Suspected NPA hitmen
kill cop in front of wife
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Three suspected hitmen of the New People's Army Special Partisan Unit yesterday shot dead a policeman in Brgy. Inayawan, Cauayan, in what the police said could be the start of the revival of rebel assassination activities in Negros Occidental.

The victim, identified as Police Officer 3 Dan Malunes, and a member of the Cauayan Police Station, was gunned down by the suspects who were described by witnesses to be in their 20's, in front of his wife, Arnie, at the public market of Brgy. Inayawan, at about 7: 15 a.m. yesterday.

Initial police investigations show that Malunes sustained fatal gunshot wounds in the head and in different parts of his body, that led to his death. His wife was spared by his assassins, who also took his .45 caliber pistol and wallet containing cash.

MANILA – Allies of President Gloria Arroyo forced the government to approve a telecommunications contract that would have led to $130 million in kickbacks, a Senate hearing was told yesterday.

Rodolfo Lozada, an electronics engineer brought in to assess the national broadband deal, told the inquiry he was told to reduce the kickbacks to Arroyo's allies and to "moderate their greed."

The 329-million dollar contract which was won by Chinese firm ZTE has since been scrapped amid allegations of bribery and corruption involving senior government officials and the president's husband, lawyer Jose Miguel Arroyo.

Church officials in Bacolod City yesterday called for prayers for the safety Rodolfo Lozada Jr., the key witness in the Senate inquiry into the national broadband network controversy.

Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra said “I ask for prayers that God will protect from harm people who are courageous to proclaim the truth like Mr. Jun Lozada. God save our country.”

Msgr. Victorino Rivas, vicar general of the Diocese of Bacolod, also called for prayers for Lozada.