Amok kills 2

A bodyguard of a local politician ran amuck on Sunday, killing two persons before being shot dead by militiamen in Datu Montawal town.

Capt. Anthony Bulao, speaking for the 602nd Infantry Brigade, said Rahib Ali, 38, was after his former boss, Mokmad Andoy, former head of the Association of Barangay (village) Captains of Pagalungan town, also in Maguindanao.

Ali, a close-in security aide of Datu Montawal Vice Mayor Annie Montawal, was armed with an M-16 Armalite rifle when he opened fire on Andoy, who was visiting the vice mayor.

Andoy survived unharmed but his nephews, identified as Nasser Alba and Andala Macapalao, were killed. Militiamen shot and killed Ali.

Bulao said Ali was believed high on drugs when he went on a rampage. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

NAGA CITY

P8 pay hike

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB or wage board) has approved this month an P8 increase in the daily minimum wage of agricultural and nonagricultural workers in Bicol.

Nathaniel V. Lacambra, head of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bicol and chair of the wage board, signed the order that granted workers in establishments with more than 10 employees a minimum daily wage of P260 starting next year and those in establishments with 10 or fewer workers P236 per day.

The current wage in Bicol for establishments with more than 10 workers is P252 per day.

Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

CAVITE

Gunpowder seized

Police seized more than 50 kilograms of gunpowder and explosive chemicals from three persons believed to be illegally manufacturing pyrotechnics in Imus City, Cavite, just days before New Year’s Day.

Superintendent Redrico Maranan, Imus City police chief, on Saturday identified the arrested suspects as Percival Topacio and relatives Elmer and Conrado Saliva.

Members of the Imus police and Cavite’s Special Weapons and Tactics team raided the suspects’ shanty in Barangay (village) Malagasang 1B.

Police seized 53 kg of gunpowder, chemicals, 150 different types of firecrackers ready for sale and about 1,000 pieces of “unfinished products.”

Maranan, in a phone interview, quoted the suspects as saying they spent P200,000 on the firecracker ingredients, which came from Bulacan. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

CATANDUANES

Brooms for Leyte

At least 2,500 soft brooms, the primary product of Catanduanes province, were delivered to survivors of Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in Leyte along with relief packs, other gifts and financial support from local government units in the province.

Ramil Soliveres, Catanduanes capitol spokesperson, said the goods were sent to Leyte days before Christmas and were supposed to have been distributed by now to beneficiaries in Palo and other Leyte towns.

The brooms were purchased by the provincial government from local producers in Catanduanes and were delivered last Dec. 22, Soliveres said. Shiena Barrameda,

Inquirer Southern Luzon

EVENT

Firm donates

A Mindanao-based company has delivered what it said was P3.5 million worth of relief to residents of areas other than Leyte that had been hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas.

In a statement, Alcantara Group, which runs several power plants in Mindanao, said it had gathered and delivered at least 6,000 relief kits worth P3.5 million to residents of Roxas City and other areas in Capiz province.