another body was found at 9:20 p.m. on B. Aranas Ext. in Barangay Duljo-Fatima. He appeared to have been strangled. A bit of newsprint marked “Kawatan ko” (I am a thief) was left on his body.
For the first time since the attacks began last Dec. 22, a Cebu City Hall official spoke up against the mayor’s proposed “hunter team,” while another called for an end to the vigilante-style executions.
Police have yet to identify, much less pick up, suspects for the killings, which began a day after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced a reward of up to P20,000 for anyone who could “permanently disable or neutralize” criminals.
No witnesses
The first to get killed yesterday was Milagrosa, a resident of Barangay Ermita, who got shot in the head, chest and near his right armpit.
Although the attack took place in Ponce Compound on General Maxilom Ext., Barangay Carreta—one of the most crowded streets in the city—no one could say what the gunman looked like.
Milagrosa’s wife, Marina, and his mother, Potenciana, blamed the killing on the “death squad” that has been attacking convicted or suspected robbers in the city since Dec. 22.
“I’m sure the death squad did this. What I don’t know is whether policemen were involved,” Marina said.
Milagrosa, who was known as Boy Tigre, was attacked at 11:15 a.m. while he and a friend, identified only as Ruben, were along the road sharing a pitcher of alcohol.
Ruben disappeared after three gunshots rang out.
Marina said that since last week, she has been reminding her husband to be extra careful and not to leave the house in case the “death squad” went after him.
“But he never listened to me and look what happened,” Marina said in Cebuano.
Homicide investigators and personnel from the Regional Scene of the Crime Operations found no slugs or empty shells that could help them identify what sort of gun was used to kill Milagrosa.
Suspicion
While the police waited for witnesses to speak up, the 12th victim was spotted yesterday afternoon inside a subdivision in Barangay Guadalupe.
They took him to their patrol car, but Mabugat did not make to the Cebu City Medical Center
(CCMC) alive.
Two residents said they heard several bursts of gunfire, but were too frightened to go out and investigate.
Homicide investigators found eight empty shells and two deformed slugs for a .45 pistol near Mabugat’s heavily tattooed body.
He had no weapons on him.
Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau (CIIB) Chief Paul Labra II said a background check by his investigators showed that Mabugat usually committed robberies by himself.
“His usual targets were passengers of Lahug and Mabolo-bound jeepneys,” Labra said.
But police in Minglanilla, where Mabugat resides, said they had no criminal records for Mabugat.
Around 3:30 a.m. yesterday, Mabugat went to CCMC to have an injury on his forehead treated, but no one could say how he was injured.
“Nagpatambal mana siya ngari ganihang kaadlawon. Nahibulong bitaw ko pagkakita niya nga patay na karong gabii (I saw him at dawn today, getting treated. It was quite a shock to see him wheeled in, already dead, hours later),” a nurse at the emergency room said.
Nameless
Unlike Milagrosa and Mabugat, a third victim went unidentified last night. Also, he was not shot, but appeared to have been strangled with a cord or wire.
Like Mabugat, he also had a cut on his forehead.
The victim was 5’3” and wore jeans, a shirt and a pair of Adidas rubber shoes. Left on his body was a bit of paper, with “Kawatan ko” (I am a thief) scrawled on it.
Homicide Investigator Henry Estoy said whoever killed the victim might have attacked someplace else and dumped him near an unlighted electric post, some 10 meters from a chapel.
None of the residents could recognize him, and the man was brought to St. Francis Funeral Homes to await identification.
(December 30, 2004 issue)
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