Security escort beaten up in Malabon over card game

MANILA, Philippines - A civilian security escort was beaten up by two men and nearly drowned in Malabon City yesterday after he left a card game.

The victim, 29, asked not to be identified because of the nature of his work. He charged his alleged attackers with attempted homicide and malicious mischief before the city prosecutor’s office.

Inspector Delta Navarra said they arrested truck helper Joselito Torreneva, 25, a resident of Barangay Catmon. The other suspect, who remains at large, was identified as Angelito Tan, alias Boy Dacoco, who is from the same neighborhood.

PO3 Robert Miclat of the Malabon police investigation unit said Torreneva had previous brushes with the law and was previously jailed for robbery, drug possession and alarm and scandal.

Prior to the incident, the victim played ‘tong-its’, a Filipino card game, with Tan at a local billiard hall. Tan’s persistent ribbing apparently prompted the victim to leave the game.

About an hour later, the suspects chanced upon the victim standing by the door of his house and invited him for another game.

The victim, thinking everything was still all right, went with the suspects. A few meters away from the edge of a river near his house, the suspects began punching and kicking the victim.

The two men then threw him into the water in an attempt to drown him, then left him for dead. The two cell phones in his pocket were damaged.

The victim brought himself out of the water and dressed up before going to the nearest police station to report the incident.