ORMOC CITY— A provincial most wanted person facing multiple sexual abuse charges was arrested in a joint police operation in Naval, Biliran on the afternoon of May 8, 2026.
Police identified the suspect as Eric Antonio, 37, a farmer and resident of Naval, Biliran, who was listed as Rank No. 2 Most Wanted Person at the provincial level.
The arrest was carried out at around 5:00 p.m. in Sitio Magtaran-an, Barangay Talustusan, Naval, through the coordinated efforts of the Naval Municipal Police Station, Regional Intelligence Unit 8 (RIU-8), Biliran Police Intelligence Unit, Provincial Intelligence and Detective Management Unit, and the Biliran Provincial Mobile Force Company.
Authorities said the operation was based on standing warrants of arrest issued on April 24, 2026, by Acting Presiding Judge Thea Gicela Casas Nueve-Zamora of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 16, Naval, Biliran.
The suspect is facing 10 counts of statutory rape under Article 266-A (1)(d) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Act No. 11684, with no bail recommended. He is also facing three counts of acts of lasciviousness under Article 336 of the Revised Penal Code in relation to Section 5(b) of Republic Act No. 7610, with bail set at P540,000.
Following his arrest, he was brought to the Naval Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
Thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across Eastern Visayas received from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) their individual land titles generated under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, and certificates of condonation with release of mortgage (COCROMs) which erased their unpaid loans. (DAR-8 photo)
Thousands of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across Eastern Visayas received from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) their individual land titles generated under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, and certificates of condonation with release of mortgage (COCROMs) which erased their unpaid loans. (DAR-8 photo)
TACLOBAN CITY – Agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) Rodolfo Regis from Palo, Leyte was extremely happy to receive his certificate of condonation with release of mortgage (COCROM) on Wednesday, April 29 this year, which erased his more than half a million peso unpaid balance at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), freeing him from financial burden.
“I am very happy! A big thanks to the President for issuing this law that condones all our unpaid balances,” Regis exclaimed. I am sure this will have a great effect to my co-farmers who are also beneficiaries of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) with remaining unpaid loans,” He added.
Regis was referring to Republic Act No. 11953 otherwise known as the New Agrarian Emancipation Act signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 7, 2023. The said law condones all unpaid loans of ARBs, related to their awarded lots, including interests.
When asked for his reaction, Regis, 65, said, “I can no longer afford to pay the loan amount of P659,160.49. That is why I am very grateful to our President and Secretary Conrado Estrella III for this opportunity.”
Regis’ story was just among the 11,917 ARBs across Eastern Visayas who were relieved from financial burden following receipt of their COCROMs.
A total of 14,838 COCROMS were distributed on Wednesday condoning P799,524,119 unpaid loans of ARBs for the 42,948 hectares awarded farm lots.
Aside from COCROMs, DAR also distributed on the same occasion 16,023 individual land titles, covering 20,301 hectares of agricultural lands situated in different parts of the region, to 13,767 ARBs.
This individual titles were issued under the World Bank-funded Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project. Lands previously covered by collective Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) were subdivided and the ARBs were issued with individual titles to strengthen their property rights over their awarded lots.
“I am happy to receive this. I did not expect this anymore because I am already old. I have little time left,” said 89 years old Santos Abud from Caibiran, Biliran.
Three DAR undersecretaries, Kazel Celeste of the Field Operations Office, Josef Angelo Martires of the Support Services Office and Rowena Niña Taduran of the Special
Concerns Office, represented Estrella to lead the distribution of COCROMs and land titles at the Tacloban City Convention Center.
In her message to the ARBs, Celeste said, “Isa lang po ang hihilingin natin sa ating mga ARB. Ito ay sana alagaan po natin ang lupa na ipinagkaloob sa inyo ng gobyerno. Alagaan po natin yan, wag po natin ibebenta yan dahil makakaasa po kayo na nandito lang ang DAR para tumulong sa ating mga magsasaka.”
Meanwhile, Martires promised to flood this region with farm support assistance, “Kasama ng titulong yan, kung binabaha lagi ang Leyte at Samar, ang pangako ni Secretary Conrado Estrella III, babaha ng support services sa Leyte at Samar. Pero dapat malinaw, hindi darating yan sa individual agrarian reform beneficiary. Kailangan ayusin nyo ang inyong hanay. Kailangan maging asosasyon kayo. At eventually maging kooperatiba kayo.”
Further, Taduran left a reminder for the ARBs to ponder, “Tandaan po natin, ang lupa ay hindi lamang para sa kasalukuyan, kundi isang pamana para sa susunod na henerasyon. Kaya ito po ay pangalagaan ninyo at pagyamanin. Kung ito po ay ating pahahalagahan at pauunlarin, hindi lamang tayo ang makikinabang kundi pati ang mga anak at apo natin.”
Moreove, DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu asked everyone to work together and make this region a “powerhouse of agricultural productivity and a model of rural development.”
TACLOBAN CITY— A security guard was arrested after allegedly defrauding two students of P75,000 in separate GCash transactions in Barangay Lemon, Capoocan, Leyte on May 7.
Police identified the victims as an 18-year-old first-year college student and a 16-year-old Grade 12 student, both residents of the barangay.
The suspect, known as alias “Mau,” 41, a security guard from Sitio Apnican, Barangay Tag-Abaca, Leyte, Leyte, reportedly went to the victims’ store to conduct GCash cash-in transactions amounting to P75,000. However, after the transfers were completed, he allegedly failed to hand over the corresponding cash and fled on a motorcycle.
One of the victims tried to stop the suspect, but he managed to escape toward Barangay San Joaquin in the same town.
Authorities later arrested the suspect, who was brought to the Capoocan Municipal Police Station. Charges are being prepared against him.
The incident comes amid continued warnings from authorities and GCash about the rising number of digital payment scams in the country. GCash has recently intensified efforts against fraudulent transactions and fake payment schemes targeting users nationwide.
Victims of similar scams are advised to immediately report incidents to the Philippine National Police or the National Bureau of Investigation and coordinate with GCash support for account tracing and investigation.
TACLOBAN CITY — Public utility vehicle (PUV) operators and commuters in Eastern Visayas are set to benefit from the government’s Service Contracting Program (SCP), which has been officially rolled out by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the region.
Launched on April 27, the program provides financial assistance to participating drivers and operators to help cushion the impact of rising fuel prices while ensuring continued public transport operations without fare increases.
Under the scheme, qualified PUV units will receive fuel subsidies equivalent to a 100-kilometer daily operation, allowing drivers to sustain their routes despite fluctuating fuel costs.
Commuters using accredited modern PUVs are also entitled to a 20 percent fare discount on weekdays. Students, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities will continue to enjoy their existing statutory fare privileges on top of the reduced rates.
The LTFRB said the program is part of the national government’s efforts to protect both transport workers and passengers from the effects of volatile oil prices.
Nationwide, the Marcos administration has allocated P1 billion for the SCP, with P800 million earmarked for land transport and P200 million for maritime services. The initiative is expected to cover around 50,000 PUV units and benefit approximately 15 million passengers daily.
The agency also reminded commuters to report instances of overcharging, providing channels for complaints that should include vehicle details such as plate number, route, and fare paid.
Participating transport units are required to display official fare matrices and program signage to inform passengers of the applicable discounted rates as implementation continues across designated routes.
TACLOBAN CITY — City government employees here are appealing for the establishment of a free transportation service as fuel prices continue to rise, placing additional financial strain on workers amid increasing living costs.
Eden Benusa Reyes, president of the Government Association of Tacloban Employees (GATE), said the proposal was prompted by concerns over the impact of global developments, including tensions in the Middle East and the United States, which have driven fluctuations in oil prices.
Reyes said fuel costs for gasoline and diesel have started to climb again after a brief rollback, further burdening government workers.
The idea, she said, was conceived due to the expected rise in fuel prices brought about by the global situation, which directly affects employees who rely on daily transportation to and from work.
GATE initially submitted a letter in March to Mayor Alfred Romualdez requesting assistance for employees affected by transportation costs. Last week, the group followed up with another request addressed to the mayor, the Local Finance Committee, the City Administrator’s Office, and the Human Resource Management and Development Office (HRMDO), reiterating their appeal for a free ride program, particularly for employees going home after duty hours.
Reyes said many city hall employees follow staggered work schedules, with some finishing at 5 p.m., others at 6 p.m., and some at 7 p.m., making it difficult to find available transportation, especially for those residing in northern Tacloban and relocation sites.
She explained that this arrangement often leaves employees struggling to secure rides, particularly during peak hours.
The Local Finance Committee has reviewed the proposal but raised concerns on the possible funding source for fuel and operational costs if government vehicles are used.
In response, GATE suggested an alternative through a contract service arrangement with public utility vehicles.
Under the revised proposal, employees would be dropped off at designated points along existing transport routes in both northern and southern parts of the city instead of being transported directly to their homes.
Reyes said offices have already submitted lists of employees who may benefit from the program, including their work schedules and preferred drop-off points.
The HRMDO has acknowledged the request, but implementation still requires the approval of Mayor Romualdez.
TACLOBAN CITY— Delivery riders in Tacloban City secured a major labor win after the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) ruled that 126 Foodpanda riders should be classified as regular employees, entitling them to labor protections and statutory benefits.
The decision marks a significant shift in the status of app-based delivery workers, granting them greater job security and recognition under existing labor laws.
Riders welcomed the ruling, calling it a long-awaited acknowledgment of their rights and contributions in the growing delivery sector. Labor advocates also described it as a landmark decision that underscores the need to protect workers in the gig economy.
The case, according to reports, highlighted the riders’ collective action in asserting their status as employees rather than independent contractors, amid long-standing concerns over job security, compensation, and workplace protections.
Delivery rider groups urged Foodpanda and other platform-based companies to comply with the ruling and ensure fair wages, humane working conditions, and full social protection for workers moving forward.
The ruling comes amid ongoing national discussions on the rights of gig economy workers, many of whom continue to raise issues on employment security and benefits in platform-based jobs.
