MANILA, Philippines—Handyman Jimmy Saberon responded promptly to a call to fix the lights at a covered basketball court in Tondo, Manila, Thursday night not knowing death awaited him on the way.
Police said Saberon, 47, of Isla Bungad in the Parola Compound, died instantly from multiple gunshots to the head and body fired with apparently no provocation by one of two men who blocked his path in a darkened ally as he headed for the basketball court near his home around 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Senior Police Officer 1 Ramir Dimagiba of the Manila Police District homicide section, said that minutes before the shooting a barangay employee identified only as “Andrew” went to Saberon’s house to tell him that barangay officials had sent for him to fix the lights at the covered court.
While he was walking along a dimly lit portion of the alley, two men blocked his path and one of them drew a handgun and started firing repeatedly at Saberon, Dimagiba said. The killers casually walked away after ensuring Saberon was dead, he added.
Neighbors who heard the gunfire and decided to investigate the source found the victim dead and sought police assistance.