Yet another effort

CALBAYOG CITY- Samar local officials have vowed to support and respect the latest initiative to stop killing incidents in the province, particularly in the first district.
The declaration of the officials, led by Governor Sharee Ann Tan and Rep, Edgar Mary Sarmiento, was made during the signing of an agreement that aims to end the proliferation of the private armed groups in the district.
Also present during the October 11 occasion were Mayors Gemma Zosa of Sta. Margarita; Melissa Dela Cruz of Matuguinao; Joseph Grey of San Jorge and Ronaldo Aquino of this city.
Incidentally, these areas are considered where there are presence of private armed groups which are blamed in the spate of killings mostly involving barangay officials and supporters of local officials.
Earlier, Police Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa has directed the provincial police office to dismantle the PAGs in Samar.
Gov. Tan said that she hopes that the Oct.11 signing of a covenant calling for the dismantling of PAGs would be the last one as she noted that similar agreements have been signed previously but failed for members of the PAGs to be neutralized.
“I’m still positive with the new leaders. I hope that this will be the last time that I will sign a paper that aims to address the problem on PAGs because if not, I will never sign any document with the same purpose,” she said.
“I would like to appeal to the PNP and AFP, I will not ask for more (except) for equality and fairness because it is hard when you are asking for help and no one seems to hear you,” Tan added.
Rep. Sarmiento also shared the sentiment of the governor as he asked local officials to observe and respect the covenant.
He also appealed to the mayors to support their respective police or law enforcers instead of seeking for their ouster.
“I am pleading everyone to trust them, don’t replace them,” Sarmiento said.
For his part, Mayor Aquino, said that he too would like to see the end of violence not only in Calbayog but in the entire province perpetrated by armed groups.
“Now is the time for us to stand to end this violence, let us dismantle these PAGs and let there be justice for all those who died in this senseless act of murder,” he said.
Records from both the police and Army disclosed that 63 killing incidents have took place in the first district of Samar with members of private armed groups as responsible.
Top police and Army officials were also present during the signing of the covenant.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Detained Albuera, Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr., who is facing charges for violation of firearms and illegal drugs appeared in Baybay City court on October 12 for his arraignment.
He pleaded not guilty to the illegal possession of firearms case while his lawyer, Atty. Lailanie Villarino filed a motion to quash or make the warrant of arrest invalid for the case on violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
The arraignment started at 9:26 a.m. and lasted for only 30 minutes inside the heavily guarded Regional Trial Court Branch 14 in Baybay City under Judge Carlos Arguelles.
Accompanied by his family, the mayor’s camp filed a motion to transfer custody to the Albuera police station and motion to fix amount of bail for the case on violating the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Prosecutors were given five days to study the motions. The next hearing was scheduled on October 19.
Espinosa has been detained at the Leyte sub-provincial jail in this city after his arrest on October 5.
The mayor, whose son, Kerwin, the region’s top drug lord, is alone in a detention cell.
Provincial jail warden Homobono Bardillon said isolating the mayor from other inmates is part of their security measures, considering that Espinosa is a high profile detainee.
“We can assure of the mayor’s safety in Baybay sub-provincial jail especially with the deployment of more policemen here,” Bardillon added.
It can be recalled that Espinosa surrendered to Police Chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Aug. 2 few hours after President Rodrigo Duterte demanded for his surrender and Kerwin within 24 hours or face a “shoot on sight.”
The son remained at-large.
After four days, Dela Rosa kicked out Espinosa from his official residence after the son failed to meet the deadline for him to surrender.
He returned to his hometown on Aug. 16 and stayed at the municipal hall day and night for about a week before he asked for police protection.
Driven by fear for his life, the mayor had temporarily held office at the town police station from Aug. 25 until his arrest. His son has been hiding in Malaysia, according to police reports. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO/RONNIE C. ROA)