Two highway 'robbers'
nabbed in La Castellana

A father and son tandem, both policemen, has proven effective in the arrest of two armed suspected highway robbers in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, during the weekend.

Police Officer 1 Plebe John Composa, a member of the 604th Regional Mobile Group, led a team of RMG troopers who arrested suspected highway robbers Joey Pinoy, 21, and his 16-year-old companion at Sitio Luciana, Brgy. Cabagna-an, La Castellana, while his father, Senior Inspector Placido Composa, also commanded a group of town policemen who served as the blocking force.

Pinoy and his two companions who were armed with a .38 caliber revolver, a homemade shotgun and a bladed weapon, flagged down a Canter delivery truck driven by Arnel Leonidas, and divested them of P10,000 in cash at about 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Acting on information relayed by Cabagna-an barangay residents to RMG troopers, the younger Composa and PO1 Learne Leaño, both stationed at the Mansalanao detachment, immediately conducted a pursuit operation, which led to the arrest of Pinoy and his minor colleague.

The arrest of two suspects also yielded a .38 caliber revolver, two bladed weapons and P3,206 in cash, police investigations show.

Senior Supt. Charles Calima, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, yesterday said the arrest of the two suspects was made four hours after the crime was committed.

Senior Inspector Composa, La Castellana police chief, said two other persons identified as Sabino Siason and Danilo Sarmiento who were invited for questioning, were released yesterday, in the absence of any evidence linking them to the highway robbery.

The two arrested suspects who were presented yesterday to Calima at Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City, will be charged with robbery in court, Composa said.

"It only shows that our neighborhood watch program really works," Calima said.*GPB

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EB Magalona police
get additional patrol jeep

Policemen of the E.B. Magalona Police Station were rewarded yesterday with an additional patrol jeep by a private group, in recognition of their outstanding performance in the maintenance of peace and order.

E.B. Magalona Mayor Alfonso Gamboa said the all-terrain patrol jeep was donated by the Associated Planters of Silay-Sarabia Inc. chaired by former Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Roy Gamboa, for use by the town police.

In four successive quarters of 2005, the police station of E.B. Magalona headed by Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz consistently bested 18 other municipal police stations in Negros Occidental for the best town police station award. Police records show that the E.B. Magalona Police Station was also adjudged best municipal police station in 2004.

Mayor Gamboa said the donation of the additional patrol jeep by the APSSI will boost the police mobility in reaching hard-to-reach areas of E.B. Magalona. An Isuzo Carry and Canter vehicles provided by the administration of Gamboa in previous years, and a Hyundai patrol car from Camp Crame, are now being used by the police in the maintenance of peace and order in the town.

Gamboa also re-affirmed his unwavering support to Rapiz in the implementation of law without "fear or favor" in E.B. Magalona. "I think everybody is appreciative in the enforcement of law in the town", he added.

In previous months, the administration of Gamboa also gave a computer with printer, two aircon units, five radio handsets and a digital camera to the E.B. Magalona Police Station.

This is on top of the regular gasoline and monthly allowances received by the police from the municipal government, Rapiz said.*GPB

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Sari-sari store ransacked

A sari-sari store was ransacked by two persons who took several sold items and cash at Purok Bayanihan, Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City at about 7 a.m. Friday.

Emelita Guanzon Cervantes, 39, of Hacienda Virgen, Brgy. Eufegelio, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, reported to Police Precinct 3 in behalf of his brother Johnny, 37, also a storeowner that a certain Rizaldo Lizares, alias "JR", 18, and alias Isko, 21, single, both of Purok Bayanihan, Brgy. Bata entered the establishment and took several displayed items, police reports said.

The missing items were five cases of beer, cans of corned beef, packs of cigarets, bars of laundry soap, sachets of shampoo and hair conditioner, packs of diapers, bottles of whiskey and P30,000 in cash, police reports said.

The stolen items were reportedly recovered from the residence of alias "Isko" through the help of store overseer Floremark Salve, police reports said. Lizares and Isko are still at-large and police manhunt operation is on to arrest them.

Meanwhile, Cecilia Benaspe Pastera, 21, single, of Amar Empire at Luzuriaga-Lacson streets in Bacolod City reported to Police Precinct 1 that an unidentified person who posed as customer stole a car battery at the establishment at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday, police reports said.*DMG

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