TACLOBAN CITY- A police officer shot and killed a motorcycle mechanic in a public market in La Paz, Leyte at about 10:40 am Sunday(June 3) with a personal grudge that happened 14 years ago as the alleged motive.
Senior Inspector Ernie Rocha, officer-on-case of the La Paz police station, identified the perpetrator as SPO1 Ritchie Ramelo,38, who is assigned at the PNP-4 based in Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba, Laguna and a resident of Barangay Miring, Tabon-Tabon,Leyte, who shot several times Adan Tejero,37 using his service firearm of Caliber 45.
Based on their investigation, the shooting incident happened at about 10:40 in the morning Sunday (June 3) at the town’s public market located in Brgy. Poblacion, district 3.
Rocha said that the victim was playing chess outside a store, El Cinco General Merchandise, when the suspect walked his way towards him and shot him three times, hitting him on different parts of his body.
The police officer immediately ran to a waiting motorcycle driven by his cousin identified as Ricardo Gausin, 33 and fled.
Rocha said that upon learning from witnesses where the suspect and his companion was heading, they immediately conducted their pursuit operation which led to their arrest in Brgy.Cabacungan, Dulag, and Leyte.
The suspects were arrested at about 11 am.
“We asked him to stop but he attempted to draw his service firearm. But I asked him not to attempt as this could led to a bloody confrontation. He throw his gun and surrendered to us,” Rocha said in a phone interview.
And based on their questioning with SPO1 Ramelo, he allegedly shot the victim due to a personal grudge.
“He had a grudge against the victim as he claimed that he was bullied and physically abused 14 years ago by the victim. All these years, he kept his anger towards the victim,” Rocha said.
Ramelo, who went home to his village in Miring to attend its fiesta Saturday, and his cousin are now detained at the La Paz lockup cell as they are to be charged for murder.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY–The Department of Education (DepEd) here has reminded school heads and teachers to strictly implement the agency’s “no collection policy” as the new school term started Monday (June 4).
Jasmin Calzita, information officer of DepEd Eastern Visayas, said that aside from enforcing the DepEd Order 41 series of 2012 which covers the prohibition of collecting fees during enrolment and the start of classes, school officials are also urged to “make the opening of classes festive especially for our kindergarten.”
“We have made it a strong policy regarding the no collection policy,” she said.
Calzita said that those who will defy this order are to be given proper sanction as parents should report it to their office if they encounter such issue.
She also disclosed that during the opening of classes, Oplan Balik Eskwela-Public Assistance Command Center (OBE-PACC) were put into place to entertain issues and concerns.
Meanwhile, Edgar Tenasas, assistant schools division superintendent in Leyte, said that the province was already set for the new school year.
“Our school heads and teachers are doing their part to prepare their schools for the opening. In the municipality where I am assigned for the Brigada Eskwela monitoring, I witnessed the concerted efforts of the school personnel and the community in all of the elementary and secondary schools in Babatngon, Leyte,” said Tenasas.
Eastern Visayas, with its 13 school divisions, has 4, 161 public schools with 47, 334 teachers and 7, 485 non- teaching personnel. The region has a total of 301 private schools.
During its partnership roadshow last month, the region generated at least 38 memorandum of agreements and a total of P200,439,066 from various donors to fund its educational gaps like malnutrition, lack of non-teaching staff and Alternative Learning System faculty, lack of high school campuses in far-flung barangays, congested classrooms, high dropout rate, decreasing enrollment among elementary students, lack of school budget, low performance in the National Achievement Test, and lack of data-driven system to track performances of schools, among other school problems.(RONALD O. REYES)

As formal classes to start on Monday

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Education (DepEd) said that it is now ready to welcome the more than 1.3 million students across the region as classes for this school year are to start this Monday (June 4).
With the week clean-up drive conducted ahead of the school opening, students should expect of their first day of lessons, said Jasmin Calzeta, DepEd regional information officer.
Education officials in the region led by Director Ramir Uytico are to monitor the school opening.
Calzeta said that considering that all school premises and classrooms have been cleaned up or refurbished during the ‘Brigada Eskwela’ teachers are now ready to conduct their lessons.
“Classes will start on June 4 as teachers are ready with their class lessons on that first day of school for this school year,” she said.
“So we are ready to welcome our students this Monday,” Calzeta added.
She, however, admitted that schools are still to accept late enrollees as the DepEd reminded schools that collection of fees are not mandatory and should not be used as basis for not accepting enrollees.
Calzeta said that during the first day of classes, other government agencies are also ready like the Philippine National Police on security aspect and the Bureau of Fire and Protection in case of a fire incident involving a school.
The regional DepEd is projecting that about 1.3 million students from kindergarten up to senior high are to troop to their respective classrooms this Monday.
Last year’s school term had 1.24 million students enrolled from the 4,162 public schools across the region.
The region has about 47,334 public elementary and secondary teachers with the current number expected to increase as Eastern Visayas needs an additional 4,124 teachers to be assigned to its 13 schools division.
Calzeta said that with an increased number of enrolled students and still grappling with shortage of classrooms, the ideal student-to-teacher ratio could not be achieve.
“The ideal ratio is one is to 40 for the secondary but this is still not being achieved because we still have some shortage of classrooms,”she said.
Calzeta said that she could not provide yet data on classroom shortage of the region. Hundreds of classrooms were destroyed five years ago when the region was pummeled by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ as there are still schools that have temporary learning spaces.

TACLOBAN CITY- A road construction project connecting several towns in Northern Samar and Eastern Samar provinces worth P1.03 billion had its groundbreaking Thursday (May 31) with local officials expressing their optimism that it could provide convenience and economic benefits among the locals.
The road construction, which traverses the towns of Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, and Lapinig, all in Northern Samar, and Arteche and San Policarpio, both in Eastern Samar, is expected to be completed on March,2020.
Among those who were present during the groundbreaking ceremony held in Barangay Simora, Palapag town were Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and South Korean ambassador to the Philippines, Han Dong-man whose government provided the funding through the Korea Export-Import Bank, Economic Development Cooperation Fund Loan.
Sec. Villar said that the project is part of the Build Build Build project of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“(This is a) landmark project under the Build Build Build program of Pres. Duterte (and ) will provide a seamless and safer transport and boost the local economy by providing faster transport of goods and services,” he said in his speech.
Ambassador Han said that the project, dubbed as Samar Pacific Coastal Road (SPCR) Project, is a testament of strong relationship between the Philippines and South Korea.
He also said that they are committed to helping the Philippine government ‘a win-win solution that will benefit to both countries.’
He also announced that the groundbreaking came at a time as Pres. Duterte is to embark his first state visit to Seoul on June 3 to 5.
Northern Samar Governor Jose Ong, in a statement, said that the road project will not only provide safe and fast travel among residents in the areas where the project traverses but will help hasten the transport of goods and services.
“I appreciate President Duterte and his alter ego Sec. Villar for their all-out effort to fund this long standing project being dreamed of by Nortehanons residing in the towns facing Pacific Ocean. I sincerely hope that this could be our strategic solution to the economic crisis affecting those areas,” the governor, who led local officials during the groundbreaking ceremony, said.
Rep.Edwin Ong said that he is also pinning high hope that once completed, the road project could result in more economic activities in these areas which are part of the second congressional district of Northern Samar of which he represents.
“We are hoping that this road project will provide benefits to the local economy and improve the economic situation in the area as a result of an improved transportation system,” he said in a separate statement.
The 11.607 kms project will involve the construction of a two-lane concrete road including three bridges, namely Simora, Jangtud 1 and Jangtud 2 bridges.
The SPCR Project will connect the five towns in Northern Samar to the two towns in Eastern Samar, forming a circumferential road in Samar Island.
Once completed, traveling by land from Palapag and other neighboring towns going to the provincial capital of Catarman would be cut to just less than two hours from the current more than three hours, Josiah Rei Echano, provincial information officer of Northern Samar, said.
These towns, all facing the Pacific Ocean, could also be reached by sea travel which is dangerous especially during bad weather, he added.
Echano also said that the road opening on these areas could also help address the insurgency problem as he described these towns as ‘old bastion’ of the communist armed group, the New People’s Army.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- For a change, 24 police women took off their uniforms and donned in colorful and beautiful gowns and walked and waved like trained beauty queens.
They were part of the ‘sagalas’ or maidens in costumes during the Santacruzan organized by the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) under the leadership of Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz.
PO1 Nova Jane Barbosa, the queen Helena, said she was “happy” that she was part of the religious event.
She said that she hope that by having their own Santacruzan, the public would also realize that they are not only after running criminals.
The PNP is leading the anti-illegal drug campaign being enforce by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte which is strongly criticized by some human rights and Church-based groups.
PO1 Pablo Yap, a policeman for three years, said that holding this event can help inspire the people that the police is not only focusing on drug war but also to other religious activities.
“This is one way to promote our core values, of being pro-country, pro-people, pro-environment, and pro-God,” he added.
Marjorie Nicer said that she was pleased to see policemen and women joining the Santacruzan which was held on Tuesday (May 29).
“I am excited. This is the first time I see policemen (and women) in this religious procession. This is usually done by the villages,” she said.
About 300 police personnel joined the procession of Santacruzan, which is part of the ‘Flores de Mayo’ celebration held during the entire month of May, starting from Fatima Church going to Robinsons’ Place in Marasbaras district, said Chief Inspector Ma. Bella Rentuaya, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region.
Fr. Ramil Costibolo of the Archdiocese of Palo said that it’s normal and ordinary among Catholic faithful to have this kind of activity to show our devotion to Mother Mary and to celebrate our faith to Jesus Christ.
But for the police personnel to hold their own version of Santacruzan in the wake of its controversial campaign against proliferation of illegal drugs, Costibolo said that the event “only shows the reality that our police are just like us, normal people, (and) spiritual people.”
“Before they were assigned to their authority, they are also very religious and spiritual,” the priest said in an interview.
Costibolo said that he was “impressed” of this initiative from the police force.
“Very nice. They can show that they are ordinary people. First, before they were policemen, they also have families, they are brothers or sisters, mothers or fathers. They are ordinary people given with extraordinary task in our community. That is why we should understand them,” he added.
The priest, however, maintained that while he supported the drug campaign of the government, he is also opposing any brutal means in enforcing it.
“Illegal drug has to stop because it destroys our youth. The Church favors for its eradication. It is only opposing the method,” he added.
Fr. Joselito Borja, police chaplain, said that while they regularly hold this type of event inside their camp’s premises, this is their first time to do it outside the streets through the efforts of Chief Supt. Cruz.
“By bringing our Santa cruzan outside, people will know that there is God in our lives; that we are religious,” Borja said.
In an interview, Borja said that with their event they can help the young people to avoid drug addiction.
He also hinted that this may be staged annually considering some positive remarks they received from others.
“In my homily, I said this event is not only a mere parade of the beauty of our young women. Santa Cruzan, first and foremost, is religious.
(RONALD O. REYES with ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Around 80 barangay leaders, persons who used drugs (PWUDs), staff and life coaches of the New Beginnings Drug Rehabilitation Program of the city government attended the first day of the Seminar-Workshop on Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) on Tuesday, May 29.
Organized by the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and the city government through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, the event will be held at Leyte Park Resort and Hotel until May 30, 2018.
According to DDB training specialist Nelia Fiecas, STEP is one of the preventive education programs of the DDB which complements the national government’s campaign on illegal drugs.
Fiecas said that the activities during the seminar-workshop will help parents and anti-drug campaign workers “deliver” effectively their roles on drug abuse prevention and control in the communities.
“Participants are expected to come up with their action plan in the implementation of the drug abuse programs in communities, replicate the activity in their respective communities and become anti-drug advocates,” she added.
The two-day activity consists of a workshop as well as talks and lectures on building self-esteem, family drug abuse prevention program, responsible parenthood, role of parents in drug abuse prevention and intervention, among others.
“Strengthening the Roles of Parents in Drug Abuse Prevention and Control,” is the theme of the seminar-workshop.
The New Beginnings Program is the community-based anti-drug rehabilitation and advocacy program of Mayor Romualdez in coordination with local and national government agencies.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA/CIO)