RPA-ABB member,
3 others arrested

An alleged member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade and three other persons with pending arrest warrants were arrested in the cities Bacolod and San Carlos , Negros Occidental, police said yesterday.

Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz, Bacolod Police Precinct 4 commander, said RPA-ABB member Remy Crisostomo was apprehended yesterday in Brgy. Estefania, Bacolod , by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Silay Judge Reynaldo Alon for murder.

The three other brothers of Crisostomo identified as May Art, Jorge and Renando and Jose Bayani, were earlier arrested by the police in Manapla, for similar offenses.

Rapiz said the Crisostomo brothers were charged with murder, in connection with the killing of an hacienda overseer in Manapla.

Alon has denied the four brothers bail.

Rapiz said the presence of Crisostomo in Brgy. Estefania, was tipped off to them by a concerned citizen in the barangay.

On the other hand, Senior Inspector Victorino Romanillos yesterday identified the arrested wanted persons in San Carlos as Octavio Bonghanoy who was charged with rape, Elmer Despi for theft, and Ronaldo Avelino who has a pending arrest warrant for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

Romanillos said the arrested suspects are now detained at the police station jail of San Carlos.*GPB

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2 farmers get
9 years for slay-try

Two farmers were sentenced to nine years in jail by Kabankalan City Regional Trial Court Branch 61 Judge Henry Arles yesterday for shooting at a fellow farmer three years ago.

Arturo Tigarda and Leonardo Canoy were convicted of attempted murder and were sentenced to a minimum of four years to a maximum of nine years imprisonment for shooting and wounding Nomeriano Cabarubias at about 5 p.m. on October 2, 2004.

Arles also ordered the two to be immediately remitted to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City to serve their jail terms and to pay the costs.

The two were originally charged with frustrated murder but Arles said that, although there was treachery in the attack, the qualifying circumstance of the use of superior strength was not established by the prosecution.

Court records showed that Tigarda and Canoy waylaid and shot Cabarubias, his wife, and three other people while they were on their way home in Sitio Candiacap, Brgy. Tapi, Kabankalan City , Negros Occidental.

The two denied attacking Cabarubias and instead told the court that they were doing something else, and were not in the area when the shooting happened.

They admitted, however, that Cabarubias has excluded them from the beneficiaries of the victim's land that he had volunteered to be sold under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

Arles said that the evidence against Tigarda and Canoy were overwhelming, noting the testimony of Cabarubias' spouse, Aida, who positively identified both accused.

The judge also said that Canoy's admitting to have heard about the shooting proved that Cabarubias did not invent the accusation, and that, the witnesses presented by Tigarda did not appear to be credible.

Arles said that although it was Canoy who fired the gun, both should be held liable for the offense because their acts and the circumstances point to a common purpose and design that led to conspiracy.*PP

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Revised rerouting
scheme proposed

Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. yesterday said the city government is planning to implement some revisions in the traffic scheme to prevent cane trucks from passing through Lopez Jaena Street in Bacolod City , to help decongest traffic in the area.

The city implemented the rerouting of cane trucks passing through the circumferential road to avoid accidents while the repair of the 40-year-old PHHC bridge in Brgy. Villamonte is ongoing.

Instead of proceeding to the bridge, loaded cane trucks have to turn left to Burgos Street and make a right turn to Lopez Jaena Street , make another right turn towards Tindalo Street , until they reach C.L. Montelibano Avenue and go back to the circumferential road.

The loaded cane trucks can only use this alternative route between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., while empty cane trucks, cars and jeepneys can still use the bridge.

Gamboa said Councilor Roberto Rojas has requested that 6-wheeler cane trucks, which are smaller, be allowed to pass through the city at any time of the day to decongest the circumferential road and Mansilingan of cane trucks, that are being parked along the road.

He said Bacolod Traffic Management Unit chief Senior Insp. Levy Pangue will still survey the proposed route.

Gamboa said there are members of the TMU and the Bacolod Traffic Authority who are detailed to guide the traffic along the circumferential road-Burgos Street until 2 a.m. He said the city will write the Land Transportation Office to ask for assistance in regulating traffic in the area after 8 p.m. *CGS

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