ORMOC CITY-In what supposed to be a traffic violation operation took an unexpected turn when authorities in Allen Northern Samar discovered 37 kilograms of suspected shabu which has a commercial value of P277.50 million inside the vehicle.

In a joint operation conducted by the members of the Northern Samar Provincial Highway Patrol Team (NSPHPT), Regional Intelligence Division (RID) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) led to the recovery of suspected illegal drugs along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Jubasan, Allen, Northern Samar on Sunday, Sept.1, at about 5 am, report from the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police based in PALO,Leyte.
The suspect, identified only as “Sander,” a male resident of Brgy. Tubod, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, was driving a dark turquoise Toyota Yaris Cross without a license plate and was initially stopped for traffic violations, including the absence of a seat belt.

When asked to present the vehicle’s official documents, the suspect could only provide a sales invoice and failed to produce an official receipt or certificate of registration.

During questioning, the suspect reportedly became visibly nervous before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing into the mountainous terrain of Brgy. Jubasan.

Despite efforts to pursue him, the suspect managed to evade capture, leaving behind his Vivo cellphone.

The joint team conducted a thorough inspection of the abandoned vehicle.

They discovered 37 packs of what is believed to be shabu, concealed in black plastic bags with Chinese markings which has an estimated commercial value of P277.50 million.
In addition to the suspected drugs, authorities recovered a driver’s license under the name “Sander,” a Vivo cellphone, and a sales invoice for the Toyota Yaris Cross registered to an individual named “Omar.”

The recovered evidence was carefully marked and inventoried on-site in the presence of witnesses, as required by law.

NSPHPT personnel, in coordination with nearby stations, are continuing their efforts to locate and apprehend the suspect.

A dragnet operation is ongoing, and authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any information that could assist in the suspect’s capture.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) here in the region has successfully completed 480 projects under the Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI) initiatives.

These projects include the construction of 274 water harvesting facilities, some of which feature fish ponds.

Eleven of these facilities are located in Northern Samar, 11 in Eastern Samar, and 252 in Southern Leyte. Additionally, 210 community gardens have been established.

The water facilities will serve 138,605 square meters of agricultural land, helping farmers cope with dry spells caused by El Niño and climate change.

The community gardens, on the other hand, are expected to boost the harvest of vegetables, crops, and fruit-bearing plants in the region, providing food for more than 26,000 families.

In the implementation of Project LAWA and BINHI in the region, 3,800 individuals—referred to by the social welfare agency as “partner-beneficiaries”—underwent comprehensive training. This training covered disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and practical skills in gardening and water harvesting.

Following the training, the beneficiaries participated in 15 days of work based on activities identified by their local government units (LGUs). These activities included constructing water harvesting facilities, farming, forage production, and vermicomposting.
For their participation in the 20-day cash-for-work (CFW) and cash-for-training (CFT) sessions, each individual received P7,500.

The DSWD implements Project LAWA and BINHI to maintain agricultural productivity during dry periods and to manage excess water during periods of heavy rainfall associated with La Niña. These initiatives focus on mitigating the impacts of food insecurity and water scarcity caused by El Niño while preparing for the potential effects of the rainy season.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)