POLICE ROUNDUP

OFW hacked to death over SAP distribution

By Raymund Catindig

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — An overseas Filipino worker died in a knife attack in Lal-lo town on Monday.

Police said Robert Ubarre died while being treated at the Matilde Olivas District Hospital in Calamaniugan town.

The brother of the fatality, Rolly, 45, who tried to intervene, was wounded and brought to the Cagayan Valley Medical Center in this city.

Initial investigation showed that the Ubarre brothers were walking when Milagrino Dupaya attacked them.

Chief M/Sgt. Gilbert Columna said Dupaya was reportedly angered by Robert’s criticisms on social media against his wife, chairwoman of Barangay Alaguia, over the distribution of cash assistance under the government’s social amelioration program.

2 hardware store owners held for selling overpriced cement

By Liezle Basa Inigo

TUGUEGARAO CITY – Two hardware store owners were nabbed in an entrapment operation Thursday for Violation of RA 11469 (Bayanihan Heal as One Act), RA 7581 (Price Act) as amended by RA 10623 and RA 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines).

Joint forces from the Cagayan Police Provincial Office, led by Provincial Director Col. Ariel Narag Quilang; personnel of the Tuguegarao City Police Anti-Hoarding and Profiteering Team, together with the Cagayan Provincial Crisis Monitoring (DTI), conducted the operation that resulted in the arrest of a Hardware Owner identified as Hilda Balisi, 51, and a resident of Annafunan East, Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

The suspect was arrested after she was caught selling two bags of cement beyond the P600-suggested retail price.

Also on Thursday, Martin Dumalo, 50, of Centro Northwest, Solana, Cagayan, was arrested for also selling overpriced bags of cement.

Gin bottles hid, smuggled in coffin seized in Pangasinan

By Eva Visperas

BINMALEY, Pangasinan – Bottles of gin hidden in a coffin were confiscated from a funeral car in Barangay Biec in this town Tuesday.

Jeffrey Velasco, 23, driver of Abalos Funeral Homes, was traveling to Lingayen when the funeral car was flagged down at a quarantine.

Lt. Col. Brendon Palisoc, town police chief bared this saying Velasco faces charges for violation of Republic Act 11469 or the Act Declaring the Existence of a National Emergency arising from the coronavirus disease 2019, among other cases.

1.5 tons of processed meat seized in Ilocos Sur

By Raymund Catindg

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur -- Some 1.5 tons of processed meat suspected to be infected by African swine fever were seized here in Barangay Bio on May 1.

Police said the driver of a freezer van, Chito Gonzales, 32, and his helper Nilo Acoyno, 32, were arrested for failing to show necessary documents.

The seized items reportedly came from Apalit, Pampanga.

 Four killed in Bulacan drug bust ‘shootouts’

By Ramon Efren Lazaro

MALOLOS, Bulacan -- Four suspected drug dealers were killed in stings in Bulacan the past two days.

Col. Lawrence Cajipe, Bulacan police director, identified the fatalities as Resty Rayo, Gwendel John Samaniego, Reynaldo Castillo Jr. and an alias Anten.

Cajipe said Rayo and Anten shot it out with anti-narcotics agents in Barangay Minuyan Proper in San Jose del Monte City; Samaniego in Barangay Gaya-gaya, also in San Jose del Monte and Castillo in Capihan, San Rafael.

Two improvised shotguns, two. 38 Cal. revolvers, sachets of shabu and a motorcycle were allegedly recovered from fatalities.

Nine other drug suspects were arrested in Calumpit, Pulilan, San Rafael and Marilao.

They reportedly yielded 10 sachets of shabu, drug paraphernalia and marked money.

P1.3-M shabu seized in Buguias, Benguet

BUGUIAS, Benguet -- Anti-drug operatives seized 200 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P1.3 million here in Barangay Catlubong on April 30.

Farmer Marson Ballusong, who was on the drug watchlist in the Cordilleras, was arrested.

Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. Rwin Pagkalinawan said drug traders could have slipped past

checkpoints where there are no drug-sniffing dogs.

P2.5 million marijuana plants uprooted in Tabuk, Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Police uprooted and destroyed P2.5 million worth of marijuana plants here on May 5.

Despite the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in the area, operatives of the Kalinga police, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Kalinga conducted simultaneous raids in three marijuana plantations here in Sitio New Balbalan, Barangay Lacnog. According to Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan, the first site yielded about 7,500 fully grown marijuana plants uprooted from a 500-square meter lot.

The haul was estimated at P1.5 million.

At the second site, a total of 3,000 fully grown marijuana plants were seized, and these were valued at P600,000.

The third site had 2,000 plants, which were valued at P400,000.

Pagkalinawan said the caretakers of the plantations eluded arrest.

But a case is being prepared against the owner of a nipa hut which was located near one of the sites, and where a bottle of marijuana seeds was found.

Married woman caught having sex with lover in vacant lot

By Gilbert Bayoran

BANTAY, Ilocos Sur – A married woman and her lover were arrested after being caught having sex at a vacant lot here Monday.

Police said the lovers, aged 31 and 57, were caught by three children playing in the area in Barangay Ora East at around 1 p.m.

The children informed the husband of the woman who filed charges against his wife.

The couple also faces charges for violating quarantine protocols.

In Cagayan, six people were arrested for not observing physical distancing while eating at a restaurant in Barangay San Jose in Baggao. – With a report from Raymund Catindig

 21 arrested in Cordillera for drugs, illegal gambling

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad Benguet – Twenty one persons were arrested in the Cordillera for illegal drugs and gambling last week, said Carolina F. Lacuata, regional police information officer.

Nine persons were nabbed May 3 in Barangay Bahong, La Trinidad while having a pot session.

They were identified as Jonathan Gabriel Nabe, Norson Palasi Cabigat, Perkins Galuba Bentriz, Johnson Visaya Lucas, Randy Palasi Cabigat and Christian Lorence Puguon Doccog.

Meanwhile, Junior Ticnang, Richard Gannaban Bueno and Arvin Rodico Alvendia were apprehended inside a nipa hut in Talaca, Agbanawag, Tabuk City, Kalinga earflier on May 2.

Confiscated from them were four plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, aluminum foil, totter and two lighters.

Meanwhile,  Anselmo Pineda Nava was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Ap-apid, Tinoc, Ifugao on May 3.

Confiscated from his possession were one plastic sachet containing suspected shabu, buy-bust money and lighter.

Also, Ull Bryner B. Carbonel was arrested in Purok 7, San Juan, Tabuk May 2 by cops.