The Office on Muslim Affairs (OMA) under Executive Director Datu Ali B. Sangki Sunday disclosed that a 28-year-old native of Maguindanao province, who is working as a halal crew in Calamba City, Laguna, was bludgeoned to death on January 2 by a still unidentified attacker.

Sangki had sent OMA-North Luzon Regional Director Al-Hajji Rakman Ali to coordinate with the Laguna police and verify the murder of Samsudin T. Dalinding, who died from head injury at his rented house in Barangay Saimsin, Calamba City. A medical certificate issued on January 5 by City Health Officer Dr. Adelino C. Labro described the cause of death of the Moro native as “Intra-cranial Hemorrhage secondary to traumatic head injuries.”

On the other hand, Ali said the weapon used by the killer was the handle of a steel stove. At the time of his death, Dalinding was a halal crew member at the AM-Europharma Corporation, he said. Ali said he coordinated with Sgt. Lindley Tiduc of the Laguna police, who said they were investigating the killing.

OMA, which is under the Office of the President, intends to seek the assistance of Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, to speed up the investigation, Ali said. Based on Ali’s own inquiries, he learned from Dalinding’s landlady, Mrs. Letty Castillo, that she was the first to discover the body of Dalinding in his rented room. (Edd Usman)

Cycle rider dies in road mishap

VILLASIS, Pangasinan — A 60-year-old man died after the bicycle he was riding was bumped by a speeding motorcycle along the national highway in Barangay Caramutan, here late Saturday afternoon.

A report from the Villasis municipal police station identified the victim as a certain Alfredo Fernandez, married and a resident of Caramutan, this town. While the motorcycle driver, who was later identified as Victor Hernandez, 19, single and a resident of the same place, was arrested by responding police operatives right after the incident.

Initial investigation showed the victim was driving his bicycle along the national road when he was suddenly bumped causing him to loose control of his bicycle and fall on the ground. Because of the impact of the collision, the victim was thrown several meters away from the accident scene with his head and body banging on the concrete pavement thereby inflicting heavy injuries on him.

Concerned bystanders and motorists immediately rushed the victim to a private hospital in the town but died several hours. The victim’s bicycle was heavily damaged while the motorcycle of the suspect was subsequently impounded by the local police for evidentiary purposes.

The arrested suspect was temporarily detained at the Villasis municipal jail. (Dexter See)

2 drug suspects fall in Zambales

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Two suspected members of an illegal drugs trafficking syndicate operating in Olongapo City and Zambales were arrested by operatives of Zambales Criminal Investigation Detection Team (ZCIDT) during a drug bust operation in Barangay Calapacuan, Subic, Zambales over the weekend.

Sr. Supt. Marvin Bolabola, 3rd Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (3CIDU) regional officer, identified the suspects as Raside Ojal Nail, 27, of Barangay Calapacuan, and Myra Mararac Cena, 32, of Barangay Liwas, both of Subic town. Police said that the suspects did not resist arrest when caught in possession of 1.5 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride also known as shabu, with a street value of P9,000.

Bolabola said, that suspects were supposed to deliver their illegal drugs to a poseur buyer when intercepted by agents of the ZCIDT led by Chief Insp. Rogelio Ponce Penones and local police from the Olongapo City Police Office (OCPO) headed by Sr. Supt. Oscar D. Albayalde.

The operation was coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency regional office before the drug bust was implemented. Another companion of the suspects eluded arrest and took the marked money used in the drug bust, sensing the presence of lawmen in the area. (Franco Regala)