Caloocan City Mayor Dale “Along” Malapitan on Friday, August 16, denied the alleged “serial killings” in the city that circulated on social media.
“Mga Batang Kankaloo, iwasan din po sana natin ang pagpapakalat o paniniwala sa mga hindi beripikadong impormasyon o kwento (My fellow Kankaloo, let's avoid spreading or believing in unverified information or stories),” he said in a Facebook post.
“Maging maingat din po tayo sa mga posibleng manamantala ng mga ganitong sitwasyon na ang tanging hangad ay sirain ang kapayapaan at imahe ng ating lungsod (Let's also be cautious of those who might take advantage of situations like this, with the sole intent of disrupting the peace and tarnishing the image of our city),” he added.
Malapitan clarified that a recent stabbing incident in Morning Breeze, Caloocan, was an isolated case and was not part of any serial killing spree.
According to a report from Caloocan City Police Station (CCPS) chief Col. Paul Doles, the incident stemmed from a love triangle or jealousy
Malapitan assured residents of their safety and the city's commitment to maintaining peace and order.
He also added that CCPS operatives are actively conducting a manhunt operation to apprehend the suspect involved in the incident.
“Asahan nyo po na palaging nagtratrabaho ang inyong pamahalaang lungsod upang maging ligtas at payapa ang ating siyudad sa lahat ng oras (You can count on your local government to work around-the-clock to ensure your safety at all times),” he said.
Col. Doles also denied the existence of a “serial killer” in Caloocan City.
“Ang inyo pong Caloocan City Police Station ay kinokondena o pinasisinungalingan ang kumakalat na fake news sa social media na may gumagalang serial killer sa lungsod ng Caloocan ( Your Caloocan City Police Station condemns and denies the fake news circulating on social media about a supposed serial killer roaming around Caloocan City),” he said.
Doles urged the public to be critical of the information they encounter on social media, especially if there is no solid basis, as it only causes confusion and fear among citizens.
“Maging maingat, mapanuri sa mga impormasyon ating nababalitaan sa social media na wala naman basehan at ito ay nagdudulot lamang ng kalituhan o takot sa ating mga mamamayan (Be cautious and critical of the information you encounter on social media, especially if it lacks a solid basis, as it only causes confusion and fear among our citizens),” Doles added.
He also revealed that the CCPS is conducting operations to identify and locate the person responsible for spreading the fake news.
“Ang inyo pong Caloocan City Police Station ay nagsasagawa ng operasyon o hakbang para mahanap ang taong responsable sa pagpapakalat ng nasabing fake news (The Caloocan City Police Station is conducting operations and taking steps to find the person responsible for spreading the fake news),”
He also added that he will strengthen the police visibility in the city.
“Ang inyong pong Caloocan City Police Station ay lalo pa pong paiigtingin ang police visibility at mobile visibility at iba pang anti-criminality operations upang mapanatili ang peace and order sa lungsod ng Caloocan (Your Caloocan City Police Station will further intensify police visibility, mobile patrols, and other anti-criminality operations to maintain peace and order in the city of Caloocan),” Doles said.