P.6 M lost in burglary
at Bacolod subdivision

More than half a million pesos in cash and valuables were taken by robbers from a residence in a high-end subdivision in Bacolod City during the weekend.

SPO2 Nilo Sumagaysay, Police Station 3 Intelligence and Investigation chief, said that they are looking deeper into the burglary reported at the house of Theresa Espinosa at Sta. Clara Subdivision Phase 2, Brgy. Banago, in the city, at about 5:30 a.m. Saturday.

Espinosa, 37, told investigators that unidentified persons took more than P600,000 in cash, cellphones, and jewelry, that included a .60 karat diamond valued at P130,000, police reports said.

Espinosa said her helper, Madeline, also surnamed Espinosa, discovered the burglary when she saw her employer's black shoulder bag at the garage of the compound, with its contents scattered, police records showed.

Investigation by PO1 Donnie Garcia showed that the robbers may have climbed up the wall of the compound, destroyed the window of the room adjacent to Espinosa's, and fished out the bag from a table in her room, with a wooden pole.

Sumagaysay, however, said, they tried to reenact the act of taking out the bag but found it too difficult, and the robber could have risked waking her up while doing it.

He said they could not make a conclusion on what really happened yet and are still looking into other angles of the incident.

Sumagaysay also said they plan to get the fingerprints of all the tanods plying the area near Espinosa's house after a witness told them that a driver was seen near the compound at the time of the burglary.*PP

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IN SIPALAY
4 cops probed for
gambling activity

A police colonel and three of his policemen are now in hot water for illegal gambling activities at the police station of Sipalay City , Negros Occidental that had been caught on video footages by a television network last week.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, yesterday ordered an investigation of Supt (lieutenant colonel) Jomil John Trio, Sipalay police chief, three of whose policemen were caught in the act of playing cards inside the police station, which was shown in a V Patrol newscast aired over ABS-CBN Bacolod.

Franco said Trio was being investigated with the policemen under the principle of command responsibility, being the city police chief of Sipalay.

The Sipalay police station was reported last year to be among the targets of rebel attacks, following the unsuccessful assault of San Jose police outpost by an estimated 30 New People's Army rebels in December 2006.

Twenty Sipalay policemen, including Senior Inspector Bonifer Gotas, then city police chief, were relieved and went through re-training, after the escape of five inmates, in 2005.

Meanwhile, acting Sipalay City police chief, Chief Inspector Arnel Arpon, yesterday said that restoring the credibility and productivity of the city's law enforcers will be among his priorities as he took over the post effective Monday.

Arpon told the DAILY STAR that he will encourage his personnel to cooperate as they change the precinct's system, especially after the relief of the station's four police officers, including Trio.

Also relieved were PO1's Albert Manguilimotan, Glen Galilea, and Joel Ambagan, who were caught by a television crew engaged in the card game “tong-its” while at the station.

Franco had said that the four have been temporarily assigned to the NOPPO while under investigation.

Arpon, who has served as the Operations Branch chief of the Bacolod City Police Office last year, said he will try to enhance his members' self-discipline to ensure that what had happened will not be repeated.

On the part of law enforcement, Arpon said their drive against illegal gambling and their cooperation with the Sipalay City Bantay Dagat will be among their main concerns.*GPB/PP

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Raps readied vs. gunman
in slay of Talisay kagawad

Murder charges are now being readied against the suspect in the killing of a Talisay City barangay kagawad in Bacolod City , the police said yesterday.

SPO2 Nilo Sumagaysay, Police Station 3 Intelligence and Investigation chief, said they are finalizing the evidences and affidavits of witnesses in the killing of Brgy. Zone 12, Talisay City kagawad, Felomino Paragat, 64, on December 28.

Bystanders found the wounded Paragat near his Izuzu Fuego pick-up truck beside a flower shop at Lacson Street , Brgy. Bata, in the city. He died later at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital from the gunshot wounds in his head, police records showed.

Police Station 3 commander, Senior Inspector Leonardo Borromeo had said that business disputes between Paragat and his partners at a farm he leases in Murcia town, Negros Occidental, could have triggered the killing.

Sumagaysay said they have already identified the suspect but they cannot divulge his name yet in order not to jeopardize the case.

He said that one of the witnesses who saw the gunman with Paragat has positively identified him as the companion of the barangay official before he was shot.

Sumagaysay said the elements of murder are also strong because of previous threats by the suspect after confrontations between him and Paragat, investigation showed.*PP

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