Trader’s death baffles cops

Police are puzzled over the mysterious death of a Chinese businessman whose body was found inside a factory warehouse in Valenzuela City yesterday morning.

Superintendent Jose Marcelo, city police chief, identified the victim as Ruben Caw, 47, distributor of cooking oil and baking powder and a resident of 125 Liwayway street, Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela.

Inspector Salvador de la Cruz of the Valenzuela City police said Ruben was found dead by his younger brother Richard at around 9 a.m. His head was apparently hit with a blunt object.

Police said prior to the discovery of the body, his family had reported that he had been missing since the other day. The victim’s house was just a few meters away from the warehouse where he was found.

Richard said as he walked near the warehouse, he smelled a foul odor coming from the warehouse prompting him to look inside. Relatives of the victim immediately reported the incident to the police who conducted an immediate investigation.

The victim was a long-time distributor of flour, corn starch, among others, in the country, police said.

In Quezon City, police are now hunting a still unidentified gunman after he shot dead a 52-year-old examiner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and stole his vehicle before dawn yesterday in front of his house.

Victim Danilo Balmaceda, a resident of Molave street, Barangay Duyan in Project 3, suffered a gunshot wound in the body and was pronounced dead on arrival at the Quezon City Medical Center.

The unidentified suspect was armed with a handgun and fled from the scene using Balmaceda’s Mitsubishi Pajero.

Reports showed that the victim arrived on board his vehicle at his residence at about 1:30 a.m. when he saw the gunman blocking the gate. As Balmaceda alighted from the van, the assailant pulled out his firearm.

Without warning, he fired a shot, hitting Balmaceda. The killer then took off with his Pajero. – Jerry Botial, Matthew Estabillo