ORMOC CITY– An unplugged electric fan was cited as the reason for a fire incident in Biliran, Biliran on Wednesday (June 1) afternoon.

The affected house was owned by Pablito Suarez,62 in Sitio Pongkay, Barangay San Isidro.
Report from the local police said that the said electric fan, located in the master bedroom of the house, has been running for almost 24 hours reason it could have overheated and resulted to the fire incident.

No one was reported from the 4:15 pm fire incident. (ROBERT DEJON)

Dolores town in East Samar as the venue

TACLOBAN CITY– The 35-strong Sto. Nino SPED Center delegation, this city, has joined several hundred other school journalists to compete in the Regional School Press Conference (RSPC) from May 31 to June 2, 2023 at the Dolores Central Elementary School in Dolores, Eastern Samar.

Delegates from all city and provincial schools’ divisions in Eastern Visayas will converge in the municipality for the three-day event.

Led by SNSC Campus Journalism Coordinator Raymond Remandaban, along with six other teachers and coaches of the student journalists, the 35-strong delegation will be competing in all categories such as news writing, editorial writing, cartoon journalism, photojournalism, broadcasting, desktop publishing, layouting, column writing, and others.
SNSC school principal Mary Ann Nalda commended the SNSC delegation after the group won and bagged top awards during the division level competitions.

“We are hopeful that aside from the fun and invaluable learnings the pupils will get from the experience, our students are prepared to bring home the bacon,” she said.
“The SNSC group will join the Tacloban City Division delegation, and they are eager to showcase their journalistic skills and compete against other talented young journalists from all over Eastern Visayas,” Nalda added.

The Sto Nino SPED SPTA officials likewise extended their full support to the delegation. “We are confident our students will proudly represent the school and the entire Tacloban division,” SPTA president Joeme Rodriguez said.

The RSPC is an important platform for young journalists to hone their skills and showcase their talents. It also provides an opportunity for students to learn from each other, exchange ideas, and develop their creativity.

Remandaban said their delegation is excited to be a part of this event and is looking forward to representing SNSC and the Tacloban city division.

Key guests of the conference include 4Ps party-list Representative Marcelino Libanan, Dolores Mayor Rodrigo Rivera, and officials of the Department of Education (DepEd).

(NEIL MORALETA/CONTRIBUTOR)

TACLOBAN CITY– The military in Eastern Visayas has confirmed that one of the casualties during an encounter in Catarman, Northern Samar was the secretary general of Bayan- Eastern Visayas.

The identity of Joshua Sagdullas was made possible through the assistance of a former rebel now in their custody, the 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan City, Samar said in a press statement issued Wednesday night.

“Alias Kurati, a former rebel who operated in the area positively identified the cadaver of Joshua Sagdullas alias Miyong/Martin, the secretary general of Bayan Eastern Visayas…as one of the casualties,” it said.

Aside from Sagdullas, who said to held the post as a political instructor of the New People’s Army(NPA) in Northern Samar, the dead rebels were also identified by Kurati as Geraldine Teopinto alias Luz, the finance officer; Abigail Baselga alias Moana, medical officer; and Vicente Termo.

The rebels were killed in a clash with the military during an encounter last Sunday (May 28) in Barangay Mabini, 37.8 kms away from the town center of Catarman.

The government troop also recovered several firearms during the encounter.

The cadavers of the rebels were provided with caskets by the municipal government of Catarman upon the order of Mayor Francisco Aurelio Rosales III.

Of the four cadavers, the family of Termo claimed his remains on Tuesday (May 30).
Mayor Rosales said that the families of the dead have only until Friday (June 2) to claim the remains of the remaining cadavers.

Unless claimed, they will be buried at the Catarman public cemetery.

Major General Camilo Ligayo, the commanding general of the 8th ID, expressed his sadness on the death of the four NPA rebels, fighting for what he described as ‘senseless ideology.’

“Another life has been lost in the war against the senseless ideology of the communist terrorist group. Let us put an end to this way of life of constant struggle and fear,” he said in a statement.

“The door is still open for those who want to surrender and live a better and more peaceful life,” Ligayo added.

Ligayo earlier said that he sees the end of the existence of the communist armed movement Eastern Visayas within the year, adding that the communist has only armed fronts operating in Northern Samar, said to be the last bastion of communist insurgency of the region.

For his part, Tacloban City Mayor and chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council Alfred Romualdez also expressed his condolences to the families of the dead rebels.

“I feel sad for the families and for those who are still with the (armed) movement, think about your families. I hope this will stop and end very soon,” he said in a statement issued through the 8ID’s public affairs office.
(JOEY A.GABIETA/ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– A six-year-old boy, while on his way to school, died due to electrocution on Thursday (June 1) morning in Leyte, Leyte.

Report from the local police said the young boy, Edson Bismonte, accidentally touched a live wire that was blocking his way at about 7 am in Sitio Camansilis, Barangay Palid I, Leyte, Leyte.

The boy, who was in Grade 1, was with his elder sister, Eliza,10, during that time and they were on their way to Palid-II Elementary School.

Eliza tried to help her younger brother by pulling his backpack but was thrown away due to the electric shock.

She then asked for assistance from the people nearby who helped rush her brother to the rural health unit.

However, the attending physician declared the young victim dead on arrival.

The management of the Leyeco V Electric Cooperative (Leyeco V), who owns the live wire that electrocuted the boy, has yet to issue any statement on this incident.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)