BURGLARS LOOT SURIGAO CHURCH
Burglars pounced on a parish church in Surigao del Norte province and carted away the church’s collections from parishioners, police reports said on Thursday.

Belated reports reaching Philippine National Police operations center in Camp Crame said that burglars looted St. Peter and Paul parish church in Purok 2, Brgy. San Pedro in Sison town Surigao del Norte. The reports said that the burglary was discovered by Fr. George Alfonso, a parish priest, when he came to his office on Tuesday. Police probe revealed that the suspects entered the church by removing the steel bars and jalousies of the church’s window and started ransacking the office of the priest, reports said. The reports said that the suspects were able to cart away some P22, 000 in cash consists of remittance money from cemetery collection and ‘Panag Duaw’ collection placed inside a plastic container. ANTHONY VARGAS

P.5M TAGGED ON HEAD OF UPLB COED KILLER
BIÑAN CITY: Gov. Jorge “E.R.” Ejercito of Laguna announced in a press conference that he is adding P300, 000 to the earlier P200, 000 offer of mayor Len Alonte-Naguiat as reward to whoever can help police track the whereabouts and subsequent arrest of the killer of a 19-year-old, 3rd year agriculture student of the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, who was killed after she was robbed inside her house at Ferlins Subd., Brgy San Vicente this city. Senior Supt. Fausto Manzanilla, Laguna provincial director, who identified the victim as Ma. Victoria Reyes said that he already sent out three dedicated tracker teams to hunt down the culprit identified as Benigno Nayle Jr. The father found her daughter slumped in her bedroom with stab wounds and immediately rushed her to Perpetual Medical Center but was pronounced dead on arrival by her attending physician. “Among the stolen items were a laptop, cell phone, camera and an undetermined amount of cash but there was no sign of rape,” Manzanilla said. ROSELLE R. AQUINO

ILOILO EARMARKS P5M FOR THE SELF-EMPLOYED
ILOILO CITY: The city government recently released financial assistance to barangay beneficiaries under the Pantawid Assistance and Self-Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran (SEA-K) programs. social welfare officer Alfredo Villanueva said that the funds came from the city coffers earmarked by mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to fund community-based capacity and sustainable livelihood programs. A total of 15 fire victims of Tanza Esperanza in the city proper were given P148,000 assistance covering P5,000 to P10,000 capital on livelihood ventures they are going to undertake such as a sari-sari store, fish vending, small carinderia, tricycle and others. While 20 families in Brgy. Hinactacan, La Paz were given P183,000 as financial Pantawid assistance. Villanueva said that the 280 beneficiaries in 14 barangays were given P2.56 million under the Pantawid Program and funded by CY 2011 budget. LYDIA C. PENDON

COTABATO FARMER NABBED FOR SELLING SHABU
A 31-year-old farmer, who also works as a shabu pusher, was arrested by elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for selling 2.5 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride, popularly known as shabu, to an undercover agent during a buy-bust operation in Polomolok, South Cotabato province on November 20, 2012. Undersecretary Arturo Cacdac Jr., PDEA director general, identified the arrested as Jose Jumamoy, single, residing in Klinan 6, Polomolok, South Cotabato. JING VILLAMENTE

IMPENDING GUNBATTLES DRIVE AWAY FARMERS
FEARING for their safety, hundreds of indigenous people and farmers from a remote barangay in Agusan del Norte province have fled their homes anew, to avoid being hit in a crossfire in the event of an encounter between government forces and the communist rebels. Col. Ronald Albano, commander of the 402nd Infantry Brigade, said on Thursday that about 57 Lumad-Mamanwa and peasant families, all residents of Sitio Zapanta Valley, Brgy. Bangayan, Kitacharao, Agusan del Norte, have evacuated to the barangay multipurpose hall in nearby Brgy. Bangayan Proper, after the New Peoples Army (NPA) threatened to attack the military troops who were deployed in their area. According to Albano, the military’s peace and development team has launched an outreach program in Sitio Zapanta Valley, when an informant told them that the NPA has issued a warning to the populace that they would not hesitate to attack even if civilians would be caught in the crossfire. WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

SAYYAF EXECUTIONER SNARED IN BASILAN
ZAMBOANGA CITY: Security forces arrested an Abu Sayyaf rebel involved in the brutal killings of 11 farmers in the province of Basilan, an army spokesman said on Thursday. Capt. Alberto Caber said that policemen, backed by soldiers, tracked down and arrested Abu Jaid in Isabela City. “Jaid is involved in the 2001 kidnapping and beheading of farmers in Lantawan [town],” he said. He said that Jaid was brought to Zamboanga City, where he would be further investigated. The farmers were among those abducted by the Abu Sayyaf and used as shield from pursuing soldiers at a rubber plantation in the town of Lantawan. “This is the fruit of our [Oplan] Bayanihan in the communities and the strong support from local officials,” said Maj. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz 3rd, commander of the First Infantry Division. AL JACINTO