CALATRAVA SHOOTOUT
Technical arrest ordered
vs. 2 detachment heads

Brig. Gen. Gregorio Fajardo yesterday ordered Lt. Col. Micheller Logronio, 12th Infantry (Cadre) Battalion commander, to place under technical arrest the two Army detachment commanders who led the militiamen who figured in an alleged shootout where two civilians were killed in Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava, on March 10.

Earlier Fajardo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, also ordered the relief of Sgts. Rene Maribao and Artecy Badaran as commanders of the Bug-ang and Marcelo detachments, respectively, and recalled the firearms issued to them.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, police provincial director, told the DAILY STAR last night that Crisanto Tayobo, one of the victims in the alleged shootout, has a pending case for robbery with homicide in Metro Manila, that took place at Letex, Fairview in Quezon City, in 2001. Franco added that operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group stationed in Metro Manila had stayed for almost one month that year in Negros Occidental in a manhunt operation against Tayobo.

Police investigators are also checking if Norberto Gallego, uncle of Crisanto, has a pending case for homicide before Branch 51 of San Carlos City Regional Trial Court.

A certain Elynnel Gallego, alias Amay, a relative of the victims, has a pending case of murder in La Carlota City, and a cash reward of P300,000 has been offered for his arrest, the police said.

Gallego and Tayobo had reportedly arrived in Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava from Manila, with seven other companions.

Maribao, Badaran and six other militiamen, as well as the bodies of Gallego and Tayoba, were subjected to paraffin tests at the police Crime Laboratory early this week, to determine if they had fired guns.

If criminal charges are filed against the two detachment commanders of 12IB and the paramilitary troopers, Fajardo said they will have to defend themselves in court.

The police is set to file murder charges on two counts and frustrated murder against Maribao, Badaran, and several CAFGU members assigned at the Bug-ang and Marcelo detachments, next week.

Fajardo said two Army detachment commanders will also be restricted at the 12IB headquarters.

The police Crime Laboratory has not yet issued the results of the paraffin tests on the victims and the suspects.

On Wednesday, witnesses to the killing of Gallego and Tayoba, including Minapasok Brgy. Capt. Serafin Natial, sought help from the Commission on Human Rights in the investigation of the incident.

CHR investigator Vangie Laguardia said the families of the victims and witnesses claimed that the P5,300 in cash of Gallego was also missing.

Ex-CAFGU member Anthony Casipong who was hit by stray bullets, is now being treated at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Hospital in Bacolod City.

The firearms issued to government troopers that figured in the incident, and the Squires Bingham .38 caliber revolver allegedly recovered from Gallego were also subjected to ballistic tests at the police Crime Laboratory.*GPB

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PNP recruits deployed in city

Bacolod City police director Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar yesterday said they are "not sleeping", but are continuously monitoring the whereabouts of the 21 accused, 10 of them policemen, in the kidnapping and murder of Eleuterio Salabas in Bacolod City in August 2003.

However, Quebrar said, none of the accused policemen, have contacted him or sent surrender feelers. He said he is reiterating his appeal to the accused to surrender to police authorities to clear their names.

He said he is not disregarding reports about the presence of the accused in the city, but their investigation has shown negative results.

He said he is asking the public to inform the police in case one of the accused is spotted in the area. Earlier, former Bacolod Rep. John Orola Jr. and his brother Tomas, submitted an urgent appeal to the office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her personal intervention to attain justice for the brutal killing of Salabas, their brother-in-law, and Ricardo Suganob and Maximo Lomoljo.

The 10 accused are Chief Inspectors Clarence Dongail and Jimmy Fortaleza, Senior Inspectors Jonathan Lorilla and Bonifer Gotas, SPO2 Freddie Natividad, SPO1 Nelson Grijaldo, Police Officers 2 Dennis Belandres and Ruel Villacanas and Allen Winston Hulleza and PO1 Bernardo Cimatu.

The civilians accused are businessman Manolo Escalante, Ronnie Herrera, July Flores alias Kirhat dela Rosa, Carlo de los Santos alias "Caloy", Lorraine Abay alias Lulu, Mamerto, Elma and Elson all surnamed Cañete, Jude Montilla and Ramonito Estanislao.*DMG

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Non-iodized salt seized

Policemen and personnel of the Department of Health yesterday confiscated 61 sacks of non-iodized salt from retailers at the public market of E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.

Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz, E.B. Magalona police chief, said the sale of non-iodized salt, is a violation of Republic Act 8172, or the ASIN law.

Of the confiscated 61 and ½ sacks of non-iodized salt, 58 were taken from the possession of Angelica Jaboneta, 2 ½ sacks from Ana Dequina and one sack from Anita Omayong.

Rapiz said sacks of non-iodized salt were also seized from the same persons in previous occasions.

He added that using non-iodized salt will have a bad effect on the health of its users.

Rapiz identified the supplier of the non-iodized salt as Jose Rey Brillantes of Talisay City.

The confiscated sacks of salt, estimated to have a market value of P10,900, are now in the custody of the E.B. Magalona Police Station.*GPB

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