3rd “salvage” victim found

MERIDA, LEYTE, Philippines — A 3rd suspected “salvage” victim was found early morning yesterday (July 8) in an isolated portion along the highway at sitio Looc in Brgy. Libas of this town.

This came a week after the first similar victim was discovered in Brgy. Liloan in Ormoc City last July 1, and two days after an itinerant vendor from Tacloban City was shot dead also in this town at 1:30 p.m.Saturday on Saturday (July 6).

Merida Police's SPO2 Joel Alcober said the body of the yet unidentified victim was recovered at around 5:40 a.m., lying prone on the ground with the hands tied at the back with a yellow nylon rope.

The victim was wearing only white shorts with black and red lining, while a black sleeveless shirt with faded green markings that read “Noel Aseo” and “Lagpak Boys,” was found a few meters away from him.

The body had several gunshot wounds, too many that the police did not bother to count them anymore. Alcober said it was surmised that the victim was shot at close range, as all the wounds were “through and through.”

One slug of a bullet was found nearby, leading the police to believe that the victim could have been killed in another area and the shots fired at the scene were just meant to finish him off. Residents of houses nearby told the police that they heard gunshots rang out at around 2 a.m.

Alcober said the body was riddled also with tattoos, marking the names “Arturo Antido” at the back, “Oscar” on the left shoulder and “Nolasco” on the right breast under the face of Jesus.  The victim was about 5 ft-9 in tall, brown complexioned and between 30 and 40 years old.

While investigators were still trying to ascertain the identity of the victim, Alcober said he got information that the victim could be a resident of Mabini district in Ormoc City, around 30 minutes away, which has been notorious for illegal drugs.

Last July 1, the bullet-riddled body of a still unidentified victim was found at Brgy. Lilo-an in Ormoc City, and like the latest victim, residents near where the body was found said they heard shots rang out at around 2 a.m.

The body in Ormoc also had tattoos, with distinctive markings “Filipinas” on the outer side of his right thigh and “BSL 22” at his left leg. “BSL” stands for Batang Samar Leyte, a regional prison gang and the number beside usually indicate their detention cell numbers. The victim was given a pauper's burial after nobody came to claim his body. He remained unidentified to this day.

Last July 6, the vendor from Tacloban City was identified through his driver's license as Lito Diemos, 40, was shot by men on two motorcycles who tailed him first from the town proper of Merida. The victim's body was his wife and son by evening, and text messages from his cellphone were already given to the police for leads on the identity of the killers, Alcober added. (FREEMAN)