NEWSBRIEFS

COTABATO CITY

Conjoined twins born

Another conjoined twins were born in Cotabato city, the second here in three months.

A nurse, who requested anonymity for having no authority to speak about it, confirmed the twins were born via Caesarian operations at the Cotabato Medical Specialist Hospital on Friday.

The nurse said the girls’ chests were attached to each other but they have separate genitals. Doctors say the twins were in critical condition and a series of tests have been ongoing since.

Raida Kamaong, the twins’ mother, said she never expected giving birth to conjoined twins as her ultrasound examination only revealed she was having twins.

Media and kibitzers were not allowed inside the hospital to ensure the safety of the twins, the second since November when conjoined twins were also born at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center.—Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

DUMAGUETE CITY

Guns for hire nabbed

Authorities on Sunday arrested two alleged guns for hire who were linked to last year’s shooting of a councilor in Bayawan City.

Several firearms, a hand grenade and assorted ammunition were seized from the homes of Jasper Tanasan, 36, and Pacito Libron, both of Bayawan City, during raids conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation and provincial police.

The two were among those tagged in the shooting of Bayawan Councilor Victoriano Alabastro inside the Negros Oriental State University in Barangay (village) Villareal, Bayawan, on June 24.

Tanasan denied any involvement in the attempt to kill Alabastro. He said he didn’t own the hand grenade found in his house during the raid.

Libron refused to issue any statement.

Both were detained at the headquarters of the Negros provincial police office in Sibulan town.

Superintendent Alet Virtucio, deputy provincial police director, said the M-16 rifle found in the house of Libron would be subjected to ballistics to determine if it was the same firearm used in shooting Alabastro.—Florence Baesa, Inquirer Visayas