7 dead over drug deal double-cross

MANILA, Philippines - A double-cross between drug dealers led to the death of seven persons – including three minors and a pregnant woman – in a shooting in Barangay 176, Caloocan City Wednesday night, officials said yesterday.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa yesterday gave the Caloocan City police 24 hours to solve the case or be sacked.

Investigators identified the fatalities as Angelito Soriano, 16; Jonel Segovia, 15; Sonny Espinosa, 16; Cristina Santor, 45; her daughter-in-law Analyn Dayamla, 25; Ednel Santor, 22; and Kenneth Amandoron, 20.

Edward Villanueva, 18, and Mohammad Ampaso, 25, survived the attack and were confined at the Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital.

According to initial reports, the victims were having a party at the Santors’ house when the assailants  drove up on two motorcycles and started shooting at around 9 p.m.

The elder Santor, her daughter-in-law, Soriano, Segovia and Espinosa died at the scene while Ednel and Amarondon died on the way to the hospital. 

Except for the two women, the victims were members of the Scout Royale Brotherhood fraternity, the junior counterpart of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity.

Probers recovered 16 spent shells from a .45 caliber pistol, a bullet for an Armalite rifle, three sachets of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

Arrest made

Ampaso told police investigators they were having fun in the Santors’ home when Wahab Arimpo and a certain Zaino arrived and shot at them. 

He claimed Arimpo first shot him during an argument in Tower Ville in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on Dec. 8 over a drug deal.

Ampaso said he was hospitalized and was discharged Wednesday night. 

When Arimpo learned of his presence at the Santors’ home, they attacked to finish him off, he added.

Arimpo was nabbed in a follow-up operation at around 5 a.m. yesterday but Zaino and the other alleged assailants escaped.

Ampaso was taken to the police station to confront the suspect but the two were not made available to reporters.

Nowhere to be found

Dela Rosa went to the Caloocan police station and found that the city police chief, Senior Superintendent Johnson Almazan, was not at his post.

He had an aide call Almazan, who was reported to be in the province, and ordered the official to solve the case in 24 hours.

“Heads will roll in 24 hours if there be no comprehensive investigation into the matter,” Dela Rosa said.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Fajardo, Northern Police District director, said investigators found that the shooting stemmed from a double-cross in a drug deal and the house where the shooting occurred was reportedly used as a depot and drug den.

“The target escaped. The assailants may have been paranoid and shot at everyone,” he said.

Dela Rosa appealed to the public to disabuse their minds of the perception that police officers are behind the killings of drug personalities.

“Do you think our police officers can kill innocent minors?” he said.

Two police officers were arrested on Oct. 9 minutes after allegedly killing Zenaida Luz, regional chair of the Citizens Crime Watch, in Gloria, Oriental Mindoro.