Ex-NPAs training Davao assassins

by Carmela Fonbuena, abs-cbnnews.com/Newsbreak | 04/09/2009 12:44 AM

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Second of two parts

The so-called "Davao Death Squad" traces its roots to the communist group New People's Army, according to a newly released report by New York-based international group Human Rights Watch.

The legendary vigilante-style, motorcycle-riding death squad mainly targeting alleged petty criminals supposedly started with 10 members, mostly former New People's Army (NPA) members who surrendered to the government. Some were former cops and soldiers.

The NPA link explains the Davao Death Squad's urban warfare tactics that the NPA “sparrow squad” hit teams used in the 1980s, insiders interviewed by the rights group said.

“One insider said that a high-ranking death squad member in his area had been a member of a “sparrow unit” who surrendered directly to Davao City Mayor Duterte. He then ran a private business while at the same time working for the Davao Death Squad. In October 2007, this man won an election into a barangay council and became the head of the Peace and Order Committee in the barangay,” said Human Rights Watch (HRW) in its 103-page report on the Davao killings, You Can Die Anytime.

The title of the study was lifted from Duterte's statement in a Washington Post article on the killings. Published on November 30, 2003, Duterte told the US-based paper, “I don't mind being called the murder capital of the Philippines as long as those being killed are the bad guys. From day one, I said henceforth Davao City will be very, very dangerous for criminals. I've been telling criminals it's a place where you can die anytime. If that's a cue for anybody, that's fine.”

HRW has no evidence to prove allegations that Duterte himself masterminded the death squads but Roth said they have proof that “low level cops” serve as “handlers” of some death squad members.

Contrary to Duterte’s claims that there is no death squad in his city and that the killings are likely due to the local gang wars, the HRW executive director Kenneth Roth said they are convinced that the death squads exist and enjoy the support—if not the financial backing—of Davao City's local authorities, and some residents and businessmen who agree that criminals should be rid from the city.

Local group Coalition Against Summary Executions (CASE) documented a total of 671 cases of summary killings in Davao City from August 1998 to May 2008.

Well-structured force

Since the death squad was supposed to be organized in the mid-90s, insiders say the group has grown into a well-structured force with about 500 members. Roth said there may already

be several groups of death squads, linked and controlled by a common authority, in the city.

A “three-tier system” system is supposedly in place. Involved are not just the “personnel” (hitmen, drivers, and look-outs), but also the high-ranking police officials and regular police officers. The higher tiers are the "handlers."

The group expanded by recruiting jobless young men and boys, many of them have records of petty crimes. “For them the choice was between being a potential victim of the Davao Death Squad, or joining the ranks,” the report said.

It was reportedly not hard to recruit. Joining the group allowed the recruits to earn easy money. A “successful” hit supposedly earns them from P5,000 to P100,000, depending on the target. The payment is divided between the members of the group that carried out the hit. Usually, a group go by 2's or 3's.

Like in a fraternity, new recruits are beaten up. If old member ask them why they want to join the group, the recruits should supposedly say, “I want to help my family and I want to help Davao City get rid of criminals.”

Members of the death squad may be as young as 17 years old. Although they are said to be playing as look-outs, there are instances when they play active roles. In one case, one high schoolstudent “delivered” a classmate to the squad to be tortured and executed.

They are reportedly conditioned to feel no remorse for the killings. They refer to their targets as “scum of society.”

Suggesting further police complicity, “Witnesses to killings told Human Rights Watch that the police routinely arrive at the scene long after the assailants leave, even if the nearest police station is minutes away. Police often fail to collect obvious evidence such as spent bullet casings, or question witnesses or suspects, but instead pressure the families of victims to identify the killers,” the report said.

Trained to kill

Insiders said the Davao Death Squad has its own training compound, where recruits are trained to kill. It’s supposed to be in Calinan area, south of Davao City.

They described a makeshift shooting range, where targets are soda cans and coconuts.

Until 2006, death squads had the signature of killing petty criminals using a .45-caliber guns. Roth said this is another proof that the killings have financial backings because the gun is prohibitively expensive for the members of the street gangs—who only use 'sumpak' or home-made guns.

“The use of such firearms is a strong indicator that the murders were not perpetrated by common gang members. The .45-caliber handguns, for example, cost about P30,000 each. The vast majority of gang members cannot afford such expensive weapons,” the report said.

But recent cases of summary killings show the increasing use of knives. Aside from it is cheaper, Roth said he believes that the reason is not financial. It is to make it appear that, as claimed bylocal authorities, the killings are due to gang warfare.

To kill using a knife, the recruits are shown a poster of a human body and are shown the vital points on the human body. A stuffed dummy is also used for practice.

Local group CASE documented an increasing use of knives. In 2006, out of 65 execution-style killings documented by CASE, 38 victims were shot, and 26 victims were stabbed. By 2007, out of 116 victims, 56 were shot and 59 were stabbed.

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