POLICE ROUNDUP

Bomb found near councilor’s house

By Raymund Catindig 

TUGUEGARAO CITY – An Army bomb squad defused an improvised explosive planted in a trash can in front of the house of a municipal councilor in Gamu, Isabela town last Oct. 31, the day the town’s vice mayor was suspended by the provincial board for alleged grave abuse of authority.

Senior Insp. Calixto Labang, Gamu police chief, said councilor Jose Lora, a former ally of suspended Vice Mayor Fernando Cumigad, immediately sought the help of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division at Camp Upi when the explosive was found when he went out to buy something in a nearby bakery.

Labang, however, said the explosive was not powerful to cause destruction to life and property and appeared to have been planted to frighten Lora.

Lora is now an ally of Mayor Nestor Uy, who filed the administrative complaint against Cumigad, the former mayor.

2 carnappers arrested, 3 vehicles recovered

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet– Two suspected carnapperswere recently arrested while three vehicles were recovered in the Cordillera.

                

With the help of a concerned citizen, allegedcarnapper named as RaneilSimbolPamintuan, 28, call center agent and a resident of Carino Street, Upper QM, Baguio City was arrested Nov.  6.

Jaime LabariasTisico, 48, businessman and resident of Purok 3, Ambiong, Aurora Hill, Baguio City owned the recovered vehicle, a white Honda Civic reported missing since Nov. 2, while parked in front of the residence of the owner.

Meanwhile, an FX Toyota Wagon reported missing  Nov. 5 while parked along Lower Cruz, La Trinidad, Benguet was recovered along the road at Wangal, La Trinidad.  

The owner, Denver L. Bastingo, 30, Radio Reporter, a resident of KE 41 Kangas, Lower Cruz, La Trinidad positively identified the vehicle but discovered that the left front tire and two spare tires including a set of mechanical tools were missing valuedat P 14,000.   

In Kalinga, another suspected carnapper was arrested after he was caught using the ignition wire to start the engine of a Blue Yamaha Sports motorcycle parked inside Andres Ngao-I’s residence at Purok 5, Bulanao, Tabuk City Thursday.

Senior Supt. John Colinio, provincial police director, identified the suspect as John Rey Banasan Wingnga, a resident of Purok 6, Bulanao while the owner of the motorcycle was identified as Robert DongalenBusway, 42 and presently residing at Purok 4, Bulanao.

Pamintuan and Wingnga are now under the custody of the concerned police stations while appropriate charges are being prepared against them.

Marijuana plants uprooted in Sagada

SAGADA, Mountain Province – More marijuana plants were destroyed in Sitio Madoto, Barangay Ankileng here last week.

Insp. Kristine Gamboa, Sagada acting police chief  led the destruction of 19 marijuana seedlings propagated in plastic basins seen mixed with eggplant seedlings; 7 fully grown and 9 half-grown marijuana plants valued at P3, 960.

Construction worker nabbed for selling shabu

BAGUIO CITY -- Joint operatives of the Baguio City Anti-Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group and La Trinidad, Benguet police arrested a 23-year old construction worker in a hot pursuit operation in front of Kings College, Pico, La Trinidad after here allegedly transacted and sold shabu Monday afternoon.

Confiscated from the suspect named Norvin Bulagan, a resident of Asin Road, Baguio City was shabu valued at P2,000.

Appropriate charges are being prepared against the suspect who is now detained at the La Trinidad municipal jail.

Alleged hired gun shot dead

CAMP QUIRINO, Ilocos Sur — A suspected member of a “gun-for-hire” syndicate was killed Nov. 2 by armed men riding on a motorcycle along a road in Barangay Magsaysay, Sinait, this province, police said.

Police said Edwin “Basilio” Yadao, 45, of Barangay Teppeng, Sinait, was shot several times in the head and body with a 9mm pistol. -- Freddie G. Lazaro

P’sinan dad faces raps over shooting

STA. MARIA, Pangasinan, Philippines – Police have filed a frustrated murder case against a municipal councilor who allegedly shot a retired Marine here last Nov. 3. 

Police said councilor Gilberto Cantoria and the victim, Arnold Blanco, reportedly had a misunderstanding over a road hump, which the latter built and which the former wanted removed.

Blanco is now in stable condition in an Urdaneta City hospital following the shooting.

Crime down in Baguio due to prevention plan

BAGUIO CITY--- O-Plan “UNDAS” 2013 implemented here by police as lead agency from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 brought down usual crime volume during the period.

                

An innovative police-initiated peace and order drive, “UNDAS” was primarily aimed at assuring the safety and welfare of hundreds of thousands of Baguio vacationist and residents when notorious criminals usually take advantage of   All Saints Day .

                

Records showed there was a zero crime against persons and only six for crimes against property committed during the period, compared to last year which had 17 crimes against persons and 26 crimes against property.

The total crime volume for the period was only seven incidents from Oct. 31 to Nov 2 this year as compared to the same period last year which registered a total crime volume of 69 incidents.

                

Crime prevention operations resulted to the generally peaceful situation of this mountain resort city during the long week-end vacation, police said in a report.

                

The BCPO was assisted by 50 police augmentation force from the Police Regional Office Cordillera who were mostly deployed within the central business district where most of the visitors converge.

                

Senior Supt. Jesus D. Cambay,Jr., city police director said UNDAS participants included organizations like Boy Scouts, APRUB volunteers, radio communication groups, government agencies, transport companies, and civic clubs.

                

They were effective in helping direct traffic flow, motorists assistance, and extending needed assistance to hundreds of tourists. -- Viyo Hidalgo                                                                                                  

Man nabbed in Kalinga for motorcycle theft

TABUK CITY, Kalinga --A tricycle driver was arrested after he stole a motorcycle and dismantled the same here in PurokLinak, Laya East Oct. 31.

Police identified him as Herbert Mabatan Ruiz, 29, a resident of Mora St., Carig Sur, Tuguegarao City and presently residing at Sitio Hawaii, Dagupan West, Tabuk City.

Prior to his arrest, the victim Antonino Wandagan Banutan, 49, LGU employee and a resident of Balbin Subdivision, Magsaysay, Tabuk City reported to the police that his black and white Honda XRM 125 motorcycle was stolen after he parked in front of Vice Mayor Darwin Estranero’s residence along Balagtas St., Poblacion Centro, Tabuk City.

Based on a tip from a Barangay Intelligence Network member, police recovered the said motorcycle dismantled by the suspect which was positively identified by the owner.

Fake gun lands man in jail

BAGUIO CITY -- A man in possession of a fake gun was arrested in a police checkpoint set up by police afternoon of Oct 31 after receiving information that a man with a gun boarded a taxi.

The suspect was later identified as Robert Emperador Aspuria, 22, resident of Tubao, La Union who was found in possession of a 9mm pistol replica.

Prior to the incident, Roberto Catid Gaudia Jr., 32, Security Guard from W Security Agency, a resident of Corner Chanum-Otek St., Baguio City, a candidate for barangay Council of Rizal Monument Barangay saw Aspuria.

Gaudia with other candidates were having meeting at Leober Bar along Otek St. when the suspect came in with something bulging on his right waist.

Gaudia followed by the victim until suspect boarded a taxi then pointed said alleged gun at the former.

Charges were rep[ortedly failed against Aspuria.

Brothers arrested for murder in Apayao

CALANASAN, Apayao – Two brothers were arrested here for murder with no bail recommended as per the warrant issued by Judge Quirino M. Andaya of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 26.

Senior Supt. Albertlito Garcia, Apayao Provincial Director, identified the two as Ailan MatiasOliva, 33 and his brother, Dominador Matias Oliva, 20.

Both farmers were arrested in their residence at StaFilomena, Calanasan.

Itogon man arrested for frustrated murder

ITOGON, Benguet -- A suspect wanted for frustrated murder  identified as Paul Camolo Estino, 46, miner, of Lower Mangga here was arrested last week in his residence at Atok, Gumatdang in this town.

The court set P200, 000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Two more civilians nabbed for violation of election ban

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Two individuals were arrested in separate operations for violation of the gun ban last week.

A 54- year old farmer was arrested in a buy-bust operation  in his residence here that resulted in confiscation of drugs, a firearm and hand grenade.

The combined elements of the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group, Police operatives from La Trinidad and Tublay municipal police stations, Cordillera Criminal Intelligence Unit and PDEA arrested Noel PaclosManalo, a resident of Betag, La Trinidad at an auto shop in Buyagan, Poblacion, La Trinidad.

Confiscated from him were three cell phones, shabu, P1,000 buy-bust money; P26,600 cash and a Cal. 45 with six bullets.

In the evening, joint operatives of the same operating units and members of the PDEA served a search warrant for illegal drugs (shabu) in his residence that resulted in confiscation of  drug paraphernalia and a hand grenade.

The search was made peacefully in the presence of Barangay Kagawad Irene B. Chanfing, Denver L. Bastingo from DZWT and his live-in partner.