• NEWS ROUNDUP •

THE Court of Appeals has given its go-signal to the Quezon City regional trial court to proceed with the hearing of the P20 million estafa case against businessman Felix Chingkoe in connection with the alleged illegal sale of polyester Shilon fiber in 2000.

The case stemmed from the complaints filed by lawyer, now senator Francis Pangilinan and retired Constabulary Gen. Edgardo Abenina.

The CA denied the argument of Chingkoes that the court usurped the investigatory power of the Department of Justice when it nullified the resolution of then Justice Secretary Simeon Datumanong ordering the Quezon City prosecutor handling the case to withdraw the estafa complaint against Chingkoe and his wife filed for lack of probable cause.

Based on court records, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), acting on Chingkoe’s petition, created a management committee (Mancom) in 2000 to take control and custody of the assets and properties of DKC Holdings Corp. which he owns including its 33 subsidiaries.

Mancom entrusted the raw materials for safekeeping to Chingkoe who subsequently disposed of them without Mancom’s knowledge and failed to account for the goods when asked to do so. – Evangeline C. de Vera

POLICE are now looking for the two motorcycle-riding men who repeatedly shot and killed 73-year-old midwife Leoncia Legaspi in Pasay City on Monday morning.

Legaspi of Camia Street, Pasay, expired while undergoing surgery at the Pasay City General Hospital. She sustained multiple bullet wounds in different parts of her body, case prober PO3 John Baligat said.

Also injured during the attack was bystander Dante Leveros, 29, a laborer of Protacio Extension, Pasay. He is confined at the same hospital after a stray bullet landed on his back.

Legaspi was being driven on a pedicab by Sonny Sadiwa on her way to Evangelista Street in Makati when the shooting took place along Protacio Street outside Mega Park Condominium at around 10:40 a.m.

Sadiwa said the man seated behind the driver of the motorcycle sprayed Legaspi with bullets.

Investigators have dismissed the angle of robbery as the victim’s valuables were all intact. – Ashzel Hachero

AT least 20 families were left homeless as fire razed five houses in Makati City before dawn Tuesday.

The fire reportedly started at the two-storey boarding house owned by a certain Adelle Jaucian at 6590 E. Ramos St., Barangay Pio del Pilar at about 3:05 a.m. Fire fighters declared the blaze under control at about 4:15 a.m.

The fire injured one of the boarders, Shane Peque, 21, who sustained a minor laceration on her left forearm due to falling debris. Damage was estimated at P1 million.

Senior Fire Officer 1 Francisco Sergio said they have yet to determine the cause of the fire despite speculations that it was caused by faulty electrical wiring.

Just hours earlier, another fire burned the Pineda, Mastura, Valencia Law Office at the 2nd floor of Raja Soliman Bldg in 108 Benavides St., Barangay San Lorenzo. The hour-long fire, whose cause is still under investigation, reportedly damaged P20,000 worth of property.

The two fires were the second and third in Makati City since Jan. 1. – Ashzel Hachero

3 suspected robbers die in shootout

THREE still unidentified men were killed in an alleged shootout with police Monday afternoon in Angono Rizal.

Senior Supt. Ireneo Dordas, Rizal police director, said the three fatalities were tagged as armed robbers in Rizal as in Metro Manila. Police reportedly received a tip on where they were hiding out along Baytown Road in Barangay Kalayaan.

The trio allegedly opened fire at the policemen, triggering the firefight. – Christian Oineza