Five killed in Tondo fiesta

At least five persons, including two policemen, were killed, while three others were injured in violent incidents during the celebration of the Feast of the Sto. Nino in Tondo, Manila Sunday.

In the first incident, Senior Inspector Roy Cruz, 34, a member of the Valenzuela Police and a resident of 602 Coral St., Tondo; and Police Officer 1 Ramil Saminiano, 29, a member of the Malabon Police and a resident of 1373 Franco St., Tondo, Manila, were killed when they reportedly engaged in a gunfight in the afternoon.

Also killed in the shooting incident was Cruz’s brother Rommel, 36, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), police said.

Investigation showed that prior to the shooting incident, a rumble between two rival youth gangs erupted, but was pacified by barangay chairman Aurelio Sese. A few minutes later, another commotion occurred, and neighbors asked Cruz for help. Cruz and his brother rushed to the scene aboard a motorcycle.

Police said that as Cruz was trying to pacify the crowd, Saminiano suddenly arrived with a gun in hand.

Cruz then reportedly introduced himself as a policeman, and told Saminiano to leave and surrender his gun. But Saminiano was reportedly irked and shouted that he was also a policeman.

Without warning, shots rang out, leaving Senior Inspector Cruz with gunshot wounds in the left hand, right arm, right armpit, and back. He was also stabbed in the right leg. PO1 Saminiano, meanwhile, sustained gunshot wounds in the left side of the body. Rommel Cruz was hit in the left arm and head. All three were declared dead on arrival at the Mary Johnston Hospital, police said.

Later that day, a five-year-old girl was killed while three others were wounded after members of street gang armed with a sumpak (homemade shotgun) attacked them.

Police said Eden Gosem, 5, was declared dead on arrival at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, following the incident near the corner of C-2 Imelda and Capulong streets in Tondo, at 5:30 p.m.

Wounded and confined at the JRRMMC were Nelson Secreto, 25, a student, Robina Resano, 35: Rodolfo Roque, 47, all of 264 Imelda Extension, Tondo.

Investigation showed the victims were celebrating the fiesta when the suspects, allegedly drunk and armed with the sumpak, fired at them for no reason. The suspects then fled after the attack. They are now being tracked down by police.

In the third incident, a pedicab driver was stabbed dead after engaging a neighbor in an altercation.

Police said Arnel Esperanza, 34, of 1201 Lualhati St., Tondo, was declared dead on arrival at the Mary Johnston Hospital after being stabbed in the back by a certain Badjao, 32. The incident took place at 3:30 p.m., at the corner of Lualhati and Sandico Streets.