Former IBP president in Leyte files complaint against fake lawyer
TACLOBAN CITY- A former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Leyte chapter has filed a complaint of usurpation of authority against a man who used his name as he introduced himself as a lawyer.
Atty. Leo Giron, who served as IBP-Leyte chapter president from 2017-2019, said that he filed the complaint against ‘Atty.’Donald Gapol for him to stop his illegal activities in duping innocent civilians.
Giron filed the case against Gapol, who is also using the names as ‘Donald Custodio,’ ‘Ronald Veloso,’ and ‘Leo Giron,’ before the City Prosecutor’s Office on July 3.
Gapol, who had his ‘law office’ addressed in Burauen town, Leyte, was earlier arrested by the members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on June 20 in an entrapment operations here in Tacloban as one of his victims sought help from them.
The suspect is currently detained at the detention facility of the NBI-8, this city.
“I have to file a complaint against this man so his nefarious activities will come to its end. He is duping innocent and helpless people,” Giron said.
Giron said that based on an information he gathered, the victim has been doing his illegal activities for more than 10 years now.
Aside from usurpation of authority, Giron also filed a case of falsification by private individual and use of falsified document under Articles 172 and 177 of the Revised Penal Code, respectively.
A separate similar complaints with addition of estafa were also filed by Alexander Pedrigal, his sons Lexton and Winson and daughter Maribeth, residents of San Jose, this city.
Alexander, a retired police officer, represented him on a complaint he filed against the Air Materiel Wing Savings and Loan Association,Inc.(AMWSLAI) for collection of money while his children for the promised jobs at the Bulwagan ng Katarungan as the faked lawyer demanded sum of money from them.
The suspect, declined to be interviewed.
(JOEY A.GABIETA)
PESO opens 100 slots for JobStart Program
TACLOBAN CITY-To enhance the employability of youth, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) has announced that 100 slots are up for grabs for this year’s JobStart Program.
The program will be offered to all interested youth residing in Tacloban, ages 18 to 24 years old, at least high school graduate and currently not enrolled nor employed.
“We prioritize those who are from Tacloban especially that this is a program in partnership with the City Government,” said PESO Development Management Officer Katherine Peliño.
The said program is designed to increase the capacity of PESO in providing full cycle employment facilitation services.
According to Peliño, the JobStart trainees will receive a daily allowance of P200 for the 10 days of life skills training and three months of technical skills training.
“After completing the said training, they shall undertake an internship with the partner agencies. They will also be paid at least 75% of the minimum wage of the city,” she added.
Peliño said that those who are interested may visit their office located at Kanhuraw Hill.
The registration for the program will last until this week. (C. MERIN/CIO)
Rina Reyes dies due to massive heart attack
One of ‘Yolanda’s heroines
TACLOBAN CITY- One of the country’s fearless woman land rights advocate and known for exposing the controversies of the post-typhoon Yolanda reconstruction died on July 3 due to a heart disease.
Rina Reyes was just 54 year old.
“Stunned, shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news that our beloved Rina Reyes passed away leaving behind years of fierce activism, utmost devotion and determination in promoting and fighting for peasant rights,” said Jess Agustin, Development and Peace Philippines program officer.
“It took some time for this heartbreaking news to sink in,” he wrote.
Reyes, who worked as community organizer and project coordinator for Rights Network and Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners, oversaw the various programs of their partner Canadian-based non-governmental organization Development and Peace for the survivors super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013, the world’s strongest typhoon to hit inland.
Reyes, who was a resident of Pasig City, traveled to Leyte immediately after Yolanda to work on the shelter and land rights issues of the survivors.
For five years, she led in organizing poor farmers and fisherfolk into different recognized associations for them to know their rights and easily access government assistance.
“Baby, as she was fondly called, was always there, with a contagious smile, an inspiring presence, in almost all my frequent visits to the Philippines. I can still hear echoes of her gentle voice telling us they had successfully acquired more than 500 CLOAs (certificate of land ownership award) covering 1,400 hectares to landless farmers, then 2,000 hectares in my subsequent visits and so on,” recalled Agustin.
“On the 5th Haiyan commemoration event, Baby proudly declared – her eyes beaming with joy – that in her region alone there were more than 3,500 hectares, 301 patents covering 322 hectares distributed benefiting thousands and thousands of farmers. But then she said there was even more urgent work ahead: the National Housing Authority shelter scandal and corruption; the sustainability of recently acquired lands which her Rights Katarungan team showed to the Canadian delegation in February when they visited Carigara and Barugo communities how these integrated organic farming can be replicated and so on,” he added.
Her tireless campaign led into the successful installation of 31 member-farmers of Bugho Farmers Association in their 25-hectare land in Ormoc after their 16 years of struggles.
“We honor Rina Reyes and celebrate her wondrous life and noble contribution to social change movements to transform and improve the lives of the poor in rural communities,” Agustin said.
She will be cremated on July 6.
(RONALD O. REYES)
OCD leads month-long national disaster resilience observance
TACLOBAN CITY- The Office of Civil Defense(OCD) here in the region has lined up activities for this month’s national disaster resilience observation.
The month-long activity started with a motorcade around the city’s main streets in the morning on July 1 followed by a media briefing during the ‘Kapihan sa PIA” in the afternoon.
The following day, July 2, a coastal clean-up drive was held at Barangay 88,Fisherman’s Village.
Last July 3, a mangrove and beach forest planting and nurturing activity was held at Barangay San Isidro, this city.
On July 7, a Run for Resilience will start 4:00 am at tarmac area of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.
Poster-Making & Essay Writing Contest 11:00 am at Summit Hotel, Tacloban City on July 13.
A forum on disaster resilience will be held on July 16 at the Leyte Academic Center at 8 am.
Then on July 21-26, a regional rescue jamboree will be held at University at Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar.
A culminating activity will be held on July 31.
Henry Torres, officer-in-charge of the OCD-8, encourages the public to get involve to the activities lined up relative to the month-long event.
(MARIA JESSA G. MOCORRO, Student Intern,Asian Development Foundation College)
DICT launches Tec4Ed in Catbalogan City
CATBALOGAN CITY – The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) launched the Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (Tech4ED) at the City Hall building of this city.
The launching,held last Wednesday(July 3),was graced by Mayor Dexter Uy and DICT Visayas Cluster Field Operations Officer Engr. Eleazar Badrina.
The Tech4ED is a project of the DICT that provides access to individuals and communities bridging them to the digital education, promoting inclusive growth and poverty reduction by providing opportunities for employment and empowering entrepreneurs, as well as give the community access to information, communication and technology.
It also allows the marginalized sector like the youth sector and the persons with disabilities (PWDs) access to digital opportunities to get education and gain employment to help them improve their families’ well-being.
“This program is available to all sectors. For those who can’t be accommodated in this center, we also have a training center where they can visit and avail this program,” Badrina said.
“We hope that the mayor will support this partnership because this program suits to millennials like him,” Badrina added.
Mayor Uy signified his total support to the program which he said will give better opportunities to his people have better access to digital education.
“It aims to empower the people through various skills trainings and learning opportunities. It enables access to crucial ICT services and resources and transform the quality of lives of the Filipinos,” the youthful mayor said.
“Not all LGUs can receive this platform and Catbalogan City is fortunate to be chosen by the DICT. With this, I encourage everyone to make use of this opportunity,” he added.
There are six segments where DICT’s Tech4ED can achieve their goals, there are through eEduSkills which enable education seekers to gain a high school diploma through informal education; eAssist which will provides digital and employment opportunities to vulnerable groups and marginalized communities;eAssess that will provides students with the industry partnerships that will provide them evaluations for job-readiness;mAgri which will empower farmers, cooperatives, agribusiness, and food processors by helping them obtain real time information price in the market;eMarketplace that will enable new competitors in the market specifically from rural communities and eGovServ that could provide citizens with the necessary government services and information.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)