MEXICO, Pampanga — A 22-year-old call center agent literally became the life of quite a morbid “party” in her honor when she walked right into her wake attended by weeping friends and mourning relatives in Angeles City last June 12. Senior Superintendent Nicanor Targa, Angeles City chief of police, said the decomposing body of a woman found in a creek earlier this month was claimed by the Castro family and a wake had been arranged. Editha Castro identified the cadaver found by police as that of her daughter, Karen, who had been missing for weeks, on account of the clothes the worn by the fatality. To the surprise of everyone at the wake, Castro’s daughter Karen walked right into the wake with a confession that she had eloped and married her boyfriend. (Mark Anthony Manuel)

Region 1 loses P100-M fishes

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – The Region 1 office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported that over P100 million worth of assorted fish have been lost in the fish kill reported in three areas of this province. Aside from the 39 fish pens and four fish ponds in two barangays in this city, the fish kills have also been reported in Bollinao and Anda, both eastern towns of this province, the BFAR said. Thousands of affected fisher folks in Bolinao and Anda are continuously appealing for appropriate assistance from concerned government agencies and local governments while the situation of fish ponds have totally shut down their business. In the city, over 20 million worth of milkfish, popularly known as bangus, were damaged when the fish kill affected the fish pens and fish ponds in various fish-producing barangays. Based on the water quality analysis done on samples taken from the fish kill-affected areas, it was found that there is insufficient oxygen supply in the water as an apparent result of sudden changes in weather patterns. (Dexter A. See)

Carnapping goes down

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — A total of 37 stolen vehicles have been recovered, so far, in Central Luzon, the Regional Highway Patrol Unit 3 reported Thursday. Senior Superintendent G. Tinio reported to Chief Supt. Orlando M. Mabutas, Highway Patrol Group (HPG) director, that there had been a notable downtrend in carnapping incidents in the first six months of the year as compared with the same period last year. Tinio said there were 48 stolen vehicles from January to June this year in contrast to the 59 cases reported in the same period last year, reflecting a 22.9 percent reduction in carnapping incidents in Central Luzon. (Freddie C. Velez)

Rizal builds 72 classrooms

ANTIPOLO CITY — Congestion in classrooms have been addressed with the construction of additional classrooms following the completion of various infrastructure projects for the province by Governor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III. The Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) reported to Ynares that in April alone, the construction and improvement of school buildings accounted to more than P40 million representing some 72 additional classrooms. The amount spent on the creation of new classrooms is part of the P190 million allocated and spent by the provincial government for its various infrastructure projects which were finished in April alone, PEO chief, Luisito Munsod reported to Ynares. (Nel B. Andrade)