TACLOBAN CITY– The Philippine Army in Eastern Visayas has asked its men to be more aggressive in their fight against the New People’s Army (NPA), after a soldier engaged in community support program was killed in an ambush in Las Navas, Northern Samar on Saturday.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar, said there should be no holiday break for soldiers despite their enemy’s declaration of holiday truce.
“I instructed the troops to be more aggressive to put an end to the terroristic activities of the terrorists against our people within our area of operations,” Farnacio said.
On Dec. 22, about 30 NPA members attacked soldiers in Caputo-an village deployed to assist the community for the needed basic services by the local government of Las Navas town.
The more than one-hour gun battle killed Pfc. Alvin Avila of Burauen, Leyte and wounded Privates Ivan Anthony Ignao and Michael Ocasla. After the encounter, the troops recovered drop wire; a bag of assorted empty shells of machine gun, rifles, and pistols; cooking pots; detonating cords and one empty box with Armscor trademark.
The Army also condemned recent crimes committed by the NPA such as the killing of former San Jose de Buan, Samar Mayor Ananias Rebato, assassination attempt on Matuguinao, Samar mayoralty candidate Aran Boller, and landmine explosion that wounded soldiers and civilians in Catarman, Northern Samar.
“It only shows how desperate they are in their armed struggle, in their failure to conduct extortion activities in the far-flung areas particularly in San Jose De Buan and Matuguinao, Samar,” Farnacio said.
“I urge the community to report to the authorities the presence of any armed group in your area. Security is a shared responsibility of everyone, it is not just for us, the security forces and government institutions but also with the civil society and the communities,” he added.
With communist rebels poised to celebrate their 50th founding anniversary on Dec. 26, the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Monday advised the public to take the necessary security precautions and remain vigilant for possible attacks by the terror group.
The NPA, the rebel group’s armed wing, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union. (PNA)
Army asks Samar soldiers to step up fight vs. NPA
Personnel, doctors of the Baybay District Hospital receive cash
PALO, Leyte – The local government unit of this province has distributed cash incentive to personnel of the Baybay District Hospital in Baybay City.
Over P1 million was released by the provincial government in giving the cash incentive to doctors and non-doctor, as well as the employees of the said hospital.
It was learned from Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla that P423,855 was allocated for the 94 employees of the hospital.
While each of the 10 doctors of the hospital received P6,569.59 while each of the non-doctors received P3,826.30.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
‘Usman’ resulted to suspension
Force evacuation enforced in Biliran
TACLOBAN CITY-Work in both public and private offices were suspended in various areas here in the region on Friday (Dec. 28) amid threat of tropical depression ‘Usman.’
Also, over 3,000 passengers were stranded in the different ports as the Coast Guard implemented a ‘no sailing policy’ as Eastern Visayas was placed under signal number 1.
Work in government offices were suspended by Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez while the suspension in Catbalogan City, and Pinabacdao, both in Samar; and Guiuan and Borongan, both in Eastern Samar, covered also those in private offices as directed by their respective local government units.
About 13 families (78 persons) from Barangay Lico, Naval in Biliran province, were evacuated to safer ground due to the threat of a possible landslide incident.
Another 58 families or 274 persons from the villages of Sto, Niño,Calumpang, and Santisimo Rosario, all in Naval, were evacuated.
The Coast Guard in the region has reported that 4,511 passengers were also stranded in the ports of San Isidro and Allen, both in Northern Samar; Ormoc City in Leyte; and in Liloan in Southern Leyte.
The municipal government in Almeria, Biliran conducted a forced evacuation in its four barangays identified prone to flooding and landslide incidents, Richard Sanoy, municipal disaster risk reduction management officer, said in a phone interview.
Sanoy said that they started their forced evacuation at about 8 am on Friday and is expected to end before the onset of darkness.
“We are being joined by personnel from the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire as many of the residents does not like to leave their houses. In fact, we’re forced to tie the hands of those who really does not cooperate with us,” he said, adding that they are only for their safety.
Sanoy said that about 200 families or about 1,200 persons were affected by their forced evacuation coming from the villages of Talahid, Poblacion, Salangi and Iyusan.
To recall, the town of Almeria was among the most devastated areas when Biliran province was hit by typhoon ‘Urduja’ December of last year.
About 13 people died, mostly from Salangi and Iyusan, due to the landslide incident as a result of Urduja’s onslaught.
(JOEY A. GABIETA with RONALD O. REYES)
PNP in EV on alert for any NPA attack
CPP issued ceasefire during Christmas, New Year celebs
TACLOBAN CITY-The entire police force in the region are in alert for any possible attack coming from the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army(NPA).
The CPP has just celebrated its 50th founding anniversary on December 26 as it vows to continue to ‘wage revolutionary struggle in all forms and in all venues to put forward the national and democratic interests of the people.’
Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that while the country is on the jovial mood due to the New Year’s celebration, they remain vigilant to any possible hostility to be staged by the NPA members.
And as part of their security measure, they have ‘fortified’ all police stations across the region and in coordination with the 8th Infantry Division.
“What we did is to fortify the security of our police stations and mobile force by having 2/3rd of our manpower. So only 1/3rd were given their conditional Christmas break,” Carlos said.
“And we also coordinated with the Army who were moving in the hinterlands. We are keeping the centers free (from possible hostility),” the police regional director said.
Police stations and Army detachments have often been attacked by NPA members.
Last August 10, the rebels attacked the police station in Lapinig, Northern Samar and carted away several firearms.
On November 18, a detachment of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) in San Jorge, Samar was attacked by about 50 NPA members which resulted to the death of a Cafgu member and wounded another.
Chief Supt. Carlos said that he was glad that there was no hostility that happened during the anniversary of the CPP on Dec.26.
“I would like to congratulate (our officers) for keeping our area, Eastern Visayas, that no major incident happened,” he said.
The CPP had earlier declared a unilateral ceasefire which started on Dec.24 to Dec.26 and Dec.31 until January 1.
Meanwhile, Carlos urged those who are still with the armed movement to surrender and return to the folds of the law.
“Masaya dito sa baba,” he said.
BY: JOEY A. GABIETA, ROEL T. AMAZONA
Balangiga Bells now in display inside Saint Lawrence The Martyr garden
TACLOBAN CITY-The historic Balangiga Bells are now in full public display as the artifacts were placed at the garden of the Saint Lawrence The Martyr Church on December 24.
And it took about almost two hours to complete the installation of the three weighty bells to the concrete stands inside the garden with the help of a boom truck assisted by 10 men.
The bells, after their return to the town on December 15 to Balangiga, were placed in a movable platform and were displayed inside the church.
Fr. Serafin Tybaco, parish priest of Saint Lawrence The Martyr, said that the bells were transferred to the Church’s garden, measuring of about 20 x 10 meters, at past 4 pm on Dec.24 after he presided the morning masses on that day.
A canopy was placed on top of the bells as protection from heat and rain.
“We just want to ask for the pilgrims and visitors to preserve the bells sacredness. That is why we want to control the pilgrims and visitors. They can have their photos taken but they could not touch them,”Tybaco, reached on his phone, said.
A concrete railing was put up around the garden to ensure that the people could not have their photos taken so close or touch the artifacts.
With the bells now outside the Church building, more pilgrims and tourists alike are expected to see the bells taken by the American troops 117 years ago.
At least 2 policemen are to be assigned inside the Church’s vicinity, aside from roving policemen, Tybaco said.
The bells, aside from being considered as Church properties, are also being eyed by the municipal government as potential tourism attraction for Balangiga.
Fe “Joy” Campanero, tourism and information officer, said that they expect their town would greatly benefit on the return of the bells, particularly its tourism industry.
Fr.Tybaco said that the bells will be eventually be placed at the church’s belfry where these will be put permanently.
But still, these bells while on display at the Church’s garden are now being used during the conduct of a Mass, Tybaco said.
The bells were returned to the Philippines on Dec.11 and turned over by President Rodrigo Duterte to the municipal government through Mayor Randy Graza during a simple rites held at the town’s covered court on Dec.15.
Graza, in turn, turned the bells to the Church on that same day.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
DPWH alerts disaster response team in preparation for tropical
BORONGAN CITY- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Eastern Samar District Engineering Office immediately mobilize and reactivates disaster response team to undertake preparatory activities to mitigate possible damages.
Heavy equipment, manpower and other logistic needs were already prepositioned on strategic locations in the province specifically located at Taft, Eastern Samar; DPWH Area Equipment Services, Bato, Borongan City; Guiuan, Eastern Samar; Giporlos, Eastern Samar; Dapdap, Dolores, Eastern Samar and Arteche, Eastern Samar.
In an interview, District Engineer Manolo A. Rojas guaranteed the public that DPWH will continue to cater direct responses to any possible occurrences caused by typhoons.
“DPWH secures the public that we will always be highly on guard and attentive on possible incidents due to typhoons like floodings and landslides. Rest assured we will definitely make immediate and outright actions that concern these instances,” said DE Rojas.
District Maintenance Engineer Domcelio Natividad said that all maintenance crews, drivers and heavy equipment operators are on standby for quick response to any eventualities.
“We are monitoring 24/7 and we are also issuing situational reports and road advisories to the public,” added Engr. Natividad.
Eastern Samar as of December 27, 2018 is under tropical cyclone warning signal no. 1. (JAYSON G. ESPESO, Engineer II/PIO-Designate)