2 killed in Malabon shootings

MANILA, Philippines - A fish porter and a woman were shot dead hours apart in the same barangay in Malabon City starting Saturday night.

Ariel Reluao, 45, a fish porter at the Malabon public market, was attacked by at least three men as he stepped out of his house in Barangay Longos at around 10:20 p.m. Saturday.

Senior Police Officer 1 Redentor Mantala Jr. said that Reluao was about to report for work when the gunmen, lurking at a dimly lit portion of Borromeo street in Barangay Longos, shot at him.

Reluao died on the spot from two gunshot wounds in the head, two in the chest, in the left thigh and in the right arm.

Witnesses told police that the gunmen, all wearing caps and black T-shirts, escaped on foot toward a slum area on Pinagsabugan street in Barangay Longos.

As of yesterday, investigators were still trying to establish the motive for Reluao’s murder.

At around 5 a.m. yesterday, watchmen of Barangay Longos found the body of Monica Mesina, 32, along a darkened portion of Hasa-Hasa street. Her body bore gunshot wounds.

The Malabon City police station investigation and detective management branch has yet to establish the motive in Mesina’s slay. A witness pointed to a certain Toyo as the gunman.

Police said Barangays Longos and Catmon are havens for criminals in Malabon. Catmon reportedly hosts at least three groups of hired killers linked to a number of unsolved murders in Malabon.