Manhunt on for 2 MPD cops’ killers

MANILA, Philippines - Expressing concern over the murders of two Manila police officers in two months, Mayor Joseph Estrada ordered the Manila Police District (MPD) yesterday to hunt down their killers.

He said it is the city government’s moral duty to bring justice to the families of Police Officer 2 Abdul Jabbar Alonto and Police Officer 1 Jorsan Marie Alfariz, who served the city well as members of “Manila’s Finest.”

“We owe it to their families. Our law enforcers risk their lives to protect us, to protect the city. In exchange for their sacrifices, we should at least bring closure to these killings and capture those cop killers,” Estrada said.

Alonto, 36, was shot dead in his car by two motorcycle-riding men in Paco last Monday. 

Alfariz, who was barely two years in the service, was shot 16 times by still unidentified assailants as she was driving her car at the corner of Recto and Rizal Avenues on March 19.

Alonto was a member of the MPD’s intelligence division while Alfariz was assigned to the Barbosa police station. 

In Alonto’s case, MPD director Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel said he may have been killed as part of a “rido” or clan war or due to his work as an intelligence operative.

Alonto hailed from Marawi City, “where he is a member of a very prominent family in conflict with another clan,” according to Coronel.

Rido is a type of conflict most commonly observed in Mindanao and is characterized by sporadic outbursts of retaliatory violence between clans or communities.

Alfariz’s killing could be connected to her anti-drug work, especially with her recent arrest of a drug personality who had allegedly gone big time.

Brothers Jefferson and Gerald Li, earlier considered as “persons of interest,” surfaced to deny involvement in her killing.

However, a few days after Alfariz’s ambush, the brothers were shot by two motorcycle-riding assailants. Jefferson was killed.