Manhunt on for traffic enforcer who allegedly shot street hawker in Lucena

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LUCENA CITY–A local traffic enforcer is now the subject of a manhunt operation launched by the police since Friday after he was tagged behind the shooting that wounded an ambulant market vendor, police said.

Supt. Romulo Albacea, Lucena police chief, identified the suspect as  Oca de Mesa, assigned to clear the streets of hawkers to ease the flow of traffic in the vicinity of the city public market in Barangay (village) 4.

The shooting happened at 9:20 a.m. when De Mesa had a heated argument with vendor Richard Mendoza and other hawkers that resulted to a fist fight.

Report said De Mesa left the scene but returned with a .38-caliber revolver and reportedly shot Mendoza. The suspect escaped after the shooting.

“My men are already searching for the suspect,” Albacea said on the phone.

The victim sustained bullet wounds and was taken to the Quezon Medical Center for treatment.

Photos of the wounded vendor were posted on the internet and went viral on the Facebook page “Lucena Problems”. /jpv