Warring Tondo gang leaders forge peace pact, yield weapons

Tondo’s warring youth gang leaders forged yesterday a truce in the presence of police officials and barangay leaders and vowed to stop their almost nightly street fights.

Leaders of warring gangs with names like Street Dangerous, Tondo Creep, Batang Malupit and Demonyong Walang Sinasanto, also surrendered seven knives, 10 sling arrows and two improvised shotguns during the peace pact signing held at the Western Police District-Station 7 in Abad Santos, Tondo.

Residents said innocent civilians were usually the victims of the street fights between warring gangs whose leaders are mostly out-of-school youths with ages 16 to 18.

Three successive clashes occurred in an area called "Triangulo" along the railroad tracks at the corner of Abad Santos and Antipolo streets.

WPD-Station 7 chief Superintendent Gil de Castro coordinated with the four barangay chairmen who have jurisdiction over the areas where the clashes occurred to gather the gang leaders for a dialogue.

"During the dialogue, I found out that jealousy among their women-members was the main reason for their clashes," De Castro said.

To remedy the problem, the barangay chairmen agreed to impose a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for youngsters in their respective areas.

For his part, De Castro said police will conduct more mobile patrols in critical areas and arrest vagrants. He said additional uniformed and plainclothes policemen, backed by barangay tanods, will be assigned to monitor these areas.

At the same time, De Castro said he will implement the "dedicated policeman" program, under which each of the 77 barangays in his area of jurisdiction will be given a policeman who will interact regularly with residents.

"This policeman will conduct daily visits to his adopted barangay who shall serve as the conduit of residents for their complaints, " De Castro explained.