MetroBriefs

Book lover in trouble for theft

MANILA policemen arrested late Monday afternoon a 41-year-old bibliophile who allegedly stole 25 paperback romance books worth nearly P2,000 from a school and office supplies store. Operatives of the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 3 accosted Edwin Zerqueza, 41, a resident of De Guzman Street in Quiapo, after he was caught by a security guard of Expressions at Isetann Department Store on C. M. Recto Avenue. Police Officer 2 Ireneo Sosas, case investigator, told the Inquirer that Zerqueza had allegedly told him that he took the books “because he loves to read.” Most of the books were romance novels. Security guard Isidro Lavinio said he was making his rounds when he noticed Zerqueza placing some paperbacks inside a bag he was carrying. Lavinio immediately accosted him and turned him over to the police. Sosas told the Inquirer that Zerqueza had offered to pay the bookstore for the items he took.—<em<Jeannette I. Andrade

Manila councilor backs ‘antilabeling’ bill

A MANILA City councilor has urged his peers to back a Senate bill prohibiting politicians from putting their names on government projects. “The bill is timely and proper as it has been the traditional practice of government officials to label or acknowledge the procurement of items and projects with their names or identities as if they were personally funded when, in truth and in fact, said government projects are funded by the taxpayers’ money,” Dennis Alcoreza said in a draft resolution. “The practice permits government officials to prematurely campaign for re-election all year round,” he noted as he added that these “named” projects may give a false or bloated impression of a politician’s productivity. His resolution was filed before the city council yesterday afternoon. The “Anti-Naming of Government Project” bill, filed by Senator Francis Escudero, “seeks to criminalize the practice of officials identifying or associating public projects with their names,” the resolution read. The bill suggests a P100,000 to P1 million fine for first-time violators, including a one-year jail term. A second offense could get violators disqualified from office.—Jaymee T. Gamil

2 foreigners found dead in Pasay, Makati

TWO FOREIGNERS were found dead in separate incidents in the cities of Makati and Pasay Tuesday morning. In Makati City, British Geriant Wynne Hughes, 34, was found lifeless inside his unit at Joya Lofts and Towers in Rockwell at around 11:20 a.m. Case investigator Police Officer 3 Ador Robles said the discovery of the victim’s body came after his housemaid and driver alerted the condominium security officers because he failed to respond to their calls and text messages in the past few days. “His staff said they have been repeatedly knocking on his unit but got no response, prompting them to call the attention of the security officers who forcibly opened his unit. His body was found lying on his bed,” Robles said. The victim, reportedly a call center executive, was living alone in his unit and his household staff would only come every so often, police said. Makati Police chief Senior Superintendent Froilan Bonifacio said the victim could have died of a natural cause as he had no sign of external injury. But he said they found plastic wrapper containing suspected cocaine and several medicines in the victim’s unit. “We still have to check,” Bonifacio said when asked if there was a possibility that the victim died of drug overdose. “It’s up to the medico-legal officer to determine it.” In Pasay City, Chris Allen Holden, an American, was also found dead in Room 1106 of Hotel Sofitel at around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Police said the victim’s body was discovered by John Inovero, the hotel’s duty manager. Holden reportedly checked in at the hotel on March 15. Police said the hotel’s resident physician tried to revive him but it was too late. Chief Inspector Raymund Liguden, Pasay City investigation chief, said they had ruled out foul play as the victim showed no signs of external injury.—Tina G. Santos