The reward money was raised to speed up the solution of the case, according to Sampaloc police station chief Superintendent Joveth Asayo, younger brother of the slain three-term barangay chairman Lamberto Asayo, chairman of Barangay 28, Zone 2, who was also a vendor and leader of the sidewalk vendors’ group in Divisoria, Manila.
Asayo was shot along Recto Avenue in front of the Tutuban Mall by two armed suspects. A barangay tanod identified as Jared Alforque, 30, was also shot in the leg when he tried to assist the wounded chairman.
Lamberto was reportedly arranging his merchandise when the armed suspects came from behind and shot him pointblank in the head. After the shooting, the suspects just walked away from the crime scene, while the two victims were rushed to the Metropolitan Hospital.
The victim was allegedly murdered by members of a rival group of sidewalk vendors which was trying to regain control of hawkers in the area.
Chief Inspector Alejandro Yanquiling Jr., Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section head, said investigators have found five witnesses who are now in police custody and they identified one of the gunmen as Bong Soriano, leader of another group of vendors in Divisoria. – Nestor Etolle