Gang kills 2 women over STD

MANILA, Philippines - Two women were stabbed dead in Caloocan City Wednesday night, reportedly by a criminal gang after one of its members contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD), police said yesterday.

Princess dela Cruz, 19, and Mary Rose Junio were found dead in an alley in Bagong Silang at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Dela Cruz had gone out of her house to accompany Junio on her way home when alleged gang leader Arthur Badiola; his brother, Bimbo; and a certain Along attacked them, according to Superintendent Rey Ariza, officer-in-charge of the North Caloocan police.

A kitchen knife was still embedded in Dela Cruz’s chest when police officers arrived at the scene.

Ariza told The STAR that the gang hunted down the two women after one of the gang members contracted an STD.

“There were reports that one of the girls was a pimp and the other was a prostitute. We tend to believe that story because we see no other motive for the killings,” he said.

Badiola’s group, called the Panoy Gang, threatened to attack the Caloocan police earlier this year if lawmen do not ease up on the gang’s members.

The threat came after two gang members were arrested and another was killed in an alleged shootout in Bagong Silang on Jan. 29.

Badiola is wanted for murder, illegal drugs, illegal possession of firearms, robbery and car theft. He is in the list of most wanted fugitives of the National Capital Region Police Office’s joint intelligence task group.

A reshuffle at the North Caloocan police took effect last month after some police officers were accused of protecting Badiola and his men.

Northern Police District director Chief Superintendent Jonathan Miano said charges will be filed against police officers proven to have been protecting the gang.