Metrobriefs

Ivler case turned over to third judge

The murder case filed against road rage suspect Jason Ivler has been re-raffled to another branch after the previous judge inhibited himself from the case. The case will be now be heard by Judge Luisito Cortez of Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 84, according to court records. Ivler is facing murder charges for allegedly shooting Renato Victor Ebarle, a son of a former Palace official, in 2009 during a traffic altercation in Santolan, Quezon City. Cortez, who is also hearing the murder case against former Abra Governor Vicente Valera, is the third judge to handle Ivler’s case. The previous judges also inhibited themselves from the case after they were accused of bias either for the prosecution or the defense. Cortez’s staff at RTC Branch 84 said that the court had yet to set a hearing date for the case.—Julie M. Aurelio

Search ongoing for missing mountaineer

Authorities have been scouring Wawa River in Rodriguez, Rizal, for any sign of the 25-year-old mountaineer who was swept away by the strong river current on Saturday and has not been found since. “Our search and rescue operations are ongoing. We have already sought the help of the Philippine Coast Guard, barangay (village) watchmen and the municipal rescue team,” Superintendent Rommel Estolano, Rodriguez police chief, said. He added that Adrian Alba, 25, a resident of Rizal, Makati, joined on Saturday a group of mountaineers in Sitio (settlement) Wawa, Barangay Rafael, where the dam is situated for a basic mountaineering course. According to Estolano, the group sought the permission of barangay watchmen and the municipal tourism council to walk around Wawa Dam. “But without the knowledge of the barangay and the tourism [council], the group proceeded to the upper portion of the river, which is 1.5 kilometers away from Sitio Wawa,” the police chief said. Initial reports said the mountaineers were crossing the river with a rope when Alba lost his grip and was immediately swept away by the current at around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. The incident, however, was reported to authorities only at noon. “We still don’t know if he’s dead. If he is, we will know it probably within the week,” Estolano said. Television reports said Alba was a hotel and restaurant management (HRM) student who was supposed to graduate this year.—Niña Calleja

Dead man found on street

A street gang member was found dead on Monday night on a busy thoroughfare in Manila. Although still unidentified, the victim was reported to be a member of the “Batang City Jail” based on a tattoo on his body, Manila Police District (MPD) homicide section investigators said. The victim was described as between 30 and 35 years old, of medium build, and apart from the BCJ gang marking also had the name “Abel” tattooed on his chest. He was clad in a black T-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. MPD homicide section reports said the victim was found with multiple stab wounds at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday on C. M. Recto Avenue near Carmen Planas Street in Binondo.—Jeannette I. Andrade

Fewer people drinking in public in Caloocan

More than three months after the city government stepped up its campaign against drinking on the streets, the Caloocan Police have reported a decrease in the number of violators. Senior Superintendent Jude Santos, city police chief, said that only 94 people had been arrested since the local government intensified its implementation of Ordinance No. 0937, which prohibits the drinking of alcoholic beverages in public places, except during special occasions like birthdays, baptismals, weddings, wedding anniversaries, Christmas and New Year, among others.—Kristine Felisse Mangunay