Businessman shot dead in Malabon

Police are hot on the trail of an alleged hired killer who ambushed a 35-year-old Filipino-Chinese trader late Monday afternoon in Malabon, a belated police report said.

Victim Wilson Yao, of Caloocan City, died instantly due to multiple gunshot wounds in the body. Police remained clueless as to what the victim’s background was.

But police sources said the victim was a former police asset.

Witnesses told probers that the lone assailant fled on board a late model car of an unidentified model.

PO2 Jorge dela Cruz, officer on case, said the incident took place around 5:30 p.m. along Labahita Street in Barangay Longos while the victim was on his way home.

Yao was shot with a handgun of still undetermined caliber, investigators said.

Caloocan City police chief Superintendent Ernesto Fojas Jr. said he has formed a team led by Senior Inspector Napoleon Bataycan, station investigation and intelligence chief, to go after the suspect.

Fojas said they can arrest the suspect as soon as witnesses give police the suspect’s description. Reports said the victim, who had just visited a friend’s house, was surprised by the suspect. The suspect alighted from his car and pumped several bullets into victim’s body, police said. – Jerry Botial