Minor tortured and killed in Pardo

CEBU, Philippines - A young man, who was apparently tortured, was found dead at a roadside in Sunrise Village, Barangay Pardo, Cebu City early yesterday morning.

The fatality was identified by his mother and relatives as Joseph Malinao, a scavenger who recently turned 17 years old, and a resident of Candulawan, Talisay City. The killers were three unidentified men, who are believed to be trisikad drivers plying in the area.

Julito Pua, 32, a basketball coach, told the police that he was with other basketball trainers and players on board a white multicab driven by Bulacao Barangay councilman Edilio Abellanosa at 1 a.m.

They stopped due to an engine trouble and found the victim at the roadside, already dead.

They asked help from the Pardo Police Station who then called for the Homicide Section.

A 20-year-old witness claimed that he was sleeping at the roadside near the main entrance of the village when he was awakened by a noise. He saw the victim being chased by some men.

He heard the victim shouting at the suspects not to touch him, but one told him to be quiet. One of the suspects had long hair and a tattoo on the back.

Moments later, he saw the victim being forcibly placed inside a sack.

Police discovered that the body bore what appeared to be several cigarettes burns on both hands, a strangulation mark on the neck and contusion on the forehead.

Police recovered from the crime scene a two-meter telephone line wire and sent his body to the St. Francis Funeral Homes for post-mortem examination.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the Homicide Section said the victim might have been suspected to be a thief and a member of the so-called “sako boys” who are allegedly engaged in thievery in the place.

However, Susan Raganas, 43, aunt of the victim, told The FREEMAN that her nephew is innocent and was, in fact, a good boy. Second among four children, he lives with his grandmother because his parents are already separated.

The victim, she said, also used to sleep with his mother in Kinasang-an Pardo and wakes up every 4 a.m. to look for garbage.

Meanwhile, a man was shot dead by an unidentified person in Alviola St., Barangay Tejero at 6 a.m. yesterday.

Alex Arbiol, 30, died of gunshot wounds to his head, neck, and chest.

Analiza Pedrosa, 31, told the police that she was inside her rented house when she heard several bursts of gunfire which prompted her to go outside and check. She then found the victim lying on the ground. The gunman was no longer around.

The victim was rushed to the Cebu City Medical Center but he no longer made it there alive. Five empty shells of caliber .45 pistol and a slug of an undetermined caliber were recovered from the crime scene. Gutual said they are still trying to identify the gunman and the possible motive behind the attack as the residents at the crime scene were not cooperative. — (FREEMAN)