Junk shop owner slain at breakfast

A gunman walked in at breakfast for the head of an urban poor association in Malabon City on Wednesday morning.

Ernesto Gulfo, who owns a junk shop, was shot at point-blank range by a man who pretended to be inquiring about his rates, Police said.

Gulfo, age 52, was eating breakfast in his house in Sitio 6, Barangay Catmon, when a man carrying a backpack arrived at 7:10 a.m. and asked how much he paid for brass scraps, case investigator Senior Police Officer 1 Edsel dela Paz reported.

The supposed customer drew a caliber .45 pistol from his bag and shot the victim three times in the chest just before Gulfo could answer.

The man, who wore a jacket and blue cap, casually walked his way from the crime scene and was joined by another man who served as a lookout, Dela Paz added, quoting eyewitness statements.

Dela Paz said Gulfo, who was also the president of Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Samahan sa Malabon, was pronounced dead on arrival at Manila Central University Hospital in Caloocan City. -GIAN — ARA