NEWSBRIEFS

CAVITE CITY

Fire hits school

CAVITE National High School in Barangay 41 lost about P1.5 million in property after fire struck its campus on May 16, according to an initial report from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon).

No one was reported hurt, but three classrooms were damaged in the fire that started at around 11 p.m. at the Math Building, said FO3 Jun Bermudez of the BFP Cavite City.

The fire lasted for 90 minutes. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon.

BATAAN

Gunrunning suspect

POLICE arrested a suspected gunrunner on Wednesday during an entrapment operation at a hotel in Hermosa town in Bataan.

Dionisio Mergal, 33, a native of Samar, had been allegedly selling unlicensed guns since 2001, Superintendent Arnold Gunnacao, provincial police director, said.

Mergal tried to fire a homemade revolver at the arresting lawmen, but the gun did not go off, Gunnacao said.

Police said Mergal had been detained several times in the past on charges of illegal gun possession. Greg Refraccion, Inquirer Central Luzon

NUEVA ECIJA

Councilor hunted

A MUNICIPAL councilor and five others are being hunted by police for the murder of Vice Mayor Luisito Caraang of Licab town in Nueva Ecija in October last year.

Regional Trial Court Judge Ismael Casabar issued a warrant of arrest on May 17 against Councilor Alexander Ventura, Francisco Peralta, Jeremy Itan, Virgilio Domingo, Arturo Bernardino and Nestor Soriano. But the councilor has fled.

“We checked the house of Ventura and his family but he was not there,” said Senior Inspector Engracio Colosa Jr., Licab police chief, when a police team tried to serve the warrant.

Caraang was jogging at about 5:10 a.m. on Oct. 9, 2010, when he was shot and killed. Police said the other suspects could be members of a local gang called “Bravo for Justice.”

Albert Caraang, the victim’s brother, said Ventura had not been attending municipal council sessions weeks before the arrest warrant was issued. Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon

BALANGA CITY

Bribe attempt

POLICE arrested on Friday a mechanic who offered a policeman P100,000 in exchange for a lower charge against a suspected drug pusher.

Reports said Roberto Javate Jr., 35, was arrested in an entrapment operation inside the Bataan police headquarters in Camp Tolentino after he reportedly asked an investigator to allow Richard Buensuceso, his cousin, to post bail and lower the charges in exchange for P100,000.

Buensuceso, a businessman from Samal town, was arrested on Wednesday after P400,000 worth of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) was seized from him. Greg Refraccion, Inquirer Central Luzon

BACOLOD CITY

8 face rape raps

POLICE filed eight counts of rape charges against eight men who allegedly took turns raping an 18-year-old girl on Sunday in Barangay Taculing.

Senior Superintendent Ricardo de la Paz, city police director, withheld the names of the suspects. One of them is reportedly the boyfriend of the victim.

The victim has been confined at Bacolod Adventist Medical Center for treatment of injuries.

A medical examination conducted by city medico legal Eli Cong confirmed that the victim was raped by more than one person. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas