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Saturday, September 27, 2003
Vigilante group, drug lords behind Monday slay?
By Victor L. Camion
POLICE are eyeing a vigilante group as behind the Monday evening killing of a retired nurse of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).
But Negros Oriental Gov. George Arnaiz believes that Simplicio Montederamos of Sacsac, Bacong town, could have been killed by any of his rivals in the drug trade.
The investigators surmised that the vigilante group Equalizer could be behind the killing since the victim was a known drug personality.
On the other hand, Arnaiz said Montederamos had been involved in drug trafficking in the past and that after retiring from PNOC, he broke off from his supplier and peddled narcotics on his own.
The governor did not identify the supplier, only saying that the trafficker could have decided to kill the rival to remove competition.
Earlier, the vigilante group Equalizer claimed it was responsible for the killing of a couple, also known drug personalities, in Looc recently and announced it would target another drug personality this month.
Police said Montederamos, with his driver Michael Manaay and one Tina Corpuz, were aboard a Dropside Multicab along Lower Batinguel on the way to the city proper past 11 p.m. when a red Yamaha Crypton motorcycle with two persons on board tailed them.
On getting nearer, the person behind the motorcycle driver fired his gun on the passengers of the multicab.
The attack then turned into a chase between the two vehicles and on reaching Acias Pinili Street, the multicab lost control and hit the sidewalk.
The chasing motorcycle stopped, its backrider disembarked and hurriedly inspected whether Montederamos was dead.
After ensuring that their target was dead, the gunman ordered the driver and Corpuz to get out.
Before fleeing, the driver allegedly mauled Manaay who, along with Corpuz, later fled from the scene.
Investigators recovered the victim's like gold ring and wrist watch, six pieces of live .357 caliber ammunition, seven pieces of .22 magnum live ammunition, and a .45 caliber slug.
(September 25, 2003 issue)
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