ILOCOS NEWSBITS

 Family of 3 killed in Ilocos Sur mishap

STA. CRUZ, Ilocos Sur– Three members of a family were killed while two others were seriously injured when their tricycle figured in a collision with a van and a truck in Sta. Cruz town, Ilocos Sur on Friday.

Pepito, his wife Shirley and relative Pedro, all surnamed Cabo, reportedly died at the scene, while tricycle driver WafyCabo and Marciano Ruiz Jr. were taken to the hospital for treatment, said Supt. Marlo Castillo, spokesperson for the provincial police.

Reports said the victims were traveling along the highway in Barangay Dili when a van rear-ended them.

The driver reportedly lost control of the wheel causing the tricycle to swerve and collided with a truck driven by Reniel Adan.

Adan and the van driver, whose name was not immediately available, escaped after the accident.

Adan was arrested in a follow up operation in Supiden, La Union. – Raymund Catindig 

4 nabbed in two separate drug raids

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union  – Agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Ilocos region joined in by Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur policemen raided dawn Tuesday the house turned drug den of an alleged notorious drug trafficker Robert Franco at Barangay Laslasong Sur, Sta. Maria, yielding at least P110,000 worth of shabu, various drug paraphernalia, high powered firearms and bullets.

Judge Sixto Diompoc of Regional Trial Court Branch 72, in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur ordered the amid earlier allegations by authorities of the illicit drug trade, said BismarkBengwayan, spokesperson of the PDEA-Region 1.

At least four sachets of methampetamine hydrochloride or shabu valued at P110,000, drug paraphernalia, a 45 caliber pistol, a caliber .357 revolver and several bullets were found.

Bengwayan said the drug den is said to be frequented by drug addicts in the town and in the province.

When found guilty by the court, the 38 year-old-drug trafficker will spend a life term in jail and will have to pay a fine ranging half a million to P10 million.

Aside from the drug cases, Franco will be charged with violating Republic Act 8294 or the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Also on Tuesday, a team of PDEA Ilocos region anti-narcotics agents assisted by Dagupan City policemen arrested in a sting operation 32-year-old jeepney driver Gary Gubatan and his cohort William Dela Cruz, 62, and a member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team.

The two were busted along M.H. Del Pilar Street in Dagupan City, Pangasinan selling more or less 70 grams of shabu valued to reach P200,000.

Dela Cruz reportedly was also a Philippine Navy Reservist. “It is very unnerving that the people we trust and appointed as guardians of our community are the ones destroying it by selling illegal drugs” said PDEA-Region 1 Director Adrian Alvarino.

The two will be facing lifetime imprisonment with a fine of P500,000 to P10 million pesos if found guilty.

Teacher held for killing 2 neighbors

BANI, Pangasinan – A public elementary school teacher was jailed after he allegedly killed his two neighbors whom he accused of stealing his goats in Barangay Tiep here on Thursday.

            Roberto Conde, 47, of the Tiep Elementary School, surrendered to lawmen after he reportedly shot dead Faustino Finez, 36, farmer, and Domingo Lopez, house caretaker.

Reports said Conde and Finez were having drinks when the teacher reportedly accused the latter of stealing his five goats.

Finez reportedly owned up the crime and pointed to Lopez as his accomplice.

Angered, Conde reportedly shot Finez and went out to look for Lopez, whom he found in the house he was tending.

Finez died at the scene while Lopez was declared dead on arrival at the Western Pangasinan District Hospital in Alaminos City, said SPO1 PolardInomning, officer on case.      

Councilman shoots man who upstaged him in videoke

CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur – A barangay councilman was put behind bars Tuesday after he reportedly shot a customer who won over him during an impromptu singing contest in a videoke bar here.

Police said the suspect, Bryan Turoc, a councilman of Barangay San Agustin, shot Jeffry Morel in the chin with a .45-caliber pistol.

He tried to escape aboard a tricycle but was nabbed in a police checkpoint.    

Turoc and Morel, along with their friends, were seated in separate tables in the videoke bar in Barangay Darapidap here.

Each of them ventured initially with their own songs unmindful of each other, but their companions later pitted them against each other.

The scores in the videoke machine showed Morel to be the winner, enraging Turoc who pulled out his gun and shot him. – Teddy Molina