NEWSBRIEFS

DAVAO DEL SUR

30 families flee village

At least 30 families fled their homes in Sitio (sub-village) Sala-sala in Barangay (village) Buca in Sta. Maria town following sightings of armed men on Monday dawn.

Chief Inspector Venus Ortuyo, town police chief, said Jegs Paglinawan, council secretary of Buca, had reported that at least 40 armed men were seen near the boundary of Pinalpalan in Malita town.

Out of fear, the residents evacuated to the town center. Ortuyo said they still did not know who the armed men were. Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao

MASBATE

Soldiers, rebels clash

An undetermined number of rebels were either wounded or killed and high-caliber firearms and ammunition were recovered by government troops in a clash that started at about 6 a.m. Sunday in Barangay Matagbac in Milagros town.

Major Angelo Guzman, spokesperson of the 9th Infantry Division based in Camp Elias Angeles in Pili, Camarines Sur, said 15 Army soldiers led by 2nd Lieutenant Alfie C. Tuazon encountered at least 15 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) as they were patrolling the area.

“There is no casualty on the government side but there is an undetermined number of wounded and killed rebels as bloodstains were scattered in the encounter area,” Guzman quoted Lieutenant Colonel Julian Pacatan, commander of the Army battalion in Masbate, as saying. Jonas Cabiles Soltes, Inquirer Southern Luzon

BAGUIO CITY

Woman killed in van fall

A woman was killed and three others were hurt on Friday night when a van bound for Natonin town in Mt. Province fell into a ravine while negotiating an elevated road in Barangay (village) Banawel in that town, a military report said.

The report from the military’s Northern Luzon Command identified the fatality as Rita Wansia and the injured as Donald and Dominic Galing and Ernesto Saking, all of Natonin.

The van, driven by Joel Latiga, reportedly suffered a mechanical problem. It came from Paracelis town in Mt. Province. EV Espiritu, Inquirer Northern Luzon

QUEZON

2 bikers killed

Two motorcycle riders were killed and two persons were injured in separate accidents along the Maharlika Highway on Sunday afternoon, police said.

Norman Cuartero and his companion were riding on a motorcycle in Barangay Lagalag in Tiaong town when were hit by an approaching van. Cuartero died on the spot while his companion was rushed to the hospital.

The van driver, Danilo Naca, also suffered injuries, police said.

In Calauag town, police said Wilson Bista, 60, had just come from a drinking spree and was driving home on a motorcycle when he lost control of the bike and slammed into a parked truck in Barangay (village) Binutas. Bista died on the way to the hospital, police said. Delfin Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon

CAVITE

Mall rob suspect nabbed

One of the three suspects in the P5-million heist inside a mall that left a bank teller and two security guards dead was arrested in Dasmariñas City on Saturday, police said.

Antonio Loreto, 50, was arrested in a joint operation of Cavite police and the National Bureau of Investigation at his house in Barangay (village) Victoria Reyes at 8:30 a.m.

His son, Andy, who was also tagged in the robbery, escaped. Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon