MANILA, Philippines — Deaths under investigation in Quezon City breached the 500 mark since July last year following the killing of two barkers a few hours apart on Sunday.
Police identified the two victims as Clark Ian Gondon, 28, and Michael Roa, 36, whose murders marked the 500th and 501st deaths in the city since July last year.
Roa was gunned down near the Ever Gotesco mall along Commonweath Avenue in Barangay Batasan Hills at around 4:45 p.m., causing panic among commuters and passersby.
Police recovered four bullet casings and a deformed bullet at the crime scene.
Meanwhile, Gondon was shot dead along St. Vincent street in Barangay Holy Spirit at around 9:40 p.m.
The victim’s mother said she saw her son riddled with bullets and lying on the road. He died at the scene.
Recovered at the crime scene were 14 bullet casings and some bullet fragments.
Officials from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said the two deaths are suspected to be drug-related.
Out of the 501 deaths under 451 incidents, 291 killings under 262 cases are said to be drug-related, data from the QCPD showed.
Less than half, or 291 deaths under 189 cases, are reported not to be drug-related.
Despite the high murder rate, a mere 74 cases have been solved or “cleared” by the police.
Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, assured that all killings are being investigated thoroughly.
“We will exert more effort to find solutions in these cases,” he said in a text message.