Malabon gang kills 4th victim this month

MANILA, Philippines - Malabon City police are searching for members of a three-man gang who are reportedly behind a series of gangland-type executions, according to a police report.

The report identified the latest victim as tricycle driver Armando Castillo, 32. Police Officer 2 Rommel Habig said three men approached Castillo as he stopped his tricycle along Sanches street in Barangay Tenejeros at around 5 p.m. Monday and shot him at close range. The attackers walked away as the victim fell from his tricycle.

Habig said the victim was a former detainee accused of robbing taxi drivers in the Malabon, Caloocan and Navotas area.

On Aug. 6, the same group of men was believed to be behind the killing of Alexander Liwas, 52, a seaman who was shot pointblank in the head as he was resting in the living room of his home in Barangay Tonsuya.

On Aug. 8, Roberto Legazpi was shot in the head while sitting outside his home in Barangay Tama, while Eduardo Bodiangan, a plastic vendor, was attacked at about 5:30 a.m. on Aug. 13 in his store along Estrella street in the same barangay.

The police report stated that the three men shot their victims in the head or in the nape using a .45 caliber pistol.

Crime scene investigators recovered two to three .45 caliber shells from scene of each attack.