Local News

COTABATO CITY -- The wife of a police officer still being held captive by the communist guerillas has appealed to the group to release him unharmed.Jessa Catalan, wife of Police Officer 1 Bristol Catalan of the Makilala Police, said two weeks after her husband’s abduction by members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), she has yet to hear updates from the group. No calls, no text, no message, whatsoever. I face a blank wall, said Jessa.PO1 Catalan is the family’s breadwinner, according to Jessa. We have no other source of income, except his salary as being a policeman.

COTABATO CITY –
A newly born baby abandoned at the city’s public cemetery on Thursday dawn is
alive and healthy, a city official said.

Aniceto
Rasalan, secretary to Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, said the baby girl is now
under the care of city DSWD personnel while her mother, who is mentally
different, is confined at a government hospital.

KIDAPAWAN CITY – A suspected member of big time drug syndicate operating in North
Cotabato was arrested during drug buy bust operation in Kidapawan City.

Director Gil
Castro of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Region 12 (PDEA-12) said
John Ryan Alvarez of Diamond Street, Kidapawan City was in PDEA drug watch list.An agent of
PDEA-12 posed as buyer and managed to secure methamphetamine hydrochloride from
Alvarez who, his neighbors said, are into illegal drug pushing along Diamond
Street, Barangay Poblacion, Kidapawan City.

MAGUINDANAO --- The Western Mindanao Command will deploy an additional Army battalion in Maluso, Basilan to prevent a repeat of the deadly attack there on Monday by Abu Sayyaf bandits.Lt.

KORONADAL CITY - After weeks of surveillance, a former public school teacher here was arrested along with his friend during anti-drug operations by the Koronadal City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) Tuesday.Dr. Glorio Sandig, CADAC action foficer, said and drug buy bust operation was conducted against Cyrus Calixtro, 32, also known as Ray Ray, of Marville Homes, Barangay Sto. Nino, Koronadal City long suspected of pushing illegal drugs. Calixtro was a former teacher of Koronadal public school.Arrested with him was Winston Rivera, 30 of Barangay Avancenia, Koronadal City.

KORONADAL CITY - Eight lady inmates of the South Cotabato provincial jail here went berserk and uttered words difficult to comprehend, a jail official today said.Juan Lanzaderas, provincial jail warden, said at first two women have shown unusual behavior after construction workers destroyed a tree and dig the site at back of the jail facility. A new building is being constructed at the back of women's detention cell.

COTABATO CITY – The Cotabato City government is extending assistance to about
123 families affected by a fire that hit a residential area in Barangay
Tukananes, Cotabato City over the weekend.

The fire
believed to have been triggered by electrical malfunction razed to the ground more
than 100 homes made of light materials and situated in an area surrounded by
Rio Grande de Mindanao.

Fire
investigators said the fire started in the house of a certain Amil Akop after
his electric fan exploded and went ablaze at past 5 p.m. Saturday.

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat --- An NPA bandit was killed while two others were captured after a clash with Army troops in Laguilayan village here at 10:30am yesterday.

COTABATO CITY --- A local court has ordered the arrest of three teachers in Marawi City for having been appointed to permanent teaching positions despite lack of qualification.The warrant for the arrest of Asmera Cacatanong, Asleah Pendatun Macatanong, Potre Sarah Mama Macatanong was issued by Judge Christina Hawtay-Jovero of the city court here on May 29.Copies of the warrant were made public only on Saturday.Sources from the regional office of the Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) told reporters on Saturday that copies of the warrant had been

SULTAN KUDARAT --- The police is guarding tightly five members of a notorious criminal gang arrested in Kalamansig town to prevent any attempt by cohorts to spring them from detention.The detainees, Bunao, Usop and Ushik, all surnamed Mangarin, Nimong Agam and Seleno Ugib, were arrested before dawn Thursday in Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat.Sen. Supt.