Cops dismissed
for fake blotter entry
PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon approved the
dismissal from the service of Insp. Romeo Gabriel and SPO4 Julio G. Menor, both
of the Cabanatuan police, for allegedly falsifying a blotter entry to provide an
alibi for murder suspect Jose Ma. Panlilio in 2003.
Panlilio is wanted for the killing of brothers Albert
Gutierrez and Arnel Real in Calamba City on July 15, 2003. The illegal entry in
the Cabanatuan City police blotter of a minor vehicular accident along Maharlika
Highway on the same day, where he and a Venancio Marcelo were involved, enabled
him to claim that it was physically impossible for him to have been in Calamba
on the same day the brothers were killed.
But the brothers' mother, Atty. Carmencita de Castro, found
out about the faked blotter entry and filed a complaint of falsification of
public documents and obstruction of justice against Gabriel and Menor. The
summary hearing officer, Senior Supt. Jesus Acpal, let Gabriel off with an
acquittal and Menor with a 15-day suspension. A subsequent review sought by De
Castro came out with a different ruling.
De Castro has been working for the arrest of Panlilio, the
son of the famous jeweler, since 2003. She has put up several billboards and
banners on main roads carrying Panlilio's mug shots and offering a P5 million
reward for his capture. - Raymond Africa
Pinay rape
victim in Okinawa files case
THE Filipina woman who claimed to have been raped has decided
to file charges against the erring US soldier before a Japanese court, said the
Department of Foreign Affairs.
Citing a report from consul-general Sulpicio Confiado, DFA
spokesman Claro Cristobal said the Filipina has accepted official Philippine
"support, assistance and protection for the duration of the investigation and
the judicial proceedings." He said the victim is now in the custody of the
Okinawa prefectural police.
No further details were provided by the DFA.
This came as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday
apologized to Japan while on a visit to Tokyo over another rape case involving a
14-year old Japanese girl and a 38-year old US Marine named Tyrone Hadnott. Rice
made no mention of the case of the Filipina who claimed she was raped by another
soldier in Okinawa. - Anthony Ian Cruz
Hunt on for
mother of dead infant in plane
AIRPORT immigration authorities are following the trail of
two women passengers of the Etihad jetliner in whose lavatory was found dead a
full-term baby boy last Monday. One suspect was described as busty, like a
lactating mother, and the other had requested a wheelchair; one is from Bicol,
the other from Quezon City.
Authorities said the infant found with his mouth stuffed full
of tissue paper, was around nine pounds and light skinned. Maj. Mel delos
Santos, airport chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Division, said
bloodstains in the lavatory point to the birth having taken place during the
flight from Abu Dhabi to Manila.
The Etihad plane, flight EY428, came from Kuala Lumpur, flew
to Abu Dhabi before heading for Manila.
Delos Santos said the airline crew reported finding the baby
almost two hours after takeoff from Abu Dhabi. He said they would ask the
captain to explain why he did not report the discovery of the body in advance so
that airport authorities could have been better prepared to deal with the
incident. He said it is standard practice to report any untoward incident
occurring inflight with the pilot landing at the nearest airport to report the
case to the authorities. - Jay Chua
Hip and knee
arthritis forum on March 1
THE Joint Replacement Unit, Orthopedic Multi-Specialty Center
of the Center for Patient Partnership at The Medical City, will hold a forum on
hip and knee arthritis entitled "Putting Motion Back to Life," at Conference
Rooms 1 and 2 of The Medical City in Pasig City on March 1 from 9 a.m. until
noon.
Guest speakers are Dr. Herminio Valenzuela, a joint
replacement surgeon, who will discuss the topic "Understanding Joint Pain and
Deformity" and Dr. Rolando Angelo Ochoa, another joint replacement surgeon, who
will talk on "You Don't Have to Live with Joint Pain - Surgical Options for Knee
and Hip Arthritis."
There will be free consultations for patients with hip and knee pain and free
X-ray for qualified patients from 1-4 p.m. at the Orthopedic Multi-Specialty
Center. To register, call 635-6789 ext. 6521 or Stryker Hotline 892 - 9343 /
0920-9006156.
