Fatal shooting of forest ranger
could be job-related, police say

The fatal shooting of a forest ranger of Mt. Kanlaon National Park in La Castellana, Negros Occidental Wednesday last week could be job-related, town police officer-in-charge, Senior Insp. Gary Alan Resuma, said yesterday.

Mat Sarcino of Brgy. Biak na Bato, La Castellana, was gunned down allegedly by two motorcycle-riding men while he was preparing food with his colleagues in a makeshift kitchen at the MKNP administration compound at about 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31.

Sarcino succumbed to a bullet wound on his forehead at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City three days later.

Resuma said they already have leads on the identities of the suspects but refused to give details in order not to hamper their ongoing operations.

Based on their initial investigation, Resuma said, Sarcino and his colleagues had been receiving death threats because of their active campaign against massive slash-and-burn operations in the protective forested areas of the MKNP.

MKNP Superintendent Cecil Cañada had said in a government press release, that he believes that the killing of Sarcino was job-related.

Cañada said that, before the shooting of Sarcino, their office had been actively campaigning against illegal activities inside the MKNP, particularly in the hot spot areas in barangays Codcod in San Carlos City, Minoyan in Murcia town, and Sag-ang, Masalanao, Cabagna-an, Masulog and Biak na Bato, La Castellana.*APN

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Multiple raps filed
vs. teenager

A string of criminal charges was filed before the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office Monday against a teenager, who attempted to kill four of his neighbors in Brgy. 1 in the city last week.

Charges for multiple frustrated murder, qualified trespass to dwelling and frustrated rape were filed against Wilbert Regatso, “alias Tagoy”, 19, of Purok Bangros, Brgy. 1, City Police Director, Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, said.

Station 2 deputy chief, Insp. Richard Fajarito had earlier said that Regatso, who was believed to be under the influence of liquor and illegal drugs at the time, barged into the residence of Carmen Terano, 70, and stabbed her and her daughter, Jovy Bustamante, 50, at about 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Fajarito said Regatso also stabbed Bustamante’s daughters, aged 17 and 13, whose names are being withheld as they are minors, and attempted to rape one of them.

Regatso may have been planning to molest the 17-year-old but failed because she fought back. To cover up his crime, he decided to stab them, he said.

Regatso, who hid at his grandfather’s house in Hda. Sta. Maria, Zone 15, in Talisay City, Negros Occidental, surrendered to ABS-CBN Bacolod several hours after the incident, and was endorsed to Supt. Santiago Rapiz of the Bacolod City Police Special Operations Group.

His victims are confined at an undisclosed hospital.*APN

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3 nabbed for robbery, assault

Three wanted men were arrested in the cities of Himamaylan and Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Tuesday.

Ariel Isoy, “alias Jimboy”, 22, of Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City, was arrested at about 2 p.m. at his house by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

CIDG-Negros head, Chief Insp. Cresenciano Cordero, said Isoy was apprehended on the strength of an arrest warrant for sexual assault, issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 55 Judge Nilo Sarsaba, who set his bail at P200,000.

Bacolod Station 1 policemen also nabbed Crispin Sedayon of Brgy. Tangub by virtue of the arrest warrant for violation of Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, issued by RTC Judge Philadelfa Pagapong Agraviador, who set his bail at P24,000.

Erwin Malayang of Purok Kaingin, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod, was also apprehended by the police on the strength of the arrest warrant for robbery, issued by RTC Branch 53 Judge Pepito Gellada, who set his bail at P180,000.*APN

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