CAMILING, Tarlac, Philippines — Joint elements of the Camiling Police and the Provincial Public Safety Company (PPSC) have confiscated 15 sacks of pirated music CDs and DVD and VCD movies worth P200,000 and arrested five suspects inside the Camiling Public Market here, police reported Sunday.

Chief Supt. Karen Clark, chief of the Regional Information Office, reported that the police team led by Chief Inspector Diosdado Lagasca swooped down on the Public Market on Quezon Avenue, Barangay Poblacion B, Camiling, Tarlac.

The raid, done in coordination with the local government of Camiling, resulted in the seizure of pirated music CDs and DVD and VCD movies worth some P200,000.

Clark said the operation also resulted in the arrest of the owners identified as Jamel Kaman, Jakal Oka, Samad Ismael, Amer Makalawi, and Gapor Macarangkat, all residents of Arellano Street in Poblacion H, Camiling. (Mar T. Supnad)

STRAY BULLET HITS TEENAGER

CAVITE, Philippines – A teenage student was reportedly hit by a stray bullet in Cavite during the New Year revelry. Police identified the victim as Roxette C. Lucero, 14, of Block 14, Lot 19, Barangay San Dionisio, Dasmariñas City, Cavite.

Lucero, who suffered a bullet wound in the left leg, was brought to St. Paul Hospital also in Dasmariñas City.

The victim was hit by the bullet while she and her mother were standing in front of their house at 12:30 a.m. Friday. Lucero was the second reported stray bullet victim in Cavite.

The first victim was identified as Miriam M. Malayao, 28, of Barangay Malagasang I-F, Imus, Cavite. Malayao, who also suffered a gunshot wound in the left leg, was brought to the Our Lady of Pillar Medical Center in Bayan Luma II, Imus.
Senior Supt. Danilo L. Maligalig, Cavite police director, reported earlier that there were at least 20 firecracker victims and four fire incidents in the province during the New Year’s celebration. (Anthony Giron)

N.Y. FIRECRACKER CASUALTIES DOWN

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines — Authorities noted Sunday that there was a significant drop in the number of firecracker related incidents provincewide in the New Year revelry.

As of Sunday, only 22 people were reported hurt as a result of firecracker and fireworks explosions in Pangasinan. The “Iwas Paputok” campaign initiated by the Department of Health (DoH) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) apparently succeeded, said Dr. Roland Mejia, chief of the Region 1 Medical Center here.

Mejia noted that the significant drop in the number of casualties reflects that even if firecrackers are already being manufactured in this city, discipline among revelers and strict monitoring by the police of banned pyrotechnics had prevailed. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

DEPUTY ELIMINATES TALAVERA C.O.P.

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines — The chief of police (CoP) of Talavera, Nueva Ecija was shot and killed by his deputy at the height of an altercation in front of their police station on New Year’s Day, investigators said Sunday.

Police identified the victim as Superintendent Ricardo Dayag, 47, a native from Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.

Inspector Bernardo Castro, who allegedly shot Dayag in the back with his 9mm service pistol around 11 p.m. Saturday, surrendered to fellow policemen.

Probers said Castro was drunk when he arrived and confronted Dayag about certain matters outside the police station. (Freddie G. Lazaro)