NEWSBRIEFS

TAGUM CITY

1 dead in buy-bust

A person was killed and three others were apprehended in an anti-illegal drug operation by police in a coastal village here on Saturday, authorities said on Sunday.

Roger Lumanta, alias “Bapa Roger,” died of bullet wounds after a brief firefight with lawmen following a buy-bust operation at Purok 2, Barangay Madaum, around 4 p.m., said Senior Supt. Samuel Gadingan, Davao del Norte police chief. Arrested during the raid were Jeffrey Valenzuela, Joni Musa and his brother Rolly, who are all residents of the village.

Lawmen recovered several sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride, or “shabu,” and drug paraphernalia from the suspects, as well as a homemade .38-cal. revolver and pieces of ammunition from the slain man. Police also seized cash, cellular phones and a motorcycle during the operation. Charges for violating the antidrug law are being readied against the suspects, Gadingan said. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

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FISHERMEN on Monday find a sea turtle entangled in their fishing net as they pull it to the shore of a public beach in Barangay Libsong East here. The turtle, measuring

110 centimeters (3.6 feet) long and  80.4 cm (2.6 feet) wide, was carried by the fishermen to a beach shed, where they poured seawater on it while waiting for scientists from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to identify it. Rudy Altre, a fisherman, said it was the third time in the last three years that they caught a sea turtle in the Lingayen Gulf. “But this one’s the largest so far,” he said.

Gabriel Cardinoza/Inquirer Northern Luzon