CAMP JORGE DOWNES,Ormoc City– Military troops unearth the buried rifle and magazines belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) in the remote area of Barangay Old Union, Sta. Rita, Samar on 26 August 2024.

The discovery was made by soldiers from the 63rd Infantry Battalion (63IB), operating under the 802nd Infantry Brigade (802IBde), following a tip-off from concerned local residents. The residents alerted the soldiers of the presence of the concealed weapon and magazines in the area.

Acting Commanding Officer of the 63IB, Lieutenant Colonel Eduardo Meclat Jr., promptly ordered his troops to conduct a thorough search, leading to the successful recovery of a Bushmaster 5.56mm rifle and three empty magazines, among other related equipment.
Lieutenant Colonel Meclat emphasized that the successful operation was made possible by the trust, cooperation, and proactive stance of the local community in safeguarding their area.

“The discovery of this firearm underscores the critical role that the partnership between the military and local communities plays in ensuring security, “ Meclat said.

Meclat encourages all community members to continue working with the government to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone.

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Noel A. Vestuir, Commander of the 802IBde, commended the troops for their relentless efforts to uphold peace and security in the area.

He also expressed his gratitude to the populace for their cooperation and deep concern for their community, which has been instrumental in sustaining peace.

“On behalf of the peace-loving citizens, we are grateful to the residents of Barangay Old Union for their invaluable support and cooperation,” Vestuir ended. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY-Families of victims of the drug war carried out during the administration of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte are finding new hope in the ongoing investigation by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“Yes, I am hopeful that with the involvement of the ICC, the victims of the drug war, especially our relatives, will be given justice,” said Belinda (not her real name), whose uncle was killed in a 2019 drug raid in the Eastern Visayas region.

Belinda, who requested anonymity for safety reasons, shared that her family did not pursue legal action against the government’s anti-drug operatives due to financial constraints.

“This is the fate of poor people who are simply killed, even if they don’t deserve it,” Belinda told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

She and her family were elated to learn that the ICC has requested assistance from the Philippine government in interviewing persons of interest related to Duterte’s drug war campaign.

On July 30, 2024, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV disclosed that an incumbent Philippine senator and four high-ranking police officials have been placed on Interpol’s “blue notice” list at the request of the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor.

“It seems the blue notice is just part of the ICC’s process. While it’s too early to say that this will lead to a favorable outcome for the thousands of victims of ‘drug war’ killings, it sends a message to abusive law enforcers: there will be a time of reckoning,” said Carlos Conde, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“The ICC appears serious in pursuing its investigation. The Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration should fully cooperate with the court’s investigation,” Conde added.

A blue notice is a tool used by the Interpol to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location, or activities in connection to a criminal investigation.

Various human rights organizations claim that over 20,000 suspected drug personalities were killed during Duterte’s anti-drug campaign.
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – Borongan City is set to launch an advanced digital platform aimed at streamlining medical services across the city.

This groundbreaking initiative is a collaboration between the city government of Borongan, Eastern Samar State University (ESSU), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), marking a pivotal moment in the city’s Smart and Sustainable Cities Program.

A successful dry run of the platform was conducted on August 28 at Borongan’s main pharmacy, showcasing its robust features and seamless integration into existing services.

The newly developed platform will function as a comprehensive patient database, linking medical needs with the city’s social services, including the Libreng Medisina program and the upcoming City Infirmary’s laboratory and X-ray services.

This integration ensures that medical records are readily accessible across all rural health units in the city, allowing for smooth transitions of care and facilitating the printing or digital forwarding of records to other healthcare facilities as needed.

A key feature of the platform is its real-time integration with the pharmacy inventory system. During patient consultations, doctors will be able to instantly check the availability of medicines and automatically notify the nearest pharmacy to supply the required medications.

Additionally, the platform will coordinate with the City Infirmary for any necessary laboratory services, ensuring prompt and accurate fulfillment of patient needs.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Eastern Visayas has expedited the issuance of individual land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries in Hilongos, Leyte, under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (Split) project.

Jose Alsmith Soria, DAR regional information officer, stated that their office is “working double time by conducting simultaneous subdivision surveys and inspections of surveyed lots,” with five survey teams assigned to Hilongos.

“Three teams conducted subdivision surveys on 11 lots covered by collective certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs), while two teams inspected eight previously surveyed lots to ensure monuments are properly in place,” Soria said in a statement.

Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Ruben Rebato added that the 11 subdivided lots, with a combined area of 63 hectares, are located in the upland villages of Agutayan, Cacao, and Hitupdan.

According to Rebato, 55 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) on these 11 lots are awaiting their individual land titles.

Meanwhile, DAR-8 successfully completed the inspection of eight previously surveyed lots, covering a total area of 45 hectares, by placing monuments to mark boundaries.

“These lots are situated in Barangays Agutayan, San Isidro, Sta. Margarita, and Marangog. Survey documents will then be forwarded to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the approval of survey plans,” Soria said.

The Split project, funded by the World Bank, aims to subdivide landholdings covered by collective CLOAs issued under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP). (RONALD O. REYES)