B’gay chairman shot in vendors’ dispute dies

A barangay chairman in Tondo who was also a leader of sidewalk vendors in Divisoria died last night in the hospital after he was shot in the head allegedly by a rival faction.

Lamberto Asayo, barangay chairman of Zone 1, District 2, was shot Tuesday night along Recto Avenue in front of the Tutuban Mall by two men. Barangay tanod Jared Alforque was shot in the leg when he tried to help.

Asayo was arranging his goods when the attackers walked up from behind and shot him pointblank. He was leading a group of street vendors involved in a struggle for control of an area in Divisoria.

According to Manila Police District’s homicide section head Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., five witnesses have identified one of the gunmen as Bong Soriano, the leader of the rival group. He had a quarrel with Asayo a week before the shooting, Yanquiling added.

Soriano has gone missing but has sent surrender feelers.

Before Asayo’s takeover, Soriano’s group was reportedly earning hundreds of thousands of pesos from protection money and fees from vendors.

But when Asayo was designated by the city hall as their caretaker, street hawking became orderly and fees went directly to the city government.