TACLOBAN CITY-Four persons, one of them a minor, were arrested on Thursday (Feb. 23) in Catbalogan City, Samar for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl.

The arrested persons who only identified by the police on their aliases as ‘Macmac’, 26; ‘Mar’, 22; ‘Jimbo,’ 20; and ‘Bong’, 15 were all charged with statutory rape and an additional one for Macmac for violation of RA 9995, or The Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009.

The four suspects were arrested in their village in Payao with the help of some residents, city police chief Lt. Col. Edwin Oloan, Jr. said.

It was learned that the rape incident happened on November 27 of last year near an elementary school in Payao.

Prior to the incident, the 14-year-old girl was invited by her girlfriend for a drinking spree but was brought to a beach instead where the four suspects were waiting.

The girl, who was already under the influence of liquor, was then dragged by the four suspects near a school where she was repeatedly raped with one of them, Macmac, taking some videos while she was being sexually abused.

The video was later uploaded by Macmac which was seen by the victim’s parents.
The suspects are now detained at the lock-up facility of the Catbalogan city police while the 14-year old girl was placed under the care of the city social welfare and development office. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY-Four sachets containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu were recovered from a man working as a job order at the municipal government of Tanauan, Leyte.

The suspect, Jerson Vencito,35, was arrested in a buy-bust operation by the personnel of the drug enforcement team of the local police on Thursday (Feb.23) at about 3:48 pm inside the town’s public cemetery in Barangay San Miguel.

Charges of violations of R.A. 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is now detained at the Tanauan police station.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– A four-hour power interruption hit some areas in this city’s commercial center on Monday (Feb.20) after an electric post collapsed.

The electric post of the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco) II that collapsed was located in the streets of Salazar and Gomez which crews from the power utility immediately worked on.

Christopher Garcia, institutional services department manager of Leyeco II, said that cables from telecommunication companies attached to the pole was the cause why it wrecked.
He said that it is hard to pull out and replace the electricity post unless the telecom companies will help them.

“Naghuhulat nala kami hadto han mga telcos nga tanggalon an era mga nagpaka-attached nga cables, pero kay diri man namon iton mababalyuan not unless tanggalon gud ito nira,” Garcia said.

He also assured that in case there are complaints about the electric post, Leyeco engineers will inspect them immediately.(ELLA MAE RITA, LNU Student Intern)

ORMOC CITY-An abandoned illegally cut timber was recovered by the local police of Matalom, Leyte on Tuesday (Feb. 21).

The 304.15 board feet logs were recovered at about 11 am in Barangay Templanza, five kms away from the town proper, the police said.

The police said that they received information that an undetermined number of different sizes of suspected Molave trees were discovered near the barangay road of Templanza.
The local police immediately proceeded to the area where they discovered 120 pieces of different lumber sizes of Molave trees left covered with leaves.

The local police immediately confiscated the abandoned forest products. (ROBERT DEJON)

BORONGAN CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways – Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH-ESDEO) implemented the installation of solar studs along the national roads in Eastern Samar last year with the total appropriation of P197.5 million, funded under the Convergence and Special Support Program of the department based on General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2022.

DPWH ESDEO has two contract projects for the installation of around 20,400 pieces of solar studs that light the estimated 61.2 kilometers centerline of the road.

Tony Lor, a van driver with route from Borongan City to Arteche town, says that the installed solar studs are a big help to drivers like him that travel during night time, and even during rainy days wherein the road is not visible.

“Maupay ga iton nga solar studs kay iton dako iton nga bulig hit mga driver labi na ngin maraot it panahon, makusog it uran. Asya nala it amon ginkikita iton nga solar [That solar studs is a big relief to the drivers especially during bad weather and heavy rains. It helps us see the road path],” said Lor.

DPWH Eastern Samar District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia said that solar studs are solar cell-powered LED lighting devices embedded in the centerline of the road surfaces as an alternative to the traditional cats’ eyes.

“The solar studs automatically charge during daylight and activate at night time to help drivers anticipate the road path,” said DE Junia.

She also disclosed that Eastern Samar DEO has already installed road studs in the previous years along road sections in Can-avid, Maydolong, Balangkayan, Salcedo, Quinapondan, and Borongan City that are accident-prone areas under the routine maintenance program of the department.

“Now, the installation of 20,400 solar studs is our initial implementation of lighting up the whole national road of Eastern Samar with solar studs,” said DE Junia.

The District engineer also said that the installation of solar studs will improve the quality and safety of the road network in Eastern Samar for the benefit of the travelling public.
The two contract projects is now fully installed along the national roads of Eastern Samar to guide the travelling public of the province. (PR)