About 1,500 students waved flaglets and marching bands performed in the rain to give a rousing heroes’ welcome to the six Philippine Dragon Boat world champions who returned home to EB Magalona town, Negros Occidental, yesterday morning.

The six who joined a motorcade from the Bacolod- Silay Airport to the Wilkinson Social Court in EB Magalona were met with hugs from their parents, cheers from their townmates and  cash rewards, plaques of recognition hailing them as local heroes, and medals from local officials led by Mayor David Albert Lacson.

The six Dragon Boat members from Barangay Latasan, EB Magalona, are Salvador Sumagaysay (Philippine Army), Rico Pradilla (Philippine Navy), Crisanto Pabulayan (Philippine Air Force), Joemar Ocquiana (PA), Junrey Dayumat (Philippine Coast Guard) and Ma. Ailene Padrones (PAF).

The killing of Iloilo-based radio blocktimer Niel Jimena Monday in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, believed to have been perpetrated by a gun-for-hire, may have been related to his job, Supt. Samuel Mina, Task Force 3rd District chief, said yesterday.

Jimena was declared dead on arrival at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.

Mina told the DAILY STAR that Jimena, before his death, had been receiving threats through text messages, due to his commentaries against a politician in Iloilo, whose identity is being withheld by the police.

Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District) said no documentary evidence has been presented that would support the allegation of the National Police Commission that Escalante Mayor Melecio Yap is engaged in extra judicial killings.

In a copy of an affidavit his office furnished the DAILY STAR yesterday, Ledesma reacted to the July 15 NAPOLCOM resolution suspending the administrative and operational control of Yap over the Escalante police station.

The congressman said that on June 23, 2011 he spoke with Director Honey Paredes of NAPOLCOM and he was informed that the Office of the President had directed the PNP and NAPOLCOM to conduct an investigation on the complaints and reports of extra-judicial killings in Escalante City and the 1st District of Negros Occidental, and the involvement of Yap in such activities.