Tuesday, November 04, 2003
3 die, 22 injured in All Saints' Day celebration
By Roberto L. Bacasong and Claudine C. Dumalag
ALTHOUGH the All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day celebrations over the weekend received “a generally peaceful” assessment from the provincial and city police, three persons died and scores of others were reported injured in separate vehicular, stabbing and shooting incidents in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.
A Suzuki Carry vehicle and a Fuzo Canter collided along the national highway of Crossing Zaren, Barangay Linao, Kabankalan at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, causing the death of one person and the wounding of 19 others.
The fatality was identified as Carlos Alvior, 67, of Barangay Bucana, Ilog, among the 14 passengers on board the Canter.
Supt. Armano Delearna, city police chief, said the Canter’s driver, Joven Aguillos, 39, of Barangay Manalad, Ilog, tried to overtake the Suzuki vehicle driven by Vicente Cahanap, 31, of Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City, resulting to the road mishap. Both were on their way home from the Kabankalan Public Cemetery.
Alvior, who suffered fatal injuries on various parts of his body, died on the way to the Kabankalan District Hospital.
Those wounded, on the other hand, were identified as Juven Agilos, 39; Shirley Agilos, 67; Amelita Villagegas, 38; Glen Agilos, 39; Eddie Gutierez, 60; Emelita Villegas, 38; Glen Agilos, 39; Eddie Gutierez, 60; Emelito Milan, 40; Ferlito Perez, 50; Maribel Dagia, 14; Junell Bisagas, 9; Maria Max Roldan, 11; a minor identified only as Stephanie Joy, 14; Cherilyn Agilos, 10; Rustico Agilos, 31; Mark Neil Dagia, 11; Felicidad Harder, 54; Alma Alvior; 42; and Felimon Tranquellero.
They are now recuperating at the Kabankalan District Hospital.
Stabbing
In Bacolod, a sugarcane laborer was stabbed dead at 6:30 a.m. Saturday in Hacienda Elsa, Barangay Estefania.
The victim, Marlon Talagtag, 35, of Purok Igpalhi, Barbasa, Antique, died on the way to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH)after he was knifed by his co-worker Jose Necesito, 30.
The suspect is still at large.
Meanwhile, a resident of Purok San Roque, Phase IV, Barangay Handumanan also died 20 minutes after he was brought to CLMMRH Saturday evening.
The victim, John Rey Sua, 27, was allegedly shot by Arthur Infante, 24, of Purok Sto. Domingo, Phase IV, also of Barangay Handumanan, due to personal grudge.
Sua sustained gunshot wounds in his right abdomen and in the back.
The suspect immediately escaped.
In a separate story, a shooting occurred outside Rolling Hills cemetery in Burgos St., Brgy. Estefania, at 10:40 p.m Saturday involving Wilfredo Etang and Valentino Moncera.
Etang, 36, of Villa Soledad, Brgy. Estefania suffered a gun shot wound in the lower abdomen and is now treated at the Riverside Medical Center.
Drowning
In another report, a minor, Roselyn Amanderon, 13, of Binalbagan, died on the way to Riverside Medical Center in Bacolod City. She drowned at Villaberde Beach Resort yesterday.
Reports indicated the victim was left unattended while she was on the shore.
Police assessment
“Generally peaceful”
This, however, was the assessment of Senior Supt. Vicente Ponteras, provincial police director and Supt. Edgar Esparagoza, deputy city police director.
Ponteras said the incidents which took place were only minor and were not necessarily related to the weekend celebrations.
Since Thursday, he added, no attacks or bombings from rebels especially by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (unlike last year’s celebrations) was reported.
Last year, the bombing incidents resulted to the death of at least 22 people in Mindanao and in Manila.
“We remain on full alert in terms of police visibility and on our intelligence (monitoring),” Ponteras said.
He added the reason why incidents dropped this year may be due to a lesser number of people who visited the tombs of their departed loved ones.
(November 3, 2003 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
