Metrobriefs

Man’s hidden camera shows all—and more

MANILA, Philippines—A 47-year-old man who identified himself as a manager of a pharmaceutical company was arrested on Thursday night after he was caught peeping into the skirts of unsuspecting  women doing their groceries using a tiny surveillance camera. Senior Supt. Jessie Cardona, Pasig police chief, identified the suspect as Richard Cruz, 47, a resident of Sucat, Parañaque City. Cardona said the incident happened inside the  Pioneer Center supermarket  in Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City, at around 8:30 p.m. The suspect had attracted the attention of the mall’s security officers  as he had been   tailing two women and repeatedly positioning his grocery basket below the women’s skirts, Cardona said. When the security officer approached the man, a small camera was found taped to the grocery basket. After the two women were told that Cruz had been  taking  videos of the them, the pair, whom the Pasig police refused to identify, decided to file charges.  Cardona said the memory card containing videos of women and the camera served as evidence in the filing of unjust vexation charges against the suspect. Cruz underwent inquest proceedings at the Pasig Prosecutor’s Office on Friday morning. Cardona said the suspect had admitted taking the videos and told the officer in charge of the Women and Children’s Desk that he did it because “it gave him a thrill.” Niña Calleja

Gintong Parangal for Malabon’s top citizens

HiGHLIGHTING  the celebration of  Malabon City’s 412 years Foundation Day on May 21 is  the 30th Gintong Parangal Awards Night. A yearly joint project of the city government of Malabon and the Kalipunan ng Mga Samahan sa Malabon (Kasama), the awards night will  pay tribute  to the city’s  outstanding citizens. Chona S. Lazaro, Kasama president, said the affair is chaired by Flery O. Marcelo, past district director  of Soroptimist International of the Philippines, with Vice Mayor Lenlen A. Oreta as cochairman.  Congratulatory messages for the awardees will be delivered  by Rep.  Jaye Lacson-Noel of the lone district of Malabon and party-list Rep. Chona Gonzales, a Malabon native. For this year’s celebration, the theme is “Mamamayan ng Malabon: Kabalikat sa Pag-Unlad ng Bayan.”