2 former Noppo chiefs
to be honored at Crame

Two former provincial police directors of Negros Occidental are among the 24 awardees to be honored today by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, at the 17 th founding anniversary of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame in Quezon City .

Police Director Geary Barias, director of the National Capital Region Police Office, will receive the Medalya ng Kabayanihan (PNP Distinguished Conduct Medal), from Arroyo, in recognition of what the police called the “exceptional display of courage and leadership” that effectively quelled the rebellion staged by Magdalo soldiers and civilian supporters during the Manila Peninsula standoff on November 29 last year.

A similar medal will also be conferred on Chief Supt. Leocadio Santiago, director of the police Special Action Force. He served as commanding officer of the defunct 334 th PC Company in Sagay City , Negros Occidental from 1985 to 1988.

Senior Supt. Nicanor Bartolome, PNP spokesman, yesterday said Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil will again receive the Presidential Streamer Award from Arroyo on behalf of his unit – Police Regional Office 1 – which was adjudged as the “Best Regional Police Officer for 2007.

The PRO 1 was also adjudged as best Police Region Office in 2006 nationwide.

Bataoil served as provincial police of Negros Occidental from 1995 to 1998, while the stint of Barias was from 2000 to 2002.

Police records also showed that the Valencia Police Station in Negros Oriental bagged the best municipal police station award, while the Police Regional Office 6 Women and Children Protection Desk got the best WCPD award (regional level).

The PNP celebrates its 17 th founding anniversary this year on the theme, “Mamang Pulis: Tagapagtaguyod ng Karapatang Pantao Tungo sa Kapanatagan ng Mamamayan.”*GPB

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4 nabbed for illegal gambling

Four persons were arrested for allegedly playing the illegal coin game “cara y crus” or “tumbo” at a sidewalk in Purok Tahong, in Bacolod City yesterday, the police said.

Christian Villanueva, 27, Michael Canlas, 23, Steve Cabisag, 23, and Richard Magallanes, 18, were arrested by Police Station 1 officers SPO4 Enriquito Gochoco, PO2's Roberto Guilaran, Jolito Roldan, and PO1 Jerome Jambaro, at Purok Tahong, Brgy. 2, in Bacolod , at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Recovered from them were three P1 cue coins and P105 worth of bet money, police records show.

“Tumbo” is among the games prohibited under Presidential Decree 1602.

The four, who admitted playing the illegal game, said they believe their apprehension was planned because of the number of officers who arrested them.

Last week, five coffee shop customers were also arrested by police officers for allegedly playing the prohibited card game, “pusoy”, in Brgy. 16, in Bacolod.*PP

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1,000 trisikads confiscated
in 2007, TMU records show

More than 1,000 trisikads were impounded by the Bacolod City Police Office Traffic Management Unit last year, BCPO-TMU records showed yesterday, but this has not brought visible improvement to the traffic.

BCPO-TMU chief, Senior Inspector Levy Pangue, said, they have been campaigning against trisikad drivers who go beyond their routes as another strategy to decongest the city's main roads. He also said that, aside from route violations, trisikad divers could also be apprehended and their vehicles impounded for lack of permits.

Pangue said most of their apprehensions were made during the last three months of 2007, when they heightened their campaign against drivers who violate their routes while celebrations like the MassKara Festival were staged.

In October last year, 458 trisikads were intercepted by traffic police officers and enforcers while 370 and 295 units were confiscated in November and December, respectively, records show.

Drivers, however, said they just take the risk of apprehension to earn more because of the increasing competition among the growing number of trisikad drivers who ply the city, especially along the barangays near the downtown area.

Meanwhile, 403 road accidents were recorded by the BCPO-TMU last month.

Traffic records show most of the accidents involved jeepneys and motorcycles, and resulted in the death of three persons.*PP

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