Tourist belt vigilante group kills two more

A vigilante group allegedly liquidating suspected thieves and robbers preying on foreigners in Manila’s tourist belt claimed two more lives Tuesday night.

Investigators of the Western Police District’s Homicide Section identified the two victims as Uri Lalic, 16, a passenger jeepney driver, of 366 Valencia St., Sta. Mesa; and Ramon Artigas, 26, of 975 Recto Avenue.

Investigation showed that the bodies of the two men were found on the sidewalk along Aldegoa street between M.H. del Pilar street and Roxas Boulevard in Manila’s Malate district at about 11:45 p.m. by a certain Jorge Sulinap, 23.

Lalic bore welt marks in both wrists and multiple puncture wounds in the right chest while Artigas bore a single puncture wound in the right chest.

Investigators said a piece of cardboard on which were scribbled the words "Ako’y salot ng turista" (I prey on tourists) was placed on top of Artigas’ body.

Last March 5, the body of a still unidentified man was found dumped near the Padre Faura entrance of a popular mall in Ermita.

The body, which was found by a security guard of the mall at about 11:30 p.m. bore several "Batang City Jail" tatoos and was believed to be that of a robber victimizing tourists, police said.

The body also bore strangulation marks in the neck, wrists and legs. Looped around the victim’s neck was a sign: "Turista huwag holdapin, alagaan. Susunod Ativan naman (Do not rob tourists. Ativan (gang) next.)" The Ativan robbery gang is notorious for luring tourists into drinking drinks laced with sedatives and then robbed them.

Ermita police station commander Superintendent Manolo Martinez said the killing last March 5 was the work of a vigilante group that is sending out a "very strong signal."

He said that following the discovery of the unidentified man’s body, crime incidents in his area of jurisdiction have dropped to a surprising low. "The criminals, especially those preying on tourists, are now scared and have reportedly left the area for a while," Martinez said. However, Martinez was quick to add that the two bodies found in Malate could be victims of a "copy-cat" killer, saying that they were stabbed and not strangled.

In reaction to the killings, WPD director Nicolas Pasinos has ordered the creation of two teams to track down the suspected vigilantes.

He also ordered Martinez to intensify police patrols in the tourist belt area.