I live in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City, adjacent to the Camanava district in Northern Metro Manila. Early morning, Friday, August 18, the Northern Police District was wrapping up their overnight drug sweep of Camanava that yielded 24 deaths, and 36 arrests.

That same Friday, at around 1:30 am, I went home later than usual because of a deadline at work as a news researcher/producer.

Our street is almost pitch black. The light post has been broken for nearly a year. The feeling of uneasiness is always there every time I go home especially with stories about our neighbors being robbed in front of their houses.

I shrugged off the thought because I do not have a choice. My work shift is late; I go home late.

That night was unusual. As I was getting off the tricycle, I saw from my periphery, silhouettes of two men carrying one rifle…