ORMOC CITY- Civilians who held custody some properties allegedly owned by embattled Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin were separately turned over to the police authorities. Based on the information from the Albuera police, a resident of sitio Tinago, Barangay Binulho identified as Gerry Todio surrendered a 9mm pistol containing live bullets and a shot gun with 20 live ammunitions at around 5 pm on Friday (August 5). Also, a woman of this city who requested anonymity voluntarily turned over one black Innova vehicle bearing plate number NQF 431 to the city police at around 8 pm of same date.  The woman was said to be the bookkeeper of the Espinosa family.  After the news came out on the involvement of the family of Mayor Espinosa on the illegal drug trade, her family stopped using the vehicle which was on their possession.  She disclosed that Espinosa’s common-law wife offered her to use of vehicle a year ago for bookkeeping works for Zellan Hotel based in the same town.  She disclosed that the operations at the amily owned hotel have stopped since April this year. She did not provide any reason why the hotel ceased its operations.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Representative Vicente Veloso vowed a “massive” road construction in the third district of Leyte, considered the poorest congressional district in the province. Veloso said that he had already met with officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on his plan to provide concrete roads in all the towns within the district. He said necessary funding for this purpose has already been allocated by the DPWH.

“There will be a massive road construction in our district hopefully beginning January of next year,” Veloso, who is serving on his first term, said in an interview.
According to the solon, about 500 kms of road, mostly farm-to-market roads, are to be paved across the district comprising the towns of Leyte-Leyte, Tabangon,San Isidro, Calubian and Villaba.
He said that there is a need to provide better road system in the district as this will result to faster transport of goods and services. With better road system, peace and order could also be improved in his district which Veloso admitted remain to be one of the big concerns in his district. The neophyte solon said that problem on illegal drugs remain to be prominent practically in all towns in the district.

Veloso has disclosed that while fighting the proliferation of the illegal drugs in Leyte’s third district is among his concerns, some mayors and even police officials appear not be supportive on this campaign. “There is a town in the district wherein its local police chief is not being replaced despite of the fact that its illegal drug problem is so massive,” the solon said. Meantime, aside from his road project, Veloso also bared that he had already received an assurance from the Department of Health on the construction of a district hospital in his area. The proposed 25-bed capacity district hospital will be put up in Villaba in the amount of P250 million. He said that the construction of the hospital could start within the year.  (JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- A former vice mayor of Albuera, Norman Mesina, supports suggestion for Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. to resign from his post. Mesina, who served the post from 2013-2016, said it would be better for Espinosa to resign considering that he got involved in the illegal drug activity. Earlier, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido suggested for Espinosa, 53, to resign from the post he won during the May 9, 2016 elections. “I believe that the suggestion of the chief of police, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido for our mayor to resign from office is a laudable one to prevent more bloodshed,” Mesina said. He added that he felt bad that their town was thrust into national limelight in the negative way. Mesina disclosed that the atmosphere pervading in the entire town of Albuera is that of fear. “Before, people were not afraid to walk in the streets even in the wee hours. However, recently with what happened, people tend not to go out from their houses as early as 8 o clock in the evening,” he said. Espinosa surrendered on August 2 before Police Director General Rolando de la Rosa after he was named by President Rodrigo Duterte to be involved in the illegal drug trade. The police tagged Espinosa and his son, Kerwin, as the region’s number one drug lord. Last August 4, police authorities have engaged alleged armed group of Espinosa at his house in sitio Tinago of Barangay Binulho that resulted to the death of his six men. And on Friday (August 5) Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post of mayor after she consulted with the local operations officers, Ida Aquilina Lopez. (LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)

ALBUERA, Leyte- After much hesitation, Vice Mayor Rosa Meneses assumed the post as acting mayor of this town effective Friday (August 5). Meneses assumed the post after Mayor Rolando Espinosa’s designated caretaker, Councilor Sixto de la Victoria, declined the designation. Espinosa, in his letter dated August 2, named de la Victoria, a former mayor, as his caretaker as he took a leave of absence after he surrendered to Police Director General Ronald de la Rosa on the same day he issued his letter. Under section 46 of the Local Government Code, the vice mayor automatically assumes the post of mayor after the allowed three day lapses. “I will assume the post efective today (Friday) and let us see from here (what will happen),” the acting mayor said. Meneses disclosed that she has police security, underscoring the still volatile security situation in Albuera. However, town police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido assured the people of the town that it is now “peaceful.” Ida Aquilina Lopez, local operations chief, said that she was glad that finally Meneses has assumed the post as acting mayor. As acting mayor, she can discharge all the functions of the mayor except to fire, hire and reassign personnel. According to Lopez, there was fear that the operations in the local government would be in jeopardy if there would be no acting mayor after Espinosa took his leave. The acting mayor is not a political ally of Espinosa who was identified, together with his son Kerwin as the region’s top drug lords. Meantime, Councilor de la Victoria will assumed the post as acting vice mayor being the number one councilor. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA/JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Former Northern Samar congressman Emil Ong and his family cried foul over allegations they are into the illegal drug trade.  Ong’s brother, Laoang town mayor Hector, and the mayor’s wife, Madeleine, were named by President Rodrigo Duterte as among the protectors of illegal drug syndicates. Hector is the current mayor of Laoang while his wife previously sat as mayor herself. She also served as governor from 1998 to 2001.

In an interview, Ong said their family felt insulted with the accusation and have already been condemned publicly without due process. He said he himself has been strictly campaigning against illegal drugs and illegal gambling in their province long before the former city mayor of Davao City became President.

“When my brother became governor in 2013, I accompanied him to the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in order for the latter to instruct the provincial director to get rid the drug proliferation in our province including illegal gambling,” Ong said. Ong said that the number of minors who are being involved in illegal drug activities are increasing. At one time, Ong disclosed, he borrowed trained dogs which can detect drugs and brought it to the villages in one of their anti-illegal drug campaigns. “It was very successful and many drug dependents were arrested,” Ong said. He asked that the source of information of the President should be thoroughly investigated as this run in contrast to their campaign and their continued stance to fight the menace.

The former solon said that his brother should at least be given the chance to confront his accuser as it is a basic right under the Constitution. He claimed that the name and shame campaign of the President appears like the country is under martial law. For his part, Mayor Ong and his wife Madeleine, denied the allegations that they are into the illegal drug trade. “We are not narco-politicians,” was the mayor’s reaction after the announcement came out on Sunday(August 7). He said he want to see the President to defend himself and his wife. “We are willing to be investigated. I think the list should be reviewed. But I trust President Duterte will accord us due process,” the former mayor said. However, he maintained that despite the accusations, his entire family is still in support of President Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign.
(RYAN GABRIEL LLOSA ARCENAS)

SAN ISIDRO, Northern Samar- Councilor Conrado Avila Sr. is asking his colleagues at the town council to hasten the revision of their revenue and incentive codes. The two revenue-generating measures should be reviewed and revised immediately considering their possible impacts to the town’s economy, Avila, mayor of the town for nine years, said. The proposed amendments of the revenue and incentive codes or Ordinances 2016-032 and 2016-033 respectively have been with the town council since last year but the councilors have yet to act on them. Avila said that the town council should set a time table when these two measures should be approved on their revised forms. The former mayor and now councilor Avila made this suggestion during their first regular session on August 1. Councilor Roldan Sabayo, who acts as the majority floor leader of the Sangguniang Bayan, said that the measures would be passed and approved within the month. Sabayo said that he is also aware on the importance of these measures that are expected to help the local economy and shore up the income of the municipal government. San Isidro is a fourth class town which heavily depends on its internal revenue allotment as its main source of income. Meantime, during their August 1 regular session, distribution of committee chairmanships served as the main agenda. The taking into office of Rosalia Salinas, barangay chairperson of Buenavista, as an ex-officio member of the town council was also discussed.  Vice Mayor Wilson Tomacas Sr., presiding officer of the council, said that they will work closely with the administration of Mayor Ferdinand “Nanding” Avila to realize all his programs and projects that could benefit the entire town of San Isidro.  (PETER D. PAREDES)