NEWSBRIEFS

TAGUM CITY

DPWH exec, husband shot, slain

A lone gunman shot and killed an official of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and her husband outside the couple’s home here on Monday, police on Tuesday said.

Supt. Solomon de Castilla, Tagum City police chief, identified the victims as Jovita Santiago, 48, and her 46-year-old husband, Samuel, of Block 2, Lynville Subdivision, Mankilam village.

The attack took place as the couple, both engineers assigned to the DPWH Compostela Valley district office in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley, got home from work and were about to disembark from their vehicle, an L300 van, past 6 p.m., said SPO1 Brigildo Lagula, Tagum City police investigator.

Lagula said the woman was chief of the DPWH Compostela Valley office’s planning division while the man was a regular DPWH employee.

Lagula said in a phone interview that witnesses heard gunshots and screams. “Then another burst of gunfire followed,” he said.

Witnesses saw the gunman taking a heap of documents from the couple’s vehicle, said Lagula. The suspect fled on foot.

Investigators found some of the documents, among them a certificate of land title, scattered on the ground several meters from the crime scene.

Lagula said police are considering the killings to be work-related.

Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

KIDAPAWAN CITY

Native town misses beauty queen

A hectic schedule prevented reigning Binibining Pilipinas Universe Mary Jean Lastimosa from a homecoming most awaited where she grew up, the village of Sibsib in Tulunan, North Cotabato.

The Tulunan native, though, was able to make a trip to this city, elating top officials of the province, led by North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Mendoza.

An estimated 5,000 people wearing red shirts, led by the governor, came to greet the beauty queen showering her with an applause that lasted for at least three minutes.

She didn’t say much. “Thank you so much for your support, thank you, thank you,” she told the crowd.

Her visit coincided with the “Sayaw Kutawato 2014,” a dance contest held at the provincial gymnasium in line with the 100th year founding anniversary of the province on Sept. 1.

Mendoza said Lastimoso’s newfound fame is rubbing off on the province. “You placed the province in the pedestal of the country’s ecotourism chart,” said the governor. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

BULUAN, MAGUINDANAO

From ball game, lessons in unity

Lessons in unity were drawn from a basketball game between retired professional players and a team assembled by the provincial government to dramatize the call for the people of the province to be one in supporting the peace pact between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the government.

Members of a team organized by the provincial government, Maguindanao Youth for Peace (MYP), won in a match against selected members of the Philippine Basketball Association’s Legends team, a group of retired professional players that included Atoy Co.

Co and his team flew to this town, upon the invitation of Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu.

“The more important thing is we learn to play as one even if we are from different groups,” said Mangudadatu, pointing out that the provincial government team was made up of Muslim, Christian and lumad players.

“Although they were considered amateurs, the MYP played for a common goal,” said the governor.

“This is also what we hope to achieve in the Bangsamoro entity, to defeat our common enemies of poverty and disunity as a people,” Mangudadatu added. Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao