POLICE ROUNDUP

3 fishermen rescued in Cagayan high seas
By Freddie G. Lazaro

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Three fishermen floating at sea were rescued by residents of the coastal villages in Abulug, Cagayan Monday morning, police said.

Police identified three as Warlito Ante, 53; EfrenAlviar, 42; and Leonardo Amodo, 32.

It was reported that fishermen left their homes last Jan. for a fishing venture in the high seas.

However, their motorboat was hit and destroyed by big waves.

The fishermen managed to hold on to fragments of their crushed motorboat and float nearer land.

Fortunately, they were spotted by fishermen from Abulug, who rescued them and took them to the hospital.

Police said the three have been declared out of danger.

2 dead in Ilocos trike Partas road accident
TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur – Two men were killed in an accident along the national highway here in Barangay Libtong Thursday.

Police identified victims as Marlon Lorenzana, 23, driver of the motorcycle and back rider Oliver Partible, 17, both from barangay AlilemDaya, Alilem town, also in Ilocos Sur. They died immediately upon impact with the speeding north-bound Partas bus.

Investigators said the motorcycle riders, who came from a drinking spree, crossed the highway from the shoulder without warning and was directly hit by the bus.

The motorcycle was totally wrecked after it was thrown some 132 feet from the accident spot.

The bus driver, Cresencio Duque, 49, from Bucay town, Abra, is now with the Tagudin police for further investigation.


Cops nab 2 for violating gun ban in Cordillera
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Two “men” working for an Abra town mayor became the first gun ban violators in the Cordillera.

Cordillera police director Chief Supt. Benjamin Magalong said Reynaldo Baruela, 49; and Jun Palecpec, 51; both of barangay Malapa-ao, Langiden have been arrested by policemen led by Supt. Mario Mayam-es and Supt. Virgilio Pascua and seized from the suspects two caliber 45 pistols at a barangay fiesta in Langiden town on Sunday.

The two are “men” of Langiden town, Abra mayor Noel Castillo, formerly Abra province’s provincial jail warden.

Magalong said policemen who were tipped off about the duo, sealed all exits and succeeded in trapping both while they were about to elude arrest.

The duo were the first to fall in the gun ban operations in the province and all over the region ahead of the 2013 polls.

This as Cordillera policemen intensified their mobile checkpoints as early as the first week of December, saidMagalong. “We have an average of 52 checkpoints a day,” the police officer said.

Widow arrested for selling shabu
URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan -- A 36-year-old widow was arrested by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for peddling methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu here on Jan. 20.

PDEA Director General Arturo G. Cacdac, Jr. identified the arrested suspect as Tarhata Macalaba, alias Tata, residing in Barangay Camantiles, Urdaneta.

Macalaba was arrested by operatives of PDEA Regional Office 1 under Director Jeffrey Tacio after she handed-over a plastic sachet of shabu to a PDEA poseur-buyer during a buy-bust operation in Barangay DilanPaurido.

“Macalaba is the wife of a pusher identified as Asis Hadji Modior, who was killed during a PDEA buy-bust operation in August 2012. After her husband’s death, she continued his illegal drug activities in the area and other neighboring communities,” Cacdac said.

A case illegal drugs is now being prepared for filing in court against Macalaba.

PNP, AFP, Ifugao-LGU plant 400 trees
LAGAWE, Ifugao -- In line with the administration’s greening program, members of the police force, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and employees of the local government of Lagawe planted recently 400 trees in Mt. Banahaw here.

The seedlings were produced by the LGU.

Jenny Marie Ang, land Investigator of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, this is also in line with the plan of the LGU to develop the said mountain into an eco park.

“This is one way of preserving the environment since the LGU will directly supervise the maintenance of the mountain and the preservation of the trees in it,” she said.

One of the programs of this local government is to boost its economy through tourism.

Mayor Ceasario Cabbigat believes that the town will benefit from its numerous natural scenic spots such as the mountains, caves, waterfalls and rivers.

Cabbigat said that his administration is funding the development of these tourists spots. The LGU is coordinating with barangay officials and nongovernment organizations to support such initiatives. -- By Vivencia D. Bulayungan
(PIA)