BORONGAN CITY-The three bishops of Samar Island vowed to lead the peace negotiations with the insurgents in Samar.
During the 43rd Samar Island for Peace and Development (SIPPAD) assembly held on Thursday (Feb.20), Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Agda moved that the three bishops of the dioceses of Borongan, Calbayog and Catarman lead the peace negotiations.
The three bishops, Bishop Isabelo Abarquez of Calbayog, Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan and Bishop Emmanuel Trance of Catarman, represented by Rev. Fr. Fred Placa, agreed to the resolution.
“Local peace talk is very effective and applicable,” said Bishop Crispin Varquez of Borongan diocese.
In the SIPPAD assembly, the members talked about how poverty and corruption contribute to the discontent of the Samarnons that eventually lead them to join the rebels.
As to connectivity, the presence of roads that can discourage the rebels to stay in Samar, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Carlito Galvez said he will ask the departments concerned to push the completion of roads in the three provinces of Samar.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, in his welcome message, also committed to complement the road projects by allotting P50 million for road openings in distant barangays without access roads.
Representative Maria Fe Abunda also promised that while she is in Congress, she will ensure that roads will be built connected and fully funded.
Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) 8 Eduardo del Rosario invited SIPPAD to complete the membership of the Task Force End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF ELCAC).
He also praised the SIPPAD for its help in its convergence effort and for drawing out support from the church and the private sector for peace and development.
Secretary Carlito Galvez of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) also promised to help by seeking other departments to assist help Samar rise from the clutched of poverty and insurgency.
(nbq/PIA E. Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY- A 19-year old man was killed while his 16-year old cousin managed to cheat death after a still unidentified suspect shot them in Guiuan town, Eastern Samar on Tuesday night.
Staff Sergeant Relvin Magtibay, officer-on-case of the Guiuan Police Station, said that the 19-year old Leonel Antofina and James Antofina,16, were on board a motorcycle on their way to the downtown area of the town at about 5 pm.
While the two, both residents of Barangay Tagpuro, also of Guiuan, were traversing a national highway located along Brgy. Salug, they heard a gunshot, hitting Leonel, who was driving the motorcycle, on his head which resulted to his death.
The fatality’s cousin was not hurt during the incident.
“According to the witness, they saw the two suspects passing them and he suddenly heard a burst of fire, hitting his cousin,” Magtibay, reached on the phone, said, referring to the 16-year old boy.
The police officer said that they could not get more information from the 16-year old boy who appeared to have been shocked due to the incident.
But Magtibay said that personal grudge is considered to be the motive saying that the two engaged in a fist fight with other group of young men two days ago.
An empty shell of Caliber 45 was recovered by the police authority at the scene of the crime.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TANAUAN, Leyte- The Leyte Provincial Police Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (LPPO-PDEU) led by Police Capt. Jhon Ray Layog and Tanauan Police Station led by Police Capt. Delfin Dinky Bardillon conducted a buy bust operation last February 17, 2020 around 7:30 in the evening which resulted to the arrest of a drug personality in Barangay Calugcog, this town.
The suspect was identified as Denies Doria, 22, single and a resident of the said barangay.
Recovered from his possession were one heat-sealed sachet of shabu subject for sale, one heat-sealed sachet of shabu subject of possession and the marked money of P500.
According to authorities, Doria was used as a runner in exchange for P20 per transaction and was given free illegal drugs for his personal consumption.
He was detained at the Tanauan police station and faces charges for violation of Section 5 for selling of illegal drugs and Section 11 for possession of illegal drugs under Article 2 of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002).
(RANI ARCENAS)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) has announced that it will start the deployment on April 20, 2020, of the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) workers to the different departments of the city government.
This year’s program has 143 slots.
PESO started accepting applications for the program last January to facilitate the processing time required by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Aside from being assigned regular office work, SPES workers will also undergo several activities like life skills training, advocacy orientations, tree growing and nurturing activities and clean up activity as part of the holistic approach of the City Government to the program.
The SPES workers will work for 20 days and will be paid a minimum wage. Sixty percent of the total wage of students is shouldered by the City Government while the other 40% is paid by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
The program is mandated under RA 7393 and intends to develop the potentials of poor but deserving students to finish their education by being employed during school breaks.(HENRY JAMES ROCA/CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)

TACLOBAN CITY-At least 500 housing beneficiaries from this city stand to lose their units if they could not justify why they don’t occupy their houses, more than five years after they received them.
The beneficiaries totally lost their houses after this city was pummeled by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ on November 8, 2013.
But Leonard Tedence Jopson, chief of the City Housing and Community Development Office (CHCDO), said that despite awarding to them their units, these 500 beneficiaries are not actually occupying their units.
It was learned from Jopson that since last month, their office wrote a letter to these erring beneficiaries asking them to explain why their units would not be taken away from them.
He explained that these families were given the houses for reason that they have totally lost their houses due to Yolanda’s onslaught and they should occupy these units.
“They are staying in danger zones. What is the use of giving them their own house at the resettlement sites if they will not occupy these houses given to them by the government,” Jopson said.
Allowing these beneficiaries not to actually occupy their units would defeat the purpose of giving them a safe and secure houses, the official added.
According to him, the 500 beneficiaries were among the more than 11,000 families who received the housing units.
The government, through the National Housing Authority (NHA), is tasked to construct 14,433 housing units to families whose houses were completely destroyed due to Yolanda.
Jopson said that since they have notified these erring beneficiaries, about 200 of them came to their office to personally explain their reasons.
These beneficiaries decline to occupy their units claiming that removables like doorknobs are damaged or they continue to live at their previous villages which are mostly located along the shores, which have been tagged as no build or danger zones, due to economic reason.
Jopson said that they will observe due process before they would remove these beneficiaries from their units within the year.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)