100 more cops join Malabon police force amid spate of killings

MANILA, Philippines — Over 100 additional policemen were deployed in Malabon to augment its police force following a spate of killings, most recently the slaying of a barangay chairman.

“The rash of killings prompted Northern Police District (NPD) director Police Brig. Gen. Eliseo DC. Cruz to deploy additional 100 policemen to augment the existing more than 400 Malabon police force,” read the statement from Malabon local government.

After Hulong Duhat Barangay Chairman Anthony Velasquez was gunned down inside his house on Monday afternoon, enhanced security was ordered by the district police.

The city government said two days before Velasquez’s death, a 39-year-old Sonny Boy Pardillo who was walking along P. Aquino St. in Tonsuya and a 34-year-old Valentino Espinosa who was sleeping in his shanty in P. Concepcion in Tugatog were fatally shot by two unidentified men.

On Jan. 8, unidentified shooters killed Malabonian Marlon Santiago inside his home in Plata Street, Tugatog.

Meanwhile, a 37-year-old Ace Bade was killed at a billiards joint in Barangay Tonsuya on Jan. 7 at 9:55 p.m.

Rodolfo Carpentero, 46, was fatally shot point-blank along Kagitingan Street, in Barangay Muzon, on January 5 at around 4 p.m.

The seventh victim, Yasser Ampuan, 21, a security guard, was allegedly killed by his co-workers in Barangay Panghulo on Dec. 27.

For his part, Malabon Mayor Lenlen Oreta ordered city police chief Colonel Angela Rejano to coordinate fully with the city government in addressing crime incidents and ensure their speedy resolution. [ac]

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