NPA claims Sagay raid

The New People’s Army Roselyn Jean Pelle Command has claimed responsibility for disarming of two paramilitary men assigned at the Community Police Assistance Center in Brgy. Vito, Sagay City.

Supt. William Senoron, Sagay police chief, yesterday said the rebels’ admission was contained in leaflets left behind by the armed men who raided the center at the wharf of  Brgy. Vito, about 16 kilometers away from the city proper, Friday night.

Ka Ester Estrella, spokeperson of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command, said in a statement that  the disarming of two militiamen of their M-14 rifles, confiscation of two .38 caliber pistols with 12 ammunition, three police uniforms, two pairs of combat shoes and two cell phones,  is part of a nationwide tactical offensive ordered by their higher command.

The two paramilitary men  were divested of their firearms by  armed men, who fled on board a pump boat, and withdrew towards the territorial waters of Escalante City, Senoron said.

The COMPAC is manned by three policemen and two militiamen. However, the two policemen on-duty – SPO2 Malinter Gatinao and SPO1 Remegio Cabaluna - had just left the outpost for  dinner when the raid took place, police investigations showed.

Senoron said the “rebel raiders” were backed up by their comrades who also established a blocking force in Sitio Iba, Brgy. Andres Bonifacio, Sagay City, and immediately left the area after the raid.

Police investigators noted an apparent similarity in the pumpboat used in the attack of a marine sanctuary outpost at Maca Reef last year also in Sagay City, and in the raid of the police assistance center.

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command had also  claimed responsibility in the assassination of three supporters of Vice Mayor Santiago Barcelona in Escalante City last year.*GPB

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‘Curfew ordinance needs
barangay participation’

Bacolod City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, yesterday said the revival of the “strict” implementation of City Ordinance No. 331 or curfew for minors needs the support of barangay leaders, if it is to succeed.

A week after the renewed campaign for the curfew enforcement, Quebrar said barangay officials and tanods are vital in ensuring that no minors are roaming around late at night because the police cannot cover every place in the city.

The initiative came almost five years after the law, dubbed as the "Special Protection of Children During Nighttime Ordinance," was approved by the Bacolod Sanggunian in June 2003.

Authored by then councilor Ana Marie Palermo, the law imposes a six-hour curfew starting 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day on persons below 18 years old, except if they are out with their parents or guardian, or any responsible relative who may vouch for their character or behavior.

Quebrar said they have met with the Liga ng mga Barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan, and the Department of Social Services and Development in Bacolod, to strengthen coordination on the enforcement of the ordinance.

Quebrar said their renewed campaign is aimed at discouraging minors from entering bars at night after a number of nightspot riots, involving teenagers that left several people dead and injured happened in the city.*PP

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Boy swept by current
now safe – rescuers

A 10-year-old boy was rescued by emergency workers after he was swept away by strong river currents in Bacolod City Saturday, the disaster coordinating council said yesterday.

Dino Panonsio of Purok Kawayan, Gonzaga Extension, Bacolod, was rescued by Bacolod DCC members Saturday afternoon and is now stable, Donna Palma of the BDCC, said.

Panonsio was brought to the Doctor’s Hospital and was later transferred to the Corazon Locsin Monteliano Memorial Regional Hospital, Palma said.

Bombo Radyo reported that Panonsio and two other boys were playing at a river at Gonzaga Extension, when they were swept away by strong currents.*PP

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