Newsbriefs

COTABATO CITY

2 killed in roadblock

AT LEAST two people were killed and 20 others were injured when unidentified armed men fired up on two passenger trucks passing by Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, on Friday, authorities said.

Insp. Lindsay Sinsuat, Datu Odin Sinsuat police chief, said the gunmen had set up a roadblock around 3 a.m. and flagged down passenger vehicles passing by the highway in Barangay Labungan.

The drivers of the two vehicles that the victims were riding in, which has more than 20 passengers each, refused to stop when flagged down by the armed men at dawn, Sinsuat said. The wounded victims were brought to hospitals here. Sinsuat said authorities had mounted a manhunt but  failed to catch up with the  armed men. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

DIGOS CITY

‘Fake’ money

A MAN, who claimed a remittance from a branch of LBC Express here on Thursday, said one of the bills handed him by the courier company’s personnel was fake, city police chief Supt. Solomon de Castilla said Friday.

De Castilla said Ivan Hope Laguna of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, reported to the police that he went to the LBC office here to claim the money that an aunt in Manila had sent him. As soon as he got the P2,500 cash from the LBC  personnel, Laguna said he went to a  store to buy some goods but was  told  that the P500 bill he gave was fake, De Castilla said.

Ric Abelleras, head of LBC Digos, said it would be difficult to prove that the fake money actually came from them. He said Laguna  made the claim only after leaving the LBC Express office. Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao

ORMOC CITY

Cashier dies

THE CASHIER of a gasoline station in Barangay Cogon this city that was held up shortly before noon Wednesday died a day after she was critically wounded.

Julie Pepito, 48, cashier of Petron gasoline station,  was shot at the back of the head when she refused to give the pouch containing P24,000 in cash.

The robber also shot and killed Gaudioso Maloloy-on Jr., 48, after he was seen trying to escape during the heist.  Elvie Roman Roa,

Inquirer Visayas

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

Girl found dead

THE BODY of a 7-year-old girl was found on Thursday in a rice field, about 500 meters away from the river where she fell in La Castellana town.

Joel Galimba, deputized coordinator of La Castellana Municipal Civil Defense, said Charie Mae Chie, a Grade 1 pupil of Sitio Cabadiangan Elementary School, was crossing a hanging bridge during a downpour about 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday when she fell about 5 meters into the Cabadiangan River.  Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas