Tarlac vigilantes kill suspected phone snatcher

TARLAC CITY — A shadowy vigilante group known as "People’s Brigade" has owned up to the mutilation late last week of a suspected notorious cellphone snatcher here.

In a special report, City Police chief Superintendent Tito Bayangos, said the group’s name was found in a murder note left beside one of the victim’s mutilated body parts.

So far, police were only able to recover the chopped lower limbs and two arms of the victim, which were separately found at the basketball court of Barangay San Rafael, at the Grand Mason Building along the MacArthur Highway, and near the old public market.

Bayangos noted that the victim’s fingertips were also missing. Nonetheless, one Josephine Reyes, 30, of Sitio Pagasa in Barangay San Rafael, was able to identify the victim as her jobless husband, Dante, 28.

Bayangos said that Josephine was able to recognize her husband through the tattoos in the chopped body parts.

Investigators are still at a loss as to who could be the vigilante group’s leaders and members. Bayangos, however, commented that the "People’s Brigade" was obviously sending "a very, very strong warning" to criminal elements here.

Police are still searching for Dante’s other body parts.

Meanwhile, investigators are still looking into the killing of one Arnel Nunga, 29, right in his home in Barangay Tariji.

Bayangos said that while the victim and his family were asleep, at least two gunmen barged into the house and peppered him with bullets.