APARTMENT, HOUSE RAZED
A DUPLEX apartment and a house were razed in a fire in barangay Tabok, Mandaue City, yesterday dawn.
The fire started at 1:21 a.m. in an apartment rented by Lyndon Enero then spread to two other apartments rented by Estelita Pojadas and Roel Polistico and a house owned by Arthur Bongo.
The apartment was owned by Rosalinda Cabahug.
The fire was put out three minutes after it was reported. The cause is still being investigated.
Lyndon’s wife Nora twisted her ankle after she jumped out of a window of their burning house.
Investigators pegged the damage at P200,000. CORRRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA
TRUCK DRIVER NABBED
A TRUCK DRIVER was arrested for transporting blocks of Mactan stone without a permit in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, last Wednesday night.
Vicente Sala, 47, of barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu, is facing additional charges after he allegedly tried to bribe one of the arresting police officers.
Police said Sala was driving the truck that was flagged down by members of Task Force Kalikasan around 10 p.m. last Wednesday.
Police said the truck was loaded with blocks of Mactan stone.
Sala was unable to present papers authorizing him to transport the rocks.
He instead showed a note signed by Guada Marie Ramos, quality-control engineer of Filinvest, which is developing a property in Lapu-Lapu City.
Police said Sala tried to hand over a P500 bill to PO3 Jomar Ybañez, the team leader.
The money was rejected and the driver was warned he would be facing additional charges for the bribe attempt.
Sala was detained at the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office where the cargo was also brought.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau earlier issued a cease-and-desist order to all 15 haulers of Mactan stone in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova town due to a pending study on the extraction of the minerals. CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA
SOLDIER FACES COURT TRIAL
A SOLDIER is facing trial for allegedly failing to turn over government properties worth P66,388.
The Office of the Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices found probable cause to indict Capt. Expedito Agustin on a charge of malversation of public property.
Bail was recommended at P40,000.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by Editha Dichos, supply accountable officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Central Command.
Agustin, a former supply officer of the 6th Infantry Battalion, didn’t return government-issued batteries, a radio unit, charger, and other accessories despite repeated demands from Centcom, said the Ombudsman. REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL