Curfew for minors
may save lives

The strict enforcement of curfew on minors and the roundup of vagrants may save a lot of lives as it has been shown that many minors are now involved in crimes, especially in coldblooded killings.

For example, one of the killers of Farmelo Arevalo and Glicerio Yude in Barangay Bata recently was a 19-year-old youth - Reynaldo Lobaton Vergara, of Purok Marapara, Bata. He surrendered to Canlaon City PNP Sunday.

The other suspects in the Yude and Arevalo killings were two 15-year olds and 22-year old Isagani Guinson, of the same purok.

Based on Vergara's admission, he was jailed two years ago for sniffing rugby. He denied that the Guinson group was under the influence of shabu, rugby or intoxicating liquor when the killing of the two occurred.

But he admitted that he and his companions had mauled trisikad driver, Hendrito Chavez, 41, who, he claimed, had also mauled him two days before.

Anyway, the most important thing to remember is this - the curfew for minors is not just an in thing. It is a matter of preserving peace and order and shielding the youngsters from taking in prohibited drugs. It is usually under the cover of darkness that drugs are taken in or rugby sniffed. And it is better if the children are inside their homes. That does away with their chance of getting infected by their colleagues or bad companions.

****

It is good that finally Bing Leonardia tagged the construction of a new city hall as a priority project of his administration. For years, now, Bacolodnons found themselves at a loss to explain to out-of-towners the anomaly of the decrepit city hall they have.

Among the many questions raised to Bacolodnons was how come the cities of San Carlos, Escalante, and Sagay as well as Kabankalan enjoy better city hall buildings than the richer Bacolod?

Talisay, for one, has its new and impressive city hall.

But why not Bacolod?

Well, as Mayor Leonardia points out that situation will soon be over. But he must remember that the area where that will be constructed must have a built-up one. This is because commercial and business establishments will inevitably gravitate towards the new city hall.

Anyway, that's just a pointer.

****

Friends and relatives of Ernesto Llavore my brother-in-law who died Sunday, are advised that his remains will be cremated at 9 a.m. Saturday at the Chinese Cemetery crematorium.

His ashes will be returned to Manila by his children thereafter and will be interred at the burial site of his late wife, Cora.

"Nestong", as he is better known by childhood playmates and Fabricanians, will always be remembered. He engaged in a peculiar fetish. He named his sons Ernest I to V. Inadvertently, he made sure that he will not be forgotten. His only daughter is Bonina.

I had just gone home from the wake for Nestong when I received a message from my son, Nonoy (Jose Jaime), that my good friend and colleague, Mike Asignacion, had just died. Of heart failure, presumably.

It took me by surprise, Friday, we both stopped at the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations Inc. office. And Mike looked healthy, although I noted that he had lost a lot of weight.

Mike, a mediaman and a PR consultant, had suffered a massive myocardial infraction several years back. He survived that. Just a few months ago, he had another episode that landed him in the hospital.

After that, he underwent a prolonged bed rest. But that last attack did not seemingly do him much damage. That's why I joked with him why he did not accompany Escalante Mayor Maymay Barcelona who had undergone a heart bypass.

I understand from Confed office manager Herman Santos that Mike's family had even told him yesterday that Maymay had called up Mike a few hours before the latter's demise to report on his successful heart bypass.

He was so young. Just 66 years old.

Mike is survived by his wife, Dr. Virginia Asignacion, and children - Mitchel, Mark, May Anne, Mico and Mervin.

He had one magnificent obsession - Abante Negros.

Well, Mike, Negros Occidental, despite the present crisis, seems to be doing just that. Enough comforting news so you can rest in peace.

****

As I was finishing this column, Toks (Antonieta Lopez) handed me a report that three members of an Iloilo family had been massacred. The fatalities were Cynthia Marie (Zayco), businessman Bobby Tan, and their six-year-old son.

Cynthia is better known to Negrenses as Cindy. She is the 35-year old niece by first degree of Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Isidro Zayco.

Police reportedly tagged a son by Bobby's first marriage as the principal suspect in the massacre. Motive remains unknown.

We'll try to give you more details of this story, although Nestor Burgos of the Visayan Daily STAR is expected to provide us the detailed story about that tragic massacre.

To the parents of Cindy, our condolences.*

back to top