TACLOBAN CITY – A member of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was killed while two others were captured after government troops launched successive operations against communist insurgents in Paranas, Samar, on Saturday, September 13.

According to the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID), soldiers from the 46th Infantry Battalion were conducting security operations in Barangay Concepcion when they clashed with remnants of the Special Operations Group (SOG), Yakal Platoon, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Browser of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC).
A series of three firefights later that day left one rebel dead, identified as Gerry Dela Cruz, alias “Justin,” and resulted in the capture of two others identified only as “Aye,” a political guide of SRC Browser, and “Tintin,” a member of the EVRPC Regional Security Force.
Troops recovered three M16 rifles, two .45-caliber pistols, three backpacks, three bandoliers, subversive documents, and other war materiel from the encounter sites.
Major General Adonis Ariel Orio, 8ID commander, commended the troops’ “vigilance and dedication,” saying the operations showed steady progress in dismantling the communist movement’s armed capability in Samar.

“These successful engagements are proof that our relentless pursuit operations are effectively dismantling the armed capability of the communist terrorist group. We will continue to hunt down these remnants until they can no longer threaten the peace and progress of Samar,” Orio said in a statement.

Colonel Arlino Sendaydiego, commander of the 801st Infantry Brigade supervising the 46IB, lauded the soldiers’ “swift and decisive action” and again urged remaining insurgents to surrender and avail themselves of government assistance.

Lieutenant Colonel Marvin Inocencio, commander of the 46IB, which is based in Calbiga town, also in Samar, assured the unit remains “steadfast and relentless” in its mission to end local insurgency.

The 8ID said intensified military operations would continue to dismantle the remaining EVRPC formations in Samar and across Eastern Visayas to ensure communities are free from insurgent threats.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

PALO, Leyte – Members of 33 agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) from across Eastern Visayas celebrated as they received their Certificates of Compliance (COC) and Certificates of Registration (COR) from the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) transforming them into cooperatives during the ARB Summit cum DAR-CDA ARBO Cooperative Registration Caravan held on the 4th and 5th of September this year at The Tropics in this town.

Rosita Espiño, vice-chairman of the Anthurium Farmers ARB Cooperative in Alangalang, Leyte, kept on applauding while Undersecretary Alexander Raquepo, CDA chairman, enumerated the various benefits a cooperative gets, including the tax exemption. Espiño commented, “Good that we are now a cooperative.”

CDA Assistant Regional Director Maripaz Del Pilar, in turn, clarified in her orientation that the tax exemption should be applied at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Other ARBOs who received their CORs and COCs on Friday from the CDA chairman himself were from the towns of Naval, Cabucgayan, both in Biliran; Tanauan, Dulag, Tolosa, Tanauan, all in Leyte; Salcedo, San Julian, both in Eastern Samar; Allen, San Roque, San Isidro, Pambujan, all in Northern Samar; San Jorge, Calbiga, Pagsanghan, Motiong, Santa Rita, Samar, Pinabacdao Daram, Zumarraga, Santa Rita, Basey, Calbiga, and Tarangnan, all in Samar; Tomas Oppus, Malitbog, and Liloan, all in Southern Leyte.

Meanwhile, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, expressed his gratitude to the various government agencies for responding to his invitation in sharing their programs and services to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations (ARBOs) on the said occasion.

(JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA)

TACLOBAN CITY– A major boost to Baybay City’s power capacity is on the way as the Leyte Electric Cooperative IV (Leyeco IV) broke ground for its 20-MVA Candadam Substation, a project aimed at meeting the city’s rising demand for electricity driven by rapid development.

Mayor Jose Carlos Cari led the ceremony together with acting general manager Brenda Flores-Ampolitod, board president Atty. Joseph Carnel Bandalan, barangay officials, and representatives from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

Designed with four feeders, the new substation will support Baybay’s business and government centers, supplementing the existing 10-MVA Baybay Substation and 5-MVA San Agustin Substation. It is also expected to improve system redundancy for more reliable power distribution.

The facility is scheduled to be energized by mid-2026, marking a significant step in Leyeco IV’s commitment to deliver efficient, reliable, and sustainable electric service to Baybay City and its growing communities. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)