Metrobriefs

Ex-tanod killed in visit to old QC neighborhood

A FORMER barangay watchman from Laguna province who was in Quezon City to visit his old neighborhood was shot dead at a busy intersection on Edsa Thursday afternoon. A report prepared by barangay officials of Veterans Village said Joel Lualhati was about to go back to Laguna when an unidentified gunman followed and shot him in the head around 2 p.m. in front of St. Augustine College, near SM North Edsa mall. With the victim already on the ground, the attacker shot him two more times in the body before fleeing on a motorbike. Lualhati served as barangay tanod or village watchman at Veterans for seven years before moving to Laguna, according to the report. Julie M. Aurelio

Blast injures 4 workers in Caloocan bakery

FOUR people were injured in an explosion traced to a leaking LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) tank inside a bakery in Caloocan City early Thursday. F02 Alwin Culianan, an arson investigator, said the 1:14 a.m. blast ripped through the Park and Go bakery, owned by Eugenio Angel Rama, which operates 24 hours a day on Samson Road corner Lapu-Lapu Street. Rama is  based in Cebu City, according to Culianan. Four employees then on-duty were brought to Caloocan City Medical Center for burns. They were identified as Ayin Entoroliso, 24; Estelita Libod Libod, 22; Irvin Libod Libod, 21; and Rodolfo Villamor, 30.  F01 Camilo Mardo said Entoroliso and Villamor suffered second-degree burns on their hands, feet and right leg, while Estelita and Irvin Libod Libod suffered first-degree burns on the right arm. The explosion caused a fire within the small bakery that was immediately contained. Kristine Felisse Mangunay

QC family loses P1.8M in Christmas burglary

A businessman and his family lost a collection of 21 watches worth P1.85 million in a burglary that hit their Quezon City home while they were out of town for a Christmas reunion.  Police on Thursday said Julius Ceasar Villarama, 53, of Matahimik Street, Barangay Teachers Village, reported the loss of 3 Rolex watches worth P1 million, 2 Omega watches worth P200,000, 12 Tag Heuer men’s watches worth P400,000, 3 Tag Heuer ladies’ watches worth P100,000 and a Douder watch worth P150,000. The Villaramas were in Malolos, Bulacan province, when someone forced their front door open after they left on Wednesday, Christmas day.  The steel safe containing the watches was gone from the master bedroom when the family returned around 1 a.m. Thursday. Julie M. Aurelio