by Dan Toribio  Jr.

Police are investigating the alleged abduction of two females that happened last May 25 in Recodo.
One of the two victims reportedly escaped from their abductors last Thursday afternoon in Barangay Taluksangay where they were brought by the abductors.
A police report disclosed that last Friday around 2:15 p.m., Susan Sanson y Clemente, 44, of Sitio Camp Susana, La Paz appeared at the central police station and reported that her daughter, Rosebel, 19, and her companion Jelly Ann Athay, were abducted by a certain Rosendo Falcasantos and a certain Hussein, both residents of Recodo.

by shiela covarrubias

Mayor Celso Lobregat on Friday handed over a P50,000 cash assistance to each of the 3 teachers who were recently released after a 122-day ordeal in the hands of their captors in the hinterlands of Basilan.
The cash assistance was in addition to the P50, 000 that the Department of Education through Sec. Jesli Lapus Thursday granted to each of the three teachers—Quizon Freires, Janette de los Reyes and Raphael Mayonado. The amount is intended as a token for the freed hostages who exemplified courage, strength, will and determination while in captivity.

by Michael Vincent Cajulao

Two things that are very essential in our growth as a nation have often caused conflict between economists and environmentalists.
While it is true that physical development of our country has enticed investors from all over the world to pour in their resources in the Philippines, in turn making our economy more stable despite the global economic slowdown, environmentalists fear that too much development in infrastructure poses a graver problem for our country now that the whole world is facing, perhaps, the biggest problem mother earth has ever faced… global warming and climate change.

The regional director of the Department of Agrarian Reform Region-9 (DAR-9), Julita A. Ragandang, is now a full-fledged regional director due to the approval of her appointment as Director IV by President Arroyo last week.
Ragandang was designated as the officer-in-charge of DAR-9 since 2003 with the position of Director III. Her promotion to the said post boosted the morale of the employees in the department because she rose from the ranks.

Colorful arcos and beautiful muses paraded the streets yesterday marking the culmination of the month long 2009 Summer Festival, one of the city’s annual grand events.
Dubbed as “Festival de las Bellas y Flores-Year 7,” the parade of arcos and beauties featured the creations of 9 local fashion designers who will vied for the title in the best gown competition.

An illegal gambling machine operator was arrested after he tried to shoot a 28-year-old man in Barangay Guiwan last Wednesday night.
A police report identified the suspect as Ronny Duat y Seriano, of Ressureccion Drive, Guiwan.

A resident of Tictapul was shot dead by his relative over land dispute last Thursday morning.
The fatality was identified as Munier Omar, single of Tictapul. He succumbed to a single gunshot wound in the head and died on the spot.
Omar was shot by Arafad Omar, a close relative also of the same place.
Initial investigation disclosed that Munier was in Tictapul proper around 7 a.m., when Arafad appeared and shot him in the head using a .22 cal. revolver.

Mayor Celso Lobregat yesterday afternoon presided over the graduation of the close to 4,000 young boys and girls who underwent a free month-long sports training under the so-called “Summer Learn to Play a Sports” program.
Now on its 14th year, the Summer Learn to Play a Sports program is an annual undertaking of the city government that seeks to hone the talents and skills of youths and ultimately develop world class athletes.

by Dan Toribio  Jr.

Two arrested Abu Sayyaf suspects are facing investigation at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) while appropriate charges in court are being readied against them.

A 25-year-old man narrowly miraculously survived after he was shot three thrice and stabbed four times by motorcycle riding gunmen in Barangay Ayala at dawn yesterday.
The victim was identified as Abdul Saigon, a native of Tongkil, Sulu. He was discovered by some residents of Country Homes Subdivision bloodied along the road around 12:30 a.m., and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Saigon sustained three bullet and four stab wounds in the body but physicians declared him out danger.

by jimmy villaflores

President Arroyo yesterday congratulated the Marines who continue their offensive against rebel-kidnappers in Basilan that resulted in the killing of 12 of the latter including their three leaders.
Arroyo, who was in the city yesterday for the inauguration of the port expansion project and the induction of former priest Crisanto dela Cruz as Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao, hailed the marines for neutralizing the bandits who are responsible for the series of kidnappings in this part of the region.

by Jimmy Villaflores

President Arroyo yesterday congratulated the Marines who continue their offensive against rebel-kidnappers in Basilan that resulted in the killing of 12 of the latter including their three leaders.
Arroyo, who was in the city yesterday for the inauguration of the port expansion project and the induction of former priest Crisanto dela Cruz as Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao, hailed the marines for neutralizing the bandits who are responsible for the series of kidnappings in this part of the region.

A 25-year-old man narrowly miraculously survived after he was shot three thrice and stabbed four times by motorcycle riding gunmen in Barangay Ayala at dawn yesterday.
The victim was identified as Abdul Saigon, a native of Tongkil, Sulu. He was discovered by some residents of Country Homes Subdivision bloodied along the road around 12:30 a.m., and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Saigon sustained three bullet and four stab wounds in the body but physicians declared him out danger.

by jimmy villaflores

President Arroyo yesterday congratulated the Marines who continue their offensive against rebel-kidnappers in Basilan that resulted in the killing of 12 of the latter including their three leaders.
Arroyo, who was in the city yesterday for the inauguration of the port expansion project and the induction of former priest Crisanto dela Cruz as Presidential Assistant for Western Mindanao, hailed the marines for neutralizing the bandits who are responsible for the series of kidnappings in this part of the region.

A young policeman was shot dead in front of his horrified lover outside a motel in Barangay Guiwan last Thursday night.
The fatality was identified as PO1 Leonardo Daquel y Ramos, 24, single, of Ayala, this city. He was a member of the Regional Mobile Group’s 4th Company based in Camp Batalla, RT Lim Boulevard.