Masbate, Philippines

Masbate City (28 May) — Police said they took out a potential hazard to consumers with the confiscation of thousands of pesos worth of counterfeit medicinal products from two men in Cataingan and San Pascual towns in Masbate province.

Seized near the pier in San Pascual at around last May 9, were 23 boxes of medicinal products believed to be imitation of Medex brand of herbal concoctions from Cebu City.

Police Senior Insp. Eugenio A. Manondo, San Pascual police chief, in a report said the product courier, one Elino I. Mendoza of Esperanza town, failed to present documents for operating his business, including a certification from the Bureau of Food and Drugs that the items were fit for public consumption.

Mendoza mentioned a certain Merlindo Palangi of Barangay Asturias, Cebu City as the source of the products, but Monondo said they would remain the custody until BFAD decides otherwise.

The other person accosted by the police team was selling bottled beverages in Sitio Crossing, Barangay Poblacion, Cataingan last May 10.

PO3 Medardo Aplacador said the team seized four boxes of Medex Herbal Drinks from one Edison F. Jesalva of Barangay Buenavista, Uson.

Aplacador said Jesalva, 44, had no proof that the bottled concoctions have met the BFAD standards.

Police said the confiscations were prompted by several reports received from concerned citizens who expressed doubts that the products were not safe to take. (EADelgado, PIA-Masbate)

Police in Masbate province are tracking down a man accused of killing his wife and son, a radio report said Tuesday.

Bombo Radyo Legazpi reported that George Argarin Guitones of Maravilla village in Palanas town killed his wife after an argument and then killed his son.

The victims who died from gunshot wounds in their heads were Leny Lim Guitones and son Mark Ryan.

GMANews.TV

THE Philippine National Police yesterday said the arrest of a high-ranking New People’s Army leader in Masbate last week proved to be beneficial for the authorities as probers were able to extract valuable information from the NPA official.

Masbate police director Senior Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac said the PNP passed on to the Armed Forces of the Philippines the valuable information they got from Christian Espenilla, alias Ka Cyrell, the vice commander and intelligence officer of Eron 1 Platoon of the Jose Rapsing Command of the NPA which operate in Masbate.

Espenilla was captured last week by the Masbate police while attending a meeting with fellow NPA leaders in Freedom Park, Bapor, Masbate City, based on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Cristobal Bailon of RTC Branch 50 of San Jacinto Regional Trial Court for a case of murder.

The other NPA leaders and members attending the meeting were able to escape as policemen surrounded and nabbed Espenilla. by Fernando M. Cariaso

Journal Online

One of the four propellers of an Asian Spirit passenger aircraft fell to the ground while the plane was mid-air in Masbate province, radio dzMM reported.

Correspondent Zenny Silva said the left wing propeller fell off as the plane with flight number 6K 321 and tail number RPC 2195-7 was made its way to the runway Tuesday morning.

Passengers said the aircraft made it safely to the ground with three propellers. No one was reported hurt among the 49 passengers and two crewmen.

As of last report, the plane is stranded at the airport in Masbate.

Officials at the Manila Domestic Airport said they have yet to receive a report on the incident.

Asian Spirit management, meanwhile, also has yet to issue a statement.

ABS-CBN News 

CAWAYAN, Masbate—Unification talks among the splinter groups of the Moro National Liberation Front will be “very crucial” to the creation of a Bangsamoro homeland—the expected outcome of government negotiations with another Muslim secessionist group, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales said.

Gonzales, who is flying to Tripoli Wednesday night for two days of talks with the eldest son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, said a clear authority within the MNLF must emerge for the tripartite talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to succeed.

“We cannot have two or three groups representing the MNLF,” Gonzales said in a telephone interview.

“Their leadership problem has to be resolved, because we can only talk with one MNLF leader with a clear authority that can negotiate with the MILF over the Bangsamoro territory.”

The MILF broke away from the MNLF in 1987 because of a leadership dispute. It has been negotiating peace with the government following a ceasefire in 2004, but talks have broken down over disagreement about the size of the MILF’s future homeland.

The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was created following the peace agreement between the government and the MNLF, and it is expected that any land that the MILF receives would be contiguous to the ARMM. by Joyce Pangco Pañares with Florante S. Solmerin

Manila Standard Today