Slain drug suspects ‘unarmed, handcuffed’

The families of the five suspected drug personalities who were killed during the One Time Big Time operation last Thursday morning in Sitio Tunga, Barangay Tanke in Talisay City are demanding justice.

The fatalities, who were on the Talisay City police’s drugs watchlist, allegedly resisted arrest and fought back, which resulted in the shootout.

However, their families are questioning how the police conducted the operation.

SunStar Superbalita visited the wake of Cresencio “Junior” Rafa- Jr. and spoke with his mother 76-year-old Filomena Rafanan.

“Wa ko katingog kay pag gawas nako abi nako og wa nila patya pero gipatay diay. Wa ko kadawat (I was dumbstruck when I got outside the house because I thought they didn’t kill my son, but they did),” said Filomena.

She said she even asked the operatives not to harm her son.

“Sir, if he had committed a crime, take him and put him in jail. That way, we can still visit him, but please don’t harm him,” she recalled telling one of them.

Junior’s sister Yolanda Fernandez, 53, mourned the loss of the only boy in their family and their youngest sibling.

“If he was guilty, then they could have just arrested him because we were willing to give him up,” she said in Cebuano.

Appeal

Fernandez said she was sure her brother could not have fought back because he was handcuffed.

Teresita Bongga, the 58-yearold mother of slain brothers Duane and Jatty, still could not believe they are gone.

She appealed to police to make a proper arrest and not kill suspected drug personalities.

“Kung mudakop, dakop. Dili ingon nga patyon dayon (If they’re going to make an arrest, then go ahead and arrest. But don’t kill them right there and then),” she said.

The families denied that the slain men were armed, saying that they couldn’t afford to purchase firearms.

“How could they fight back when they were asleep when the police arrived?” Teresita said in Cebuano.

The families of the slain men hope that their demand for justice will reach President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Kaingon ko, sir, kung ila man diay tuyo nga patyon, maypa pagsud nila ila na lang gitirahan kay dili na lang mi makadungog sa syagit sa akong manghud (If their intent was to kill, then they should have shot my brother when they entered so we wouldn’t have to hear his screams),” Fernandez said.