2 NABBED FOR DUPING CONTRACTORS OF P20M

GAPAN CITY: The police here arrested a woman and her cohort, claiming to be connected with the mayor’s office and the city engineering, and allegedly collected about P20-million from a businessman and contractors in exchange for facilitating multi-million contracts. Supt. Peter Madria, City Police chief, said Marilen Mendoza, 42, of Barangay San Lorenzo, and Jessie Umali, of Barangay Pambuan of this city were arrested on the complaint of city engineer Carl Anthony Alfaro while confronted by their victims right in his office. Alfaro said the suspects assured several businessman and contractors to invest in supposed projects and collected money in advance in exchange for facilitating the awarding of contracts to them. Mendoza even told the victims she has connections with the local government officials, including Mayor Emerson Pascual of Gapan. Alfaro filed a criminal complaint against the two for misrepresentation.

BULGARIAN ARRESTED FOR ATM SKIMMING

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga: A Bulgarian was arrested while in the act of withdrawing money from a bank in Barangay San Agustin here using cloned ATM cards. Senior Supt. Joel Consulta, Pampanga Police provincial director, said the suspect Ivaylo Sashov Galabov, 37, of DM Residente in Balibago, Angeles City was found with 100 fake ATM cards; P2,100 cash; a Honda Scoopy motorcycle; Bulgarian driver’s license in his name; a laptop, an ATM card devise (copier) and $1,020. Consulta said they are looking if Galabov has connections with an international crime group. He said Galabov’s skimming activity is related to three Europeans arrested last July 24 at the same bank using the same modus and type of equipment. A case for violation of the Prevention Act of 2012 that recommends no bail for the accuse was filed on Friday before the City Prosecutor’ s office here.

ILOILO BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION COMPLETED BY 2Q 2018 – DPWH

THE P200- million reconstruction of Tumagbok Bridge in Miagao, Iloilo is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2018, the Department of Public Works and Highways said on Friday. The project involves the construction of four lanes, three spans pre- stressed concrete girder ( PSCG), Type IV bridge on bored pile foundation, electrical lights, approaches and slope protection, with a total length of 35 meters. “This bridge is significant since it is along the Iloilo– Antique Road which is the only route from Iloilo City to the southern part of Iloilo going to the province of Antique,” Wenceslao Leaño, DPWH Regional Office VI director, said in a statement. The new bridge is the old two- lane bridge widened to complement the widening along Iloilo– Antique Road. According to the engineering office of DPWH Iloilo First District, the main support of the 80- year old bridge was broken and reinforced but is not strong enough to support the structure and calls for an immediate replacement. “Safety of the motorists and the general public is our main concern why we decided to replace the old, damaged bridge, considering that its steel members are already rusty and should not be used anymore,” Assistant Regional Director Jose Al Fruto said.

HEADLESS BODIES FOUND IN BASILAN

HEADLESS bodies of a married couple, believed to be victims of “rido” (clan feud) were found in the province of Basilan, the military said on Friday. The report said a militiaman heard five gunshots from an area in Mahatalang, Basilan at about 2 p. m. on Thursday. A woman’s body was found, believed to be the wife of Abdurahim Kituh of Isabela City, Basilan. At about 6: 30 p. m., residents informed authorities that Kituh’s headless body was found near the crossing going to Ismael Elementary School. Kituh is the brother of Abu Sayyaf Group member Naim. Witnesses said the victims arrived in the area earlier where the woman’s body was found.

TACURONG BLAST CAUSED BY QUARREL OVER WOMAN— PNP

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao: The Tacurong City Police Office on Friday said the New Year’s Eve blast that killed two and wounded 16 others in a KTV Bar “was not an act of terror but was due to a quarrel of two male group over a guest relations officer (GRO).” Quoting City police chief Supt. John Patrick Aggabao, Allan Freno, staff of the Tacurong information office, said Scene of the Crime Operatives and Explosive Ordnance Division recovered two safety levers of hand grenades “thus negating an earlier report that an improvised explosive device or IED caused the explosion.” Dominador Datahan, 51, village civilian volunteer, was dead on arrival at the hospital while Suharto Ali, 19, from Maguindanao, died on January 1. Freno said prior to the blast, a heated argument inside the bar occurred when a male customer forced a GRO from another customer’s table to sit with them triggering an altercation between the two groups. A witness said Datahan tried to pacify the groups and one of them was overheard saying threatening words. Less than an hour later, a loud explosion wrecked a parked pedicab in front of the bar. Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police director and head of Special Investigation Task Group ( SITG), said three persons now in police custody will face criminal charges for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of explosives.