Metro Briefs

Cyclist suffers fatal heart attack in Manila race

A 65-year-old man died of a heart attack while competing in a cycling race on Roxas Boulevard in Manila on Sunday morning, authorities said. The Manila Police District (MPD) identified the fatality as Virgilio Pangulayan, who collapsed while on his bike in front of Diamond Hotel around 11 a.m. SPO2 Jonathan Bautista of MPD homicide section said Pangulayan was a participant in the Robust Bike Challenge. “He has just arrived from Saudi Arabia,” Bautisa said. “According to his son Arnel, his father joined races despite having a heart condition because he really loved cycling.” Other racers brought Pangulayan to Ospital ng Maynila, where he was declared dead at 11:21 a.m. Aie Balagtas See

Parked van robbed near San Juan police precinct

Thieves struck just about 50 meters away from a San Juan police precinct and broke into a parked van, taking its stereo and two hub cabs in the wee hours of Sunday. The vehicle, a Toyota Hi Ace, is owned by the wife of PTV-4 anchor Kirby Cristobal, who said at least two still-unidentified men smashed the van’s window while it was parked at the city’s Plaza ng Masa. The theft happened between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m, a few hours after Joanne Mary Grace parked it Saturday night. The vehicle was just a short walk from Police Community Precinct 5. In an interview, Senior Supt. Victor Arevalo, the city police chief, the theft went unnoticed because the car’s alarm system didn’t go off. He said bystanders reported it to the police around 4 a.m. after they noticing the alarm lights blinking. Jovic Yee

6-man towing crew arrested, sued by trucker

Six employees of a towing company are facing charges for vehicle theft after removing a stalled truck carrying rice in Pandacan, Manila, on Thursday. The Manila Police District (MPD) earlier arrested the workers from PMA Towing & Trucking Service, based on a complaint from the truck driver, Michael Gabay, of King Rice Mill. In his complaint, Gabay said he was passing through Quirino Avenue around 3 a.m. on Thursday when his truck encountered engine problems and stopped near the corner of Zamora Street. When the six towing crew members arrived, they allegedly demanded P4,500 in exchange for the release of the vehicle. The MPD identified the arrested men as Jayne Rufino, 46, the team leader; Alex Llamas, 26; Jhunger Rosales, 22; Honesto Escudero, 24; Dennies Tuazon, 29; and Edwin Cabahug, 28. In an interview, the towing company’s owner, Alice Nogra questioned the arrest of her employees and the charges filed against them, saying they were only responding to the call of MMDA traffic enforcer Danny Fonacier who alerted them about the stalled truck. Aie Balagtas See

FORMER Immigration bureau chief Siegfred Mison autographs his new book as his former boss and “mentor”—former Justice Secretary and now Senator-elect Leila de Lima—looks on. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Former Immigration chief Mison launches book

Former Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Siegfred Mison recently launched his book, “7 Attributes of a Servant Leader in Public Service,” which he wrote to inspire more Filipinos to get into public service. The launch held on May 16 at Fully Booked, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, was graced by former President Fidel V. Ramos and Senator-elect Leila De Lima, Mison’s former boss and mentor. Alex Lacson, another author and Mison’s cofounder of the Kabayanihan foundation opened the program. The book is available at leading bookstores for P399 each. Orders may also be placed through text message at 0917-8608160.