Summary execution?

It, indeed, was a bloody Thursday. Media counted at least 16 dead that day--11 in various police operations dubbed as “One Time, Big Time” in Metro Cebu and five apparent victims of summary execution with the perpetrators believed to be law enforcers. The police claimed that those killed in “One Time, Big Time” operations shot it out (“nanlaban”) with the lawmen. That’s the usual police tune.

But the relatives of those killed in Tanke, Talisay City denounced the killings. They claimed that the victims did not resist arrest and did not engage lawmen in a shootout. Some were picked up and fired upon. Others were asleep when law enforcers forcibly entered their houses and allegedly shot them.

Never mind those killed in “legitimate operations.” But what about those killed in Sitio Kan-irag, Barangay Malubog? Were they victims of summary execution or salvaging? I ask these in view of the claim by two survivors.

Antonio Belande, a habal-habal driver, and Sharmaine Poran survived the attempt on their lives. In my dySS Super Radyo program, Poran narrated her traumatic experience in the hands of her would-be killers whom she believed to be policemen.

She said that someone called her up last Wednesday supposedly to buy illegal drugs. She confessed to being a “bridge” in the deal, but she was not a drug pusher. She accompanied her friend, “Juvel,” a known drug dealer, to One Pavillon in Banawa late Wednesday afternoon to deliver the drugs but that turned out to be an entrapment. They were arrested by Tagalog-speaking plainclothes policemen.

She and the others were brought to various places in the city on board a white van. Finally, they were herded inside a bodega near Marco Polo Hotel in Busay. Blindfolded with their hands tied with plastic straw, they were brought at dawn to Barangay Malubog where they were to be executed. She survived by pushing the “policeman” who attempted to shoot her and then jumping from the van into a slope. She crawled and ran while being chased by the armed men who were using flashlights in the dark. She hid in a bushy area. The “policemen” left after failing to locate her. She got out at around 7 a.m. when curious onlookers and media people were already at the scene.

Poran’s version jibed with that of Belande, although they were on separate vehicles when brought to the mountain. But Police Regional Office 7 Chief Debold Sinas strongly denied the story of Belandes and Poran. He said that the police had nothing to do with the alleged summary execution as they were busy conducting anti-drug operations.

Whose version are we going to believe? That of Sinas, who was not there, or that of the two survivors?

I think the survivors are telling the truth. What can they get from their story if they lied? To be able to discredit the police? Poran even admitted that she acted as the “bridge” in the drug deal, which is a criminal offense. With that, she could be criminally charged.

If that was summary execution perpetrated by the police, I say there will never be a perfect crime. Masipyat gyud usahay ang mga dautan ug yawan-ong binuhatan.