Tuesday, January 08, 2008 (Philippines)

That was what local pier workers yesterday told the crew of mv Elena, an ocean-going vessel from Singapore which docked at the Cebu port Sunday night. MV Elena accidentally must have bumped the whale-shark, locally known as “balilan,” somewhere in the Sulu Sea and carried it on the vessel’s rear portion. Dead for more than 12 hours when discovered, it was already rotting. A forklift and reach-docker equipment had to be used to get the huge fish unstuck.(Sun.star photo/Amper Campaña) THE Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) is preparing murder, frustrated murder and robbery charges against three persons responsible for the death of SPO1 Pedro Sucion and the wounding of PO2 Darius Conejos. Acting MCPO Director Rodel Calungsud identified one of the suspects as Jugron Lumapas, who has pending robbery cases. Sucion, 50, and Cone-jos, 35, were on night patrol last Sunday when, at around 3 a.m., they chanced upon three unidentified men rushing to ride a tricycle. [full story]