POLICE ROUND-UP

Hacking suspects, 3 others arrested by Cordillera cops

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet – Two siblings, who hacked a 50-year-old man 13 tImes are now in jail after being arrested in a pursuit operation by Tuba town  police.

The victim lived to tell the story, Senior Supt. Benjamin Lusad, Benguet police director said identifying  the suspects as Manuel Mendoza Cadiz, 27, married and his brother Gilbert, 23, single, both natives of Kabayabasan, Lallo, Cagayan and  residents of Garcia Compound, Poblacion, Tubao, La Union.

They were arrested for frustrated homicide committed in Sitio Asinan, Taloy Sur, Tuba .

Their victim was identified as Wilfredo Villa Ruz Sr., 60, of  Dontogon, Green Valley, Baguio City.

A police report said the suspects  and the victim had a drinking session at the house of Elpedio Quinomis when a heated argument suddenly erupted among them.

The victim sustained 13 hack wounds on the different parts of his body and was brought by responding police personnel to the Baguio General Hospital for medical treatment.

Rebel in Ifugao ambush falls

By Charlie Lagasca

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – A suspected communist rebel tagged in the ambush-slay of 10 soldiers os now in jail after police operatives in Tuguegarao City arrested on Dec. 28.

Rene Abiva, 23, was charged with murder before a regional trial court in Lagawe, Ifugao.

The soldiers were on their way to the battalion headquarters in Kiangan town after a command turnover in Tinoc town last April 25, when the rebels attacked their three-vehicle convoy. 

EPD cop gets bullet for a song in birthday party

By Teddy Molina

PASUQUIN, Ilocos Norte – A sniper’s bullet hit the head of a police officer of the Eastern Police District in Metro Manila as he was singing for a village councilman who was celebrating his birthday here on New Year’s Eve.

Police said PO1 John Anthony Calpito, 28, slumped dead as the other guests of barangay councilman Meliton Bagaoisan scampered in different directions.

Isabela councilor sees politics in bomb attack

By Charlie Lagasca 

Santiago city, Isabela – A Molotov bomb went off outside the residence of a councilor here Tuesday, but no one was hurt, authorities said.

Councilor Paul de Jesus said politics may have something to do with the explosion.

De Jesus, who is on his third and last term as city councilor, filed his certificate of candidacy for vice mayor last October.   

Teen hit by stray bullet in Abra

LAGANGILANG, Abra – A 19 year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet that went through the roof of their house here on Dec. 29, police said.

Police said that the victim identified as Jasmine Cabintoy, a resident of Sitio Sabangan, Barangay Nagtupacan, was hit by a .45 caliber pistol's bullet in her right leg. 

Cabintoy was the sixth victim of injuries recorded in Cordillera since the government activated its firecracker injury monitoring last December 21.

 Cordillera regional police spokesman, Chief Insp. Byron Allatog, said Cabintoy was sleeping inside her room when she was hit by the stray bullet.

 Cabintoy was rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital in Bangued, the province’s capital, where physicians found one slug of a caliber .45 pistol from her leg.

 Allatog said that investigations are ongoing to determine the identity of the firearm's owner.

He said that villagers claimed hearing gunfire coming from the east of Barangay Nagtupacan.

Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong earlier warned policemen in the region against firing their guns to welcome the Year of the Water Snake.

Cagayan cop shot after selling shabu

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- - A local policeman on the anti-narcotics watch list was shot and wounded by a poseur-buyer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency here during a recent buy-bust at a bus terminal.

The suspect, PO2 Heraldine Bautista, assigned to the Region 2 police’s health service in Tuguegarao, drew his handgun after the poseur-buyer handed him the marked money and made a signal to the arresting team, the PDEA said.

But the PDEA agent was quick enough to respond and he shot Bautista before the policeman could fire his gun.

Bautista now faces criminal charges for selling shabu.