Soldier, civilian hurt in NPA attack

TAGUM CITY–A soldier and a civilian were injured when suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels fired on an Army camp in a remote village of Panabo City late on Thursday, officials said on Friday.

Senior Supt. Edgardo Wycoco, Davao del Norte police chief, said the incident happened around 8:30 p.m. when an undetermined number of NPA rebels strafed the headquarters of the 69th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Dalisay, some 25 kilometers from Panabo City proper.

A soldier, identified only as Private First Class Cornelio, and an unidentified civilian, were slightly injured and immediately rushed to hospitals for treatment. Frinston L. Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

Digos City gasoline station robbed

DIGOS CITY–Unidentified robbers on Thursday struck at another gasoline station here as authorities were still trying to identify the culprits behind an earlier incident.

Judel Callano, 19, pump attendant at a Phoenix station in Barangay Aplaya, told investigators three men on a motorcycle arrived around 12:30 a.m. and immediately declared a heist.

He said all three suspects had covered faces. Callano said out of fear of getting harmed, he handed over his collection of P13,000 to the suspects, who immediately fled. Orlando B. Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao

Bacolod trucking trader shot dead

BACOLOD CITY–A lone gunman shot at close range a councilor four times in the back outside a Bacolod hotel on Wednesday morning causing his death.

Killed was Antonio “Karem” Gequillana  Jr., 40, who was engaged in the trucking business, of Barangay Dangcalan, Ilog,  in Negros Occidental and a resident of Capitolville in Barangay Villamonte, police Station 4 commander Chief Insp. Adonis Rosales said.

Gequillana was about to open the door of his grey Toyota Hilux vehicle  parked in front of the East View Hotel along the circumferential road   when the lone gunman shot him with a .45 cal. pistol. The gunman left on board a blue Bajaj motorcycle with no plate number.

Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas

Fire hits labor office in Cebu

CEBU CITY–A blaze hit the office of the National Labor Relations Commission-Central Visayas (NLRC-7) along Osmeña Boulevard on Thursday night, but was put out in 13 minutes by city and barangay firefighters.

The fire started from a ceiling fan that apparently overheated at the main reception area of the NLRC-7 on the third floor of Lim’s Brotherhood Foundation Building. FO2 Rey Gonzaga said sparks from the ceiling fan fell to the pile of documents, creating a small fire. But the fire was put out at 8:15 p.m. Edison A. Delos Angeles, Inquirer Visayas

American tourist slain in Angeles City

ANGELES CITY—An American tourist was stabbed and killed by two men who barged into his apartment in Barangay Balibago here on Thursday.

Chief Insp. Luisito Tan, commander of the police’s Station 4 here, said a 12-inch knife was still buried in the nape of William Lavareli, 68, when his body was discovered by neighbors. Two shorter knives were also stuck in his nape and right armpit.

Tan said a belt bag usually worn by Lavareli was missing. He said a neighbor heard Lavareli talking to a woman at around 1:30 a.m.  Jun Malig, Inquirer Central Luzon