KIDAPAWAN CITY – At least two unidentified gunmen shot dead a prisoner who was on bail and his companion while onboard a blue Honda motorcycle in front of a Catholic Church here along Quezon Boulevard at around 11 a.m. the on Monday. Authorities identified the victims as Paul Escueta, 20, and his buddy, Jonathan Kumaladang, 22, both residents of Alim Street here. Witnesses told police that another motorcycle was tailing the victims’ vehicle along the highway and upon reaching the Our Lady Mediatrix of All Grace Cathedral, one of the suspects pumped bullets into Escueta’s head and later shot Kumaladang.

The suspects were onboard a motorcycle without a plate number, witnesses said. Isabel Escueta, Paul’s mother, claimed that a witness saw a man wearing a uniform shot the victims. “It was a military-like uniform,” said Isabel. Court records showed that Escueta was charged with motorcycle theft, robbery, and illegal possession of dangerous drugs. “But he was on bail since last year,” said Insp. Benjamin Mauricio, chief of the intelligence division of the Kidapawan City Police Office. Kumaladang, on the other hand, has no criminal records. The killing of Escueta and Kumaladang was the 13th and 14th incidents of so-called “summary execution” since January. The suspects in the killing used the same pattern: they rode on a motorcycle without a plate number and used a caliber .45 pistol. (Malu Cadelina Manar)

Cops identify GenSan killer

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Police authorities claimed that the alleged killer of a teenaged pregnant girl has been identified and suspected to be a hired assassin. This was revealed by Senior Insp. Resty Balmores, Police Station 4 chief, in a local radio talk show here. He said an artist’s sketch of the assassin showed that the suspect is the same hired killer who is presently facing murder case for an earlier slaying in Barangay Tambler, this city. Balmores, however, withheld the identity of the suspect as investigators are still digging deeper into the case to be able to identify the person who hired him to kill the pregnant victim. Hazel Mae Sunga, 17, a coed of the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University was seen dead at 7:45p.m. last August 16 with 16 stab wounds at the parking area of the Cambridge Farm and Restaurant in Purok Malakas here. Later, police learned that the victim was six months pregnant. Initial investigation showed that the victim, who was waiting for a companion at the Cambridge Farm and Restaurant, was identified through an ATM card found in her bag shortly after the killing. (Bong Reblando)

Zambo officials told to answer Ombudsman

ZAMBOANGA CITY – A total of 27 top and lower level city government officials and staff were given 10 days to answer the Ombudsman against the charges filed against them by Dimson Manila, a contractor for the P180 million Integrated Bus Terminal (IBT) Project in this city. The Ombudsman came up with the Joint Order for the 27 city officials to answer within a period of 10 days all the complaints filed by Dimson Manila against them over the implementation of the multi-million-peso project – Integrated Bus Terminal in Barangay Divisoria, this city. Dimson Manila, represented by engineer Sherwyn Lao, filed a complaint with the Ombudsman on alleged graft and corruption, violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act, and Grave Misconduct pursuant to Republic Act 3019. Earlier, Dimson Manila came up with a series of complaints against the city government to include the Notice of Award issued to RCDG and RU Aquino Construction for the IBT project. Dimson also claimed that the bidding was allegedly conducted without the presence or participation of the Commission on Audit (CoA). (Nonoy Lacson)