Anti-Apeco signature drive launched

ANTIPOLO City, August 28, 2011—Anti-Apeco groups have launched a signature drive calling for the scrapping of the Aurora-Pacific Economic Zone and Free Ports Authority project which has started in 2008.

Gerry Albert Corpuz, the media information officer of the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the key movers of the Resist Apeco! Defend Aurora Movement, said they are targeting to gather as much signature that they can in order to convince Congress not to approve the P332.5 million (US$7,860,520.24) funding for the free port zone.

The group, said Corpuz, had already submitted the first 1,000 signatures to the Congress' Appropriations Committee and the Office of the House Speaker.

Corpuz explained that the project will harm the environment and the livelihood of the people of Aurora and the nearby provinces and towns if ever implemented as it will involve massive land reclamation and dredging on the province's shores. As the waters will be virtually privatized, the fisherfolks would be disallowed to fish for their food and living, Corpuz said.

Resist Apeco! Defend Aurora is composed of various groups such as Pamalakaya, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), Anakpawis party list, Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon (AMGL), Panlalawigang Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid ng Aurora (Pamana), Government Employees 4 Genuine Land Reform (GE4GLR), Katribu Party list, Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Kamp) and the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR). (Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews)

4 arrested in Nueva Ecija for possession of fake P1,000 bills

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija, August 28, 2011-Senior Superintendent  Roberto Aliggayu, Police provincial director revealed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested four persons for possessing fake P1,000 bills as it warned the public against falling prey to syndicates circulating counterfeit money.

Aliggayu identified the four suspect as Bernard Rodriguez, 22; Cherry Carreon, 22,; Michael Castillo, 24; and Ricardo Rodriguez, 41, all of Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, saying that the four were arrested after a brief chase by the local police.

“Before their arrest, police received a complaint  from a gasoline boy, Jayson Victorio who told police that the younger Rodriguez - Bernard – who was aboard a truck with license plate TRL-950, stopped to gas up at the MS Galang gas station Thursday,” Aliggayu said.

Rodriguez alighted and asked Victorio to change to smaller denominations a P1,000 bill which he did.

But after handing over the money to Rodriguez, Victorio learned that the P1, 000 bill was fake. The latter reported the incident to the local police which chased the truck and caught up with it at the Gapan-Olongapo Road in Barangay San Roque, Cabiao. 

Lawmen seized from Ricardo Rodriguez a black magnum revolver with three live ammunitions, nine counterfeit P1,000 bills and one plastic sachet of shabu.

Police seized from Castillo seven pieces of P1,000 bills and two P 200 bills and one sachet of shabu while Carreon yielded 12 two hundred peso bills.

Criminal complaints for violations of Article 168 of the Revised Penal Code, Republic Ac 8294 and Article 2 of RA 9165 have been filed against the suspects who were detained at Cabiao detention cell. (Jason de Asis)

Former Nueva Ecija town councilor and his aide nabbed in drug bust

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, August 28, 2011-In the recent buy-bust operation in Rizal, Nueva Ecija, the police anti-narcotics operatives arrested a former three-term municipal councilor and his teenage companion Thursday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Roberto Aliggayu, provincial police director, identified the two as Cresencio Factor of Barangay Estrella, Rizal and Darwin Esguerra, 17, of Grand Victoria Estate Subdivision in this city.

Factor was arrested by joint elements of the provincial intelligence bureau (PIB) and the Rizal police in Barangay Cabucbucan, Rizal at around 4:15 in the afternoon Thursday. He was locked up at the detention cell of the provincial special reaction team of the police here.

Factor yielded 10 plastic sachets of metamphetamine hydrochloride, also known as shabu worth P25,000 and P2,000 in marked bills.

From 2001 to 2010, Factor, 42 years old, served for three consecutive terms as municipal councilor of Rizal. 

Police Superintendent Ricardo Villanueva, PIB chief, said Factor is listed as number one (1) in the drug watch list of the Rizal PNP.

Esguerra was caught by Villanueva’s men in Barangay Del Pilar here while transporting illegal drugs to Factor. Seized from him was a cigarette pack containing P15,000 worth of shabu.

The two were charged with violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Acts of 2002. (Jason de Asis)

Angara disgusted over crime waves in Baler

Mayor Arthur Angara in green polo and
Senator Bong Revilla in a souvenir photo.

BALER, Aurora, August 27, 2011-In the recent rush of high-profile crimes, outgoing three-term Mayor Arthur J. Angara, president of the provincial chapter of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines said that a “reign of terror” is now gripping the populace particularly the robbery-holdup and theft involving large sums of money believed to be orchestrated by a crime syndicate.

Angara, brother of Senator Edgardo J. Angara told newsmen that the residents of this town no longer feel safe and secure in their homes with the upsurge in robberies, hold-ups and break-ins by lawless elements as he expressed disappointment over the failure of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to solve these crimes.

Angara called to task the PNP leadership in the province, led by provincial director Senior Superintendent Ervin “Jojo” Gumban and Baler police chief, Superintendent Benjamin Villasis Jr. for the towns deteriorating  peace and order situation.

“I am totally disgusted with the performance of the PNP in solving these crimes which have gone unabated. As a result of which many have now grown scared that they will also fall prey to robbers, holduppers and thieves,” Angara said.

After the thieves broke inside the service center of the Aurora Electric Cooperative along Gloria St., Barangay Suklayin Tuesday night, Angara expressed his disappointment and displeasure over the crime waves here.

Police probers said that the still unidentified suspects gained entry inside the service center by cutting the window grill at the backdoor with the use of bolt cutters. They then hauled the two safety vaults from the teller’s office to the stockroom where they cracked them open and carted away P193,798 worth of cash, a hand-held radio transceiver and biometric equipment.

The suspects also pried loose a CCTV camera contained in a black box.

The incident was only discovered Wednesday morning by a lady employee when she reported for work.

Angara said he was aghast with the daring manner the suspects carried out their crime as the service center is situated only a stone’s throw  from the police station. “Imagine the police station is just a few meters away yet the suspects carried out their crime with surprising ease?” Angara wonders.

Tuesday’s incident is the latest in a series of heists in this capital town. Aurora’ smallest municipality which is the center of education, trade and commerce in the province.

Last month alone, four robbery-holdup incidents were perpetrated one after another, even victimizing a reporter who lost his thousand of cash to robbers who barged inside his house. The same reporter lost his laptop to unknown intruders last December 24 last year.

Other victims included a prominent contractor, a former provincial board member and a government employee.

Last year, unidentified men held-up the teller of Western Union and took away P1 million in cash and another P900,000 from Aurora Telecoms personnel and a hardware store owner.

The robbers did not spare Angara’s sister, Governor Bellaflor J. Angara-Castillo whose generator was stashed away by unknown suspects.

Angara said even his own daughter, Provincial Councilor Karen Angara-Ularan, tightened security in her own house when a neighbor got nearly victimized by burglars.

Angara-Ularan said that her move was only a precautionary measure to prevent her family from being victimized and for security purposes.

A nephew of the mayor also adopted security measures in his residential compound following the outbreak of thefts, robberies and break-ins. Before the crime surge, the steel gates of his vast compound were wide open for visitors. His gates were closed and visitors undergo a thorough screening before they could gain entry when the incidents happened.

Relative to this, a group of Bantay Bahay at Tahanan (BANTAHAYAN) was organized in this capital town and if possible to follow through every barangay and province wide to help each other in protecting their homes. The coregroup will serve as the anti-crime watch dog in the province to assist the authorities. (Jason de Asis)