POLICE ROUNDUP

Gun-for-hire nabbed in Abra

BANGUED, Abra – A “gun-for-hire” wanted for murder and several shootings in this province was arrested July 23 here.

A police report said John Jayson P. Millare, 26 of Barangay Lingtan was arrested by Senior Insp. Nicomedes Angel Olarte III along the junction of Sitio Ambiatriz, Barangay Pagala, Bucay town.

Investigation conducted by Bucay police disclosed the suspect fired his firearm and escaped on board a tricycle prompting police to set up a checkpoint at the said place and flagged down said tricycle.

The suspect was frisked and found in possession of a Cal. 9 mm handgun loaded with three bullets.

Millare is now in jail at the Bucay police station while charges were being prepared against him.

Police said Millare has standing warrants of arrest for murder and frustrated murder both issued by Judge Corpus Alzate.

Millare was ranked No. 2 top most wanted person in Abra.

            

Millare was the suspect in the shooting to death of one Ronnie Barbosa and wounding of four other persons on Sept. 21, 2008 in Tupengs Panciteria at Zone 1, Bangued.

The suspect was arrested following a call from a concerned citizen after he fired his gun then tried to escape with his tricycle.

Suspects in series of Baguio taxi heists fall

BAGUIO CITY -- Police on Wednesday arrested two men suspected of having involvement in at least eight armed robberies in Baguio City.

Senior Supt. Jesus Cambay Jr., Baguio City police director, identified the suspects as Reynaldo Tabanao Ramos alias “Rey/Negro” and Mark Joseph Fernandez Manaois, alias  “Patog/Macmac”, 20, both residents of Binmaley, Pangasinan.

Cambay said that the two are suspects in a series of taxi robberies and house break-ins in the city.

He said that the most prominent case where the suspects are involved in is the robbery-slay of 55-year-old Salvador Sab-it, known around the city as a very amiable and jolly cab driver.

Cambay said that they have evidences against the two suspects. Charges are being prepared against them, he added.

Wife dead; husband, kids hurt as van falls off cliff

BONTOC, Mountain Province – A 40-year-old woman was killed while her husband and two children were injured when their van fell from a cliff in Bontoc, Mountain Province July 19.

Novie Bongengngeng, of Barangay Aguid, Sagada, died on the spot while her husband, Joseph, 40, and children – Ariza, three; and Alex, one – were taken to a hospital for treatment.

SPO1 Jessie Lopez said Joseph was driving the van when its front tire exploded, causing him to lose control of the wheel.

Reports said the family was on their way home from Baguio City when the incident happened in Sitio Mogaw, Alab Proper, at past noon.

Nine wanted men in Cordillera arrested

CAMP BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Police arrested the No. 4 top most wanted person in the region while eight others were also arrested in different parts of the region last week.

Police Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong, regional police director the suspect as Conrado Ampoy Gudaden alias “Condring”, 57, and a resident of Sitio Cabacab, Balili, Mankayan, Benguet.

Judge Agapito K. Laoagan, Jr. of the Regional trial Court (RTC) Branch 64 in Abatan, Buguias, Benguet issued his warrant of arrest for kidnapping.

Joint personnel of the PNP-Intelligence Group, Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU-14), Mankayan and Buguias Municipal Police Stations (MPS) and Benguet Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) arrested the suspect at his residence.

Eight other wanted persons were also nabbed in their respective residences.

Two were arrested for robbery identified as Jimmy Ballong Batang-ay, and Hitler Atumpa Ballong, both of Nambaran, Tabuk City, Kalinga.

Both were arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Felipe Jesus Torio II of the RTC Branch 22, Cabagan, Isabela.

Another two individuals were arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Iluminada Cabato.

They were identified as Wilson Casagan Mondejar, 41, and a resident of San Narciso, Zambales charge for the crime of 2 counts of RA 7610 known as The Special Protection Against Child Abuse and 5 counts of Acts of Lasciviousness and Perry Claro Castulo, 43, Bombo Radio employee, and a resident of Lourdes Subdivision, Baguio City who was arrested for violation of RA 9262 also known as the "Anti-Violence Against Women and their children (VAWC).

Four individuals were arrested for estafa.   They were identified as Maritess Felipe Dupingay, 30, and a resident of Delos Reyes St, Outlook Drive, Baguio City; Joe Reauno Verzosa, 34, and a resident of San Antonio Village, Baguio City; Lagmayan E. Malinga, 39, and a resident of Antamok Tram, Ucab, Itogon, Benguet and Rosely Dukitan Ramos, 30, and a resident of Brgy Turod Luna, Apayao.

All arrested persons are now under the custody of the municipal police stations concerned prior to their turn-over to the issuing courts for proper disposition except Dupingay, Verzosa, Malinga and Castulo who were later released after posting their respective bail bonds.

2 nabbed in Tayum, Bontoc for illegal guns

CAMP BADO DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Two men were nabbed in the Cordillera last week for illegal possession of firearms.

In Abra, Tayum town cops arrested Jerry Bagorio Coloma, 39, married, tricycle driver at their resident in Sitio Palpal, Barangay Basbasa, Tayum, Abra on the evening of July 14, 2013.

Coloma was arrested when a text message from Andrew Credo, a resident of the same place informed police that the suspect was roaming around at their barangay carrying a firearm.

Upon arrival of the police at said place, the reportee (Andrew Credo) personally pinpointed the suspect who at that time was fixing a tricycle.

An inspection on the tricycle own by the suspect resulted to the recovery of a Cal. 30 M2 Carbine one magazine loaded with seven bullets.

Meanwhile,Hazim Gomer Kedawen Pangod, 26, married, Instructor at Xijen College, native of Demang, Sadanga, resident of Poblacion, Bontoc, Mountain Province, was arrested by Bontoc police  July 14.

Pangod was arrested on complaint of Romeo Agsisiyo Aladino, 54, carpenter, native of Tue, Tadian and presently residing at Poblacion, Bontoc who said the suspect entered their boarding house intoxicated and carrying a short firearm tucked on his back.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect was a Cal. 45 pistol with magazine loaded with four bullets.

Both suspects were brought to the respective police stations concerned for documentation and filing of appropriate charges against them for Illegal Possession of firearm and ammunition.

Girl dies after being bumped by Land Cruiser

ATOK, Benguet – Charges for reckless imprudence resulting to homicide were filed against the driver of a Toyota Land Cruiser pickup truck last week for bumping a 5-year-old girl which resulted to her death. 

A police report said the incident happened July 9 at km 58 Barangay Calasipan here when the truck driven by Efren Sapalong, 24 of Pulag, Gambang, Bakun town bumped Reigina Ventura Gante, 5, pre-sSchool student of Calasipan Elementary School, Atok.

Investigation disclosed the victim and his father were at the side of a road curve when the victim suddenly ran to the opposite side where her mother was waiting for them but was bumped by the  vehicle going up to Buguias.

The victim was rushed by her parents to Atok District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The driver was jailed while the vehicle was impounded by police.

Miner nabbed for stabbing three men

BAGUIO CITY – A miner is now in jail after stabbing three young men here July 8 at around 2:30 a.m. in front of Padis Point, Fernando G. Bautista Street.

Police identified victims as Israel Pullay, 18, student, of Upper Tabuk, Kalinga and Denver Degay, 22, both of Tabuk kalinga and residents here of Barangay Holy Ghost Extension and Bernardo Betao Jr.,  24, of Lubuagan, Kalinga and resident here of Barangay Honeymoon.

They were allegedly stabbed by Joel Bay-ong, 23, of Hingyon, Ifugao and resident here of Purok 5, Barangay Kias.

Investigation disclosed ,  the three victims were about to go home after coming from a drinking spree at the said bar when one of them had a verbal altercation with the suspect leading to a fistfight.

The two other victims tried to pacify but in doing so, the suspect swung his knife several times against the victims.

Pullay sustained multiple injuries on his body, Bernardo Betao was slashed on his right cheek and back of his head while Degay was slashed on his right hand and  below his right eye.

Responding police of Station 7 arrested the suspect while the knife six inches reportedly used in the incident was turned over to them by the bar security guard of the pub identified as Rex Licos Valdez.

The victims were brought to Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Hooded men hold up Buguias gas station

BUGUIAS, Benguet – Two hooded men held up a gas station here on July 8 at around 5 a.m. and fled with P14,000 cash.

            

A police report said the gas refilling station was owned by Florante Astudillo located at Bad-ayan, Baculongan Sur.

            

Investigation disclosed the men held up gasoline attendant Harold Andayan, 19, a resident of Kapangan, Central Buguias.

The perpetrators, one of them armed with a shotgun reportedly fled on foot towards Central Buguias, Benguet. 

Cousins caught with P3.2M marijuana 

BAGUIO CITY – Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-Cordillera seized more than P3.2 million worth of marijuana blocks about to be shipped.

A PDEA report said 47 kilos of marijuana were seized from a repeat offender and his cousin during a buy-bust operation here last week.

Ten large blocks of dried fruiting tops and nine oval or tubular packs of dried stalks wrapped and bound in a tan-colored packaging tape and placed in a sack bag and traveling bag were supposed to be shipped to the lowlands by cousins Kenneth Lagadeo, 28 and Melchor Lagadeo, 25.

The contraband was valued at P3,208,000.00.

PDEA-Cordillera spokesperson Emily Fama said Kenneth was a repeat drug law violator.

During the arrest, Lagadeo identified himself as Ardie Ramos.

The cousins, who are natives of a known lair of marijuana cultivators in Badeo, Kibungan, Benguet, were collared at around 4 a.m. in Barangay San Roque, where they sold the marijuana bricks to an undercover PDEA agent.

PDEA added that Kenneth was arrested on April 5, 2009 along with a certain Jerry Adiwang with 2,909.90 grams of dried marijuana fruiting tops in bricks.

The two were acquitted two years after and released.

Satur Dayao, a cousin of Kenneth and Melchor, had been convicted and sentenced to a life term on Dec. 12, 2011 for the same offense.

Meanwhile, anti-narcotics agents also busted two marijuana suppliers from Bakun town in Benguet.

Nabbed were Olibrum Canias, 30 and J-pee Pacuz, 19, residents of Sitio Barbarit, Barangay Bagu in Bakun.

They were caught selling four huge blocks of marijuana bricks weighing 17,293 grams.

Miner dies of poison gas inside Benguet tunnel

MANKAYAN, Benguet -- A miner was killed here after inhaling poisonous gas inside a mining tunnel in Sitio Bagwit, Barangay Suyoc July 12.

Police identified the victim as Sonny Cobcobo, 44, a resident of Barangay Guinaoang, Mankayan,

Investigation revealed a team of miners entered the tunnel that reeked of a strong odor which knocked Cobcobo unconscious.

This prompted them to come out and rush the victim to the Lutheran Hospital in Barangay Abatan, Buguias, Benguet, where he was declared dead on arrival. The type of poisonous gas is still under investigation.

Officials urge gun muzzling in Abra

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Local officials are calling for an extension to the mandatory muzzling of firearms of law enforcers in Abra to ensure that the peace enjoyed in the province during the midterm elections that culminated last May carries over until the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in October.

Abra politicians concurred to the proposal of Bangued Mayor Valera, which was endorsed by Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin, that the move to secure guns from indiscriminate firing must be continued. Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong, Police Regional Office-Cordillera Administrative Region director, said Abra’s officials have shown solidarity in nurturing peace and order initiatives.

Benguet police seize illegal lumber

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet - The intensified campaign by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine National Police against the destruction of our few remaining forest product resulted to the confiscation of 1, 324 of board feet of illegal pine lumbers with a total market value of 38, 912.00.

            

Senior Supt. Rodlofo Jun Azurin, Benguet provincial police director several pine lumber were confiscated in separate places.

            

Ampucao, Itogon Benguet police and Philex Mines Corp. workers confiscated 414 board feet with a market value of P11,592 in Sitio Sedwing, Ampucao.

            

In Bokod town, 910 board feet valued at P27,320 were also confiscated at Sitio Taal, Jangjang, Ambuklao.

            

No suspects were arrested.

2 men held up in Apayao; P8K taken

KABUGAO, Apayao – A certain Jayson Enciso and a minor identified only as Austin, both residents of Barangay Lenneng here, are now the object of a police manhunt after they reportedly forcibly took P8,000 from two victims. 

            

A police report said the robbery happened 12:30 p.m. of July 12 along the national road, near the boundary of Kabugao-Conner towns in Barangay Lenneng, Kabugao.

Victims were identified as Mauricio Dulnuan, 33, miner, of Piiwan, Hungduan, Ifugao, now residing at Dipipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya and Julius Guay, 35, also a miner, of Maggoc, Hungduan, Ifugao and now residing at Tukod, Cabaroguis, Quirino.

Investigation revealed that the victims were on board on  motorcycle on their way to Conner, Apayao when suddenly, suspects also boarded on a motorcycle chased them and blocked their way.

Enciso allegedly drew a handgun and pointed to the victims and declared a hold–up.

He then commanded his companion, a minor, to take the wallet of Dulnuan, containing P 8,000.00 and important documents.

Also taken from his pocker were unaccounted bills. from his pocket.

Suspects escaped towards Lenneng.

Drunkards jailed for not paying bar drinks  

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Two drunkards are now in jail here for failing to pay P1,2000 worth of drinks they incurred in a bar.

Police said the incident happened about 9:55 p.m.of July 13 at Plaza View Sing-Along, Engngeg Building, at the public market, Poblacion.

Investigation disclosed that Yankee Tabling Dao-angan, 25, construction worker, native of Bekigan, Sadanga town and his unidentified companion had a drinking spree at the establishment and tried to leave without paying their bills prompting the manager identified as Shirley Bagawi Gittabao, 18, of Poblacion. to call for police assistance.

The drunks reportedly created commotion and broke a bottle of beer and uttered unsavory words against  Gittabalo when she demanded payment.

Responding police apprehended the suspects.

Van falls down Bontoc road; driver injured

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The driver of a van was injured when he bumped his vehicle to an electric post causing it to fall down the road about 5:30 a.m. of July 14 along the national road at Sitio Bawi, Barangay Gonogon.

Police said the Pregio Kia van bearing plate number WDN- 444, was owned and driven by Justin Kitongan, aka Paksay, 31, small scale miner, resident of Fedilisan, Sagada town

His passenger was identified as Bernard Addogan, 27, helper, resident of Ambagiw, Besao town.

            

Investigation disclosed the dark blue van was on its way to Baguio City when the driver lost control of the steering wheel due to loose brake.

The driver sustained minor injuries and was brought to the Bontoc General Hospital for medical treatment while his passenger was unhurt.

The vehicle’s windshield was broken, its front left tire detached, while the axle was also broken.

Four hurt as van truck collide along Kennon 

TUBA, Benguet – A passenger van ascending towards Baguio City skidded, bumped pavement of the wet road then collided with  a Forward Truck descending towards La Union here about 3 p.m. on July 14along Kennon Road here at Sitio Tokang, Camp 3.

The passenger van was driven by Edgar De Guzman, 39, of Binalonan, Pangasinan, while the Forward truck was driven by Jerry Picpican, 39, of Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet.

           

Four passengers of the van sustained injuries and were rushed to Baguio General Hospital for treatment.

            

They were identified as  Almar Valerio,  22, of 215 Military Cut Off, Baguio City; Realyn Iglisia,  17 of Inoman, Pozorrubio, Pangasinan; Angelita Estuesta, 22, of Engineers Hill, Baguio City and Japhet Calica, 19, of Sison, Pangasinan.

            

All injured passenger were discharged after treatment. The van incurred heavy damages on its front portion while the the truck was damaged on its left side.

Both drivers agreed to settle the case amicably. 

Officials push muzzling of firearms in Abra

BANGUED, Abra -- Local officials urged extension to the mandatory muzzling of firearms of law enforcers in Abra to ensure that  peace during the May elections carries over until the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in October.

Abra politicians concurred to the proposal of Bangued Mayor Valera, which was endorsed by Gov. Eustaquio Bersamin, that the move to secure guns from indiscriminate firing must be continued.

Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong, regional police chief  said Abra’s officials have shown solidarity in nurturing peace and order initiatives.