Pangilinan bats LGUs for regular barangay-based typhoon drills

MANILA, October 7, 2011-After surveying flooded areas and conducting relief goods operation in Pampanga and Bulacan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Foods Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan urges the Local Government Units (LGUs) and other disaster agencies to include typhoon drills as part of their efforts in disaster preparedness and mitigation.

Pangilinan said that as a means to strengthen disaster preparedness and educate our citizens on the necessity of evacuation operations and procedure during times of typhoons, LGUs and Regional Disaster Coordinating Councils should undertake typhoon drills on a regular basis.

“Our schools and offices undertake earthquake drills regularly even if we have earthquakes perhaps once or twice a year, yet we do not have typhoon drills despite the fact that we have 20 typhoons hitting the country yearly,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan said that local officials and rescue workers say that when typhoons Pedring and Quiel hit, most homeowners refused to leave their property despite early warnings of flooding. This prompted a debate on whether the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should use forced evacuation procedures in such cases, saying that typhoon drills would address this concern as this will give the public the necessary information.

He added that disaster preparedness is the best way to ensure that lives are saved, and death and injuries brought down to a minimum.

“After conferring with local officials in Pampanga, Bulacan, AFP and PNP, we see this drill as an effective way to educate and enlighten our citizens on the issue,” Pangilinan explained. (Jason de Asis)

Trillanes lauded country’s 94 contingent student athletes

MANILA, October 7, 2011-In the recent concluded 26th Summer Universiade held in Shenzhen, China Senator Antonio “Sonny” F. Trillanes IV has sponsored Senate Resolution 579 commending the Filipino student athletes who competed in the  World University Games which is an international biennial sports event with 10,603 participants from 151 countries and regions competing in 306 events from 24 different sports.

“Our country sent a 94-member contingent led by the Federation of School Sports Association (FESSAP), which is the sole local university sports organization being recognized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU),” Trillanes said.

The Philippine delegation competed against well-funded teams in nine various sports such as swimming, men’s basketball, table tennis, taekwondo, badminton, chess, archery, beach volleyball, and athletics from August 12 to 23, 2011.

“Unhampered by their limited budget and other constraints, our student athletes competed with much enthusiasm and perseverance despite not receiving any official support from the Philippine Sports Commission,” Trillanes said.

In his sponsorship speech, Trillanes said that despite this misfortune, our athletes gave a good fight and demonstrated the true meaning of sportsmanship.  They displayed the pride of true Filipino athletes.  In fact, a 21-year-old student from the Far Eastern University, Samuel Thomas Harper Morrisson, bagged a silver medal in taekwondo.

“Our young athletes deserve not only our support and attention, but also our recognition of the dedication and sacrifices that they have shown in pursuit of glory and honor for our country. Let us take this opportunity to recognize them with the commendation of this august chamber and make up for the Philippine Sports Commission’s lack of financial and moral support for them,” Trillanes urged his colleagues in the Senate.

Prior to this, Trillanes slammed the PSC for its failure to provide support for the Philippine delegation to the Summer Universiade and the dragon boat competition in the United States. (Jason de Asis)

Anti-Apeco groups seek ‘ally’ in Senate

ANTIPOLO City, October 6, 2011—Anti-APECO [Aurora-Pacific Economic Zone and Free Port] groups are seeking “allies” in the Senate that would help them scrap an “onerous” project.

In a statement, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) Vice Chair Salvador France said that they had been expecting the senators, excluding Edgardo Angara of course, about the issue and review the project which they believe will just “bastardize” the waters and land of Aurora and the nearby provinces, and will evict the thousands of fisher folks and peasants from their lands.

“The upper house has 23 senators, but so far none has open his or her big mouth to oppose this death certificate to Aurora people and environment authored by one of their peers—Senator Edgardo Angara. We are still hoping that in the coming days, a few good men in the Senate will rise above the occasion and tell the world that Apeco should be junked,” France said.

The Senate, France says, should take interest of investigating one of their colleagues, Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, Sr. as they are interested in grilling public officials involved in graft and corruption.

Last Monday, October 3, Pamalakaya and other members of Resist Apeco! Defend Aurora Movement staged three-in-one protest—planking, swimming and floating off Manila Bay beside the seawall of the Philippine Senate to demand senators to cross party lines and investigate the Angara clan.

“The people of Aurora and the collective interest of the Filipino people hereby order the Philippine Senate to kick off a full-blown investigation on the role of Angaras in Apeco. It is politically, legally and morally correct to put Sen.Angara in the spotlight of people’s inquiry,” the groups said in a joint statement.

They press for the exclusion of the P 332.5 million budget for Apeco in the General Appropriations Act of 2012 and the thorough review of the Republic Act 10083 which has created the free port authority in 2008. Interestingly, the said law was also drafted and pushed by no other than by the father and son tandem.

“We would like to inform this August chamber that Senator Angara and other members of the Angara political dynasty in cahoots with their stooges in Apeco board are behind the anti-people and anti-environment project. And that we demand that Senator Angara should be censured for calling His Excellency, Most Reverend Bishop Rolando Tria Tirona of the Prelature of Infanta as [an] "absentee bishop" of Aurora province and that the Pamalakaya as front of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) for their strong opposition against Apeco,” they said.

For his part, Pamana vice chairperson and AMGL regional council leader Elmer Dayson said the Senate should conduct a thorough investigation on the P 2-billion funds spent for Apeco from 2007 to 2010.

“The ruling Angara dynasty and the Apeco authority should explain to the public how they spent 2 billion pesos of the taxpaying public in the name of a highly questionable and extremely anti-people and anti-environment project. The senators should step in and discover the underworld operation of the Angaras in Casiguran, Aurora,” said Dayson. [Noel Sales Barcelona/CBCPNews)

Central Luzon police still on search and rescue operations

Police Chief Superintendent Edgardo T.
Ladao, Regional Director PRO3
while conducting search and rescue
operations in inundated barangays
of Calumpit, Bulacan.

CAMP OLIVAS, San Fernando City, Pampanga, October 6, 2011-Due to incessant rains being dumped by typhoons Pedring and Quiel, the Central Luzon police led by Police Chief Superintendent Edgardo T. Ladao continue in the search and rescue operations along the flooded-stricken towns of Calumpit and Hagonoy, Bulacan and Apalit, Candaba and San Simon, Pampanga.

Ladao said that rescue and retrieval operations started as floodwaters began to rise-up raging from waist deep to 10 feet high particularly barangays from San Miguel, Sta Lucia, all of Calumpit, Bulacan and barangays from Sucad and San Pedro, all of Pampanga. 

Amid the strong water current, PNP Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel equipped with rubber boats were able to rescue a total of 22,146 families stranded from their inundated homes. Residents staying from their rooftops who refused to leave their personal belongings due to fear of burglars were persuaded to evacuate to a safer place.

The elements of RPSB3 while conducting rescue
and retrieval operation along Brgy. San Miguel and
 Sta. Lucia, Calumpit Bulacan

“Our cops were deployed in the region to conduct SAR operations to different provinces affected by the typhoons. Augmentation troops from Police Regional Office 4A were also deployed to flood-affected barangays,” Ladao said, explaining that he directed the SAR Team to conduct search and rescue operations for stranded families particularly on still-inaccessible areas.

“I also sent additional PNP personnel to thwart criminal elements especially looters and profiteers who may take advantage of the situation,” Ladao said. (Jason de Asis)   

P’noy inspected damages of typhoons in Central Luzon

BALER, Aurora, October 6, 2011-President Aquino personally visited and assessed the extent of damages battered by typhoons Pedring and Quiel in the most affected provinces of Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan.

Aquino inspected La Paz town section of the Rio Chico river and met with Public Works secretary Rogelio Singson, Tarlac Governor Victor Yap, Tarlac 3^rd district representative Jeci Lapus and La Paz Mayor Michael Manuel at the 246m Rio Chico Bridge.

Heavy siltation of the Rio Chico river is reportedly the main cause of flooding in La Paz that displaced thousands of families and most of the town went unpassable to all types of land vehicles along Romulo highway, Camiling-Bayombong-Pangasinan Sawat section, Lapaz-Zaragosa section, Victoria-Guimba road and Calibungan section; thus, President Aquino ordered Singson to draw a concrete rehabilitation plan for the river to avoid severe flooding in the future.

Aquino then proceeded to the municipal plaza of La Paz and visited some 59 families still evacuated therein. Hundreds of families coming from barangays San Isidro and San Roque sought shelter in the plaza in the height of last week’s floods.

P’noy also proceeded to Pampanga, and visited the site of the ongoing Pinatubo Hazard Urgent Mitigation Project Phase 3-B (PHUMP 3-B) in Barangay San Felipe in the San Fernando City.

Governor Lilia Pineda briefed Aquino regarding the status of the Pampanga river while City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez presented the status of PHUMP 3-B.

Rodriguez said that the PHUMP 3-B is a flood control project that serves as a line of defense for the City of San Fernando and nearby towns against flooding.

A P20 million  fund was committed by Aquino for the dredging, slope protection and rehabilitation of the Balimbing creek which is a waterway than when overflowed inundates many barangays in the City of San Fernando as well as offered assistance in the relocation of informal settlers along the Pampanga river.

The president also inspected some of the flooded areas in Calumpit, Bulacan aboard a 6x6 Philippine Army truck and visited around 80 families evacuated in the United Pulp and Paper Company compound in Barangay Iba Este.

Aquino then motored to the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in Malolos City and attended the joint meeting of the Regional Development Council 3 (RDC 3) and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 3 (RDRRMC 3).

Some cabinet secretaries also participated in the said meeting. Among those who attended include Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Singson, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo, Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Sonny Coloma and Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang.

RDC 3 and RDRRMC 3 members reported to the President the post-Pedring and Quiel recovery and rehabilitation efforts being done in Region 3 and the situation of more than 1,721,122 victims of typhoons.

The Department of Agriculture reported to P’Noy that more than P12 billion pesos of damages has brought by the typhoons. DA undersecretary Antonio Fieta revealed that the biggest damage was in Palay amounting to P11 billion, P221 million damage in high value crops like fruits and vegetables, P3.3 million in livestock and P4 million in fisheries.

Fieta said that a total of 6.5 million metric tons in Palay will be harvested in central Luzon but due to the typhoons it is now gone.

Among the casualties in region 3 reported are 30 death toll, 5 missing and 10 injured brought by typhoons.

Prior to this, Northern Luzon Command chief Major General Jessie Dellosa, OCD Region 3 Director Josefina Timoteo and Central Luzon police region 3 operation and plans division chief Col Amador Corpuz conducted areal survey to the most affected stricken-typhoon in the region.

Dellosa immediately provided air and water assets for rescue and relief operations. The concept adopted by the office of civil defense with the NOLCOM was 1^st priority is rescue then relief operations in the provinces of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales and Pampanga. (Jason de Asis)  

P150M in savings for government as 12 embassies & consulates abroad shut down

MANILA, October 5, 2011-Senator Franklin Drilon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee yesterday said that a total of P150 million annually could become savings on the part of the government as twelve embassies and consulates abroad are facing closure.

“While there would be savings particularly from maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and allowances of officials, the fund would be “realigned” to other foreign posts that need more resources,” Drilon said explaining that they do not intend to ask DFA to undertake a retrenchment program. What they are asking them to do is to realign these funds to countries where they need them because of the overseas Filipinos.

He said that they will not reduce the budget as a result of this closure but they have asked Secretary del Rosario to deploy the manpower and resources to areas where assistance to the overseas Filipino workers would be needed.

“The savings will not be returned to the National Treasury,” Drilon said.

There are 67 embassies and 23 consular offices and four missions to international organizations abroad.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, however, declined to specify the embassies or consular offices that would be affected, saying President Benigno Aquino III has yet to approve their recommendations.

Drilon said that the DFA has recommended the closure of 12 posts in two years, or until 2013. But Drilon said the DFA should accelerate the rationalization program and have it done next year in a budget hearing of the DFA’s proposed P10.9 billion outlay for 2012.

Del Rosario said that they are looking at shutting down six foreign posts by first or second quarter next year and another six by middle of next year.

Drilon said to DFA officials that it is for our national interest that we have a better availability of our limited resources.

Drilon said that while the government’s rationalization plan would have political and diplomatic implications, national interest should be our prime consideration, adding that no foreign policy is altruistic in character. Foreign policies should always be for the benefit of the nation promulgating the foreign policy. In this particular case, it is to our national interest that we rationalize our presence abroad because of our situation, economically, and the need for consular services to OFWs. (Jason de Asis)

1 killed in shootout, 3 members arrested by Aurora cops

BALER, Aurora, October 4, 2011-A top official in this town reported that the leader of holdupper group here was killed in a shootout and three among them were nabbed by Aurora police force after a series of intelligence buildup and follow up operation.

Major Edgardo Togonon said that the encounter sprung at about 3:00 in the afternoon (September 29, 2011), were the joint team of Baler police, Aurora provincial police and Aurora provincial public safety company who proceeded to the reported hide-out cottage of prison escapee Marlito Angara y Bitong at Sitio Calipatan, Barangay Reserva.

“The suspects Roberto Francia Jr, together with Marlito, Jaycee Padua alias Black, and five (5) John Does who were heavily armed suddenly opened fire at the approaching team,” Togonon said.

The police warned the suspects for cease fire but was ignored by the group of Angara that prompted the team for the exchange of fire.

After more or less five (5) minutes of firefights, Marlito was left dead by his group members, Roberto Francia Jr alias Barurot, Jaycee Padua and five (5) John Does managed to escape.

Aurora PNP Crime Laboratory Office led by Police Chief Inspector Arman O. de Vera processed the crime scene.

The police recovered from Marlito’s possession one (1) hand grenade and one (1) .38 Armscor revolver caliber with serial nr 985011.  

On the same day, after 30 minutes of follow-up operation by the authorities at around 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, suspect Roberto Francia Jr. alias “BARUROT” was intercepted by elements of Dipaculao cops who served as blocking force.

Francia was properly turned over to Baler Municipal Police Station for proper disposition.

Togonon said that the group of Marlito is also the suspect in AURELCO Robbery Case, Hernandez Robbery with Rape Case and other sensational cases that transpired in Central Aurora.

“This is the effort of the Aurora police force intelligence buildup and we will continue our mission to stop these lawless elements,” Togonon said.

As of this report the police authorities are still on manhunt operation to the other suspects at large while suspects Edgar Estabillo y Sauy, Soriano, and Francia were already in jail. (Jason de Asis)

Villar bats penalties for overpricing among businessmen

MANILA, October 3, 2011-Senator Manny Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on Trade and Commerce has filed Senate Bill number 1306 which prohibits price gouging or the charging of unconscionably excessive price for certain goods and services in areas affected by major disasters, saying that this measure will penalize businessmen taking advantage of disaster-stricken customers by jacking up prices of essential goods.

Villar said that a law must be enacted penalizing such acts in order to prevent unscrupulous party from taking advantage of consumers during calamities, citing the province of Bulacan where bottled water was sold as high as P140 per bottle affected by Typhoon Pedring.

“The bill prohibits the price gouging of good, piece of equipment, or service provided primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, including food, water, ice, a chemical, a building supply, a tool, a petroleum product, a residential construction, reconstruction, or repair service, or a service for the removal of debris or garbage,” Villar said.

No supplier shall provide, or offer to provide, any consumer good or service in an affected area at an excessive price during the 180-day period after the declaration of a major disaster by the President, under the bill.

“Violation of this act means prison term of not more than one year plus a fine of P10,000,” Villar noted, explaining that prices of goods tend to rise during periods of disasters but reminded businessmen and parties within the chain of distribution of consumer goods to consider the interest of the public and heed the call to treat customers fairly in times of need.

“Kung dadagdagan pa natin ang paghihirap ng mga mamamayan na nasalanta ng bagyo o anumang kalamidad sa pamamagitan ng mataas na presyo ng bilihin, mas lalo pa nating pinabibigat ang sitwasyon at pinapahirap ang kanilang pag-ahon, ” Villar said.

The act also mandates the establishment of a toll-free hotline that a consumer may call to report an incidence of price gouging in the affected area and a program to develop and to distribute to the public informational materials in Filipino and English to assist residents of the affected area in detecting and avoiding price gouging.

“It also directs the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to submit a yearly report to Congress on the number of price gouging complaints and investigations initiated, in progress and completed on price gouging,” Villar said. (Jason de Asis)

Bagyong Pedring Patuloy na Umuusad Patungong Isabela at Aurora

BALER, Aurora, Setyembre 26, 2011-Napanatili ng bagyong Pedring ang lakas nito habang patuloy na umuusad papuntang lalawigan ng Isabela at Aurora.

Ayon sa Baler, Aurora-Pagasa, huling namataan ang bagyo sa layong 260 kilometro sa silangan hilagang silangan ng Virac, Catanduanes.

Taglay pa rin nito ang lakas ng hangin na umaabot sa 110 kilometro bawat oras at may pagbugsong hangin na umaabot ng 140 kilometro bawat oras.

Umuusad ito ng pakanluran hilagang kanluran sa bilis na 17 kilometro bawat oras.

Inaasahan na tatama ang mata ng bagyo sa kalupaan Aurora-Isabela bukas  ng umaga araw ng Martes.

Nakataas ngayon ang signal number 2 sa lalawigan ng Isabela, Aurora, Catanduanes, Pilillo Island, Camarines Norte at Camarines Sur.

Signal number 1 naman sa Albay kabilang na ang Burias Island, Sorsogon, Quezon, Quirino, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Mt. Province, Kalinga at Cagayan.

Dahil dito inalerto ng Pagasa ang mga residente na nasa mga lugar na may storm signals na paghandaan ang mga pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa lalo't nasa 10-20 mm bawat oras ang dalang ulan ng bagyo habang may lawak na 600  kilometro. (Bagong Aurora Website ng Bayan) 

Save dying coconut industry-Kiko

MANILA, September 26, 2011-Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food bats  the Department of Agriculture and key players in the coconut industry to save the country’s dying coconut industry as he welcomes news from President Benigno Aquino III’s U.S. trip regarding potential foreign investments in the Philippine coconut industry.

“The President revealed that two U.S. companies, Pepsi Co. and Vita Coco, are looking to invest $15 million within the next four years, to meet the surging demand for coco water, saying that the country’s ‘buko’ juice is very rich in electrolytes and minerals and could therefore be a healthier alternative to sports drinks,” Pangilinan said, pointing out that these foreign investments will mean nothing if our coconut industry is dead.

Pangilinan said that earlier this month, he called on the Department of Agriculture to allow five billion pesos from the irrigation budget to help save the coconut industry, because no less than the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) had said that the country’s coconut trees are dying.

PCA revealed that over 44 million coconut trees are already classified as “old and senile” and can no longer bear any fruit, saying that about 27 percent of the total agricultural lands (in the Philippines) belong to coconut. “We have plenty of senile trees, those over 60 years old. Of the 230 million trees, 14 percent are old,” PCA Administrator Euclides Flores quoted.

Pangilinan said that the first order of business is to bring the coconut industry back to life. There is a pressing need to revive this dying industry, invest the necessary government funding to boost coconut production and to ensure the income of the farmers, and develop a roadmap for the sustainability of coconut production.

Pangilinan added that aside from the U.S., let’s also look at other markets for buko juice and other coconut products worldwide, especially now that demand is on an upswing again.

“The bottomline for these efforts would be to lift coconut farmers out of poverty. Vhile The Philippines is known for its coconut products, its coconut farmers earn only P30,000 a year,” Pangilinan pointed out.

“How can anyone live or raise a family on just P30.000 a year, or just P2,500 a month,” Pangilinan asked.  “This is totally unacceptable and unjust. With these new investments, coconut industry should be resurgence and a better life for our coconut farmers. The Government and the private sector should make sure that we don’t lose out on this opportunity,” he said. (Jason de Asis)

Estrada slams Robredo over imported fire trucks probe

MANILA, September 25, 2011-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada slammed the looming fire trucks controversy even as he chided Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo over what he described as his obvious lack of vision to prepare the country during emergency situations especially during fires and natural calamities.

He also took Robredo to task for the continued delay in the purchase of reliable fire trucks which he said are the local government units’ frontline of defense during critical times.

Estrada noted that in critical and emergency situations, fire trucks are our first line of defense and are called to respond and to provide assistance to those who are in need.

“So what’s taking him (Robredo) too long in purchasing fire trucks that are supposed to be distributed to our LGUs?” he asked, saying that the country lacks around 1,600 units of fire trucks to be distributed to LGUs nationwide for them to sufficiently and to efficiently respond during emergency situations records showed.

Estrada likewise questioned Robredo’s preference for imported, more expensive and possibly reconditioned fire trucks over locally manufactured ones.

He stressed that Robredo should explain why he is pushing hard to enter into deal that would pay for a more expensive imported fire trucks over locally manufactured units, adding that the importation was actually already rejected by the Arroyo administration for being erroneous, but the deal was suspiciously revived with the takeover of the Aquino administration.

Estrada was referring to the Rosenbauer fire trucks to be imported from Austria which based on records would cost more than P20 million each as compared to Philippine-made fire trucks worth only P9 million each.

The present deal will import 76 fire trucks for P1.3 billion but the actual plan is for BFP to purchase more than 1,000 units, after which every municipality will receive one fire truck each.

“The Austrian government will lend the money to buy the fire trucks, “in as much as it was a loan, therefore it would earn interests,” Estrada noted.

“Although the acquisition cost for each truck is listed at P17.5 million which is already very expensive when compared to local trucks, it would balloon to P20 million each excluding taxes and duties that will amount to around P185 million,” Estrada pointed out.

The BFP has been patronizing the tropicalized Filipino-made fire trucks that were specifically designed to suit the needs, terrain and fire conditions in the Philippines for many years.

Estrada also slammed Robredo for abandoning the Filipino First policy that seeks to protect the interest of local manufacturers and inventors which is specifically outlined in the Constitution.

“If the Rosenbauer deal pushes through, I believe that it would severely dislocate hundreds if not thousands of Filipino workers in the fire truck manufacturing industry, which is against the job generation efforts of the government,” the senator added.  

The BFP has scheduled a public bidding for the supply of fire trucks on Sept. 30 but the specifications are clearly and specifically designed for imported fire trucks which many observers see as in preparation for the acquisition of the Austrian fire trucks thus depriving locally made fire trucks from participation.

Estrada averred that certainly he don’t see the logic behind Robredo’s insistence to purchase expensive and imported fire trucks when we can buy them at a much lower price from local manufacturers. (Jason de Asis)

No mercy for erring soldier says NOLCOM chief

BALER, Aurora, September, 24, 2011-A top executive of the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) lambasted the involvement of a soldier including three civilians after they were nabbed by Baler police in the recent drug net operation at Purok 4, Brgy. Buhangin here Wednesday night, saying that no mercy for erring soldier who will be proven guilty.

NOLCOM Chief, Major General Jessie D. Dellosa said that he will not tolerate the wrongdoings of any personnel under his Command if proven guilty following the apprehension of one Private Jovito Virrey, assigned at 18^th Special Forces Company under the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) based in Hagonoy, Bulacan who was caught in the house of suspected drug pusher identified as Francisco Sotero.

“Let the investigations take its course.  That soldier better explain and justify his presence in that area, otherwise, he will have to face the legal consequences of his actions,”  Dellosa said.  

“The AFP is bent to weed the organization of scalawags and misfits following controversies particularly those involving former officers. “Our Commmander-in-Chief is serious in his "daang matuwid” (straight path) towards genuine reform, and so are we. If some individuals insist in trekking the crooked path,  it is incumbent upon us being their Commander to prevent a few rotten eggs from spoiling the entire organization,” Dellosa said.

Earlier, police anti-drug operation led by Police Chief Inspector Edgardo D. Togonon, Baler PNP chief of police resulted to the arrest of Private Virrey, his brother Reginal both native of Sitio Virrey, Brgy. Pingit, Ricardo delos Santos of Sitio Baclaran, Brgy. Suklayin, and Francisco Sotero of Brgy. Buhangin

The suspects are now in the provincial jail after the Aurora Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory examined them and confirmed that they were all positive in the drug test aside from having confiscated one (1) heat sealed transparent sachet containing Methamphetamine Hydrochloride otherwise known as “SHABU” weighing 1.20 grams, all in all 15 drug paraphernalia in the possession of Sotero. (Jason de Asis)

Army seized 2 high powered firearms in a clash with Ilocos Sur rebels

CERVANTES, Ilocos Sur, September 24, 2011-Soldiers of Charlie Company, 50^th Infantry Batallion under 1^st Lt. Dan Michael Milan and 2^nd lt  Randee Alog seized 1 M16 rifle with magazine and 1 M14 rifle with magazine in the yesterday firefights with rebels at around nine o’clock in the morning in  Barangay Remedios, Cervantes,  Ilocos Sur after it was tipped off by concerned residents here.

Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) Chief Major General Jessie D. Dellosa said that Ilocos Sur is one of the provinces scheduled for handover to the PNP and local government unit because of the improved security situation. 

“It happens that in areas declared insurgency-free, the New People’s Army (NPA) simply refused to acknowledge the fact that the populace even the NPA former mass bases do not want this armed conflict (among Filipinos) to continue anymore. The NPAs go out of their way to make their presence felt by regrouping with ragtag elements from other areas in order to show the people that they still have the number,” Dellosa said.

In Ilocos Region, two provinces namely La Union and Pangasinan were already declared insurgency-free.  “It is just a matter of time before Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte will follow suit because the AFP and PNP here joined efforts in addressing all peace and security concerns in the region with the full support of the local governments unit of course”,  Dellosa explained.

As of this report the firefights still ongoing.  “The exact number of casualties on the enemy side cannot be determined yet.  On the government side, Private First Class Jessie Camacho was slightly wounded on his back,” says Delloso. (Jason de Asis)