AUTHORITIES formally filed a criminal complaint against a 19-year-old student who falsely reported and spread fake news about being a “victim” of an alleged white van kidnapping incident in Naval, Biliran.

The suspect, a college student and a resident of Cabucgayan town said the incident happened at about 2:40 p.m. on August 20, 2022, at Barangay Santissimo Rosario Poblacion, Naval.

However, a series of in-depth investigations conducted by Naval Municipal Police Station showed that the kidnapping incident was “all made-up and fabricated considering the inconsistencies of the statements given by the alleged suspect.”

Witnesses and CCTV footage also revealed that no kidnapping incident happened on the said time and date.

“Please avoid spreading news or information that is unverified and would mislead, deceive, and cause fear to the public,” said Colonel Dionisio Apas Jr., acting director of Biliran Police Provincial Office.

“Be more cautious when posting and sharing in social media, and always fact-check the authenticity of reports posted on social media so as not to fall victim to misinformation and disinformation,” added Apas.

The police official also lauded the Naval police personnel, headed by Major Ryan Delima, for the filing of a criminal complaint on September 13, 2022.

The suspect is facing a complaint for violation of Article 154 paragraph 1 of Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act (RA) 10951, or Consummated Unlawful Use Of Means Of Publication And Unlawful Utterances) in relation to section 6 of RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
(Ronald O. Reyes)

CATBALOGAN CITY — “All set and ready to go.”

The 10th Rurumba Adventure Race this coming September 21-24, 2022 hosted by the provincial government of Northern Samar via its Provincial Tourism Office is now all set.
Governor Edwin Ongchuan said the event is very fun aimed “to promote sports tourism in the province”.

The governor believes that by holding this event, not only the sports among the young ones are promoted but also the tourist destinations are highlighted.

Started 10 years ago, the “Rurumba” was consistently co-organized by the Northern Samar Outdoor Federation, Inc (NSOF), Northern Samar Trailblazers, Inc. (NOSTRA) with partner municipalities of San Jose (Mayor Damian Luzon), Allen (Mayor Joey Suan) and Lavezares (Mayor Editho Saludaga) towns.

NOSTRA president Engr. Eliseo Allado and race director Anavil Lou Balanon said that as early as of September 16, “all system go (na kami)” as far as preparation is concerned.
In a publicly shared photos, several stand-alone tarps indicating control points, directions, mechanics and guidelines were seen on standby mode ready to get to assigned places.
Posters, event shirts, event IDs as well as giveaways from various sponsors are almost ready (now).

Marshalls, race coordinators, event support groups, rescue volunteers as well as the barangay LGUs and PNP were already briefed to guide and secure the participating adventure racers passing in their areas.

NSOF President Engr. Noel Obrar, who also served as Route Setter, told The Express that as of Friday, at least 16 teams are confirmed and ready to race and get dirty.

The Official Race date is on September 23rd and 24th but as early as September 20, many sprint race participants and its support teams / clubs will troop to Northern Samar to set up basecamp.

Engr. Obrar said each participating team will be given their race kits.

The following are confirmed Race Teams for this year’s Adventure Race.

1. TEAM DIRT – Tacloban City; 2. THE NORTH CAMPERS – Northern Samar; 3. THE HAPPY CAMPERS – Northern Samar; 4. TEAM DIRTIER – Tacloban City; 5. PALAPAG SIERRA – Northern Samar; 6. TEAM HAGANAS – (Western) Samar; 7. TEAM ILAJAS – Northern Samar; 8. LSC KAKIRAY – Northern Samar; 9. TEAM WILDER – mixed NS and Tacloban; 10. TEAM BERA – mixed NS and Tacloban; 11. TEAM IMMORTALS – PNP NS; 12. CAPUL ISLANDERS – Northern Samar; 13. TEAM CABIAS – Northern Samar; 14. PITAD ABAKNON – Northern Samar; 15. ISLAND CHARM – Northern Samar; 16. TEAM DISASTER – Northern Samar

Each team from various outdoor and mountaineering groups will try to out-scoop or test the skills and endurance capability of their competitors in terms of biking, hiking, running, swimming, land navigation and some surprise cultural tasks to be assign to them by the organizers.

Of the 16 teams, two teams from Tacloban City (Team Dirt and Team Dirtier) are among those that the spectators considered as “seasoned” racers as they already experience participating in both domestic and international adventure races.

Among the competing teams, only One Team represent Samar Province via Team Haganas from the Samar Mountaineering and Outdoor Club, Inc.

SAMOC’s entry, in an earlier media interviews, said they joined “just to have fun, meet new friends and gain experience in racing.”

Most of the racing teams are dominated by local racers courtesy of Northern Samar – based outdoor clubs.

Notably, one team – the “Team Immortals” are from Northern Samar Philippine National Police.

The race, also dubbed as “Carrera de Balicuatro con Carangian” is a 32-hour non-stop multi-discipline race that will pass through the barangays of Allen, Lavezares and SanJose, all in Northern Samar.

“The most challenging part of the race is the land navigation as participants need to locate a certain control points using only their knowledge in compass reading. One false reading (of the map) may mean losing their track,” said Obrar.

“A minute of mistake in calculation, or a delay in swimming, biking and running will result to a teams’ defeat. So, each team is expected not to stop the adrenaline rush for 32 long hours,” Obrar added.

Meanwhile, an official of the Northern Samar Provincial Tourism Office (NSPTO), said the event will coincide with the global observance of the World Tourism Day on September 27th.

For two consecutive years, the Rurumba Adventure Race bagged the 1st Runner Up as “Pearl Award for Best Sports Tourism Category” in the year 2018 and 2019.

For this year’s event, the province of Northern Samar made it more bigger, wider in distance, more challenging but with bigger prizes and rewards.

The province thru Gov. Edwin Ongchuan and the SP alloted a sumptous cash award of Champion P10,000 for the 2nd runner-up; P15,000 for the 1st runner-up and P25, 000 for the Grand Champion.

Finishers, according to organizers, will be given medals, certificate, a free beer during socials, and some surprise items for lucky raffle winners. (Pubmat courtesy of Rurumba Organizers)
(RICKY J. BAUTISTA)

ORMOC CITY-The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Naval, Biliran province lodged a criminal complaint against a 19-year-old woman who earlier claimed that she was kidnapped by a group of men on board a white van.

The police filed before the Prosecutor’s Office last Tuesday(Sept.13) against the teener for violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code which refers to unlawful use of means of publication and unlawful utterances and for cybercrime under RA 10175.

The charges filed against her stemmed from her earlier claims that she was forcibly boarded in a white van by a group of armed men in Barangay Santissimo Rosario in Naval, the provincial capital, last August 20.

However, three days later, the teener, who is from Cabucgayan town, also in Biliran, recanted saying that she only made up the kidnapping incident as she issued a public apology to the Naval police and to the general public.

“I am sorry. There was no white van. There was no kidnapping. I apologize to the (Naval) police, to the mothers and parents who could have been worried because of what I have done,” she said during her August 23 public apology.

She also said that at that time she was having a ‘personal problem’ with someone and by concocting a kidnapping scenario, that person would rescue and comeback to her.

The local police had earlier conducted an extensive operation to find the teener and with the help and use of witnesses and CCTVs on the area where the alleged incident took place concluded that there was no kidnapping that took place.

They also found inconsistencies on the statements of the teener when she was questioned after she resurfaced and made her public apology.

Police Col. Dionisio Apas, Jr., the provincial director, said that the filing of the charges against the teener should serve as a warning against those who spread fake news that led to fear among the public.

“Please avoid spreading news or information that is unverified and would mislead, deceive, and cause fear to the public. Be more cautious when posting and sharing in social media, and always fact-check the authenticity of reports posted on social media so as not to fall victim to misinformation and disinformation,” he said in a statement.

“We guarantee among our law-abiding citizens that the full force of the law will be imposed against the suspect,” Apas added.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROBERT DEJON)

EV has over 4,300 dengue fever cases so far

TACLOBAN CITY- The mayor of Maasin City in Southern Leyte has called on his people to help them combat against the dengue fever cases.

Mayor Naccional Mercado reported that as of September of this week, Maasin has now 92 dengue fever cases for this year.

About 34 of those down by dengue fever were children the youngest was a one-year old girl.

And for the past 13 days now, Maasin has logged 19 cases of dengue though only one remains confined in a hospital.

No death was recorded in the city due to dengue fever so far.

The city mayor has also called on those with symptoms to see doctors and have a rapid diagnostic test for dengue fever.

“Let’s strengthen our campaign against dengue by practicing the ‘4S laban sa dengue.’ Be reminded to keep our surroundings clean. Search and destroy those mosquito breeding sites to effectively counter dengue,” he said.

The 4S refers to search and destroy of breeding places; observe self-protection measures; seek early consultation; and say no indiscriminate fogging except during an outbreak situation.

As of this week, the province of Southern Leyte has 1,114 dengue fever cases, making it with the highest number of dengue fever cases next to Leyte province which has 1,750 cases.

Southern Leyte, with seven deaths, has also reported of the highest mortality due to dengue fever cases in the region.

The Department of Health has reported of 4,318 dengue fever cases as of this week with 13 total deaths.

Last year, the region had only 520 dengue fever cases with no death reported.
The Department of Health (DOH) in the region has reported of 4,318 dengue fever cases as of this week with 13 deaths. (JOEY A. GABIETA)