News Briefs

Duterte’s New Year message: Help the gov’t

President Duterte urged Filipinos to work with the government to defeat illegal drugs, criminality and corruption this 2019.

In his New Year’s message, the President appealed to the public to welcome the new year full of hope and optimism.

“Let us all work hand in hand to defeat the ills of drugs, criminality and corruption that stunt our development,” he said. —JULIE M. AURELIO

Garin gives up 2 more guns

Iloilo Rep. Oscar “Richard” Garin Jr. surrendered two of his remaining guns on Tuesday to the San Juan City police following the cancellation of his gun permits after he allegedly beat up a police officer.

Senior Supt. Dindo Reyes, city police chief, said Jason Tabag, a political affairs officer of the lawmaker, arrived with two companions at the police station around 8 a.m. on Tuesday to turn over two guns and several bullets.

Garin reportedly owned a house at Platinum 2000 in Annapolis, Greenhills, where the weapons were being kept.

Reyes said the lawmaker turned over a Colt 5.56-mm rifle with four magazines and a .22-caliber pistol with two magazines.

Over 100 bullets for both guns were also surrendered. —JHESSET O. ENANO

Bill favors big spenders among candidates

Big spending candidates in the 2019 midterm election will benefit if Congress succeeds in passing a bill raising campaign spending limits, one of the measures the Senate will prioritize at the resumption of plenary session on Jan. 14.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III identified the bill proposing an increase in the spending limit of candidates and political parties as one of the key measures his chamber would try to enact before the campaign period for the midterm election in May. —DJ YAP

Death highway claims another life

Another woman was killed crossing the national highway at the village of Sinaliwan in Matanao town, Davao del Sur province, on Sunday, becoming the latest fatality of a series of road accidents on the Davao-Cotabato highway.

Senior Insp. Renato Uy, Matanao police chief, on Monday said Archimedes Polangcos, 73, resident of the place, was crossing the highway at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday when hit by a speeding tricycle heading to Digos City.

Polangcos died at St. Benedict Medical Hospital where she was rushed after the accident.

The highway has become notorious for accidents because of the absence of road signs and pedestrian lanes.

There was no ordinance limiting speed along the highway.—ORLANDO DINOY

Regional cops get new, Israeli firearms

The police force in the Soccsksargen region has been equipped with more than 1,000 new high-powered firearms, worth at least P78 million, to fight communist rebels and crime syndicates.

Chief Supt. Eliseo Rasco, Soccsksargen police chief, said the regional police office received 410 units of Israel-made Galil assault rifles, 450 units of Emtan assault rifles and 225 units of 9-mm Canik pistols.

The new firearms were handed over late last week to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 12 as well as to the provincial and city police commands, Rasco said.

Soccsksargen has at least 4,000 policemen, including rookies.

Supt. Aldrin Gonzales, regional police spokesperson, said the Soccsksargen policemen had suffered insufficient number of firearms in the past.

Some of the firearms cannot be used anymore due to wear and tear, he said. —BONG SARMIENTO

Son of Zamboanga del Norte town mayor freed after 1 year

After more than a year in captivity, the son of Mayor Eddie Quimbo, of Labason town, Zamboanga del Norte, province, was freed by Abu Sayyaf in the town of Patikul.

Chief Supt. Emmanuel Licup, regional police director, said Jed Quimbo was freed past 4 p.m. on Dec. 30.

Jed was kidnapped on Sept. 6, 2017, by six unidentified men who forced him at gunpoint into a van.

Licup said after Jed’s release, he was handed over to his brother, Justin, at the residence of former Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan.

Jed will undergo debriefing and medical checkup at Camp Teodulfo Bautista Station Hospital.

He would be transferred to another hospital after. —JULIE ALIPALA