Vigilante killings feared anew in Davao

DAVAO CITY — A resurgence of summary executions here was feared as three more people were killed Monday night in separate shooting incidents.

At around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, a certain Joel Roncal was killed by two motorcycle-riding men at the People’s Village in Barangay Ma-a.

At 2:15 a.m. yesterday, a certain Vicente Solieza, was also gunned down in Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok district by unidentified armed men. Still another shooting incident occurred on the same night in the boundary between Davao City and Davao del Sur, killing a still unidentified person.

The killings were widely believed to be the handiwork of the Davao Death Squad (DDS) vigilante group. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, however, quickly brushed aside the public opinion that the DDS was responsible for the murders.

"There is no DDS. It is only a creation of the media," the mayor said.

Members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod here have been asking the Davao City Police to submit a report on the summary executions that have occurred in the city starting 2001.

Former councilor and hard-hitting broadcaster Juan ‘Jun’ Pala tagged the DDS as the group behind the extra-judicial killings in Davao City, including the two attempts on his life.

Pala insinuated that the killings were done by the DDS, apparently with the blessings of local authorities who coddle them.

Monday night’s killings were actually preceded by the ambush of four Muslims here late Saturday afternoon, just a few minutes after they were released from police detention.

The four victims, who were all residents of St. John Homes in Barangay Sasa, were identified as Atiar Sahiri, 25; Nasser Abas, 27; Hussein Abas, 25; and a certain Christian Lapasi, 18.

Authorities said the four were already aboard a passenger jeepney and were on their way home when unidentified armed men boarded the vehicle and shot the victims.

Several other passengers of the jeepney and a passing lumpia vendor were also reportedly wounded in the attack.