New Year’s Eve shooting: ‘My sons did it’

MANILA, Philippines - A defeated candidate for chairman of Barangay 118 in Caloocan City admitted yesterday that his two sons were responsible for the New Year’s Eve shooting rampage that left two bystanders dead and 10 others wounded.

Lucas Badilla (not Padilla, as earlier reported) told The STAR it was Noriel, 26, and Jetjet, 30, who were caught on a closed-circuit television camera video shooting at people watching a group of teenagers participating in a street dance competition a few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31, 2013.

Renato Bautista, 45; and Jovito Alnas died from .45 caliber bullets fired by Noriel, also known as “Totoy Ampatuan,” police said.

Most of those wounded were hit in the legs by shotgun pellets fired by Jetjet, according to police. They were identified as Camille Cacatian, 5; Iris Varrosa, 8; Alverson Lozada, 16; Kenneth Lozada, 18; Annalie Villaflores, 26; China Velasquez, 17; Alvin Calundasion, 27; Anadel Villaflores, Renz Piolo Esperida and Allan Dorado.

Revenge

Lucas, who owns a junk shop about 200 meters away from the crime scene, said his sons “took matters into their own hands” because someone killed his nephew, identified only as Pupung.

“The whole family was here at the junk shop at around 11:30 p.m. and those two were exploding firecrackers until one of their friends came and fetched them 15 minutes later. The next thing we learned is that there were men shooting at people on the street,” he said.

None of the victims were involved in Pupung’s death, according to Lucas.

Witnesses said the Badilla brothers fired at people watching the street dance competition, which was held in the same place where their cousin was killed.

As early as 10 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2013, the brothers were searching the area for Allan Abuyog, a certain “Hapon” and some members of a gang they believe killed Pupung before midnight on April 6, 2013.

Not the first kill

A barangay official said Noriel was reportedly involved in several killings but was never jailed “because everyone is afraid to come out and testify against him.”

Lucas said his son’s first murder was a woman named Weng in 2008. He said Noriel killed her because she got him arrested.

The barangay official said the Badilla brothers and Pupung reportedly murdered an 18-year-old named Christian several years ago. Residents said the Badillas were also suspects in the drug-related killings of a man and a woman a few years ago.

They also said Noriel allegedly has a “godfather in Caloocan” who supplies him with shabu and guns.

In 2010, Barangay 118 chairman Rolly Bolo – a childhood friend of Lucas dating back to their days in Baao, Bicol – asked Lucas to reform Noriel and “surrender him for gun possession.” Residents said the suspect was back on the street the following day.

Exodus

Some of the Badillas’ neighbors were preparing to leave the area after the suspects were reportedly spotted in the neighborhood on the night of Jan. 1.

Abuyog and Hapon have reportedly fled, afraid the Badillas and their group “would come back to finish the job.”

Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan, in an interview, assured residents that police will be deployed in the area to protect them.

“The police are tracking down the suspects and pursuing some leads. Hopefully, the two will be arrested soon,” Malapitan said.