Robbery suspects killed in shootout; 2nd resto hit in QC

QC vice mayor: Avoid inviting politicians to speak at moving-up rites

Many school and youth celebrations, like commencement rites, have drawn widespread uproar after these events were turned into political campaign sorties by politicians seeking public office.

With the many complaints, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte has revived her call to local public school officials not to invite political wannabes to commencement or moving-up ceremonies, especially in the months or weeks leading to the May, 2019 midterm elections.

As the upcoming election season nears, Belmonte said those running for public office would naturally compete for a chance to appear and speak in public events such as schools’ graduation ceremonies.

“Perhaps our local Division (Schools Division Office Quezon City) can consider this to maintain order and fairness in 2019 graduation ceremonies,” Belmonte said.

“I have suggested this to our Division Superintendent several times: those who are running for public office are not allowed to speak in order to avoid politicking. They can only attend and be recognized,” she added.

Belmonte said this issue was raised to her by DepEd regional directors.

Quoting the DepEd officials, she said that in the provinces, public schools invite credible, non-politicians “who are really inspiring to the youth” to be keynote speakers, instead of politicians.

Last April, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones reminded school officials to avoid making the graduation and moving up ceremonies as a venue for political forum.

While inviting politicians is not banned, Briones said commencement exercises should be conducted in an appropriate ceremony befitting the students and their parents.

Two suspected robbers riding a motorcycle were killed in an encounter with police officers after they allegedly robbed a restaurant in Quezon City Wednesday night.

Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel Jr., director of the Quezon City Police District, described the yet to be identified suspects as in their late 20s and 30s, both wearing black jackets, black shirts, pants, and bonnets.

The two men were allegedly involved in a robbery incident in a restaurant along Scout Tobias, Barangay Laging Handa, police said.

Meanwhile, investigators are verifying if the same suspects were also involved in the robbery of another restaurant in the same area last June 1 where robbers were said to have carted away R100,000 in cash and valuables from the restaurant’s customers.

In the Wednesday night incident, a restaurant staff told authorities that the suspects arrived 8:25 p.m. on board a black motorcycle without plate number, pulled out their handguns and declared the heist.

The men took a mobile phone and an undetermined amount of cash inside the store before fleeing the scene, investigators said.

The incident was immediately reported to the QCPD- Kamuning Police Station. The suspects were spotted and flagged down by the authorities who were then conducting ‘Oplan Sita’ along Roces Avenue, near Gate 1 of Amoranto Stadium in Barangay Paligsahan.

Instead of stopping on the checkpoint, the duo sped off towards Tomas Morato Street.

Operatives chased the suspects who alighted beside Amoranto Stadium and shot it out prompting policemen to retaliate.

Investigators recovered from the crime scene two caliber .38 revolvers and the loot.