PO3 Minardo Ellaga and PO1 Joemarie Villarias (right) turn over arrested rape suspect Ricardo Lapuos to Supt. Modesto Sanson (left) at the Victorias Police Station.*

A 59-year-old grandfather facing multiple rape charges and listed among the top 20 most-wanted persons in Negros Occidental, was arrested in Purok 6, Brgy. IX, in Victorias City, Monday, after almost a year of hiding from the police.

Supt. Modesto Sanson, Victorias police chief, yesterday identified the suspect as Ricardo Lapu-os, 59, whose apprehension Monday was made by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Silay City Regional Trial Court Judge Felipe Banzon.

Sanson said Banzon has denied bail to Lapu-os.

MassKara dancers top
foreign entries in Japan fest
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced yesterday that the MassKara Festival dancers of the city had topped the foreign entries participating in the Midosuji Festival parade in Osaka, West Japan Sunday.

The participating entries included those of Peru, Ecuador, Russia, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Brazil, Hawaii, China, United States and Germany, as well as the University of Washington.

"World Class, that is what our MassKara has become," Leonardia triumphantly said.

Sugar, ethanol issues
to be tackled with DA
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The need to revive the anti-smuggling task force and tackle tariffs for ethanol and sugar to protect local sugarcane producers from cheap imports will be discussed with Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban today.

Panganiban is arriving in Negros Occidental for the inauguration of the Balay sang OPSI (Outreach Program for the Sugar Industry), which is a dormitory and training center of the Sugar Regulatory Administration in La Granja, La Carlota City, SRA Administrator James Ledesma said.

On his arrival in Bacolod, Panganiban will have breakfast with leaders of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations where concerns of the sugar industry will be raised, CONFED president Reynaldo Bantug said yesterday.