Atienza orders police official to explain Asayo killing

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza yesterday ordered a ranking official of the Manila Police District (MPD) to explain within 72 hours why his men failed to prevent the murder of a barangay chairman in Divisoria last Jan. 30.

In a memorandum to Superintendent Bernardo Diaz, chief of the Binondo police station, Atienza threatened to have him relieved if he could not explain how two gunmen shot Lamberto Asayo, a barangay chairman in Tondo and leader of a vendors’ organization in Divisoria, while there were two policemen around.

Atienza issued the warning after receiving reports that the killers were in the company of two policemen from Diaz’s command during the shooting.

Witnesses have identified one of the gunmen as Diosdado Soriano, 41, said to be a former civilian agent of the National Bureau of Investigation.

Soriano, who was also a leader of a big vendors’ association in Divisoria, is reportedly being coddled by a religious sect and enjoys protection from ranking NBI officials, according to the police.

Atienza learned that two police officers assigned at the Binondo police station, identified as Ken Mamerto and Marvin Velasquez, were with the killers.

According to the police, Asayo and Soriano had an altercation days before the shooting and Soriano had Binondo policemen escorting him. Asayo and Soriano were locked in a dispute over control of sidewalk vendors in Divisoria. – Nestor Etolle