ERMITA barangay captain Felicisimo “Imok” Rupinta yesterday vowed to help the family of John Jason Montes avail of burial assistance from the Cebu City government.
Rupinta told Cebu Daily News that the barangay does not have a program providing burial assistance, but said he was also willing to shell out from his own pocket.
He said he personally knew Montes, who was one of three alleged illegal drug suspects killed in a police operation on Banacon Island in Getafe, Bohol last Saturday dawn. Montes was 22.
Also killed were alleged drug lord Rowen Secretaria and alleged cohort Dario Torremocia. A young witness said all three were unarmed, putting to question the claim of the police that the slain suspects were heavily armed.
Rupinta said Montes had never been involved in any fight in the barangay.
“Jason is known in Ermita for being active in basketball tournaments. He was not a drug lord,” Rupinta said.
He said Barangay Ermita has a basketball team that regularly joins the annual tournament on Banacon Island in Getafe, Bohol.
“It happened that some of the players (last year) did not join this year that is why Jason was asked to play for the team this year,” Rupinta said.
Rupinta admitted that his barangay is among those considered as hotspots for illegal drug operations in Cebu City.
To address the illegal drugs problem, Rupinta said they have been regularly conducting checkpoints since 1997. This has caused a decline in the number of illegal drug dealers.
Rupinta met with the barangay tanods yesterday to implement eight three-hour shifts in monitoring possible outsiders in the barangay.
“This is helpful in monitoring other people outside the barangay who want to sell and bring drugs here,” he added.
Victor Montes, father of Jason, earlier told CDN that a certain Onyok had asked permission to allow Jason to play basketball. Victor said he did not know that the game was in Bohol.
The mother, Susana, yesterday sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in seeking justice for her son, who reportedly had his arms raised in surrender when police shot him. She was asked to file a formal complaint.