The resignation of Vice President Leni Robredo as chair of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) in the President Duterte Cabinet should be a welcome development and a blessing for the nation.
Vice President Robredo is a credible public official, untainted by negative charges and has shown competence in her few years as an elected former congresswoman and Vice President in the May 2016 elections.
Easily being a top elected public official coming from the Liberal Party she now could lead the opposition and can be a trusted fiscalizer in this administration.
Now she can finally think, act and move freely as leader of the opposition. She is one who can express and criticize with credibility, moves of the administration that might be detrimental to our nation. Remarkably acceptable is she pledges that she will provide support to the government’s programs that will benefit the Filipino people.
The election of former human rights advocate Atty. Leila de Lima as senator of the country signaled blessed hope for the Filipno people. She could have been an effective fiscalizer of the Duterte administration. It is unfortunate however that even before she rose to the level of leadership in the oppolsition unknown before is the negative side of the newly elected Senator at this point is little by little wrecking her reputatin and credibility. She has been exposed to have allegedly earned millions of pesos in the drug trade at the New Bilibid prison as Secretary of Justice. Worse she has openly revealed her romance with her married driver which is immoral. So credibility- wise she has lost her chance to effectively lead the opposition.
So Vice President Leni Robredo indeed is a blessing to the Liberal Party and those affiliated with the opposition. This administration needs a credible opposition; one with high level of integrity and a commendable public service.
That’s Vice President Leni Robredo.
VP Robredo’s retsignation from Duterte Cabinet, a blessing to the nation
Anibong nursery now provides mangrove seedlings for planting activities
TACLOBAN CITY-The mangrove seedling nursery established in one of the barangays in this city is now supplying the needed planting materials for the plantation establishment or tree planting activities for areas devoted to mangrove and beach forest species, a report from the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8), said.
DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Leonardo Sibbaluca told reporters in an interview that the seedling nursery which costs P1 million established within the mangrove plantation in Anibong district is being managed by the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, based in Palo, Leyte in collaboration with officials of Barangay 69, Anibong.
Sibbaluca claims that the nursery is of great help to the mangrove reforestation and beach forest plantation establishment in Tacloban City and the nearby areas.
He added that the nursery has the capacity of 40,000 seedlings per cycle of four to six months depending upon the specie of the mangrove or beach forest tree.
The DENR-8 director explained that in the nursery, the mangrove propagules or the seeds of the beach forest tree species are being potted and the seedlings are taken cared of before planting in the established plantation or reforestation areas in the city or in the nearby towns.
The production of the seedlings is cheaper in the nursery compare to the prices offered by private suppliers which is at P15 per seedling, he added. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
Kept at bay
Beleaguered Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional head Supt. Marvin Marcos was ordered by no less than Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to be reinstated to his post in Eastern Visayas after he was dragged to the controversial killing of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa. This despite the accusations and lashing against Marcos as to his involvement in alleged extortion and illegal drugs issues. Apparently, Pres. Duterte is exonerating the embattled head of CIDG regional office.
Absolving Marcos from accusations of being actively participating in unlawful acts such as extortion and illegal drugs trade or worse as among the so-called “ninja cops” could be too much. In the first place from what allegation is he being declared probably guilty of? No case has been lodged in any court of competent jurisdiction against him or at least before the prosecutor’s offfice. This presupposes that no evidence is yet at hand to pin him down or establish a guilt that is beyond reasonable doubt.
Secondly, he is apparently doing his job only that the result went out beyond people’s imagination. This unimaginable result shocked the senses of consciencious individuals, notwithstanding the denial of CIDG-8 operatives that the killing was a rubout. Still, the presumption of regularity in the performance of police function governs at all times unless proven by preponderance of evidence that he failed or abused such prerogative.
The order for Supt. Marcos’ return to his post at CIDG-8 opens the floodgate of aspersion. Having been publicly accused of being behind the killing of Mayor Espinosa in his detention cell at Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay City and of another alleged drug lord Edgar Allen Alvarez inside his detention nook at the Abuyog Penal Colony in April this year. Both were killed during an operation of the CIDG on allegation that the two fought back while the search and the raid were being conducted respectively in Baybay jail and Abuyog jail by CIDG men.
Marcos may be innocent of being behind the killings of the two alleged drug lords. But is he, really? The future will tell. What is palpable is Pres. Duterte is behind Marcos’ return to Leyte allegedly enveloped in illegal drugs trade issues. For now, everyone is kept at bay.
Family, supporters seek justice
As mayor Espinosa was laid to rest
By: JOEY A. GABIETA
ALBUERA, Leyte- Calls for justice echoed among the supporters and loved ones of slain mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. as he was laid to his final rest Sunday (December 4) at a Catholic cemetery, this town.
Close to 1,500 of Espinosa’s supporters joined his loved ones during his burial wearing t-shirts used during his campaign when he sought for mayor of the town during the May 9 elections.
The children and other members of the Espinosa clan wore white t-shirts with the words “fight for justice” printed on them.
“He was really a good man and always ready to help us his people whenever we came to him for a help,” Veronica Alajas,32 of Barangay Mahayag, said.
She together with other residents of Mahayag, the farthest village of Albuera more than 5 kms away from the town center, paid among themselves the vehicle that they used for them to attend the burial of their “Daddy Onik,” the moniker of the slain mayor.
Alajas narrated that she received financial help from Espinosa, who was not yet the mayor at that time, when a relative was in need for burial assistance.
“Of course we are sad that he is now gone. He was really a helpful man to us. We are aware that he was in the (illegal) trade) but still he helped us and the way he was murdered was just too much,” another resident, Marlene Velarde, 38 of Brgy.Tinag-an, said.
The two supporters of the slain mayor joined the call of the family that justice be served to the 54-year Espinosa who was gunned down at the Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay City on November 4 after he reportedly engaged the members of the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) when he was being served a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms.
Lawyer Lailani Villarino, one of the counsels of the family, said that while the former mayor was already buried, there remains several questions why he was gunned down.
“Everything is (still) hanging. Although the mayor was already buried, there are still questions regarding his death. There is still no closure,” Villarino said.
No family member of the slain mayor faced the media but assigned Villarino to answer the questions on their behalf.
Villarino said that the family is seeking justice over the murder of Espinosa.
A Philippine flag, put on the top of the white casket of the slain mayor, was folded and turned over to the family of the late mayor after his coffin was interred at his tomb.
White balloons were released by the children and other family members after Espinosa was buried shouting “we love you daddy!”
During the funeral procession, people could be seen along the streets as others were seen peering from their windows or doors.
At the 2 pm Requiem Mass held at the St. James Parish Church, Father Dennis Enocando, parish priest, expressed their bereavement over the killing of Espinosa.
“We assure the (Espinosa) family that we are with you in this time of your bereavement,” he said.
The other two priests of the parish, Frs. Dennis Son and James Sian Sital joined the Requiem Mass.
A sister of the slain mayor, Juliet Carol Drewberry, expressed the family’s gratitude for their support during their time of bereavement.
“Thank you for coming here,” she briefly spoke after the Requiem Mass.
The security during the burial was tight as policemen were seen in some corners of the routes of the funeral procession.
Leyte police provincial director S/Supt. Franco Simborio said that aside from the local police, he also augmented the security in the town during the burial of Espinosa.
“On top of the augmented forces during the burial, I have deployed 20 policemen to the family until such time that the threat against them subsides,” the police official said
Lawyer Leilani Villarino, who spoke before the members of the media, said that the family was happy on the turnout of the people during the burial of Espinosa.
“This shows that they loved the mayor,” she said.
Incumbent Mayor Rosa Nemeses attended the Requiem Mass.
The remains of the former mayor were finally laid to rest to a simple and unfinished tomb around 3 pm.
Cries coming from his loved ones and supporters were heard after the casket of the mayor was placed to the tomb.
Along the funeral procession, soldiers and policemen could be seen in full uniform.
Meantime, Villarino said that they would now shift their focus towards Kerwin who was not able to attend the burial of his father.
Kerwin, the alleged drug lord of the region, is detained at the Camp Crame of the Philippine National Police .
Villarino also said that they would await the result of the investigation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation(NBI) and the Commission on Human Right for them to determine what would be their next legal action.
The NBI had already filed murder charge against the CIDG raiding team which was headed by Supt. Marvin Marcos.
The family claims that mayor Espinosa was killed and did not showed resistance when the CIDG team served a search warrant at the Leyte subprovincial jail.
The CIDG, however, maintained that Espinosa fought back reason why he was shot to death.
DSWD-08 releases P3M-CFW aid for “Ruby” victims in Lapinig
TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD), through Yvonne Abunales handed-over to Lapinig Mayor Maria Luisa A. Menzon, a P3.049 million worth of check in aid for disaster stricken communities of her town.
The financial aid was issued during the recently conducted Peace and Development Caravan of the Regional Development Council-Development Administration Council-8(RDC-DAC-8) where agency representatives informed the Lapinig folks and local officials of the various government services, programs and projects for the poor.
The DSWD-8 gave the check to help the town’s folks get short-term employment, particularly those who were seriously hit by typhoon “Ruby” in December 6, 2014.
“There were 480 totally damaged houses and 2,168 partially damaged in 15 barangays of Lapinig with cash allocations of P936,000.00 and P2,113,800.00 respectively,” Abunales said.
She stressed that a ten-day day paid-work shall be granted to family heads with totally damaged houses and five-days for those with partially damaged.
Then, Mayor Menzon readily thanked DSWD08 for the financial assistance to her constituents.
“It might have come later since Dec. 2014 but it is still so much better to receive than not, at all,” the medical doctor Mayor concluded. (PIA-08)
ECC’S state insurance fund remains strong
“A strong State Insurance Fund (SIF) safeguards ECbeneficiaries from work-related contingencies,” said Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis.
In a report released by ECC, the State Insurance Fund (SIF) is postedat P53.79B.The SIF is sourced from the contributions paid by government and private employers to fund the EC benefits for sickness, disability, medical, rehabilitation services and death benefits.
“Compared to the previous 7-percent increase or P3.34B from December 2014 to December 2015, asignificant 6-percent increase or P3.28B in a span of 6 months from December 2015 to June 2016 is recorded from the actuarial reports provided by the Employees’ Compensation Program’s administering agencies, the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS),” noted Executive DirectorBanawis.
“The actuarial study done early this year also shows that the EC beneficiaries of private establishments are assured of their benefits until year 2078 while those in the government service are guaranteed until year 2062,” she explains.
Employees of privatecompanies are assured of 62 years of protection from work related contingencies, on the other hand, public sector employees’ fund support can last up to 46 years.
Executive Director Banawis added that actuarialstudies are needed to ascertain SIF’s fund life and to determine the viability of the EC fund at the GSIS and the SSS to fund payments for claims and proposed increases in EC benefits.
From January-June 2016, the SSS granted P559,793,029 for the payment of 126,450 EC benefits claims in the private sector. The bulk of payments are for death pension benefit claims which summed up to P435.529 million.
Other benefit payments included disability benefits which reached P59.967 million, P52.392 million for sickness benefits, P6.786 million for medical services, P3.360 million for funeral benefits and P757, 250 for rehabilitation services.
On the other hand, GSIS granted a total of P98.629M EC benefits for 19,812 claims from the public sector. Benefit payments included sickness benefits which amounted to P3.301 million, P5.660 million for disability benefits, P77.706 million for death pension, P10.484 million for medical services, P1.439 million for funeral benefits and P38,009 for rehabilitation services.
Death and pension benefits comprised the highest share in the EC benefit payments made both by the SSS and GSIS from January to June 2016.
From 1975 to 2015, the ECP granted P36,124.207 billion worth of benefits.(PR)