ORMOC CITY– A woman was injured after an unlicensed firearm carried by her boyfriend accidentally discharged at a beach resort on December 6, in Sitio Badiang, Brgy. Lomonon, Palompon, Leyte.

PCTP Rushty Alvarado, officer-in-charge of the Palompon Police Station, identified the suspect as alias “Bryle,” 40, married, a construction worker, and a resident of Brgy. Sabang. The victim was identified as alias “Aiza,” of legal age, single, and jobless, also from this municipality.

According to a police report submitted to the Police Regional Office-8, the incident was reported by the resort owner, alias “Oscar,” after a firearm allegedly went off within the premises. Responding officers arrived to find the victim being treated by personnel from the Palompon Emergency Rescue Team for a gunshot wound to her left leg.

Initial investigation revealed that the firearm belonged to the suspect, who is the victim’s boyfriend. Police said the weapon fired accidentally when the suspect’s sling bag—where the firearm was kept—fell from a table, causing it to discharge and hit the victim. When asked to present documents for the firearm, the suspect could not produce any, leading to his immediate arrest.

Seized from the suspect were a caliber .45 pistol marked “Colt Automatic Caliber .45,” one fired cartridge, four live rounds, a magazine, an inside holster, a black sling bag, three mobile phones, P2,191 in cash, a blue coin pouch containing a yellow plastic straw with suspected shabu, and a pair of red cargo shorts. The seized items were properly marked and inventoried in the presence of mandatory witnesses. The weight of the suspected shabu is still to be determined by RFU 8.

Police said the suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his rights in a language he understood.

Charges for violations of RA 10591 (Illegal Possession of Firearm, Ammunition, and Explosives) and RA 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) have been filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. The suspect is now detained at the Palompon Municipal Police Station.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY — More than 164,000 minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas will see an increase in their daily pay beginning December 8, following the implementation of Wage Order No. 25, the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB-8) announced.
The wage hike is set to boost incomes for private-sector workers across the region, including those in agriculture, retail, services, and cottage industries.

The RTWPB-8 reminded employers that compliance with the new wage order is mandatory and urged workers to report violations. “Workers can file their complaint to DOLE, and it will be subject to complaint inspection,” the board said, noting that even anonymous complaints will be accepted.

The new wage order, issued on November 10, 2025, and published on November 22, provides a total P35 daily increase for private-sector employees. The adjustment will be applied in two tranches: a P17 increase starting December 8, 2025, and an additional P18 beginning June 1, 2026.

Under the first tranche, daily minimum wages for agriculture, cottage and handicraft, and service/retail establishments with 1–10 employees will rise from P405 to P422, eventually reaching P440 in June 2026. Meanwhile, non-agriculture and service/retail establishments with more than 10 employees will see wages increase from P435 to P452 in December, then to P470 in June.

In addition, Wage Order No. 06 adjusts the monthly pay for domestic workers (kasambahays).

Those employed in chartered cities and first-class municipalities will now receive P6,400, up by P400, while domestic workers in other municipalities will earn P5,800, a P300 increase. The agency, however, noted that data on the exact number of domestic workers affected in the region is not yet available.

RTWPB-8, chaired by DOLE Regional Director Lawyer Dax Villaruel, said the wage adjustment was issued motu proprio, following a review of prevailing socio-economic conditions, as no wage petition was filed this year. Key factors considered include the region’s consumer price index, the 2023 poverty threshold, gross regional domestic product growth, the number of micro establishments, and other economic indicators.

Under Republic Act 6727, or the Wage Rationalization Act, regional wage boards are mandated to set minimum wage rates and issue corresponding wage orders to ensure workers receive fair compensation in accordance with economic realities.

With this adjustment, Eastern Visayas aims to provide immediate financial relief to low-income workers while addressing the rising cost of living in the region.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – About 45 jobseekers immediately secured employment during the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Region 8’s 92nd anniversary job fair on December 5, 2025 at Robinsons North Tacloban, highlighting the strong demand for skilled workers in Eastern Visayas despite work suspensions due to tropical depression “Wilma.”
The one-day event drew 574 applicants from across the region, with positions filled on the spot including online teachers, cashiers, customer assistants, sales associates, baggers, customer service representatives, administrative officers, and clerks.

A total of 38 local employers participated, collectively offering nearly 1,000 job vacancies across various sectors.

Of the registered jobseekers, 489 were assessed as qualified, while 57 were considered near hires, pending documentary requirements or additional interviews.

DOLE Regional Director Dax Villaruel extended his appreciation to the employer-partners and government agencies that provided frontline services during the event.

These included the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC), Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Pag-IBIG Fund, PhilHealth, SSS, and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).

Villaruel emphasized that the strong turnout and positive hiring results demonstrate the continued collaboration between DOLE, private employers, and government service partners to connect Eastern Visayan jobseekers with meaningful employment opportunities, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to supporting the region’s workforce.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY — Police operatives from Station 3 arrested a 56-year-old woman on December 2, in Barangay Liloan after serving a warrant issued for qualified theft.

Police Station 3 chief Police Major Omar Roel Cartalla identified the accused as alias “Beth,” married, and a resident of St. Mary’s Heights, Bag-ong Daan, Yati, Lilo-an, Cebu.

The warrant for her arrest, dated September 24, 2025, was issued by Executive Judge Thea Gicela Casas Nueva-Zamora of the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 in Hilongos, Leyte, in connection with Criminal Case No. H-4095 for qualified theft. The court set bail at P90,000 for her temporary liberty.

Police said the suspect was informed of the nature of her arrest and her constitutional rights in a language she understood.

Following her apprehension, the accused was brought to Ormoc City Police Station 3 for booking and documentation before being turned over to the issuing court for proper disposition.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY– A man recently placed under police monitoring for alleged drug activities was arrested in a buy-bust operation that yielded three sachets of suspected shabu on Saturday morning, December 6, in Sitio Tabuc Suba, Brgy. Poblacion, Tabango in Leyte.
Police identified the suspect as alias “Jude,” 39, married, unemployed, and a resident of the same barangay.

During the operation, an operative of the Station Drug Enforcement Team purchased a sachet of suspected shabu worth P500 from the suspect.

A subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of mandatory witnesses, led to the discovery of plastic canister containing two additional sachets of suspected shabu. Authorities also recovered the marked P500 bill used in the operation.

The suspect was apprised of the reason for his arrest and informed of his constitutional rights in a language he clearly understood.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. The suspect is currently detained at the Tabango Municipal Police Station’s locked-up facility.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY —San Vicente Elementary School in Malitbog, Southern Leyte was targeted by a thief on December 8, 2025, resulting in the loss of two office printers and P100 in cash, police reported. The incident occurred around 12:40 p.m., prompting an immediate investigation by local authorities.

According to the school head, alias “Charls,” 55, the suspect forcibly cut the steel grill of the back window of the Principal’s Office to gain entry. Once inside, the intruder took two printers and a small amount of cash before fleeing the scene.

Police responding from Malitbog Municipal Police Station noted that the suspect had also detached three jalousie blades from the adjacent stockroom window.
No other items were reported missing.

The thief remains unidentified.

Authorities have requested assistance from the Southern Leyte Provincial Forensic Unit to process the crime scene, while follow-up investigations are ongoing to determine the suspect’s identity and trace possible escape routes.

Police are urging the public and nearby establishments to report any suspicious activity that could help in identifying and apprehending the perpetrator.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)