Ecija teener mauled to death by 4 muggers

SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija -   A 15-year-old out-of-school youth (OSY) met his death here Monday in the hands of four unidentified men who mauled him to death in front of the new public market here.

           Senior Superintendent Crizaldo Nieves, provincial police director, identified the young fatality as Jefferson Cortez of Barangay Sto. Niño 3 this city. Cortez, a helper in a nearby slaughterhouse, died of severe head injuries.

          No motive has yet been established behind the attack.

          Police Superintendent Manuel Hidalgo, San Jose police chief, said the incident took place at around 5 am Monday in the public market at Barangay Rueda.

          Hidalgo said local policemen were conducting their routine patrol when  SPO2 Alvaro Mamaril spotted Cortez’s body sprawled on the pavement.

 SPO1 Apolinario Tolentino and PO3 Joel Beltejar, who are investigating the killing , said an hour before his body was found, Cortez was with his elder brother Jayson when he left their house and boarded a tricycle on the way to the slaughter house.

There, they parted ways with his brother when a few moments later, the four suspects came to him and took turns in mauling him.

The suspects fled on foot towards the back of the market.

Cortez was brought to the San Jose City General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. –Manny Galvez