. NEWS ROUNDUP .
Slain mayor's family offers
reward for capture of mastermind
THE family of slain Maitum, Sarangani Mayor George Y. Yabes
yesterday offered a P300,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest of
former Maitum Vice Mayor Felix Reganit, the alleged brains behind the killing.
Ma. Fe Yabes-Falgui, the mayor's daughter, said Reganit has
been tagged by witnesses as the one who hired three men to kill her father on
Nov. 11, 2006 in Barangay Malalag, Maitum.
"Politics ang motive sa pagpatay sa father namin kasi hindi
magiging mayor itong si Vice Mayor Reganit habang mayor pa ang father namin. And
the best way to be mayor is for the incumbent mayor to be dead," Yabes-Falgui
said.
Reganit served Yabes' unexpired term then ran for reelection
in 2007 and lost. He went into hiding before Judge Jaime Infante of the Alabel,
Sarangani regional trial court could issue a warrant of arrest for him.
Also covered by the arrest warrant are Alberto Robeledo,
Allan Kamid, Abu Balunto, Monding Binasing, Badsacgan Gulinda, Mike Kamid and
several John Does.
The Yabes family said any information on the whereabouts of
Reganit can be sent to cellphone number (0929) 371-24-24. - Raymond Africa
NPA hitman gets 6 years for
illegal gun possession
A NEW People's Army hitman linked to the failed assassination
of an Army soldier in Sipalay City was sentenced to six years in jail for
illegal possession of firearms on Wednesday.
Lt. Col. Romeo Basco, 61st Infantry Battalion commander, said
convict Roger Lumanog, alias Ka Jeje and Tomas, and two other members of the NPA
Special Partisan Unit originally tried to assassinate Pfc. Jimmy Mana-ay in
Camindangan, Sipalay City last Jan 30. He said Mana-ay shot it out with his
would-be assassins and hit Lumanog in the right knee, which was why the latter
was left behind and captured when his comrades fled.
Two .38 caliber revolvers were recovered, one from Lumanog
who was brought to a hospital in Sipalay, and one from the crime scene.
Basco said Lumanog admitted belonging to Squad 3 of the
Kilusang Larangan-SouthWest, Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, under a certain Jojo
Grande. Military investigators said Grande's unit was also responsible for the
liquidation of former Cafgu members Nolito Abendan and Homer Pangilinan in March
and October last year, also in Barangay Camindangan.
Lumanog is now detained at the Sipalay PNP Station. -
Gilbert Bayoran
10 confirmed dead in
Pantabangan road mishap
CABANATUAN CITY - At least 10 passengers were confirmed dead
after a passenger bus fell into a ravine in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija at around
10:30 Friday morning.
Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, Nueva Ecija police chief, said
the D Liner bus, with body number 588, was on its way to Casiguran, Aurora from
Cabanatuan City when the driver lost control of the wheel at Kilometer 10,
between Barangay Malbang and East Poblacion of Pantabangan.
Tim Dante, D Liner superintendent, said the bus' brakes
malfunctioned at a dangerous curve near the accident-prone horseshoe road. He
said the bus was carrying 50 passengers when the mishap happened.
Pantabangan mayor Romeo Borja confirmed the initial number of
fatalities - six males and four females - based on information given by his son,
a provincial board member.
One of those reported killed was bus driver Peter Bolingat;
his conductor Revelito Alonzo saved himself by jumping out of the bus but could
not be found immediately.
Borja said there have been complaints of overspeeding by
drivers of the D Liner bus firm. He ordered police to secure all belongings of
the passengers at the town hall and mobilized the local disaster council to
assist the victims. - Jojo de Guzman
Tourist loses camera to dip
A JAPANESE tourist lost a camera worth P90,000 to a thief in
Cebu Tuesday, a belated PNP report yesterday said.
Victim Katsumi Ikeda, 58, of Konzouji Zentsuuji City and
temporarily staying at the Elegant Circle Inn at Puente Osmeña, took a passenger
jeepney along Osmeña Blvd. where the thief had a chance to take his Canon camera
from his pocket without his knowledge.
The victim noticed his missing camera a few minutes after the suspect
alighted from the jeepney. - Raymond Africa
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