ILOCOS, CAGAYAN VALLEY NEWS BITS

 Cornered by lawmen in in gun battle,  thief kills self

CABANATUAN CITY- Cornered by government troops after robbing his victim, a suspected robber killed himself instead after a running gun battle with authorities in barangay Nazareth, General Tinio town, Nueva Ecija, police said. Reports received by Senior Supt. Crizaldo Nieves, police director of Nueva Ecija, said Felipe Jane, 50, a native of Dumaguete City, residing in Gen. Tinio town, reportedly robbed at gun point his unidentified neighbour, which prompted the barangay captain to seek help from policemen.

 Investigation conducted by the police said afternoon of July 1, town police led by Senior Insp. Domingo Resma, responded to a call of barangay chairman Aurelio Diaz of Barangay Nazareth, General Tinio, that a robbery was committed in his barangay.

Cops were accompanied by elements of Philippine Army led by Sgt. Ariel Aragon, based at said barangay and pursued the suspect.

According to responding government troopers, when the suspect was cornered in mountainous area of said barangay, he fired upon the government troops.

Suddenly, the report said, the suspected robber stopped firing but committed suicide by stabbing his abdomen and slashing his throat using a jungle bolo, causing his instant death.

Police recovered from the suspect a Cal. 38 revolver with bullets and the  jungle bolo he used to kill himself, Nieves added. – Myds Supnad

42 arrested in La Union for illegal drugs

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union- Police arrested 42 alleged illegal drug pushers and local distributors, the latest of whom was a former policeman in the province.

Mayor Pablo C Ortega cited campaign of the city police under the leadership of Supt Julius C. Suriben, as they both vowed to rid of all remaining drug-affected barangays by 2016.

Senior Supt Rafael, La Union police director, also cited the San Fernando PNP the accomplishment urging more operations against illegal drugs as it is one of priority concerns of Chief Supt. Roman A Felix, regional police director and Gov.  Manuel C Ortega.

Suriben said although there were more arrests made as compared to previous year, it did not mean the drug situation is alarming. 

“In fact, the situation is on a very manageable level with no single incidents recorded related to drug use.”

This week, Suriben reported, city police and PDEA1 scored another big target through buy bust operations.

He said on July 2, one Jiese Uy  of Catbangen was arrested after the police confiscated from him one big sachet of shabu ; buy bust money, cell phone and weighing scale.

On July 4, Suriben said one Greg Labtang of Lower Monglo, Sablan, Benguet and David Legano  of Kamug of same municipality were also arrested.

Seized from them were one medium size sachet containing shabu, one mobile phone, buy bust money used and one motorcycle used in the transaction.

Subject persons were classified as suppliers.

Charges have been filed, the police chief added.-Myds Supnad

17 hurt as jeep falls into ditch

LAOAG CITY – Seventeen passengers were rushed to the hospital for bruises and scratches after the jeepney they were riding fell into a two-meter ditch along the national highway in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte Wednesday afternoon, police said.

The jeep was bound for Piddig town from this city when its driver lost control while negotiating a sharp curve. Reports said it hit a road railing before falling into the ditch.

Former army officer arrested

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – A retired Philippine Army officer and another individual were arrested following a raid on their houses where illegal firearms, explosives and illegal drugs were confiscated. Supt. Ryan Manongdo, spokesman of  Pangasinan police, identified  the  two as AcmadMaamok alias  Maemban, and Juan Barongan Jr,52, retired army officer.

Both are  residents of  Asingan, Pangasinan.PO3 Leo Rambaoa, officer on  case, said the raid was implemented  on the basis of a search warrant  issued  by Judge Camilo Asuncion Sr. last July 7.  – Liezle BasaInigo

Boy dies in Vizcaya diarrhea outbreak

TUGUEGARAO CITY – A three-year-old boy died and 35 others were downed by an outbreak of diarrhea in a remote village in Solano, Nueva Vizcaya early this week.

Provincial health officer Edwin Galapon said the community’s water source, a mountain spring, was found contaminated by E. coli bacteria. – Raymond Catindig

Bauang police chief sacked for firing gun

BAUANG, La Union -- The police chief of this town was relieved of his post for firing his gun indiscriminately in a fit of drunkenness last week.

Chief Insp. George Dipalog was ordered restricted at the provincial police headquarters in nearby San Fernando City.

Senior Supt. Ramon Rafael, La Union police director, replaced Dipalog with Chief Insp. Benjamin Diagan, former deputy police chief of San Fernando.

Cop faces raps for shooting subordinate

MAPANDAN, Pangasinan – The deputy police chief here faces attempted murder and administrative charges for allegedly shooting a subordinate in the police station on July 5.

The case against Insp. Benigno Aquino was filed Wednesday, said Senior Supt. Sterling Raymund Blanco, officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan police, who ordered Aquino’s relief.

Reports said Aquino reportedly shot and wounded Police Officer 1 Gil Solomon.

The incident was witnessed by Police Officer 3 Jacinto Lopez, who disarmed Aquino and rushed Solomon to the Mapandan Community Hospital with Senior Police Oficer 3 Reynaldo Frias.

Aquino reportedly followed the police officers and tried to grab the gun from Lopez, who was forced to jump from the police car. Lopez was injured in the incident.— Eva Vizperas 

86 Vizcaya ‘jueteng’ workers arrested

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – At least 86 people were arrested in separate police raids in Bambang and Solano towns June 4 for alleged involvement in supposed jueteng operations. 

Chief Insp. Kevin Bulayungan, Solano police chief, said 56 villagers were caught conducting jueteng activities in Barangay Quezon.

The rest of the jueteng workers were collared in Barangay Banggot, Bambang.

But the Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. said those arrested were its workers conducting legitimate online gaming operations. 

Meridien said authorities might have mistaken them as bet collectors and employees of jueteng, which reportedly still operates guerrilla-style in some areas of the province.

A Meridien representative said their authority to establish and operate online lotteries elsewhere in the country is covered by its franchise issued by the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, which has its own charter.       

Ecija village chief gunned down

ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija – A barangay chairman here was gunned down by ski mask-wearing men while in the house of the village treasurer Friday morning, police said.

Barangay Sto. Tomas chief Rodrigo Miranda, 56, a member of the Josons’ Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija and a known ally of AliagaVice Mayor Alfredo Domingo, was drinking coffee in his treasurer’s house when an unlicensed white Hyundai car stopped and the three men on it shot him repeatedly with Armalite rifles.

Citing their initial investigation, police said an old grudge, not politics, might have something to do with the killing, as Miranda reportedly had “many enemies.”  -- Manny Galvez