PNP orders accounting of inmates, jail guards to prevent their use by pols in poll-related crimes in CL

CABANATUAN CITY, January 11, 2013-The Philippine National Police has ordered all the seven provincial directors in Central Luzon to make a thorough physical accounting of all prisoners and jail guards in all jails in the region amid intelligence reports that they have been used by unscrupulous politicians to sow terror and commit crimes in past elections.

          Chief Superintendent Edgar Ladao, PNP Regional Office 3 (RPO3) director, in a memorandum to all provincial police chiefs, directed them to coordinate with their respective provincial jail wardens to account for the actual number of prisoners as well as jail guards in their respective jurisdictions.

          Citing intelligence reports, Ladao cited that some prisoners and jail guards were utilized in past elections as “living-out prisoners” who have been hired to perpetrate criminal activities such as murder and other crimes.

          Ladao said his directive is a pre-emptive action to prevent such incidents from occurring in the May elections. The order covers the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac and Zambales.

Nueva Ecija is one of 15 areas tagged as “areas of concern” in the coming polls. It was so categorized owing to the intense political rivalries involving influential political clans and previous election-related violence.

          This developed as 12 individuals, led by a barangay chairman and a policeman, surrendered various firearms to the Cabanatuan police, a day before the start of the election and gun ban period.

          Superintendent Eli Depra, Cabanatuan police chief, named those who surrendered Mayapyap Sur barangay chairman Federico Abad, Dalampang barangay secretary Rolando Corpuz, Alvin Cruz, John Paul Manalac, Edwin Pajarillo, Artemio Almazan, Marianita Tolentino, Lucito Talens, Vicente Tabat, Florencia Hora, Semion Bernabe and Police Inspector Ilang de Leon.

          The guns consist of shotguns and revolvers of various caliber. (Manny Galvez)  

10 Ecija poll execs reshuffled

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, January 11, 2012-Ten election officers of the Commission on Elections in Nueva Ecija were relieved in a sweeping reshuffle of the poll body in the run-up to the May elections.

          Lawyer Panfilo Doctor Jr., Comelec provincial election supervisor, said the revamp is part of the body’s preparations for the elections in the province, identified as one of 15 socalled areas of concern in the May polls.

       The latest to be replaced was lawyer Michael Camangeg, city elections officer of Cabanatuan. Camangeg was transferred to the National Capital Region.

   

       Camangeg would have presided over the conduct of the plebiscite to ratify Presidential Proclamation 480 signed by President Aquino converting this city into a Highly Urbanized City. The plebiscite, originally set last December 1, was postponed indefinitely.

          A Comelec source said Camangeg was set to be replaced even before the plebiscite was set.

          Also replaced were the election officers of the municipalities of Aliaga, Bongabon, Gen. Tinio, Jaen, Licab, Llanera, Rizal and Sto. Domingo.

          Daniel Tabios, elections officer of Licab went to Llanera, replacing acting Comelec chief Cecil Ferrer. Tabios was replaced by Lydia Bolisay, erstwhile poll chief of Gen. Tinio.

          Bolisay’s place was taken over by Magtanggol Abesamis, formerly poll chief in Rizal. Abesamis was replaced by Amiremmus Zerrudo, ex-Comelec chief in Jaen.

          Installed as Jaen poll chief was lawyer Arsenio Reyes, formerly assigned with the National Police Commission.

          Pacifico Gihapon of Bongabon was re-assigned to Sto. Domingo, replaced by Julius de Guzman of Aliaga. De Guzman’s place was taken over by Elvira San Juan, previously of Sto. Domingo.

          Doctor said the reshuffle covered poll officials who have been election officers in their respective assignments for the last four years.

          He said the move was in line with Section 44 of Republic Act 8189 entitled “An Act Prescribing for a General Registration of voters, adopting a system of continuing registration, prescribing the procedures thereof and authorizing the Appropriations of Funds thereof.”

          Under this particular provision sub-titled “reassignment of election officers,” no election officer shall hold office in a particular city or municipality for more than four years.

          “Any election officer who, either at the time of the approval of this Act, or subsequent thereto, has served for at least four years in a particular city or municipality be re-assigned by the Commission to a new station outside the original congressional district,” the provision read. (Manny Galvez)     

Legarda Elated Over Success of Best School Forest Park Program, Urges All Schools to Create Forest Parks

MANILA, January 11, 2012-A day after awarding the winners of the nationwide search for the Best School Forest Park, Senator Loren Legarda encouraged other schools and learning institutions to create their own forest parks as their contribution to environmental protection.

Legarda is happy with the success of the program, part of her vision in founding Luntiang Pilipinas in 1998 to make urban communities and the entire country greener and safer. 

“I laud all the schools that joined this program because their participation is proof of their desire to help young people better appreciate trees and the environment in general. I encourage all other schools, including private universities and learning institutions, to create forest parks within their schools and in their communities,” she said.

“I congratulate all the finalists led by the grand winner, the Cauayan City National High School, because not only did they plant trees but they also successfully complied with the criteria—sustainability, creativity and aesthetics, number of trees or seedlings planted based on size of site, and community involvement in planning and supervision of the park,” she added.

Legarda said that Luntiang Pilipinas, which she founded, has drawn partnerships with various government agencies, private businesses, schools and universities, and non-government organizations in its aim to create more forest parks in the country while educating the youth on environmental protection. She thanked the Department of Education, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture for joining hands with Luntiang Pilipinas to make the program a success.

“Luntiang Pilipinas firmly stands at the forefront of the crusade for environmental protection and preservation, especially with the devastating effects of climate change. I urge every Filipino to help mitigate the threats of global warming to our health, security and life by caring for the environment,” Legarda concluded

500 DELEGATES EXPECTED IN MANILA ANTI-CORRUPTION CONFERENCE

Manila is poised to welcome almost 500 delegates from 78 countries across the globe as it hosts one of the largest and most significant events in the worldwide movement against corruption.

The 5th Global Conference of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) will be held in the Philippine International Convention Center from January 30 to February 2, 2013. The Philippine Senate and GOPAC’s regional arm, the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), are co-hosting the event.

To date, a total of 492 members of parliament and non-governmental organizations have registered for the said conference, including members of Philippine Congress.

“The fact that GOPAC chose Manila as the venue for the upcoming Global Conference is a strong vote of confidence for the anti-corruption efforts of the country and the current administration,” said Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Chairperson of SEAPAC and of the Manila Steering Committee.

“This is an opportunity for us to showcase to the rest of the world that we are intent on cleaning up our government. It will also allow us to learn from each other’s best practices in the fight against corruption.”

           

Delegates will be coming from near and far to attend the much-anticipated event in Manila, 65 of whom are from other SEAPAC member-countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. The rest will be coming from as far as the United States, the Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Europe.

“The Philippine government is ready and able to match the commitment of these lawmakers who are travelling thousands of miles just to attend this important gathering. The Manila Conference is the product of the collective effort of several government agencies who share the GOPAC vision of a progressive, corruption-free world.” said Angara.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Tourism, Department of Health, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine National Police and the Metro Manila Development Authority are some of the agencies of government involved in GOPAC Manila 2013. President Benigno S. Aquino III will be the Keynote Speaker at the event.