TACLOBAN CITY- A former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Leyte chapter has filed a complaint of usurpation of authority against a man who used his name as he introduced himself as a lawyer.
Atty. Leo Giron, who served as IBP-Leyte chapter president from 2017-2019, said that he filed the complaint against ‘Atty.’Donald Gapol for him to stop his illegal activities in duping innocent civilians.
Giron filed the case against Gapol, who is also using the names as ‘Donald Custodio,’ ‘Ronald Veloso,’ and ‘Leo Giron,’ before the City Prosecutor’s Office on July 3.
Gapol, who had his ‘law office’ addressed in Burauen town, Leyte, was earlier arrested by the members of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on June 20 in an entrapment operations here in Tacloban as one of his victims sought help from them.
The suspect is currently detained at the detention facility of the NBI-8, this city.
“I have to file a complaint against this man so his nefarious activities will come to its end. He is duping innocent and helpless people,” Giron said.
Giron said that based on an information he gathered, the victim has been doing his illegal activities for more than 10 years now.
Aside from usurpation of authority, Giron also filed a case of falsification by private individual and use of falsified document under Articles 172 and 177 of the Revised Penal Code, respectively.
A separate similar complaints with addition of estafa were also filed by Alexander Pedrigal, his sons Lexton and Winson and daughter Maribeth, residents of San Jose, this city.
Alexander, a retired police officer, represented him on a complaint he filed against the Air Materiel Wing Savings and Loan Association,Inc.(AMWSLAI) for collection of money while his children for the promised jobs at the Bulwagan ng Katarungan as the faked lawyer demanded sum of money from them.
The suspect, declined to be interviewed.
(JOEY A.GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY-To enhance the employability of youth, the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) has announced that 100 slots are up for grabs for this year’s JobStart Program.
The program will be offered to all interested youth residing in Tacloban, ages 18 to 24 years old, at least high school graduate and currently not enrolled nor employed.
“We prioritize those who are from Tacloban especially that this is a program in partnership with the City Government,” said PESO Development Management Officer Katherine Peliño.
The said program is designed to increase the capacity of PESO in providing full cycle employment facilitation services.
According to Peliño, the JobStart trainees will receive a daily allowance of P200 for the 10 days of life skills training and three months of technical skills training.
“After completing the said training, they shall undertake an internship with the partner agencies. They will also be paid at least 75% of the minimum wage of the city,” she added.
Peliño said that those who are interested may visit their office located at Kanhuraw Hill.
The registration for the program will last until this week. (C. MERIN/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Office of Civil Defense(OCD) here in the region has lined up activities for this month’s national disaster resilience observation.
The month-long activity started with a motorcade around the city’s main streets in the morning on July 1 followed by a media briefing during the ‘Kapihan sa PIA” in the afternoon.
The following day, July 2, a coastal clean-up drive was held at Barangay 88,Fisherman’s Village.
Last July 3, a mangrove and beach forest planting and nurturing activity was held at Barangay San Isidro, this city.
On July 7, a Run for Resilience will start 4:00 am at tarmac area of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport.
Poster-Making & Essay Writing Contest 11:00 am at Summit Hotel, Tacloban City on July 13.
A forum on disaster resilience will be held on July 16 at the Leyte Academic Center at 8 am.
Then on July 21-26, a regional rescue jamboree will be held at University at Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar.
A culminating activity will be held on July 31.
Henry Torres, officer-in-charge of the OCD-8, encourages the public to get involve to the activities lined up relative to the month-long event.
(MARIA JESSA G. MOCORRO, Student Intern,Asian Development Foundation College)