CALLS for justice continued to flood social media as news of the slay of the 21-year-old Niño Rodel Taboada inside an alleged “drug den” in Cebu City spread.
“Everyone knows how good you are. My brother was never involved in drugs. I know the truth will be revealed. Justice for my innocent brother,” said the young man’s sister Rhosebelle in her Facebook post.
“It’s not even an accident nga napusilan ka. Tuyo jod nga gipusil ka when the PDEA arrived for a buy-bust operation. (It was not even an accident that you were shot. It was PDEA’s intention to kill when they arrived for a buy-bust operation),” she added.
Niño Rodel, a call center agent who had just passed the criminology licensure exam, was gunned down by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regional office (PDEA-7) when he allegedly tried to engage them in a shootout inside the house of a relative in Barangay Duljo Fatima, Cebu City, at 6:35 p.m. on Thursday.
The aspiring policeman suffered gunshot wounds on the chest, shoulder and neck.
Five other drug suspects — Kendall Taboada, Juanito Pescadero, Jun Lasco, Riolito Abella and Michael Labra — were also arrested during the operation that resulted in the seizure of 205 grams of shabu worth P600,000.
Another suspect identified as Danilo “Lolong” Rica escaped.
Wrong Target
Friends of the victim believe the PDEA-7 operatives got the wrong target.
“We never expected that it will happen to him. Without a doubt, he is a very good man. He is another victim of mistaken identity. They did not even give him a chance to explain,” Jen Neis, a close friend of the victim, told Cebu Daily News.
“My heart bleeds. We’ve lost not just a teammate but a great friend and an amazing person. God knows how good a person he was. He wanted nothing but the safety of everyone around him. But now he’s gone. Mistaken identity pa more,” she added.
Neis said the PDEA-7 could have been after Niño Rodel’s relative who is reportedly into illegal drugs.
But PDEA-7 Director Yogi Filemon Ruiz insisted that Rodel was the target of their operation, saying his operative bought shabu from him.
Allegedly recovered from Niño Rodel’s possession was a .357 revolver with five live bullets.
Slay toll
However, a number of people expressed dismay on their Facebook posts, saying they do not believe the claim of PDEA-7.
“Kasakit ba pamalandungon ani. Daghan na kaayo ang namatay nga inosente tungod aning war on drugs. Ang nakasakit kay kinabuhi ang nakaltas.
Bisan unsaon nimu og balik, wala na jud. Haaay!” a Facebook post read.
(This is just so painful. So many innocent people have lost their lives in the war on drugs. Whatever you do, they can never have their lives back).
“Dili legit tanang police operations… Sayun ug dali ra kaayu i-rason sa police nga nisukol or nanlaban… Pait baya!! (Not all police operations are legitimate. It is easy for the police to say that the victims tried to engage them in a shootout),” said another Facebook post.
Without naming names, another post blamed the “higher-ups” in the series of drug-related killings.
“Mao ni naka-parat kung mamaak ang mga eru sa goberno. Kay gi spoiled pag au ug desiplina saelang amo! (That happens when the dogs of this government bites. They were spoiled by their bosses),” a post lamenting Niño Rodel’s death read.
Complaint
The victim’s father Rolando Taboada, an overseas Filipino worker based in Qatar, said they intend to file a complaint against the raiding team before the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
Rolando was dumbfounded when he learned about his son’s death.
“Why was my son killed? He was a very good man. He should not have finished his studies if he is into the illegal drugs trade,” he said in an interview over Bombo Radyo Cebu on Friday.
Niño Rodel, he said, passed the criminology licensure examinations last year.
While processing the requirements to become a full-fledged policeman, Niño Rodel opted to work in a call center company in Cebu.
According to the father, while Niño was on his way to work on Thursday evening, PDEA-7 operatives barged into Niño Rodel’s room and arrested him. Rolando said their neighbors heard his son reason out.
“He knew the law since he was supposed to be a policeman. The PDEA operatives allegedly got mad and immediately killed him,” he said.
Rolando said Niño Rodel’s cousin Kendall Taboada, who was arrested in the operation, has been into illegal drugs.
“Kendall has been using drugs. He’s rude. But my son was a good man,” he said.
Niño Rodel is the eldest of Rolando’s five children.
Ruiz said they are willing to undergo any investigation that may be conducted by the CHR or any other investigating body.