“License to Kill”

the police. 218 On October 20, the Office of the City Prosecutor issued a subpoena to the
relatives of Visda to appear at such an inquest. 219
Paquito Mejos, October 14
Barangay North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS), Navotas, Metro Manila
Paquito Mejos, 53, was a father of five and worked as an electrician on construction sites.
According to his relatives, he was an occasional shabu user, but not involved in drug
dealing. 220 On October 7, barangay officials came to his house and told him his name was
on the neighborhood watch list of drug suspects, and that he had to surrender. He went
immediately to the barangay municipal hall with his wife, but was told no one was
available to process his case, and to return on October 10. 221
Mejos did as told, and on his return on October 10, he went to the police station and was
photographed and fingerprinted. On October 12, the barangay officials summoned him
again to the barangay together with other surrenderees, to determine whether they needed
rehabilitation or to attend a series of anti-drug seminars, before sending him home again.
Two days later, on October 14 at about 2 p.m., Mejos was taking a nap upstairs in his home
when four masked gunmen in civilian clothes riding on two motorcycles arrived at his
home. 222 Witnesses said uniformed policemen were also present in the area at the time.
According to a relative:
They came inside and asked, “Where is Paquito?” I asked them, “Why?”
They pushed me out of the way, and two of them with their weapons drawn
went upstairs. When I saw them with their handguns going upstairs, I told
them, “But he has already surrendered to the authorities!” They told me to
218 Ibid. (“Cases for violation of R.A. 9165 and Attempted Homicide are being prepared for Spot Inquest against the killed
suspect before the Office of the City Prosecutor.”).
219 Office of the City Prosecutor of Manila, Subpoena, October 20, signed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor Teresa Belinda
Tan-Sollano (on file with Human Rights Watch). The subpoena also is addressed to “All of Station Anti-Illegal Drugs, Special
Operations Task Unit, Raxabago-Tondo Police Station (PS1) MPD.”
220 Human Rights Watch interview with relative of Paquito Mejos, name withheld, October 24, 2016.
221 Ibid.
222 Ibid.
71 HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | MARCH 2017