CAVITE, Philippines – A total of 115 new scouts will return to serve in the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) Headquarters and police stations throughout the province to invigorate the fight against crime, following their graduation ceremony last Monday at the decades-old Camp Francisco Ferma in Tagaytay City. The graduates are young officers who came from the ranks of the more than 1,200-strong Cavite police force.

Members of graduating batch 2010-05 Class Manrangit were teary-eyed but heads up as they were cited by Chief Superintendent Samuel D. Pagdilao Jr., Police Regional Office-4-A director, who in his younger years underwent rigorous exercises and became a trainer when he was the head of the defunct 212 Philippine Constabulary (PC) Company Headquarters also at the same ridge camp. (Anthony Giron)

DYNAMITE FISHERS FALL

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines – Two fishermen allegedly involved in dynamite fishing were arrested by joint elements of the Philippine Army Special Forces and the Bantay Dagat group, headed by Superintendent Baltazar Mamaril Jr.

Senior Supt. Fernando S. Villanueva, Bulacan police director, identified the two as Ricardo Ermitanio Litao, 38, and Eduardo Caingin Carreon, 43, both of Purok 4 Barangay Tibig, Bulacan town.

Five other suspects allegedly spotted with the two while dynamite fishing had eluded arrest.

Unused dynamites were not found from the boats seized from them because these were discarded by the suspects at sea moments before they were accosted, Mamaril said. (Freddie C. Velez)

WITNESS OFFERED COP PROTECTION

STA. CRUZ, Laguna, Philippines – Senior Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, Laguna Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, is offering total protection to Grace Capistrano, the 22-year-old woman who survived after being shot, stabbed and left for dead in Pagsanjan allegedly by two police officers from the Rizal Police Provincial Office (PPO).

Capistrano, who was released from the Laguna Provincial Hospital last Monday, fears for her safety and that of her family.

Cruz said he offered Grace and her husband, Richard, protection provided by the Laguna PPO while awaiting results of their petition filed Tuesday with the Department of Justice (DoJ) to place them under the Witness Protection Program (WOP).

Capistrano is a key witness in an extortion case against PO2 Mario Natividad and PO1 Antenor Mariquit, who are now under “restrictive custody” at the Rizal PPO Headquarters. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

MAN WRECKS SOLON’S CAR

ZAMBALES, Philippines – A vehicle of a congressman from Zambales exploded while parked at the house of his executive assistant in Palauig town, a police official said Tuesday.

Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz, Jr., spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said an unidentified man lobbed a Molotov bomb at the pick-up (WPY-829) of Zambales 2nd District Antonio Diaz.

Quoting field reports, Cruz said the explosion occurred around 3 a.m. Monday at the garage of the house of Glenn Elayda, executive assistant secretary of Diaz in Purok 5, Barangay Salaza in Palauig. Cruz said local investigators are not discounting the possibility of local politics as the motive behind the attack.

The official said there was no reported casualty during the explosion, adding that pursuit operation was immediately launched against the perpetrator and his possible cohorts. (Aaron B. Recuenco)