Man facing rape raps
filed by stepdaughter

A 29-year-old man was arrested Saturday by the Bacolod police for allegedly raping his 14-year-old stepdaughter several times in Purok 27, Paglaum Village, Brgy. Mansilingan in Bacolod City.

Arrested was Roperto Banday, 29, of the same place who was accused of molesting and sexually assaulting his stepdaughter since she was eight years old, police reports said.

The complainant, a first year high school student, told the police that Banday had molested her at noon sometime in April 2005 and attempted to repeat the act Saturday, but she escaped and reported the incident to Police Precinct 7, police reports said.

The complainant was accompanied by her mother in seeking assistance from the Bacolod Women and Children's Concern Desk and for filing criminal charges against Banday, who is now detained in the lock-up cell of Police Precinct 7, police reports also said.*DMG

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Valladolid residents who turned over
guns may avail of livelihood program

Good news for persons who surrendered their firearms to the Valladolid Police Station.

The 13 civilians who had turned over their guns to the police may not only be given recognition but will also avail of the livelihood programs of the municipal government of Valladolid headed by Mayor Ricardo Presbitero, town police chief Rico Santotome said.

Within six days, Santotome yesterday reported that nine homemade shotguns, three .38 caliber revolvers, a .22 caliber rifle and a fragmentation grenade and eight live ammunition were surrendered by 13 Valladolid residents.

The owners of surrendered firearms were identified as Jonathan Urdas, Joan Penas, Bonifacio Villaruel, Eduardo Tambanillo, Antero Estrabon, Ireneo Neolpes, Abraham Dolorfo, Jerry de la Cruz, Bonifacio Castanos, Hernan Hermosa, Elvis Biaoco, Rizaldy Vergara and Felizardo Maglantay.

Maglantay surrendered the fragmentation grenade on Saturday to Santotome, in line with the police campaign for a "gunless society" in Valladolid town.

Santotome said the intensified campaign against the proliferation of loose firearms is also in support of the various anti-criminality programs of Senior Supt. Charles Calima, police provincial director.

He also cited the support of the community and local government executives, particularly that of Presbitero, which contributed a lot in convincing town residents to surrender their unlicensed firearms.

Santotome said he will turn over the surrendered firearms to Calima today at the Social Hall of the Valladolid municipal hall, for proper disposition.*GPB

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Task Force Columbia
formed to solve heist

A composite team of policemen called "Task Force Columbia", was formed by Senior Supt. Charles Calima to ensure coordinated efforts in the immediate identification and arrest of seven armed men who took about P1 million in cash and checks from a delivery van at Hacienda Carmenchika, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, on Dec. 28.

Calima yesterday met with members of the Task Force Columbia headed by Chief Inspector Alan Servida, with members Senior Inspector Argel Ancheta, and Inspectors Mary Rose Salve Gaspillo, Perfecto Goc-ong and Ruben Dejucos, on strategies to fast-track the arrests.

The victims of the highway robbery, employees of the Columbia Marketing, were invited for questioning. The police is entertaining the possibility of an "inside job" in the successful operations of the suspects.

Calima encouraged policemen involved in the manhunt of the seven armed suspects to have a "sense of urgency" in the solution of the case.

He also said the task force now has a set of suspects, and they are following some leads.

Calima, however, refused to elaborate on the details of their operations.*GPB

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