TACLOBAN CITY-Anti-narcotics operatives and local police arrested on Wednesday (September 29) a prison guard for alleged selling and possession of illegal drugs in Carigara, Leyte.
The suspect was identified as Ricardito Javines, 54, and listed as a high-value target (HVT) of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Purchased from the suspect was a sachet believed to be containing shabu, while confiscated from his possession were 5 grams of suspected shabu worth 34,000, and a P1,000 bill used as buy-bust money, police said in the report.
The documentation and inventory of confiscated pieces of drug evidence were held at the place of arrest in the presence of the suspect.
Representatives from the barangay, Department of Justice, and media also witnessed the documentation and inventory, it added.
On September 27, PDEA and police operatives apprehended another HVT in Carigara.
The suspect was identified as Edsil Brier, a resident of the said town.
Confiscated during the operation were several sachets of shabu weighing 5 grams with an estimated market value of P35,000, according to PDEA.
Cases for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are now being prepared for filing in court against the suspects.
(RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY-Joint police operatives arrested a 27-year-old pastor for two counts of rape and child abuse charges in Barangay San Isidro, Mahaplag, Leyte Wednesday(September 29).
The accused was identified as Wennie “Pastor Wennie” Oghayon, single, and a resident of the said barangay.
Authorities identified him as Top 1 most wanted person in Leyte province.
Judge Carlos Arguelles, presiding officer of Regional Trial Court-Branch 14 in Baybay City, did not recommend bail to the accused for the rape case, while P200,000 bail bond was recommended for each case of violation of Section 5 (b) of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as “An Act Providing For Stronger Deterrence And Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation And Discrimination, And For Other Purposes.”
The operating units were the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Northern Leyte Provincial Field Office (CIDG-NLPFU) led by Major Duane Francis Ducducan, Regional Intelligence Unit-8 led by Major Delfin Tan, Northern Leyte Maritime Police led by Major Glenn Michael Amoyen, Northern Leyte PHPT led by Master Sergeant Amancio Diola Jr, Leyte Provincial Intelligence Unit led by Lieutenant Colonel Dinvir Revita, and Mahaplag Municipal Police Station headed by Captain Rodolfo Renomeron.
Police brought the accused to the station for documentation and was subsequently brought to CIDG-NLPFU for proper disposition prior to turn-over to the court of origin.(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – Around 1,118 tourism workers here in the region are now fully vaccinated while 663 had already received their first dose of virus against the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19).
These vaccinated workers are employed to the 389 hotels and resorts across the region that have already resumed their operations during this time of pandemic.
The Department of Tourism (DOT) in the region says that there are still 2,104 tourism workers who are still waiting to be vaccinated with 272 are still undecided.
Karina Rosa Tiopes, DOT regional director, said that part of their strategy to encourage those who remain hesitant to get the jab is to talk to them and encourage them to be vaccinated for their own good, in particular.
“Having them vaccinated is also a way of protecting ourselves,” she said.
To increase the number of tourism workers that gets the vaccine, Tiopes said that they are asking local government units to allocate a certain portion of their vaccines for tourism workers.
Tiopes added that Secretary Bernadette Puyat had also promised to provide an allocation of Covid-19 vaccines for all tourism workers in the country.
According to Tiopes, having more tourism workers getting vaccines would boost confidence for tourists to resume travels and visit to tourist destinations thereby helping the circulation of money that helps in improving the local economy.
In Samar province, 26% of the 350 tourism workers in the province are already fully or partially vaccinated.
The province, during the celebration of World Tourism Day 2021 on Tuesday(Sept.28) inoculated  61 individuals who are members of people’s organizations running community-based tourism in the towns of Paranas and Basey, and tourism facility workers in Catbalogan City.
The inoculation drive was also graced by Samar Governor Reynolds Michael Tan, Rep.Sharee Ann Tan (2nd district), and Catbalogan City Mayor Dexter Uy.
The vaccination of tourism workers in the province gives signal that Samar is already ready to welcome the arrival of tourist, according to Gov.Tan.
“Hopefully with this, we can now fully resume the operation of tourism activities in Samar,” he said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)