Woman shot dead in Manila; drugs eyed

Police are looking into illegal drugs as a possible motive for the killing of a 39-year-old woman in Sampaloc, Manila before dawn yesterday.

Ritchie San Juan and her daughter Christine Ann, 15, were sleeping when an unidentified assailant broke into their house along Algeciras street and opened fire at around 2 a.m.

The assailant also fired at Christine Ann but missed.

The gunman and his companion, who served as a lookout, fled after the attack.

Members of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 4 arrested the suspects, Aljon Ando, 25, of Maranto street, Maharlika Village in Taguig City, and Joel Advincula, 25, during a follow-up operation.

Police Officer 3 Michael Marragun said Ando and Advincula admitted that they have pending cases of homicide and drug pushing.

The two also confessed that they were hired guns. But they refused to name the mastermind in the killing of San Juan.

Marragun said San Juan could have been killed after she failed to remit drug money.

In Malate, a tricycle driver was gunned down in front of his partner.

Eleros Nodado, said to be a member of the Sputnik Gang, died at the scene from multiple gunshots to the body.

Senior Police Officer 4 Milbert Balinggan of the MPD homicide unit said Nodado was talking with his partner, Marilou de la Cruz, in front of a gasoline station at the corner of P. Ocampo and Taal streets when three armed men on two motorcycles arrived at around 1 a.m.

One of the assailants approached Nodado and fired at him repeatedly.

Police said they have yet to establish if the killing was drug-related.