NEWSBRIEFS

LAGUNA

2 holdup men killed

Two robbers targeting late night commuters were killed in an encounter with police shortly after they victimized two people in Biñan City on Sunday.

Superintendent Leo Luna, city police chief, said Ronnie Elardo and Alfred Gaela Jr. first held up technician Boy Placido, 50, and took his cellphone and money at around 2:45 a.m. on Sunday in Barangay San Antonio.

An hour later, they snatched the bag of commuter Rhealyn Guan, 25, in the same area.

Alerted about the robbery, patrolling police chased the suspects and a third companion, who were all aboard a motorcycle, to Barangay Casile where they exchanged gunfire.

Elardo and Gaela died on the spot. The third suspect escaped, Luna said. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

CAMARINES SUR

Village chief shot dead

The barangay chief of Dakulang Tubig in San Fernando town was shot and killed by two unidentified men who barged into his house on Saturday night, police said.

Ronnie Olaguer was shot between the eyes and left shoulder, said case investigator SPO1 Victor Quinao on Monday.

Olaguer was a lineman of the Camarines Sur I Electric Cooperative assigned to Camaligan town, according to Jes Camara, a coworker.

He said Olaguer had been warned not to stay at his house but he refused because he had no other place to go.

Camara declined to say who threatened Olaguer.  Juan Escandor Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

NUEVA ECIJA

Rebs destroy dredgers

Six armed men believed to be communist rebels, destroyed on Wednesday two excavating equipment that were being used to dredge a river in Bongabong town in the aftermath of Typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel.”

Three of them directed Anthony Valentino, 34, and Ernesto Gulsino, 41, to alight from the machines they were operating at 5 p.m. The men then fired at the excavator and set ablaze a backhoe, police were told.

The equipment belonged to businessman Jimmy Ceña. Gulsino said he pleaded with the attackers to desist because the equipment were being used for free to help the community, and were not being used for mining. But he said the armed men paid him no heed.  Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon

MASBATE

4 hurt in NPA attack

Two Army soldiers and two militiamen were wounded when communist rebels attacked on Saturday a Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) detachment in Barangay (village) Pasig, Burias Island in Claveria town, the military said Sunday.

Wounded were Cpl Audie Estioco, Pfc Albert Borja and militiamen Melchor Monticod and Anastacio Del Rosario, said Major Angelo Guzman, spokespersonof the 9th Infantry Division.

At least 50 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels encircled the detachment at around midnight on Saturday and fired at the government troops.

Guzman said an hourlong exchange of gunfire ensued. Mar S. Arguelles, Inquirer Southern Luzon

NORTH COTABATO

Pig attacks boy

A pig, for still unknown reasons, attacked and seriously wounded a 3-year old boy in a remote village of Pikit town, police said.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, North Cotabato police chief, said Laugo Amado of Barangay (village) Paidupulangi was playing in the yard while his parents were busy with their work when one of the pigs they were raising went wild.

The animal managed to get out of the pen and bit the boy in the abdomen, Salinas said.

Neighbors helped the boy’s parents subdue the animal, he said. The boy remained in critical condition at the hospital, he added. Williamor A. Magbanua, Inquirer Mindanao