TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has opened the bidding for consulting services to determine the feasibility of a proposed new airport in Pambujan, Northern Samar, a project being considered as an alternative to expanding the existing Catarman Airport.

The procurement, opened Sept. 11, covers a feasibility study and master plan, environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), and land acquisition and resettlement action plan (LARAP) for the proposed airport.

The DOTr has set aside P86.877 million for the consulting services, with bids scheduled to be submitted on Oct. 13, 2026.

The studies are expected to determine the proposed airport’s technical and economic viability, establish its development plan, assess potential environmental and social impacts, and identify land acquisition and resettlement requirements.

The proposed site is in Barangay Poblacion, Pambujan, about 37 kilometers east of Catarman, the provincial capital and location of the existing airport.

An earlier site-selection assessment identified an area of about 43.6 hectares that could accommodate a runway of approximately two kilometers.

The proposed airport is being considered because of the limitations of Catarman Airport, which has a 1,600-meter runway and faces physical and operational constraints to further expansion.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) earlier said expansion of the existing airport would be difficult because a significant portion of the facility is within a military reservation.

CAAP also noted that Catarman Airport is the only airport in the region where a national highway crosses the runway, with roads located at both ends of the facility.

The airport’s existing physical limitations also restrict the type of aircraft that can operate there, affecting passenger capacity and airline operations.

A previous assessment cited Philippine Airlines as saying that an airport capable of accommodating larger aircraft could increase passenger capacity while improving fuel efficiency.

The Pambujan site has been considered for several years. CAAP earlier reported that a feasibility study found the proposed relocation site economically viable.

The new studies, however, will provide updated technical, economic, environmental and social information that will guide the government in determining whether and how the proposed airport should proceed.

For Northern Samar, the proposed airport is also being viewed in the context of efforts to improve air connectivity and support tourism, business and investment.

Provincial officials have cited the potential importance of improved air access as the province seeks to attract more investments, including renewable energy projects.

The proposed facility would therefore be evaluated not only as a replacement or alternative to the existing Catarman Airport, but also for its potential role in meeting the province’s longer-term transportation and development needs.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY – Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 62-year-old fruit vendor who was attacked by a gunman posing as a customer at his stall in Barangay Nauguisan, Carigara, Leyte, on Sept. 17.

Nicolas “Nicnic” Llornas was shot at least three times from behind by a lone gunman who used a .45-caliber handgun, according to his partner, who witnessed the incident.
The suspect was wearing a hooded jacket and a face mask that covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible, the victim’s partner said.

She said the gunman initially acted as an ordinary customer and asked to buy fruits, telling them that he would pay through GCash. This allowed her to briefly see the suspect’s face at close range.

Llornas was initially brought to the Carigara District Hospital, where he received first aid. One bullet was removed and one of his wounds was stitched before he was transferred by ambulance to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City for further treatment.
He later died from his injuries.

Before his death, Llornas reportedly mentioned a person’s name twice. His family and partner believe he may have been referring to someone they suspect could be behind the shooting.

Police are looking into this information as part of their investigation, but the identity of the suspect and the motive for the killing have yet to be established.

Carigara police chief Capt. Alma Corpus is leading the investigation to identify and locate the gunman and determine the circumstances surrounding the killing.

Llornas’ partner said she was willing to file charges once the suspect is identified and arrested.

His family is also appealing for justice and expressing hope that the investigation will lead to the identification, arrest, and prosecution of the person responsible for his death.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY– Police arrested a man and seized two handguns and 38 rounds of ammunition during a search operation in Barangay Tubig-Guinoo, Kawayan, Biliran on Sept. 21, authorities said.

The Kawayan Municipal Police Station (MPS), led by Maj. Ian Salvador Po, officer-in-charge, implemented the search with support from other police units as part of the Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operation (SACLEO).

Police seized from the target of the operation a .38-caliber revolver with a defaced serial number, a .45-caliber pistol, four live rounds for a .38-caliber revolver, 33 live rounds for a .45-caliber pistol, one .45-caliber magazine, a sling bag, and one shotgun round.

The seized items were marked and inventoried in the presence of the arrested individual, witnesses and family members, police said.

The suspect and the confiscated firearms and ammunition were brought to the Kawayan MPS for documentation and processing.

Police said the suspect is being processed for a possible violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The filing of charges remains subject to evaluation by the proper authorities.

Po said the Kawayan MPS would continue to conduct lawful operations against illegal firearms and ammunition as part of efforts to maintain peace and public safety in the municipality.

Police also urged residents to report information about the illegal possession or use of firearms and other unlawful activities to the nearest police station.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)