PANGASINAN
4 dead in smashup
Four people were killed and 14 others hurt on Friday when a Tarlac-bound vegetable truck smashed into seven other vehicles along the MacArthur Highway in Rosales town, police said.
Police said the truck driver, Alex Cuenco, 40, of La Trinidad, Benguet, was navigating the Don Teofilo Sison Bridge at about 1:40 p.m. when his truck lost its brakes and rammed three tricycles, two motorcycles and a private jeep, all parked along the highway. The truck then slammed into a dump truck.
Pronounced dead at a nearby hospital were Mary Joy Gutlay, Jason Flores and Ferdinand Ancheta. The fourth fatality, identified only as Rowena, died at the hospital on Friday night. Four of those hurt remained in the hospital for serious injuries.
The smashup stopped traffic for nearly five hours in one of the busiest intersections in the area.—Gabriel Cardinoza and Yolanda Sotelo, Inquirer Northern Luzon
CAGAYAN
Forester slay suspect yields
The suspected assassin of Cagayan forester Melania Dirain surrendered to the police on Friday, three days after he was positively identified in a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage that recorded the February 7 murder in Sanchez Mira town.
Adorable Caligan Jr. of Barangay (village) Pata West in Claveria town surrendered to the Sanchez Mira police, said Cagayan police director Senior Superintendent Mao Aplasca. Caligan was turned over to the Cagayan police office “for tactical interrogation,” he said. Police said Caligan’s features were broadcast on television when authorities released the CCTV footage.
Dirain led a team of foresters which had cracked down on illegal timber poaching in Sanchez Mira.—Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon
EVENT
Divine Mother retreat
The Summit Lighthouse Study Group of the Philippines is hosting a spiritual retreat on March 2-4 at the Punta de Fabian Resort in Baras, Rizal.
Rev. David Drye, the spiritual director, and Rev. Carla Healy of the US-based Summit Lighthouse will conduct the retreat. In the “Return to the Culture of the Divine Mother” retreat, participants may learn about the ancient civilization of Lemuria and discover powerful tools to restore the peace, beauty and prosperity of that culture according to the teachings of the ascended masters.
For details, call (02)6339214, 0915-2190230 and 0918-9063572 or visit www.divinemotherretreat.org.