3 'gangland' murders done in Malabon over 5 days

MANILA, Philippines - At least three persons were killed, gangland style, in Malabon City in a span of five days.

On April 2, four men shot dead fish trader Jaytee Ryan Yu, 28, outside his house in Barangay Tanong at around noon. Yu died on the spot from three bullet wounds in the head.

The gunmen, described to be in their early 20s, were armed with .45 and .9mm pistols. They left behind leaflets claiming they were members of a rebel group. They accused Yu as responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in the Camanava (Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela) area.

The following day, Lourdes Silvano, 55, was shot dead by five armed men while watching a card game at a wake in Barangay Tugatog at around 7:45 p.m.

Stray bullets hit Christopher Vasquez, Carla Hagad, and a certain Inday. The suspects reportedly fled toward a shantytown in Sitio 6 in Barangay Catmon.

On April 7, at around 9:40 a.m., four men gunned down 21-year-old Patrick Sella near his house in Barangay Catmon. Armed with .45 caliber pistols, the men shot Sella in the head, chest, abdomen and shoulder.

Police said the attackers appeared to be “trained guns” because they made sure their targets were dead before they escaped.

Investigators have yet to establish the motives for the gangland murders.