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PNP: Politics behind bomb attack on LU congressman

May 11, 2016, 4:52 pm
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P500K bounty set for mastermind, bombers 
By Erwin G. Beleo

AGOO, La Union — Politics was the motive in the bombing of a van here last week that aimed to kill La Union 2nd District Rep. Eufranio Eriguel which resulted to the death of his driver and wounding of several others, police said.
Following this, Eriguel said he is offering a P500,000 reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of those behind the “motorcycle bomb” that ripped through one of the vehicles in his convoy April 30 in this town, resulting in the death of one of the wounded victims Monday.
Eriguel offered the bounty Tuesday as he confirmed that Jovanne Cacayuran, the driver of his back-up van, died last Monday afternoon while undergoing treatment at the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in San Fernando City, this province.
“We are willing to give P500,000 to anyone who can identify the person or persons who masterminded the attempt on my life and the murder of our driver. We urge you to please go to the police for any leads that would direct to the suspects,” he said.
Three other wounded victims – the congressman’s close-in security Senior Police Officer 2 Jack Baguan, and his supporters Samuel Ofiaza and Anthony Casem – are still recuperating in the hospital.
        This, as security forces from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were deployed in this province Tuesday to beef up security for Monday’s national and local elections, following the terrorist-type bomb attack in Agoo.
Senior Supt. Angelito Dumangeng, La Union Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, confirmed yesterday that the bomb explosion that wounded six people in the convoy of Rep. Eriguel during a campaign sortie for Vice President Jejomar Binay was a politically-motivated attack aimed at eliminating the congressman.
“Politics is the motive in this incident because the target is Congressman Eriguel,” Dumangeng said after welcoming scores of security personnel from the AFP, PNP, and PCG who arrived at this camp for the upcoming polls.
Part of the augmenting force will be deployed in Agoo, one of the six areas in La Union under the “election watchlist.”
“We’ve been very peaceful here in Agoo, but now there are evil people who want to sow terror in our town just for their political gain,” said Rep. Eriguel, who stopped short of identifying his suspect in the attack.
Eriguel, a second-termer, has opted to field his wife, Agoo Mayor Sandra Eriguel, as the next representative to Congress, instead of seeking a third and final term. Their daughter Stephanie is running for  the mayoral post.
His family is a staunch supporter of Binay and was campaigning for the Vice President when a motorcycle-bomb was remotely detonated, wrecking his back-up van and wounding its four occupants – Eriguel’s police escort Senior Police Officer 2 Jack Baguan; driver Jovanne Cacayuran; and supporters Samuel Ofiaza, and Anthony Casem.

A source from Explosives and Ordnance Division (EOD) said remote-controlled bomb used in the attack is of the same make as those used by terrorists in Mindanao.
Northern Philippine Times
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Abra put under Comelec control; PNP meets warring politicians

May 11, 2016, 4:53 pm
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Following killing of mayoral supporter 

BANGUED, Abra – This province has been placed under the control of the Commission on Elections even as a conflict mediation meeting was held in this capital town last week among opposing political parties and candidates with the police following a shooting incident leading to the death of a supporter of a mayoralty candidate of San Juan municipality.
“The commission has approved this in principle although there is no resolution yet,” Comelec Commissioner Sheriff Abas said Thursday in Manila.
Rival candidates have been accusing each other of harassing and threatening their supporters in the province
Mercedita Bragas, a supporter of San Juan town mayoral candidate Russel Bragas was shot dead two weeks ago while Tineg town Vice Mayor Edwin Crisologo was charged with murder and frustrated murder for the ambush of a town council bet.
Under Comelec Resolution 10074, an area is placed under the control of the poll body if it has a history of intense political rivalry, presence of private armed groups and loose firearms and threat posed by the New People’s Army, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Abu Sayyaf and other paramilitary forces.
The Comelec will have control and supervision over local officials as well as the police and military in areas placed under its control.
The poll body also has the power to supervise and control the disbursement of public funds, construction of public works and movement of government personnel, among others.
Meanwhile, the conciliation meeting was initiated by the Abra provincial police office headed by Senior Supt Antonio P. Bartolome here at Camp Juan Villamor.
Parties involved were the group of congressional candidate and incumbent mayor of San Juan lawyer Marco M. Bautista with mayoralty candidate Meynardo M. Bautista, also a lawyer, both under Nacionalista Party, and the group of mayoralty candidate lawyer Russel A.Bragas with congressional candidate and La Paz incumbent mayor Joseph Santo Nino Bernos, both from the Liberal Party.
The Sangguniang Bayan candidates from both parties and all 19 punong barangays of San Juan were also present during the activity.
Members of the mediating committee were Lt. Col. Thomas Dominic Baluga, battalion commander of 24th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, Atty. Mae Richelle B. Beronilla, Provincial Election Supervisor of Commission on Election-Abra, Most Rev. Leopoldo C. Jaucian, SVDD, Bishop of the Diocese of Bangued, Chief Supt. Robert G. Quenery, deputy regional police director for administration, and Millicent B. Carino, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Abra.
The shooting incident happened morning of April 24 at Barangay Abualan, San Juan killing one known supporter of Bragas. 
Alleged suspects and some witnesses were already identified by the San Juan Municipal Police Station under town police chief Rey C. Tad-o who reported that the case is still under investigation.
The mediation ended positively and both parties expressed support to the advocacy for peaceful elections in San Juan. 

Parties pledged “no personal animosity" in conduct of elections considering they are relatives.
Northern Philippine Times
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Conservation versus restoration

May 20, 2016, 3:42 am
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BANTAY GOBYERNO 
Ike Señeres

I checked the meanings of patrimony and heritage and I was pleasantly surprised that these two words are practically synonymous to each other. Patrimony is anything that is inherited from a parent or ancestor, and heritage is anything that becomes property to a person by virtue of birth. As it is defined however, the concept of patrimony could apply to both persons and nations, hence the legal fiction of having national patrimony. Similarly, the concept of heritage could also apply to persons and nations, hence also the legal fiction of having national heritage.
Broadly defined, the concepts of national patrimony and national heritage could be applied not only to property, but anything of value to a nation, such as the environment and its natural resources, including its wildlife. This is where the concept of conservation becomes relevant, a concept that is also closely related to preservation. When used in a synonymous manner, both conservation and preservation would apply to the sustainability of both the national patrimony and the national heritage.
In theory, both conservation and preservation could not happen if the patrimony or heritage is already damaged, hence the relevance of restoration in this overall equation. In a manner of speaking, conservation could apply to assets that are practically untouched or undamaged; hence the applicable objective is to conserve these assets in the original or existing state of being. In contrast however, preservation could apply to assets that may already be damaged to some extent, but could still be repaired to a condition that would be close to its original state of being.
It seems that there are really no hard and fast rules that would define what restoration really means, but in this context, I would volunteer to define it as any action that would bring back any asset to a renewed state of being, even if it means reconstructing it back from a virtual state of non-existence, or perhaps even reproducing it, just like reproducing an antique or vintage piece of furniture, in such a way that it would look like the original. To some extent, this could be like reconstructing a building from within so that it looks like the original from the outside, even if it would have new re-enforcements from the inside.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 13 of the United Nations is about “Climate Action”. Although the specifics about reducing air pollution is somehow lost in the complexity of the goal targets, it is very clear that the bottom line of this goal is to reduce carbon emissions in such a way that air quality is restored to its original state that is clean air. SDG number 14 is about “Life below water”. The specifics may not also be spelled out in this goal, but it also very clear that the bottom line of this goal is to be able to conserve or preserve all life forms below the water, and restoring what may have been lost already. SDG number 15 is about “Life on land”. Just like SDG number 14, the bottom line is to conserve, preserve or restore all life forms on land.
It goes without saying that in order to conserve or preserve all life forms below the water, we must first clean the river itself. The good news is that the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) has already set a goal to restore river water quality to “Class C” level; although it seems that they have not set a clear deadline for that. Although that goal is very challenging, it is not at all impossible. Even with all the apparent optimism, it appears that they still have a long way to go, because the Pasig River was declared biologically dead in the 1990s.
Being biologically dead, there is no alternative but to restore the Pasig River to its original state, so that once again, it could support and sustain life below the water, in compliance with SDG number 14. Although the PRRC could have set a higher goal, it is a realistic goal and it is already a good start. Obviously, the “Class C” level does not mean that it is already drinkable, but that is good enough, for as long as the fish could already come back. Once it is restored, it would already be a happy problem to conserve and preserve it for the future generations.
Starting this month, the Pasig River Ferry charter service will resume its operations. Hopefully, the passenger service will also resume soon, because the passenger ferry terminals along the river are still in good condition. As it is now, the ferry rides are available to the public by way of special trips that are organized by private tour operators. As expected, some pessimists might say that it is not worth taking the ferry rides because the river is dirty and smelly.
That should not be a problem however, because the ferries are all air conditioned and are also fully enclosed. On the optimistic side however, some private operators are already organizing tours for groups that are concerned about the environment, so that they could see for themselves how dirty and smelly the river is, so that they could do something about it.
Sad to say, there are some people who think that the Laguna Lake, the Pasig River and the Manila Bay are hopelessly polluted, and there is no way to bring these water bodies back to life. The facts would prove them wrong however, because there are countless numbers of water bodies in other countries that have already been brought back from the dead. As it is now, there are many technologies that could already be used to restore all of our dead rivers back to life, but what is lacking is our political will to make it happen. Sad to say, the conservation and preservation of our environment seems to be very low in the agenda of our politicians, but that could also change as the public clamor to do it would also grow, with the powerful combination of the mass media and the social media. Email bantaygobyerno-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or text +639956441780


Northern Philippine Times
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Haciendero to backstreet thug

May 20, 2016, 4:37 am
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LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March Fianza

The elections are over. While voters are congratulating the winners and thanking their supporters, they are unmindful that the ribbings, provocations and offenses by the opposing candidates are at the same time being washed away by the afternoon rains.
The unavoidable consequence is for every Filipino to accept the outcome of the elections, no matter what. The anticipated result of the elections is a fresh mandate. And as the newly elected officials buckle down to work, those responsible in bringing them to power are expected to support them.
Congratulations to Congressman Ronald M. Cosalan and his LP team in Benguet. Congratulations too to the winners from the different political parties. For congressman-elect Mark Go of Gomobil Team, he is expected to fulfill his campaign promises as he expects backing and collaboration from his supporters.
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Still, the mind cannot escape thinking of stories about failed election heroes, a couple of days before the last campaign hour. It was told that a congressional bet in the mountains bowed down to principle and endorsed another rival candidate for very good reasons.
Ding, the modern day “hero” could have wanted to leave a legacy to the place that he loved, because its trees and forests were being destroyed slowly by forest occupants and massively by an arrogant politician, and personally because he was being junked by his mayoral bet partner.
But things did not work well as initially planned because a close adviser of Ding who appeared like Metztli, the Aztec goddess of the night, came down to prove that money is the root of all evil.
Metztli, according to witnesses, wanted that the rival candidate named Zeq would reimburse the expenses of Ding before backing out to finalize the endorsement, but the rival candidate Zeq simply said that he does not have the money for that.
Metztli did not stop there. Instead she approached Ding’s main opponent, the tree-cutter politician who urged her to ask Ding to continue his candidacy in exchange for a sum of money.
The rest is history. Zeq won, Ding failed to be the election hero, the tree-cutter lost his bid and was very upset. Metztli, according to witnesses, survived the scandal and accumulated millions by dealing Ding to another. Money is truly the root of evil.
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  The elections are really over. By the looks of the counting and the reports by Comelec officials, Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has already won. The winning is exceptional as Duterte is the first incumbent mayor to become President as most past presidents were either senators or cabinet secretaries. He is the first president from Mindanao, maybe the first “leftist” to be President.
Thinking of the least evil among the presidential bets, I voted for Mar Roxas but my vote was short of six million votes. Comelec reports revealed that Mayor Duterte garnered 16 million votes. It overtook the 15.2 million votes of PNoy in 2010, becoming the biggest number of votes ever garnered by a presidential bet, and is six million more than the votes of DILG Sec. Mar Roxas.
But why Duterte? Why did people entrust their votes to a guy whom they will expect to solve their problems for the next six years? One guess is that as mayor, people see him as one who will walk the streets and will put an end to their problems by holding the bull by the horn, so to speak, as compared to Mar Roxas who was always linked to national offices.   
Maybe another reason was because Duterte as mayor directly confronted backstreet criminals, organized-crime bosses and corrupt government officials, injecting fear in their minds, as compared to PNoy, a Haciendero who grew up as the son and grandson of landlords of Hacienda Luisita.

Still, another reason was because the electorate did not want a continuation of PNoy’s “Daang Matuwid”, which also meant that Duterte’s 16 million voters did not want a status quo. They wanted change.
Northern Philippine Times
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The country needs a strong man for President

May 20, 2016, 4:42 am
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HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon

(This week's column  first saw print  March 7,2016.GD)) 

Its about time that a president from Mindanao should  step up. Not only as the first one from Mindanao but one who can make Mindanao unite amongst conflicting armed groups- the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Bangsa Islamic  Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayaf , the New Peoples Army (NPA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
At least talk to them. Armed with credibility and conviction.  
Presidential aspirant Davao city Mayor Rodrigo Duterte recently  met with  the Moro Islamic Liberation Front  Central Committee at Camp Darapanan in Barangay Simuay, Sultan Kudarat  to present his proposal on how to resolve the conflict in Mindanao particularly issues confronting  the Muslims.
The creation of a commission  was  Duterte’s  proposal along with the creation of territories for indigenous peoples including the Tausogs and the Iranons.  
Duterte has also been talking with the NPA saying the 46 year communist insurgency should  end  urging them to prepare for a peaceful life during his presidency.
Mindanao has  taken the limelight for  quite some in talks of war and peace. And during these long years of conflict in Mindanao which has taken lives of Filipinos capped by the infamous  Mamasapano  massacre January 2015 killing 13 of the Cordillera’s brightest Special Armed Force amongst 44 Filipino SAF specially due to a non supportive leadership and lack of  reinforcement  command. 
Duterte sees federalism as the gateway for the economic progress of this country. With some of the poorest provinces found in Mindanao while most of the wealth of the country is also found in this part of the country, federalism is an answer to the long time conflict here in Mindanao where the infamous Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) has failed.
And so with the Cordilleras where some of the poorest provinces are found here yet supply mineral gold reserves and hydroelectric energy for the country.
And with a peaceful and crime-free community as the framework for a vibrant economy who would not want this state. A vibrant and healthy community rests on a peaceful  state.  For how could people work and make the economy flourish if  people live in fear.
Davao City is  exhibit A for  presidential bid RodrigoRoa Duterte.
In a survey released by crowd-sourced rating site Numbeo.com dated April 30, 2015, Davao City ranked 9th as the safest city in the world and moved up to the 5th spot and in June 2015, Davao City gained the spot as the 4th safest city in the world.
Davao City has consistently ranked high in “most competitive” city indices and has been named one of the "Top 20 Most Liveable Cities in Asia.".
For something  good to happen to this country. For evil to lessen if not stop- corruption, crimes and drugs. For in this state, people will enjoy life, move freely and enjoy the services that should redound to them- health, education, livelihood- because order and no corruption  abounds in a community.
This  state of Davao did not come  easy. Davao has bled  literally to make good things happen.
His  self confession for killing criminals and the much dreaded  death squads publicized before his  candidacy takes the most sensitive point of his political  bid for the presidency against  extrajudicial killings  hitting a raw  nerve among  human rights activists.
He dangled his statements and made himself look like a bloodthirsty criminal himself. 
His  self-confessed statements drew  questions from  Dept of  Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and former CHR commissioner Etta  Rosales who accuse Duterte of extrajudicial killings.
Yet he is a lawyer, a prosecutor, a city mayor, a father, and one who has his grey matter in between his  ears.
There must be a reason to kill criminals.
The community is a place where people should live peacefully and move freely and breathe easily  and not  be afraid of any criminal lurking in the shadows and pounce at an unsuspecting person at any time of the day.
Duterte in his  argument  once said to reporters when asked  about his alleged extrajudicial killings that he ‘takes care of a community’.
A leader takes care of his/her people. And if it takes to kill criminals to  keep  community people safe, then that must be in order. Though he said in his campaign sorties that there will be no extrajudicial killings.
And he killed in accordance with  law. This he said when asked during the presidential debate  February 21. For the criminal must have put up a fight or a situation which called for him to kill a criminal. He favors the death penalty to be restored.
For even God in the Bible  sanctioned killing for self defense and capital punishment.  
For a father of a community  has to choose whether to keep a criminal alive and  keep the community people in danger and uphold human rights for all or kill a criminal and keep the people safe to breathe and move freely.
The judiciary itself is  corrupt as everybody knows this. Criminals can pay their offenses out and  everybody happy except the victims and the community.
Rodrigo Duterte’s system means the community’s welfare.  Reports says crime figures in the city significantly reduced during the period 1985–2000. Duterte said there had been a decrease in crime from a triple-digit crime rate per 1,000 people in 1985 to 0.8 cases per 10,000 inhabitants in the period 1999 to 2005.  
And not only should there be a peaceful community. A community  at the same time should also be governed by  a corrupt-free governance. In this way, what is meant for the people shall redound to the people- social services, health, education, irrigation, livelihood, housing, employment. Otherwise, people shall be in abject need for the most basic needs in life while the corrupt and the already  rich wallow in  filthy  wealth.
Senator Mirriam Defensor Santiago herself  acknowledged during the presidential debates that Rodrigo Duterte is not corrupt.
Corruption is a sickness, gnawing at people’s nerves and sucking blood from their veins. It robs people of what should be afforded and given to them. For money that should be accorded to the people is taken by politicians who have a share in infrastructure projects, by contractors, by officers and employees in government. They have fat salaries and  on top of that have  ready cash for their daily use and send their children to private schools and have pajeros and cars and  big houses and are never in debt.
In another equation are  the  vendors who  watch their goods day in and day out  in sunshine or rain, to the farmers who toil for their crops come rain or shine, to the  house help who work beyond 8 hours, to the housewives who look for additional source of income as selling barbecue or balut by the roadside, the waitress who stands for how many hours a day to attend to customers, to weavers who work on their looms when there is time from their baby sitting and house chores and  farm work.
For those who corrupt public funds shame on you.
There is a need for an uncorrupted, pro-community, strong  leader whose compassion and actions he shows in making decisions for the community, and in given situations where laws are made for everyone yet chooses the law for the community people to breathe and move freely.
And so with his self confessed  statements that he has killed  criminals, a mouth that spews foul expletives, has four women in his life aside from women he kisses in public, who would like this kind of man to be the next President of the  Republic of the Philippines. 

I would. 
Northern Philippine Times
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Rody’s FOI / ‘Missing millions at DSWD-CAR’

May 20, 2016, 4:44 am
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BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

Winning presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte may yet turn out to be a pleasant surprise after all the incendiary language which became his trademark during the campaign.
Now, he is set for a wild foreign policy ride as the next Philippine president even as his spokesmen say he will tone down his language once he takes his oath as 16th president of this banana republic on June 30.
The firebrand politician stormed to victory in national elections last week using a queer brand of populism and nationalism. Now he is giving us a peek on the kind of governance he will instill.
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As part of his commitment to transparency, he said Wednesday he would push the immediate approval of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act as soon as he is proclaimed.
Duterte said he would allow the public – through the mass media – greater access to government documents to ensure that every transaction is aboveboard.
He said he does not even have to wait for legislation to ensure transparency in government as he is willing to order executive offices and local governments, “to open up documents” for scrutiny. He said local government officials should not be afraid of allowing public access to documents – that is if they’re not hiding anything. This will be done through an executive order.
The presumptive president also urged the media to be vigilant and to expose anomalous or questionable transactions in government. But he warned media members allegedly on the take to shut up. He said he is prepared to do “anything that makes the Filipinos comfortable” and shun what makes them “uncomfortable.”
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One positive trait our friendly neighborhood drunken philosopher finds in Duterte is he doesn’t mince words when he talks unlike most government officials who engage in gobbledygook.
He says Congress may take another 100 years to approve the FOI bill considering it would be in the bad interest of many of them who engage in shady deals. “Puede pala executive order eh. Bakit si P-noy di niya nagawa?” He answers his question talking about vested interests of those in power, saying maybe this time, the FOI will finally become a reality.  
Duterte’s spokesman Peter Laviña said Duterte is ready to push for FOI as he believes transparency is a key to progress. Transparency, Laviña said, “is a key policy” in Davao City.
This would be good journalists who are always given the runaround when they ask for public documents from public officials who try as much as possible to hide these when they sense the media is sniffing out an anomalous deal or project.
***
Take for example he millions of pesos allegedly being withdrawn by officials of the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development’s Cordillera regional office which they reportedly put in their private accounts for a period of at least two weeks.
According to our sources, the millions of public money are deposited in banks so these could earn interest and withdrawn in time for audit. The others reportedly use these for quick loans in their money-lending businesses.  
***
The Northern Philippine Times exposed the story two weeks ago. Nerizza Villanueva, regional DSWD information officer said they would issue a statement on the matter but until now – nada.
The actuations of these officials who have reportedly embarked on a “witch-hunt” within the regional office to identify sources of this paper in our  articles on the matters has only fueled interest from the public that DSWD officials are hiding something.
Suspected employees have reportedly been harassed, grilled and made to confess by their department heads of being the source of our articles. These gods-that-be have reportedly toned down after we wrote about the matter. Like we said, all they have to do is address the allegations and not go after the sources. What they are doing is “daang matuwid” papunta sa bangin.
***
To the DSWD regional office gods-that-be: Pangaasi yo met a ta haan dagita kakaasi nga empleyado apan yo parigrigaten. Like I said, they are not the sources of our articles.
Regional director Janet Armas, if she is back from her leave, should tell her  department heads and those holding the money bags to stop harassing their subordinates. What they are doing could be against Civil Service rules and regulations.
In the interest of transparency so the public may know, we urge the regional DSWD to hold a press conference or a kapihan to clarify this issue and talk about its programs.
We would like to reiterate that since the regional Philippine Information Agency under its director Helen Tibaldo is holding media kapihans every week, they could ask the DSWD to be the respondents this time.
All these started when DSWD finance officer Oliver Garcia Hernandez, was charged April 28 for alleged malversation of public funds and estafa by the DSWD. Hernandez was due for inquest and an arrest warrant could be out against him in due time.
A police report said the missing money was found out by the DSWD finance department on April 20. The report said Hernandez allegedly received a total amount of P3,176,000 but failed to turn over the same to persons-in-charge for disbursement.
Our sources said the case was just the “tip of the iceberg,” as millions of pesos of SPF among other funds were allegedly being withdrawn from the Landbank by DSWD officials who put these in personal bank accounts to earn interest or lend these for profit.
Sources said the National Bureau of Investigation could also investigate this practice as this could be in violation of laws and charge those involved.
This is a matter of public interest since millions of pesos of public money are at stake. Like we said, DSWD officials can just show documents or answer allegations in the interest of fair play.

Again we ask, why the silence in the regional DSWD?
Northern Philippine Times
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Tensions heat up in the South China Sea

May 20, 2016, 4:46 am
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PERRYSCOPE
Perry Diaz

The biggest -- and hottest -- topic in geopolitical circles today is World War III, or to be more precise… where will World War III start?  But if you ask Pope Francis, he’d probably say what he said several months ago: World War III has already begun, at least in a “piecemeal fashion.” 
“Piecemeal fashion” is a reference to several crises – or regional wars -- in various parts of the world, which could spark a nuclear war that would wipe out mankind.   The question is: Where will World War III start?   Take your pick:  Middle East, Eastern Europe, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, West Africa, East Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Korean Peninsula, East Asia or South East Asia?  It’s anybody’s guess. 
But for sure, a crisis or war is going on in all these places.  Yes, Pope Francis was right: World War III is here.   Consider the following: The Middle East has several wars going on.  Eastern Europe is about to explode if the civil war in Ukraine is not contained.  The Baltic Sea is teeming with Russian and NATO warships loaded with ballistic missiles.  And so is the Black Sea.  In East Africa, Saudi Arabia is fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen.  In Central Asia, Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a deadly stalemate over Nagorno-Karabakh.  In South Asia, India and Pakistan are prepared to go to war at the drop of a hat. 
In the Korean Peninsula, North and South Korea are poised to attack each other for without reason. In West Africa, threats from militant groups such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Boko Haram, and ISIS are increasing.  In East Asia, Japan and China are in a standoff over a few uninhabited islands called Senkaku (Diaoyu to the Chinese). 
And in the South China Sea (SCS), Vietnam and the Philippines are locked in territorial disputes with China over the Spratly Islands; Vietnam and China over the Paracel Islands; and the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal. 
Territorial disputes
All things considered, the most likely place where war could erupt is the Scarborough Shoal, an uninhabited shoal with a lagoon rich in fish resources.  It’s within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which she claims as her territory since the Spanish colonial period.  
But to the Chinese, Scarborough Shoal’s value is its geostrategic location. 
It did not then come as a surprise when the South China Morning Post reported that China would start reclamation later this year.  China did not deny or confirm the report. 
This alerted U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan to react.  He surmised that if China were indeed building an artificial island on Scarborough Shoal, it would complete a “strategic triangle” of bases.   These bases are located in Woody Island in the Paracel archipelago, Spratly Islands, and Scarborough Shoal; thus, giving China control over most of the SCS and the island of Luzon in the Philippines, and Vietnam.    
It is interesting to note that the Philippines had signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which allowed the U.S. to rotate military equipment and personnel in existing Philippine bases.  To date, five military bases have been identified.  Vietnam also signed an agreement allowing the U.S. to preposition equipment for humanitarian responses.
With China’s Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) strategy already in place, China’s “strategic triangle” would force the U.S. military to operate farther from the SCS.  She could then declare an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the area.    
“Strategic strait”
 Peter Dutton, professor and director of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College, said in a recent speech in London: “The logical conclusion drawn from China's adding islands in the southern part of the South China Sea with military-sized runways, substantial port facilities, radar platforms and space to accommodate military forces is that China's objective is to dominate the waters of the South China Sea at will.
Building the islands is therefore, in my view, a significant strategic event.” Then he added, “They leave the potential for the South China Sea to become a Chinese strait, rather than an open component of the global maritime commons.”  However, he said that China could restrict commercial movement in the area.  But the “real problem” is that China could also restrict passage through this “strategic strait” in times of crisis.
If China restricts American passage in the SCS, it could cause innumerable damage to U.S.’s trade and economy.  In 2011, $5.3 trillion in trade passed through the SCS, $1.2 trillion of which was tied to the U.S.  About 90% of East Asian energy imports pass through the SCS.  In 2014, the U.S. exported $79 billion in goods to countries around the SCS, and imported $127 billion from them that same year.  It is therefore in the U.S.’s best interest that the SCS should remain open to maritime navigation. 
Chinese objective
It is obvious that China wants to end America’s dominance in the SCS; thus, taking full control of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, economically, militarily, and politically.  It will be the end of Pax Americana and the advent of Pax Sinica.  And this begs the question:  What would the U.S. do in the event that China went ahead with the reclamation of Scarborough Shoal? 
With the election of a new U.S. president who will assume office on January 20, 2017, it is impossible to predict how the new American leader would deal with Chinese expansionism in the SCS and beyond. And the lame duck president Barack Obama would more than likely do nothing short of a second-strike nuclear attack in response to a Chinese first-strike against the U.S. or any of her treaty allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. 
Treaty obligations
But what if China sent her dredging and hauling equipment to start reclamation of the Scarborough Shoal?  What would Obama or his successor do, knowing that what is at stake is America’s preeminence as a Pacific power?   While Obama would resort to diplomacy, which would fail as it has in the past seven years, it would be interesting to know what the next president -- Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders – would do?
Will any of them come to the aid of the Philippines under the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) if the Philippines invoked it?  Under the MDT, the U.S. is obligated to protect not only Philippine “metropolitan territory” but also the “island territories” within her jurisdiction.  Furthermore, the MDT also obligates the U.S. to defend Philippine “public ships and aircraft” -- including military vessels – from armed attack in the Pacific (including the SCS).  
In this regard the Scarborough Shoal (then known by its Spanish name, Baja de Masinloc) was part of the Philippine archipelago that was ceded by Spain to the U.S. under the 1898 Treaty of Paris.  The 1900 Treaty of Washington clarified that any and all territories administered by Spain are part of the Philippine Islands, even if they were located outside the original Treaty of Paris lines circumscribing the Philippine archipelago. 
In 1938, the U.S. Department of State recognized that the U.S. had acquired title to the Scarborough Shoal from Spain based on the Treaty of Washington.   In 1946, the Scarborough Shoal was one of the territories that the U.S. transferred to the Philippines upon her independence.  In 2012, China seized the Scarborough Shoal and declared “indisputable sovereignty” over it.  
With the geostrategic value of Scarborough Shoal, the U.S. should – nay, must! – not allow China to militarize it.   That would certainly push back American forces to where they were prior to 1898.  As tensions heat up in the SCS, one wonders if the U.S. would prevent China – by military means – from building a military base on Scarborough Shoal?  If the U.S. uses military force, it is expected that China would respond in kind, which could then trigger World War III. (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)


Northern Philippine Times
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Why was Duterte was chosen as president”

May 20, 2016, 4:47 am
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EDITORIAL

It is a foregone conclusion that Rodrigo "the Punisher" Duterte will be the country's next president. Why have Filipinos chosen him and what does it mean for the economy?
From an economic standpoint, it's hard to understand what Filipinos have seen in  Duterte's plans for the country. For one thing, he doesn't appear to have any - and if he does, he certainly didn't talk about them in his election rallies, according to analysts. But to be fair to him, neither did any of the other candidates, or not very much at least.
An article by BBC Asia business writer Karishmas Vaswani says the  Philippines is one of the "rising tigers" of South East Asia, clocking an average of 6% growth over the last few years under President Aquino's administration.
Foreign direct investment has quadrupled, tax collection has improved and at least 4 million new jobs have been created - admittedly far too few in a country of 102 million people.
Vaswani says people she spoke to and on the markets told her they weren't feeling the benefits of that growth, and that they were fed up with the status quo.
“Just imagine for a moment if you can, what it must feel like to sit in the back of a dilapidated and creaking train for two hours to get to your office, and then to be paid just enough so your family doesn't go hungry, only to fight your way back on to that train at the end of your day and sit for another two hours to get home.
Imagine, if you can, what a life spent overseas saving up money for your family back home must feel like when you return, only to find that your marriage has broken down and your kids don't recognize you?
“Or to run into a cop at a street corner, and know that the only way out of a lengthy ordeal at the police station is to pay a quick bribe so that you won't be late for work? And then imagine the anger, the frustration and the resentment you might feel if you looked at the sprawling malls and tinted air-conditioned cars and saw that there was a very clear economic divide in this democratic country - the haves, and the have-nots, the folks who can get out of paying bribes because of their connections, and those who have no choice. Imagine all of that, and then you'll understand why Mr Duterte is the front-runner in this race.”
The statistics are stark, and bleak. Experts say anywhere between 40% and 80% of Philippine legislators are connected to political dynasties with vested interests. A handful of the families control almost all of the country's wealth.
And perhaps the bleakest, starkest statistic of all: 25% of the population lives under the poverty line - a figure that hasn't changed much in two decades.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise then that Filipinos have chosen Duterte's crime-busting, tough-talking, action-oriented ways over the current administration's candidate Manuel Roxas.


Northern Philippine Times
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Non-candidate proclaimed Mt. Province. governor

May 20, 2016, 4:49 am
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
BY Monico Changlasen

 “How can a non-candidate be proclaimed winner in a political contest?”
This is the question circulating in Mountain Province after news broke out that Kathy Jyll Mayaen Luis was proclaimed winner of the Mountain Province gubernatorial race by the Provincial Board of Canvassers late Tuesday night.
The late governor Leonard Mayaen filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of the province without any party affiliation. Being unopposed, he was just waiting for his proclamation to serve the province for the next three years. It was unfortunate though that he died last March 31.
Mayaen’s untimely death opened discussions among politically inclined individuals on how the vacancy would be filled up. Will it be through substitution, succession, or special elections?   Debates persisted until Commission on Elecions chairman Andres Bautista, in his visit to Baguio City, pronounced that substitution is not possible because the deceased candidate is an independent candidate. Bautista’s pronouncement went against Provincial Election Supervisor Elenita Tabangin Capuyan’s earlier opinion that substitution is possible.
Last May 5, Mayaen’s daughter, Kathy Jyll, filed her certificate of candidacy for governor, along with a petition for substitution, at the Provincial Comelec Office.  Scanned copies of her COC and the petition for substitution were received by the Comelec law department on the same day. Just like her late father, Kathy Jyll indicated in her COC that she is an independent candidate.
By filing the petition for substitution, Kathy Jyll prayed that the Comelec allow her to substitute for her late father, by inference admitting that her COC needed the approval of the Comelec, and that only with that approval shall she be considered a candidate. It also implied that she will abide by whatever decision the Comelec will have on her petition.
The following day, May 6, Comelec acting law department director Maria Norina Casingal came out with a memorandum with the recommendation for the Comelec that the petition for substitution should be denied.
In her memorandum, she cited Section 77 of the Omnibus Election Code which in part says “….  Only a person belonging to, and certified by, the same political party may file e certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate who died …”
Casingal also cited Section 19 of Comelec Resolution No. 9984 which provides, “No substitution shall be allowed for any independent candidate.”
“Plainly, for the substitution of a deceased candidate to be given due course, the substituted candidate must have been a bonafide member of and nominated by a registered political party or coalition of political parties in the first place. Thus, an independent candidate, as in this case, can in no way be validly substituted,” her memorandum emphasized.
In a special en banc meeting of the Comelec  held on May 7, the Commission resolved to approve the recommendation of Director Casingal that the substitution of Kathy Jyll be denied.
A Comelec en banc resolution, lifted from the minutes of the meeting, was received by Comelec-CAR on May 8, 2016 and by the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) on May 10, 2016. With the Comelec minute resolution, the petition for substitution of Kathy Jyll was denied. Since she could not substitute for her late father, her COC would also not be accepted.
On May 10, nonetheless, Kathy Jyll made a petition by way of motion through counsel, that the PBOC proclaim her the winner of the gubernatorial election. The PBOC went into recess after the motion, with the implied promise that the issue shall be settled when canvassing resumes at 9:00 PM the same day.
When canvassing resumed on the night of May 10, the PBOC proclaimed Kathy Jyll as the Governor-elect, in defiance of the Comelec resolution.
These developments have elevated the discussions about the elections in Mountain Province. Legal minds and ordinary people have their ideas on the matter. On the one hand, the minute resolution of the Comelec en banc could not be misunderstood: Kathy Jyll’s petition for substitution was denied and thereby her COC was not accepted. On the other hand, the PBOC still proclaimed her as the governor-elect.
Will the PBOC decision supersede the Comelec en banc resolution, or will the Comelec en banc enforce the resolution?
Meanwhile, the people of Mountain Province are held victim to legal machinations over the issue. 


Northern Philippine Times
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Our Filipino Comfort Women, the Fight for True Justice Goes On

May 20, 2016, 4:53 am
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By Erick San Juan

I was visited by my former aging nannie (yaya) named Beata last week and she showed me several news clippings-releases about comfort women. She narrated a friends sad experience during the war. She said that she was 13 when her friend was detained, along with her grandmother, by Japanese soldiers in a municipal hall-turned-garrison in Dasol, Pangasinan. For 10 days, she was forced to do manual labor during the day and repeatedly raped at night. Later on, she would witness her own grandmother being raped and killed.
Fidencia David is one of the few living comfort women, a euphemism for military sex slaves of the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.
Lolas Kampanyeras, the comfort-women support group she belongs to, now has less than 10 active members from over a hundred when it formed in 2000.
Seven decades after the war, they’re still waiting for an official apology, just compensation and inclusion of their story in history books.
David was one of the first victims to step forward and file a legal suit against the Japanese government as part of the first comfort women group, Lila Pilipina.
None of those cases prospered. Lack of government support has also been blamed for the loss of every legal battle since 1998. (Source: Comfort women keep the faith by Nathalie Tomada, The Philippine Star, April 4, 2016)
This is the very sad state of our comfort women, not even the government has taken any effort to fight for their cause. To wit :
“Before Gloria Arroyo ran for presidency, she promised the lolas of Lila Pilipina (an organization of survivors of Japanese military sexual slavery during WWII) that if they vote for her, she will put her attention to the issue because, according to the lolas, Gloria Arroyo told them that “Babae din daw siya.” It was all talk.
In 2010, President Aquino said that he will task former Ambassador Emmanuel Lopez to handle the plight of the comfort women. He also promised that he will ask Congress to create a law to guarantee that the comfort women will get compensation from the 1956 Reparations Agreement. As far as the comfort women lolas are concerned, nothing came out of it. Again, it was all talk.
The Philippine government stated that the lolas have already been compensated through the Asian Women’s Fund, which was created by Japan to give out compensation packages and loans to “certified” comfort women. This “compensation,” however, does not reach the entirety of the comfort women.
And if it did, still, no amount of money can ever make up for the decades of trauma and pain that the comfort women have gone through. Japan still hasn’t apologized unequivocally for their war crimes. Money alone will never be enough to compensate for the atrocities of the Japanese Imperial Forces.” (Source: 8 Facts You Should Know About Filipino Comfort Women by Cody Cepeda, 1/26/2016)
Time is the essence of why concerned people and support groups wanted to immediately give what is due to all Filipino comfort women and maybe to their heirs because our lolas are dying.
According to a clinical psychologist and Kampanyeras coordinator Cristina Rosello. “But this is also the right time (to step up the campaign) because media interest has waned, (we’re sounding like a) broken record and the lolas are dying.”
Rosello, who authored the book “Disconnect: The Filipino Comfort Women,” has been a volunteer psychologist to comfort women since 1995.
Based on her studies, their experiences could be described as worse, as they exhibited combined symptoms of single-rape events victims and prisoners of war.
“So you would be shocked, how did these women survive?” Rosello asked.
She noted that what happened to the Filipino comfort women was distinct and “explicitly criminal” because not only were they non-combatants, it happened towards the end of the war when aggression was much more brutal.
The comfort women issue, however, has grown complex amidst “deepening friendly relations” between the Philippines and Japan.
According to Rosello, they’ve been told that the government “cannot deal with the issue without considering the context that Japan is now an ally and providing economic aid.”
The only historical marker for comfort women is found in Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila in the hope that the tragedy will never happen again.
For Rosello, the implications of continuing the fight for these lolas – the living but fast-fading reminders of wartime atrocities – are wide-ranging.
“We should get redress and justice for these women because they didn’t deserve the wartime victimization. Their suffering didn’t stop in the war, it continued beyond. A lot of them brought the grief to their deathbed,” she said. (From Nathalie Tomada’s article)
Are we going to stop the fight after the last of our lolas who are victims of war atrocities meet its Creator? As what Cody Cepeda said, which I agree, “With or without the lolas in this life, the fight for true justice goes on.”



Northern Philippine Times
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DepEd-CAR gets CSC citation for excellence

May 20, 2016, 4:55 am
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EDUCATION TRENDS

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - For its meritorious performance and best practices in human resource management, the Department of Education – Cordillera Administrative Region regional office here was recognized by the Civil Service Commission in simple rites May 2.
The regional office was conferred certificate of recognition for obtaining Maturity Level 2 in three areas under the Program to Institutionalize Meritocracy and Excellence in Human Resource Management (PRIME-HRM), namely: recruitment, selection and placement; learning and development; and rewards and recognition.
CSC-CAR assistant regional director Cornelia M. Rillera cited the determination and invaluable efforts of DepEd CAR in promoting people excellence and for efficient public service delivery.
Out of the 133 agencies assessed, DepEd CAR was among the only six agencies conferred with the recognition according to Rillera.
“Out of our awardees for 2015 to 2016, only two agencies got 100 percent rating in three out of the four areas, one of which is DepEd CAR.”
DepEd CAR regional director Ellen B. Donato  acknowledged partnership between the Department and CSC in ensuring excellent human resource competencies and practices.
“With this, we urge that our counterparts in the division level will emulate our efforts for them to also improve their human resource management,” said Donato.
“This is also a challenge for us to reach the same level in the fourth area under PRIME-HRM which is the Performance Management.”    
The PRIME-HRM of the CSC is a mechanism that empowers government agencies by developing their human resource management competencies, systems, and practices toward HR excellence.

The CSC will evaluate the maturity level of an agency in four HR systems: recruitment, selection, and placement; learning and development; performance management; and rewards and recognition. Grounded on the evaluation, a government agency can be classified into four maturity levels. – Georaloy I. Palao-ay
Northern Philippine Times
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Baguio ERS machines still operational

May 20, 2016, 4:56 am
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ENVIRONMENT MONITOR

BAGUIO CITY  – The city general services office belied insinuations by critics of the present administration that the two multi-million Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines lodged in Irisan are not operational, saying that such unverified allegations are false, baseless and prejudicial to the interest of the city.
          City General Services Officer Romeo D. Concio said one of the ERS machines is undergoing preventive maintenance because of a reported leak in its boiler, thus, only one of the machines is continuously processing the city’s biodegradable waste into compost fertilizer.
            “The ERS machines had been operational since it was purchased by the city government and it is not true that the machines are already junked and inoperative. WE do not know why the issue on the ERS machines are being dragged during elections when such machines had been operational through the years,” Concio stressed.
            The two ERS machines are supposed to convert a combined 48 tons of the city’s biodegradable waste to roughly 8 tons of compost fertilizer per machine everyday.
            Concio added the city government is set to sell the available compost fertilizer to a Quezon City-based company, Raport Inovations, which is a supplier of organic fertilizer of the agriculture department, by next month using the dealer’s permit.
            It was learned that the supplier is set to buy some 5 to 10 tons of compost fertilizer per day and re-process the same for their clients.
            According to him, the ERS machines had been steadily operating and constantly converting the city’s generated biodegradable waste into compost fertilizer which had been stored within the closed Irisan dumpsite area and ready for disposition to interested buyers of organic fertilizer.
            Concio said the company is currently negotiating with the agriculture department the purchase of a huge volume of organic fertilizer from the city’s ERS machines so that it could be used in the practice of organic agriculture in the different parts of Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
            The city government purchased the two ERS machines to ease garbage disposal problem after notice from the national government on the closure of the city’s Irisan dumpsite pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

            Aside from the conversion of a portion of the city’s biodegradable waste into compost fertilizer, the segregation of waste at source and the taking of recyclable materials by segregators, the city government was constrained to embrace the hauling of its residual waste to the engineered sanitary landfill in Tarlac as a temporary solution to prevent the repeat of the scattering of garbage all over the city while identifying the long-term solutions to the problem, particularly the establishment of the Integrated Solid Waste Disposal Facility in Sto. Tomas School Area or in the new offered site in the open pit area of the Benguet Corporation in Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet.-- Dexter A. See 
Northern Philippine Times
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Gotad Ad Ifugao focuses on culture, people and progress

May 20, 2016, 4:58 am
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By Julie G. Fianza

LAGAWE, Ifuygao – For the cultured and curious, “Gotad ad Ifugao” activities here June 12 to 18 offers sights and sounds of ethnic yet modern provincial life.
In a media forum at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Ifugao Gov. Denis Habawel extended invitations for the festival which coincides with the province’s 50th founding anniversary.
Provincial administrator Evelyn Dulnuan and planning and development officer Carmelita Buyuccan echoed his call.     
“Gotad” is an Ifugao term for celebration, or large gathering for thanksgiving, thus for people, culture and progress, the officials said.
A pre-Gotad event targets the youth, a biking event through rugged and mountainous terrain, ending at the Capitol Plaza, Lagawe, on June 11.
On June 12, an 8 a.m. thanksgiving mass will be celebrated at the St. Mary Magdalene Church, with an interfaith program, 6PM at the Lagawe Central School ) gymnasium.
The next day, a civic parade and opening program is scheduled at 8 a.m. at the Capitol Plaza. An indigenous culinary arts competition opens at 10 a.m.
The Overseas Foreign Worker forum is at  2 p.m. with the grand Gotad ball at 7 p.m.
The last event is a formal affair for dance enthusiasts. 
The agri-industrial trade fair opens June 14 with a statistical extravaganza and photo exhibit; performing arts winner exhibition, demonstration of ethnic skills winners and judging of “Baya” (rice wine) entries in the afternoon; and pre-pageant night for Bugan ya Wigan (Mr. and Miss) di Gotad 2016.
On June 15, the LCS gym is the venue for a job fair, Professional Regulations Commission licensing and free legal services; with a show from the “Mundakdak and Muntuknul,” school of living traditions. The Don Bosco High School (DBHS) auditorium is host to the film showing of Ifugao History, followed by the Ifugao development symposium at the Ifugao Native Village; and the Musical Cultural Theatre Festival at LCS Gym.
A marathon with participants in G-string starts early in the morning of June 16, timed with arrival at 8 a.m. to open the cultural sports competition at the public plaza.
The cultural ethnic sports competition includes the “Bultong,” or the Ifugao version of wrestling. Used in customary justice system to settle lot boundary disputes where wrestlers play on the disputed area, the victor throws the loser further upon which the boundary would be marked. With the use of various techniques, it is now a game to prove one’s strength.
Other ethnic sports to be played are the, Kayyatan or pole-climbing is a team game where flags are used to mark the poles climbed be each members. Guyyudan is the local “tug of war,” where municipal teams compete. Uggub is a game of grass shoot darts called “alo” used on an opponent’s back. The player having the most number of “hits” is the winner.
Coconut shell (Ungut) traditional stilt race contest for children is played through teams. A race for women with a basket (labba) full of camote carried on the head is also played.
Hinukkting  is a game where players steadily holds a bent leg towards the buttocks and the other arm holds the g-string. The player then limps and bumps his opponent with either the shoulder and foream. The game could be played with two or several players, with players stumbling or loses his grip on the bended leg losing. The remaining player is the winner.
Akkad, the stilts game for children shall also be played. The stilts approximately six feet in height with a foot support at about two feet from the base are used by children to race towards a goal. Batawil or a race with a wooden/bamboo pole on the shoulders loaded with palay bundles at both ends tests the endurance of the men in the community.
The jobs fair and PRC licensing continues for the day. The coronation of Bugan ya Wigan happens in the evening of the 16th.
On June 17, the float contest with competing Local Government Units and an open category starts at 8 AM. A quiz bee on Ifugao culture and history is conducted starting at 1PM, with a cultural extravaganza for each municipality at the public plaza at 6PM.
On the final festival day, June 18, a cultural parade with a grand Gotad program is conducted at national highway to the public plaza. The Punhidaan or community lunch is served for the communities to partake.                      
The theme for this celebration is “Haggiyo, Ifugao!”

Spread over Ifugao province are interesting places; the Philippine War Memorial Shrine in Kiangan, the Million dollar hill, Gen. Yamashita surrender site, Mt. Nagchayan, Kiangan Museum, Tam-an and Bokiawan Village, Pula and Cambilo Native Village, Appo Burial, Makaliwagha and Lebhong burial caves, the Lumauig stone, caves, hot springs, waterfalls, lakes, rice terraces, Mt. Napulawan and Mt. Anapawan. The province also plays host to Mt. Amuyao, the 8th highest peak between Ifugao and Mt. Province; where scenic areas of Mt. Province, Ifugao, Isabel and Nueva Vizcaya could be viewed.  
Northern Philippine Times
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P24-M road benefits Gambang, Bakun folks

May 20, 2016, 5:00 am
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By Crislyn F. Balangen

BAKUN, Benguet-Around 300 farm families here are now enjoying the benefits of a 7.38-km long farm-to-market road turned-over to them by the CHARM2 Project on April 19.
The project, improvement ofMogao-Batanes-Le-in farm to market road had a contract amount of P23,272,679.92.
The road construction started on April 1, 2014 and completed December 1, 2014.
It benefits the sitios of Mogao, Lein, Batanes, Paasin, Nangayan and Lebeng.
It was inaugurated March 2015 and turned-over to the communities for its maintenance and sustainability.
“Dak-dake ay tulong di indawat nan kalsada en dakami ay farmers karkaru nu panag-uudan. Baken et nagalis. (The road is a big help to us especially during rainy season. It’s no longer slippery),” said Sabado Sicladoy, a farmer beneficiary from Sitio Le-in.
Sicladoy, 62, is a farmer for more than 40 years in their sitio. He said that before, they had to pay for ‘comboys’ (porters) who would carry their vegetable harvest from their farm in Sitio Le-in going to the road in Sitio Mogao. “Idwani et makatipid kami si mga 50% tan engay dumanun di kalsada sin galdin mi (We are saving around 50% since the road can now reach our farms),” he said.
The residents further said that they have to walk for hours before just to reach the main road since no public utility vehicles are traversing it. Also, only dual vehicles can pass through because of its rugged and steep terrain.
“The successful completion of the road was made possible through support, cooperation and sacrifice of the community during the implementation of the subproject,” said Engr. Mary Ann Fianza, CHARMP2 staff.
Fianza said the Barangay Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team of Gambang, whose members are local officials and residents, made sure that the set standard of the road was followed. “Miki monitor ak si mga 2-3 times a week sin madama ay macon-construct din kalsada,” said Albin Diwas, BPMET chairman and a farmer in his late 50s.
He said he had to walk for hours during monitoring and sometimes, it would take him a day to finish his monitoring.
Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan urged the community to continue actively participating in the maintenance and sustainability of the road so it will also benefit the next generations.
The project is co-shared by the CHARM2 Project (70%), Department of Agriculture (20%), and MLGU (10%).


Northern Philippine Times
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NEWS BRIEFS

May 20, 2016, 5:03 am
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Inmates vote in Pangasinan
DAGUPAN CITY — Inmates were taken under heavy escort to the North Central Elementary School in  Barangay Bonuan Gueset, here, for them to exercise their right to suffrage Monday morning.
As early as 6:30 a.m., a convoy of vehicles from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) arrived with around 40 prisoners who are registered voters.
The inmates were allowed to vote and there were no untoward incidents or glitches reported during the electoral process. -- Liezle Basa Inigo

Search for best Cordi coop on
BAGUIO CITY -- The Cooperative Development Authority recently launched the Gawad Parangal 2016 in Cordillera at the Mother Child Multi-Purpose Cooperative multi-purpose hall.
Gawad Parangal is an annual search of CDA that aims to recognize cooperatives,  cooperative development offices, councils, unions and federations and coop leaders for their invaluable service to their members, affiliates and the community.
Categories of awards include Most Outstanding Cooperatives subcategorized  into  micro scale, small scale, medium scale, and large scale category; Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader; Best Performing Cooperative Leader; Best Performing Cooperative Federation; Best Performing Cooperative Union; Best Performing Local Government Units—Cooperative Development Offices; and Best Performing Cooperative Development Councils.
Special citations will also be given to Exemplary Environment Protection and Conservation Program; Outstanding Community Involvement and Development Program; Excellence in Membership Growth and Expansion Program; Remarkable Cooperative Solidarity and Partnership Program; Excellence in Providing Financial Products and Services to Members; and LGU Cooperative Development Champions.
CDA-Cordillera will accept nominations until April 29. Nominations will be shortlisted and those who will be chosen will be immediately notified for the submission of documentary requirements needed for the national search.
CDA regional director Atty. Franco Bawang calls on cooperatives and other stakeholders in the cooperative movement in the region to submit their nominations now.
For more information on Gawad Parangal, visit www.cda.gov.ph or contact (02)7256604 or email via cdacritdco@yahoo.com . -- D. Regalado and J. Panelo  

Kiangan MAC vows to extend full support to police
KIANGAN, Ifugao --  The municipal advisory council promised to extend full support to the police here for peaceful and tranquil environment.
Vice Mayor Roel Dulnuan, MAC chairman, made the commitment after chief of police Senior Insp. Ayson Tenenan presented accomplishment reports.
From January to March 17, the Kiangan Police initiated 58 community engagement activities, distributed 130 IEC materials, conducted 190 community awareness activities, accounted 18 unlicensed firearms, reduced by three total index crime and had 634 police operations. Local cops also arrested three other most wanted persons, trained three  investigators, received six  awards for investigators with no investigator penalized 100 percent implementation of standard investigative procedure.
The MAC serves as an advisory body of the police that significantly contributes in the implementation of the PNP PATROL (Peace and Order Agenda for Transformation and upholding of the Rule of Law) Plan 2030. -- Daniel B. Codamon

Cash prizes await winners of  ‘best child protection committee’  
BONTOC, Mountain Province – Cash prizes await winners of “functional school-based secondary child protection committee” in a search of the provincial council for the protection of children (PCPC).
 This activity aims to strengthen partnership of provincial and municipal local government units in collaboration with other partner agencies in promoting provincial functional school-based secondary child protection committee; promote and advocate the implementation of child protection and evaluate the implementation of child protection committee in all secondary schools in the province.  
 The search is open to all public and private secondary schools in the province.
Entry forms/self-assessment tool shall be distributed to the different secondary schools. All accomplished forms shall be submitted together with supporting documents to child protection district technical working groups in July.
The self-assessment tool is provided by the Mt. Province Division Office which was adapted from Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 44, s. 2015 designed to monitor and evaluate the compliance of schools in the implementation of DepEd Child Protect Policy and DepEd Order No.55, S. 2013 – Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10627 known as the Anti-Bullying Act. Of 2013.
All district TWGs were given time to validate/monitor submitted school entries to determine the winner of each district which will be submitted to the provincial TWG first week of September.
The provincial TWG shall convene on the second to last weeks of September to assess documents of   district level winners and to conduct on site validation in October to determine the provincial winners.
Winners shall be awarded in n November to coincide with the scheduled state of the Children Address.
According to Evelyn Capsoyen of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office here, first prize will be given a cash of P25, 000; second and third will be P15, 000 and P10, 000 respectively; and a plaque of recognition. -- Juliet B. Saley
  
Benguet SP implementing digitized legislative data bank
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is now implemening digitization and indexing of legislative measures which eases tracking, retrieval and accessing of records online and ultimately aids  better and improved service.
Newly installed SP secretary Brian Crispin, a lawyer, said the digitization of all ordinances and resolutions  is anchored on the office’s mandate to inform the public of its services.   
It was incumbent Vice Gov. Nelson Dangwa’s vision to come up with a digitized data bank of legislative measures but has come into realization just recently, Crispin said.
Dangwa ran for governor in Monday’s polls but lost to former Vice Gov. Crecencio Pacalso.    
The project dubbed, e-legislative Computer Research Data Bank, aims  to digitize all ordinances and resolutions from 1967 to 2013 including the creation and development of a computer program to manage such records. To date documents,  encoded were from 1997 to this year.
It has two features, tracking and the data base of resolutions and ordinances. The tracking system shows the progress of the measure until the completed staff work and reaches the end-user.  The data base system shows the archived measures, according to SP Administrative Officer I Gusvaliani Bolislis who manages the said records.
Now on its first phase which started last quarter last year,  it is now operational but accessible  only  within the SP, according to Crispin.
The future plan of this  continuing endeavor is to make it online and accessible not only within the capitol premises but to  clientele such as the municipal local governments, provincial offices and provincial departments.  
 It will eventually be open to the public for easy access as they plan to put up a desk once they transfer to the Provincial Capitol Building II, according to Crispin.
There are also  plans of archiving data as early as 1945 while Benguet was still  part  of the old Mountain Provinces. -- Susan Aro

BIR urges Kalinga, Apayao folks: Pay taxes promptly
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Revenue District Office 11 covering the provinces of Kalinga and Apayao urged income tax payers to pay their correct taxes on time.
Regional director Eduardo B. Gayas said taxes are basic obligation of citizens in the country and every income-earning citizen is duty-bound to pay the right tax to the government.
In line with this, he reminded tax payers to visit their office for tax assessment assistance before they remit their tax dues at the Land Bank of the Philippines.
Gayas said BIR’s Electronic Filing and Payment System (EFPS) where filing and payment of tax is done on-line. The system, he said, makes transaction more convenient to individual tax payers provided they are properly registered with BIR’s EFPS structure.
Under the system, individual tax payers remit their payments using their bank accounts through on-line fund transfer. -- Larry T. Lopez              

PCSO provides Kalinga digital X-ray machine
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The provincial hospital will soon have a digital X-ray machine with a positioning and archiving control system, donated by Philippine  Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Provincial Health Officer Romulo Gaerlan said the PCSO has downloaded to the Provincial Treasury P8.8 million for purchase of the equipment.  He said a memorandum of agreement will be signed between PCSO, the Department of Health and the local government unit upon the purchase of the modern machine.
The digital X- ray machine produces optimal quality of X-ray images that would help medical doctors in their diagnosis of the conditions of patients.  
Gaerlan said Japan for International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is extending financial assistance to local health development in terms of medical facilities and equipment and upgrading/training of health service providers. – Peter A. Balocnit

DTI sets ‘negosyo Center’ in Ifugao
ALFONSO LISTA, Ifugao --  The Department of Trade and Industry has established a  “negosyo center” here to propel trade and commerce in this  “corn bowl” of the province.
The facility was opened after a memorandum of agreement was signed by DTI-Ifugao and Alfonso Lista government.
 The municipality was chosen because of its strategic venue for central and local enterprise catering the towns of Aguinaldo and Mayoyao.
Negosyo Center is a one-stop-shop for facilitating the processing and documentation of paper requirements necessary for the establishment of micro, small medium enterprise (MSME), providing MSMEs advisory services like product development, trade promotion, financing facilitation, investment matching and other related activities.
 “We are very optimistic about the growth of trade and industry in Alfonso Lista, and we are here to help in the local business,” said DTI provincial director Valentin Baguidudol.
The LGU’s counterpart in the project is provision of office and furniture, while DTI provides for the office supplies, computers and internet service for clients to do research for business purposes.
DTI –Ifugao also hired a business counselor for the center while the LGU designated a focal person for the effective delivery of services to its clients in the area and nearby municipalities. -- Marcelo B. Lihgawon with report from Lorena Dulnuan

La Trinidad dads set rules for disaster volunteers
LA TRINIDAD -- Officials here crafted a measure which sets guidelines in the accreditation, mobilization and protection of community disaster volunteers who play a vital role in disaster operations.
Under “La Trinidad Accredited Community Disaster Volunteer Ordinance,” 
an accredited volunteer will be issued an identification card by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office.
In case of disaster, the local chief executive will call on accredited volunteers to be mobilized and provide the necessary services and assistance in any given particular area or situation.
While the services of volunteers will be tapped, the local government will also look into their protection by appropriating funds for the payment of individual personal accident insurance coverage on a yearly basis.
This also includes other government organizations and civil society whose members are included in the rosters of accredited community disaster volunteers of the town to take charge of providing them with insurance and necessary benefits.
Volunteers will also be accorded with training.
The measure is with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for their review and approval. -- Susan Aro

Upper Kalinga District Engineering  in operation
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Kalinga District Engineering Office now has two districts  with  newly created Upper Kalinga District Engineering Office (UKDEO)   now  operational.
Domingo Enciso was named District Engineer (DE) of UKDEO and Teodoro Owek, assistant DE. Personnel assumed office on March 22.
The UKDEO which   covers Lubuagan, Pasil, Balbalan and Tinglayan, is temporarily holding office at the Equipment Area beside the old district office in this city.
Owek bared that they are negotiating a lot between Cagaluan and Tanglag (boundary barangays of Pasil and Lubuagan respectively) as site of the UKDEO where they plan to build a 3-storey building.
The reconstitution of the Kalinga District Engineering Office into two regular  districts offices  is  by virtue of  Republic Act 10369 authored by Kalinga  Representative Manuel Agyao.
The mother district office, now called the Lower Kalinga District Engineering Office comprises the municipalities of Tabuk, Rizal, Tanudan and Pinukpuk. Engr. Ireneo Gallato is still DE while Engr. Ruby Uyam is the assistant DE. -- Peter A. Balocnit

DOH health partners in Cordillera awarded
BAGUIO CITY -- The Department of Health recently feted more than 180 health partners in Cordillera  in  a Gawad Kalusugan Harmonized Regional Awarding here at Crown Legacy Hotel here.
DOH officials headed by Undersecretary Nemesio Gako, Cordillera Regional Director Lakshmi Legaspi and Assistant Regional Director Amelita Pangilinan conferred plaque of recognition, tokens and other prizes to awardees from government and private sectors.
Given recognition were 22 government hospitals; eight private hospitals; 4 provincial LGUs; 51 municipal local government units; 19 barangays; five rural health units; one barangay health station; eight inter –local health zones (ILHZ) and four Department of Education offices, in recognition of their valuable assistance and appreciation of their various achievements in delivering health programs and services.
DOH also gave special recognition to regional line agencies:  NEDA, DBM, DILG, DSWD and PIA; the emergency response teams of Emergency Medical Service of Buguias Inc (Benguet), Rescue 26 of Mt. Province, Mankayan (Benguet) Emergency Response Team, Bontoc Emergency Response Team (Mt. Province), 911 On-call and Baguio City Emergency medical Services; NGOs - JICA SSC, Zuellig Family Foundation, Luzon health and Diteng, Inc.; and media outfits Mountain Province Broadcasting Company, Bombo Radyo, DZEQ Radio ng Bayan, Sky Cable – Baguio and ABS – CBN Baguio.
Plaquea of appreciation were given to them, in recognition for their notable and steadfast support to the vision and mission of the health department under the spirit of volunteerism, sharing of resources, expertise and time towards Kalusugang Pangkalahatan in Cordillera.
USEC Gako, in his keynote address, extended Health Secretary Janette Garin’s warm greetings and congratulations to all their health partners in the region, whom through their support and worthy undertaking, assured the delivery of DOH priority health programs and services to their respective target group of beneficiaries in Cordillera.
Among these programs and services include the High Impact 5 (HI -5) program, strengthened Health Facility Enhancement Program, investment on human resource to augment the health manpower where it is needed, Buntis Congress and extensive campaign on HIV screening and treatment.
“Reaching the target clients (of the DOH health programs) would not be possible without your active participation and support. Seeing you all today and hearing all the accolades given to you makes the DOH truly happy as we know that in CAR, we have multitudes of allies who are and who will always be there with us working for the health of all Filipinos,” Gako said.

MGB: Alfonso Lista not prone to landslide
ALFONSO LISTA, Ifugao – This town is not extremely prone to landslide.
Geologist Kevin Carlo S. Gaerlan of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources bared this afer geological survey done by the DENR in the area.
Situated 156 meters above mean sea level, the municipality is gently sloping in terrain, mixed with some flat topography and scattered narrow valleys occurring between hills.
 “In terms of flood susceptibility, the municipality is generally situated on high ground thus flooding is not a problem. Minor flooding will only likely to occur along the river/floodplains which are presently not utilized for residential purposes,” Gaerlan said. – Marcelo Lihgahwon with report from Lorena Dulnuan 

BFAR puts 100,000 fish fingerlings in Kalinga waters  
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) provincial office had dispersed about 100,000 fingerlings of tilapia and carp to communal water bodies and rivers from January-April this year.  
Aside from tilapia and carp, the office also planted 10,000 eel-ver at creeks and inland waters in the upper municipalities of the province.
Joyce Ducyugen of BFAR-Kalinga reported the move is in anticipation of the adverse effects of the long dry spell brought by the “El Nino” to the fish industry of the province.
 Because of the drop in fish supply caused by receding water level at private fish ponds here, BFAR-Kalinga had resorted to other local alternative source of fish by feeding communal water bodies.
According to Ducyugen, fish production in the province is greatly affected because of low water supply of fish ponds during the summer season.
The province has a fish production area of 31 hectares with an average fish production of 206,913 kilos but due to the effects of the long dry spell, production loss is estimated at 41,382 kilos or 20%. 
Ducyugen said to prevent heavy losses, they told fish farmers to make earlier harvest even if their produce has not yet reached the desired marketable size.They explain to fish farmers to better harvest under-size fish rather than risk higher losses from longer period of operation, she said.
As part of their fish production program, BFAR-Kalinga is up with the barangay-based information and education drive on improved fish technology and urged barangay officials to strengthen implementation of ordinances against illegal system of fishing. -- Larry T. Lopez


Northern Philippine Times
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Forest destruction case vs Baguio rep under Sandigan

May 20, 2016, 5:04 am
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BAGUIO CITY -- Despite motions for reconsideration filed by Rep. Nicasio Aliping Jr., and public works contractors William Go and Romeo Aquino, the case filed against them and contractor Bernard Capuyan for forest destruction before the Sandiganbayan are under its jurisdiction.
Aliping lost to businessman Mark Go in Monday’s elections as congressman.
This was stated in a manifestation with motion to change the complainant filed with Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera, concurrent environmental ombudsman, by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Cordillera Administrative Region last April 27.
“As anticipated, a motion for reconsideration from Respondents Congressman Nicasio Aliping Jr., and Romeo Aquino, through their counsel, Atty. Lauro Gacayan, was received by the DENR on April 19, 2016. On that same date, the DENR likewise received the motion for reconsideration filed by Respondent William Go, through his counsel Atty. Jaime Paredes Jr. As to date, there was no copy of a motion for reconsideration filed by Respondent Bernard Capuyan,” the DENR-CAR said.
“As regards the ground stated in the motion for reconsideration of Respondents Aliping, Aquino and Go that the acts punished by the Revised Forestry Code are not committed in relation to the performance of official functions like graft and corruption, does not involve graft and corruption and is not one cognizable by the Sandiganbayan… (and) should be filed before the ordinary courts having jurisdiction over the offense committed… (the) respondents argument on this matter is patently erroneous, misplaced and unjustified. The averments of the complaint clearly show that the Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction and not the regular courts,” it said.
According to Section 4(a) of Republic Act 10660, which was approved on April 16 last year, and which is an act strengthening further the functional and structural organization of the Sandiganbayan, further amending Presidential Decree 1606, as amended, “the Sandiganbayan shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction in all cases involving violations of Republic Act 3019, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; Republic Act 1379; and Chapter 2, Section 2, Title VII, Book II of the Revised Penal Code, where one or more of the accused are officials occupying the following positions in the government, whether in a permanent, acting or interim capacity, at the time of the offence: (2) Members of Congress and officials thereof classified as Grade 27 and higher under the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989…”
“The violation of Sections 77 and 78 (of Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code) committed by Respondent Aliping fell squarely within the provisions of Republic Act 10660 considering (he) is the incumbent Representative of the Lone District of Baguio City and with Salary Grade 31. He is running for reelection for his second term as congressman. Thus, cognizable by the Sandiganbayan.
“The violation of Sections 77 and 78 of PD 705, which he allegedly committed, was made in relation to his office. It has been repeatedly stressed that all public officials and employees, from highest to the lowest rank and file must, at all times, act with strict propriety and decorum in order to maintain public trust and must conduct themselves in a manner demonstrating integrity, honesty and uprightness. The use of Respondent Aliping of the letterhead of the House of Representatives, with his official position as congressman, in reply to the letter dated May 15, 2014 of Mayor Florencio Bentrez of Tuba, Benguet hardly meets the foregoing standard. He took advantage of his office and position to strengthen his influence. Nothing in Respondent Aliping’s letter reply avers that the same is being made in his personal capacity as a private citizen,” the manifestation said.
“Respondent Aliping’s conscious and deliberate use of the letterhead of the House of Representatives clearly discloses his intention to use his official title or position. Being a lawyer, a councilor for quite a number of years and the present congressman of Baguio City, had he intended to act in his personal capacity, he should have been more circumspect and should not have used the letterhead of the House of Representatives. At the very least, Respondent Aliping should have indicated in his letter and communications that he was acting in his personal and private capacity. No disclosure or intimationto this effect was ever made such that the only conclusion was that, in using the letterhead of the House of Representatives in his communications, it was his intention to make known his position as congressman and therefore, acting in such public capacity,” the DENR-CAR said.


Northern Philippine Times
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P19.5 million spent for Mt Prov roads

May 20, 2016, 5:05 am
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By Imelda F. Banganan 

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- A total of P 19,449,439 was allotted to Mountain Province for six projects under the Special Local Road Fund (SLRF) FY 2015.
The amount covers repair and maintenance of almost 2.5 kilometers of provincial roads.
Two of these projects approved in August 2015, were completed based on  validation done by the Project Monitoring Team headed by DILG provincial director Anthony Ballug.
The completed projects amounting to P 5,012,290 were maintenance of Sagada-Besao Road (P 3 million) and Tadian-Nacawang Provincial Road (P2,012,190.)
In December 2015, four additional projects worth P14,437,149.00 were funded under the SLRF as incentive of the province for its good performance in  implementation of SLRF projects.
These were Guinzadan-Banao-Andanum Provincial Road in Bauko worth P 2M; Sadsadan-Balicanao-Salin Road, also in Bauko, worth P 5M; Poblacion-Aba-Bacarri Road in Paracelis worth P2,437,149.00; and Tadian-Nacawang Provincial Road in Tadian worth P 5M.
The procurement process for said projects will commence after the election ban, said Engr. Ben N. Wadwadan of the Provincial Engineering Office.
Based on the Republic Act 8794 or the Motor Vehicle Users Charge (MVUC) Law enacted on June 27, 2000, it is the policy of the state to provide for and ensure adequate maintenance of national and provincial roads through sufficient funding for the purpose. It is stipulated in the Law that five percent of the monies collected shall be placed in a Special Local Road Fund (SLRF), to be apportioned to provincial and city governments in accordance with vehicle population and size of the road network under their respective jurisdictions.
Eligible projects to be funded under the SLRF are projects for road maintenance, installation of road safety devices, and for traffic management.

Generally, the provision and maintenance of national roads is the mandate of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), while the provision and maintenance of local roads is the responsibility of the Local Government Units. Due to the mandate of the DILG over LGUs, the proposal of the DPWH to delineate SLRF planning, programming, monitoring, and funds utilization to the DILG came about when the two agencies signed a Memorandum of Agreement relative to the SLRF implementation in 2005.
Northern Philippine Times
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Amnesty for electric, water connections effective May 10

May 20, 2016, 5:13 am
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By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY  – The city council approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance granting amnesty to applicants for electric and water connections in the city effective May 10.
         Under the approved local legislative measure, applications for amnesty shall be filed with the City Building and Architecture Office (CBAO) in case of electric connections and with the Baguio Water District (BWD) for water connections for evaluation and those qualified will be subsequently required to pay the necessary regulatory fees.
            The amnesty for electric and water connections will run through a period of four months from May 10, 2016 and it does not mean condonation for structures in violation of the National Building Code of the Philippines and other related laws.
            The ordinance stated the CBAO and other concerned agencies will not be prevented from demolishing the said structures based on other lawful grounds.
            Applicants are required to present their tax declarations, if not, he or she must secure a waiver or authority from the registered lot owner, certificate of non-delinquency of tax and barangay certification attesting that the applicant is a resident of the place, that the lot or structure is not in a right-of-way, that the lot or structure is not located in waterways and BWD water facilities or pipelines, that the lot or structure is not under high tension wires and that the lot or structure is not the subject to demolition or had been previously demolished.
            However, indigent applicants certified by their respective punong barangays and the city social welfare and development office will be entitled to a 50 percent discount on the professional fees and labor cost being charged by the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers of the Philippines member and practitioners but the same does not apply to the fees being charged by the CBAO pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations.
            In lieu of the certificate of final electrical inspection being used to those with occupancy and building permits, the ordinance provided that a certificate of electrical inspection will be issued by the CBAO.
            The ordinance specified that the amnesty for electric and water connections shall not apply to structures built in forest reservations, watersheds, other properties identified as government or military reservations and those who squatted within titled private properties.
            It was emphasized that the amnesty shall apply only to structures built on or before the effectivity of the ordinance based on CBAO inventory and barangay certification issued for such purpose.
            Majority of the councillors agreed that the amnesty for electric and water connections will be effective right after the May 9, 2016 general and automated elections to prevent the issue from being used by some local legislators as their vehicle in getting the votes of the electorates in the different barangays of the city.


Northern Philippine Times
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Slays, violence mar Abra Kalinga provinces’ polls

May 20, 2016, 5:15 am
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KILLINGS and several cases of violence and election irregularities marred elections in the provinces of Abra and Kalinga. 
In Abra, eight persons, including a lawyer and a barangay official, were arrested for violation of the election gun ban in this province a day before elections.
The suspects, who were in a Hyundai Starex van, were pulled over at a checkpoint in Barangay Lipcan in Bangued town, Supt. Cherry Fajardo, Cordillera police spokesperson.
A .45-caliber pistol, a 9mm submachine gun, a 9mm Norinco pistol as well as ammunition were recovered from the suspects.  
Fajardo identified the suspects as councilor Luzviminda Ulibas Luzong of Barangay Luzong in Manabo town, lawyer Lucky Damasen, Recto Batondo, Zacarias Gonzales, Ryan Dizon, Lance Bryan Tan, Francis Bhrill Nuez and Alger Larry Pajara.   
Also nabbed were Lance Bryan Layug Tan, 28, student, of Sta. Mesa, Manila; Francis Bhrill Cordial Nuez, 27, student, of Sampaloc, Manila; Luzviminda Lazo Ulibas, 41, barangay kagawad of Luzong, Manabo; Lucky Magala Damasen, 48, lawyer,  of Manabo, presently residing in San Isidro, Isabela, and Alger Larry Miranda Pajara, 26, of Luzong, Manabo.
Confiscated from the suspects were three handguns, magazines and bullets.
Investigation disclosed cops were conducting checkpoint when they stopped a Starex Van bearing plate number WQY 508 with the eight arrested suspects on board. While checking the vehicle with flashlights, the team leader saw one of the suspects passing a firearm to one of the other suspects. Cops searched the said vehicle in the presence of Grace Doctolero, media representative of UNTV 5-Baguio and arrested suspects.
Suspects were brought to Abra Provincial Hospital, Bangued, Abra for medico-legal examination and later o Bangued police station where charges were prepared against them.
In Lagayan, two men narrowly escaped death after they were fired upon by a barangay official and his men.
A police report said the incident happened May 8 at about 9 a.m. at Barangay  Pulot here wherein victims were identified as Benjie Andres Vista and Fortunato S. Rodriguez Jr.
Suspects were named as Leonard Jimenez Donato, Pulot barangay chairman; Alex Millare, Ali Donato, Efren Donato and Oliver Bersamira, all of Pulot and several others. 
Investigation disclosed they received a telephone call from concerned citizen informing that several gunshots were heard in Pulot, Lagayan. Cops responded immediately and were met by the victims who told them they were fired upon by the above suspects. They said while they were in front of the sari-sari store of Elizabeth Sindon, the suspects arrived onboard an owner type jeep which stopped in front of them. Donato allegedly shouted in Ilocano “Ada ditan ni Benjie, patayin yon (Benjie is there already, kill him).” 
Leonardo and the other suspects reportedly drew firearms and fired at the two victims who escaped unharmed.
The suspects fled while firing their firearms continuously hitting the houses of Pablo Pacapac and Medardo Tandingan.
Responding cops recovered fired and unfired bullets at the crime scene. The victims and two minors who witnessed the incident were invited to Lagayan Police Station for their sworn statements.
In the town of San Juan, local folks were alarmed here in Barangay Abualan Proper, during campaign rally of mayoralty candidate lawyer Russel Bragas on May 7 around 8:30 a.m.
Investigation disclosed that while the group of Bragas was conducting house to house campaign, a gray Ford pickup without plate number, with a tarpaulin of Liberal Party and around 10 men carrying firearms arrived. The group was alarmed and scrambled to take cover. Two members of the group were identified as barangay captain Benedicto Tuscano and a certain Fred Caray. Police were alerted and proceeded at the place. While on their way, they met, stopped and checked the Ford pickup but no firearms were found.
Still in Lagayan, a barangay kagawad and three others are now the object of a manhunt after they threatened to kill a widow and her family if they would not vote for their choice. 
A police report said on May 8 at around 11:30 p.m., hey received a phone call from a certain Narcisa Montero Cortez, 47, stating that her neighbors identified as Junardo Regalado Ruben,  Lupito Balaoro, kagawad Rodolfo Balao-as, Bonifacio Ruben Balao-as and Fernando Ruben allegedly threatened her, her minor son, and her nephew Emil Guyang Cortez, 18, farmer, all residents of Barangay Ba-i.
Investigation disclosed that at around 10 a.m. that day, the victims were about to have their lunch when the suspects forcibly entered their house armed with Cal. .45 handgun, armalite and Cal. 7.62.
Cortez said Junardo Ruben, armed with Cal.45 uttered threatening words at them in Ilocano “Okinayo, pumanaw kayo ditoy nu kayat yo pay ti agbiag nu haan yo ibotos i kayat mi You get out of here if you want to stay alive if you won’t vote for our choice)”.
She stated Lupito Balaoro was also armed with armalite while Balao-as was armed with Cal. 7.62. Cortez called their relatives in Sitio Silet, Brgy Ba-i for help after the suspects left.
In Kalinga province, the wife of the governor and his son face charges for allegedly snatching a vote counting machine (VCM).
Karl Baac, his mother Bennyrose and nephew Boyet Jambaro, a certain Manding Merin and several unidentified men were charged before the Department of Justice, Senior Supt. Victor Wanchakan, Kalinga police director, said Thursday.
The respondents allegedly barged into the Kinama Elementary School in Rizal town around 7 p.m. on Monday.
The VCM had transmitted election returns before it was seized, police said.
Baac got 4,304 votes against Mayor Marcelo de la Cruz’s 4,372 votes based on the latest unofficial tally of the Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.
Kalinga Gov. Jocel Baac on the other hand, was leading by 17,000 votes over his closest rival Conrado Dieza.           In Tabuk City, a mini bus used during campaign sorties of Kalinga congressional candidate Camilo T. Lammawin Jr, was burned in Tabuk City May 8 around 2:30 a.m.
A certain Joel Gramaje reported to Bulanao police the incident and saw the the burning Hino bus owned by  barangay captain Samuel Banasan Suma-al parked on Balinag Street, Purok 3, Bulanao Norte, Tabuk City, Kalinga. Firemen put out the fire 30 minues later. Cops found a green plastic bottle containing gasoline beside
the left rear tire of the bus.
In Rizal town, police responding to a phone call from a concerned citizen
found a dump truck at the center of a bridge at Barangay Bulbul with bullet holes while its windshield broken May 8 around 5:30 a.m.
Cops found out the truck bearing plate number NKO 587 was owned by Gov. Jocel C. Baac and driven by Marcos Masadao Basitao 49, of Dagupan Centro, Tabuk City. Basitao was with Juan Tomolba Bilowan, 37, also of Tabuk and oher passsengers when police arrived.
Investigation disclosed the truck was traversing Liwan West-Macutay national road towards Bulbul and when it reached Bagbag Bridge, an unidentified manperson went in the middle of the bridge, suddenly drew his pistol and fired at the front of the truck. The suspect immediately fled towards unknown direction after the incident while passengers of the truck who were unharmed ran towards Barangay Proper and asked for help. Police found five empty shells and two slugs of Cal 45 at the site. 
Still in Rizal,  unidentified men snatched a VCM for counting ballots here Monday on election day around 7 p.m. at Kinama Elem School. The men reportedly fled aboard a brown and black pick-up.
Police responded at the area and secured poll officials and election paraphernalia.  
Still in Rizal, a man was shot dead Monday around 8 p.m. in Barangay Bulbul. Police identified the victim as Rexon Pagi Dabban, 31. The sill unknown gunman and a companion reportedly fled towards Barangay Kinama aboard a motorcycle. Police chased the suspects but were not able o catch up wih them.
Meanhile, in Benguet, three young men were arrested Monday around 10 a.m. after they were caught distributing campaign leaflets for party list “Kalinga” at the last gate of the Benguet State University along km 6 in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Poll officials said it was illegal to campaign during Monday’s elections. Cases were prepared for filing against suspects Jhon Dawe Mollenido, 21, of Puerto Princesa, Palawan; Alvin Cabarubias Tano, 26,  of Lucena City, Quezon Province, and Arthur Gigando Nazareth, 20,  of Pasi City, Iloilo. Said suspects were accompanied by three minors who were transients at the Pentecostal Church in Barangay Pico of this capital town.


Northern Philippine Times
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POLICE ROUNDUP

May 20, 2016, 5:18 am
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Trike rider falls down Bontoc ravine; dies
BONTOC, Mountain Province – A man died in an accident here May 7 along the national road at Latang, Caluttit. Victim was identified as Crispin Ewan Binay-og, 17, laborer, native of Sadanga, Mountain Province and a resident of Maledda, Tabuk City.
Investigation disclosed that victim was driving a motorcycle without plate number proceeding towards Tabuk City to overtake his companion Mark Gomayat Palad. While on a curve, he bumped a roadside that caused the driver to fall down a ravine 14 meters deep. Palad and a laborer of Diaz Construction rescued the victim and brought him to the Bontoc General Hospital where he was found to have cerebral concussion and fractures. At around 6:28 a.m. of same date, the victim died and his body was brought home to their residence.

 Body found down Tuba riprap wall
TUBA, Benguet – A certain Katty Toribio of Camp 6 here reported police she discovered the body of her grandfather identified as Victor Gistama Layog, 87, widower, below their house near an abandoned swimming pool around 7:15 a.m. on May 7.
Investigation showed the victim who suffered from senility could have fallen from the 25 feet riprap wall. The body was brought to St. Peter Chapel at Marcos Highway, Baguio City for post mortem examination.

Senile farmer’s body found floating at Abra River
LA PAZ, Abra – A barangay tanod identified as Danny Borce, 50, reported to police on May 7 around 5:50 p.m. the body of a male person later identified as Abraham Barcena Bragas, 71, farmer, of So. Curibot, Mudeng here was found floating along Abra River in the barangay.
A police report said around 7:30 a.m. hat day, the victim left their house and went to the river to take a bath. However, he failed to return. At about 5:30 p.m. when a certain Rolly Biscarra was about to catch fish at the river, he saw a floating lbody of a male person. Police did not find any sign of injury or foul play.

Passenger jeep flips; 16 injured in Bontoc
BONTOC, Mountain Province – Sixteen persons were injured when their vehicle flipped while negotiating a sharp curve.   
A police report said the incident happened around 3:55 p.m. of May 7 along the national road here at Fengar, Samoki involving a passenger jeep owned and driven by Alfonso Dulay Tiyok, 40, here of Barangay Talubin. Passengers were slightly injured and rushed to Bontoc General Hospital. Four victims namely: Santa Finorak, 8, Stewart Palikan, 8 ; Marcelina Fayno, 9, and Moises Cayumfa all residents of Barangay Betwagan, Sadanga Mountain Province were admitted at the said hospital for observation while 12 victims were sent home after they were checked up by a physician. Interview with the driver disclosed that the steering wheel allegedly malfunctioned that prompted him to bump the vehicle at the mountainside of the road.

PDEA burns P4.2 M marijuana in Kalinga
TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency recently burned 88 marijuana bricks and at least 200 uprooted dried marijuana plants at the Provincial Police Office grounds, here.
John Balao-as of PDEA-Cordillera Region said the illegal plants confiscated in separate anti-illegal drugs operations by police enforcement teams in the province was valued at P4.2 million.
According to Balao-as, PDEA-CAR intensified its operation against illegal drugs citing its effects to criminality.
Balao-as surged local folks to provide leads against suspects involved in the illegal activity.

Two dead, many injured after couple’s argument 
PUDTOL, Apayao – An argument between a couple resulted to the death of two persons and wounding of several others.
A police report said the incident happened Tuesday around 1:30 p.m. here at Barangay Amado.
Victims were identified as Claribel Singco Gonzales, 25, housewife, wife of the suspect; Edgar Bunao Singco Sr. and Agustina Labicani Singco, parents-in-law of the suspect; Edgar Singco Jr., all residents of Amado and Aldrin Amus Putac aka Bodi, 34.
The suspect was identified as Mario Guerrero Gonzales, 31, and a resident of Barangay San Jose in the town.
Investigation disclosed that the suspect and the victims were having a drinking session inside the house of Singco Sr. when the suspect and his wife had a misunderstanding that prompted the others to pacify them but the suspect brought out a knife and stabbed the victims.
The injured were rushed by their relatives to AMMA Jadsac District Hospital where Edgar B. Singco Sr. was pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician. All injured victims were transferred to Far North General Hospital and Training Center at Luna, Apayao but Claribel S. Gonzales was declared dead on arrival.
The suspect was also rushed by responding cops to Amma Jadsac District Hospital.  Weapon used was recovered at the crime scene. 
Charges for parricide, murder and multiple frustrated murder were prepared agaisn Gonzales.

Scrap buyer surrenders mortar
TUBA, Benguet – A certain Pedro Campor Binwag, 77, scrap buyer, surrendered a 60 mm mortar measuring. According to him, he confiscated it from a minor trying to sell it to him at his junk shop and informed cops. The bomb was taken by cops for deactivation.

Drinking mates argue; woman shot
BOKOD, Benguet – A woman was injured when fired upon by a man who intended to shoot another here at Mogao, Nawal on May 8 around 5 p.m. 
The victim was named as Elsie Espara Peter, 37, while the suspect was Timber Tacio Basta, 43, both Nawal residents.
Investigation disclosed that while the suspect and his cousin were drinking liquor at the store owned by Leston Sipyakan Menis, the suspect had a misunderstanding with a certain Felimon Aroco who punched the face of the suspect. Both were pacified by the store owner who ordered them to go home.
However, the suspect came back with an air gun, aimed and fired at Aroco. Peter who was standing beside Aroco was the one hit at her right leg that prompted  Destin Berting Peter, husband of the victim, to take a bolo and chase the suspect until they scuffled.  As a result, the left palm and right foot of Peter sustained injuries. The suspect escaped and responding cops the Peter couple to Benguet General Hospital for medical treatment. Case is being readied against the suspect and the owner of the store for poll violations.

Taxi driver held up, robbed of day’s earning
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A taxi driver was robbed of his earning and cellphone by three men here along Balite Road on May 8 around 3:30 a.m. Police identified the victim as Joseph Norma Mandap, 26, of Bakakeng Sur, Baguio City. Investigation disclosed the complainant was flagged down along Lower Session Road, Baguio City by the suspects who requested to be ferried to Tacay Lodge. Upon reaching, one of the suspects asked the victim to continue driving because they were nearing their residence. When they reached the place, the suspects ordered the driver to stop the taxi.
One of the suspects was about to hand over their fare and when the driver was about to receive the money, the suspect suddenly punched the mouth and face of the driver. The suspect who was seated behind brought out a knife and said, “Kuya ilabas mo ang pera mo kung ayaw mong masaktan.”
The driver immediately handed over his collection amounting to P3, 2000 and his cell phone worth P5, 000. The suspects fled to unknown direction.

Man wanted for syndicated estafa lands in jail
BAGUIO CITY – A man wanted for syndicated estafa landed in jail after he was arrested here May 6 at about 7:25 p.m. a Smart Com., De Leon Bldg., Session Road by Bagujio and La Trinidad, Benguet police. Nabbed was Aurelio Balayod Dayso, 48, of Poblacion, Kibungan, Benguet after arrest warrant was issued against bhim by Ivan Kim Morales, assisting Judge of Regional Trial Court, La Trinidad, Benguet. Morales denied bail.

Driver shoots brother over card game 
BANGUED, Abra – A card game led to the shooting of a man by his brothere here on May 5 at about 6:20 p.m. Polcie said they received a phone call from a concerned citizen that a shooting incident transpired here in Linasin, Zone 1 so they procedded to the area.
They identified the victim as Marlon Gonzales Castillo, 33, tricycle driver, of Barangay Ubbog, Bangued, Abra and arrested the suspect identified as Carmelo Gonzales Castillo, the victim’s elder brother, 43, river of Metro Bangued Water District, and a resident of Linasin, Zone 1.
Investigation disclosed the suspect, victim and their friends were playing cards when a heated argument ensued between the suspect and the victim. The suspect left the place and took his firearm from their house believed to be Cal. 38 revolver, and shot the victim twice hitting his left elbow. The suspect fled after the incident but was arrested later by responding cops while the victim was rushed to Abra Provincial Hospital for treatment.  The firearm used by the suspect was not recovered. 

PNP swears in 150 Lambat-Sibat volunteers in Ifugao
LAGAWE, Ifugao -- A total of 150 Lambat-Sibat volunteers from various sectors were sworn n recently to help the Philippine National Police to help maintain  peace and order in the province.
Ifugao police chief Senior Supt. Constancio Chinayog, Jr. administered the oath taking of volunteers at the Provincial Police Office here.
The volunteers pledged to abide by the rules and regulations of the Lambat Sibat Volunteer Program and to perform duties and responsibilities.
Chinayog urged volunteers to promote volunteerism and work for the betterment of their barangays and the province.
 Lambat-Sibat is a police program to combat criminality nationwide. It uses dragnet, intelligence and operations to catch criminals.
The volunteers’ functions are to support the PNP in its anti-criminality drive, ensure efficiency of law enforcers, provide information on activities of crime groups; provide intelligence information, support advocacy activities, information operations, media relations; and establish policy on recruitment of community Lambat-Sibat volunteers.-- Marcelo B. Lihgawon
Northern Philippine Times
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