Ecija vigilantes claim having killed alleged drug lord, pusher

LLANERA, Nueva Ecija — After executing a suspected car thief here recently, a vigilante gang, calling itself the "Red Vigilante Group," has claimed killing an alleged drug lord and one of his henchmen the other night.

A spokesman of the group, who introduced himself only as Ka Ryan, notified the local media that they executed a certain Romy Ferrer, whom they alleged to be the top illegal drugs trader in Talavera and adjoining towns, and one Willy Chaves, said to be one of Ferrer’s drug peddlers, here at about 7:35 p.m. Wednesday.

Ryan said Ferrer was seized from his residence in Barangay San Mateo in Talavera, and Chaves from his home in Barangay San Pascual, also in same town.

In a statement, the vigilante group claimed that Ferrer had been an "untouchable" despite his alleged notoriety in trading illegal drugs, because of his supposed connections with local politicians and ranking officials of the Narcotics Group (NarcGroup).

"He was even in the order of battle of the NarcGroup, and yet he had remained scot-free," the group said, adding that Ferrer had been distributing prohibited drugs in Talavera and neighboring municipalities since 1994.

"He was the source of illegal drugs which have become widely used in Barangays San Pascual, Lomboy, Siksikan and Tabacao," the group said.

Ryan also claimed that Ferrer was also engaged in car theft.

Over a week ago, the Red Vigilante Group claimed it had executed an alleged notorious car thief in Barangay Luna in this town.

Ryan identified the victim as one Eric Francisco whom the vigilante group tagged as "public enemy No. 1" for allegedly stealing no less than 49 cars and motorcycles in the past three years in Nueva Ecija.

"He operated throughout Nueva Ecija, but mostly in Gapan and Talavera," Ryan said.

But provincial police officials said the Red Vigilante Group is nothing but a criminal syndicate composed of guns-for-hire who are also engaged in drug trafficking.

Ryan, however, denied this, and lashed at the police for failing to go after big-time criminals. He said his group opted to mete out its brand of justice because police and other law enforcement agencies have become partners of big-time criminals.