Witness shot dead in Navotas

Death threats received earlier by the victim were carried out after a member of the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC), who, police said, was a vital witness in a murder case, was shot dead as he came out of church yesterday in Navotas.

Superintendent Billy Beltran, Navotas police chief, said Allan de la Rama, 31, of Catleya street, North Bay Boulevard, South Navotas was waylaid by a male suspect identified by witnesses as wearing a black baseball cap with matching jacket, about 5’9" tall and of medium build.

According to the victim’s mother Lolita, her son had long been receiving threats to his life as he was reportedly the lone witness to the killing of Maximo de la Rama, a relative.

The mother claimed that Chief Inspector Danilo Cabato, Station Intelligence and Investigation Division chief of the Navotas police knew about the suspect since they brought this to his attention when Maximo was killed.

The family has blamed the police for the recent death. The suspect, they claimed, roams around the neighborhood at will even as he continues to threaten the witness with harm.

SPO4 Milo Tengson, officer on case, said the incident occurred at around 7:15 p.m. last Thursday along Catleya street, NBBS.

Cherry de la Rama, 26, the victim’s wife, said the suspect fired several rounds from a caliber .45 pistol from behind and then fled on board a car with no license plates towards the direction of Manila.