3-year-old drowns

A 3-year-old boy playing near a creek, was swept away by strong currents and drowned in Bacolod City Sunday, the police said yesterday.

Mark John Lamis of Ilang-Ilang Street, Purok Paghidaet, Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod, was found floating in a creek at  Phase 1 of Regent Pearl Subdivision, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod, by Harry Artillan at about 4:28 p.m. Sunday, SPO1 Mario Siaton of Police Station 7, said.

Lamis’ grandmother, Ermela, confirmed in a television interview that the boy had been playing at the bank of the creek.

The police said the water current in the creek where Lamis drowned is usually strong, but this was the first time that somebody drowned there.*PP

back to top

Senate
decriminalizes vagrancy

The Bacolod City Police Office has not yet received official memoranda on the decriminalization of vagrancy, and the revised guidelines for presenting arrested suspects to the media, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, BCPO director, said yesterday.

In a recent post on the Senate website, the 22 new bills passed by the 14th Congress on its First Regular Session included the revision of Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code.

The current anti-vagrancy law included in Article 202 of RPC authorizes the arrests of prostituted men and women, street children, and homeless individuals.

In a national news website, Sen. Francis Escudero was quoted as saying that the SB 1965 provides equal protection to women, children and men as authorities cannot anymore recklessly and conveniently use vagrancy in arbitrary arrests.

Despite its amendment, however, Quebrar said they have not received official notice yet, but will start implementing the revision as soon as they get the proper documents.

Along with the decriminalization of vagrancy, the Senate has also passed a bill directing the Department of Justice, Philippine National Police, Interior and Local Government, and all law enforcement agencies to issue rules and regulations on the presentation of suspects under their custody to the media.

The Senate website said that the presentation of apprehended suspects should be regulated because, despite the public’s right to know, these persons are subjected to unwanted publicity that besmirches their name and reputation, and that of their family, even before they are found guilty of any crime.

Quebrar said that they are following the lead of their higher officers in presenting suspected criminals to the public through the media.

He said this is one of the measures that could enable the public to identify the individuals who may have victimized them.*PP

back to top

Vintage bomb found

The police again urged the public yesterday to observe precautions when they find old bombs after another World War II-era vintage artillery was discovered in Bacolod City Sunday.

Supt. Leo Erwin Agpangan, deputy director of the Bacolod City Police Office, said that, when found, a bomb must immediately be isolated from other people to avoid injuries or even deaths in case it explodes.

Agpangan reiterated the warning after a WWII 70-mm anti-aircraft artillery was fished out by a group of men at the coastal waters of Purok Sigay, Brgy. 2, Bacolod, at about 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Police Station 2 commander, Luisito Acebuche, said the rusting missile-shaped weapon was caught in the fishing net of the group of Edwin Arnaiz, 28, who told the officers that they had cleaned seashells that had grown around the object until they realized that it was a bomb.

Acebuche said it was fortunate that the men had not hit the primer in its rear, as this could have detonated it.

Agpangan stressed that the public must immediately inform the nearest police station if a bomb is found so trained personnel can handle it.

He said they are waiting for clearance from BCPO director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, to detonate vintage bombs found and kept over the years, including the one discovered in Purok Sigay.

Last month, two machine shop workers in Brgy. Tangub, Bacolod, were injured after a vintage bomb that they had been trying to cut with an acetylene cutter, exploded.*PP

back to top