Cordi cops held 15 students and driver,
bulk of marijuana seized
Personnel of Sabangan MPS received information in the night of December 4, 2017 that a colored white Hi Ace Grandia with plate no. A2 N747 will be proceeding towards Baguio City via Sabangan, Mountain Province and is loaded with marijuana.
Immediately, operatives set up a checkpoint along the national road at Sitio Todey, Poblacion, Sabangan, Mtn. Province. Minutes later, the said vehicle owned and driven by Bayani Malang, 54, a resident of Nijaga, Tondo, Manila was flagged down.
Among the passengers were four minors. Others were identified as Ricky Pinlac Perez, Marvin Canlas Garza, Miko Flores Miranda, and Jaymar Cruz De La Cruz, all 18 years old; Ezekiel Radin Tiu, 20, Mark Santiago Sarmiento, 21, Niko Cwaling Yumol, 21, all residents of Tondo, Manila; Jireh Rose Daniaguel De La Cruz, 19, a resident of Montalban, Rizal; Abigail Baldric Del Fierro, 23, college graduate, from New Jersey, USA and residing at Project 6-Quezon City; Nneka Anastasia Okonkwo, 23, native of Nigeria and residing at San Fernando City; and Stephanie Mangaoang Gapuz, 27, from Carpenter Avenue Plainfield Illinois, residing at San Fernando, La Union, all students.
During the visual search, the operatives smelt marijuana prompting them to conduct inspection that yielded one transparent cellophane containing suspected marijuana leaves weighing 50 grams found in the bag of one of the passengers. However, the passengers refused to open the bags at the back compartment of the vehicle that prompted the operatives to acquire a search warrant.
Upon acquiring said warrant in the night of the following day, fifty-six (56) suspected marijuana bricks, four (4) bundles of stalks and one (1) plastic containing suspected pulverized marijuana were seized from the baggage of the passengers inside the van by the combined operatives of Sabangan MPS and PDEA-COR. Dangerous Drug Board Value of said marijuana have yet to be determined by the PDEA.
Witness during the inventory of the seized items were the Barangay Kagawad of Barangay Poblacion, Sabangan, Media and DOJ representatives and the suspects.
All suspects were brought to the court for inquest proceedings, the minor suspects were taken into custody by the local Social Welfare Office of Sabangan while the marijuana bricks, stalks and powder are now at the Regional Crime Laboratory Office for examination.
Alleged tribal conflict
On November 29, 2017 at about 11:30 AM, an alleged firefight happened between Gaang Tribe and Dacalan Tribe at Sorkok, Dacalan, Tanudan, Kalinga due to a tribal dispute. Acting on the report, at around 3:00 PM, a team from Tanudan MPS together with the group of the LGU of Tanudan proceeded to the reported conflict area to conduct verification and investigation. Upon arrival at the place, no fire fight was observed and no reported casualties between the two tribes. Thus, the following were undertaken: “a. Organized alert team and monitoring team; b. A team to augment the Tanudan MPS; c. Coordination to be made with the AFP counterpart; d. Conduct of checkpoints; and to direct PNP members of Tanudan who belong to the 2 tribes to report to KPPO for instructions.”
Violation of Article 168, RPC
On December 5, 2017 at about 7:55 PM, at Lighter’s Galore located at the Ground Floor of Baguio Centermall, Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio City, one John Michael Pamittan Damian, 30, single, call center agent, and a resident of No. 81 Lower Kitma, Baguio City was arrested for Violation of Art. 168 of the RPC also known as Illegal Possession and Use of False Treasury and Bank Notes.
Investigation disclosed that the suspect went to the establishment to buy a battery for electronic cigarette (Vape) worth Php705.00. Suspect handed his payment, 15 pieces of 50 peso bills to the saleslady Eugenice Tomas Ganado, 34, married and a resident at Tapaew West, Quirino Hill, BC. While Ms. Ganado was counting the money she noticed that the feature of the bills are unusual and informed the suspect that his money were fake. Suspect then reasoned out that he just withdrew the money from the bank but when Ms. Ganado further examined the bills she found out that the 15 pieces of 50 peso bills bear the same serial number. So Ms. Ganado sought assistance of the guard of the establishment while the manager called for police assistance that resulted in the arrest of the suspect. While inside Station 7, a BCPO team was formed and a follow-up operation that resulted in the arrest of the cohort of the suspect, Denis Esguerra KU, 39, single, online tutor, and a resident of JB 20-05 Km. 4 Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet and the recovery of another 20 pieces of 50 peso bills worth Php2,000.00 bearing the same serial number.
Alleged abandoned baby
On December 5, 2017 at about 10:20 PM, a security guard of Benguet General Hospital called La Trinidad MPS informing that an abandoned baby was brought there by a concerned citizen named Raymarie Madugay Velasco, barangay health worker, and a resident of AB-24, Lower, Kesbeng, Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet. Upon receipt of said information, the Duty Investigator proceeded to Benguet General Hospital.
According to Raymarie Madugay together with her daughter on board with their Toyota Tamaraw FX driven by her husband were heading towards Poblacion, La Trinidad, Benguet when she heard a baby crying. She asked her husband to stop the vehicle and told her daughter to verify where the sound was coming from. Her daughter went out of the vehicle and saw a newly born baby with umbilical cord and without clothes beside the Provincial Building 2. She then removed her jacket and wrapped it around the baby then brought it to Benguet General Hospital for medical treatment. The case is under investigation and was referred to the Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer for proper disposition.
