TACLOBAN CITY- A firefight between government forces and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) resulted to the discovery and seizure of the rebels’ camp in San Jose de Buan town, Samar province on Wednesday (July 29) afternoon.
The soldiers, belonging to the 87th Infantry Battalion, engaged 50 rebels in firefight for almost four hours that started at about 1:30 pm, the 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan City, also in Samar, said in a statement.
The camp of the rebels could accommodate 100 individuals composed of 34 huts and a kitchen, it said.
The government troops recovered five M-16 assault rifles, hundreds of assorted ammunition, a generator set, electronic gadgets, food, medicines, medical paraphernalia and subversive documents.
No soldier was wounded during the skirmish but authorities believe the NPA terrorists could have suffered numerous wounded.
Brigadier General Camilo Ligayo, the 801st Brigade Commander said acknowledged the help of the residents of the village on their fight against the rebels.
“While the NPA continue to harass and abuse people, our soldiers will be more active in serving the masses. We thank the people and local officials of San Jose de Buan for renewing their support to our legitimate government and denying sanctuary to the NPA,” he said.
Lieutenant Colonel Reynaldo Balido Jr., battalion commander of 87th IB, urged the wounded rebels “to surrender so as to be treated appropriately.”
“There are many cases that their wounded end up dead and they just bury them in shallow graves or worse, they just leave them behind,” said Balido.
Eastern Visayas, particularly the Samar Island, remained a hotbed of insurgency with the continued presence of NPA rebels. (RONALD O.REYES)
About 11 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered to government authorities together with their cache of firearms they used while fighting against government forces. The former rebels were presented to the members of the media on Monday(July 27)at Camp Ruperto Kangleon, the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police(PNP). (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
About 11 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have surrendered to government authorities together with their cache of firearms they used while fighting against government forces. The former rebels were presented to the members of the media on Monday(July 27)at Camp Ruperto Kangleon, the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police(PNP). (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- After almost a decade fighting against the government, ‘Walik,’ 26, has decided to return to the folds of the law to live a normal life.
Last Monday (July 27), Walik was among the 11 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who were presented to the media where they also formally surrendered their respective firearms which they used while they were active as rebels.
Based on the account of his mother, whose identity was withheld, Walik was only 16 years old when he was convinced to join the rebel group.
The mother said that she and her husband tried to convince their son to study instead of joining the NPA.
“His father was furious when we learned that he joined the NPA.He said our son has no future being in the rebel movement. We searched for him to convince him to return to our home,” Walik’s mother said.
The difficulties they encountered in the mountains was the main reason why he decided to give up the armed struggle, he said.
And now that he decided to leave the armed group, Walik, the second child among the brood of 10 children, said that he want to continue his studies and become a soldier, a dream of his father.
Eunice, the lone woman among the surrenderers, said she also get tired living in the mountains and fighting with government forces reason why she decided to surrender.
She was pregnant in 2007 when she and her husband decided to leave the communist group and live a normal life in her home town.
Since returning, they were able to raise their children properly and provide their needs including sending them to school.
Eunice added that her family had even received assistance from the government and is beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
“My family is very thankful to the government for all the assistance that we have received,” she said.
Meanwhile, alias Edil, who hails from Eastern Samar, said that due to lack of education, those living in the hinterlands are easily convinced to join the communist group.
“But when I was already in the group, I noticed that the ideology that they taught us was not right because it also victimizes the innocent civilians. They are more on lip service, none of their promises came into reality,” he said.
The 11 NPA members voluntarily surrender to 1st Leyte Provincial Mobile Force Company Commander, Basey Municipal Police Station and to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP).
They also surrendered firearms and ammunition to the government forces.
“This is a defining moment for all of us as we just recently launched the RCSP in the province of Samar that is designed to become an important component in our fight against insurgency,” Police Regional Office 8 Regional Director B/Gen Bernabe Balba said.
“Just a week after its launching, significant accomplishment has been marked that connotes a positive impact to the community in attaining peace and development. I am very much delighted to note that I am positive enough that this prolonged adversity will now be addressed,” he added.
The 11 surrenderers who are now in the custody of government forces will undergo debriefing, and documentation and joint validation between the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines if they are facing criminal charges.
On top of the financial assistance, the former rebels received other assistance like livelihood worth P50,000, integration worth P21, 000, financial assistance worth P15,000, this aside from the monetary value of firearms that they surrender.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
MONITORING. The monitoring and enforcement team of the City Planning and Development Office is monitoring the compliance of business establishments in Tacloban City with the “new normal” guidelines and health protocols, such as the provision of QR Code Scanner at entrances, social distancing markers, wearing of facemasks and putting up of other health protocol signages. (CPDO)
MONITORING. The monitoring and enforcement team of the City Planning and Development Office is monitoring the compliance of business establishments in Tacloban City with the “new normal” guidelines and health protocols, such as the provision of QR Code Scanner at entrances, social distancing markers, wearing of facemasks and putting up of other health protocol signages. (CPDO)
BY: LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA, RONALD O. REYES
TACLOBAN CITY-Eastern Visayas has posted one of its biggest increase in a single day of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) with 57 new cases.
This now brings the region’s total COVID-19 cases to 920.
Based on the report of the Department of Health (DOH) released on Thursday night, seven towns in the region posted their first COVID-19 cases with the town of Mapanas in Northern Samar province having the youngest patient.
Joe Louis Gajutos, disaster risk reduction management officer of Mapanas, said that the nine-month old baby boy is now at their isolation facility.
“He is now at our isolation facility with his parents who are both asymptomatic,” he said.
It was learned that the baby boy was suffering some cough since they arrived in Mapanas last July 20 from Quezon City.
The baby is Mapanas’ first COVID-19 case.
Aside from Mapanas, other towns in the region that registered their first cases of the dreaded virus were Silvino Lubos, also in Northern Samar, with four cases; San Jose de Buan, four cases, Almagro, three; Daram, three; and Pagsanghan, two cases, all in the province in Samar; and Tunga in Leyte with two cases.
Except from an overseas worker from Baybay City in Leyte province, all new cases of the region were locally stranded individuals.
The province of Leyte has now 518 COVID-19 cases followed by Samar with 211, Southern Leyte,113, Northern Samar,40, Biliran,35 and Eastern Samar 3.
The DOH attributed the region’s surge of COVID-19 since the start of June to the testing of returning OFWs and LSIs, mostly from Metro Manila and Cebu.
Dr. Minerva Molon, the regional director of the DOH, said 664 or 72.17 percent of the region’s confirmed cases have already recovered.
As confirmed cases continue to rise, the health official reiterated its information campaign, dubbed “BIDA solusyon,” that promotes four key behaviors that would help lessen the possible transmission of COVID-19.
TACLOBAN CITY – More than 600 volunteers from 138 villages in this city are going to be trained as COVID-19 surveillance officers.
This was revealed by city health officer Dr. Gloria Fabregas who said that the volunteers include barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, and barangay service point officers.
These barangay personnel, considered to be part of the community dengue brigade, will be called Volunteers Service Officers (VSO) whose training will start on August 3.
Fabregas said that deploying these barangay personnel is part of their campaign to engage every home to be part of the fight against COVID-19 or coronavirus disease 2019.
“We are engaging and empowering every home for the fight against COVID-19, for a healthy Tacloban because the battle against this virus starts at home and not in the hospital,” she said.
As VSO, their primary work is to do surveillance in their respective villages, identifying who are vulnerable to COVID-19, Fabregas added.
“As VSO, they will identify households with residents who are vulnerable to the virus such as pregnant women, and households with positive COVID-19 patients,” she said.
The information that they will get from the surveillance will be forwarded to the barangay health emergency response team (BHERT) and this information will be send to the Quick Response Team.
At present, Tacloban City has six active cases of COVID-19.
The city has a total of 64 COVID-19 cases where 58 had now recovered from the disease. Of these 64 cases, 53 are local, nine locally stranded individuals while two are returning Overseas Filipino Workers.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY- A 33-yeard old man was shot after he opened fire on arresting policemen who were attempting to serve him a warrant of arrest in Calbayog City, Samar on July 24.
Police identified the accused as Jason Francisco, construction worker, who has a warrant dated May 13, 2020, for violation of section 10 of Republic Act (RA) 7610 or Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The warrant was issued by Judge Reynaldo Clemens of Regional Trial Court-Branch 31 in Calbayog, with a recommended bail bond of P80, 000.
In a report, police said the accused opened fire on the arresting team after sensing their presence, prompting the police officers to fire back.
A chase ensued between the police and the accused before the latter fell down which resulted in his arrest.
Police brought Francisco to Calbayog District Hospital for immediate medical attention after he sustained gunshot wounds on his head.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO)-Calbayog City recovered one unit .38 caliber revolver without serial number loaded with two live ammunition and two fired cartridge casings.
The operation was conducted by Calbayog City Police Station led by Lieutenant Fernando Calabria Jr., chief of intelligence, under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel Sam Andarino. (RONALD O.REYES)
TACLOBAN CITY- A dismissed police officer was shot dead by still unidentified gunman in Tacloban City Saturday morning (July 25).
The victim was identified as Francisco Homeres Jr, 45, married, and a resident of the city.
In an initial investigation, police said Homeres had just finished jogging and dropped by a carenderia to buy food when a gunman alighted from the SUV parked at the area and shot him several times.
The victim died on the spot while the suspect hurriedly left onboard the SUV after the incident.
Police recovered two pieces of cal. 45 ammunition, two pieces fired cartridges cases for cal. 45, one piece slug of alleged cal. 45, and one cartridge case of alleged M16 rifle.
Authorities are yet to determine a motive for the shooting.
(RONALD O.REYES with report RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
