49, including two cops
nabbed for no helmets

Forty-nine motorists and two policemen have been apprehended since September 1 for not wearing helmets, records from the Bacolod City Police Traffic Management Unit and the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office showed yesterday.

They were apprehended in various areas of Bacolod and were issued violation tickets as ordered by Bacolod City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, TMU head, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche said.

He said there is no let up on the campaign of the TMU and the BTAO against drivers who continue to defy the “No helmet, No travel” ordinance.

Acebuche said the campaign also covers motorcycle passengers who are not wearing helmets. He said both the BTAO and the TMU will issue violation tickets to motorcycle drivers whose passengers have no helmets.

Meanwhile, BTAO personnel flagged down a member of the Philippine Army at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the junction of Ferrer Street and C.L. Montelibano Drive, Bacolod because his wife, who was also on the motorcycle, was not wearing a helmet.

Acebuche identified the army man as Private First Class Andy John Sustento of San Dionesio Subdivision, Brgy. Banago, Bacolod City.

He said, Sustento, a Liaison officer of the Intelligence Branch of 11th Infantry Battalion based in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, was brought to Police Station 4 when they recovered a .45 caliber pistol from him.

Station 4 commander, Chief Insp. Adonis Rosales, however said, they released Sustento because he presented proper documents for the gun.*APN

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Dispatcher killed

A dispatcher was shot dead at about 2:20 a.m. yesterday at Lopez Jeana Streets, Bacolod City.

Station 4 commander, Chief Insp. Adonis Rosales identified the victim as Ronie Cortez, “alias Mitong”, 33 of Purok Bayanihan in Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod.

Cortez, died on the spot from a lone gunshot wound on his back, police records showed.

Initial investigation conducted by Police Officer 3 Ronico Despabeladero showed that Cortez had drinks in a nearby eatery with his friends and was on his way to the old GT Lines terminal, where he is temporarily staying when he was shot.

A witness said two of three men on a motorcycle alighted from the vehicle, tailed Cortez and one of them shot the victim, Rosales said.

Cortez had been apprehended and detained before at Police Station 4 for theft but he was released later. The police is looking into the possibility that the suspects could have killed Cortez to silence him, he also said.

Rosales added that Cortez had mentioned to his friends that he wanted to change and no longer go back to thievery.

His sister, Evelyn Cortez, said they do not know if her brother had enemies because he hadn’t told them*APN

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3 injured in accidents3

Three persons, one a 12-year-old deaf-mute girl, were injured in motorcycle-related accidents in Bacolod City yesterday and Wednesday, records from the City Police Traffic Management Unit showed.

The girl, Gretch Ann Oredina of Brgy. 20, Bacolod, was crossing Galo-BBB streets, Bacolod, at about 7 a.m. yesterday when she was side-swiped by the motorcycle of Roel Genton, 33.

Traffic investigator Police Officer 3 June Garong said the child was brought to the Bacolod City health office for examination while Genton pledged to help her.

Two motorcycle drivers were also injured when their vehicles collided at the Araneta highway in front of Manville Royale Subdivision in Brgy. Tangub, Bacolod.

The drivers were identified as Fernando Intoc, 56, of Purok Pag-asa and Premitivo Espadares, 63, of Purok Roxas both in Brgy. Tangub, by traffic investigator Police Officer 2 Wilson Go yesterday

They were rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.

Investigation showed that Intoc’s motorcycle was heading north while Espadares was coming from the opposite direction when the accident occurred.*APN

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