TACLOBAN CITY — Police have filed murder and frustrated murder charges against a soldier tagged as the suspect in a shooting incident in Catarman, Northern Samar that left a young engineer dead and her brother wounded.

The Philippine National Police in Catarman, Northern Samar said the Catarman Municipal Police Station lodged the complaints before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor following the completion of its investigation into the shooting that occurred in Barangay Dalakit.
The suspect was identified as Sgt. Jerome Lluz Tejero, an active member of the Philippine Army.

Killed in the incident was Karen Grace Corsino Del Valle, 25, a civil engineer assigned at the Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar 1st District Engineering Office. She sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.
Her brother, Kent John Corsino, 23, was also shot but survived the attack.

The Northern Samar Police Provincial Office said the filing of the case came after investigators established sufficient evidence linking the suspect to the shooting, which authorities said occurred in Barangay Dalakit and triggered a manhunt operation.
Meanwhile, officials have offered a cash reward for information that could lead to the arrest of the suspect.

Sec. Vince Dizon of the Department of Public Works and Highways, and former Northern Samar first district representative Paul Daza have each pledged P100,000, bringing the total reward to P200,000 for credible and actionable information on the suspect’s whereabouts.

Police said the reward aims to encourage individuals who may have reliable information to assist authorities in the immediate arrest of the suspect.

Authorities also assured the public that any information provided will be treated with strict confidentiality to ensure the safety and anonymity of informants.

The provincial police office said it remains committed to exhausting all lawful means to locate and arrest the suspect and ensure justice for the victims and their families.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) has expressed support for the proposed “unity road” project that aims to connect the tri-boundary areas of Samar Island, a move officials say will improve access to remote communities and help address remaining insurgency concerns in the region.

DPWH Sec. Vince Dizon confirmed the government’s backing for the proposed road network following a meeting with local officials from Eastern Visayas.

The discussions were attended by Governors Sharee Ann Tan of Samar; Ralph Vincent Evardone of Eastern Samar; Harris Christopher Ongchuan of Northern Samar, and Carlos Jericho Petilla of Leyte.

Also present were Rep. and House Minority Floor Leader Marcelino Libanan; Eastern Samar Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, and Rep. Edwin Ongchuan (Northern Samar).

Officials said the unity road project is expected to improve connectivity in remote areas of Samar Island, which authorities say could help weaken the presence of remaining members of the New People’s Army by opening isolated communities to government services and economic opportunities.

The project will prioritize the completion of several ongoing road sections, including the Jipapad–Las Navas Road, Matuguinao–Las Navas Road, and Matuguinao–Silvino Lobos Road.

Rep. Ongchuan said the road network would be particularly beneficial in areas where remnants of the New People’s Army continue to operate.

“Nandun po sa amin sa Las Navas ang main camp ng NPA. Napakalaking tulong po na matapos po itong tri-boundary ng Eastern, Northern, at Samar province para magkaroon ng accessibility ang mga kababayan natin, lalong-lalo na yung mga nasa military at sa PNP,” Ongchuan said.

Since part of the proposed road alignment passes through the Samar Island Natural Park, a protected area, Governor Tan said consultations have already been initiated with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the park’s Protected Area Management Board to secure the necessary permits.

Tan said the DENR suggested using old logging roads as part of the alignment to avoid cutting trees inside the forest reserve.

“We discussed this with the PAMB, and the DENR suggested that we use the old logging road to avoid the cutting of trees,” Tan said.

She added that the PAMB had also granted permits reclassifying some areas into multi-use zones to accommodate the project.

As an added safeguard against illegal logging, Tan said fences would be installed on both sides of the road passing through forested areas.

The proposed Unity Road project is estimated to cost about P11 billion and will cover several road sections, including the Matuguinao–Silvino Lobos Road, Matuguinao–Las Navas Road, Calbayog–Bobon Road, San Jose de Buan–Maslog Road, San Jose de Buan–Las Navas Road, and Calbiga–Borongan Road.

Once completed, the road network is expected to span about 181.17 kilometers across Samar Island.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The city government of Calbayog City will implement a temporary four-day onsite work arrangement for its employees as part of energy-saving measures amid rising fuel prices.

Under the arrangement, employees will report onsite from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Thursday, while four hours of work-from-home duties will be observed on Fridays.

City Mayor Raymund Uy said the scheme will not apply to frontline and health service personnel to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential public services.

Uy also convened members of the Local Price Coordinating Council along with representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry in Samar to assess the possible economic impact of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Discussions focused on monitoring commodity prices and protecting consumers as global developments continue to affect fuel costs and other basic goods.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)