'DEATH SQUAD' MAN IN LATEST SLAY NABBED

DAVAO CITY -- A man believed to be a member of the vigilante group
behind the summary killings in Davao City was arrested after he
allegedly shot dead a "drug offender" near the Ecoland terminal late
Wednesday night.

Col. Eduardo del Rosario, Task Force Davao chief, identified the
suspect as 38-year-old Romeo Taeza, married, a resident of Matina Gravahan.

Del Rosario said several Task Force Davao agents on patrol duty heard
gunshot sounds coming from the Benigno Aquino Hall of Justice a few
meters away, proceeded to the area to investigate, and saw Taeza
running away from fallen taxicab dispatcher Hilario Daylo, 39, of
Barangay 76-A, also in Davao City.

Daylo, who died from gunshot wounds, had served a two-year prison term
for a drug-related case.

The task force team, led by Corporal Jemdeon Lagarto, chased Taeza and
fired warning shots to force him to stop. Del Rosario said the suspect
fired back at task force agents.

"So nagpapaputok na rin ang mga bata ko. Pasalamat na lang yung
suspect at di sya tinamaan. Sa paghahabulan nadapa yata yung si Taeza
kaya nadakip ito ng ating mga tauhan," del Rosario told reporters
during a press conference Thursday. (My men fired back. The suspect
should be thankful he was not hit. I think that during the chase,
Taeza fell down and so my people overtook him.)

Further investigation into the incident, however, revealed that Taeza
was already on his motorcycle and was about to escape when the
responding soldiers arrived at the scene.

When the soldiers fired a warning shot, police said Taeza immediately
raised his two hands to indicate his surrender.

Del Rosario said the suspect was immediately brought to the task force
headquarters.

Del Rosario then called up Davao City Police director Sr. Supt.
Conrado Laza to inform him about the arrest.

Laza, in turn, requested the task force to turn over the suspect to
the police custody.

Del Rosario said a caliber .45 pistol was recovered from Taeza's
possession.

He said Taeza had a companion when he shot the victim but the other
assailant was able to escape.

Laza refused to comment when asked about Taeza, saying only that they
are still interrogating the suspect who was invoking his right to
remain silent.

Investigations conducted by Senior Police Officer 2 Celestino
Manglicmot and Police Officer 2 Reynaldo Gustilo of the Talomo Police
Precinct showed that Daylo was calling for passengers outside the Agro
Compound at Ecoland in Matina around 9:30 p.m. when he was approached
by the suspect and shot without provocation.

Though he was hit in the stomach, Daylo still managed to run toward an
alley beside the Benigno Aquino Hall of Justice, where he was cornered
by Taeza and shot him several times.

"Nag-roving kami sa loob ng terminal. Nung makarinig na kami ng ilang
putok, tinalon na namin yung barbed wire. Paalis na siya nung makita
namin. Nagpaputok kami ng warning shot, dun pa siya napilitang magtaas
ng kamay," said Cpl. Noel Santander, one of the responding TFD
soldiers. (We were on patrol duty when we heard the shots; we jumped
over the barbed wife fence. They were about to flee when he saw them.
We fired a warning shot and the suspect was forced to raise his hands.)

Chief Inspector Vicente Danao, Talomo police chief, Senior Police
Officer 1 Anecito Gildo of the Investigation Division of the Davao
City Police Office (DCPO) and a team from Scene of the Crime and
Operation (Soco) recovered three live bullets and two empty shells of
caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

Soco declared Daylo dead on the spot with several gunshot wounds in
the head and stomach. Taeza denied he killed Daylo.

When asked if it was his gun that the task force confiscated, he said:
"Wala koy ikasulti ana (I can't say anything about that)."

Daylo allegedly served a prison term for a drug-related case at the
Ma-a City Jail.

According to the victim's brother-in-law, who only identified himself
as Porcing, Daylo was allegedly involved in illegal drug trade in
their place.

"Sauna, didto na sila nagpuyo sa akong balay. Pag-abot sa iyang asawa
gikan sa Manila, namalhin sila. Buotan man siya, dili man basagulero,
na-involved lang gyod siya anang drugs," Porcing said. (He and his
children were living in my house before, but when his wife arrived
from Manila, they transferred to other place. He was a good man; he
was not a troublemaker. Its just that he was involved in illegal drugs.)

Danao refused to say if Taeza is a member of the dreaded "death
squad".

"Ayaw kong magsalita tungkol dyan kasi under investigation pa yan sa
investigation division ng DCPO," he said. (I am not saying anything
about that.)

Daylo was the 62nd victim of the spate of summary executions in the
city this year.

The 61st victim was also a resident of Barangay 76-A, Bolton Isla
identified as Danilo Madelo, 46, who was shot dead by two unidentified
men near his home on Monday noon.

Madelo's wife admitted her husband was involved in illegal drug
activities.