SAN ISIDRO, Leyte- The family of Remedio ‘Bebot’ Veloso, a mayoralty candidate of this town, decried the manner of the local police in treating them as the suspects in the killing of the town’s administrator.
According to Veloso’s elder brother, Emmanuel, the local police joined by members of the Philippine Army, searched their house located in Barangay Paril without any search warrant issued by a court just after the killing incident happened.
To recall, the town administrator, Levi Mabini, was shot dead last May 8 in Barangay Capiñahan after a still unidentified armed men strafed the house of Mayor Susan Ang.
Ang is seeking for another term with Remedio Veloso, running under the UNA (United Nationalist Alliance), as her main opponent for the post.
Based on a police report, the suspects on the killing of Mabini were seen to have entered the compound of the Velosos reason why they went there and conducted their search operation.
Emmanuel Veloso also claimed that the police and the Army blocked their way and asked them not to go out from their compound.
“They directed us not to go out from our property where they conducted their search operation even they were not armed with a search warrant,” he said.
“We are of course disappointed with their actions. Just because my brother is running against the mayor, they will treat us as the suspects,” Veloso added.
Veloso serves as the campaign manager of mayoralty bet Remedio Veloso.
The brothers insisted that they were innocent and have nothing to do with the killing of Mabini.
It was learned that the police and the Army were not able to found the alleged suspects or any evidence that could link them to the killing of Mabini.
Veloso said that the incident made them fear of their lives and they are contemplating of filing legal actions against the police and the Army.
The local police declined to issue any statement on their search on the Veloso property saying it’s the National Bureau of Investigation which will conduct further probe over the incident.
(RYAN GABRIEL ARCENAS)
Mayoralty bet condemns search operation conducted by the San Isidro police
LSA-trained athletes save Eastern Visayas in hauling medals during the recently-concluded Palarong Pambansa
TACLOBAN CITY – The athletes from the Leyte Sport Academy (LSA) saved the Eastern Visayas delegation from landing at the cellars at the recently finished Palarong Pambansa held in Davao City.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla told Leyte Samar Daily Express that there were 26 athletes from the LSA who joined the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) delegation that participated in this year’s Palarong Pambansa in Davao City held last April 27-May 4.
Gov. Petilla said that the LSA athletes won 6 golds, 6 silvers and 7 bronzes from athletics (100, 200) meter dash, 110-meter hurdles, javelin throw and another two from wrestling.
Based on the final and official tally of the 2019 Palarong Pambansa, the region got 11 gold, 8 silver and 19 bronze medals and landed 13th in the regional medal ranking.
Petilla pointed out that if the LSA athletes did not garner the number of medals won, the EVRAA would have only obtained 5 gold, 2 silver and 11 bronze medals and landed in the 14th rank.
Petilla recalled that in 2018 Palarong Pambansa held in Vigan City, LSA-trained athletes also did something in saving EVRAA from finishing in the 17th (lowest rank) in the medal ranking.
He added that out of the 9 gold, 10 silver, and 9 bronze medals won of EVRAA, 8 golds, 5 silver and 6 bronzes were harvested by LSA athletes.
Petilla said LSA athletes have been the main contributor for the EVRAA gold output in the past six years of the Palarong Pambansa tournaments.
The LSA delegation have also won gold medals in international tournaments in the past.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
Bong Go tells new doctors of 7th Day Adventists: we are kindred spirits united by our passion to serve the people
Former Special Assistant to the President and 2019 senatorial aspirant Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go on Monday congratulated new doctors belonging to the Seventh Day Adventist Church, saying they are kindred spirits united by their dedication to serve the people.
In his message before the new doctors during the recognition rites held at the Vikings in Mall of Asia in Pasay City, Go also urged them to value service above all, noting that service to the people is also service to God.
“Unang-una gusto kong batiin ang mga miyembro ng Seventh Day Adventist Church na nakapasa ng Physician Licensure Examination at ngayon ay ganap nang mga doktor. Nagbigay karangalan kayo sa inyong pamilya, simbahan at pamayanan,” Go said.
Among the new doctors who belong to the Seventh Day Adventists are three of the top 10 in the 2019 Physician’s Board Exams for March 2019, namely Clinton Rosita Rabadon of West Visayas State University-La Paz (1st place), Dale Ivan Aurigue Bruel of the University of the East-Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (7th) , and Wilma Cleo Yvonne Borja Dapog of Cebu Doctor’s University-College of Medicine.
“Galingan po ninyo ang inyong propesyon dahil kailangan kayo ng ating bayan. Alam ko bilang mga miyembro ng inyong simbahan malakas ang pananampalataya ninyo sa Diyos at inaalay ninyo sa kanya ang bawat tagumpay na inyong nakakamit. Sana lagi ninyong isa-isip ang paglilingkod sa kapwa ay paglilingkod sa Diyos,” he added.
Go said doctors and health workers are close to his heart because they share a common advocacy, noting that among his top priorities is the improvement in the delivery of medical services.
“Malapit sa puso ko ang mga doktor at iba pang health care professionals dahil kalusugan po ang isa sa mga prayoridad ko,” Go said.
“Iisa po ang ating misyon, and we have the same passion—to serve the community and to serve the people, because for us, tayong lahat, para sa atin ang serbisyo sa tao ay serbisyo po sa Diyos,” he added.
Go lamented that in going around the country, he noticed that many public hospitals lack enough facilities and equipment to handle the number of patients.
“Isang kama, dalawa o tatlong bata. Paano gagaling ang mga pasyente kung ganun po ang kanilang kalagayan?” said Go, who is pushing for additional funding for public health institutions.
He also pointed out that during his stint as SAP, he had helped President Rodrigo Duterte in establishing Malasakit Centers as part of their shared vision to help poor patients.
A brainchild of Go, the Malasakit Center is a program of the Duterte administration meant to make it easier and faster for indigent patients to avail of medical and financial assistance from the government by bringing together in one room concerned agencies such as the DOH, DSWD, PCSO and Philhealth.
Go is pushing for a law that would institutionalize Malasakit Center and enable the establishment of such centers in more provinces and key urban areas in the country.
Meanwhile, Go also thanked the leadership of the Seventh Day Adventist Church for giving him the opportunity to meet and address their congregation during their gathering.
“Masaya po ako na binigyan ako ng pagkakataon na makapagsalita po dito…Salamat po sa pagkakataong ibinigay ninyo sa akin na makahalubilo at makapagsalita sa inyo at maibahagi ko po ang pareho nating layunin,” Go said.
He also thanked the church for their support to President Duterte and his campaign against criminality, illegal drugs, and corruption.
“Salamat po sa tulong at suporta ninyo kay Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang kampanya,” Go said.
The former SAP had been consistently saying that he fully supports the programs and policies of President Duterte, particularly the campaign against criminality, corruption and illegal drugs.
“Ipapagpatuloy ko po ang mga pagbabagong nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte,” Go said.
Other priority concerns under Go’s legislative agenda include programs for agriculture, education, housing for the poor, long-term sports development, localized peace talks, fire protection and prevention, barangay welfare, creation of a Department of OFW and improved benefits for senior citizens.
An Waray debunks ‘association’ with Mar Roxas
‘Yolanda’ debacle haunts the former DILG chief
TACLOBAN CITY- The An Waray party-list group dismissed as black propaganda linking the group with that of former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas who is running in this year’s midterm elections for senator.
Former congressman Florencio ‘Bem’ Noel said that while he respects Roxas both as a person and a politician, it is not fair to link him or to An Waray any affiliation.
“We are not political friends. We’ve never been (politically) aligned and that’s a fact,” Noel said in an interview.
The former congressman, who is the first nominee of the An Waray party-list group, was reacting to various posts in social media showing a photo of the party-list with that of Roxas.
Noel reminded the public when Roxas ran unsuccessfully for president in 2010, he supported the candidacy of Senator Grace Poe who both lost to eventual mayor, then Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Both Poe and Roxas are running in this Monday’s elections for senators with the former appears heading for a polls victory based on various surveys. Roxas, meanwhile, is out of the probable winners, surveys have indicated.
Roxas was largely blamed on his mishandling on the management after Tacloban City and the rest of the region was pummeled by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in November 8, 2013.
Noel lamented that their rivals are spinning baseless stories out to destroy the image of the An Waray party-list which is among the probable winners among party-list groups seeking for seats at the House of Representatives based on various surveys.
Meantime, Noel said that while they are happy with the surveys showing them as among the probable winners, they remain not be complacent until the counting of the votes on Monday.
“While we are happy with the results of the surveys, we are not depending on them as they just serve as a gauge,” he said.
Meantime, Noel said that they will focus on the aspect of providing livelihood to the families in the village as one of their priorities once reelected.
The An Waray party-list first nominee said that they will also continue their ‘One Visayas’ campaign that gears on helping the tourism industry of the region. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA, ROEL T. AMAZONA with reports from JOEY A. GABIETA)
Gunmen shot dead Leyte town administrator
TACLOBAN CITY-Unidentified gunmen onboard a gray color Ford Ranger Wildcard vehicle shot dead the municipal administrator of San Isidro town, Leyte, on Wednesday (May 8).
Based on a police report, Levi Mabini, 42, was on board of his motorcycle with a companion when the assailants open fired upon them several times when they reached a gas station at Barangay Capiñahan.
Mabini sustained multiple gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body which resulted to his instant death while his companion managed to escape.
The gunmen hit the victim’s companion Joseph Misa, 26, and another 19-year old bystander who were immediately brought to a hospital.
Police recovered four pieces empty shell M16, one piece empty shell 9mm, one unfired ammunition of Caliber 45 at the crime scene.
Personnel from San Isidro Municipal Police Station are conducting hot pursuit operation against the suspects.
(RONALD O. REYES)
50 complete livelihood training in Tacloban North Resettlement site
TACLOBAN CITY-Fifty residents of the Pope Francis Village in Brgy. 99 Diit, this city, finished the free training on bread and pastry production and cookery of the “Consuelo on Wheels” Program on May 7, 2019.
The program in partnership with the Consuelo Foundation, the city government of Tacloban through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, and the Provincial Office of the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) started last February in the resettlement site located in the northern part of Tacloban.
Consuelo on Wheels is one of the programs of CF in which a mobile wing van fitted with training equipment and materials goes to a chosen community to provide onsite livelihood training.
According to TESDA Provincial Director Loreta D. Banario, it is a unique program which started through partnership agreements with different agencies such as DOLE, DTI (Negosyo Center), Center for Community Transformation PESO, City Cooperative and the CCDLAO to provide help to the residents of Pope Francis village.
The graduates will be subjected to competency assessment and certification in order for them to receive a national certificate or certificate of competency, said Banario.
Meanwhile, post-training assistance from CF, and the different livelihood assistance offices of the City Government will be given the graduates to ensure the sustainability of the livelihood assistance.
“To make this program very valuable at the same time sustainable for the graduates of the program and… make clients feel na hindi natin sila pinapabayaan until they become sustainable that’s our goal,” assured CF project officer Janette B. Borac.
CF also piloted a “Child Protection” program in Tacloban City to address Child Labor issues.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA with report from D.ABARQUEZ/CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)