State forces massacred a family at Alas-as Drive, Barangay Sinunuc, Zamboanga City on April 23 at 1 a.m. in a declared “legitimate police operation.” A total of 52 personnel from combined state armed units composed of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Regional Intelligence Division 9, Seaborne Unit, Sinunuc Police Station, and Mindanao Area Police Intelligence Office carried out the operations.
Barangay lupon member Jerry Alfad, 52, Salam Alfad, 12, and nephew Rayyan Alfad, 22, died in the incident. Mislie Aradais Alfad, 18, Sayra Alfad, 40, and SK Kagawad Saralyn Alfad, 23, were wounded.
Relatives said the victims were clearly shot while lying down, based on the number and direction of bullet wounds on the bed. The entire house was also riddled with bullets.
The police absolved themselves of responsibility. They claimed that they spotted in the area a certain Saddam Siddick, whom they tagged as a high-value target facing two cases of murder and frustrated murder in Basilan on April 16 and 19.
The police claimed that, after they introduced themselves to the community, the two still unidentified individuals allegedly fired at them, prompting them to return fire. An M16 rifle and a grenade were recovered outside the house. All this allegedly happened at 1:30 a.m. on April 23 while they were serving a warrant of arrest. The police involved in the crime promised to investigate the incident.
A ZamBaSulTa (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) group of lawyers called for a thorough, impartial, and independent investigation into the incident. They said it is not appropriate for the unit responsible for the operation to investigate the crime. The National Police Commission, Commission on Human Rights, and Philippine National Police Internal Affairs Service must take action and investigate.
