ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Village chief, 2 others shot dead

Three persons, including a barangay chairman, were gunned down in Batangas on Thursday.

Mario Sulit, chairman of Barangay Hugom in San Juan town, was in his garage when an unidentified man entered at past 9 p.m. and shot him several times. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Juan District Hospital.

In Lipa City, two unidentified men were found dead in a grassy portion in Barangay Anilao. The bodies of the victims bore multiple gunshot wounds. – Arnell Ozaeta, Emmanuel Tupas

Family of 5 nabbed for guns

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – Five members of a family were arrested after an arms cache was recovered at their house in Barangay Minagbag, Quezon, Isabela on Thursday.

Rodolfo Edradan, his brothers Ernesto and Armand, sister-in-law Esmeña and nephew Rexy Guevarra yielded a shotgun, an M14 and M16 rifles, a caliber .45 and caliber .40 pistols, a 9mm machine gun and various types of ammunition.

The raid was based on a search warrant issued by Cauayan Regional Trial Court Judge Raul Babaran on Feb. 28.

Senior Inspector Arnel Alvarez, Quezon police chief, said the suspects were also accused of cattle rustling in the village. – Raymund Catindig

Snake bite kills laborer

SARIAYA, Quezon – A laborer died after he was bitten by a snake while gathering wood along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Concepcion in this town on Thursday.

Bernardo Jader Jr., 54, a resident of Barangay Pili, refused to be taken to a hospital for treatment, his co-worker Marjon Belen said.

Belen said Jader fell to the ground a few minutes after the incident.

Jader’s body was taken to a funeral parlor for autopsy. – Michelle Zoleta

Infant dies in fire

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A two-month-old baby boy died in a fire that razed the bunkhouses of workers at a construction warehouse in Barangay Camino Nuevo in this city yesterday morning.

Ronel Liguid Jr.’s body was charred beyond recognition, according to city fire marshal Superintendent Jhufel Brañanola.

The mother of the victim, Jovelyn, was reportedly doing the laundry outside their quarters when the fire broke out.

Jovelyn and her husband Roneld Sr. suffered burns when they tried to rescue their son.

Brañanola said around 150 workers and their dependents were left homeless by the fire.

Initial investigation showed faulty electrical wiring caused the fire. – Roel Pareño