NCRPO orders deeper probe of Makati killings

MANILA, Philippines - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Leonardo Espina ordered yesterday a deeper probe of the killing of five men in Makati City last week after the victims were identified as alleged members of a gang involved in drug pushing and other crimes.

Andrew Lloyd Cruz; brothers Chuckie Dee and Francisco Cruz; Raymart Saraza and Rogelio Diala all bore “STB” tattoos on their necks, indicating they were members of the Suburban Triviac Boys gang, according to Superintendent Ronald Lee, head of the NCRPO’s intelligence division.

The victims are all related and shared the same address in Pasay City.

Espina wants the other members of STB jailed if they have pending court cases. He tasked Lee to spearhead the investigation and “identify their members so proper action would be taken against them.”

A background investigation of the victims revealed that one of them was an alleged drug courier while the others were reportedly petty drug pushers, Lee said, noting that the Cruz brothers had recently posted bail on drug charges.

Lee said they are verifying reports that STB gang members are behind the killings, robberies and drug pushing activities in Makati and Pasay cities.

He said while they are going after the STB members, they are also hunting down the killers of the victims, who were shot dead as they were on their way home from a bar in Pasay.

“We have conducted several raids but the results were negative. We are also awaiting results on the physical examination of the evidence we gathered at the crime scene,” said Lee, adding that they are pursuing illegal drugs as the motive for the killings.