Suspected military agents on PUP campus
Tension rose Friday at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines after four military intelligence agents were caught allegedly undertaking surveillance operations on student leaders during a program inside the school’s Sta. Mesa campus in Manila. The men were identified as Jacob Sta. Maria, Nestor Estoesta, Emmanuel Belmonte and Jerry Alfon. Supt. Jimmy Tiu, chief of Manila Police District Station 8, claimed the students became unruly and even beat up Alfon, prompting him to call members of the MPD Special Weapons and Tactics. Anakbayan national chair Ken Ramos said pictures of Central Student Council chair Krishna Ayuson were recovered in the camera of one of the suspected agents. The men refused to talk or even give their names to the students who were later able to get the information from the police who detained the suspects. “They refused to tell us their motives. But it was clear that they intended to spy on and intimidate us,” Ayuson said. Tina G. Santos
‘Dating Daan’ head faces falsification charge
Ang Dating Daan leader Eliseo “Ely” Soriano and two others were charged with falsification of public document at the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office Friday for allegedly faking a certificate of detention in order to post bail for rape charges against him. The Church of God International supreme head, who was indicted for the alleged rape of a male follower, was sued for violation of Art. 171 of the Revised Penal Code with PO3 June Gumaru of Station 10 in Pandacan and bondswoman Belen Talentado in the complaint filed by the Criminal Investigation Detection Group-Manila on Thursday. CIDG-Manila chief Supt. Joaquin Alva said their investigation showed that Soriano never surrendered nor was he arrested or detained at the Pandacan station on June 21, but a certificate of detention was still issued on his behalf by Gumaru. Allison W. Lopez
Grisly discovery inside taxicab
A 45-year-old taxi driver made a startling discovery Friday after a passenger disembarked from his cab without paying his fare in Quezon City. Wilfredo Trandillo, driver of Bigie Taxi and a resident of Novaliches, found two jars with a heart and intestines floating in chemicals on the floor of the rear passenger seat of his vehicle. Trandillo immediately turned over the jars to the Quezon City Police District Kamuning police station 10. He said a passenger in his early 20s had flagged him down on Ligaya Street in Malibay, Pasay City and asked him to stop at an automated teller machine along Aurora Boulevard in Cubao so he could withdraw money. The man disappeared shortly after. Cheated of his fare, Trandillo decided to rest at a hotel parking lot on Mother Ignacia Avenue. He found the jars while he was cleaning his cab. QCPD investigators turned over the jars to the Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory for examination. Jeannette I. Andrade
Del Pilar bust turned over to journalists
A bust of Filipino patriot Marcelo H. del Pilar, a.k.a. Plaridel, made by Anastacio Caedo, assistant of renowned sculptor Guillermo Tolentino, will be turned over to the Samahang Plaridel – the association of veteran journalists, editors, publishers and communicators – today as part of the 158th birth anniversary celebration of the acknowledged patron of Filipino journalists. The bust was recently uncovered by Nestor Vera Cruz, a collector of Filipiniana memorabilia. Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, other city officials and Samahang Plaridel officers will also lay wreaths at the Plaridel monument at 9 a.m. today at Plaza Plaridel in Manila. Former Press Secretary and Samahang Plaridel vice chair Rodolfo T. Reyes will read a tribute to Del Pilar written by writer/historian Carmen Guerrero-Nakpil. Samahang Plaridel chair Neal H. Cruz and president Rolando G. Estabillo said they would add the bust to the growing collection of historical memorabilia on Del Pilar.
