MONDRAGON, Northern Samar- A former soldier who was tagged among in the list of the high value targets of this town was arrested in a buy- bust operation.
Arrested was Marvin Huavas, 37, said to be a former soldier and a resident of Barangay Chitongco, this town.
The suspect, who was also known as “Hagger,” was arrested October 8 around 10:35 am during a buy-bust operation conducted by the personnel of the Mondragon police station.
Confiscated from Huavas were five pieces of transparent plastic containing of suspected shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride, one P500 bill, mobile phone and motorcycle, among others.
The search and inventory of the seized items were made in the presence of barangay councilor Roman Dipad Jr; court employee Emilio M. Tampon and media representative Eugene Montaño Enano.
Suspect was listed as the Mondragon Municipal Police Station Top 7, Sibat 2 target.
Arrested person was brought to Mondragon municipal police station for proper disposition. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- One of the city’s high value target on drug watch was arrested by police authorities together with his live-in partner during a buy-bust operation.
Arrested was Sherwin Costibolo, 37, during a sting operation Tuesday (Oct.11) at around 3:30 pm in Barangay 91, Abucay district, this city.
Also arrested was Costibolo’s live-in partner, Vida Sorayda Omlang.
Seized from the two suspects were six pieces of medium size heat sealed transparent sachet containing suspected shabu, one unit Cherry Mobile cellular phone and three pieces of P100 bills being used as marked money.
Both suspects were listed as high value targets (HVTs) level 2 being Sub-Leaders of Quintana Group by the Tacloban City Police Station.
Confiscated pieces of drug evidence were turned over to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO8) for qualitative and quantitative analysis while the pieces of non-drug evidence were turned over to TCPO evidence custodian.
Suspects are now under the custody of TCPO custodial facility while cases for violation of sections 5 & 11 of RA 9165 are being prepared for filing before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
The operation was conducted in coordination with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 8 under the supervision of S/Supt.Rolando Bade, acting city director of Tacloban City Police Office. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- The controversial reproductive health (RH) law is seen to be fully enforced under the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Thus said the regional director of the Commission on Population (Popcom) Elnora Pulma who said that there are still sectors that continue to refuse to implement the law approved in 2013.
Pres. Duterte had earlier said that he is committed in implementing Republic Act 10354, otherwise known as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act.
He made this commitment when he delivered his first State of the Nation Address (Sona) last July 25.
“Since its approval on January 17, 2013 and the signing of the internal rules and regulations on March 15, 2013, the road to the implementation of the law was not easy,” Pulma said.
The Catholic Church mainly opposes the passage of the law describing it as promoting abortion and even encouraging premarital sex.
Pulma said that the law, contrary to the perception and position of those who opposes it, will help the right of individuals like the right to health and right to sustainable development, among others.
The Popcom regional chief urged the media to help them to inform the public, particularly those who are against it, on its benefits.
“We need the media (and) the local government units as the primary implementer of the law,” Pulma said.
Pulma lamented that they have received reports that even those in the health sectors are also adamant in implementing RA 10354 on ground of their personal or religious convictions.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo said that so long as there are surveys that reveal findings that the poverty or hunger incidence in the country remains high, the national government and all its agencies should take survey results to heart and push to improve and expand access to their services, especially if these services have directly to do with the immediate welfare of Filipinos.
The Social Weather Station (SWS) recently released its 3rd quarter survey on self-rated poverty. It showed that 42% of Filipino families rated themselves as poor, or an estimated 9.2 million individuals – this is a record-low.
Also, 30% of Filipino families or an estimated 6.7 million individuals consider the food they eat as food poor, again a new record-low. The survey was conducted on Sept 24 to 27.
“As we have said previously, there has to be a genuine agrarian reform program in the Philippines because this will benefit the greatest number of Filipinos. The largest percentage of our population is comprised of farmers – very poor and mostly landless farmers. A genuine agrarian reform program and sufficient agrarian support services will address the root causes of their poverty, and this immediately lowers the poverty incidence levels in the country,” Sec. Taguiwalo said.
As for the DSWD, Sec. Taguiwalo said that the Department will strengthen its Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to complement the cash grants provided by the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) to its beneficiaries.
The program is also open to non-members who have been identified as poor by the DSWD’s Listahanan and come from marginalized and vulnerable sectors from 1,605 municipalities all over the country.
“As a community-based capacity building program, the SLP seeks to increase the economic opportunities of Filipinos through the Community-Driven Enterprise Development Approach. We want the SLP to equip poor Filipinos so they can actively contribute to production and labor markets by looking at available resources and accessible markets,” said Sec. Taguiwalo.
Towards this end, the SLP offers two tracks for Filipinos in the program: 1) micro-enterprise development which supports micro enterprises to become organizationally and economically viable; and 2) Employment facilitation which assists Filipinos to access appropriate employment opportunities.
In the meantime, Sec. Taguiwalo said that the DSWD is all set to launch “Kamustahan” which is essentially a verification campaign involving the members of Pantawid Pamilya. She said that the department will check on the true status of families under the program to see if they may have to graduate to the other programs so they will not slide back economically at the slightest shock or emergency. (PR)