Construction worker rapes 8-month-old baby A male construction worker was arrested last Sunday in Malate, Manila for allegedly raping an eight-month-old baby. Elements of Manila Police District (MPD)-Station 9 nabbed the 22-year-old suspect along Dakota Street at 5 a.m. on Jan. 20, initial report showed. Based on the complaint, the teen mother of the victim accused the suspect, who lives in Leveriza Street, of molesting her infant daughter. The complainant supported her claim with the medico legal findings of a physician from the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Cases such as violation of Republic Act 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law and Republic Act 7610 for sexual abuse had been filed against the suspect. (By Ria Fernandez) American nat'l succumbed to cardiac arrest An American national reportedly died of heart attack in his hotel room in Paco, Manila, three days before his birthday and scheduled wedding with his Filipina fiancée on Monday. Case investigator SPO3 Jonathan Bautista of the Manila Police District-homicide section identified the victim as Zachary Matthew Scott, 36 who was about to marry his Filipina fiancée Jennifer Baloran on Jan. 24. Investigation showed the victim, who arrived in the country on January 20, was supposed to accompany Baloran on Jan. 22 to an interview at the United States Embassy. His fiancée said Scott also came to the country to help her get a fiancée visa. They had been engaged for two years and decided to tie the knot on his birthday. Baloran told police that when they checked in at the hotel, she said the victim had been complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing. Scott reportedly refused to get a medical check-up. The next day, Baloran said Scott was ill and asked her to accompany him to withdraw some money to buy medicine. But when they returned to the hotel, Baloran said she left Scott to buy him bottled water but when she returned a few minutes later, Scott did not respond and he did not open the door. Baloran immediately sought help from the hotel staff to open the door and found the victim lying on the floor at around 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 21. They rushed Scott to the nearest hospital but he was declared dead on arrival. (Erma Edera) Car jockey dies in motorcycle-car collision in Malabon A car jockey was killed when the motorcycle he was riding collided with a car at Potrero, Malabon City on Wednesday midnight. Police identified the victim as Arshian de Belen, 29, resident at Pilar Street, Manuguit, Tondo, Manila; and the driver of the car as Earl Joseph Domingo, 22, account specialist, resident at Bayabas Street, Balangkas, Valenzuela City. De Belen was riding a Honda RS 125 motorcycle while Domingo was onboard a Toyota Vios car. Investigation showed that Domingo was turning left at MacArthur Highway and was headed toward Del Monte Avenue in Potrero, Malabon City. Then, de Belen's speeding motorcycle, which was traversing the southbound lane of MacArthur Highway, crashed against the car's right front door, police said. De Belen was rushed to the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital but was declared dead on arrival at around 12:28 a.m. Police said Domingo is under police custody and may be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. (Minka Klaudia Tiangco) Pedestrian killed by PNR train in Taguig A 40-year-old pedestrian was killed after he was hit by a train of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) while crossing across the rails Tuesday night in Taguig City. Police have yet to identify the man who was only clad in blue denim pants, wearing no upper garment. Investigation showed that the incident occurred at around 8:20 in the evening in Barangay Tanyag, Taguig City. Police said that while crossing, the victim was hit by the train heading southbound. Due to the force of the impact, the man died on the scene. A few minutes later, his body was discovered by passersby who reported it to the on-duty tanods of Barangay Tanyag. The man's body was lifted from the scene, and was brought to the Loreto Funeral Homes for autopsy and safekeeping. (Dhel Nazario) Jeepney barker yielded gun, stash of shabu A jeepney barker, who allegedly peddles illegal drugs, was apprehended with a gun and 30 plastic sachets of shabu during a raid inside his house in Pasig City on Tuesday night. Armed with a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Danilo S. Cruz of Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 152, policemen went to the house of 35-year-old Jeffrey Javier at No. 282, A. Policarpio St. in Barangay San Joaquin, Pasig around 7 p.m. Javier was frisked by the raiding policemen, and an unlicensed caliber .45 was recovered from him. The gun’s serial number is 298337. As per probers, his gun was loaded with seven pieces of live ammunition. In plain sight, police said, 30 plastic sachets containing shabu was found inside his house. The shabu seized weighed 5.61 grams, and has an estimated street value of P16, 000. Police claimed that Javier gets his supply of shabu from Barangay Ususan in Taguig City. Javier is now held at the Pasig City police headquarters’ detention cell. (Jel Santos) Caloocan’s most wanted arrested in separate operations The top four most wanted suspects of Caloocan City, who are tagged in the killing of a man two years ago, were arrested in separate operations, a Caloocan City Police official said. Police Inspector Jacinto Baltazar Jr., Warrant and Subpoena Section chief, identified the suspects as Raffy Vista, alias ‘Orya,’ 21; Christian Villegas, 19; Renzo Bautista, 21; all residents at P. Halili Street, Barangay 128, Caloocan City; and Regeron Animas, alias ‘Bebe,’ 18, resident at Binhagan Street, Barangay 129, Caloocan City. Baltazar said the suspects are all members of the same gang. First to fall in the hands of the police is Vista, the top most wanted in a follow-up operation near his house last January 15 followed by Villegas and Bautista, who were arrested along the same street around 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Animas, the fourth most wanted, was nabbed by the police at Barangay Sabang in Naic, Cavite on Wednesday morning. The arrests stemmed from an apparent gang war in August 2017 that led to the death of a certain Raymond Gutierrez and injury to a certain Romnic Gutierrez, both members of arival group, Baltazar said. Police arrested the suspects on the strength of an arrest warrant for murder and attempted murder issued by Judge Lorenza Bordios of Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 126. A manhunt is ongoing for the six other companions of the arrested suspects as further investigation is underway. (Minka Klaudia Tiangco) Cop arrested for grave threat, indiscriminate discharge of his firearm A Marikina City police officer was arrested for indiscriminate firing and grave threat in an apparent road rage in Quezon City, Tuesday night. Investigators of the Quezon City Police District identified the suspect as Police Officer 1 Paul Evaristo, 27, a member of the PNP assigned to the Marikina City Police Station, and a resident of Barangay Concepcion Uno, Marikina City. According to complainant Juan Abarca, a 34-years old office clerk, he was traversing along Katipunan Avenue on his Honda Wave motorcycle and on his way home in Barangay Pansol, Quezon City past 10 p.m. Evaristo, who was also travelling the same road while onboard his motorbike, suddenly cut the path of Abarca that led to an altercation between the two. During their argument, Evaristo took his service firearm from the compartment of his motorcycle and fired a shot to the ground while telling the victim to go on driving or else he will kill him. Out of fear, Abarca sped off but the suspect chased him. While trying to escape, the victim managed to seek help from barangay officers he spotted along the street. However, when Evaristo reached Abarca, he directed him to sit down which the latter ignored irking the suspect who again fired his gun, this time towards the sky. Members of Quezon City Police Station 9 arrived on the scene and collared Evaristo. Cases of attempted murder, grave threat, illegal discharge of firearm, and violation on the omnibus election code was filed at the Quezon City Prosecutors Office against the policeman for inquest proceedings. (Alexandria San Juan)