SIL, Kalinga folks translate Bible to Minangali dialect

November 15, 2020, 2:38 pm

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By Peter Balocnit

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga - - The relation between religion and culture was made stronger with the New Testament Bible translated in the Minangali dialect and dedicated for official use in masses and other religious activities.

   Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk Bishop Prudencio Andaya presided the dedication of the Bible in Minangali with the theme “Niyi Mangalin’n Ugud Apu, Basaon Ta Ikatagu Taku”, through an ecumenical rite held at the St. William’s Cathedral here on Oct. 24.
Representatives of other religious sects participated during the dedication.
   The Minangali translation, the third of local translations in three Kalinga dialects, was a project of the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).
    It was the SIL that established residency in Mangali, Tanudan in the early 1970’s that worked for the translation of the Bible. SIL a non-government organization in special status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, and affiliated with the Department of Education.
   SIL International – Philippines Director Jill Choa congratulated the translation team and the Mangali people for patiently working on the project for years.
    “Your enormous labor of love over many years and staying true to the course to finish the New Testament in your own language is truly a big milestone,” she said.
   Meanwhile, project director Evelyn Caress encouraged everyone to take the challenge and be part in spreading God’s Word among the iKalinga.
   “Dayawek ti dakkel nga ayat yu nga maaddaan kayu ti Bibilia nga Minangali tapnu nalaka yu nga maawatan ti soa ti Apu” (I praise your great desire to have your bible in the Minangali dialect so that you understand better the Word of God,” she said.
   A Minangali dictionary was also produced and is planned for registration to the Commission on Filipino Languages. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga)

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Floods, landslides wreak havoc in Cagayan, Isabela

November 15, 2020, 2:43 pm

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TUGUEGARAO CITY – Floods and landslides have affected 1,382 families in northern parts of Cagayan due to bad weather caused by typhoon Ulysses, officials said on Wednesday.
   Cagayan Provincial Information Officer Rogelio Sending Jr. said floods in the province reached four-feet high in some areas in Aparri, Pamplona, Sta. Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Ballesteros, Lal-lo, Camalaniugan, Lasam, and Tuguegarao City.
   Around 4,779 individuals in 35 barangays were affected by the floods in these areas. Some115 families or 447 persons were evacuated.
   Rescue officials have warned villagers from going out as rivers continue to swell and non-stop rains caused floods and landslides in the region.
   In Isabela, 47 families or 200 people were evacuated in Cabatuan and San Isidro while some bridges — Baculod and Cabiseria 8 in Ilagan; Alicaocao, Sipat and Villa Concepcion in Cauayan; Cansan in Cabagan and Santa Maria towns — are still submerged in floods, Isabela Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Jimmy Rivera said.
   In Quirino, three families or 22 persons were evacuated in Saguday town, the civil defense office report said.
   In Nueva Vizcaya, eight families or 27 persons were evacuated in Aritao, Dupax del Norte, and Kasibu due to floods and landslides.

At least 716 families who were isolated in Cagayan, Isabela and Quirino were rescued, the OCD added.

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Suspects eyed in slay of Pangasinan mediaman

November 15, 2020, 2:46 pm

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By Liezle Basa Inigo and Venus May H. Sarmiento

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – Investigators of Police Regional Office 1 (PRO-1) have already come up with a list of leads and persons of interest who may have had a hand in the killing of mediaman Virgilio Maganes on Tuesday morning, Nov. 10.
   This was confirmed by PRO1 Director Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, Jr., who vowed that “no matter who gets caught, and who gets hurt, justice will be served” on those responsible for the murder of Maganes.
   Azurin said the persons of interest were identified through CCTV footages near the crime scene.
   “Rest assured, those responsible for this murder would be found and brought to justice,” Azurin said.
   Maganes was gunned down by unidentified assailants as he was about to return to his residence in Sitio Licsab, Barangay San Blas in Villasis, Pangasinan early Tuesday.
   The Ilocos Police Regional Office’s Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Maganes is now probing the death of Maganes.
   Communications Sec. Martin Andanar also said the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) will look and act into the matter.
   Azurin, Jr. said he had directed Pangasinan police to form the task group.
   “I directed the provincial director) of Pangasinan to activate SITG Maganes and find the possible motive of the killing, and work for the immediate solution of the case,” Azurin said in a police report.
   He urged the community to help by giving information on identity of the perpetrators as well as the vehicle used in the killing.
   Freelance broadcaster and columnist-writer of the local paper Northern Watch Virgilio "Vir” Maganes was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Sitio Licsab, Barangay San Blas in Villasis town.
   Provincial police director Col. Redrico Maranan said initial investigation showed Maganes had just stepped out to buy cigarettes, and was about to return to the family residence around 6:45 a.m. when two men onboard a motorcycle arrived and riddled him with six shots.
   He died on the spot.
   The suspects fled southbound.
   Maranan said police investigators are still determining the motive for the killing and it is not yet clear if the incident has something to do with Maganes’ first gun attack in Nov. 8, 2016 which the victim survived.
   Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines reported a motorcycle-riding gunman fired six times at Maganes, 62, in front of his home here.
   Bombo Radyo Dagupan said he died of a shot to the head.
   Almost exactly four years ago, motorcycle-riding gunmen also fired at Maganes while he was onboard a tricycle.
   The wounded Maganes played dead while those who attempted to take his life left a cardboard sign saying, “Drug pusher, huwag pamarisan (don’t emulate).”
   The NUJP suspects that his killing was related to the botched assassination attempt.
   It added that the earlier incident was unresolved and Maganes was left without protection.
   “This did not, however, stop him from continuing to work as a journalist and Vir represented his chapter at the NUJP's 10th Congress,” the union said.
   According to NUJP’s count, Manganes is the 18th journalist killed during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte and the 190th since 1986.
   “His death is an indictment on this government's empty boast that press freedom is alive and well in the country,” the NUJP said.
   The union demanded authorities to work fast to solve the killing of Maganes.
   Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters that he will immediately refer Maganes’ killing to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, which he said will first determine whether the killing was work-related and if it is related to the 2016 assassination attempt.

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Cagayan hospital closed; 22 staff get Covid-19

November 15, 2020, 2:47 pm

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By Raymund Catindig

TUGUEGARAO CITY— A private hospital in this city was closed Wednesday after almost all its health workers tested positive for Covid-19.
   The provincial health office said 18 nurses, two medical technologists and two doctors manifested symptoms of the disease, such as fever, cough, sore throat and muscle pain.
   A baby delivered in the hospital also contracted the virus.
   The 22 medical staff are among the 40 new cases in this city, the highest recorded in the province in one day.
   The patients were exposed to a nurse, who attended to a patient who underwent surgery.
   The hospital suspended its services, including outpatient, diagnostics and surgery, to pave the way for disinfection.
   Meanwhile, in Ilocos Sur, 16 people, mostly senior citizens, were arrested during a wake in Barangay Maynganay Norte, Sta Maria town on Tuesday night.
   Sta. Maria police chief Lt. Joel Desargo said Ernesto Dasalla, 70, chairman of Barangay Maynganay Sur, who managed to escape, was charged with illegal gambling.
   Police swooped down on the wake after receiving reports that guests were not wearing face mask and face shield and not observing physical distancing.

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Tabuk: 36 Covid cases, one death

November 15, 2020, 2:48 pm

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TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Mayor Darwin Estrañero here reported the city’s first Covid-19 fatality on Nov. 9 even as this city logged 36 active cases as of Tuesday.
   Estrañero said the fatality was a 53-year-old male employee of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-Kalinga, who passed away at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC).
   He had co-morbidities.
   Estrañero said the patient was swabbed on Oct. 28 and his test results came back positive of the virus on Oct. 31.
   Considering the patient was symptomatic with cough and sore throat, and also on account of his co-morbidities (diabetes and hypertension), the City Health Office referred him to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital (KPH).
   However, after he was diagnosed with pneumonia, the patient was referred by the KPH to the CVMC on Nov. 5, where he passed away early Monday.
   He said the patient was a resident of Lamut, Ifugao, and had been staying at the NIA-Kalinga compound while he was assigned.
   The Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit-Kalinga (PESU-Kalinga) is already coordinating with PESU-Ifugao and the CVMC for the transport of the patient’s remains to Ifugao.
   Meanwhile, the compound of NIA-Kalinga has undergone disinfection Nov. 13.

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301 NPAs yield in Luzon towns

November 15, 2020, 2:50 pm

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By Mar T. Supnad

TARLAC – A total of 301 New People’s Army guerillas surrendered in Northern and Central Luzon recently, the Armed forces of the Phil. reported Thursday.

According to Armed Forces of the Philippines Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) records, the NPA members in said areas returned back to the government from January to October this year.
   In terms of weapons, about 93 assorted firearms were recovered and turned-over to the government’s security forces during the series of mass surrenders.
   “These unprecedented figures that we have recorded in our counter-insurgency efforts are tangible proofs that, indeed, it is just a matter of time before NPA terrorism is totally eradicated in this part of the country which will pave the way for the much coveted peace prosperity and development that every Filipino truly deserves,” NOLCOM commander Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. stressed.
   Burgos disclosed that a 17-year-old minor and two other members of Cagayan Valley Regional Party Committee in Isabela recently surrendered and turned-over a rifle and a pistol after a series of localized peace engagements.
   Meanwhile, soldiers of the Army 5th Infantry Division recovered a firearm with magazine and ammunition during their focused military operations in Echague, Isabela.
   In Ilocos Sur, a total of 12 members of the Communist Party of the Philippines Underground Mass Organization have formally withdrawn their support to the insurgency group during a ceremony presided by Burgos town Mayor Nathaniel Escobar.
   With this, the commander reassured the steadfast commitment of NOLCOM as defenders of the north, guardians of sovereignty and protectors of the Filipino people.
   “We will be unrelenting in our quest to liberate our people from the clutches of communist terrorism despite the additional challenges brought about by COVID-19 and the series of natural calamities we are facing,” Burgos noted.
   “Your soldiers are closely working hand in hand with the different local government units and government agencies to better serve our people under the banner of good governance,” he furthered.
   Meanwhile, Burgos said a total of 735 former rebels have benefited from more than P24 million worth of government assistance since 2016 under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
   “About 388 of these former rebels were NPA regulars while the remaining 48 percent were local militias who were coerced to support the underground movement by threatening their safety as well as that of their families,” he explained.
   Under E-CLIP, qualified former rebels can avail up to PhP700,000 worth of government grants as a start up in living peaceful lives after turning away from the underground movement.

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5 dead in Banaue slide, 6 missing; roads closed

November 15, 2020, 2:54 pm

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Bamboos fall on Atok house; farmer killed

BANAUE, Ifugao -- Five persons were confirmed dead due to Typhoon Ulysses Thursday in Cordillera as the regional Dept. of Public Works and Highways reported five roads in three provinces were closed to traffic as of press time even as crewmen were working to clear and open these to traffic.
   In Banaue, five persons were found dead while six were missing when landslide hit and wiped out a concrete bunkhouse in Sumigar, Viewpoint in the tourist town on Thursday, Nov. 12.
   Among those missing were two engineers of the Ifugao 2nd District Engineering Office and their crew
   One survivor was in stable condition.
   Among those missing were two engineers of the Ifugao 2nd District Engineering Office – John Limmo and Julius Gulayan – and their maintenance crew.
   The others were either residents or passersby who sought shelter inside the concrete bunkhouse hit by the landslide.
Albert Mogol, Office of Civil Defense Cordillera regional director, said on Friday, Nov. 13, the Dept. of Public Works and Highways was conducting clearing operation of a minor landslide in Sitio Nabito, Barangay Viewpoint in Banaue when it started to rain.
   They sought shelter in the concrete bunkhouse of a contractor in the area.
   Six other people also took refuge in the bunkhouse to wait out the rain.
   Mogol said at about 5 p.m. Thursday, a bigger landslide occurred and wiped out the bunkhouse.
   The survivor said six others were missing.
   The bodies were retrieved Friday by rescuers composed of town police, 54^thInfantry Battalion personnel and local folks.
   Other reports said 12 persons were in the bunkhouse it got hit by landslide.
   They included a father and his child, six workers of the DPWH, three others and a driver of a heavy equipment firm.
   The names of other casualties were not known at press time except for one named Jose Piog, 71 of Barangay Bocos.
According to his relative, he also sought shelter in the house.
   Rescuers were still searching for the other victims at press time.
   Meanwhile, Ifugao emergency responders rescued nine people in Sitio Bulao, Lamut, while four others were also rescued    in Sitio Pugo, Barangay San Juan in Alfonso Lista town, following heavy rains brought byTyphoon Ulysses.
   The OCD said they recorded 39 road sections all over the region which were closed to traffic while 38 only had one lane passable.
   At the height of the storm Thursday, a farmer was also killed
when strong winds broke several bamboos making these fall on his house in Talete, Busok, Poblacion Atok, Benguet dawn Thursday.
   The victim was identified as Felix Menis. Boguite, 60, single.
   Police Capt. Jayson Eugenio, Atok police chief said he was informed of the incident by Oliver Boguite, a relative of the victim.
   According to Boguite, the victim was cooking food when he was hit by bamboos.
   Rescuers said the victim was hit on several parts of his body particularly his head.
   Meanwhile, transformers conked out in Baguio also on Thursday due to fallen poles rendering the city and parts of Benguet without power early noon Thursday.
   Electricity was restored in the evening.
   A total of 41 power interruptions were recorded in the region as the typhoon raged.
   Mountain Province had no electricity since Wednesday to Friday.
   In four of these areas, power had been restored as of press time.
   In a road advisory Thursday, the regional DPWH said Kennon road that connects Rosario, La Union to Baguio City remained closed to vehicular traffic, and was only accessible for residents in the area.
   The public was advised to take alternate roads like Marcos Highway, Naguilian Road, and the Asin-San Pascual Road.
   In Mountain Province, the provincial DRRRM office said the Gotong Bridge at Busa, Sabangan town was closed due to a landslide Thursday afternoon.
   Motorists were advised to take the alternate Bont5oc-Baguio Road via Abatan, Bauko until further notice.
   The DPWH-Advisory also said the Tabuk-Banawe via Tanudan-Barlig road in Barangay Matteled Dupligan in Tanudan town, Kalinga province was also closed to traffic due to a damaged concrete cement pavement and gutter, and another section along the stretch due to a sunken pavement.
   The Cudal-Gombuwoy provincial road has been designated as the alternate road.
   The road section at Barangay Dibagat in Kabugao town, Apayao province was also closed to traffic since Monday afternoon, and still being cleared of debris due to a landslide.
   The Conner-Kabugao road at Lutuacan, Kabugao was still closed due to mudslide.
   Clearing operations resumed in areas considered safe for clearing.
   The Claveria-Calanasan-Kabugao road was also closed due to a series of mudflow, and soil collapse in Namaltugan and Dallawas sections in Calanasan town.
   Meanwhile, Mogul reported a total of 187 families with 612 persons were affected in seven barangays due to the tail-end of a cold front enhanced by Typhoon Ulysses.
   There were a total of 11 families composed of 47 persons staying in the evacuation area in Calanasan.
   Most families reportedly opted to stay with relatives instead of going to the evacuation centers.
   Some 173 families comprised of 559 individuals stayed outside evacuation centers.

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Quo vadis, Donald J. Trump?

November 20, 2020, 9:01 am

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PERRYSCOPE

Perry Diaz

For four years, we saw the meteoric rise of Donald J. Trump from a reality show producer to the President of the United States.  That’s a quantum leap from an obscure position in the TV industry to the highest political position in the world – the leader of the Free World!
   How did he manage to achieve that?  By sheer will power and riding the crest of the Obama economic recovery?  Yet, it would take lots of luck to achieve all that.  But one needs to remember that the U.S. during that time was relatively at peace with the rest of the world.  Russia and China gave Trump a pass.
   Even Iran stayed out of any geopolitical conflict with the U.S.  And North Korea?  Well, that’s another story.  But overall, the world was at peace and Trump stayed out of trouble.
   During that time, Trump embarked on massive defense spending.  He added $600 billion to the defense budget while cutting back on troop deployment.  Which makes one wonder: Was he preparing to go to war?  With whom?
   Evidently, Trump was empire building.  He wanted to rule the world.  But he did it   all wrong.  He antagonized America’s traditional allies like the 29-member North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) while he befriended the autocratic dictators of Russia, China, and North Korea.
   Trump reminds me of Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Germanicus.  He was popularly known by his moniker Caligula.  In my column, “Caligula Trumpus Americanus” (February 2, 2018), I wrote, “If there is one Roman emperor that that makes me laugh, it was Caligula.  He succeeded Tiberius in AD 37.  He ruled for only four years. He was assassinated in AD 41 at the young age of 28.
   “He got his moniker ‘Caligula’ (meaning ‘little soldier’s boot,’ the diminutive form of ‘caliga’), which he hated, from the Roman soldiers who served under his father Germanicus, a popular general and Tiberius’ nephew and adoptive son. His mother was Agrippina the Elder, granddaughter of Tiberius.
   “Upon the death of Germanicus, Agrippina returned to Rome with her six children where she became entangled in a bitter feud with Tiberius.  It resulted in the destruction of her family.  Caligula was the sole male survivor.  Tiberius adopted him.  Following the death of Tiberius, Caligula succeeded him in AD 37.
   “Caligula enjoyed a brief period of popularity and admiration.  He was described as a noble and moderate emperor during the first six months of his rule. [Trump was also popular during the first six months of his presidency].  But it didn’t take too long before Caligula earned the wrath of the people. For the brief time that he ruled Rome, Caligula exhibited cruelty, lunacy, sadism, extravagance, and sexual perversion.  Many believed he was crazy.
   “Among those that Caligula was known to have insanely done were: He terrorized Rome with his unbridled madness; talked to the moon; ordered arbitrary executions; and planned to make his horse Incitatus a consul.  For one thing, his fellow lawmakers would likely have whisked him out of power for such conduct.
   But assuming the much-maligned emperor was the loon his chroniclers describe, some scholars have suggested that an illness made him come unhinged—possibly temporal lobe epilepsy, hyperthyroidism or Wilson’s disease, an inherited disorder that can cause mental instability. [Source: http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-caligula]
Trump and Caligula
“Two millennia later, history seems to have repeated itself – in America.  The 2016 presidential election in the United States has brought to fore an eerie similarity between the presidential winner, Donald J. Trump, and Caligula.   For his first year in office, President Trump demonstrated a character and idiosyncrasy that mimics Caligula.  One wonders if Trump has some form of mental disorder?
   “In an opinion piece in May 2017 in The Washington Post titled, ‘Trump has a dangerous disability,’ George F. Will wrote: ‘It is urgent for Americans to think and speak clearly about President Trump’s inability to do either. This seems to be not a mere disinclination but a disability. It is not merely the result of intellectual sloth but of an untrained mind bereft of information and married to stratospheric self-confidence.’
   “He has instructed us that Andrew Jackson was angry about the Civil War that began 16 years after Jackson’s death. Having, let us fancifully imagine, considered and found unconvincing William Seward’s 1858 judgment that the approaching Civil War was ‘an irrepressible conflict,’ Trump says: ‘People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why? People don’t ask that question, but why was there the Civil War? Why could that one not have been worked out?’
   “It’s obvious that Trump has a cockeyed view of American history. Or worse, could it be that he’s insane?
Rulers by accident
“Caligula and Trump were born a world apart: different cultures, different upbringing, and different eras.  But in so many ways, their minds worked alike.  They both became rulers by accident, not by pedigree or design.
   “In a new book Quid Pro Quo, author Valerie Block says of Caligula:  ‘An arrogant, narcissistic, blond serial rapist attains the highest office in the land, abuses his power, and offends everyone personally: this is the subject of my newest novel, Quid Pro Quo, a behind-the-scenes look at the assassination of Caligula, the third Emperor of ancient Rome. It is impossible to ignore the many echoes of Caligula’s story that played out in the 2016 election of Donald J. Trump, a man whom the 2nd century historian Suetonius might have been describing when he wrote of Caligula, ‘there was nothing in his own character which he admired and approved more highly than…his shameless impudence.’
   “Block also said that Caligula and Trump share a lot of characteristics, to wit: (1) Narcissism [‘All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me – consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected,’ he boasted];  (2) Grandiosity [‘I know more about ISIS than the generals do, believe me.’]; (3) Cruelty [Trump once said, ‘I would bring back waterboarding and I’d bring back a hell of a lot worse than waterboarding.’]; (4) Comfort with negative attention [‘Bad publicity is sometimes better than no publicity at all. Controversy, in short, sells.’]; (5) Sexual misconduct, promiscuity, and violence [‘You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful women, I just start kissing them, it’s like a magnet. You know when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy. You can do anything.’ -- Trump talking to the host of Access Hollywood in 2005.]; (6) Motivated by revenge [‘My motto is: Always get even. When somebody screws you, screw them back in spades.’]; and (7) Delusion [‘I alone can fix it.’].
   With all these similarities, Trump might as well be called Caligula Trumpus Americanus.  Could it be that Trump is Caligula reincarnated?”
Aftermath of the election
On November 3, 2020, Trump lost in his re-election campaign.  With his loss, the Trump Empire falls like a field of mushrooms, which never gained any foothold during the four years he was in power.  Unlike Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un, who build their empires on solid ground with the backing of a strong military, Trump never gained the loyalty of the U.S. military.  It was meant to be for the U. S. military was never designed to be loyal to one person.  It was designed to serve the American people and the democratic institution the country was built upon.
   Trump never learned that the military was not built to uphold the dictatorial inclination of one person.  It was never intended to serve at the whim of one person let alone someone who uses the office of the presidency for his personal aggrandizement and financial benefits.
   From the get-go, it was obvious that Trump’s administration was intertwined with his personal financial business.  He surrounded himself with family members whom he appointed to key positions in his administration.
   He ran the office of the presidency like a Mafia crime family with his son-in-law as his consigliere who served him unabashedly and who ran their office as an extension of Trump’s personal financial business.
   In the end, everything that Trump built in the four years he was in office, crumbled like a house built on matchsticks.  He didn’t realize that the silent majority that he claimed to be his stronghold, turned out to be the silent majority that catapulted his opponent Joe Biden to the top on Election Day.  When Biden garnered 273 on November 6, the spontaneous and jubilant reaction from the people was unlike the mute reception he got from a handful of supporters who braved to show up in his rallies.  By comparison, Trump’s supporters number more than 30,000 at his rallies.
   Ebullient at the raucous adulation of his supporters, Trump even declared that he’d be running for a third term in 2024.  Yes, he planned to be in office for 12 years, four more than the statutory eight years maximum allowed by the Constitution.  He’ll just have to submit a constitutional amendment to extend his stay in office.  And after that, his heirs –- Donald Jr., Eric, and Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner -- would take over the Trump dynasty and stay in power for decades to come.  It would usher in the Age of Trump in American history.  It would be a dream come true.
   But politics is not what it seems to be.  Things change at the drop of a pin.  And when it happens, it’s irreversible.  The downward trajectory would be unstoppable.  And from the rubbles of the Trump Empire would emerge the American promise of peace and prosperity.  Biden declared during his acceptance speech that he will not be the president of Blue or Red States of America; he will be the president of the United States of America.  Indeed, it’s a promise meant to be taken seriously.  And if Biden accomplishes that, he’d bring together the people of a united country bound by a common desire to help one another in harmony.
   The sad denouement of the Trump presidency serves as a lesson in politics –- never underestimate the power of the silent majority.   And this brings the question:  Quo vadis, Donald J. Trump?
(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

↧

Vizcaya slide claims 5 lives /P200-K for info on newsman’s killers/ Beneco heroes

November 20, 2020, 9:04 am

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BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Nobody can stop nature when it strikes and turns violent goes a tired adage. Pundits have often said it happens year in year out but this Banana Republic’s preventive and mitigation measures still leaves much to be desired.
   One can see on Facebook netizens criticizing officials’ pronouncements of Filipinos being resilient like it is a badge of honor during calamities and hard times.
   What is needed, they say, is a scientific, humane and competent approach to situations and calamities and not giving lame excuses of people being used to hardship and will be able to weather bad situations like storms.
                ***
For one, super typhoon Ulysses battered the country last week which left residents reeling in hardship and despair due to floods, heavy rains, lack of food and relocation sites among others even as local government units appealed to private sectors for help.
   Netizens said taxpayers’ money and government services should have been used in times like this. Another queried why Thursday and Friday were declared non-working days for government offices and workers when it should have been the time they should have been out working and giving needed services.
                ***
This corner would like to commend the hard-working personnel and heroes of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) like the linemen who braved the storm to bring electricity to our homes as transformers were destroyed when heavy rains and wind toppled electric poles.
   Power was restored Thursday after a few hours.
   This goes to show that the Beneco really needs OIC general manager Melchor Licoben, an electrical engineer who spent many years with the power firm who knows what to do in situations like calamities.
   Under his leadership the technical aspects of the brownout were speedily and competently solved. The National Electrification Agency should now confirm his status as a full-fledged general manager considering he held different positions in Beneco and showed his competence as compared to an aspirant to the position reportedly close to Malacanang who doesn’t have the qualification based from NEA guidelines.
                ***
I phoned a Landbank branch official on Friday if I would be able to withdraw but she told me, they would only be releasing money to those in government that day because the Central Bank didn’t release money to them yet.
Don’t those in the private sector also need money, I thought, but I left it at that and didn’t comment. Makes one think how taxpayers’ money is used considering all these corruption and scams in government but that is another story.
                ***
This, as the Police Regional Office 2 reported Thursday that five persons were killed while nine others were missing in a landslide in Sitio Kinalabasa, Sitio Compound, and Sitio Bit-ang, Barangay Runrunu, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya.
   PRO2 Information Officer Police Lt. Col. Andree Abella told local newsmen the landslide happened around 4 p.m. Thursday.
   “Naging malambot ang lupa dulot na rin ng patuloy na pag ulan dala ng bagyong Ulysses,” a resident was quoted as saying.
     Probers said houses in the area were made of light materials and were totally buried in mud and rocks.
Three were killed in Sitio Bit-ang and one each in Sitio Kinalabasa and Sitio Compound. Six residents were missing in Sitio Bit-ang and three in Sitio Compound.
   Quezon Municipal Police and NVPPO personnel led by Police Col. Ranser A Evasco, acting provincial director, and the PDRRMC of Nueva Vizcaya were reportedly conducting search, rescue, and retrieval operations at press time.
   Teams led by Police Brig. Gen. Crizaldo Nieves, PRO2 director, with other law enforcement and search and rescue teams, distributed an initial 100 packs of relief goods and provided immediate assistance.
                ***
A P200,000 reward has been offered for anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of the assailants of a local journalist in Asingan, Pangasinan, according to a report by Liezle Basa Inigo.
   Members of the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in eastern Pangasinan reportedly offered the cash reward to hasten resolution of the murder of Virgilio Maganes of the local daily Northern Watch.
   Maganes was shot dead by two motorcycle-riding men near his home in Sitio Licsab, Barangay San Blas in Asingan. (See page 1 article for more details).
   The murder occurred three days after Maganes celebrated his 62nd birthday.
   A case conference led by Undersecretary Joel Egco of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security was conducted with Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Maganes.
   Egco, the SITG members and Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., chief of the Ilocos region police, reportedly agreed to make the Maganes case a priority.
   “I’m happy with how the case is progressing. We have identified persons of interests,” Egco said.
   Three motives – internal squabble, old grudge and politics – are being eyed by investigators.
   Egco said the murder may or may not be related to the first attempt to Maganes’ life in 2016, which also occurred after his birthday.
   Azurin expressed belief the assailants could be contract killers, noting the way how the victim was executed.
Maganes died at the scene due to multiple gunshot wounds in the body.
   Azurin appealed to anybody with information on the murder to come forward and help solve the case.
   Villasis Mayor Nonato Abrenica said two weeks ago, Maganes visited him in the office and they exchanged pleasantries.
Abrenica expressed hope the case will be solved immediately, noting the town has been peaceful before the Maganes murder occurred.

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Travelling to Ilocos Sur? Here’s what you need to know

November 20, 2020, 9:07 am

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TRAVEL
Joyah Mae C. Quimoyog

VIGAN CITY -- The heritage province of Ilocos Sur will be opening its borders to Luzon residents this Nov. 15, however, the provincial tourism office clarifies that tourists’ trips won’t be as lax as their previous stays due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to provincial tourism officer Michael Ryan Astom, one of the main requirements for tourists to enter the province is for them to present a negative RT-PCR test result dated within 48 hours from release prior to travel and must undergo Antigen Test upon arrival at the border.
   “In visiting the province of Ilocos Sur, you have to undergo RT-PCR test prior to travel at since hindi natin sila mabantayan dahil required na kung wala pa iyong result mo is you have to undergo home quarantine, so we require them to take Antigen Test upon arrival at the border,” Astom said.
   In addition, tourists must first book an itinerary they want to avail from a Department of Tourism (DOT)-accredited tour and travel agent/operator.
   “Lahat ng magpapa-book sa mga travel agencies ay kailangang dumaan sa provincial tourism office at sa mga municipal tourism offices. At sa border, kailangan nilang ipakita ang confirmation voucher coming from a DOT-accredited travel agency, confirmed hotel booking, saved digital e-copy or printed issued SafePass QR Code, and then undergo screening or triage,” Astom said.
   According to Executive Order No. 41, series of 2020, issued by Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson on Nov. 5, tourists/travelers who have relative/s in the province are not allowed to stay in the house of their relative/s.
   Tourist/traveler shall book and stay only on a DOT-authorized hotel/resort/villa, the EO states.
   Aside from these, tourists must present their identification cards, wear face masks and face shields, undergo thermal scanning, accomplish Health Declaration and Undertaking Form, then submit to Antigen Testing.
   If the Antigen test at the border yields a positive result, the tourist and/or all of its companion within the same vehicle shall return to their place of origin and shall be denied entry to the province.
   "Tourists will be accommodated by our tour guides. Gwardyado sila from their entry and exit at ang susundin lang nila ay iyong itinerary they have availed. Walang side trips and they are not allowed to go to the public markets and malls. Hindi very lax ang pagtanggap natin ng turista unlike before," he said.
   “We will only allow 50 tourists per day and their Antigen and RT-PCR tests are only valid for a three-day itinerary, if they wish to extend their vacation, they have to undergo another Antigen test on the fourth day and again it is only valid for another three-day stay,” he added.
   Astom also assured that the provincial government is committed to the opening of the tourism industry in Luzon, so he said that individuals with high temperatures and/or feel sick, they will be brought to the nearest hospital and if a tourist tests positive for COVID-19, same as to a tourist who violates protocols, he or she will be transported out of the province immediately.
   “Kapag may nag-positive sa COVID-19 na turista, we will stop this,” he said.
   If a tourist destination and hotel/restaurant breaches quarantine protocols, their accreditation to operate will be revoked and will face certain sanctions such as penalties.
   Nevertheless, he guarantees that all the tourist spots including hotels and restaurants included in the itineraries are very much prepared for the opening of borders on November 15.
   “For the past few weeks, we’ve been going around the province to inspect ang mga tourist spots. We conducted ocular visits sa mga mago-open na tourist spots kung sila talaga ay ready na to open and if they are following the safety protocols issued by the IATF,” he said.
   The opening of the borders of Ilocos Sur to Luzon residents is the start of the implementation of the expanded corridor travel plan in line with the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor Plan of the province of Ilocos Sur, which aims to balance the economy and provide livelihood to those who have been affected by the lockdown especially in the tourism industry such as the kutcheros or carriage drivers, tour guides, and pasalubong centers.
   "Kailangan po nating buksan ang borders natin sa mga turista dahil marami na tayong mga kababayan na nawalan ng trabaho dahil sa turismo lalo na mga kutchero, for eight months, wala silang kabuhayan. Para mabawasan ang paghihirap ng ating tourism sector kasi tayo ang hardly hit pero kahit ganun ay tayo ang unang babangon," Astom further added. -- PIA Ilocos Sur

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Symptomatic Covid- 19 cases up in Baguio

November 20, 2020, 9:10 am

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≪ Previous: Travelling to Ilocos Sur? Here’s what you need to know

CITY HALL BEAT
Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Health workers have noted a marked increase in the number of symptomatic Covid-19 cases or walk-in patients who sought consult after experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms in the city.
   Statistics from the data center of the Contact Tracing operation center showed that symptomatic patients now comprise 12.8 percent of the total number of confirmed cases.
   Data analyst Mischelle Junio said this could be a cause of concern as it indicates an upward trend for random Covid-19 cases in the city.
   She said the cold weather may have started to factor in as expected and people have to double their efforts in strengthening their immune system.
   On the other hand, City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said the increasing number of symptomatics can be a good sign that people are aware of the symptoms and the need for prevention of the spread of the disease.
   "They seek consultation due to symptoms of cough, colds and fever and this helps in early detection of the disease," she said.
   As of Nov. 11, contact tracing remains as the top reason for finding confirmed cases in the city accounting for 65.9 percent of the total number of cases followed by expanded testing at 16.6 percent and other reasons (travel, medical procedure requirement etc.) at 4.18 percent.
   Junio said the fact that most of the city's cases were found through deliberate means like contact tracing and expanded testing and the reality that it has a high testing capacity had set off Baguio City from other localities most of which do not have high testing capacities and programs on contact tracing.
   "That is why we can't conclude that Baguio is more high risk than other local government units without taking into account the testing capacities of all of these places," she said.
                ***
With the sharp increase in Covid-19 deaths in the city in the past weeks, Mayor Benjamin Magalong advised persons with co-morbidities or pre-existing illnesses to seek early consult when experiencing symptoms.
   The mayor said most of those who died recently had underlying illnesses and were already in severe conditions when brought to hospitals.
   "We have to be proactive. Let's not wait for symptoms to get worse before bringing them to the hospital especially if they have other illnesses and are considered high risk because by that time, it might be too late," the mayor said.
   The mayor said they will come up with schemes to make medical consultations easily available to barangay residents including the setting up of a hotline in coordination with a group of doctors and enhancing monitoring of persons with known comorbidities in the barangay level and linking them with medical service providers.
   Said strategies will be announced once firmed up.
   The City Health Services Office under Dr. Rowena Galpo reported that half of the total number of COVID-19 fatalities in the city were recorded in October and five more deaths were recorded in the last seven days bringing the total to 33 as of Nov. 11.
   Hypertension, diabetes, heart and lung diseases are among the common comorbidities of Covid-19.
   Galpo said early consultation is the key to prevention of death.
   Adult Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Thea Pamela Cajulao of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center last October sounded alarm on the increasing number of severe COVID-19 cases in the city especially among the elderly and those with co-morbidities.
   “Remember that prevention is better than cure, but in instances that we cannot prevent it, early detection, treatment and isolation can help decrease the risk for mortality,” she advised.
                ***
Mayor Magalong and Dr. Galpo have debunked misconceptions about the Covid-19 tests.
   Some people have been peddling ideas that Covid-19 tests are a farce and that all illnesses even simple cough are being declared as Covid-19.
   The two officials said declaring a person as Covid-19 positive is not done on a whim but based on the result of Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test, the gold standard test for Covid-19 which is a product of scientific studies.
   "Cough and colds are the most common symptom of Covid-19. In fact for most cases, these are the first signs of the disease and if one has them, there is a high index of suspicion because of the ongoing pandemic. But not all with cough had turned out Covid-19 positive as there are a lot with cough who tested negative of the virus," they said.
   On claims there is no need for testing and going to isolation facilities because Covid-19 has no specific cure and will fizzle out on its own, the two officials said: "If people do not subject themselves to tests, they have no way of knowing that they are carriers of the virus and thus are a threat to their family and associates. The same is true if they refuse to go to the designated facility despite having no suitable isolation space in their homes. They will be putting their families and friends in danger;
   "They may be healthy and able to withstand the virus but some of their family members, relatives or workmates who are elderly or have weak immune system or comorbidities may not."
   As a matter of procedure, asymptomatic or mild cases whose homes are not suited for isolation are brought to isolation facilities to halt their interaction with other people and prevent further transmission.
   Since there is no medicine for Covid-19 as yet, care for these patients is limited to relieving their mild symptoms if any with common medicines and boosting the immune system with enough rest and vitamin supplements if needed, Galpo said.
   On the other hand, those with severe and critical symptoms meanwhile are confined in hospitals and are administered more extensive care and treatment their conditions require.

↧

Unreachable ears of Duterte

November 20, 2020, 9:12 am

≫ Next: Addressing corruption by giving money to tipsters

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LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

Corruption complaints do not reach the ears of President Duterte. That is comparable to the unreachable star that Chairman of the Board Frank Sinatra rendered in the “Impossible Dream”.
   Even while the President said Tuesday that he will give as much as P50K to P100K to the person who will whisper to him any illegal DPWH project, the problem is how an ordinary person can reach his ears.
   The President offered the reward money in order to help the Task Force Against Corruption (TFAC) in investigating corruption in government.
   All these times, presidents asked their constituents to report illegal acts in government offices but there has never been an instance when an ordinary person directly reported to the president about an anomaly.
   Quoting part of Duterte’s statement, he said, “If you know a big syndicate, a ghost project by an s._._. director, I will give you 50,000. Just whisper it to me, even if he’s your friend. If it involves huge contracts, don’t reveal your name. Just whisper to me about the project. I’ll give P100,000.”
   The President even said he would protect the tipsters’ identity, and that he would help them if they get harassed by the people involved in the project. In his own words he said “I will deal with the devil” and shoot them legally.
   “I will keep your identity secret until I reach my grave. And if ever they find out about you and harass you, just tell me…”        Easier said than done. Certainly, all those who heard his announcement on TV were all asking how they could whisper in his ears.
   There has to be a system that can work for the benefit of the ordinary complainant. The government launched the “8888” citizens’ complaint center but it has brought about some disappointment to complainants whose concerns were not addressed.
    In the process, it showed that one’s complaint received by the “8888” center was referred to the concerned government agency. It is asking a person who is the subject of the complaint to resolve the problem.
   Obviously, a complaint lodged against an official of that office may just find its way into the trash can. If that is the process, then there is no guarantee that a complaint against an erring government official will be addressed.
   Corruption has many faces depending on what government agency is involved. The common respondents that we read in the papers are the Bureau of Customs, the Philippine National Police and the DPWH, among many others.
   The ways to committing illegal acts are different depending again on the patrons. For example, the BOC has the smugglers; the police have the “lords” of gambling and drugs while the DPWH has the contractors.
   The news about corruption in the DPWH is common, and so with the annual allegations of insertions of lawmakers in the national budget. But what concerns the public is the worth of the project and the percentage of the amount spent on it, in addition to the percentages distributed in the process.
   The contractors and the government engineers know this so that it should not be hard for Sec. Mark Villar to clean the DPWH by identifying and suing the corrupt officials involved if he wants to.
   That is why Sen. Ping Lacson described the Honor Roll in the list of appropriations in the House’s version of the P4.5-trillion 2021 budget bill as “Horror Roll” in last Wednesday’s interpellation.
   The senator revealed the details of the appropriations in the proposed General Appropriations Act (GAA) which included a congressional district in Davao with an appropriation of P15.351B; one district in Albay with P7.5B; one district in Abra with P3.75B and one district in Benguet with P7.9B.
   “Yan ang honor roll, Mr. President; horror roll,” Sen. Lacson ended his interpellation. But the question in the mind of every senator who heard his report is: How much percentage of said amounts will really be spent on the projects?
   I pity Benguet. The news in the grapevine that a district is allotted so much funding that it cannot even implement is rooted in politics and the dream to occupy a position that one cannot win in an election, but one can buy. Benguet voters should think many times over.
   I think I heard somebody say that many who are appointed or elected into government office are faced with temptations, surrender to it, use their positions and become corrupt but very rich. Although, there are some who retire morally.
   Corruption stories in government are not new as we read about them daily. Pray that it has not become ingrained in the system nor mixed in the bloodstream. Otherwise, it sustains the failure “to right the unrightable wrong” in Frank Sinatra’s dream.

↧

Addressing corruption by giving money to tipsters

November 20, 2020, 9:14 am

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EDITORIAL

President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he would pay up to P100,000 to anyone who would tip him off about corrupt officials and anomalous government projects.
   “I am asking all of you. Those who do not have permanent jobs, particularly those hired under the casual scheme, all you have to do is to let me know and I will have a prize for you,” Duterte said in a mix of Filipino and English during a recorded public address Tuesday night.
   “If you have a big, big syndicate, or a ghost project that belongs to the director...son of a bitch, I will give you P50,000. Just whisper it to me, anybody.”
   The President said if the contract is huge, he would give the whistleblower even more.
   “I’ll give you P100,000 and I will keep your identity secret until I reach my grave,” he added.
   The reward offer is part of the Duterte administration’s intensified campaign against graft and corruption in the government.
   Duterte recently tasked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to carry out a bureaucracy-wide corruption probe as he vowed to zero in on corruption in the last two years of his term.
   Duterte warned corrupt officials that they are not indispensable.
   “Do not ever think that you are indispensable in the scheme of things in the government. There are many Filipino graduates who are honest,” he said.
   “A lot of people are out of work now, so those of you with government jobs, take care of your position. Do not allow even a dent of anomaly to go through your office,” he said.
   Duterte also read out the names of government personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways, Bureau of Immigration, and Local Water Utilities Administration who were allegedly involved in anomalies within their respective agencies.
   On Monday night, he summoned suspended immigration officials in Malacañang and gave them a dressing-down.
   In an interview over state-run PTV-4, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said informants played a crucial role in combating corruption.
   “Our appeal to the public is, corruption will not stop unless you give us information,” he said.
   He also offered assurances that the identities of informants would not be revealed.
   Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, who heads the DOJ task force against corruption, said the rewards offered by the President would be given only for tips that actually lead to the filing of charges.
   Since the DOJ-led task force has no special funding for this purpose, Guevarra said he believes the rewards will be drawn from the President’s intelligence funds.
   “The President has the proper authority to draw from funds like that because it is a very legitimate matter,” he said.
   Nonetheless, Guevarra said he was surprised that the President announced “out of the blue” the reward offer on Tuesday night.
   He said the screening and filtering of such information would most likely be processed by his task force.
   Pundits can only wink with a knowing eye at these pronouncements considering the numerous cases of corruption like the multi-billion PhilHealth mess.

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150 families need relocation from N Vizcaya erosion site

November 29, 2020, 5:49 am

≫ Next: La Trinidad opens 10 tourist spots to locals

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After 10 people killed

By Liezle Basa Inigo and Ben Moses Ebreo

QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya – After 10 people were killed in a landslide here in Sitio Kinalabasa, Sitio Compound, and Sitio Bit-ang, Barangay Runrunu, the local government said there was need to relocate other families to prevent the recurrence of the tragedy.
   “May usapan sa local government na naghahanap sila ng relocation site nila (There’s discussion at the local government, and they’re looking for a relocation site),” said Nueva Vizcaya Provincial Director Col. Ranser A. Evasco.
   He said the local government was discussing the immediate evacuation of residents in Barangay Runruno to prevent the same tragedy that killed 10 people recently due to heavy rain of typhoon Ulysses.
   There are still 150 families living in the area, and their lives could also be in danger.
   It was earlier reported that Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgar Martin had already warned that residents of Sitio Bit-ang, Barangay Runruno should immediately leave the geo-hazard area.
   He also noted that the landslide could not be attributed to the mining project of the FCF minerals corporation, and said the landslide was a natural occurrence because the mountain soil had already become so soft.
   A dialogue is expected in the coming days among the DENR officials of Quezon town and Nueva Vizcaya to address the alternative means for the evacuation of the affected people in the area.
   Meanwhile, Gov. Carlos Padilla recently praised efforts of rescuers who helped in retrieving the bodies of the landslide victims at barangay Runruno.
   Padilla said the retrieval operations for the landslide victims' bodies were conducted faster than expected because of the systematic movement and efforts among the rescuers.
   "This effort should be shared to other Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officers so that they can also adopt it in their communities. Our gratitude to all of you," he said during the recent meeting of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council at the Pasalubong Center here.
Col. Ranser Evasco, police provincial director said retrieval operations lasted for more than a day with the help of their Special Action Force teams, Philippine Army, and rescuers from the Nueva Vizcaya Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and local government unit of Quezon and FCF Minerals Corporation, among others.
Evasco said the fatalities were Julie Ann Tanesa, Ben Junior Bulayo, Dexter Kurt Nah-oy, Cresencia Nah-oy, Francisco Taguiling Napadawan. Jomar Cumihang Ohdon, Noel Tayaban Buyaco, Mark Conie Mangandat Binwag and two unidentified cadavers.
The injured victims were Jaymar Tanesa and Lily Tanesa who are now being treated at a hospital in Solano town.
He said most of the landslide victims were illegal settlers within the geohazard area who came from Quirino and Ifugao provinces. – With a report from PIA 2-Nueva Vizcaya

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La Trinidad opens 10 tourist spots to locals

November 29, 2020, 5:50 am

≫ Next: Top Ilocos drug leader, 3 nabbed in buy-bust

≪ Previous: 150 families need relocation from N Vizcaya erosion site

By Susan Aro

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The La Trinidad local government has opened   some of the town’s tourist sites to residents of the province well as from Baguio City to strike a balance between health and economy.
   The Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19 approved the opening of identified 10 sites provided health safety protocols are in place and observed at all times.
   The 10 sites now open are Mount Costa in Puguis, Mt. Kalugong in Tawang, Avongnen Romy in Lower Wangal,   Bell Church in Km. 3, Balili; Lily of the Valley in Ampasit, Puguis, Cosmic Farm in Caban, Beckel, Living Gifts in Alno, Admirals Farm Park in Lamtang, Puguis; Gardennen Ines in Shilan, Darjane's Garden in Shilan, Benguet State University Orchidarium, and La Trinidad Orchidarium Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Betag.
   Municipal Tourism Action Officer Valred Olsim said to ensure safety of tourists,   inspection was   done to look into the installation of directional signs for physical distancing, sanitation, designation of safety officers, among others. Certificate of compliance to health safety protocols in the tourist sites are in place.
   We know that economy is not just economy but the lack of economic activities affects families, livelihood, relationships, and even child development, Olsim said. “We know that Covid-19 is real but we also know that mental health is real,” he added.
   The tourist sites also serve as venue for mental health wellness which is equally a serious concern especially in these times of pandemic, said Olsim.
   The local government urged those interested to make an advance booking to regulate number of visitors at a given time.
   Adherence to health and safety protocols or minimum health standards is a must and crowding should be avoided within the sites.
   Visitors are required to present health declaration form secured from the point of origin and identification card as proof of residency.
   For further details, visit the local government facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lgulatrinidad/posts/3719636474767921. -- PIA Benguet

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Top Ilocos drug leader, 3 nabbed in buy-bust

November 29, 2020, 5:57 am

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By Liezle Basa Inigo

SAN JUAN, La Union -- A notorious drug leader and three others were arrested in a buy-bust operation here in Barangay Urbiztondo on Wednesday.
   Police Regional Office 1 director Brig. Gen. Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. reported to Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Debold M. Sinas on Thursday that the arrested suspects were Christian Casugay Rivera, 29; Harvey Munar Singson, 40; Medrick Arafiles Dela Cruz, 21; and Michelle Leria Luken, 23.
   Rivera was tagged as the leader of the Rivera Drug Group operating in Region 1 and was a subject of manhunt operations.
   The operatives conducted a buy-bust operation against Rivera for violation of Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 by virtue of a Warrant of Arrest issued by Presiding Judge Victor O Conception, RTC Branch 66, San Fernando City, La Union.
   As the warrant of arrest was being served, one of the suspects, identified as Harvey M Singson, fired at the arresting team prompting the operative to fire back. No casualties were reported.
   Azurin said the operatives seized from the suspects one piece plastic sachet containing suspected shabu; P1,000 peso bill (marked money) two Uzi firearm; one hand grenade; four pieces caliber .22 pistols loaded with magazines and ammunition; two caliber .45 pistols loaded with magazines and ammunition; one 375 replica revolver; assorted magazines and live ammunition; three handheld radio; six cellphones; 21 pcs heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu weighing 20 grams and with an estimated value of P136,000; a digital weighing scale, and different drug paraphernalia.
   The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) also conducted an immediate investigation on the place of incident and was able to recover one (1) unit caliber 9 mm Taurus pistol loaded with 6 ammunition, 4 cartridge cases of 9mm, 5 fired cartridge case for cal 5.56 and 1 deformed fire bullet.
   “This is not the end of our efforts. We will strengthen our operation to apprehend drug personalities,’’ Azurin said.

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PMA told: Suspend ‘no decal, no entry’ in 3 Baguio villages

November 29, 2020, 6:00 am

≫ Next: Bigtime druggie, 2 nabbed, P.5 million shabu seized

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By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – City officials urged the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to suspend its ‘no decal, no entry’ policy in areas of its military reservations such as barangays Camp Allen, Upper Market Subdivision and St. Joseph Village.
   Under resolution no. 603, series of 2020, signed by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, city legislators reiterated suspension of the PMA’s ‘no decal, no entry’ policy should be extended not only in the military reservation at Fort del Pilar and barangay Camp Allen but also to similarly situated barangays within such reservations like Upper Market Subdivision and St. Joseph Village barangays.
   Earlier, resolution no. 527, series of 2020, reiterated resolution no. 022, series of 2019, to the PMA to suspend implementation of its controversial ‘no decal, no entry’ camp policy at Camp Henry T. Allen which is greatly affecting residents of the barangay hosting the military camp.
   The council proposed the creation of a grievance committee with PMA representatives in each of the foresaid barangays to resolve disputes arising between the residents and the Academy concerning their respective property rights and interests in the said areas.
   According to the council, the composition of the grievance committees in each of the said barangays with the PMA shall be relayed to the City Council within 7 working days from the approval of the aforesaid resolution for monitoring, among other purposes the council may deem necessary to undertake.
   Copies of the aforesaid resolution will be transmitted to the offices of barangays St. Joseph Village, Camp Allen and Upper Market Subdivision and the PMA Superintendent for their information and appropriate action.
   Concerned residents in said barangays previously complained to city officials on the strict enforcement of the ‘ no decal, no entry’ policy by the PMA within the different military reservations in the city covering the barangays that impede the smooth flow of vehicular traffic in their places during certain hours of the day and night.
   However, PMA authorities said strict implementation of the ‘no decal, no entry’ policy for vehicles entering military camps in the city located in said barangays was part of stringent security measures being enforced in such facilities as part of the military’s standard operating procedures to avert the occurrence of any untoward incident that will compromise the security of the important government facilities.
    The council said the concerned committee will closely monitor compliance of the PMA to the request to ensure smooth traffic flow in said barangays and for residents to be able to freely move inside and outside the camps with compliance to the agreed conditions for them to present proper identification of their being residents of the barangays.

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Bigtime druggie, 2 nabbed, P.5 million shabu seized

November 29, 2020, 6:03 am

≫ Next: DOH: Covid-19 cases down in Cordillera, recoveries up

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21 wanted persons arrested

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- Regional police arrested 24 wanted persons of which three were listed as top most wanted in Cordillera.
This, as a top drug personality and two others were captured with half a million worth of illegal drugs were seized in anti-illegal drug operations in Baguio City on Nov. 23.

Alleged bigtime drug personality Joshua Stephen Aluyon Alsisto aka Pidot, was arrested at Unit 9 of no. 12 Barangay Imelda including his companion Denise Gayle Serrano Valencia.

Prior to their arrest, a concerned citizen phoned authorities that an alleged pot session was ongoing in said place.

Combined forces of Legarda Police Station (PS5) and Marcos Highway Police Station and PDEA-Baguio responded and arrested the suspectrs.

Confiscated from the suspects were A Cal. 45 handgun, magazine with inserted 10 bullets, box containing 40 bullets, 65 grams of suspected shabu valued at P442,000 and assorted drug paraphernalia.

Another drug personality named Rodolfo Flores Resurrection, 31, welder, of Bauang La Union and a resident of Purok 5 Santo Niño, Irisan, Baguio City was apprehended in a buy-bust operation at Teachers Village, Santo Tomas Proper Nov. 24.

Four sachets of suspected shabu worth P6,800 were confiscated by Marcos Highway and Kennon Road police, City Intelligence Unit and PDEA.

All arrested drug suspects are now in the custody of concerned police stations while charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) will be filed against them in court.

This, as police arrested 24 wanted persons of which three were listed as top most wanted in Cordillera.

Out of these nabbed Nov. 16 to 20, Baguio City Police Office recorded the highest number of arrests with 10, followed by Benguet with six, Abra, five and Mountain Province with three.

TMWDs arrested were two in Abra.

Resty Tombaga Bingcan who was indicted for acts of lasciviousness was captured in Tui, Daguioman on Nov. 16 while Luciano Pugrad Tamo Jr who was charged for rape was caught in Poblacion Langangilang on Nov. 17.

Bingcan had bail of P80, 000 while Tamo was denied bail.

The no. 10 TMWP of Station-2, BCPO identified as Shaun Marvy Ancheta Meneses charged for theft was nabbed in Tam-awan, Pinsao Proper, Baguio City on Nov. 16.

Meneses had recommended bail bond of P80,000 for his temporary liberty.

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DOH: Covid-19 cases down in Cordillera, recoveries up

November 29, 2020, 6:04 am

≫ Next: Ilocos Sur: 108 Covid cases, six in Tagudin

≪ Previous: Bigtime druggie, 2 nabbed, P.5 million shabu seized

By Carlito C. Dar

BAGUIO CITY-- The Cordillera’s Covid-19 active cases are now going down while recovery of patients is up in the region.
Department of Health Center for Health and Development - Cordillera Assistant Regional Director Amelita Pangilinan, in the Dagyaw 2020 Open Government Virtual Town Hall meeting Tuesday reported that as of their Nov. 22 data, Covid – 19 active cases in Cordillera are down to 431 or equivalent to 8.11 percent while recoveries are now 4,823 or around 91 percent of the 5,312 recorded confirmed cases in the region.
   Pangilinan said peak in cases was recorded in Oct. 18 to 24 but going down the past two weeks.
   She said clustering of cases was noted in the mining sector, economic and health sectors and due to workplace to household infections and vice versa.
   Increase in cases was also attributed to lodging (cramping), gatherings, and mobility of people.
   Another factor was the aggressive community testing facilitated by the NTF Covid– 19 in partnership with the Bases Conversion Development Authority, she added.
    DOH Cordillera data also showed case fatality rate in the region was 1.1% with 48 deaths recorded.
   Most were elderly (16 - 60 to 69 years old and 20 - 70 years old and above) with co-morbidities.
   Pangilinan said the health department was calling for public support in instilling discipline and strict adherence to minimum health requirements and safety protocols needed to protect themselves, their families and the community.
   All of us need to have an active role and become BIDA as in “BIDA ang Solusyon” which stands for Bawal ang walang face mask; I-sanitize ang mga kamay; Dumistantsya ng isang metro; at Alamin ang Tamang Impormasyon, she said.
    The 2020 Dagyaw virtual town hall meeting was the first of the series of four regional dialogues dubbed “Usapang Ekonomiya: Mga Pananaw sa Paglago ng Estado ng Ekonomiya ng Kordilyera sa Panahon ng Pandemya “. This event is led by the Department of Interior and Local Government.
    Aside from the Covid – 19 regional situationer, DILG also presented its “Displina Muna” campaign.
Resource speakers   were   Dept. of Agriculture OIC regional director Cameron Odsey on the region’s agriculture sector, DOLE – CAR on Employment, Dept. of Trade and Industry OIC assistant regional director Juliet Lucas on the livelihood sector especially on micro, small and medium enterprises, Dept. of Tourism regional director Jovita Ganongan on tourism updates, and Land Transportation Office regional director Francis Ray Almora on public transport and mobility.
   DILG Cordillera assistant regional director Araceli San Jose, in closing the forum, expressed gratitude to resource speakers, reactors and   the public that actively participated in the Dagyaw as she outlined the importance of open and participatory governance especially in this time of pandemic.
    “The conduct of Dagyaw is crucial especially during this health crisis. It is important for us to connect with you and inform you of the different efforts that the government is doing to assist you in this time of need”, San Jose said. – PIA Cordillera

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Ilocos Sur: 108 Covid cases, six in Tagudin

November 29, 2020, 6:06 am

≫ Next: 25 Abra UGMOs out support to CPP-NPA

≪ Previous: DOH: Covid-19 cases down in Cordillera, recoveries up

By April M. Bravo

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur – This province now has a total of 108 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 91 recoveries and one death as of Nov. 23.
   Based on the latest Covid-19 tracker of the province, areas with active Covid-19 cases included Candon City with five, Sta. Cruz with two and one each from Lidlidda, Sugpon and Banayoyo.
   But six new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Tagudin last week.
   These included IS-C103, a 30-year-old male tricycle driver, asymptomatic from Barangay Baracbac, the husband of Patient IS-105.
   He had no comorbidities nor travel history.
   IS-C104 was an asymptomatic 68-year-old female from Barangay Baracbac with controlled hypertension and no travel history.
   IS-C105 was a 31-year-old female, asymptomatic also from Baracbac with no comorbidities.
   She works as a technician at the National Tobacco Administration-Candon Branch.
   IS-C106 was a 61-year-old female from Barangay Bitalag with hypertension but with no travel history.
   She developed mild symptoms (colds and hoarseness of voice) on Nov. 21.
   IS-C107 was a 37-year-old male LGU utility worker, asymptomatic from Baracbac with no comorbidities.
   IS-C108 wasa 74-year-old male from Barangay Becques with no travel history and no comorbidities.
   He developed mild symptoms (intermittent dry cough) on Nov. 21.
   All six patients were confined at the Ilocos Sur District Hospital-Sta. Lucia, said Tagudin Mayor Roque Verzosa Jr.
Verzosa said the new Tagudin Town Hall was disinfected to ensure protection and safety of both the transacting public and the officials and employees of the local government unit.
   Delivery of basic services and regular office transactions resumed on Nov. 25.
   However, the Rural Health Unit, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and Economic Enterprise (Yellow Market) was available for its usual services.
   Verzosa issued executive order no. 65 s. of 2020 on Nov. 22 placing Baracbac, Becques and Bitalag villages under zoning containment strategy.
   Meanwhile, the provincial government of Ilocos Sur continues to implement measures to further curb its COVID-19 infections.
   The new guidelines on the implementation of modified general community quarantine in Ilocos Sur are contained in the Executive Order No. 43 s. of 2020 issued by Governor Ryan Luis Singson on November 20. (JCR/AMB/PIA Ilocos Sur)

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