By Ronron
May 27, 2005
General Santos City - The release here of two alleged Japanese stragglers hangs as of this writing after officials of the Japanese Embassy in the Philippines failed until early Friday night to convince their contact to bring out the alleged World War II veterans.
Embassy officials yesterday told Japanese and local reporters at a hotel here that they were not sure if the mediator, who is also allegedly a Japanese, would be able to turn over the two old Japanese soldiers until last night.
The mediator, according to Embassy officials, contacted the Japanese Embassy in Manila first last Thursday about the existence of the two stragglers who were reported to have been in hiding in the mountains of this city since the second world war ended in 1945.
Historians have said that Japanese soldiers who invaded the Philippines in the 1930's and onwards retreated to the mountains when American soldiers returned in 1944. It was believed that some of these Japanese refused or forgot to return to the lowlands out of fear of being hit back by angry Filipinos whom they abused during the invasion period.
A newspaper in Japan said Yoshio Yamakawa, 87, and Nakauchi Tsuzuki, 83, both of the old Japanese Army, hid in the mountains of this city after failing to escape after the war. They reportedly were not able to catch up with their fellow soldiers who were able to return to Japan.
The two are said to be in the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as they wanted to go back to Japan.
However, NBI Sarangani District Director Atty. Boye Mama said he does not have any knowledge about the said report, adding that they did not even receive an official communication from embassy officials regarding the matter.
"I only learned about it today. Somebody, a Japanese man, called me up and my staff this morning and was asking about that report. I told him I don't know anything about it," Mama said in Filipino in an interview yesterday at his office on Tiongson St., Barangay Lagao of this city.
He said he also verified those two names at the local Immigration office but both were not in the latter's list.
The office of the city mayor here has also conducted verification actions on said report.
A number of news reporters, mostly from Manila, arrived here yesterday morning to verify the report but were only left frustrated at the end of the day. They expect a major breakthrough to happen today./DMS
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Friday, May 27, 2005
3 government agents killed, one civilian injured in shoot-out in Batangas City
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
Three persons, all government agents, were killed and a civilian was injured in a shoot-out before dawn of Thursday outside an entertainment establishment in Lipa City, Batangas, police said.
The slain victims were identified as SPO1 Noel Mendoza, 42, of the Lipa City Police Station Investigation Unit; Sgt. Romeo Loresca, 39, of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) who is assigned at the Anti-Crime Task Force (ACTF); and, a certain Andy Malabanan, 31, a civilian agent of the ACTF.
Civilian Arnold Padera, meanwhile, was hit by a stray bullet on his left leg.
According to a police report, the incident happened at around 1 am yesterday outside the Gimikero Videoke Bar in Barangay Balintawak, Lipa City, Batangas.
Mendoza, with some company, was reportedly at the site for a certain mission when he encountered Loresca, Malabanan, and Sgt. Romeo Bautista, also of the PAF.
Just when Mendoza was about to enter the bar, Bautista reportedly approached him which later resulted to an altercation.
All parties were reportedly intoxicated at that time and were carrying their respective short firearms.
Quoting witnesses, the police said Bautista grabbed Mendoza until a shoot-out occurred.
Loresca and Mendoza were hit and died instantly, while Malabanan expired later at the hospital.
Padera was also rushed to the hospital after the incident.
Police arrested Bautista and detained him at the Lipa City Police Station. Charges of multiple homicide are being prepared against him for filing today (Friday). Police is also encouraging Padera to lodge an attempted homicide case against Bautista./DMS
May 26, 2005
Three persons, all government agents, were killed and a civilian was injured in a shoot-out before dawn of Thursday outside an entertainment establishment in Lipa City, Batangas, police said.
The slain victims were identified as SPO1 Noel Mendoza, 42, of the Lipa City Police Station Investigation Unit; Sgt. Romeo Loresca, 39, of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) who is assigned at the Anti-Crime Task Force (ACTF); and, a certain Andy Malabanan, 31, a civilian agent of the ACTF.
Civilian Arnold Padera, meanwhile, was hit by a stray bullet on his left leg.
According to a police report, the incident happened at around 1 am yesterday outside the Gimikero Videoke Bar in Barangay Balintawak, Lipa City, Batangas.
Mendoza, with some company, was reportedly at the site for a certain mission when he encountered Loresca, Malabanan, and Sgt. Romeo Bautista, also of the PAF.
Just when Mendoza was about to enter the bar, Bautista reportedly approached him which later resulted to an altercation.
All parties were reportedly intoxicated at that time and were carrying their respective short firearms.
Quoting witnesses, the police said Bautista grabbed Mendoza until a shoot-out occurred.
Loresca and Mendoza were hit and died instantly, while Malabanan expired later at the hospital.
Padera was also rushed to the hospital after the incident.
Police arrested Bautista and detained him at the Lipa City Police Station. Charges of multiple homicide are being prepared against him for filing today (Friday). Police is also encouraging Padera to lodge an attempted homicide case against Bautista./DMS
Two Dutchmen killed in anti-cybersex raid in Quezon City
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
Two Dutch nationals who are allegedly engaged in the flesh trade on the internet were killed Wednesday night when authorities raided their dens in New Manila and Cubao, Quezon City.
The victims were identified as brothers Hendrikus Erik Van Engelenburg and Willen Cornelis Van Engelenburg who are accused of running the www.xxx.chat.com cybersex sites.
According to official reports, elements of the Presidential Task Force Hunter on Anti-Illegal Recruitment first swooped down on the first den on #6 Sixth Street near Balete Drive in New Manila, Quezon City at around 8 pm.
Task Force Chief Director Reynaldo Jaylo led the operation that resulted to the death of the brothers after the latter resisted arrest and engaged the authorities in a shoot-out.
Jaylo reportedly shot Hendrikus Erik at the den’s ground floor while other raiding operatives shot Willen Cornelis on the second floor. Both were allegedly armed with caliber 45 pistols.
They were rushed to the nearby St. Luke’s Hospital but were declared dead on arrival. Both were hit in the head.
After the shoot-out, government operatives rescued five female models, who claimed that were just forced to go into the illegal trade, allegedly due to poverty. Each of the ladies reportedly receives a monthly income ranging from P25,000 to P50,000 for either performing self-sex using gadgets, or engaging in sexual activities while being viewed by mostly foreign clients through the webcam.
The second raid was done in another den in Cubao, also ran by the brothers, at around 10 pm.
Task Forcer members caught two models at that time performing self-sex.
Arrested in that raid were the wife of Willen Cornelis, identified as Veronica Rellona, and the firm’s cashier.
The Task Force report said the arrested individuals will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9208 (An Act to Eliminate Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children).
Jaylo justified the raid, saying it was covered by a search warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio, Jr./DMS
May 26, 2005
Two Dutch nationals who are allegedly engaged in the flesh trade on the internet were killed Wednesday night when authorities raided their dens in New Manila and Cubao, Quezon City.
The victims were identified as brothers Hendrikus Erik Van Engelenburg and Willen Cornelis Van Engelenburg who are accused of running the www.xxx.chat.com cybersex sites.
According to official reports, elements of the Presidential Task Force Hunter on Anti-Illegal Recruitment first swooped down on the first den on #6 Sixth Street near Balete Drive in New Manila, Quezon City at around 8 pm.
Task Force Chief Director Reynaldo Jaylo led the operation that resulted to the death of the brothers after the latter resisted arrest and engaged the authorities in a shoot-out.
Jaylo reportedly shot Hendrikus Erik at the den’s ground floor while other raiding operatives shot Willen Cornelis on the second floor. Both were allegedly armed with caliber 45 pistols.
They were rushed to the nearby St. Luke’s Hospital but were declared dead on arrival. Both were hit in the head.
After the shoot-out, government operatives rescued five female models, who claimed that were just forced to go into the illegal trade, allegedly due to poverty. Each of the ladies reportedly receives a monthly income ranging from P25,000 to P50,000 for either performing self-sex using gadgets, or engaging in sexual activities while being viewed by mostly foreign clients through the webcam.
The second raid was done in another den in Cubao, also ran by the brothers, at around 10 pm.
Task Forcer members caught two models at that time performing self-sex.
Arrested in that raid were the wife of Willen Cornelis, identified as Veronica Rellona, and the firm’s cashier.
The Task Force report said the arrested individuals will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9208 (An Act to Eliminate Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children).
Jaylo justified the raid, saying it was covered by a search warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Antonio Eugenio, Jr./DMS
Tornado hits golf course in Cavite, 40 trees uprooted and 26 cars damaged
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
Weather experts confirmed yesterday that what hit a golf course in Cavite on Wednesday afternoon was a tornado.
This was based on the extent of damages left by the calamity, the account of witnesses, and the appearance of the affected place after the incident.
Weather Branch Chief Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that what was perceived as a whirlwind at around 1pm the other day in Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Barangay Mabuhay, Carmona, Cavite was indeed a tornado.
The natural calamity, which lasted for more than a minute, resulted in the uprooting of around 40 trees, and the damage of 26 cars after these were run over by the fallen trees.
Fortunately, there was no casualty in the incident.
Cruz said the tornado was estimated to have a diameter of no more than a hundred meters based on the damaged area inside the golf course.
He said the circular formation of the fallen trees also affirmed their theory that what occurred was a tornado. “If it was just an ordinary wind, the fallen trees would be in a single, similar position,” Cruz explained.
“The security personnel of the golf course confirmed that there was a thunderstorm at that time and that the strong wind resembled to that of a tornado,” stated a police report.
Cruz said a tornado needs to have a severe thunderstorm and heavy gray cloud (cumulus nimbus). It is triggered by a difference in the wind strength at the land surface and on the atmosphere.
The strength of the tornado, however, was not immediately determined by the national weather bureau.
The Office of Civil Defense has last recorded a mini tornado incident on May 20 in Bamban, Tarlac which partially damaged six houses, affecting six families./DMS
May 26, 2005
Weather experts confirmed yesterday that what hit a golf course in Cavite on Wednesday afternoon was a tornado.
This was based on the extent of damages left by the calamity, the account of witnesses, and the appearance of the affected place after the incident.
Weather Branch Chief Nathaniel Cruz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that what was perceived as a whirlwind at around 1pm the other day in Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Barangay Mabuhay, Carmona, Cavite was indeed a tornado.
The natural calamity, which lasted for more than a minute, resulted in the uprooting of around 40 trees, and the damage of 26 cars after these were run over by the fallen trees.
Fortunately, there was no casualty in the incident.
Cruz said the tornado was estimated to have a diameter of no more than a hundred meters based on the damaged area inside the golf course.
He said the circular formation of the fallen trees also affirmed their theory that what occurred was a tornado. “If it was just an ordinary wind, the fallen trees would be in a single, similar position,” Cruz explained.
“The security personnel of the golf course confirmed that there was a thunderstorm at that time and that the strong wind resembled to that of a tornado,” stated a police report.
Cruz said a tornado needs to have a severe thunderstorm and heavy gray cloud (cumulus nimbus). It is triggered by a difference in the wind strength at the land surface and on the atmosphere.
The strength of the tornado, however, was not immediately determined by the national weather bureau.
The Office of Civil Defense has last recorded a mini tornado incident on May 20 in Bamban, Tarlac which partially damaged six houses, affecting six families./DMS
Bank robbers attack thrift bank, business establishment in Antipolo City; cart away a million pesos
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
A thrift bank and a business establishment beside it in Antipolo City were robbed Thursday morning of around a million pesos by at least four thieves.
According to a police report, the burglary at Real Bank and its adjacent establishment, Jianshe Power Cycle, Inc., both located at the Circumferencial Road in Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City, happened before 8 am yesterday, the time it was discovered by the security guard of the bank.
Initial investigation revealed that the suspects, one of whom is suspected to be a woman, holed first a concrete wall of the Jianshe Power Cycle, Inc., using electric drill and crowbars.
They then ransacked the said establishment, destroyed the steel cabinet inside and carted away cash money amounting to P7,000.00.
Then, they made another hole using the same tools towards the adjacent Real Bank. Using acetylene, the suspects were able to open the vault from which they took more or less one million pesos in cash.
The report indicated that police already has an idea who the possible suspects are, and that they are now being pursued./DMS
May 26, 2005
A thrift bank and a business establishment beside it in Antipolo City were robbed Thursday morning of around a million pesos by at least four thieves.
According to a police report, the burglary at Real Bank and its adjacent establishment, Jianshe Power Cycle, Inc., both located at the Circumferencial Road in Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City, happened before 8 am yesterday, the time it was discovered by the security guard of the bank.
Initial investigation revealed that the suspects, one of whom is suspected to be a woman, holed first a concrete wall of the Jianshe Power Cycle, Inc., using electric drill and crowbars.
They then ransacked the said establishment, destroyed the steel cabinet inside and carted away cash money amounting to P7,000.00.
Then, they made another hole using the same tools towards the adjacent Real Bank. Using acetylene, the suspects were able to open the vault from which they took more or less one million pesos in cash.
The report indicated that police already has an idea who the possible suspects are, and that they are now being pursued./DMS
Suspect in killing of Bicol journalist nabbed
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
Police nabbed on Thursday morning an alleged killer of Bicol journalist Ruel Edrinal, an official said.
Sr. Supt. Pedro Tango, Task Force Newsman commander, said Clarito Arisobal fell into the hands of authorities at around 9 am yesterday in Legaspi City, Albay.
Tango said Arisobal is a suspect in the murder of Edrinal, a DZRC radio broadcaster, on February 11 of last year.
Arisobal is said to be a gun-for-hire and classified as the number one most wanted criminal in the Bicol region. He carries a P250,000-reward for his arrest.
Quoting police records, Tango said Arisobal was also allegedly responsible for the death of a father and son in Masbate on December 14, 2000.
"We are now conducting follow-up operations to arrest the remaining four suspects in connection with the Edrinal killing," Tango said.
Since 1986 when democracy was restored in the Philippines, a total of 68 journalists have been slain in line with their work, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). /DMS
May 26, 2005
Police nabbed on Thursday morning an alleged killer of Bicol journalist Ruel Edrinal, an official said.
Sr. Supt. Pedro Tango, Task Force Newsman commander, said Clarito Arisobal fell into the hands of authorities at around 9 am yesterday in Legaspi City, Albay.
Tango said Arisobal is a suspect in the murder of Edrinal, a DZRC radio broadcaster, on February 11 of last year.
Arisobal is said to be a gun-for-hire and classified as the number one most wanted criminal in the Bicol region. He carries a P250,000-reward for his arrest.
Quoting police records, Tango said Arisobal was also allegedly responsible for the death of a father and son in Masbate on December 14, 2000.
"We are now conducting follow-up operations to arrest the remaining four suspects in connection with the Edrinal killing," Tango said.
Since 1986 when democracy was restored in the Philippines, a total of 68 journalists have been slain in line with their work, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP). /DMS
Policeman, assassin killed in Bulacan shoot-out
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
A policeman and his assailant were killed in a shootout Thursday afternoon in Bulacan province, initial reports said.
Chief Supt. Alejandro Lapinid, Region III Police Director, identified the slain cop as SPO1 Ramil Gutierrez of the San Ildefonso Municipal Police Station in Bulacan.
His assassin who also died, however, is yet to be identified, while the latter’s accomplice got wounded in the shootout.
Quoting initial reports, Lapinid said the incident happened at 2:45 pm in Cruz na Daan intersection in San Rafael town, Bulacan.
No other details pertaining to the shootout is available yet as of press time.
Investigation is being conducted to ascertain the motive of the incident./DMS
May 26, 2005
A policeman and his assailant were killed in a shootout Thursday afternoon in Bulacan province, initial reports said.
Chief Supt. Alejandro Lapinid, Region III Police Director, identified the slain cop as SPO1 Ramil Gutierrez of the San Ildefonso Municipal Police Station in Bulacan.
His assassin who also died, however, is yet to be identified, while the latter’s accomplice got wounded in the shootout.
Quoting initial reports, Lapinid said the incident happened at 2:45 pm in Cruz na Daan intersection in San Rafael town, Bulacan.
No other details pertaining to the shootout is available yet as of press time.
Investigation is being conducted to ascertain the motive of the incident./DMS
Prosecution of Takemoto killers won’t be supported with fingerprint evidence
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
The prosecution of the suspected killers of Shinya Takemoto will no longer be relying on the results of the examination of the fingerprints lifted from the crime scene as against the index fingerprints of the crime witnesses and suspects.
Police Chief Insp. Jose Palpito, fingerprint examiner of the Region I Police Crime Laboratory, told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview on Thursday that he did not come up with a significant result from the examination he conducted on the fingerprint samples related to the Takemoto case because of their unclear appearance.
“The questioned prints are blurred and fragmented prints. The identity of the suspects cold not be established for lack of basis,” Palpito said in his report dated May 18, 2005.
Palpito said he examined a total of 20 latent prints from the crime scene, and nine other sets of fingerprints from two crime witnesses and seven possible suspects.
The police took for examination the fingerprints of Mary Jane Takemoto, the victim’s wife, and Josefina Juan, the latter’s mother, as well as the of the following suspected possible killers: Romulo Dichoso, Rene Gabriel, Gilbert Domingo, Renante Baltazar, Ariel Baltazar, Romualdo Dichoso, and Romeo Dichoso.
“This (fingerprint examination result) is already final. We could no longer do another examination because the crime scene must have been cleared already of the latent fingerprints. This means the case against the suspects will have to proceed without this physical evidence,” Palpito said.
Police Chief Inspector Joven Aldos, Chief of Solsona Municipal Police Station in Ilocos Norte, said what is important is that there is a confession from one of the suspects.
Rene Gabriel, 24, had admitted that he and his two other friends (Gilbert Domingo and Renante Baltazar), were plotted and carried out the killing of Takemoto, 59, on the evening of May 6, 2005 in his residence in Solsona.
Palpito surmised the surface where the fingerprints were lifted must have been rough./DMS
May 26, 2005
The prosecution of the suspected killers of Shinya Takemoto will no longer be relying on the results of the examination of the fingerprints lifted from the crime scene as against the index fingerprints of the crime witnesses and suspects.
Police Chief Insp. Jose Palpito, fingerprint examiner of the Region I Police Crime Laboratory, told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview on Thursday that he did not come up with a significant result from the examination he conducted on the fingerprint samples related to the Takemoto case because of their unclear appearance.
“The questioned prints are blurred and fragmented prints. The identity of the suspects cold not be established for lack of basis,” Palpito said in his report dated May 18, 2005.
Palpito said he examined a total of 20 latent prints from the crime scene, and nine other sets of fingerprints from two crime witnesses and seven possible suspects.
The police took for examination the fingerprints of Mary Jane Takemoto, the victim’s wife, and Josefina Juan, the latter’s mother, as well as the of the following suspected possible killers: Romulo Dichoso, Rene Gabriel, Gilbert Domingo, Renante Baltazar, Ariel Baltazar, Romualdo Dichoso, and Romeo Dichoso.
“This (fingerprint examination result) is already final. We could no longer do another examination because the crime scene must have been cleared already of the latent fingerprints. This means the case against the suspects will have to proceed without this physical evidence,” Palpito said.
Police Chief Inspector Joven Aldos, Chief of Solsona Municipal Police Station in Ilocos Norte, said what is important is that there is a confession from one of the suspects.
Rene Gabriel, 24, had admitted that he and his two other friends (Gilbert Domingo and Renante Baltazar), were plotted and carried out the killing of Takemoto, 59, on the evening of May 6, 2005 in his residence in Solsona.
Palpito surmised the surface where the fingerprints were lifted must have been rough./DMS
2 rebels killed in AFP-NPA clash in Camarines Sur
By Ronron
May 26, 2005
Two suspected communist rebels were killed in a clash Thursday dawn in Camarines Sur between government troops and the News People's Army (NPA), a military spokesman said.
Philippine Army spokesman Maj. Bartolome Bacarro said a squad from the 42nd Infantry Battalion encountered 10 fully armed rebels at around 4:50 am yesterday at Sitio Mimaag, Higbas village in Caramoan town, Camarines Sur while they were conducting security operation in the area.
The brief firefight that ensued resulted in the death of two unidentified NPA members, while no one was hurt or killed on the government side.
The Army troopers recovered from the rebel group two M16 rifles, three bandoleers for M16, and a jungle pack containing subversive documents.
Bacarro said the fleeing rebels were being pursued by the government troops./DMS
May 26, 2005
Two suspected communist rebels were killed in a clash Thursday dawn in Camarines Sur between government troops and the News People's Army (NPA), a military spokesman said.
Philippine Army spokesman Maj. Bartolome Bacarro said a squad from the 42nd Infantry Battalion encountered 10 fully armed rebels at around 4:50 am yesterday at Sitio Mimaag, Higbas village in Caramoan town, Camarines Sur while they were conducting security operation in the area.
The brief firefight that ensued resulted in the death of two unidentified NPA members, while no one was hurt or killed on the government side.
The Army troopers recovered from the rebel group two M16 rifles, three bandoleers for M16, and a jungle pack containing subversive documents.
Bacarro said the fleeing rebels were being pursued by the government troops./DMS
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Hostage-drama in Western Mindanao ends after more than 24 hours in Zamboanga del Sur; 3 hostage-takers run away but being pursued by authorities
By Ronron
May 25, 2005
The hostage drama that began before noon Wednesday in Misamis Occidental ended peacefully yesterday afternoon in Zamboanga del Sur, leaving no one from among the 12 hostages and the volunteer priest-negotiator severely injured or killed by the three suspects.
Sr. Supt. Eduardo Gallego, Deputy Provincial Police Director of Zamboanga del Sur, told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that the crisis ended at around 3pm when the hostage-takers alighted from the Isuzu Fuego get-away vehicle at a remote area in Lakewood town, Zamboanga del Sur.
Gallego said the suspects were still holding up at that time three lady victims and Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, who volunteered to drive the vehicle for their escape.
The suspects initially brought 12 victims, including a 10-year-old boy, when they transferred from the air-conditioned Rural Transit passenger bus to Cabajar’s vehicle at around 12:30 pm yesterday in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
The hostage-takers, who are suspected to be members of the communist New People’s Army, had demanded during the stand-off at said place that they be provided a get-away vehicle.
“We gave in to their demand because in this kind of situation, what is paramount to us is the safety of the hostages,” Region IX Police Director Chief Supt. Prospero Noble said in a television interview. And this, according to him, is the same reason why the crisis stretched beyond 24 hours.
Gallego narrated that as the pick-up vehicle drove off outside Labangan and reached Dumalinao town, four hostages, including a 10-year-old boy, managed to escape by jumping off from the back. They were recovered by authorities and turned over to the Provincial Hospital of Zamboanga del Sur for treatment. Zamboanga del Sur Social Welfare officer Chit Sandiego described the escapees to be under trauma.
And upon reaching Lakewood town, the suspects reportedly released five other hostages, leaving three in their hands, plus Cabajar.
“They just wanted to escape. That was their only demand. They did not even divest the hostages of their personal belongings,” Gallego said.
The three armed men held the passengers of the Dipolog City-bound bus after they were cornered at a checkpoint at 11 am Tuesday at the town proper of Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental.
According to Noble, the men were armed with three short firearms and four hand grenades, which they used to threaten to blow up the bus unless their demand was provided.
Noble and Gallego surmise that the suspects were NPA members since they allegedly claimed of being associated with the “leftist movement” and that they went down in a place believed to be influenced by the communist rebel group.
Noble said police and military operatives have immediately conducted pursuit operations against the three suspects in the mountain area of Lakewood./DMS
May 25, 2005
The hostage drama that began before noon Wednesday in Misamis Occidental ended peacefully yesterday afternoon in Zamboanga del Sur, leaving no one from among the 12 hostages and the volunteer priest-negotiator severely injured or killed by the three suspects.
Sr. Supt. Eduardo Gallego, Deputy Provincial Police Director of Zamboanga del Sur, told Manila Shimbun in a phone interview yesterday that the crisis ended at around 3pm when the hostage-takers alighted from the Isuzu Fuego get-away vehicle at a remote area in Lakewood town, Zamboanga del Sur.
Gallego said the suspects were still holding up at that time three lady victims and Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar, who volunteered to drive the vehicle for their escape.
The suspects initially brought 12 victims, including a 10-year-old boy, when they transferred from the air-conditioned Rural Transit passenger bus to Cabajar’s vehicle at around 12:30 pm yesterday in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
The hostage-takers, who are suspected to be members of the communist New People’s Army, had demanded during the stand-off at said place that they be provided a get-away vehicle.
“We gave in to their demand because in this kind of situation, what is paramount to us is the safety of the hostages,” Region IX Police Director Chief Supt. Prospero Noble said in a television interview. And this, according to him, is the same reason why the crisis stretched beyond 24 hours.
Gallego narrated that as the pick-up vehicle drove off outside Labangan and reached Dumalinao town, four hostages, including a 10-year-old boy, managed to escape by jumping off from the back. They were recovered by authorities and turned over to the Provincial Hospital of Zamboanga del Sur for treatment. Zamboanga del Sur Social Welfare officer Chit Sandiego described the escapees to be under trauma.
And upon reaching Lakewood town, the suspects reportedly released five other hostages, leaving three in their hands, plus Cabajar.
“They just wanted to escape. That was their only demand. They did not even divest the hostages of their personal belongings,” Gallego said.
The three armed men held the passengers of the Dipolog City-bound bus after they were cornered at a checkpoint at 11 am Tuesday at the town proper of Sapang Dalaga, Misamis Occidental.
According to Noble, the men were armed with three short firearms and four hand grenades, which they used to threaten to blow up the bus unless their demand was provided.
Noble and Gallego surmise that the suspects were NPA members since they allegedly claimed of being associated with the “leftist movement” and that they went down in a place believed to be influenced by the communist rebel group.
Noble said police and military operatives have immediately conducted pursuit operations against the three suspects in the mountain area of Lakewood./DMS
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
181 enlisted military personnel vows allegiance to gov’t
By Ronron
May 23, 2005
The 181 enlisted military personnel who took part in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny vowed their allegiance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Arroyo administration on Monday morning during the flag ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, marking the start of their return to the fold of the military service.
Reading a prepared copy, the soldiers, who come from the Philippine Army, Marines and Navy SWAG, swore in Filipino that they “will obey the law and the reasonable and humane mandate that are legally enforced by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines, without any reservation or intention to defy.”
“To our President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, we would like to manifest our heartfelt support to her leadership and programs for peace and unity among all Filipinos,” Navy SWAG Chief Petty Officer Leonito Fernin said in Filipino in a short speech he delivered during the same rites on behalf of all 181 soldiers.
Fernin, who is the most senior in the group, thanked their families and the AFP leadership for their support to and understanding of the 181 EP’s.
“We would like to thank also all the Filipinos for giving us the second chance to be of service to you. I hope you will help us (181 soldiers) rise and move on, and forget what happened at Oakwood,” he said.
In their oath, the soldiers promised to religiously assume their responsibilities and perform their tasks as soldiers to the best of their abilities.
Likewise, they pledged to uphold and protect the Constitution, as well as abide by it.
Fresh from receiving their punishment for their participation in the Oakwood incident, the soldiers yesterday also expressed willingness to abide with the penalties for any wrongdoing under the rules and regulations of the AFP and the Philippine government.
The 181 soldiers have just been sentenced to a three-rank demotion and forfeiture of two-thirds of their salary after pleading guilty to the charge of violation of the certain Articles of War, except mutiny.
The soldiers were released last Friday after the court considered their detention for almost two years good enough to offset the one-year detention sentence. The Marines and Army soldiers were confined at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City while the Navy SWAG members were detained at the Naval Base in Sangley, Cavite.
After the oath-taking ceremony, the soldiers were immediately briefed about the two-week pre-deployment training that they need to undergo before they could be re-assigned to their respective mother units.
With the commencement yesterday of the two-week training, AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual asked that the case on the 181 enlisted military personnel be closed and the focus be shifted on the on-going case against the 99 officers and 11 other EP’s who also participated in the same mutinous activity.
In an earlier interview, Atty. Ruel Pulido, defense counsel of the suspected mutineers, said 67 of the 99 officers are already contemplating on entering into a plea bargaining agreement with the prosecution similar to what the 181 EP’s did.
The 11 remaining EP’s, for their part, are still awaiting the decision of the General Court Martial on the motion they filed for the re-investigation of their case, as they assert they were not in Oakwood at the time of the accident.
More than 300 military officers and soldiers took over Oakwood Premier hotel and condominium in Makati City on July 27, 2003 to air their grievances against the alleged corruption in the military service and the Arroyo administration./DMS
May 23, 2005
The 181 enlisted military personnel who took part in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny vowed their allegiance to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Arroyo administration on Monday morning during the flag ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, marking the start of their return to the fold of the military service.
Reading a prepared copy, the soldiers, who come from the Philippine Army, Marines and Navy SWAG, swore in Filipino that they “will obey the law and the reasonable and humane mandate that are legally enforced by the authorities of the Republic of the Philippines, without any reservation or intention to defy.”
“To our President, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, we would like to manifest our heartfelt support to her leadership and programs for peace and unity among all Filipinos,” Navy SWAG Chief Petty Officer Leonito Fernin said in Filipino in a short speech he delivered during the same rites on behalf of all 181 soldiers.
Fernin, who is the most senior in the group, thanked their families and the AFP leadership for their support to and understanding of the 181 EP’s.
“We would like to thank also all the Filipinos for giving us the second chance to be of service to you. I hope you will help us (181 soldiers) rise and move on, and forget what happened at Oakwood,” he said.
In their oath, the soldiers promised to religiously assume their responsibilities and perform their tasks as soldiers to the best of their abilities.
Likewise, they pledged to uphold and protect the Constitution, as well as abide by it.
Fresh from receiving their punishment for their participation in the Oakwood incident, the soldiers yesterday also expressed willingness to abide with the penalties for any wrongdoing under the rules and regulations of the AFP and the Philippine government.
The 181 soldiers have just been sentenced to a three-rank demotion and forfeiture of two-thirds of their salary after pleading guilty to the charge of violation of the certain Articles of War, except mutiny.
The soldiers were released last Friday after the court considered their detention for almost two years good enough to offset the one-year detention sentence. The Marines and Army soldiers were confined at Fort Bonifacio in Makati City while the Navy SWAG members were detained at the Naval Base in Sangley, Cavite.
After the oath-taking ceremony, the soldiers were immediately briefed about the two-week pre-deployment training that they need to undergo before they could be re-assigned to their respective mother units.
With the commencement yesterday of the two-week training, AFP Public Information Officer Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual asked that the case on the 181 enlisted military personnel be closed and the focus be shifted on the on-going case against the 99 officers and 11 other EP’s who also participated in the same mutinous activity.
In an earlier interview, Atty. Ruel Pulido, defense counsel of the suspected mutineers, said 67 of the 99 officers are already contemplating on entering into a plea bargaining agreement with the prosecution similar to what the 181 EP’s did.
The 11 remaining EP’s, for their part, are still awaiting the decision of the General Court Martial on the motion they filed for the re-investigation of their case, as they assert they were not in Oakwood at the time of the accident.
More than 300 military officers and soldiers took over Oakwood Premier hotel and condominium in Makati City on July 27, 2003 to air their grievances against the alleged corruption in the military service and the Arroyo administration./DMS
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