‘Gang boys’ attack barangay hall

Ten young boys belonging to the "Tres Kantos" street gang attacked and destroyed yesterday a barangay hall in Mandaluyong City to free two gang members arrested earlier for creating trouble, wounding a barangay tanod.

Two of the attackers, aged 14 and 16 years old, were arrested by responding policemen while the rest managed to escape.

The gang failed to rescue their comrades, Percy Alcantara, 21, of 624 Nueve de Pebrero St., Barangay Pleasant Hills, and his 18-year-old neighbor but destroyed some P10,000 worth of property.

Alcantara and his neighbor were arrested by barangay tanods Dominador Ragsag, Wilfredo Maballo and Noel Calinaya while creating trouble in Barangay Pleasant Hills at about 2:05 a.m. yesterday. They were detained at the Barangay Hall located along C. Fernando St.

When news of the duo’s arrest reached their comrades, 10 of them immediately armed themselves with improvised shotguns and pieces of wood, confronted the barangay tanods and immediately opened fire, hitting Maballo in different parts of the body. He was brought to the Mandaluyong City Medical Center for treatment.

The gang members then trashed property inside the barangay hall which was abandoned by the outnumbered barangay tanods.

A team of roving policemen rushed to the area and arrested the two suspects. The remaining suspects escaped, leaving Alcantara and his neighbor still locked up inside the barangay detention cell.

Witnesses identified two of the escaped attackers as Arnel Madrid and a certain Ryan.

Superintendent Sukarno Ikbala, Mandaluyong City police chief ordered a manhunt for Madrid and Ryan.

According to Ikbala, charges are being prepared against Alcantara, his neighbor, Madrid and Ryan at the Mandaluyong City prosecutor’s office.

Meanwhile, jealousy drove a 29-year-old jobless man to kill Thursday his younger brother on his 27th birthday in Pasig City.

The victim, Reynaldo Paglarma, 27, of 31 Doña Juliana 2, De Castro Subdivision, Barangay Sta. Lucia, Pasig City sustained two stab wounds in the chest. He died on the way to the hospital. His elder brother, Rogelio, escaped after the incident. He is now being hunted.

Superintendent John Sosito, Pasig City police chief said the victim was given P700 by his father to celebrate his 27th birthday with friends Thursday.

According to Sosito, the younger Paglarma bought a kilo of "lechon" and some liquor and invited his friends to a drinking spree in their house.

Unknown to Reynaldo, however, Rogelio was jealous because their father did not shell out a single centavo when he celebrated his birthday earlier.

During their drinking bout, the victim was talking to his relatives when the suspect arrived at about 10:30 p.m.

Instead of greeting him on his natal day, Rogelio took out a fan knife and stabbed Reynaldo twice in the abdomen.

Upon seeing his younger brother slumped to the ground bleeding, Rogelio escaped, leaving behind the startled guests and relatives.

Reynaldo was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending physicians.