TWO GUNMEN KILL VILLAGE OFFICIAL
DAVAO CITY: A local official was killed by two unidentified suspects in Barobo town, Surigao del Sur province before noon on Wednesday, local police said on Thursday.

Supt. Martin Gamba, spokesman for Caraga regional police, identified the victim as Reneboy Lacerna, village chief of Sua, Barobo town. Gamba said that the incident happened at about 11 a.m. on Wednesday when the victim was about to board his pump boat docked at the wharf in Poblacion village. “Two men approached the village chief and one of them drew a handgun and opened fire, hitting the victim several times in the body. He was killed instantly,” said Gamba. The suspects then fled, he added. XINHUA

PDEA BUSTS DRUG DEN MAINTAINED BY MOTHER, SON
Anti-drug agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested a mother and her son for maintaining a drug den in Cagayan de Oro City. PDEA director general Undersecretary Jose Gutierrez Jr. said that the house, located in Bantilis, Brgy. Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City, is being utilized as a drug den owned and operated by Annabelle Pepito, 42; and her 23-year-old son, Klerby Adrian Jay. Gutierrez added that elements of PDEA Regional Office 10 Misamis Oriental Provincial Special Enforcement Team, under Director Roberto Opeña arrested the Pepitos on October 9, 2012. When operatives entered the den, a pot session was ongoing. Caught in the act of sniffing shabu were Julbert Ucat, 32; Bobby dela Torre, 29; Charles Dacup, 34; Jorum Dadivalos, 39; Josephine Villaraza, 22; and Karen Cardova, 26. JING VILLAMENTE

COMELEC-DECLARED ‘ALIEN’ SEEKS RE-ELECTION
LEGAZPI CITY: A lawmaker declared by the Commission on Election (Comelec) as alien is seeking re-election bid, an act considered in the political circle as suicidal. Rep. Fernando Gonzales (Albay 3rd District) has filed his certificate of candidacy for his second term despite a Comelec en banc decision in May 2010 declaring him an alien not qualified to run as a legislator. The more than two-year-old Comelec decision reached the provincial Comelec office shortly after Gonzales took his oath of office as the duly elected representative in the 2010 election running under President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s Liberal Party. His rival, representative Reno Lim fought it out with the Comelec for the early release of the en banc resolution to overcome a hasty oath-taking but failed saving Gonzales to enjoy a one full term while the case remain pending appeal before the electoral tribunal. Gonzales re-election bid is being contested by Pioduran town mayor Dante Arandia. MANNY T. UGALDE

LAGUNA’S MOST WANTED FELON NABBED
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna: The long arm of the law caught up with Joel Buarao, 25, single, of Bambang Highway, Los Baños, Laguna province, in a manhunt operation of police intelligence operatives of Sitio Mangga, Brgy. Bignay 1, Sariaya, Quezon. Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) Regional director Chief Supt. James Melad disclosed that they arrested Buarao by virtue of an arrest warrant for the crime of murder issued by Judge Gregorio Velasquez of Regional Trial Court Branch 35 of Calamba City. He said that Buarao was responsible for the killing of SPO2 Jun Tobias (Ret), member of Los Baños MPS last year. He, together with several other persons was the subject of previous complaints for robbery-in-band but his cohorts have not been identified and arrested. ROSELLE R. AQUINO