ORMOC CITY– The Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the local police in Carigara, Leyte has successfully apprehended a newly identified drug peddler in their ongoing campaign to address the drug problem in their area.
The arrest occurred at approximately 8:10 am on Thursday, May 1, in Brgy. Barugohay Central, Carigara.
Carigara Chief of Police Major Reymund Quinagutan identified the suspect as a 52-year-old, unemployed, married man known by the alias “Hudas,” a resident of Brgy. Jugaban, said municipality.
Recovered from the suspect’s possession was a sachet containing a white crystalline substance, believed to be shabu, which was sold to an undercover operative for P500.
During a body search conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, officers found a black coin purse containing five additional sachets of the same substance, along with a P500 bill and coins of various denominations.
Authorities estimated the total weight of the confiscated drugs at 0.50 grams, with an approximate Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of P3,400.
The suspect faces charges for violations of Sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) under Article II of RA 9615, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The case has been filed with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, and the suspect is currently detained at the Carigara Municipal Police Station’s locked-up cell.
TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 66 students from this city began their 20-day summer employment on Monday, May 5, under the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES), a joint initiative of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Public Employment Service Office (PESO).
The program aims to provide short-term employment to economically disadvantaged students, allowing them to earn income and gain work experience during school breaks.
Each participant will receive a daily wage of P615, with 60 percent shouldered by the local government and 40 percent by DOLE. Their employment period will run until May 26.
According to Maureen Paciencia-Severino, labor and employment officer I of PESO, the students were assigned to various government offices based on their interests or academic backgrounds. Their tasks include assisting in administrative work, accommodating clients, and supporting frontline services.
Before deployment, the students underwent orientation sessions and participated in a community clean-up drive, sign language training, and a team-building activity.
Severino said the program is designed not only to provide financial aid but also to help participants develop workplace discipline, skills, and a sense of civic responsibility.
To qualify, applicants must be residents of Tacloban, currently enrolled in senior high school up to third-year college, and belong to households classified below the poverty threshold. A certificate of indigence is also required.
More batches of student workers are expected to be deployed under the program later this year.
MALACAÑANG PROBE. LMWD general manager Ronnie Cornico give his full support on the move of Malacanang to conduct an investigation on numerous complaints against the Prime Water which is also managing the water facility in Tacloban City and seven towns.
MALACAÑANG PROBE. LMWD general manager Ronnie Cornico give his full support on the move of Malacanang to conduct an investigation on numerous complaints against the Prime Water which is also managing the water facility in Tacloban City and seven towns.
TACLOBAN CITY – Water concessionaires in this city welcomed the move of Malacañan Palace to order an investigation into the operations of PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation (PWIC), following mounting complaints of poor service quality.
“It would be good if this investigation pushes through—maybe we’ll finally get some help,” said Lorna Sabusao, a resident of Kapuso Village and a PrimeWater customer since 2014. She shared that while water still flows from their faucets, the supply is irregular and sometimes comes out discolored.
“It’s really difficult when there’s no regular water supply—the sink and toilet get filthy,” Sabusao said, adding that despite the unreliable service, her monthly water bill reaches nearly P800.
Jessica Bahinting, a resident of Barangay 106 Sto. Niño, also expressed support for the investigation ordered by Malacañan, saying consumers like her deserve transparency on how PrimeWater computes monthly billing charges.
Bahinting, who sells water atP4 per container, said she was shocked to receive a bill of over P11,000—significantly higher than her previous bill of P8,600—despite experiencing frequent water interruptions in the past month.
PrimeWater entered into a 25-year joint venture agreement with the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) in 2019, with the goal of reducing system losses and improving water service in Tacloban City and the towns of Palo, Sta. Fe, Tanauan, Tolosa, Tabontabon, Dagami, and Pastrana.
The agreement, valued at over P6 billion, covered the financing, development, rehabilitation, expansion, and operation of the water supply and septage management systems.
However, five years into the agreement, LMWD general manager Ronnie Cornico announced that the LMWD Board of Directors had decided to terminate the partnership, citing PrimeWater’s failure to deliver on key service commitments outlined in the contract.
Cornico said several complaints had already been filed with PrimeWater, but these were seemingly ignored. He also emphasized that the investigation ordered by Malacañan is not politically motivated, despite PrimeWater being owned by the Villar family.
“This is not about politics,” Cornico said. “There are just too many customers and water districts raising the same concerns about PrimeWater’s poor service.”
Tingog Party-list Representative Jude Acidre also weighed in, saying President Marcos’ action is a matter of good governance.
“The fact is, it’s a public utility,” Acidre said. “Regardless of who owns or runs the concession, they have a responsibility to ensure regular monitoring and assessment of operations. The president is simply upholding the law.”
Acidre added that being a public utility, PrimeWater should be subject to routine inspections and evaluations—even before problems arise.
TACLOBAN CITY – With concerns of possible election-related violence, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region has intensified security measures in Leyte’s 3rd and 4th congressional districts, deploying additional personnel ahead of the May 12 national and local elections.
On Monday, May 5, the PNP Regional Office deployed 237 personnel across the region to bolster local police forces, secure polling centers, and maintain order during the elections. A significant portion of these reinforcements—104 personnel—were sent to Leyte, with particular focus on its 3rd and 4th districts, which have been flagged as areas of concern.
Brig. Gen. Jay Cumigad, regional police director, said that while the entire region is under watch, the situation in parts of western Leyte demands heightened attention.
“These districts have been classified based on the likelihood of election-related violence. We have increased our security complement in those areas accordingly,” Cumigad said in a press briefing.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed Palompon and Albuera (4th district) and Villaba (3rd district) under the yellow category, which indicates a history of political unrest.
Meanwhile, the towns of Leyte, Calubian, San Isidro, and Tabango in the 3rd district are under the more serious orange category, signaling the presence of armed groups that may attempt to influence the polls.
The concern has grown following a recent slay attempt on Rolan “Kerwin” Espina, a controversial figure and self-confessed drug personality now running for mayor of Albuera—a town under close scrutiny due to its volatile political climate.
To address these risks, the PNP has set up election command centers in critical areas, deployed radio communication systems in far-flung communities with poor signal reception, and installed CCTV cameras in strategic locations for better surveillance.
In addition to the deployed field units, 127 personnel from the Regional Reactionary Standby Support Force (RRSSF) remain on standby, ready for rapid deployment in case of emergencies or unrest in any part of the region.
“We are on full alert. All leaves are cancelled and personnel are in place until the conclusion of the electoral exercise,” Cumigad said.
Authorities have reiterated their commitment to ensuring peaceful, honest, and credible elections, particularly in areas historically prone to political violence.
TACLOBAN CITY – Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan met with Department of Justice (DOJ) Undersecretary Margarita Gutierrez to initiate preparations for the upcoming “Katarungan Caravan” in the province.
Usec. Gutierrez visited Northern Samar on Saturday, May 3, and attended a coordination meeting with officials of the provincial government to discuss the conduct of the caravan, which will be part of the highlights for the Ibabao Festival 2025, the Northern Samar Provincial Information Office (NSPIO) reported.
The Katarungan Caravan, a program led by the DOJ Action Center under Gutierrez’s leadership, aims to bring free legal services and multi-agency government assistance to Nortehanons, especially those in underserved communities.
Among the services offered are legal advice, counseling, preparation of legal documents, and referrals to appropriate government agencies. The initiative is supported by a network of volunteer lawyers and law schools providing pro bono legal aid.
“This initiative reflects the continuing commitment of the provincial government to promote good governance and bring essential services closer to the people,” the NSPIO stated.
The Ibabao Festival, a month-long celebration marking the province’s founding anniversary, will begin on May 18 and culminate on June 19, the official foundation day of Northern Samar.
This year, the province is celebrating its 60th founding anniversary.
TACLOBAN CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the region is ramping up its final preparations to ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the upcoming national midterm elections, according to Regional lawyer Krishna Athena Elardo.
Elardo reported that the deployment of vote counting machines (VCMs) to various schools designated as polling precincts across the region is already underway and expected to be completed by Monday, May 12, election day.
“All official ballots have already been delivered 100% to the offices of the municipal and city treasurers,” Elardo said, adding that technical hubs have been set up to troubleshoot any potential issues that may arise during the elections.
The commission has conducted coordination meetings with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to ensure the technical hubs are properly manned and operational.
Last Tuesday, May 6, the Comelec also held simultaneous final testing and sealing of VCMs across the region to confirm their functionality before election day.
A total of 5,607 VCMs are scheduled for deployment across Eastern Visayas, with additional backup machines on standby in case of technical glitches during the voting process.
“With all preparations in place, our office is more than ready for the conduct of the elections,” Elardo assured.
