School head held

A school principal was arrested here for alleged drug pushing.

Arrested was Alfredo Ramos, 59, and principal of Latuan Elementary School here.

“We feel so sad with this report but it also serves as a wake-up call for all of us,” said Schools Division Supt. Pedro Melchor Natividad.

City police director Senior Supt. Angelito Casimiro said Ramos was arrested with two other suspects—Mario Angelo Cristobal and Marbert Saavedra—in a  buy-bust operation in Barangay (village) Quiniput on Saturday night. Julie S. Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao

NORTH COTABATO

Education exec, husband slain

Two men riding a motorbike shot dead an education district supervisor and her husband along the national highway in Pikit town on Sunday, police said Monday.

Pikit police chief Insp. Mautin Pangandigan said Violeta Flores Almazan, education supervisor of Midsayap South District, 62, and her husband Gervacio Almazan, 63, a retired government employee, were both residents of Magpet town and on a motorbike heading to Midsayap when gunmen riding a motorcycle fired at them in Barangay (village) Dalengawen in Pikit.

The husband, who was driving the motorbike, died on the spot Passersby rushed the education official to the hospital but she was declared dead on arrival. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

DAVAO CITY

Cop chief relieved

Davao City police director Senior Supt. Vicente Danao has been relieved from his post pending the investigation of a complaint filed by his wife.

Chief Insp. Jed Clamor, police regional office spokesperson, said in a phone interview that the order for Danao’s relief was signed by police regional director Chief Supt. Wendy Garcia Rosario and took effect on Sept. 1.

To take over his post in an acting capacity is Supt. Marvin Pepino,  city police office director for administration.

Last week, the police’s Regional Internal Affairs Services (RIAS) said it would start hearing the administrative case of grave misconduct filed against Danao by his wife over alleged incidents of physical violence inside their home in 2001 and 2002.

RIAS chief Supt. Pedro Cabatingan said last month that his office had secured clearance from the President to pursue the trial of the complaint, which the wife filed against Danao at the Philippine Consulate in California last year. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao

BULACAN

Suspected killer of Korean nabbed

Police on Friday arrested four people on a charge that they were involved in the kidnapping and murder of a Korean woman early this year.

Bulacan police director Senior Supt. Ferdinand Divina said they arrested Alex Buenaobra, Jeric Santos, Aina Tapia and Sharmaigne Monreal during a raid on a shop in (village)  Casio, where stolen taxicabs were recovered.

A check made by Bulacan police linked the suspects to the recent kidnapping and murder of a Korean woman who was abducted in Caloocan City and whose remains were dumped in a septic tank in San Jose del Monte City.  Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon

B. Balabo; 45

Bernardo “Dino” Balabo, president of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines’ chapter in Bulacan province, died on Monday after a heart attack. He was 45.

Balabo, a correspondent of the Philippine Star in Bulacan, died in Bulacan Medical Center at 3:40 a.m.

He is survived by wife Joyce and daughter Bethany Eirene, 8. Balabo was also a reporter of the Bulacan-based Mabuhay Newspaper and Punto Central Luzon, and a journalism instructor at Bulacan State University.  Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon