6 injured as truck rams Tondo shanty

Six people, including two children, were injured after a 10-wheeler cargo truck plowed into a shanty in Moriones, Tondo, early yesterday morning.

Rushed to the Mary Johnson Hospital were Evelyn Pamiliar, 34, and her daughters Shane, 17; Malen, 14; Charlotte, 12; Arcelli, 2; and Melodia, a month-old infant, all residents of 1278 Mabuhay St., Tondo, Manila.

Police identified the driver of the truck as Leonardo Rodriguez. He fled right after the incident and is now being tracked down by the police.

According to police, the truck with plate number PWJ-116 had just exited the Manila North Harbor complex at about 1:30 a.m. and was heading for Navotas on Road 10 (R-10) when the truck suddenly went out of control and swerved to the right, plowed into the shanty and pinned the sleeping victims.

According to police, the truck driver escaped on foot after the incident while neighbors rushed the victims to the hospital.

Meanwhile, an alleged police asset or informant was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Tondo, Manila, early yesterday morning.

Police identified the victim as Herminio Legaspi, 34, of 833 Malong St., Dagupan, Tondo.

According to Western Police District homicide investigator, Senior Police Officer 1 David Tuason, the victim was urinating against a wall along Canal dela Reina St. at about 5:10 a.m. when the gunman approached him from behind.

Police said the suspect shot Legaspi once in the head killing him on the spot. The suspect then fled on foot.

Homicide detectives are eyeing the angle that the victim was "silenced" after he allegedly supplied information to the WPD Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) which led to several successful drug operations in the area. – Mike Frialde