Taho vendor arrested in Marikina drug bust A taho vendor allegedly involved in illegal drug deal was arrested by the police in a buy-bust operation in Marikina City Wednesday night. Police identified the suspect as Francisco Estrada, 42, of Barangay Malanday, Marikina. Estrada was arrested at around 8:30 p.m. after a police poseur buyer was able to purchase a sachet of suspected shabu from him, the police said. Members of the Marikina City Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) conducted a buy-bust sting against Estrada after authorities received a report concerning the suspect’s alleged involvement with the sale of illegal drugs in the area. Recovered from Estrada were three sachets of suspected shabu, P500 buy-bust money, and a coin purse. A case for violating RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed against the suspect. (Jhon Aldrin Casinas) ‘Budol-budol’ gang member arrested for swindling student A member of “budol-budol” gang was arrested on Wednesday after he swindled a student in Manila. Police identified the suspect as Edwin Babon, 45, and resident of Barangay 116, Magsaysay Street, Tondo, Manila. Babon was with a more or less 30-year-old accomplice, alias “Grace,” who remains to be at-large. Meanwhile, the victim was known as Madelyn Grace Aboganda, 20, and resident of R-10, Sitio Sto. Niño, NBBS, Navotas City. Initial investigation revealed that the suspects approached Aboganda while inside Dragon 8 Mall located along C. M. Recto Avenue corner Dagupan Street, Tondo district around noontime. Babon pretended to be the victim’s uncle and borrowed P800 money from the latter. For her part, “Grace” borrowed Aboganda’s cellphone, promising to replace it with a new one. The suspects then told the victim to wait for them but they did not return. Aboganda later decided to report the incident to the mall’s security guard who then caught Babon outside. Babon was turned over to the police. Authorities only recovered the victim’s mobile worth P4, 000. (Ria Fernandez) Fisherman stabbed to death in Manila What ought to be the start of a New Year turned out to be the end of a 53-year-old fisherman after he was stabbed to death in Baseco Compound, Manila. Initial report revealed that the victim, identified as Edgardo Llamado, was being chased by two suspects along Block 1 Gasangan around 5:40 p.m. last Jan. 1. He then fell on the ground and was stabbed and punched multiple times all over his body. The killers immediately left the crime scene; while the victim was rushed to Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival. Police said efforts to locate the suspects namely Lolito G. Dominguez, 29, who lives in the same neighborhood with the victim at Block 1 Gasangan, and alias “Joseph”, are futile at the moment. Motive behind the killing is yet to be determined. Further investigation is underway. (Ria Fernandez) Body of American nat'l recovered from Pasig River set to cremated The cadaver of the American woman found floating inside a box in Pasig River last month is set to be cremated here in the country, a police official said Thursday. Senior Supt. Moises Villaceran, Mandaluyong City Police chief, told the Manila Bulletin in a phone interview that according to the liaison from the US Embassy, the family of Tomi Michele Masters, 23, are planning to cremate the body of Masters here in the Philippines. “Nagcoordinate and liason ng US Embassy sa funeral parlor at dito na lang daw i-cre-cremate ang cadaver (The liason of the US Embassy coordinated with the funeral parlor and said that the cadaver will be cremated here),” Villaceran said. However, Villaceran said that as of now, it is still not clear if the family of Masters will personally get the ashes or it will be sent out to them in the US. “We are still waiting for the advice from the US Embassy,” Villaceran said in Filipino. The body of Masters was fished out of Pasig River on December 23, 2018 which was stuffed inside a balikbayan box, duct-taped, and wrapped in a garbage bag. In a follow-up operation a few hours later, suspects Troy Woody Jr., 21; and Mir Islam, 22, were arrested following a report of a Grab driver concerning a suspicious box that the duo dumped on Pasig River Sunday morning. They were later identified as chief executive officers of Luxr Limited Liability Co. Furthermore, it was also learned that Mir Islam has previously served jail time for serial stalking and revealing of private or identifying information about people in the internet (doxxing) and sending police teams to people’s houses (swatting). Villaceran disclosed on December last year that the autopsy on the body showed that suffocation caused the death of the victim. The suspects are currently detained at the Mandaluyong City Police Custodial Facility where they share a 20-square meter cell with other detainees. Meanwhile, Villaceran said that the body of Masters is still under the safekeeping of the funeral parlor in Ermita, Manila. (Jhon Aldrin Casinas) Jealous man nabbed for shooting attempt A man who attempted to shoot the person he was jealous with was arrested in a follow-up operation by the Pateros police on Wednesday. The suspect was identified as Carlon Aban, 34, a resident of Road 14, Brgy. Damayan, Taytay Rizal. Aban was reported by victim Alex Esteban, a resident of P. Rosales St. Brgy. Sta. Ana. Pateros. In the report submitted to the Southern Police District, the suspect was arrested at around 3 in the afternoon after the victim gave his address to police. Police said that the suspect, who was armed with an improvised shotgun known as "sumpak" barged inside the house of Esteban to shoot him. The victim, however, managed to escape through the back door of his house. Authorities are looking at jealousy as a motive. After which, the victim sought assistance from police. Personnel of SRU and PCP 1 Pateros immediately responded to the incident that resulted to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of the improvised shotgun as well as a 12 gauge shotgun shell cartridge Suspect is presently detained at the Pateros Custodial facility and will be facing charges of attempted murder and violation of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act. (Dhel Nazario) Man shot dead in QC A man who has yet to be identified was shot dead while standing along a street in Barangay Payatas, Quezon City Wednesday night. Investigators of Quezon City Police Station 6 described the still unidentified man to be in his early 30s, and wearing a red cap, black shirt and white short pants. Police report showed that a witness saw the victim standing on the corner of Lanzones and Kalamiong Streets in Barangay Payatas B.,at around 10:35 p.m. and was seemingly looking for someone. Minutes later, when the witness went inside his house, he heard several gunshots emanated outside prompting him to peep through the window. The witness told police that he saw an armed man wearing black shirt and short pants chasing and shooting at the victim who was trying to escape. The firing continued until the victim slumped bloodied on the ground and succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds on his body while the unknown suspect fled on foot towards San Isidro Labrador Street. Meanwhile, patrolling personnel of PS-6 were flagged down by a concerned citizen who reported the incident. At least seven spent shells were recovered from the crime scene. Follow-up investigation is now underway to identify the suspect and the motive behind the shooting. (Alexandria San Juan)