Victim No. 166? Tire-dealer worker falls to 'vigilantes'

The number of victims of vigilante killings in the city could already reached 166 if the tire dealer worker who was shot dead on M.J. Cuenco Avenue Thursday night would be counted as one.

Thirty-two-year-old Genaro Cañete Jr, a resident near his place of work, suffered multiple gunshot wounds in his body and died on the spot, in a killing mode that authorities have so far described as vigilante-style.

Witnesses told the police that Cañete was standing at about 9 p.m. outside the establishment he was working when two men on a motorcycle arrived and stopped in front of him.

One of them alighted from the motorcycle, then approached and shot Cañete several times. They immediately sped off toward T. Padilla Extension.

Operatives of the Scene of the Crime Operations recovered from the scene four spent shells of .45-caliber bullets, and a knife right beside the victim's body.

The killing might be perceived as an act of vigilantes but homicide police investigators said they are still verifying the motive of the killing and the identity of the assailants.

But while the common trait of vigilante victims was having police or jail records, relatives of Cañete insisted that he was never involved in any illegal activity in their place.

Last Tuesday, tombstone maker Benjamin Raganas was shot dead, also by two motorcycle-riding men, while working along the sidewalk near corner General Maxilom and M.J. Cuenco Avenues.

Witnesses said they noticed that the gunman of Raganas had a handcuff and a holster tucked on his waist. - Jose P. Sollano