A 14-year-old female student died while seven of her schoolmates were injured when a jeepney plowed into them while they were crossing a pedestrian lane in Makati City on Wednesday night.

In another incident, 10 people were injured after a car hit other vehicles and bystanders in front of the Baclaran Church in Parañaque City also on Wednesday night.

Police identified the fatality as Jules Villapando, 13, while the injured were identified as Dexter Aquino 13; Alvin Regalario, 14; Donita de Chavez, 13; Serjen Arucan, 14; Andrei dela Cruz, 15; Phoebe Marie Pestano, 15; and Oscar Wendell Ponce, 17. They are students of the Pio Del Pilar National High School in Makati.

Officers nabbed the jeepney driver who was identified as Crisalde Jaictin Tamparo, 31.
Col. Rogelio Simon, Makati City Chief of Police, said the driver claimed his brake malfunctioned at about 7:20 p.m. while he was traversing J.P Rizal Ave. corner Mabini St. in Barangay Poblacion.

Simon added Tamparo will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and multiple physical injuries.

The victims were rushed to the Ospital ng Makati and Makati Medical Center.

Simon four students have been discharged while three others are still being monitored.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay ordered the police to identify the operator of the jeepney involved in the accident and recommend the immediate suspension of its franchise.

Hours later, another incident caused multiple injuries, this time in front of the Baclaran Church.

An SUV driven by Allan Respecia hit other vehicles and bystanders at Gate 2 of the church Redemptorist Road, Barangay Baclaran in Parañaque City at about 9:50 p.m.

Police identified the injured as Sofronio Canino, Janeth Martinez, Butch Arellano, Leo Sabalerio, Elizabelh Sychangco, Sheribie Plando, Analyn Reforsado, Marilou Alup, Devine Grace Lumang, Francis Plando, Rosemarie Hapson and Bryan Cuales.

The SUV hit four motorcycles, a passenger electric bike and three vendor carts.

THE Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday said extra-curricular activities, including athletics meets such as this year’s Palarong Pambansa, and field trips will be postponed because of health risks posed by the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said around 30,000 students are participating in the Palarong Bansa, and their families are also expected to attend the event to be held in Marikina City in April.

“So right now, the policy is the temporary postponement of all these activities because we will be drawing in learners, teachers… family members from all regions,” Briones said during a Senate hearing.

She said the department is also discouraging field trips because of the exposure in public places.

Briones stressed that the agency is not forbidding schools to hold field trips.

“We’re saying that on a weekly basis, we’ll be getting bulletins from the Department of Health kung pwede ng magbiyahe (if travel will be allowed),” she said.

MORE than 5,000 personnel from different law agencies conducted a surprise raid at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City and seized just seven cellphones, raising the possibility that inmates received a tip about the raid.

Metro police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said the operation was conducted in response to a request by BuCor Director Gerald Bantag. He said the raiding personnel came from National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Special Weapon and Tactics team.

Sinas said the main target of the operation were cellphone units. Two of the cellphones, wrapped in plastic, were recovered in a drum filled with water. The owners of the cellphones have yet to be identified as of press time, Sinas said.

“Parang meron na silang advance info na magko-conduct ng massive na galugad,” Sinas said.

POLICE seized 18.4 grams of suspected shabu with a street value of more than P100,000 and arrested five alleged drug users in separate anti-criminality operations in Las Piñas City on Sunday.

Cops nabbed Tyron Garcia, 36, also known as Pitso, in Oplan Galugad on Greenfield St. in Barangay CAA at about 5:55 p.m. Seized from him were two sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P95,200.

Earlier Saturday, two alleged drug users were also arrested at Barangay E Aldana at about 2:25 p.m. Police identified the two as Michael Lopez, 32, and Elmer Tiongkiao, 44.

Seized from them were two sachets of suspected shabu worth P20,400.

POLICE seized 58.68 grams of suspected shabu with a street value of nearly P400,000 and nabbed six alleged pushers in separate buy-bust operations in Pasay and Muntinlupa from Tuesday night to early yesterday.

In Pasay City, authorities arrested Che-Che Washington, 40, after an informant reported alleged illegal drug activity on Balikatan St., Barangay 181, Maricaban.

Operatives of the Station Intelligence Section dispatched to the area to validate the report at about 11:30 p.m. chanced upon the suspect in possession of illegal drugs.

Seized from her were 11 sachets of suspected shabu worth P61,200 in a black coin purse.

Acting on a tip of a concerned citizen regarding gambling activities using video karera machines, operatives were dispatched to Apelo Cruz St., Barangay 157 also in Pasay City at about 12:30 a.m.

Officers nabbed two suspects in possession of illegal drugs. They were identified as Rico Pavia, 60, and Ismar Gigante, 38, who are both listed in the city’s drug watch list.

Seized from them were nine sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P79,400.

In Muntinlupa City at about 1:15 a.m., police nabbed Abdulsatar Abubakar, alias Jhong, in a buy-bust operation conducted at PNR site Purok 2 Barangay Bayanan.

Seized from him were four sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P40,800 and the P500 bill used as buy-bust money.

Hours later, officers nabbed Jonathan Samar, 45, in another buy-bust operation at Purok 7 Lodora Waling Waling Extension in Barangay Tunasan.

Recovered from him were four sachets of suspected shabu worth P40,800.

Also on the same day in Muntinlupa, another suspect identified as Ruben Asuncion also known as Bentot fell into the hands of the authorities. Seized from him were six sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P176,800.

Five persons were arrested and suspected shabu worth P130,000 was seized during buy-bust operation in Marikina City yesterday.

Col. Restituto Arcangel, local police chief, identified the five as Meriel De Leon, 42; Angelito Tajada, 45; Mel Pangilinan; Ronnel Esquilona, 32; and Liza Dela Cruz, 48. — With Christian Oineza

METRO Manila police chief Brig. General Debold Sinas yesterday said a police corporal assigned at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig tested positive for shabu in a random drug test last week and now faces dismissal from the service.

Sinas said Police Corporal Anthony Romano, assigned at the Regional Intelligence Division, tested positive during a random test last Jan. 14.

Sinas said Romano claimed he used illegal drugs along with active police officers, civilians and even high-ranking officers who have gone absent without leave (AWOL).

Romano said he knows some of them only through aliases but identified a particular police officer who, he claimed, was usually with him in pot sessions.

Sinas said they still trying to find the cop who is currently assigned at Camp Crame.

Sinas, who explained the random drug test was part of their internal cleansing process, added that Romano identified the drug dens being used for pot session areas. A follow-up investigation will be conducted, according to Sinas.

Romano is now undergoing tactical interrogation. Sinas said of particular interest is how Romano started using illegal drugs and how cops can be prevented from using drugs.

Romano will be charged with violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and will be recommended dismissed from the service by the NCRPO’s regional Internal Affairs Service.

POLICE seized suspected shabu with an estimated market value of more than P500,000 and nabbed 11 alleged drug pushers in buy-bust operations in Pasay City from Monday night to yesterday morning and in Quezon City yesterday.

Operatives conducted an anti-illegal drug operation at Tramo St., Barangay 100 at about 6:40 p.m. and arrested Bartolome Sapnit II, 56, also known as Tito.

Seized from him were eight sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated value of P37,400, two pieces of aluminum strip, two disposable lighters and the P500 buy-bust money.

In another buy-bust operation at Humilidad St., Barangay 14, Zone 1 at about 12:20 a.m., two suspects who are on the city’s drug watch list were arrested.

Police identified the two as Ramil Paman, 51; and Rosalinda Bangi-an, 41.

Seized from them were 13 sachets of suspected shabu worth P42,400.

Hours later, at about 2:10 a.m., two more were arrested in a buy-bust operation at Barangay 201, Zone 20. They were identified as Maria Margarita Nicholson, 41, the subject of the operation, and Mark Anthony Arellano, 36.

Officers seized nine sachets of suspected shabu worth P147,560, P500 cash in different denominations, the P500 bill used as buy-bust and other drug paraphernalia.

Another individual listed in the drug watch was nabbed in an anti-illegal drug drive by the Pasay City Police.

Yasser Morales, 28, yielded five sachets of suspected shabu worth P78,880.

In QC, police conducted a buy-bust operation at Moral St. in Barangay Bagong Pag-asa and seized suspected shabu worth P217,600.

Three suspected pushers — Bimbo Balag alias Bimbo, 43; Mark Liford, alias Bombay, 23; and Nestor Barquin, alias Nestor, 44 — were nabbed.

Minutes later, two more suspected pushers were nabbed on Malac St. in Barangay Masambong. They were identified as Merson Bariso, 39; and Roger Manera, 42. — With Noel Talacay

BUREAU of Corrections (BuCor) guards swooped down on the Reception and Diagnostic Center (RDC) of the National Bilibid Prison yesterday morning and seized contraband items that included improvised deadly weapons, a sachet of suspected shabu in matchbox, a cellphone unit and more than P80,000 in cash.

The RDC is where new inmates are being processed before they are allowed to join the general population of the national penitentiary.

Also confiscated during the first “Oplan Galugad” of the year were playing cards, cable wire, DVD player, recorder, and rope, among others.

BuCor spokesman Gabriel Chaclag said the operation was conducted at the RDC on orders of BuCor Director Gen. Gerald Bantag.

The RDC is under the supervision of Supt. Luigi Tan, who said this was the second such operation under his term.

“Pinapakita namin dito na kahit bagong salta sila dito sa BuCor, pinipilit nating magkaroon ng zero contraband pagdating sa ating mga facilities,” Tan said.

A PARANAQUE court has acquitted Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gerald Bantag and two others from 10 counts of homicide in connection with an explosion that claimed the lives of 10 inmates at the Parañaque City Jail in 2016.

In a 16-page decision, Parañaque City Regional Trial Court Branch 274 acting presiding Judge Betlee-Ian Barraquias said the evidence presented by the prosecution was not sufficient to warrant a conviction against Bantag, then a jail warden, and Senior Jail Officer 2 Ricardo Zulueta and Jail Officer 2 Victor Erick Pascua.

On Aug. 11, 2016, the inmates went to the office of Bantag to discuss their condition in jail.

According to Bantag, he met with the inmates then he excused himself to brush his teeth.

He added that while he was brushing his teeth, somebody shot at him because a bullet hit the wall, facing prompting him to fire back at the inmates until an explosion rocked his office.

The court said the action of Bantag cannot be considered retaliation given the unlawful act of the inmates, adding they were injured or killed while Bantas was defending himself.

The court also denied the civil claim in the criminal case, saying the prosecution presented no other evidence except for the allegations of the complainants.

Bantag was appointed by President Duterte to head the BuCor last September, replacing Nicanor Faeldon, who was fired.