Newsbriefs

Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, Quezon police chief, tapes the muzzles of his men’s guns. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

CALABARZON

War on illegal firecrackers: 7 held

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Laguna—Police arrested seven people in their campaign against illegal firecrackers in the provinces of Laguna and Cavite.

Senior Superintendent Pascual Munoz, Laguna police chief, said one of those arrested was Jeffrey Ambayec, 29, whose house in San Pedro, Laguna, yielded at least P500,000 in illegal firecrackers.

In Cavite, police arrested Rowena Oliver, Rudy dela Paz, Zaldy Saliva, Gerry Oliver, John Michael Abod, and Cris Mark Cabugnason in Imus City past 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Police seized from the suspects 100 kilograms of gunpowder, according to Senior Supt. Alexander Rafael, Cavite police chief.

Members of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police will tape the muzzles of their guns on Saturday as part of a continuing campaign against indiscriminate firing of guns during the New Year revelry.

Police chiefs and station commanders will lead their men in sealing gun barrels at the provincial and municipal police stations in the region.

Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

QUEZON

Fire guts parts of public market

Fire destroyed parts of the public market of Sariaya, Quezon, on Thursday.

Senior Superintendent Valeriano de Leon, Quezon police chief, said the fire started past 5 p.m. at the dry goods section. It lasted for nearly two hours. No casualties were reported.

Florencio Mercurio, senior fire officer 4, said firemen who were not on duty reported back to their station and helped put out the market fire.

Vendors said the fire was the third to hit the town’s public market. Fires in 1989 and 1992 destroyed the entire market which had been rebuilt since. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon