Moreno presents wanted suspects and alleged organizer of illegal vendors

July 15, 2019

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno on Monday presented three of the city's most wanted suspects and one who is an alleged organizer of  illegal sidewalk vendors in the city. 

Following the first flag raising ceremony at the recently cleaned-up Bonifacio Monument, Moreno presented the three in a press conference.

The suspects were identified as Jason Fullantes, top most wanted of Ermita Police Station for rape; Bob Navarro, fourth most wanted of Moriones Police Station for rape; and Irwin Pelina, eighth most wanted of Manila Police Station for robbery. 

According to Moreno, the suspects were arrested on July 13, 12, and 9. 

Moreno presented a woman who was allegedly caught extorting money from illegal sidewalk vendors along Recto-Soler.

The woman, identified as Melanie Angeles, was nabbed after an anonymous report which led into a surveillance and entrapment operation.

"A certain Lanie (Angeles) with her purported cohorts Zeny and Carol Bakulaw group were allegedly extorting money worth P500.00 to P1,000 for vending space from sidewalk vendors along Recto-Soler," Moreno said, citing the report filed by an anonymous citizen. 

He added that vendors will not be allowed to use their space if they will refuse to pay the suspects. 

Angeles, who is from Pampanga, admitted during the press conference that she gets money from only six vendors collecting at least P500 each. 

"We were supposed to be the ones using that space but the tenants asked us to use the place where we were supposed to be selling. They really need to pay that because we're the ones who lost our spaces," Angeles said. 

Angeles said they don't own any rights to the place but since they have been selling them for six years, they started to claim rights and ownership. 

She also denied being connected to the alias Carol Bulalakaw who is  suspected to be extorting money from the vendors. 

Moreno again warned them to stop their operations. "I told you organizers to go back to where you came from. You're not welcome here," he said. 

The Manila mayor started his cleanup drive few days after taking his post on July 2. He cleared heavily-crowded streets of Carriedo, Divisoria and Plaza Miranda.

Moreno said he will focus on maintaining clean and decongested streets in Manila. Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS