MANILA – A survivor of the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign “Oplan Tokhang” on Thursday filed criminal complaints before the Ombudsman against 4 policemen and 5 police “informants” over an alleged attempt to kill him, and for the “execution-style” murder of his 4 companions.

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The complainant, Efren Morillo, asked the Ombudsman to investigate PSI Emil Garcia, PO3 Allan Formilleza, PO1 James Aggarao and PO1 Melchor Navisaga for frustrated murder; murder; robbery; and violations of Republic Act (RA) 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; and RA 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The policemen were formerly assigned to Quezon City Police Station 6.

Also named respondents were alleged police assets Lea Barcelona, Lorie Barcelona, Mary Joy Ralo, Richard Riñon and a man called “Manok.”

The complaint stemmed from an anti-drug operation conducted in Group 9, Area B, Payatas, Quezon City on August 21, 2016, where Morillo was injured and his companions Marcelo Daa, Jr., Jesse Cule, Anthony Comendo and Rhaffy Gabo were killed in an apparent shootout with police.

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‘FALSE NARRATIVE’

Morillo debunked the policemen’s account of the operation against him and his companions.

The policemen reported that Morillo, Daa, Cule, Comendo and Gabo fired the first shots and fought with them. The operation was for their supposed arrest in connection with illegal drug peddling activities.

Morillo insisted that the police report was a lie, saying he and and his four companions were defenseless. The policemen also allegedly forced them to admit their supposed involvement in the illegal drug trade, and intended to kill them, he claimed.

“Sama-sama sila sa pagpunta sa lugar namin, pagtali at pag-akusa sa amin, at pag-baril sa amin,” Morillo said in his complaint.

(Respondents acted in concert by going to Payatas for the purpose of accusing the victims of possession of illegal drugs, by planning each incident of going there, tying them up, questioning them and ultimately, shooting at them and assisting one another in carrying out their deed.)

“Si PO3 Formilleza at ang ibang mga pulis ang bumaril sa mga biktima o kung hindi naman ay tumulong sa mismong bumaril. Sina Lea Barcelona naman at ang ibang mga sibilyan ay mga impormante na tumukoy sa amin bilang umano ay mga gumagamit ng droga. Sila rin ay nasa labas at kinakausap ang mga biktima upang hindi sila maki-alam sa nangyayaring patayan.”

(PO3 Allan Formilleza and the other police officers were the ones who directly shot the victims or aided the shooters, and it was Lea Barcelona and company, acting as informants, who pointed out to the policemen the alleged drug users. They also stopped the relatives of the victims from interfering in the shooting that was already taking place.)

There was also supposedly an attempt to cover up for their crimes by coming up with fabricated story in their Joint Affidavit of Arrest.

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‘EXECUTION-TYPE KILLING’

Morillo included excerpts from Daa, Cule, Comendo and Gabo’s autopsy showing that the victims sustained at least two shots. Their gunshot wounds were directed either downwards or upwards—indications that they were shot at a close range.

This would not have been the case if the deceased engaged in a firefight, as the shots would have gone straight and some would not have had exit wounds.

There were also indications that Comendo and Cule were shot point blank, execution-style, Morillo’s affidavit said.

Morillo also said they were playing pool, and were not doing drugs when the policemen arrived, so the cops should be held responsible for planting evidence.

Morillo and his companions were forced to admit owning a plastic sachet with white substance inside, which had to undergo a lab test to be confirmed as methamphetamine or shabu. The sachet was included in the list of recovered evidence, although it allegedly came from police.

They also allegedly made it appear that the victims had firearms when the alleged “shootout” ensued.

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