TACLOBAN CITY-The airstrike in Las Navas, Northern Samar is in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law, contrary to allegations of groups associated with the CPP-NPA, Major General Pio Q. Diñoso III, commander of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Catbalogan City, told the Philippine Information Agency.
M/Gen. Diñoso underscored that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is the protector of the people and will never put the lives of Filipinos in danger.
“The operation was planned meticulously and executed precisely to ensure that only the terrorist camp is destroyed in order to stop the bomb making activities of the NPA and also to stop them from further terrorizing helpless civilians,” Diñoso added.
The NPA encampment, Diñoso explained, was a bomb-making camp of the terrorists. Bomb components such as anti-tank mines, blasting caps, wires, etc., were found at the site.
The lair was a hiding place of rebel terrorists after attacks on military bases and soldiers doing community protection patrols.
The place was laced with booby traps of explosives not only fatal to foot soldiers but also to civilians.
Moreover, Diñoso disclosed that the site was in an uninhabited part of the town, about 2 kilometers away from the nearest community of Brgy. Caputoan. Civilians were prevented by the rebels to go near.
Besides, the precision bombs were released by pilots who have visuals of their targets to ensure no collateral damage is inflicted.
Information about the NPA lair have been provided by nearby residents themselves who have been victims of extortion, threats and intimidation by these NPA terrorists, Diñoso said. (OPT/PIA-8)
Airstrike in Las Navas in accordance with International Humanitarian Law
35 houses gutted down in a fire in Seawall District
At least 14 people were hurt in the incident
TACLOBAN CITY- A big fire hit in one of this city’s slum areas on November 2 that injured 14 people as fire authorities have yet to determine the cause of the blaze that gutted down 35 houses.
The more than an hour fire hit Barangay 37, Seawall area, at around 11:10 am with fire authorities declaring a fire out at 12:15 noon.
FO3 Jonald Lace, fire investigator of the City Fire Office, said that they have yet to know the cause of the fire that gutted down 35 houses which were mostly made of light materials.
He said that based on their initial investigation, the fire started at two-storey boarding house owned by Regina Orgena who was not around at the time of the incident.
“Our investigation is still ongoing so we cannot categorically say what was the cause of the fire incident. The fire spread quickly because the houses were mostly made of light materials and aided with strong winds,” Lace said.
The area is located within the city’s port area.
Damage to the fire incident has yet to be determine.
Village councilor Cris Abadines said that based on the information she gathered from the residents, the fire could have been ignited by an unattended rice cooker left by boarders identified as Rez Abuya and Marvin Lucas.
Lace, however, said that based on his investigation to both Abuya and Lucas, they denied that they left the rice cooker when they leave the boarding at around 6 am.
The fire incident resulted to the injury of 14 people, mostly lacerations. But one of them, Aldren Ocado,25, suffered a first-degree burn who was immediately received treatment from a medical staff from the City Health Office.
Rosanna Galangue, 45, said that she was cleaning their house when she heard loud of screams that a fire engulfed their village.
“I immediately ran away from our house, bringing nothing as I grabbed my daughter Riza Mae,” she said.
Olive Solayao, meanwhile, said that she was preparing to visit their departed loved ones at the city public cemetery when the fire broke out.
“We hurriedly left our house with just our clothes on,” the 41-year old mother said.
At that time, she was with her mother, Marina, 65; siblings Emilyn, 38 and Erwin, 42; and her daughter Lyka Mae, 7.
The affected residents, for the meantime, will be accommodated at the barangay hall.
The City Social and Development Office immediately provided food packs to fire victims.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Eastern Samar district engineering office procures world-class surveying instruments
BORONGAN CITY-To improve planning and surveying capabilities of the district, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) procured 1-unit high end surveying instruments amounting to P2.6 million.
Manolo A. Rojas, ESDEO District Engineer, said that the district procured one unit Topcon Real Time Kinematic (RTK) which will help to fast track the preparation of plans during pre-detailed engineering activities.
DE Rojas said Eastern Samar DEO is a first-class district engineering office in Region VIII which implements high volume of projects amounting to billions of pesos, hence modern technology is highly needed to implement infra projects on time schedule and done it with accuracy.
“Eastern Samar District Engineering Office is committed to implement quality infra projects. With this new technology, we will now enhance our planning and design processes to better serve the interest of stakeholders’’, DE Rojas added.
According to Arturo C. Apura, chief of the planning and design section, the new RTK improves the efficiency and accuracy of survey works, decreases the manpower needed and reduces the working days in the field.
“This is a big help to our engineers to come up with a more accurate survey and decrease the risks of errors and problems,” said Engr. Apura.
Engr. Apura said the current operational survey instruments in the district are 2-unit RTKs and 3-unit total stations which are all operational.
Real Time Kinematic (RTK) position is a satellite navigation technique used to enhance the precision derived from satellite Systems (Global Navigation Satellites, GNSS) such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Total Station instrument is used to measure distances, angles and coordinates. (PR)
Cop commits suicide inside a hotel in Catarman
TACLOBAN CITY- A police officer reportedly killed himself using his service firearm inside a hotel in Catarman, Northern Samar on Sunday evening.
Patrolman Willard Jann Castillo, 27, was found dead at the lobby of RBVD Hotel located in JP Rizal and Quirino Streets, Catarman, where he stayed with his father who was not identified on the report reaching the regional headquarter of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Palo town, Leyte province,said.
Castillo who was from Capul town, also in the same province but was assigned at the 1st Northern Samar Mobile Force Company based in Allen town of the same province was found dead at about 6:45 pm by the responding policemen from the Catarman police station.
He said to have committed suicide by shooting his head using his own service firearm.
It was learned that Castillo entered the police force in 2015 but September of this year, he took a leave of absence for medical reason.
He was to report on Monday (Nov. 4) to the Provincial Personnel Holding Administration Unit (PPHAU) at the provincial PNP headquarter.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
‘Yolanda’ survivors visit loved ones buried at the mass grave
TACLOBAN CITY-Its been six years now but families of those who perished when super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ pummeled this city continue to long and miss them.
And during the observance of the All Saints and All Souls Days, they visited the mass grave where those who died due to Yolanda were entombed.
Nine-year old Nathalia, who declined to give her family name, said that she misses her mother, among those who died when their village in Alimasag, San Jose district, was pummeled by the world’s strongest typhoon to hit inland on November 8,2013.
“I really miss my mother. I just wished she was still around so everything will be okay,’ she said.
Aside from her mother, also killed were her three sisters.
Juanito Martinez, 54, said that he never fail to visit the graveyard of his wife and children who were also buried at the mass grave located in Barangay Basper.
‘Visiting the mass grave has been part of our lives. I miss my wife and children. I still cry (for them),”he said.
Martinez lost his wife Gina and three children, Bernadeth,9; Ma. Riza,8; and Margarita,7 due to Yolanda.
He said that while he misses his wife and children, his only consolation was he and his six other children survived the onslaught of Yolanda.
“I am sad that this happened to our family but still I am asking my wife to help me heal and be strong for my children,” he said.
The mass grave is where more than 2,200 people were buried by the city government who died due to Yolanda.
(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)
Residents of Community of Hope Village receive assistance from CCT, OB
TACLOBAN CITY-Some 40 residents of the Community of Hope Village received livelihood assistance from the Center for Community Transformation (CCT) in partnership with Operation Blessing (OB).
The turn-over ceremony of the livelihood assistance was held on Tuesday (October 29) at the sprawling 6-hectare village for ‘Yolanda’ survivors in Brgy. 103 Palanog, this city.
Guests of honor during the launching were Executive Vice President and Chief operating officer of CBN Asia and President of Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines Peter Kairuz, and 700 Club Asia’s Alex Tinsay.
Also present was the chairman of the CCT Credit Cooperative Professor Ron Chua.
The first batch of beneficiaries comprises 10 families per livelihood project, namely farming, piggery, poultry and fish pond.
The seed capital for the livelihood undertaking was provided by CCT, and profits from the venture will be equitably shared by the member-beneficiaries said a source from the CCT.
OB started the Community of Hope Village in 2015 as a permanent housing program for families displaced by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. The village is currently home to 93 households. (CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)