Wrath of the vigilantes

Four bodies, including a torso — all of them apparent victims of a vigilante group waging a campaign against illegal drugs — were found in separate areas in Quezon City yesterday.

According to the Central Police District-Central Investigation Unit (CPD-CIU), the three corpses, including that of a woman, were dumped in Sanville Subdivision, Barangay Culiat while the man’s torso was discovered in Barangay Quirino 2-A, Project 2.

Initial investigation revealed that a certain Eric Soriano accidentally discovered the three dead bodies in front of a house on Renowned street while on his way to work around 4:30 a.m.

The female was about 23 to 27 years old, 4’11" in height, and had surgical scars in the stomach. She was wearing a red shirt and maong pants when found.

The two males, on the other, were about 32 to 45 years old. One was 4’11" and the other 5’55" tall. The victims had "Sputnik" tattoos.

All three were blindfolded with packaging tape and had their throats cut. A folder with the message "Kung gusto mo pang mabuhay itigil pagbenta ng shabu" (If you want to go on living, stop selling shabu)" was placed on top of their bodies. The warning was signed by "Vigilante Inc., QC Chapter."

Meanwhile, patrolling barangay tanods of Barangay Quirino 2-A discovered the torso of a man 30 minutes after the discovery of the three dead bodies.

Senior Police Officer 1 Fedencio Basibas, officer-on-case, said the torso was found at around 5 a.m. at the corner of Pajo and Rimas streets. The torso was wrapped in a fertilizer sack.

Police said they believe that only one group was responsible for the salvaging. The bodies were merely dumped in different areas to mislead investigators, they said.

Follow-up operations are being conducted by authorities to determine the persons behind the slays.

Last week, the body of a suspected drug pusher was found in Barangay Sto. Domingo, Quezon City

The victim also had a deep laceration in the throat and was stabbed thrice in the various parts of the body. A folder with marking "Huwag tularan. Holdaper na, tulak pa ng shabu" was placed on the chest of the victim, whose hands and ankle were bound. Shabu paraphernalia was recovered in the area.

‘We don’t need them’

Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Director General Edgar Aglipay, head of the newly-created Special Task Force on Illegal Drugs, said yesterday there is no room for vigilantism in the renewed campaign against illegal drugs.

Aglipay appealed to the groups behind the series of salvaging in Metro Manila and nearby provinces not to resort to "vigilante" operations.

He said vigilantes should be stopped to avoid a breakdown in peace and order in the country.

"Ang hinihingi pa namin na tulong ay yung nasasaad lamang sa batas at yung mga legal lang na gawain para masugpo natin ang problemang ito. Yung mga vigilantes po ay hindi po iyan ang hinihingi namin," he said.

Aglipay said vigilante groups will only make matters worse, instead of solving the drug problem.

"Yan ay hindi nasasakop sa batas. At magbubunga ng mas marami pang problema kaysa sa problema natin ngayon," he said.– With Christina Mendez