Former brgy head
jailed for extortion
ATTEMPT MADE ON
SILAY MAYOR, POLICE SAY
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

A former Bacolod barangay captain introducing herself as Deputy Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago, was arrested by the police during an entrapment operation Monday, after she allegedly tried to extort money from Mayor Jose Montelibano of Silay City, Negros Occidental.

Arrested at the office of Montelibano in Silay City, was 42-year-old Sheryl Ferrer, former Brgy. 14 captain in Bacolod City, who was identified by the police.

Initial police investigations show that Ferrer called up Mayor Montelibano, introduced herself as Deputy Ombudsman Virginia-Palanca Santiago, and asked for P5,000 allegedly to help her niece, Erlinda Santiago, who was stranded at the Bacolod-Silay airport, because of missing luggage.

Owners of business establishments along Lacson Street, Bacolod City, who are against the construction of the two flyovers in their areas, were asked during a public hearing yesterday to come up with their position to be submitted to the President, Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. said.

The two proposed flyovers that are under the Presidential Bridge Program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo are supposed to be constructed at the junction of Lacson-Burgos streets and Lacson-B.S. Aquino Drive.

The committee hearing yesterday was held by the Committees on Public Works and Highways, and Transportation and Traffic Management, chaired by Councilors Roberto Rojas and Gamboa, respectively, on the resolutions proposed by Councilors Catalino Alisbo, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue and Celia Flor at the new government center.

A Bacolod Regional Trial Court judge yesterday found a resident of Murcia, Negros Occidental, guilty of carnapping and robbery, and sentenced him to 33 years imprisonment.

Bacolod Branch 46 RTC Judge George Patriarca found Rodolfo Escaner Jalandoni Jr., alias Joan Jalandoni, of Hacienda Paz, Barangay Buenavista, Murcia, guilty beyond reasonable doubt in three criminal cases filed against him.

The prosecution told the court that in the evening of Oct. 9, 2001, Jalandoni and an unidentified companion boarded a Cimarron jeepney owned by Ignacio Belnas at Luzuriaga-Locsin streets in Bacolod City and ordered its driver, Rufino Armada, to proceed to Murcia.