ORMOC CITY– A drug personality listed as Rank No. 8 in the Regional Priority Target List was arrested during a buy-bust operation on Monday morning, June 9, in Barangay San Isidro, Giporlos, Eastern Samar.
The suspect, identified by police as alias “Albert,” 55, married, a fish vendor, and a resident of Barangay 2, Poblacion, was apprehended around 10:48 am by the Municipal Drug Enforcement Team of the Giporlos Police Station, in coordination with the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Confiscated from the suspect was one sachet containing a substance believed to be shabu, purchased by an undercover operative for P1,000. A subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of mandated witnesses, yielded five more sachets of suspected shabu hidden in a black wallet.
Authorities also recovered a total of P1,550 in various denominations, which included the marked money used in the operation and P900 in boodle money. Also seized were a green lighter and a black Honda RS 125 motorcycle with no license plate.
The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and his constitutional rights in a language he fully understood.
Charges for Violation of Sections 5 (sale of illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) under Article II of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed against him before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. He is currently detained at the Giporlos Municipal Police Station. (ROBERT DEJON)
Ormoc City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO), led by District Engineer Rosita A. Tinawin and Assistant District Engineer Peter Scheler V. Soco, conducted a school outreach program on June 9–10, 2025, in support of Brigada Eskwela.
Employees of the DEO pooled their contributions to bring backpacks, school supplies, umbrellas, lunchboxes, tumblers, and food packs to three far-flung public schools within the district: Can-andan Elementary School in Isabel with 70 students, Canbantug Elementary School in Merida with 185 students, and Monterico Integrated School in Kananga with 284 students.
“Hindi lang ito obligasyon namin pero ito ay devotion na rin namin,” said DE Tinawn during her speech. “Each and every one of us, we make it a point to share blessings to students and to pay it forward. We are very thankful to be part of your educational journey and we are praying that one day, you will be successful and also be able to pay it forward.”
The children beamed with joy as they received their gifts, and the faculty of each school expressed deep gratitude for the kindness shown. For most of these students, the simple yet essential items they received will help ease their daily school routines and encourage them to keep learning with enthusiasm.
The outreach activity was conducted just in time for the official opening of classes on June 16, 2025. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Borongan is seeking clarification from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) after reports surfaced that certain areas in the city have been listed as “open for mining application” by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), the city has formally sent a letter of inquiry to both the Eastern Samar Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) and the MGB, requesting detailed information on the inclusion and the specific minerals identified in Borongan that led to its declaration as having “mining viability.”
In response to the issue, Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda convened a meeting on June 9 with barangay chairmen of the affected communities: Calicoan, Campesao, San Gabriel, San Jose, and Siha, and Sohutan— barangays located along the Loom River, which may be directly impacted by potential mining operations.
During the meeting, Mayor Agda reiterated his strong opposition to any future mining activity in Borongan, citing its long-term, irreversible impact on the ecosystem and the city’s natural resources. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development.
The barangay leaders unanimously supported the mayor’s stance and pledged to launch a community-level awareness campaign on the dangers and environmental consequences of mining.
Earlier this week, the MGB posted on its official Facebook page a list of areas across the country identified as open for mining applications. The list reportedly included locations within Borongan, with coordinates pointing to zones near several river barangays. In response, barangay councils passed resolutions opposing the inclusion of their communities in the mining list.
The Borongan City government is currently awaiting the MGB’s official response to its inquiries as it continues to monitor the situation closely.
ORMOC CITY– A 19-year-old construction worker listed as the No. 2 most wanted person in the province of Biliran was arrested by law enforcement authorities on the evening of Tuesday, June 3, in Barangay Villa Cornejo, Kawayan, Biliran.
The suspect, known by the alias “Jie,” a resident of the same barangay, was apprehended around 10:33 pm by operatives of the Kawayan Municipal Police Station and the Biliran Provincial Mobile Force Company.
The arrest was made based on a warrant issued by Judge Luz Petilla Navarrete of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 16, Naval, Biliran, for the crime of qualified statutory rape. No bail was recommended for the suspect’s temporary release.
Police said the accused was informed of the nature of the arrest and his constitutional rights in a language he fully understood.
The suspect was brought to the Kawayan Municipal Police Station for documentation and will be turned over to the issuing court for proper legal proceedings.
PBBM VISIT. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. visited Tacloban and Basey, Samar to check the damage at the San Juanico Bridge and the operations at the Amandayehan Port, respectively, on Wednesday, June 11. His son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez AND Major Gen.Ariel Orio, commanding officer of the 8th Infantry Division joined the President on his visit. (8TH ID)
PBBM VISIT. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. visited Tacloban and Basey, Samar to check the damage at the San Juanico Bridge and the operations at the Amandayehan Port, respectively, on Wednesday, June 11. His son, Rep. Sandro Marcos, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez AND Major Gen.Ariel Orio, commanding officer of the 8th Infantry Division joined the President on his visit. (8TH ID)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) VIII has made an urgent appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to allocate P1.17 billion for the immediate strengthening and restoration of the San Juanico Bridge, following newly imposed restrictions that threaten to paralyze inter-island commerce in Eastern Visayas.
In a resolution passed this week, the RDC called on the President to fund the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VIII to restore the bridge’s original 33-ton load capacity, which has been downgraded due to structural integrity issues. Since May 15, 2025, only vehicles weighing three tons or less have been allowed to pass, disrupting critical supply routes for agriculture, health care, construction, and trade.
“The San Juanico Bridge is not only the sole permanent land connection between Samar and Leyte—it’s a lifeline for the region’s economy and disaster response,” the RDC emphasized, noting that the bridge serves over 14,000 vehicles daily, 10% of which are cargo trucks.
Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, who chairs the council, said that they are optimistic that their request will be given appropriate action by the President.
“Let us hope that the President will approve this so that by December, or before December, the bridge will be restored to carry more than 30 tons,” she said.
“If this happens before year-end, things would have improved significantly,” Torres-Gomez added.
The council proposed sourcing at least P500 million of the requested amount from the Fiscal Year 2025 National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) to jumpstart the rehabilitation.
This appeal comes just days after President Marcos signed Proclamation No. 920 on June 5, declaring a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas. Local governments in Tacloban City, Samar, and Eastern Samar have also declared states of emergency, underscoring the regional scale of the crisis.
The resolution was personally handed to the President by DPWH-8 Regional Director Edgar B. Tabacon during Marcos’ visit to the region on Wednesday.
Officials say restoring the San Juanico Bridge’s full load-bearing capacity is essential not only for economic recovery but also for ensuring safe and timely responses during natural disasters.
AMANDAYEHAN PORT OPERATION. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon speaks with truck drivers who expressed relief as they prepare to depart after more than three weeks of waiting for the Amandayehan Port to open. The port began operations on June 7, following the partial closure of the San Juanico Bridge on May 15.(JAG)
AMANDAYEHAN PORT OPERATION. Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon speaks with truck drivers who expressed relief as they prepare to depart after more than three weeks of waiting for the Amandayehan Port to open. The port began operations on June 7, following the partial closure of the San Juanico Bridge on May 15.(JAG)
Homonhon experience as reason
TACLOBAN CITY – Citing fears of possible severe destruction to environment, the diocese of Borongan is calling on local officials and residents to reject proposed mining activities across thousands of hectares in Eastern Samar.
The concern was sparked by a June 4 notice from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), announcing the opening of applications for industrial sand and gravel permits in the municipalities of Hernani and Gen. Macarthur, and in Borongan City.
The proposed mining areas cover 3,784.98 hectares in Hernani and Gen. Macarthur and 2,759.79 hectares in Borongan City.
Fr. James Abella, director of the Commission on Social Action, Justice, and Peace of the Diocese of Borongan, condemned the move and called for public resistance.
He pointed to the existing environmental degradation caused by mining on Homonhon and Manicani islands—both in Guiuan town—as cautionary examples.
“Our fear is that we will see similar destruction as in Homonhon and Manicani islands, where mining activities have severely damaged the environment,” Fr. Abella said in an online interview on Sunday, June 8.
“I find this very alarming. I pray and appeal to the people and officials of these towns and our province to stand firm and refuse to allow such devastating environmental destruction to take place,” he added in a separate social media post.
Homonhon Island currently hosts four nickel and chromite mining companies: Min-Met Resources, Verum Terra Geosciences Inc., TelcIron Resources Inc., and Emirs Mineral Resources, while Hinatuan Mining Corp. operates on Manicani Island.
Fr. Abella also noted his personal ties to the affected towns—he hails from Hernani, his brother resides in Gen. Macarthur, and he is currently assigned to the diocesan office in Borongan City.
He said five barangays in Borongan—Calico-an, Campesao, San Gabriel, San Jose, and Siha—have passed a joint resolution opposing the proposed mining due to concerns over the Loom River, a major local water source.
“Mining operations could disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem, harm our water resources, and jeopardize the livelihoods of our residents,” the resolution stated.
In response to the public outcry, MGB Regional Director Glenn Noble clarified that the June 4 notice does not authorize immediate mining.
“The notice as we have is a notice denying an existing mining application and opening the area for new mining applications, not opening an area for mining operations,” Noble said in a text message.
“These are two different things. The notice that we have right now is part of the due process after denying a mining application over a certain area. After denial of an existing mining application, a notice is provided informing the public that a certain mining application has been denied and that the area covered by said mining application is now open for new mining applications,” he added.
Noble emphasized that any new application must still undergo standard evaluation and comply with mandatory regulatory requirements. The public has 15 days from the date of posting to submit new applications.
