Water source shut down

ZAMBOANGA CITY– Officials of Barangay (village) Limpapa here said they had shut down the village’s water source following findings by health authorities that it was contaminated with the parasite Entamoeba histolytica.

Barangay captain Antonio Lacaser said drawing water from the source was banned until health officials declare it safe for drinking again.

Last week, hundreds of villagers contracted diarrhea. Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, city health officer, told the Inquirer that they traced the illness to drinking water drawn from the village’s water source.

Agbulos said intensive chlorination of the water system had since been performed. Lacaser said village officials had also ordered the cleaning of the pipes of the water system. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao

Waterspouts destroy 15 houses

MAGUINDANAO–At least 15 houses and shanties were destroyed when waterspouts hit Koronadal City and a village in Parang town on Friday, officials said.

The Office of Civil Defense in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said in a report that a waterspout developed in Barangay Magsaysay in Parang town around 3:30 p.m. amid rains.

The Koronadal City social welfare office said at least P200,000 worth of property was also damaged when a waterspout descended on Barangay Zone III on Friday. At least eight houses were also damaged.

Nena Salafrancia, Koronadal City social welfare assistant, said the affected residents had received food packs while an assessment was also being conducted to determine their other needs. Edwin Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

Workers sue firm

BULACAN–About 50 workers complained to a labor agency last week that they were not paid for two months by a janitorial and manpower firm that provides services to Iglesia ni Cristo’s (INC) Philippine Arena in Bocaue town.

The employees, led by Christian dela Cruz, filed a complaint against their employer, Asap Manpower Agency, in the National Labor Relations Commission on Friday.

INC withdrew its contract with Asap after learning about the workers’ plight, said Antonio Mutuc, senior labor and employment officer of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Bulacan province.

Dela Cruz,  at a scheduled meeting hosted in the DOLE Bulacan office, said Asap failed to give them their June and July salaries. The workers said they were each entitled to P8,736 in unpaid wages. The DOLE intervened on Aug. 28 and ASAPagreed to pay the back wages on Sept. 5. Carmela Reyes-Estrope, Inquirer Central Luzon

Cop killed by overtaking bus

LAGUNA–A policeman assigned in Los Baños town died on the spot after the motorcycle he was driving was hit by a passenger bus evening on Friday.

Supt. Ricardo Dalmacia, Los Baños police chief, said in a phone interview on Saturday that PO3 Wally Reyes had just finished his duty and was on his way home to Calamba City when the accident happened around 8 p.m. along the national road in Barangay Maahas.

Dalmacia said a Green Star Express bus bound for Sta. Cruz town overtook another vehicle and, in the process, collided head-on with Reyes’ motorcycle on the opposite lane of the road.

Bus driver Leo Patagan, arrested by responding policemen, will face inquest proceedings on Saturday morning for a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

The Philippine National Police will extend assistance to the bereaved family since “it’s still considered that [Reyes] died in the line of work,” Dalmacia said.

Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon

10 hurt in funeral of vice gov

ILOCOS NORTE–At least 10 people were hurt on Saturday during the funeral of former Ilocos Norte Vice Gov. Mariano Nalupta Jr. after the car owned by Nalupta’s daughter, Judge Myra Nalupta-Barba, crashed into several vehicles parked outside Immaculate Concepcion Church in Batac town.

Police have not yet determined what made the judge’s driver, Eric Marzan, lose control of the car and plow into the vehicles and funeral procession leaving the church.

Ilocos Norte Board Member Ria Fariñas, daughter of Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas, and Janina Medina-Fariñas, daughter of Vigan City Mayor Eva Medina, were among the injured. The judge was not hurt. Leilanie Adriano, Inquirer Northern Luzon