. NEWS ROUNDUP .

Japanese shot dead in Makati bar

JAPANESE national Takahiro Asano, 42, was shot dead while three others including his live-in-partner were injured in a shooting incident the upscale Locked Up Restobar in Palanan, Makati City before dawn Friday.

Supt. Manuel Santos of the Makati police criminal investigation division said Asano, who was temporarily staying in a condominium in Palanan, sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the face and head. His wounded companions were lover Agnes Macatangay Rinon, 27; golf instructor Ruel Banares, 41; and restobar owner Jaine Antonio Beech, 38.

PO3 Nilo Sadsad said the shooter is still unknown. He said the assailant casually walked away from the bar and escaped even before responding policemen arrived. He said the gunman was 5’5" to 5’6" in height, medium built, long haired and wearing denim pants, a brown t-shirt and rubber shoes.

Witnesses said the gunman was seen drinking inside the bar before the shooting. – Ashzel Hachero

GSIS’ Elamparo sniffs at Paguia’s claim

"Patently baseless," thus said Atty. Estrella Elamparo yesterday in dismissing a call made by lawyer Alan Paguia asking the Supreme Court to sanction her in relation to the GSIS-Meralco case.

Elamparo, the chief legal counsel and spokesperson of the GSIS, said lawyer Paguia’s claim was a mere rehash of the discredited allegation made against her by dismissed Court of Appeals justice Vicente Roxas. She pointed out that a panel created by the SC and the SC itself found Roxas’ allegation against her to be without basis for, otherwise, they would have acted on it.

She called attention to the fact that Paguia was suspended by the SC in 2003 for violating the lawyers’ Code of Professional Responsibility and he remains suspended to this day. "First, he accused the SC of partisanship. Now, he wants the SC to see things his way. It’s ironic he now wants to champion the very Code which the SC said he violated with impunity," Elamparo said.

3 captured amazons sign waiver

BACOLOD CITY - The three suspected New People’s Army amazons who were captured after an encounter in Barangay Manlocahoc, Sipalay City recently signed a waiver on Sept. 30 placing themselves under the custody of the 61st Infantry Battalion, a local military spokesman said.

1Lt. Joselito Dalida, 61st IB spokesperson, yesterday said members of the so-called human rights group, Karapatan, went to their headquarters in Tiling, Cauayan, to get the captured amazons Thursday but the three refused to go with them

The three alleged rebel amazons identified as Rubelyn Gelacio, alias Ka Guia, who is pregnant, Meralyn Pedrosa, alias Ka Angel, and Rosebie Fundador, alias Ka Dyna, were released by the police on Tuesday, after the lapse of the reglamentary period for their detention.

Karapatan claimed the arrest of three by Army solders was illegal.

Police investigation showed the three had been left behind by their fleeing comrades after almost two hours of gunbattle with 61st IB soldiers last Sept. 24. Chief Insp. Arnel Arpon, Sipalay police chief, said one of three rebel amazons even led the police in the recovery of a revolver from the encounter.

Arpon added that the three amazons, who confessed to being organizers of militant organizations, said they are tired of hiding and running away from government forces in southern Negros. – Gilbert Bayoran

Former PNP intelligence operative survives liquidation

BACOLOD CITY - A policeman who used to be an intelligence operative, survived an attempt to kill him Thursday in San Jose, Negros Oriental.

Police investigation showed that PO2 Rolando Renacia was fired upon by one of two suspected New People’s Army rebels whom he had met while walking along Barangay Tapon Norte, San Jose.

Police said one of the two suspects who was carrying a knapsack and a straw bag, approached and asked Renacia if he was "Rolo." Renacia, sensing danger, drew his .38 caliber service firearm, just as the two suspects also started firing at him with an M-16 rifle.

The two suspects later fled as Renacia who was not hit, hid in the neighborhood.