POLICE ROUNDUP

5 nabbed for setting up checkpoint, collecting fees

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet-- Cops nabbed five laborers Monday afternoon along the Lamtang, Puguis road for setting up a checkpoint on a road they said was private property and collecting fees from passing motorists.

La Trinidad police received information a checkpoint was established along Lamtang, Puguis, by civilians specifically laborers of one Dwight Nicolas Bello III aka “Kimat” that was causing heavy traffic.

              Police responded to the area and came upon five individuals in civilian clothes wearing reflectorized vest, and black ball cap with “Security” marking manning said checkpoint.

 Immediately, they arrested  the suspects identified as Mark Anthony Begnalen Belmonte, 24;   Christopher Begnalen Belmonte, 28;Raquipo Ancheta Bernal, 41; Richardson Blin Bernal, 27 and Joyle Patrick Bajo Salarzon, 31, all natives of Lagangilang, Abra, and stay-in workers of Bello.

Two barricades made up of steel bars with signage “Slow down private property,” were confiscated.

Suspects were collecting fees from the truck drivers passing by the highway.

The suspects are now under custody of La Trinidad police for extortion, grave coercion, obstruction, violation of municipal ordinance and usurpation of authority.

Cop shot dead by suspected drug lords

NAGUILLAN, Isabela -- Police Officer 3 Christopher John Duarte, 36, was driving his motorcycle along the highway here in Barangay Palattao when unidentified men emerged from a black sport utility vehicle and opened fire at around 9:40 a.m. on Sept. 22

Duarte was the head of the intelligence section of the Sto. Tomas police station. He  just came from the Police Regional Training Center in Cauayan, where he underwent schooling, when he was waylaid.

Senior Inspector Francisco Dayag, Naguilian police chief, said Duarte was formerly with the Ilagan police where he stood witness against several drug personalities.

 Group gangs up on LTO assistant head’s bodyguard

BAGUIO CITY – Two groups filed charges against each other for physical injuries here last week. Police said this was due to an incident Wednesday around 8:30 a.m. at LTO Compound, Saint Joseph Village Barangay.

Complainants were identified as Crispin Jaramillo Tesoro, 55; Christian Joseph Fernandez Jaramillo, 24 and  Tatut Villanueva Mallari, 33.

Suspects were identified as Kalil Macada-ag Pandapatan, 37, body guard of LTO assistant regional director Datu Mohammad Nasser Abas; Jamil Panginagina Pandapatan, 24 and Omar Butiri Pandapatan, 48.

 Investigation disclosed around 8:20 a.m. that day Pandapatan was standing at the outpost of LTO compound when Crispin Jaramillo passed by driving a car and pointed his finger at him while going towards Leonard Wood Road.

Later, Jaramillo came back and challenged them to a fight. When Kalil confronted him, he was told by his companion not to respond and then he left but he was still followed by Jaramillo who threw a stone at him that resulted to a fight.

The latter cornered Jaramillo in front of the Saint Joseph Church. They were followed by the son of Jaramillo who mauled him. Omar Pandapatan tried to pacify the parties but he was hit by the group of Jaramillo.

Police arrived but the suspect left already.  Kalil later identified one of the suspects as Christian Joseph Jaramillo who was riding on a motorcycle going to LTO to renew papers. Jaramillo was laughing at him as he passed by that prompted him Kalil to take revenge by hitting him.

Cops came and took them to Inquest Prosecutor Emmanuel Awisan who ordered the case be remanded to barangay officials for mediation. Both parties were ordered released pending the proceedings at the barangay office.

 Miner nabbed for stealing gold ore

ITOGON, Benguet – A miner was arrested here Tuesday for theft of gold ore even as his companions were able to elude arrest. The suspect was identified as Dingwas Gappak Edas, 37 of Tinglayan, Kalinga, and resident here of Camanggaan, Virac.

Police said the gold ore was stolen in Midas, Ucab that day. The owner, identified as Sony Sagamang Ngalawen, 36 told police around 5:30 a.m. that day, he and his  workers discovered that the bath tub filled with ore placed in the gold processing area was stolen. Ngalawen alerted his friends and visited nearby barangays to recover the missing ore.

At about 4 p.m. that day, a PUJ driver with route Baguio-Ucab informed the complainant that somebody hired him around 3 a.m. to bring a sack of ores to Barangay Virac. This prompted the complainant and his companions to proceed to Virac and coordinated with police. Together with the complainant at the R & J Partner Trading located in Camp 6, Acupan, Virac, a group of men inside suddenly ran outside and scampered to different directions. However, one of the male persons was identified as Edas. A small sack filled with ore weighing 47 kilos was recovered and positively identified by the complainant. The arrested suspect was incarcerated at the municipal jail.

Laborer stabs laborer in Abra

SAN QUINTIN, Abra – A laborer was stabbed here Wednesday around 11:30 p.m. by a co-laborer at Sitio Sabulod, Barangay Pantoc wherein the victim was identified as Rowel Pilar Bragas, 20 who was brought to Abra Provincial Hospital in the capital town of Bangued for treatment.

Police investigation bared around 10:45 p.m., Bragas threw a stone at the tent of the suspect identified as Lloyd Molina Tejero, 22, laborer of Barangay Taping due to loud conversation of the suspect with some of their co-workers.

A heated argument ensued between them and a knife fight stated. Bragas was armed with a kitchen knife while the suspect grabbed a Batangas knife. Tejero stabbed Bragas once on his  chest. He was brought by Abraham Biscarra to Abra Provincial Hospital for treatment.

Tejero surrendered to police where a case was prepared against him.

Bizman shot dead,4 companions hurt

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte -- Businessman Marwin Calina, 53, and Julius Ancheta were in a convoy of sport utility vehicles when they were ambushed in here Barangay Bani on Sept. 22

Police said Calina surrendered under Oplan Tokhang last year and was engaged in construction business.

The four companions of the victims were wounded and taken to the Governor Roque Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital for treatment.

 Farmer arrested for rape in Abra

BUCAY, Abra – A 58-year-old farmer was arrested here at Barangay Palaquio Wednesday for rape. Arrested was Agripino Bisnan Alagao after Raphiel F. Alzate, acting presiding judge, of RTC Branch 58, Bucay issued warrant against him for four counts of rape.  Bail for his temporary liberty was set at P800,000. Another arrest warrant against him was issued for rape with no bail recommended.

Meat seller killed by gunman

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- Roland Canapi, 30, a resident of Barangay Cataggaman here was shot dead by a man who pretended to buy meat at his stall at the Don Domingo public market Sept. 22.

Woman arrested for syndicated estafa

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Cops nabbed a certain Rhodora Altaki Comedes, 40, native of Bauko, Mt Province, single, self-employed, and resident here of B91, Betag for syndicated estafa with no bail recommended. Romeo U Habiling, presiding judge of RTC Branch 14, Lagawe Ifugao issued warrant for her arrest.

Comedes was detained for several cases of large scale and syndicated estafa and violation of Bouncing Checks Law.

 Pinili town employee shot

PINILI, Ilocos Norte -- Monico Aguinaldo, 50, an employee of the municipal government here was shot Sept. 22 while playing billiard in Barangay Apatut-Lubong. PO3 Jessie Baligad, 41, the brother of the alleged assailant, Benny, 51, who was present during the attack, was arrested in a follow-up operation.

Farmer hits housewife with motorbike

MANKAYAN, Benguet – A farmer riding a motorcycle hit a housewife here along the road of the Lepanto public market with his vehicle Wednesday around 10 a.m. resulting to injuries of the latter.  

A police report said  Roger Yang-oan Culapit, 21, of Poblacion, Quirino, Ilocos Sur bumped the victim identified as Luiza Batallang Peralta, 52.

Investigation disclosed the motorcycle was at high speed and upon reaching the pedestrian lane, the driver lost control of the vehicle hitting the victim who was crossing the pedestrian lane. The victim was immediately brought by a concerned citizen to Lepanto Hospital for medical treatment while the driver was unharmed, and was brought to Mankayan police station with his motorcycle.

Drug suspect shot dead in Bulacan

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan -- Drug suspect Jose Corpuz, a resident of Barangay Graceville her was at his house when an unidentified man entered and shot him several times on Tuesday. He died on the spot even as police said they were still investigating.

 Man driving motorbike hurt as DENR truck hits him 

LAMUT, Ifugao --  A truck bearing plate No. SAA 3736 registered under the Department of the Environment and Natural Resource driven by Jofrey Udan Gullunan, 39, married, DENR employee collided with a motorcycle with no plate number owned and driven by William Bangngon Guimbong, 37 resulting to injuries of the latter.

Police said the incident happened around d 8:30 a.m. at Barangay Hapid. Investigation disclosed the motorcycle came from Hapid headed to Barangay Sanafe, Lamut. Upon reaching the ascending curved road, the truck coming from the opposite direction loaded with narra seedlings swerved towards the lane of the motorcycle that caused the collision. As a result, the driver of the motorcycle sustained multiple injuries in his body and was brought to the Panopdopan District Hospital by DENR employees using their other vehicle, while the driver of the Isuzu truck and his passengers were unharmed.

Two motorbikes collide; drivers, rider injured

MANKAYAN, Benguet – The drivers of two motorcycles were injured when their vehicles collided here Wednesday around 9:30 p.m. collided along the Mankayan-Abatan national road in Guiwe, Poblacion.

Investigation disclosed that the motorcycle with no plate number driven by Allen Bistoca Balsien, 24, farmer was towards the plaza at Poblacion when it collided with motorcycle with plate no. 2935 HV driven by Philbert Gaiwen Icao, 21 which was ascending heading towards Bato, Tabio. Both motorcycles fell on the road pavement and incurred damages. Both drivers and the back rider of the black Rusi motorcyle identified as Larry Calancio Polkiso, 18 was injured. Balsien was brought to Lepanto Hospital by concerned citizens, while Icao and his back rider were brought by the responding PNP and BFP personnel to the Mankayan Rural Health Unit for treatment. The driver of the black Rusi motorcycle and his rider were positive of alcohol test and were discharged after treatment.

Couple nabbed for pot session in lodge room

BANGUED, Abra – Cops arrested two alleged drug users inside the Tinggian Lodge here early Wednesday morning. Nabbed were Liezel Sagman Sabado, 22 and Melchor Navarro De La Paz, 48, who were having a pot session inside their room. Police confiscated two plastic sachets of suspected shabu and assorted drug paraphernalia from their possession.

Vendor arrested in drug buy-bust

TABUK, Kalinga – An alleged drug pusher named Randy Gunnaban Guaves, 33, vendor, was arrested in a buy bust operation here Tuesday afternoon at Purok 5, Bulanao. Seized from his possession were two plastic sachets containing suspected shabu and a buy-bust money amounting to P1,000.

Man nabbed for illegal gun in Tabuk

TABUK CITY – A certain John Luminio Malidom, 39 was arrested for illegal possession of firearm Tuesday night here at Purok 7, Bulanao. Malidom was with Eric Wagsingan and another person when police operatives were about to serve Wagsingan’s warrant of arrest. Wagsingan and another man  immediately escaped upon sensing  presence of police. Seized from Malidom was a Cal. 22 rifle with magazine loaded with two bullets.

 Bizman, farmer nabbed for playing coin game

BANGUED, Abra -- Two alleged gamblers identified as Jojo Piosca Arde, 24, businessman and Jimmy Custodio Allopog, 43, farmer were arrested while on the act of playing coin game here at Barangay Sta Rosa Monday afternoon. Confiscated from their possession was bet money amounting to P507.