Newsbriefs

SURIGAO DEL SUR

Van rams truck, 11 hurt

Eleven people were injured when a van slammed into a parked truck along the Davao-Agusan highway in Montevista town, Compostela Valley on Saturday morning police said on Saturday.

Compostela Valley police chief Senior Supt. Camilo Cascolan said investigation revealed the white Toyota Hi-Ace van driven by Roger Simpao and packed with 11 passengers was traveling along the national highway in Poblacion village around 5:30 a.m. from Bislig City when it rammed the rear portion of the Isuzu forward truck driven by Nestor Mabasag of Monkayo, Compostela Valley.

“The truck was parked at the outer lane of the four-lane highway with proper hazard lights on, when bumped by the oncoming van,” Cascolan said, quoting investigators. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

DAVAO CITY

City to fund cases

The city government will fund the case against speeding drivers, especially those caught under the influence of liquor or drugs, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said. If you don’t have the money to pursue the case, come to the city government and I will fund the case for you,” Duterte told families who might have fallen victims to speeding and reckless driving in the city.

He also warned speeding drivers tested positive of liquor or drugs that they could not escape from the law. “Beginning tonight (Sunday), whoever is caught (speeding), smelling of liquor, I order the police to hold and not to release,” he said.

“Bring them straight to the Southern Philippines Medical Center, and let them be tested for sobriety (for liquor) or drugs,” Duterte said during the Sunday television program “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa.” Duterte signed two months ago an executive order setting the speed limit of vehicles in the city from 30 kilometers per hour (kph) in crowded downtown areas to 60 kph along the highway. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao

PANGASINAN

Crimes up in 2013

The crime volume in the province tripled in 2013, according to provincial police office records. The crime volume recorded last year reached 11,918, which was higher by 7,650 cases compared to the 4,268 crimes recorded in 2012.

But the Pangasinan police said a mandate to record all criminal complaints from the villages had resulted in a “significant increase” in last year’s crime volume.

In 2012, the report said, the crime volume statistics was based solely on spot reports of high-profile or attention-drawing complaints documented by police stations in the province. Of the total crimes last year, 5,978 were index crimes (such as murder, homicide, robbery and theft) and 5,940 were nonindex crimes (violations of special laws, such as illegal logging or local ordinances). Gabriel Cardinoza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

DIGOS CITY

Jellyfish sting kills boy

An 8-year-old boy died after he was stung by a jellyfish while swimming in a beach resort in Malalag, Davao del Sur, on Friday, a report reaching the provincial police office here, said.

Gerald Relacion, a Grade II pupil at the Malalag Elementary School, was swimming at the beach in Sitio Babak in Barangay Bulacan around 2:15 p.m. with his parents when he was stung by a jellyfish, said provincial police director Senior Supt. Ronaldo Llanera.

“The victim was brought to Golingay Medical Clinic (in the said town) but was declared dead by the physician around 5:45 p.m.,” he said. Llanera said the boy died from complications due to the jellyfish poison.

A fisheries expert said victims could be saved from death if properly treated. “The common vinegar had been confirmed to effectively treat jellyfish sting,” he said. The expert said Malalag authorities should also quarantine the area and prohibit swimming there to prevent similar incidents from happening again. Orlando Dinoy and Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao