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
