Police eye ASG behind power barge attack

THE police are eyeing the involvement of the Abu Sayyaf bandits and extortion as the motive in the recent attack on a power barge of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) in the island province of Basilan.

Engineer Robert Dumasis, the superintendent of Napocor’s Power Barge 119, revealed to the police that they received a letter from the Abu Sayyaf Group demanding them to pay P400,000 monthly.

Soldier shot dead in Isabela

MOTORCYCLE-RIDING gunmen killed a soldier in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province, a top police official said Friday.

Isabela City police chief Superintendent Albert Larubis identified the slain soldier as Sergeant Joseph Hiluan, an intelligence personnel of the Army's 4th Special Forces Battalion based in Basilan.

Gun ban campaign nets 248 firearms

POLICE in Zamboanga Peninsula have netted a total of 248 firearms since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) imposed the gun ban nationwide.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Regional Director Juanito Vaño said that 158 of the 248 firearms were surrendered to them for safekeeping by owners whose permit-to-carry was deemed revoke when the gun ban took effect.

‘Balut’ vendor stabs drunkard

ONE of the three people who ganged up a “balut” vendor ended up in the hospital after he was stabbed during the melee in an east coast village of Zamboanga City, a police official said Thursday.

Police Station 3 commander Senior Inspector Noel Lozano said the incident took place around 5 p.m. Tuesday at Purok 4, Sangali village, 25 kilometers east of the city.

Marcha de las Mujeres set

MULTI-SECTORAL groups will converge Friday at the City Hall grounds for the Marcha de las Mujerez, a fund-raising activity intended to help support the needs of marginalized women in Zamboanga City.

The participants, from the City Hall grounds, will march the streets to the Joaquin F. Enriquez Jr. Memorial Sports Complex, where a program will be held.

2 Sayyaf men fall

JOINT police and military forces have arrested two suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits in an east coast village of Zamboanga City, a top police official said Wednesday.

Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo identified the arrested suspected bandits as Edil Amajad and his brother, Sajid, who face murder charges.

Police rescue girl, arrest suspect

THE police have rescued a 15-year-old girl and arrested the alleged abductor in the municipality of Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, a police official said Wednesday.

Molave police station commander Superintendent Christine Tan identified the rescued girl as Marfe Bergado of Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.

Cop escapes gun attack

A POLICEMAN escaped unscathed in a gun attack and his attacker was arrested in downtown Molave, Zamboanga del Sur, a top police official reported Wednesday.

The incident took place around 4:30 p.m. of Tuesday at the Integrated Bus and Jeep Terminal (IBJT) compound in downtown Molave, according to Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman Ariel Huesca.

SPES to benefit 3,678 students

THE implementation of the Summer Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) this year is set to benefit a total of 3,678 students -- secondary and tertiary -- in Zamboanga City.

SPES is a joint undertaking of the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) and local government units (LGUs) on a 60-40 scheme.

OFW family gets death burial aid

THE family of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) who died while working in Kuwait has received P220,000 death and burial assistance from the National Government, through the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa).

The recipients of the assistance were the parents of Ailyn Hidalgo, 30, who was found dead inside the drainage system in the basement of her employer’s house last November 27, 2012 at Yarmouk, Kuwait, said Owwa Regional Director Hassan Jumdain.

Village watchman shot, wounded

A 35-YEAR-OLD village watchman was shot and wounded by a lone gunman on Monday in the vicinity of a pension house in the village of Canelar, Zamboanga City.

Police intercept Kiram followers bound for Sabah

SOME 67 followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III were intercepted Tuesday as they were about to leave the country to reinforce their comrades holed up in Lahad Datu, Sabah, a police official said.

The group was intercepted in the municipality of Bongao, the capital of Tawi-Tawi, said Provincial Police Director Joselito Salido, adding the followers returned to their respective provinces after they were convinced to return home.

2 killed, 1 hurt due to stabbing, hacking

TWO militia volunteers were killed while another was wounded on separate violent incidents in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, a police official disclosed Monday.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman, identified the two fatalities as Crispulo Tantalo, 53, and Julius Tantalo, 37 -- both militia volunteers. Wounded was Orlando Alberto, 39, also a militia volunteer.

City Government alerted on possible repatriation

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has alerted the City Government of Zamboanga on possible mass repatriation of undocumented Filipinos from Sabah, Malaysia.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said on Monday that in the wake of the worsening situation due to a territory dispute over Sabah.

Fire bureau gets new fire truck

THE Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) received from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) a P17.5-million brand new fire truck.

ZCFD Fire Marshal Dominador Zabala Jr. said the distribution of the fire truck is aimed to improve the fire response services of the fire stations that are recipients of the latest distribution of firefighting equipment.

DAR personnel undergo LCMS seminar

PERSONNEL of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) have undergone a two-day Reorientation Seminar Workshop on the Web Based Legal Case Monitoring System (LCMS) in Zamboanga City.

DAR Regional Director Julita Ragandang said the seminar was held to familiarize the DAR personnel on the mechanics and operations of the LCMS.

Anti-drug operation nets 3 pushers

COMBINED policemen and agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) have arrested three persons in an anti-drug operation in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, a police official said Sunday.

Arrested were Parida Asimnee Singkay, 43, Dion Asim, 17, and Anna Rose Asimnee Singkay, 19, said Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca.

Mom kills own son

A 31-YEAR-OLD housewife was arrested by authorities after she allegedly killed her three years old son in a remote village in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the police reported Sunday.

Senior Inspector Chamer Lacay, officer-in-charge of the Labason municipal police station, identified the arrested housewife as Emie Partosa, a resident of Gil Sanchez village, Labason town.

Two killed in Sumisip gun attack

TWO people, including a child, were killed in an attack by lawless elements in a remote village in Basilan province, the police said Saturday.

The Basilan Police Provincial Office (BPPO) reported that the incident took place around 7:40 p.m. Friday at Sitio Birahan, Upper Benembengan village, Sumisip town.

Militiaman injured in Zambo Sur ambush

A MILITIAMAN was injured while two others escaped unscathed in an ambush in a remote village of Zamboanga del Sur, a police official said Saturday.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Spokesman Ariel Huesca said the incident took place around 7:55 a.m. Friday at Purok 3, Datagan village in the municipality of Bayog.

Gun ban campaign nets village official, driver

A VILLAGE official is in hot water after he and a habal-habal driver were arrested for gun ban violation in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, a police official announced Saturday.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Spokesman Ariel Huesca said the village official was arrested inside a videoke bar around 9 p.m. Friday in the village of Poblacion, Margosatubig town.

Cop killed at Internet café

A POLICEMAN was killed by a man who snatched his handgun at an Internet café in an east coast village in Zamboanga City, a police official said Friday.

Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman, Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, said the incident happened around 4 a.m. Friday at Clique Internet Café in the village of Guiwan, east of the city.

‘Primeriza’ health care program launched

SOME 300 breastfeeding and pregnant mothers have attended the Zamboanga City Government's launching of a health care program dubbed as “Primeriza.”

Primeriza is a Chabacano word that refers to first pregnancy.

Ejercito: Survey result is a wake-up call

THE result of the pre-election survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) is a wake-up call and should not discourage candidates, said San Juan City Representative Joseph Victor Ejercito.

The result of the survey, conducted nationwide from February 15 to 17, showed that nine senatorial candidates of the administration's Team PNoy and three bets from United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) were favored by most Filipinos.

Fisherman wounded in attack; 2 others unscathed

A FISHERMAN was shot and wounded while two others escaped unscathed in an attack by pirates off the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, a police spokesman said Friday.

Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca said the incident took place around 3 a.m. Thursday off shore sitio Tarla-Tarla, Tampalan village, Alicia town.

Sayyaf arrested at hospital

AN ABU Sayyaf bandit who carries a P1.3-million bounty was placed under hospital arrest in Zamboanga City, a police official disclosed Thursday.

The police, who were armed with warrant of arrest, swooped down a private hospital here and arrested the bandit, who was undergoing medication for heart ailment.

2 cops awarded for protecting teachers in ambush

TWO personnel of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) have received commendation and cash reward for protecting two public school teachers in an ambush in a west coast village in the city.

ZCPO officer-in-charge Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo identified the commended cops as Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Navata Juhassan and Police Officer 3 (PO3) Nurhassan Arasa -- both personnel of Police Station 8.

Army, school reactivate poll advocacy group

THE Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) and the Ateneo de Zamboanga University (ADZU) are lining up activities to reactivate the United Front for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (UF HOPE) in line with the May polls.

Westmincom spokesman Colonel Rodrigo Gregorio said they have already met and initially discussed some details concerning the reactivation of the UF Hope.

Councilman killed, another wounded

A VILLAGE official was killed while another was wounded on two gun attacks on Monday night in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, a police official reported Wednesday.

Zamboanga Peninsula police spokesman Ariel Huesca identified the victims as Noli Andrino, 48, who died on the spot, and Rodrigo Guilingan, 44, who was wounded and hospitalized.

Zamboanga boosts police mobility

THE City Government of Zamboanga has boosted the police mobility in the city as it donated 30 units of motorcycles to the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) on Tuesday.

The 30 units of motorcycles worth P2.070 million were turned over by Mayor Celso Lobregat to Zamboanga Peninsula police director Juanito Vaño, who in turn handed them over to ZCPO officer-in-charge Edwin de Ocampo.