Police Blotter

Farmer killed by neighbor
A FARMER was hacked dead by his neighbor in barangay Papan, Sibonga town, southern Cebu.
Police said a personal grudge was the motive when 51-year-old Antonio Luson was waylaid by Antonio Torres last Thursday morning.
The farmer was about to deliver copra to the public market on a carabao-drawn cart. Torres, who hid behind a parked multicab, attacked the farmer when his target passed by.
The neighbor then fled to his house where he was later arrested.
Torres told police that he decided to strike first lest he be killed by the farmer.
Torres claimed that the farmer had gone to his house and threatened him.  He said the farmer fired a gun at their house, nearly hitting Torres’ mother.
Torres is detained at the Sibonga Police Station pending the filing of charges against him./CORRESPONDENT CHRISTINE M. ESTRELLA

‘HOT MEAT’ SEIZED IN TALISAY
AT LEAST 25 kilos of meat deemed unfit for human consumption were seized from the Tabunok Public Market in Talisay City, southern Cebu yesterday dawn.
The confiscation took place during an inspection by the city veterinarian’s office headed by Dr. Santiago Hortel.
The seized meat belonged to vendors Helen Abella and a certain Jerome of barangay Bulacao, Talisay City.
Talisay City Councilor Richard Francis Aznar earlier warned the public to be vigilant about the source of the meat they buy during the holidays when demand is high.
Aznar said officials are  tracking down meat that had been butchered outside of government-accredited slaughterhouses.
Sanitation standards require that meat be frozen at a recommended temperature to prevent spoilage in storage./CORRESPONDENT GABRIEL C. BONJOC

CARPENTER STABBED DEAD
A 38-YEAR-OLD carpenter was fatally stabbed while walking home from work  in barangay Malolos, Barili town, southern Cebu last Thursday evening.
Adriano Basera was  stabbed by a still unidentified assailant.
Despite stab wounds in the left arm, neck and head, the carpenter was able to run home for help.
He was brought to the town’s hospital where he later died, police said./CORRESPONDENT CHRISTINE M. ESTRELLA

GUARD NABBED
FOR FIRING GUN
A SECURITY guard and a crane operator were arrested after residents complained that they were firing their guns indiscriminately in barangay Dumlog, Talisay City, southern Cebu.
Rocky Mark Espina, 21, and Rodolfo Bazalo, 47,  of Talisay City, came from a Christmas party and were reportedly drunk.
Neighbors in Deca Homes subdivision  reported the commotion to the police.
PO3 Juniel Atir of the Talisay City Police Station said they went to the subdivision past 1 a.m. and found both men  firing a .38  caliber revolver.
Both men denied firing the weapon.
They claimed that they went to the back of the subdivision to answer the call of nature.
Espina, the security guard,  said he saw someone in the area and fired a warning shot.
“We were alarmed because the place is known to have a lot of toughies. We were scared that someone was out to attack us so we  fired a warning shot,” he said in Cebuano.
The guard said he only fired his gun once.
The two men have been detained pending the filing of  charges against them./CORRESPONDENTS FE MARIE D. DUMABOC AND GABRIEL C. BONJOC