IMUS, Cavite — Hostage-taking incidents in Cavite ended well with proper handling by its crisis management committee, authorities said Thursday. Police records showed that there were at least three hostage dramas that have taken place in Cavite in past one year. One sensational incident involving an American happened in Bacoor while another one also hugged the headlines in neighboring Imus town. All the three incidents were tense and daring as the negotiations for the surrender of the hostage-takers lasted for many hours. Still, officials cited the good handling by the crisis management committee, composed only of a municipal mayor, police chief and an official from the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO), in resolving such incidents. (Anthony Giron)

3rd most wanted in Calamba falls

STA. CRUZ, Laguna — The alleged gunman in a daring robbery that led to the death of a lady police finance officer and the wounding of her police escort in Calamba City last year was arrested the Wednesday night in Barangay Paciano, here, police reported Thursday. Senior Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, Laguna Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, identified the suspect as Marlon Macalaman, 30, ranked No. 3 in the city’s most wanted criminal list. Cruz said Macalaman was nabbed at his hideout around 11 p.m. by a police team armed with a warrant issued by Judges Jesus Santiago and Alberto Serano of Calamba City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 and 92 before which he is charged with robbery with homicide and frustrated homicide. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

P87-M marijuana destroyed

CAMP DIEGO SILANG, La Union — Joint operatives from different law enforcement agencies destroyed at least P87 million worth of marijuana plants in a raid conducted in the tri-boundaries of Santol and San Gabriel towns, this province, and the neighboring towns of Kibungan in Benguet, police reported Thursday.

Director Roberto Opeña of the Region 1 Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) also reported the arrest of an alleged cultivator – Simeon Gualdo – in Barangay Sapdaan, Santol, during the two-day marijuana eradication operation dubbed “Oplan River Valley Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation.” During the operation, the raiding teams uprooted the following 88,000 marijuana seedlings at a 1.2-hectare farm, with an estimated worth of P4 million; and some 418,600 fully-grown plants in 2.3 has with an estimated value of P84 million. (Freddie G. Lazaro and Dexter A. See)

M.N.C. gets 30 new classrooms

MABALACAT, Pampanga — Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales of this town announced Thursday that he is set to inaugurate newly-built classrooms of the Mabalacat National College (MNC), a P20-million project to address the need for effective education in this first-class municipality. Morales said the 30 new classrooms are set to be fully built within his first 100 days in office. He said 20 of these have already been fully-finished. “We are focused on developing the Mabalacat College into a well-rounded educational institution with enough facilities to address the academic needs of the students,” said the mayor, adding that enrollments for this school year reached 1,700. The MNC offers Bachelor of Science courses in Elementary and Secondary Education; Information Technology; and Hotel and Restaurant Management. (Franco G. Regala)