Man gunned down by unidentified motorcycle riding in tandem in Manila A man who was walking in front of a university was gunned down by unidentified motorcycle riding in tandem along Taft Avenue in Manila on Wednesday. The police identified the victim as Frederick Rael who was wearing a maroon shirt, beige shorts, a cap and black rubber shoes. He died on the spot after sustaining gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body Investigation of the Manila Police District Homicide Section showed Rael was walking in front of Philippine Women’s University when two men riding a motorcycle shot him at around 8:05 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The body was brought to Archangel Funeral homes for autopsy and safekeeping. Authorities are still looking for a circuit television footage around the place of incident to identify the gunmen. An investigation is now underway to establish the motive behind the killing. (Erma Edera) P120,000 worth of Marijuana seized in QC  A block of dried marijuana leaves worth P120,000 was seized from a 23-year-old drug suspect in front of a shopping mall in Quezon City Wednesday night. Arrested during a buy-bust held by the Quezon City Police Station 10 was John Genu Merca a resident of Barangay Ramon Magsaysay. Police Lt. Col. Benjie Tremor, PS-10 commander, said Merca was included in the drug watchlist of their village and was involved in peddling marijuana in his area. During the sting, a cop posed as a buyer and met with Merca infront of SM City North EDSA Annex Building around 6:15 p.m. where he purchased dried marijuana leaves amounting to P15,000. After the deal, officers immediately collared Merca who yielded a block of dried marijuana leaves weighing at least a kilo with an estimated street value of P120,000. Police brought Merca to the PS-10 where he is currently detained while a case for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 is being readied against him. Probers are yet to determine the supplier of Merca as follow-up investigation is ongoing. (Alexandria San Juan) P10,000 worth of drugs, firearms seized  in Caloocan buy-bust Suspected shabu estimated to be worth P10,000 and various firearms were seized from five men in a buy-bust operation in Caloocan City Wednesday night. Police identified the suspects as Ramon Cacho; Ricardo Domingo; Richard Martinez; Christian Ferrer; and Carlo Reyes. Initial investigation showed that the joint operatives of the District Special Operations Unit (DSOU) and the Caloocan City Police Station conducted a buy-bust operation at Barangay 154, Bagong Barrio, Caloocan, which resulted to the arrest of the five at around 11:30 p.m of June 26. Ten pieces of transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance worth P10,000 and 10 caliber .45 firearms were seized from them after they allegedly sold the items to a poseur-buyer. The suspects were brought to DSOU custody, police said, while the seized items were brought to Camp Crame. Violation of RA 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act will be filed against them. (Dylan Afuang) 4-year-old died after accidentally hit by a police mobile in Pasay A 4 year-old boy who was playing along the street died when accidentally hit by a police mobile car Wednesday afternoon in Pasay City. Police identified the victim as Camelo Cagoco,and a resident of 2946 Kapitan Ambo Street, Pasay City. He suffered broken bones all over his body and died while undergoing treatment at the Pasay City General Hospital. The suspect was identified as Cpl. Ramil Avecilla II,32, presently assigned at the Baclaran Police Community Precinct and a resident of El Centro Lucasan, Tiaong Quezon. Investigation showed the incident happened at about 4:10 p.m. in front of Pasadena Restaurant located along Kapitan Ambo St., Pasay City. Police said that prior to the incident, the victim was seen playing along the street when a mobile car number J18 and being driven by Avecilla who was conducting patrol arrived. The police said that the victim was accidentally bumped by the mobile car of its front right wheel and was run over by the right front tire causing injury all over his body. The victim was immediately brought by Avecilla at the said hospital but was pronounced dead by attending physician, Dr. Enrico Costibolo, after one hour. It was learned that the mobile car coming from FB Harrison St. pass along Kapitan Ambo St. going to Taft Avenue in conducting patrol. Avecilla is now facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide. (Jean Fernando) Policewoman dead in road mishap in Pasig A policewoman died when the motorcycle she was driving was hit by a mixer truck along C-5 flyover in Pasig City Thursday morning. Police Lt. Virgilio Cayetano, Pasig City Police Investigation and Management Branch chief, identified the fatality as 33-year-old Police Corporal Arvi Jennifer Leaño. She was assigned at the Eastern Police District Mobile Force Battalion. On the other hand, 50-year-old Guillermo Laurente, the truck driver was arrested and currently under the custody of Pasig City Police. According to the initial investigation, Cayetano said the hydraulic mixer truck of Megawide Construction Corporation and the Honda motorcycle of the police officer were plying the northbound lane of C-5 in Barangay Bagong Ilog at around 7:10 a.m. “Along the way, they had a collision and the fell from her motorcycle,” Cayetano told the Manila Bulletin. A police report showed that Leaño went under the mixer and her head and upper body was ran over by the left rear wheel of the truck. The investigation chief added that Leaño was driving on the left side of the truck, particularly on the driver’s side. Two motorcycle riders, identified as August Yabut, 42; and wife Celiste Yabut, 43, were also figured in the road mishap and were brought to the hospital after sustaining injuries. Cayetano said Leaño, who was wearing her police uniform, was on her way to the District Mobile Force Battalion office in Barangay Ugong, Pasig City when the fatal incident happened. Charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide with physical injuries and damage to property will be filed against Laurente. He is now detained at Pasig City Police detention cell. In a statement sent to Manila Bulletin, Megawide said they are now cooperating with the authorities conducting the investigation. “We are now cooperating fully with the proper authorities in the investigation of the incident. We are also in contact with the motorcycle riders and their families,” the infrastructure and engineering conglomerate said in a statement. “Megawide commiserates with the families of those involved and ensures assistance where necessary,” it added. (Jhon Aldrin Casinas) Robber killed in police operation in Caloocan An alleged robber was killed after reportedly fighting back with police during an operation in Caloocan City on Thursday morning. Members of Caloocan Police Community Precinct 3 (PCP-3) conducted a follow-up operation in Phase 4 in Barangay Bagong Silang to hunt down a man wearing a bonnet, a black shirt, and a blue shorts, and with tattoos on both arms. The operation stemmed from a report of a certain Lina Teoxon, 53, who told police that she was robbed at gunpoint at around 4:30 a.m. When police chanced upon a man, who matched the information the victim described, at around 5:20 a.m. they tried to approach him. Police said that when the suspect sensed that they were nearing, he immediately fired his gun several times that prompted the police to retaliate, killing the suspect instantly. The police have yet to establish the identity of the slain suspect. (Joseph Almer Pedrajas)  60-year-old woman missing after a flash flood in Caloocan A 60-year-old woman remains missing two days after a heavy downpour caused a flash flood in a residential area in Caloocan City. Stephanie Apolinario Rin was reportedly carried away by a current after their house which was standing beside a creek collapsed. Rafael Balignasay, barangay executive officer, told Manila Bulletin that Rin was inside their house in Matrix Ville in Barangay 177, North Caloocan when the incident happened last Tuesday midnight. The barangay officer added that Rin went back to get her cellphone after bringing her two granddaughters out of their house. Rin’s house was believed to collapse as the soil where it was standing eroded due to a flash flood. Several members of the coast guard are now already in the area and are conducting a search and retrieval operation, Balignasay said. John Paul Nietes, city government’s emergency office assistant, added that they are also coordinating with officials of nearby San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan province to conduct the same operation on their waters. (Joseph Almer Pedrajas)