NPD launches task group to probe killing of Malabon village chief

Slain Barangay Chairman Anthony Velasquez. Malabon Mayor Lenlen Oreta

Update

MANILA, Philippines — The Northern Police District (NPD) launched a task group to investigate the recent murder of Barangay Hulong Duhat, Malabon Chairman Anthony Velasquez, who was gunned down inside his home Monday, police said on Tuesday.

In a phone interview with INQUIRER.net, Malabon police chief Colonel Angela Rejano said the task group was activated on Monday night following the barangay chairman’s death.

“The NPD Special Investigation Task Group is on the case of Brgy Capt. Anthony Velasquez,” she said.

“Inactivate kagabi. Nag-issue immediately ang NPD ng activation po ng special investigation for the official,” Rejano added.

(It was activated last night. NPD issued an activation order for special investigation for the official.)

NPD, which covers Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela, will also investigate the motive in the killing, Rejano said.

According to Rejano, Velasquez was gardening in his backyard when two unidentified assailants shot him at around 4 p.m.

“Actually iyong victim, sa report, based doon, busy siya sa garden sa backyard niya. Iyong dalawang suspect parang tinulak yung gate and then from there, binaril siya,” Rejano narrated.

(Based on the report, the victim was busy with his gardening in the backyard. The two assailants then pushed the gate to enter the backyard and then from there shot Velasquez.)

In an updated police report, Malabon police said the two shooters fled from the crime scene, each onboard two motorcycles driven by two other men.

Rejano said witnesses brought Velasquez to the hospital, where he later died. Recovered from the crime scene were 11 fired cartridge cases of an unknown firearm.

The city government condemned the murder in a Facebook post this Tuesday, urging lawmen to arrest the perpetrators in the city official’s killing immediately.

“We urge and demand the Philippine National Police to implement the full force of the law to capture the perpetrators behind this utterly unacceptable act. This dastardly act should be meted out with the punishment it deserves,” read the statement from Pusong Malabonian, the official Facebook page of the Malabon City government.

In a 2018 Inquirer report, Velasquez was included in the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency’s drugs watchlist released on April 30, 2018.

EDV