Five Ilocos Sur highway stone- throwers charged

By Myds Supnad

SANTIAGO, Ilocos Sur- The police filed cases five persons with malicious mischief for allegedly stoning vehicles along the highway here in barangay Dan-ar.

Senior Supt. Jovencio Badua, provincial police director said charged before the office of the provincial prosecutor in Vigan City, by lawyer John Rey Dolor Querubin, assistant provincial prosecutor were Birgido Mina of Bisangol, Ruel Clemente, Dexter Apguid, Tuogan and Jeson Mercado.

Badua said Santiago police led by Santiago police chief Senior Insp. Teo Tajon, arrested the five men after a witness pointed to them as the ones who threw stones at passing Partas buses along Barangay Dan-ar.

“They are no longer minors since they are already 18 years old up, and they were the suspects in stoning of four Partas buses,” Badua said.

Tajon said they have witnesses against the suspects, who were the subject of public outrage due to unabated stoning of motorists.

Partas buses were reportedly stoned by suspects, causing damages on windshields and hurting passengers. After the stoning, the suspects fled to nearby Banayoyo town.

In Narvacan town, police noted there were three stoning incidents in just one day with another in Barangay Napo, Magsingal.

 Earlier, an  Isuzu truck was also stoned by two unidentified perpetrators at Barangay Caburao, near the Banayoyo junction.

 “We will get the other suspects in due time as directed by our police director,” said Chief Insp. Honesto Lazo, public information officer in Camp  Quirino.

 Prior to this, Badua said two more suspects were collared and apprehended in Sta. Maria town for allegedly stoning a Farinas bus.

 “The suspects in Sta. Maria town involving the Farinas bus had been apprehend and charged in court. We are strictly implementing ordinances regarding curfew hours, aside from liquor ban of cities and towns.

He said they increased police presence and patrols along the highways to thwart the series of stoning of vehicles along the national road that had alarmed motorists.

 Badua said he had also directed his men to conduct frisking along drinking establishments where suspected stone throwers drink liquor before they stone vehicles along national highways.

 Badua said he had also instructed his cops to utilize barangay police action teams and meet bar owners to help thwart stoning.

 "We have already provided leaflets to bus operators and drivers containing hot line numbers to enable them get police assistance in case of emergency," he said.