Retired USPS officer slain

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO - A retired member of the United States Postal Service (USPS) was shot dead by still unidentified gunmen onboard a motorcycle on Saturday afternoon in Barangay Dolores this city.

Superintendent Levi Hope Basilio, chief of police of this city, said the victim identified as Ferminjun Malonzo, a Kapampangan with US citizenship, was ambushed by two still at large assailants in Sitio Makabakle in the said barangay at around 2:30 in the afternoon.

“According to the compiled statements of the witnesses, the suspects have been tailing the car of the victim and when it stopped, the suspects took the opportunity to shoot at the victim,” Basilio told Sun.Star Pampanga.

Basilio added that Malonzo was proclaimed dead on the spot after sustaining at least five gunshots in his body, while his companions inside the vehicle were not injured during the incident.

Asked about the possible motive of the killing, Basilio said that they are still conducting thorough and deeper investigation, but have dismissed its possible connection to politics or robbery.

He disclosed that looking into the possible connection of Malonzo’s untimely death to his business as he was engaged in money lending business after he retired from service in the US.

“We have looked at all possible motives on the killing and so far, we do not see any connection to politics and even robbery. We are focusing now on the money lending business of the victim, as well as his relationship with his friends,” he said.

Basilio said that they have also already obtained footages from closed circuit television (CCTV) in the area, but are yet to identify the gunmen who were allegedly wearing masks and helmets when they committed the crime.

Basilio also noted that the victim’s family are in close coordination with the police to dig down the motive of the crime and the identification of the suspects, and provide justice to the untimely death of Malonzo.