CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga -- Three men with four-inch nails punctured on top of their heads were found inside a car in Barangay Sta. Lucia, Magalang, Pampanga, over the weekend.
Chief Superintendent Aaron Aquino, Police Regional Office-3 (PRO3-) director, identified the fatalities as Mark Gil Ramos, 36; Jessie Miranda and Ariel Adrinao, 40, all residents of Barangay West Poblacion, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
The victims sustained head injuries with four-inch nails which the suspects hammered on them, Aquino said.
He said Ferdinand Talens, 50, a lone survivor who was also punctured with nails, told police that he was invited by the three victims to join them in going to Magalang town to meet a certain Mike to buy fighting cocks.
The victims met a certain Mike in a foodchain in Magalang and then they boarded a red Toyota Vios (ABO-4431) and proceeded to Barangay Sta. Lucia, Magalang.
Talens told police that a black sedan was inside the compound and five suspects allegedly poked their guns at them.
The suspects then demanded Ramos to call his wife to prepare cash amounting to P700,000.
After several minutes, the suspects, after learning that the wife of Ramos could not produce the cash they demanded, began wrapping the victims' heads with plastic bags followed and duct tape until they suffocated.
The suspects then hammered the nails into their heads. Talens told police that he pretended to be dead at that instance.
The suspects then brought the victims inside a Toyota Vios.
Talens said after he sensed that the suspects were gone, he decided to remove the duct tape on his hand and face until he managed to open the compartment and escaped. He then asked help from the barangay chairman of Sta. Lucia.
Talens was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.