Guard kills 2 Puregold managers, worker

A security guard who gunned down two managers and an employee of a grocery store in Mandaluyong City was arrested during a follow-up operation yesterday.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo de la Cruz said the suspect, Reynaldo Yandog of the K9 security agency, is in the custody of the Mandaluyong City police.

De la Cruz said Yandog showed signs of mental disturbance before running amok. He added that the suspect admitted killing managers Marites Reyes and Sonny Miranda and maintenance man Richard Faaliaria of the Puregold store along Shaw Boulevard at around 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Senior Superintendent Carlos de Sagun, Mandaluyong City police chief, said Yandog was arrested in Sta. Mesa, Manila with the help of his relatives, who cooperated fully with the local police upon learning of the crime he had committed.

De Sagun said his men are presently trying to recover the handgun Yandog used in the shooting. De Sagun said his men are currently interrogating Yandog.

The guard was arrested a few hours after De la Cruz ordered a massive manhunt against him and dispatched his men to coordinate with shipping and airport officials to prevent him from escaping to the province.

“What we established is that Tandog (was) having difficulty in paying rent on his house,” De la Cruz said, noting that they ruled out robbery as the motive in the slayings as inventory of the store showed no missing merchandise.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect and the victims were in the clearing area of the grocery when he shot them. Nobody witnessed the incident. Responding crime scene investigators recovered 15 shells from a caliber .38 revolver at the site.

A native of Mindoro, Yandog went home to fetch his wife but she refused to join him to go into hiding.