POLICE ROUNDUP

Cops nab leader of hired gun in Abra

LANGIDEN, Abra -- An alleged leader of a group of hired guns in Abra, who has long been hunted for numerous murders is now in jail after police arrested him early dawn Jan. 25 in his lair here in Sitio Calunay, Barangay Malapaao.

Langiden town policemen said Perfecto Barbosa Purugganan, 36, alleged leader of the “Purugganan Private Armed Group” Purugganan, who was listed as number 9 in Abra’s “Most Wanted” list first quarter of the year.

He was ordered arrested for violence against women and children and drugs law violations by Judge Charito Gonzales of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 1.

The charges against him are bailable for P25,000 and P 200,000

Abra policemen also cornered the province’s 10th most wanted person, Norman Rabe Awigui, 34, in barangay Ba-i, Lagayan town. Awigui is wanted for child abuse.

Awigui was caught in his residence upon orders of  Judge Raphiel Alzate of the RTC Br 1.  

NPA arms cache recovered in Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga- Soldiers have recovered an arms cache of the New People’s Army in Kalinga one of the provinces declared “insurgency-free” by the military.

Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, chief of the Armed Forces’ 1st Civil Relations Group, said the arms cache, consisting of an M-16 rifle, a Garand rifle, a carbine rifle and a Springfield rifle, was discovered in Barangay Magnao in Tabuk Tuesday night.

“The successful recovery of the arms cache stemmed from persistent information coming from several local residents,” Garcia said.

“Authorities believe this is a manifestation of the dwindling number of NPA remnants who were forced to hide their firearms to avoid arrest,” he added.

Garcia clarified that the “insurgency-free” declaration does not necessarily mean zero presence of rebels.

He said such a declaration means that the rebellion in an area has weakened and could no longer overthrow the local leadership.

Drug peddler arrested in Kalinga

TABUK CITY , Kalinga – A suspected drug peddler was nabbed here Jan. 22 along Viloria Street, Purok 2, Bulanao Norte. Senior Supt. John Colinio, Kalinga police director identified suspect as Ceasar Pumus-an Tuppiyac a.k.a “Buyugan,” 34, here of Purok 6, Bulanao.

He was arrested after he handed five sachets containing shabu to an undercover police agent.

Police also confiscated buy-bust money P1,200 from his possession.

Ceasar is now under the custody of Bulanao police while a case was prepared agasint him in court.

Paracelis bocaps, cops apprehend 3 tricycles

PARACELIS, Mountain Province – Officials of Barangay Bananao here led by village chief John Bautista and members of the Philippine National Police led by SPO3 Franco Ramos apprehended a convoy of three tricycles at Poblacion about 3 p.m. Jan. 27.

The tricycles, reportedly each manned by two persons, were bound to Isabela province and loaded with scrap iron and plastic materials. When Bautista requested the traders to pay their barangay business permit fee, the latter reportedly could not show documents to support their activities.

Their motorcycles reportedly didn’t have plate numbers or registration papers from the Land Transportation Office.

Drivers had no driver’s license except for a certain Dela Cruz, Franklyn  Galante, a certain  Lantanco an Mario Dela Cruz. The latter two are both from Cordon, Isabela.

SPO3 Ramos together with PO3 Marjorie N. Rivera and PO1 Stephani Lumagto were on patrol when they chanced on the traders being interrogated by Bautista.

When the traders could not show any document to support their business activities SPO3 Ramos requested the traders to come along with them to the municipal police station with their loaded tricyles.

The four will have to present documents so they can get their tricules from the police station. -- Fred B. Balao-as

Shabu bust leads to drug den; minor rescued 

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union– An anti-narcotics operation led to the discovery of a drug den at Saint Joseph Village here late evening of Jan.  28.

Elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office 1  and San Fernando Police Station raided the house of Marvin Mulato who sold sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride known as shabu to an undercover PDEA agent.

Law enforcers arrested three suspects who were snorting the illegal drug with several drug paraphernalia scattered in the room.

A minor was found hiding in a corner and was later turned over to the San Fernando City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Found at the drug den were Romualdo Flores, 28 of San Juan La Union; Kenneth Dumaguit, 19 and Mark Angelo Udan of this city.

Cases were prepared against three suspects for illegal drugs.

Four nabbed over drugs in Abra inn

BANGUED, Abra -- A room attendant and three others including a young girl were caught in a sting operation inside the Tingguian Lodge in Bangued, Abra’s capital town shortly before noon Jan. 24.

Abra policemen cornered  Romar Llaneza Singson, 25, room attendant of the Tingguian Lodge from Langiden town; Christopher Alvez Ducayag, 24; Mary Jane Buenafe, 20, and a female minor who are all from Bangued, Abra.

Authorities seized five pieces of plastic sachet containing suspected shabu;  four pieces of  rolled aluminum foils and five pieces crumpled aluminum foils with suspected “shabu” residue; a piece of rolled aluminum foil placed in a brown thick paper; a plastic sachet containing several plastic sachets; two lighters with improvised aluminum foil totter; a digital weighing scale; a piece of Wiley paper;  P1,572 in different denominations; a homemade cal .22 revolver without serial number; 12 bullets for cal .22 revolver and seven cellular phones.

When policemen further searched  the inn, they also seized a Cal. 38 revolver without bullets from the guard house where Singson reportedly lives.

Cordillera police director Chief Superintendent Isagani Nerez ordered all policemen in the highland region to continue the sting operations against drug dealers especially in communities near local schools and other establishments to neutralize the operation of drug syndicates.

Car crash victim in coma dies

LAOAG CITY --Dr. Dax Dacuycuy, Laoag City General Hospital administrator, confirmed the driver of the SUV that crashed on  Nangalisan road here recently, passed away due to severe head injuries. He said Nikki expired  at 11:30 pm of Jan. 24.

She was in coma for several days. Police report said that the victim and companions were cruising Nangalisan road just after the southern approach of Gilbert bridge here when their SUV crashed on the road. The other car occupants also sustained injuries. -- Jun R. Guiang

AWOL navyman nabbed for firing gun

CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte-- Police investigator SPO3 Leonardo Battulayan reported a certain navy enlisted man was arrested for indiscriminate firing  of gun here at Barangay Pias.

He said an informer  tipped the police station that the drunken suspect repeatedly fired his gun for unknown reason.

When police arrived, the suspect reportedly locked himself inside his house. After negotiation, the suspect emerged and yielded his gun. Police said he was AWOL from his assignment in Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Mindanao.— Jun R. Guiang

Kalinga police arrest 6 crime suspects

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - - Police recently arrested six  crime  suspects as they intensified manhunt for wanted persons in the province .

Acting provincial police director Senior Supt. John Colinio said three of  the arrested persons were listed as “top most wanted persons (TMWP)” while the rest were arrested for violation ofspecial laws.

Police led by Chief Inspt. Bobby Glen Ganipac identified the suspects and turned them over to courts.

Provincial police also intensified campaign to  reduce illegal drug activities in the province.

The KPPO Intelligence Section through a joint operation with the Provincial Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PAIDSOTG) recently conducted three anti-drugs  operations resulting to arrest of one suspect and confiscation of  prohibited drugs.

Through the help of a tipster, a 30 year old male from Aparri, Cagayan was arrested allegedly for the possession of four  kilograms  of  dried marijuana bricks which he was trying to transport aboard a passenger jeep bound to Roxas, Isabela on January 10.

The  Bureau of Jail Management and Penology also discovered around P12,000.00 worth of alleged shabu substance, including some unidentified drugs and a cough syrup in a package  intended for  an  inmate.

A warranted search at a residence at Pinukpuk also resulted to  confiscation of suspected shabu paraphernalia bearing visible traces of white crystalline substances. – JDP, PAB with Geraldine Dumallig

Vintage firetrucks fail to respond to Paoay fires

PAOAY, Ilocos Norte--Existing firetrucks in different towns of Ilocos Norte are mostly old 1978 model with many mechanical defects,  a fire marshal reported.

He made this revelation in the wake of two consecutive fire incidents that occurred in this town.

The old firetruck here was undergoing  repair for  mechanical defect when blaze gutted a rice mill shop and another building. It took several minutes before firefighting units from nearby towns arrived in the two separate incidents. It was learned that a firetruck nowadays costs millions of pesos.— Jun R. Guiang

Officers guard bed of sea turtle eggs

BANGUI, Ilocos Norte--For several days, Environment officers and fisher folks here heavily guarded a sandy pit near the beach where a bed of sea turtle eggs numbering to almost 100 were laid  by a mother turtle. The group cordoned the area with yellow line as they kept watch on the pit round-the-clock for fear that pranksters may steal the eggs for their foods.

On Jan. 22, the group sprung in joy as 60 cute baby turtles were hatched and later emerged one by one from the pit as they crawled towards the sea shore. At press time, 30 other eggs remained in the pit and expected later to be hatched. -- Jun R. Guiang 

Beware of fakeP1,000 paper bills

SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte--A trio, one male and two females, entered a coffee shop at 365 plaza here. They ordered drinks and handed a P1,000 paper bill to the lady cashier, who in turn gave change.

The scene was captured by CCTV camera inside the shop. Police said that particular same day, the cashier got three P1,000 paper bills from different customers. When she dashed into the adjacent Pagcor office to convert the bills into smaller amount, the cashier was shocked to find out that the paper bills were counterfeit money.

In Pasuquin town, police said they arrested two of the eight suspects who allegedly victimized a grocery store and several fish vendors using fake money.—Jun R. Guiang 

Logging equipment confiscated in Abra

TUBO, Abra- A joint team from the Tubo police station, along with town councillors here, forest guards and Barangay Amtuiagan officials  recovered recently  several equipment believed used by illegal loggers in this town.

Police said among those confiscated were  a chainsaw guide bar; saw chain; square rule; and 18 pieces of narra flitches  hidden in the remote area of in Sitio Tomoy-ok, Amtuagan last week.

Police estimated a total volume of 130 board feet worth P5,850 which were confiscated are brought to police station. – Myds Supnad