Two held for death of thief

A security guard and a construction worker were picked up by the police yesterday in connection with the death of a 28-year-old jobless man whose body was fished out from the Pasig River at the back of the Post Office building last Sunday.

Police initially ruled as "drowning" the death of Gerardo Ramos, of the Maestranza Compound, Intramuros, after his body showed no external injury. The victim was wearing only a pair of black short pants when found.

However, a 16-year-old parking boy who had identified the victim, revealed to police what he witnessed Saturday night at the construction dump of the Intramuros wharf at the back of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce building on Riverside Drive in Intramuros.

According to the witness, he was asked by a friend to steal steel bars at the construction site but hesitated at first. When he finally agreed and went to the place, he saw Ramos about to pull out a steel bar from a pile but shook violently and fell to the ground upon touching the metal.

Then a security guard and a construction worker appeared and allegedly beat up the victim, according to the witness. The two then hauled the already unconscious victim and dumped his body into the Pasig River. The witness said he made a dash for home when the two suspects noticed him.

In a police lineup, the witness positively identified the suspects as Romeo Casinginan, 40, a security guard, of Talon Uno, Las Piñas; and Rene Manolos, 39, a leadman, of Pasig City.

Officer-on-case SPO2 Steve Casimiro learned workers at the Intramuros wharf electrified the pile of steel bars at the construction site at night to drive off thieves. The Intramuros wharf is undergoing renovation as part of the beautification drive of the Intramuros administration.

Casimiro said even if there is no proof that the victim died of electrocution, the two suspects could be criminally charged for mauling and throwing the victim to the river which could have caused his death. — Nestor Etolle