TACLOBAN CITY- A 22-year old woman was repeatedly stabbed by her 23-year old boyfriend with jealousy eyed by crime operatives as the motive of the grisly incident here in the city.
Killed was Ma. Donabelle Boco who sustained 18 stab wounds from his boyfriend, Ronnel Maraginot, who used a kitchen knife in carrying his crime at Barangay 6-A, Santo Niño Ext., at about 12:30 pm Thursday (Sept.20).
Based on their initial investigation, prior to the incident, Boco and her boyfriend had an argument over the phone.
Later, Maraginot went to the boarding house of the victim who was later found dead just meters away from where she lived.
Maraginot killed his girlfriend in the fit of jealousy and when he realized that he murdered his girlfriend, he stabbed his own self, hitting his lungs.
Boco, who was from Hernani, Eastern Samar and working in one of the business establishments in the city, died on the spot due to the several stab wounds she sustained from her boyfriend, who is from Palo, Leyte and works as a service crew in one of the fast food chains here in the city.
Maraginot, meantime, is still confined at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) due to the self-inflicted injury he sustained.
Chief Inspector Steve Castillote III, chief of police of the city police station II, said in an interview that the suspect will be charged with murder if he survives the operation.
It was learned that the remains of the victim were collected by her elder sister.
Boco was reported to take a teachers’ board this month and survived when their town was hit by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ that claimed the lives of her parents. (EMILY MONTALLANA, LNU Student Intern)
Crime of passion: young woman killed by jealous boyfriend
EMB-8 encourages public to sustain voluntary clean-up of waterways in Eastern Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY- The regional Environmental Management Bureau (EMB-8) is encouraging everyone to sustain the voluntary clean-up of water bodies in Eastern Visayas.
EMB Regional Director Letecia Maceda told Leyte Samar Daily Express that her office is encouraging everyone not to throw whatever garbage or trash to the coastal or freshwater water bodies.
Maceda said that everyone, in sense of voluntarism, should help clean-up of our water bodies and pick up thrash or garbage thrown into the rivers, creeks or coastal areas.
She issued her appeal to the public after EMB-8 successfully led thousands of volunteers during a simultaneous clean-up of major waterways of the region on September 16, 2017, during the celebration of International Coastal Clean-up Weekend and the National Clean-up Month, in cooperation with the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. – Bantay Kalikasan (ALKFIBK) tagged under the theme: “Sama-sama para sa Malinis na Karagatan.”
The synchronized regional coastal cleanup was joined by around 5,000 people from various sectors.
In Tacloban City alone, more than a thousand of volunteers gathered along the stretch of Mangonbangon River, and the coastal areas of Panalaron, Cancabato, and San Pedro Bays. Approximately, 26 tons of segregated solid wastes were collected from the above water bodies.
Another important highlight of the day was the signing of the ‘pledge of commitment’ to actively take part in all activities relating to the protection of our environment especially the water resources.
Some of the participants shared their testimonies and best experiences during the clean-up, expressing their appreciation of the noble purpose of said activity. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
DOH: Registry needed for drug rehab graduates
TACLOBAN CITY- In a bid to stop the recurrence of drug abuse, the Department of Health (DOH) will come up with a database of drug surrenderees who have completed rehabilitation.
DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said they have been consulting with the World Health Organization and other international non-government organizations to establish the registry.
“Through the database, they can be monitored easily by health professionals anywhere in the Philippines,” Ubial said during a press briefing Thursday (Sept.21) at the Tacloban City Convention Center here.
Ubial was in the city as the guest of the Change Summit 2017, highlighting the collective effort of various sectors to stop illegal drugs in the city.
Ubial said it will take time to complete the registry, taking into consideration the public stigma towards former drug dependents.
She declined to disclose the timetable to complete the registry.
“We have to be very careful to protect the privacy of drug users,” Ubial said.
The government will also tie up with the United States Agency for International Development and Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Citing latest reports, the official said at least 2,563 drug users have been treated through state-run Treatment and Rehabilitation Centers (TRC) nationwide since last year.
About 1.36 million drug personalities have turned themselves in as of July 2017. The health department estimated that 13,000 of them require treatment inside health facilities.
Ubial said the government is addressing the need for rehabilitation centers. Construction of eight mega TRC is now ongoing funded by the government and private donors. The P2.6 billion projects will be completed before the year ends.
The existing TRCs have a combined bed capacity of 6,000, way below than the need for 13,000 beds based on the number of surrenderers.
The DOH is eyeing additional 4,000 beds after the completion of eight facilities.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
Masseur falls to Ormoc city police
ORMOC CITY- A masseur was arrested by police authorities here after hiding for almost three years in Quezon province.
Jason Dapola, 25, was arrested on Monday (September 18) at their house in Barangay Lao, this city, as he was alleged to have committed rape in January, 2014.
His arrest was done by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Girlie Borrel-Yu, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 35, Ormoc City issued on December, 2016.
The court did not recommend bail for the temporary liberty of Dapola.
Supt. Joel Camacho, chief of the City Public Safety Company (CPSC), said that the arrest of Dapola was the result of the directive of Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, police regional director, to arrest suspects who have outstanding warrants of arrest.
It was learned that Dapola, who is an orphan, went into hiding in Quezon province after the alleged rape took place.
But Dapola denied that he raped his alleged victim, also a resident of Brgy.Lao.
“I am wondering why I was charged when I only showed gratitude by escorting her home”, the suspect said.
He narrated that it was the victim’s mother who filed the case against him.
He also said that he went into hiding after he learned that a warrant was issued against him but decided to return to Brgy. Lao after he was persuaded by his relatives to answer the complaint filed against him. (ELVIE RAMON-ROA)
Leyte town mayor asks NHA to hasten construction of housing units for ‘Yolanda’ survivors
SAN MIGUEL, Leyte- More than 1,000 housing units are needed in this town for the relocation of residents living along the five coastal communities and identified as danger and flood-prone areas.
However, the National Housing Authority (NHA) only allocated 117 housing units for the town, Mayor Cheeryl Enrica Esperas said.
“May be we’re less priority because of the number they allocated to us but our residents badly need these housing units for them to have a safe house to stay during rainy and typhoon season,” Esperas said.
“I hope that they can prioritize us now,” she added.
Esperas said that they want that all relocation sites should be within or at least near where the beneficiaries get their sources of income to avoid being economically dislocated.
The town mayor disclosed that the bidding for the construction of housing units in San Miguel held at the central office of NHA failed with the second bidding has yet to be calendared.
And if this second bidding will fail again, they might ask the NHA for them to do the construction of these housing units, Esperas said.
“If downloading the fund is the only way for the project to be implemented, we don’t have any choice but to accept the challenge and we will coordinate with the NHA and (the) Commission on Audit,” Esperas said.
Almost four years since super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ battered San Miguel, only 86 families were relocated to their permanent housing units located in Barangay Cayare.
The housing units were donated by the San Miguel Corporation and implemented by the Habitat for Humanity.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
S. Leyte gets P375-M for asphalt overlay
MAASIN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) field office here will embark on a P375 million asphalt overlay project for major thoroughfares in the province constructed more than four decades back.
Recently, the Road Board approved the budget for major asphalt overlay in Southern Leyte for roads with pavements that started peeling off or scaling and forming potholes that pose danger to motorists.
DPWH Southern Leyte District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia said they received the special allotment release order(Saro) for the P375 million asphalt overlay from the Road Board meant for four road sections with damaged pavements.
Asphalt overlay is a paving method of applying a new layer of asphalt to a deteriorating surface.
These projects are the P150 million asphalt overlay in Sogod, P150 million in Liloan, P40 million in Macrohon, and another P35 million also in Liloan town.
“The major concern now of the department is the safety of the travellers, so we are working double-time for a faster implementation of these asphalt projects,” Junia said.
Aside from the above-mentioned budget, another P48 million fund was initially approved for the same road works near the tall Agas-Agas Bridge in Sogod town.
The Road Board also approved P16 million additional fund for the thermoplastic painting of this road section.
The major asphalt overlay is seen to provide a safer and convenient flow of traffic in the said road sections and will improve the road rating of the province, monitored and evaluated by the Road Board.
Established under Republic Act 8794, the Road Board is mandated to ensure the efficient utilization of the Road User’s Tax, a special fund solely used for road maintenance and improvement of road drainage, installation of efficient traffic lights and road safety devices, and air pollution control. (PR)