BANCASI, Butuan City – At least two persons, one of them a former Army man, were killed and three others were wounded while two are reported missing when an undetermined number of gunmen waylaid mining workers on aboard a truck at Kalampigan area in Barangay Calabugao, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, a report reaching the Army area command on Sunday stated. The sketchy report stated that the company guards of Chromites Mining Company led by former Army man, Pfc. Jose B. Perez, along with some workers while on their way towards Calabugao proper of that same town and province were ambushed by undetermined number of heavily armed men at 9:40 a.m. The report, however, did not indicate what kind of vehicle the victims were riding on during the ambush. During the attack, some of the guards and workers managed to run away towards the nearby forested area leaving behind their dead and wounded companions, the initial field report said. The ambushers also hastily withdrew towards the southern portion of Kalampigan, the field report added. As of press time, identities of the two killed and three wounded persons were not known. On the other hand, identities of the two other missing company workers were also still not known as of this posting. (Mike Crismundo)

Concreting of :Lanao Road

MARAWI CITY – Concreting works are under way on a freshly opened road, which has earlier stimulated farmers to cultivate some 2,000 hectares of rice farms they had left idle for decades in three agricultural towns of Lanao del Sur due to absence of access road. About a mile of the 3.7-kilometer new road cutting through farms in Ditsaan-Ramain, Bubong and Buadipuso-Buntong towns has already been concreted, according to Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Al. Adiong Jr., who conducted an ocular inspection of the project over the weekend. Adiong also inspected the construction of the bridge over the Ramain River that cut across the three towns, witnessing workers almost completing the foundation of the bridge footings. Engineering workers found enthusiasm in fast-tracking the concreting and bridge construction projects while seeing residents tending their once abandoned rice lands. In his ocular inspection, Adiong saw four residents arguing at the roadside on boundary issue. He stopped his car and pacified them. “You now value your lands because of this road. But you should resolve boundary disputes on a win-win solution,” Adiong told the arguing farmers in vernacular. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan proposed to name as “Gov. Mamintal Adiong Sr. Boulevard” the road in tribute to the governor’s late father, who originally planned the project before his death in 2005. (Ali Macabalang)

Caraga tries new fire-fighting tack

BUTUAN CITY – Realizing the power of music to catch public attention, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Caraga regional director F/Sr. Supt. Warlito P. Daus spearheaded a different approach to boost fire prevention campaign and awareness in the region. The regional officer’s band, “General Alarm Band,” which is composed of music and dance enthusiasts among the fire department personnel of the region, is becoming popular in the place, Daus said. The band, which is his brainchild, was formed last March and made its first public performance at the “Fire Prevention Month’’ campaign in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur. Since then, the band has been invited to hold concerts such as the “Musika Laban sa Sunog’’ in various local occasions and functions in different parts of the region. During concert intermissions, announcements on fire safety and prevention measures and things to do during emergency cases are made to the audience, thus mass entertainment also becomes educational. Information materials and brochures are also distributed by BFP’s official mascot, “Berong Bumbero’’ and other fire personnel during their concert performances. His office has just recently launched the first ever complete company of Caraga Lady Firefighters. The all-female firefighter group, the first in the country, is capable of driving and operating a firetruck responder. (Mike Crismundo)