Fire razes school

BATANGAS CITY -- A 40-minute fire destroyed the buildings of Wenceslao Trinidad Memorial High School in Barangay Poblacion 1 in Laurel town in Batangas on Tuesday afternoon.

Supt. Manuel Manalo, Laurel police chief, said the fire leveled three classrooms and two other buildings. Marlon Alexander Luistro, Inquirer Southern Luzon

More areas identified for reforestation

LEGAZPI CITY -- At least 900 hectares of land have been targeted for reforestation in Bicol, the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said.

Reynulfo Juan, DENR regional executive director, said 12 contractors had already established plantations across the region, with a total contract price of P16.4 million. Jaymee T. Gamil, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Kin of woman slain in Japan seek help

ROXAS CITY -- The family of a Capiz entertainer, who was killed by her Japanese husband in Tokyo last week, has sought the transfer of her remains to her hometown.

Joefer Lopez, 32, of Bahit Mambusao, Capiz, flew to Manila on Tuesday to work for the transfer of his sister Crisanta Mahusay-Lopez’s remains with the help of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa).

Lopez said the family learned about her death from her friends in Japan.

Crisanta and her 7-month-old son, Naomasa, were allegedly killed by her husband Masayoshi Nagano. Felipe V. Celino, Inquirer Visayas

Fire guts 19th-century church, spares icons

CEBU CITY -- An early dawn fire on Wednesday gutted an 19th-century church, made of coral blocks, and an adjacent convent in Oslob town, 117 km southeast of Cebu City.

While the fire destroyed the interior of the church, including its altar, it spared the image of the parish patron saint, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, which was inside a glass case, and 73 other icons placed near the door to the bell tower.

The church was built in 1879, according to archdiocese media liaison officer Msgr. Achilles Dakay.

However, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) website (www.admu.edu.ph) said the foundation of the church was first laid on May 4, 1830, and completed 18 years later. The bell tower was built in 1858. Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas

Rebel priest decries Church, Army ‘psywar’

BACOLOD CITY -- Rebel priest Frank Fernandez on Monday called the creation of a church-military group in Negros part of the military’s psychological warfare.

In a statement, Fernandez claimed that the military would use the Church-Military Advisory Group (CMAG) Negros “to deceive the people of their true intention, being a machinery of terrorism.”

But Col. Honorato de los Reyes, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the Army would not stoop to the level of Fernandez. “His statement was a typical reaction of the rebels,” De los Reyes said. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas

Gunmen attack marble quarry trader, wife

MALOLOS CITY -- Armed men shot at the car of a marble quarry businessman in San Miguel, Bulacan, on Tuesday.

Constantino Pascual and his wife Zenaida were unhurt as they had already alighted from the vehicle when they were attacked at about 2 a.m. The couple, police said, had just arrived in their house in Barangay Salangan. Carmela Reyes, Inquirer Central Luzon