ORMOC CITY-More than P38,000 worth of illegally cut lumber was recovered by the local police during an anti-illegal logging operation in Can-avid, Eastern Samar on Sunday (August 13).

Seized from the suspect, Erwin Garcia, 30, were 324 board feet of illegally sawn lumber in Barangay Can-ilay in the said town.

The local police learned about the illegal logging activity of Garcia after receiving information about it, town police chief Capt. Allan Calceta said.

Calceta said that the suspect was caught in the act of dragging and pulling the illegally sawn lumber of a Naga species from his possession and control.

He added that the confiscated pieces of good wood flitches were composed of 4 pcs 2 x 8 x 7, 6 pcs 2 x10 x 7, and 10 pcs 1 x 4 x 7, for a total of 324 board feet and estimated market value amounting P38,880.

Capt. Calceta said that the suspect was to bring the hot lumber to Brgy. Malogo passing through the Can-avid River.

The arrested person together with the confiscated lumbers were brought to the Can-avid police station as he was charged for violation of PD 705 or the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-A live-in couple said to be engaged in the illegal drug trade were shot dead in Hilongos, Leyte on August 10.

Police identified the fatalities as Marciano Villas III and his common-law wife Jennifer Umlang, both residents of Poblacion, Hindang, also in Leyte.

Based on the police investigation, the couple was on board a motorcycle traversing along Barangay Santa Cruz, Hilongos at about 8:50 pm.

Town police chief, Major Ambrosio Demain disclosed that Villas III was arrested in a buy-bust operation on August 18, 2018, while Umlang in a separate sting operation on January 14,2019.

The two were released last year.

SOCO personnel that processed the crime scene recovered about five pieces of empty shells of .9mm caliber and eight pieces of .45 caliber pistol empty shells and one .38 revolver in the possession of Villas III.

A thorough investigation is being conducted by the local police about the motive and identity of the suspects in the killing. (ROBERT DEJON)

To help mold and develop the next generation of engineers, NGCP continues to hold facility tours for university students from different parts of the country.

Recently, several universities completed tours in various NGCP facilities: the Tarlac State University at NGCP’s Mexico Substation, Batangas State University at Laoag Substation, University of Nueva Caceres at Naga Substation, Mindanao State University-General Santos City Campus at Toril Substation, University of the East-Recto at Bauang Substation, and Mindanao State University-Marawi Campus at Baloi Substation.

More than 400 engineering students from these universities participated in the facility tours, which included a walkthrough of NGCP’s substation operations as well as presentations on NGCP’s critical role and contribution to the power industry.

“We are more than happy to host young minds at our facilities so they can see for themselves the everyday operations of NGCP. Understanding the importance of power transmission in the energy system, and how NGCP contributes to the country’s economic development is important to understanding the energy industry,” said NGCP. “We also want to showcase the capability of our engineers and other technical staff, and we hope to inspire them as future engineers,” added the company.

NGCP expects to conduct more facility tours for university students in the coming months. (PR)

CATBALOGAN CITY – Ayungin Shoal is within Philippine territory and BRP Sierra Madre must stay there to establish the country’s claim in that area at the disputed West Philippine Sea, thus said Senators JV Ejercito and Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.

Senators Ejercito and Go made the comment during their visit to this city as guests to the 182nd provincehood anniversary of Samar on August 11.

Earlier, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made a statement stating that the Philippine government had made a commitment to remove the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal but President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos said that there is no such agreement between the Philippines and China to remove the vessel that was grounded to the shoal since 1999.

The President added that if there is such kind of agreement, he is rescinding.
Sen. Go said that he fully supports what the President said adding that the contested area really belongs to the country.

“Kung ano po yun atin ay atin, what is ours is ours at bilang pangulo, si Pangulong Bongbong Marcos as chief architect of our foreign policy alam niyo po kung ano ang mas nakakabuti sa atin,” Senator Go said.

“Gaya ng sinabi ko noon not a single square inch ang isusurender natin sa China, what is ours is ours, atin po yun, at dapat po ipaglaban po. So huwag nating i-withdraw, dapat huwag talagang i-withdraw yung BRP Sierra Madre,” he added.

The statement of China was released after another incident happened in the West Philippine Sea when Chinese Coast Guard water cannoned a supply vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard for troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre.

This action of the Chinese Coast Guard was described by Sen. Ejercito as bullying.

“Talagang they are just bullying us,” the senator said adding that China’s action against the Philippines is opposite to what they announced that the country is their friend.

Ejercito added that the government must strengthen the capability of its Armed Forces and the Coast Guard by adding more equipment to have a “credible posture,” exhaust all diplomatic means, and forge alliances with other ASEAN countries like South Korea, Japan, and claimants county like Vietnam, and including the United States of America ensure that West Philippine Sea will not totally fall into the hands of China.

“We have to strengthen and forge an alliance to ensure that the flow of navigation in the West Philippines continues kasi pag nahawakan na ng China ito wala ng freedom of navigation,” Ejercito added.

“Our relation should unite against this hostile and aggressive behavior of China, kasi hindi naman kaya ng Pilipinas yun mag-isa lang tayo, kailangan magka-isa ang ASEAN nations,” he added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)