Reds admit disarming resort guards

BY FELIPE V. CELINO

ROXAS City — The New People’s Army (NPA) admitted disarming Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit members who served as guards of an inland resort in Sitio Marugo, Brgy. San Antonio, Tapaz town on December 16.

The NPA Jose Percival Estocado Jr. Central Command disarmed Dominido Gascon and Edgar Victoriano who were then guarding the Marugo Mountain Resort, the rebels said in a statement read over a radio broadcast on Monday.

They made the drastic move due to the alleged abuses of resort owner Roberto “Nonong” Palomar against the residents living near the resort, NPA spokesman Joey Guerrero who read the statement said.

Among the firearms carted away by the rebels were a .30-caliber M1 grand rifle with ten clips of live ammunition and an M16 Armalite rifle with five long and two short magazines with ammunition.

They also took six handheld radios, two pairs of binoculars, a megaphone, a backpack with assorted fatigue uniforms and one magazine loaded with .45-caliber ammunitions.

Around 40 armed men and women members of the NPA ransacked the resort.

SPO3 Isidro Garbosa of the Tapaz police station, who was at the resort during the raid, said the rebels took his service firearm, a .9mm-Barreta pistol, two magazines with live ammunition and his mobile phone.

Guerrero said the rebels are observing the Christmas ceasefire that started December 16 and will end on January 3 next year.

However, the rebels are always prepared to defend themselves against possible attacks from the government forces, he said.

Palomar was not around during the incident./PN

   


Elder’s leg cut in road mishap

BY FELIPE V.CELINO

ROXAS City — The leg of a 75-year-old woman was cut after she was hit by a motorcycle.

Police identified the victim as Lolita Celoso of Brgy. Salocon, Panit-an, Capiz.

Celoso was walking when a speeding motorcycle hit her, police said.

She was rushed to a nearby hospital. The driver of the motorcycle surrendered to the Panitan police.

In another story, a 41-year-old fishpond caretaker was found floating on the Panay River in Brgy. Ameligan, Pontevedra, Capiz.

Police identified the man as George Contreras, 41, of Brgy. Linampungan, Pontevedra, Capiz.

The police is currently investigating the cause of the victim’s death./PN