Organic Market Day

DAVAO CITY– It’s organic Market Day every Friday in Davao city under a new ordinance approved by the city council to show its strong support for chemical-free farming and farm products.

“We have already made strong steps to institutionalize organic agriculture in the city,” Councilor Leonardo Avila said on Thursday. Three years ago, the city officials put up the organic council and the organic technical committee, which aims to help farmers access funds.

The annual Lunhaw Awards, or the Green Awards, was also initiated by the city agriculture office.

The city currently has 300 farmers who are into organic farming. Judy Quiros, Inquirer Mindanao

Massacre suspect held

MAGUINDANAO — After a weeklong Army and police covert operation, another suspect in the 2009 massacre of 58 people, mostly media workers, in Maguindanao province was arrested in Mamasapano town on Sunday.

Khominie Inggo, a member of the militia of former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr., surrendered after sensing that soldiers and policemen had surrounded his home in Barangay (village) Manongcaling, said Chief Supt. Noel delos Reyes, police chief in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the ARMM seized an unlicensed M-14 rifle and bullets from Inggo.

The suspect, who had carried a P250,000 reward on his head, denied participation in the massacre, Delos Reyes said. Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

Cashier loses P1.7M

MASBATE–The municipal cashier of Claveria town, Masbate province, lost around P1.7 million in his backpack to two men riding on a motorcycle while he was walking on the roadside in Masbate City on Friday morning, police said.

The robbers shot the left arm of the victim, Elieser Alfornon, before speeding away with the money, according to PO3 Zandro Cabintoy, spokesperson of the provincial police. Alfornon was brought to Masbate Provincial Hospital.

Cabintoy said Alfornon had yet to explain why he was carrying that much money at the time. Shiena Barrameda, Inquirer Southern Luzon 

Abductors free student

ZAMBOANGA CITY–A 19-year-old college student gained freedom from his abductors on Friday by continuously pleading to them for mercy, authorities said.

Chief Insp. Ariel Huesca, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao police office, said Basil Brice Bernardo, a radio technology student, was freed in Ipil town, Zamboanga Sibugay province, a few hours after he was forcibly taken outside Zamboanga City Medical Center on Friday.

“He was allowed to disembark at the Ipil bus terminal and is now at the Ipil municipal police station,” Huesca said.

Police are still trying to identify the abductors and their motive. Liza Jocson, Inquirer Mindanao