Newsbriefs

Camarines Sur: Abducted farmer, son found dead

The bodies of a farmer and his son, who were abducted on Feb. 28, were found Thursday in an advanced state of decomposition about a kilometer from their house in Barangay (village) Pinamasagan in San Fernando town.

Senior Insp. Valentin G. Añel, town police chief, said the bodies of Martin Copino Sr., 54, and his son Jimson, 23, were identified by another son, Martin Copino Jr.

Añel said Copino Jr. knew two of at least 10 persons who forcibly took his father and brother at gunpoint inside their home in Sitio Dalomagdan. Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

Cebu City: Fashion designer, ex-cop nabbed

Police have arrested six persons, including a fashion designer and former policeman, in separate anti-illegal drug operations here.

On Tuesday, police arrested Junicar Estinoso, 39, and former policeman, in Barangay Sambag Dos. Police recovered three packs of shabu from Estinoso, who was dismissed from the service when in 2006 he used a mobile patrol car to drive into a motel.

On Wednesday, police and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested fashion designer Ivan Briones Belocura in a buy-bust operation in his boutique in Barangay Lahug. Police said Belocura sold an ecstasy pill to an undercover agent. Jhunnex Napallacan, Inquirer Visayas

Roxas City judge new CA justice

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed Judge Edward Contreras, the executive judge of the Roxas City Regional Trial Court, to the Court of Appeals. Contreras will fill the vacancy created by the death of Justice Abraham Borreta.

Contreras got the most votes from the Judicial and Bar Council in November last year. His appointment letter was signed by Mr. Aquino last Feb. 26. Felipe V. Celino, Inquirer Visayas

Bacolod City: Saint draws hundreds of faithful

The pilgrim relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, one of the most popular saints of the Catholic Church, arrived here on Monday and will remain until Thursday.

Hundreds of faithful gathered in front of churches on the route of the pilgrim relics from Kabankalan City in southern Negros Occidental to Bacolod City.

The motorcade passed through churches in Hinigaran, Pontevedra, San Enrique, Valladolid and Bago. Carla Gomez, Inquirer Visayas

General Santos City: 4 cops face torture charges

Four policemen assigned to the Lagao Police Station here have been accused of torturing a habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver.

Senior Inspector Jason Mocnangan, investigator of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Mindanao, identified the victim as Amir Kamid, 34, a resident of Sapu Masla village, Malapatan town, Sarangani.

Mocnangan said Kamid filed a complaint against four members of the Lagao Police Station who allegedly tortured him at dawn of Feb. 27.

Mocnangan said medical tests showed Kamid had, indeed, been tortured. Aquiles Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao

Lucena City: New Solcom chief takes over

Major General Caesar Ronnie Ordoyo on Monday took over as the new commander of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) based in Camp Nakar here.

Ordoyo replaced Maj. Gen. Alfredo Peralta who served as Solcom’s acting commander for over a month after his predecessor, Maj. Gen. Alan Luga, was appointed vice chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The turnover ceremony was presided over by AFP chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista.

Ordoyo, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class 1980, was the former commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division based in Camp Siongco in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. Delfin Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon