2 sprayer planes crash

TAGUM CITY -- Two planes used as crop dusters in Panabo City and Asuncion town crashed separately for still undetermined reasons in Davao del Norte early Monday, nearly a week after another light plane went down near an airstrip in a banana plantation in Tagum City.

The pilots in the latest crashes, identified as Bryan Ted Prediglorio and Capt. Ramie Albora, were only slightly hurt and were brought to the hospital, said Senior Supt. Benilito Bianzon, provincial police chief.

One of the planes, owned by Mactan Aviation and hired by Tagum Agricultural Development Corp. (Tadeco), went down in Barangay Upper Sindaton in Panabo at 8:15 a.m. while conducting “spraying runs,” said Chief Insp. Raymundo Lozano, city police chief.

The other, a turboprop owned by Dole Philippines, crashed in Purok 1-B in Magatos, Asuncion, at 9:30 a.m. while landing on an airstrip. Frinston Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

Land mine wounds 3

DAVAO ORIENTAL -- A junior officer and three other soldiers were wounded in a land mine explosion during a military operation against communist rebels in the hinterland village of Baganga, Davao Oriental, on Monday, the military reported.

One of the soldiers remained in critical condition, said Maj. Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command based in Davao City, but he did not name the soldier. The rest had only minor injuries, he said. Frinston Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

Cell site attack foiled

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna -- Police continued to hunt rebels who tried to bomb another Globe cell site in Paete, Laguna.

In a text message, Senior. Supt. Manolito Labador, provincial police director, said the men, who wore bonnets and were armed with two .45 cal. pistols and long firearms, attacked the cell site in Sitio Macumbo, Barangay Quinale, at around 6 p.m.

But police foiled the attack and drove the rebels away. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

Gaming firm sends help

EVENTS -- In response to government efforts to control the typhoid outbreak in Real and Infanta, Quezon, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, through its Sagip Tulong ni Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, immediately deployed a team of doctors and health workers to help typhoid victims in the province.

Pagcor’s medical team, said a press release, recently provided free consultations and emergency medical services to more than 1,500 residents.

It also donated medicines and kits to detect typhoid.

Fund-raising for sick kids

BAGUIO CITY -- Comedienne Ai Ai delas Alas is main performer at the concert “For Heart’s Sake” at 7 p.m. on Dec. 6 at Crossroads 77 on Mother Ignacia Ave. in Quezon City to raise funds for children with heart diseases.

Delas Alas and singer Erik Santos are performing for 500 children who are on the waiting list for open heart surgery at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC).

These children are supported by the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF), which financed the surgeries of Baguio and Benguet children through fund-raising concerts.

This is the fifth “For Heart’s Sake” concert to be produced by CHF and PHC.

Henry Lim, CHF chair, said they have underwritten the surgeries of 30 children.

He said the number is small when weighed against the high incidence of children with heart ailments. He cited statistics that show that three out of 100 children suffer from congenital heart diseases. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon