HABAL-HABAL DRIVER KILLED; BECOMES 37TH VICTIM

A MOTORCYCLE-RIDING gunman shot dead a habal-habal driver Sunday night,
eleven hours after two brothers were killed in Agdao.

The latest and the 37th victim of vigilantes in Davao City was identified
as Nemerio Lumanta, 26, "habal-habal" driver, and resident of Kalubihan,
Kabacan, Matina Bucana.

Investigation conducted by SPO2 Joven Victoriano of the Talomo Police
Precinct showed that Lumanta was waiting for passengers at the Convenience
store along Candelaria Street, Ecoland Subdivision just a few meters away
from the Benigno Aquino Hall of Justice at 9 p.m. when he was approached by
a lone gunman aboard a motorcycle who shot him twice.

The suspect allegedly fled toward Maya Street also in Ecoland after the
incident and left Lumanta beside his habal-habal.

SPO2 Victoriano said Lumanta was killed on the spot with two gunshot wounds
in the head.

Police recovered two empty shells of caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

"Ang mga reports sa amoa gikan sa mga nakaila sa iyaha, trouble maker daw
na sa ilaha ug ma-apil-apil pud sa mga kawat (From the information we
gathered about him, he was said to be a trouble-maker in their place and
has been engaged in theft too)," Victorino said.

"Based sa records, pabalik-balik na siya dito sakasong kawat (he has been
in and out of detention for theft), snatching at allegedly involved din daw
sa drugs," Chief Insp. Vicente Danao said.

A victim's neighbor, who did not identified himself to the police, said
that while indeed Lumanta was a trouble-maker, he has been exerting an
effort to stay on the right track as his mother is a purok leader.

"Mapugos na lang na siya og pakisama kay purok leader man iyang inahan (He
had to get along with his neighbors because his mother is a purok leader),"
the man told police.

Eleven hours before the incident happened, two brothers were shot dead
while they were sleeping in their shack on barangay Duterte in Agdao.

Ryan Maraya, 19, and his younger brother Michael, 17, were sleeping inside
their roadside shack at around 10 a.m. when a gunman approached them and
shot them several times.

The suspect fled onboard a motorcycle with other two companions.

The victims were allegedly members of the SRB (Samahan ng mga Rugby Boys)
gang in their place and were also involved in theft cases.