Saturation drive nets 158 in Tondo

The Manila Police District (MPD) rounded up 158 persons yesterday in a saturation drive in Isla Puting Bato, Tondo, one of the areas tagged by lawmen as a haven for criminals.

Armed with warrants of arrest, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), composed of the homicide, theft and robbery, anti-car theft and general assignment sections, swooped down on shanties in the area at around 3 a.m., resulting in the apprehension of two wanted persons.

The two were identified as John Paul Manzonez, for frustrated homicide, and Arnold Calupaz, for qualified theft. Their cases are currently being heard in Manila courts.

An undetermined quantity of shabu and drug paraphernalia were also seized from two residents identified as Samsia Acob, 32, and Shamlee Talusan, 41.

From among those invited to police headquarters for character verification, four turned out to have criminal records, ranging from robbery-holdup to illegal possession of firearms, according to CIDU chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula.

Some 42 males with tattoos were charged with vagrancy after failing to produce identification papers.

The early morning raid on Isla Puting Bato was precipitated by reports of a rising rate of violent crimes in the slum area.

Records at the MPD’s Homicide Section showed there has been a slight increase in murder cases in Baseco, Parola and Isla Puting Bato, all highly populated areas in Manila.

Shooting and stabbing incidents are common in these areas, which indicate the proliferation of loose firearms, according to Homicide Section commander Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr.

"If left uncheck the violent incidents will have a devastating effect since these instill fear among residents," Yanquiling said.

Sapitula said more saturation drives will be conducted in the following days in other crime-prone areas.