Police informer killed

A police informer was shot dead last Friday night in Tondo, Manila, by an alleged drug pusher whose activities he had earlier reported to his handlers.

Investigators of the Western Police District Homicide Section identified the victim as Sonny Balboa, 35, of Pier 2, Tondo.

Police said the victim was asleep inside the shanty of his girl friend inside Pier 4 when the suspect identified as a certain "Popong" and two others shot him at about 11:30 p.m.

Police said Balboa died on the spot from three gunshot wounds in the chest.

Police investigation showed that "Popong" allegedly wanted to get back at Balboa after the victim had allegedly tipped off police about his alleged drug pushing activities a week ago.

Police said operatives of the Western Police District Drug Enforcement Group later arrested "Popong" but released him for lack of evidence.

Relatives of the victim later told police that the suspect allegedly threatened to get even with Balboa and a certain Antonio Reyes for reporting his alleged activities to the police.

Meanwhile, fake Hewlett Packard products were seized by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in raids conducted in Manila and Pampanga last Thursday.

According to the Intellectual Property Rights Division of the NBI, prior to the raids, they received a complaint from Lionel Security System, in behalf of the Hewlett Packard company, based in Palo Alto, California, Boise, Idaho and Corvallis, Oregon. – Mike Frialde