ORMOC CITY-A local courier company based in Maasin City invited the police to their office after discovering a long-unclaimed parcel containing suspected marijuana.

The incident occurred around 3:15 pm on Wednesday, July 18, at the J&T Warehouse in Barangay Abgao, Maasin City.

City chief of police, PLt. Col. Jason Balbarona, reported that Jergmiah Junio, 34, an area network manager at J&T and resident of Barangay Naghalin, Kananga, Leyte, made a personal call to the police station to report the find.

Balbarona said he immediately notified the local Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) office and accompanied them to the warehouse.

An initial investigation by local police revealed that the parcel had been in the warehouse for an extended period but remained unclaimed.

This prompted the courier worker to open the parcel to inspect its contents. Upon opening, they discovered a plastic sachet containing dried leaves suspected to be marijuana.

The police added that the name of the intended recipient has not been disclosed as they are awaiting the receiver’s explanation regarding the contents of the parcel.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – A barangay chairman from Leyte, Leyte has filed a libel case with the Office of the Ombudsman against two high-ranking police officers from the province.

The accused officers, identified as Police Lieutenant Colonel Marben Ordonia, head of the Regional Intelligence Division of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8), and Police Lieutenant Colonel Duane Francis Ducducan, have been named in the complaint lodged by Edgar Dela Rosa, chairman of Barangay Baco, Leyte town.

In his complaint, Dela Rosa stated that in October 2023, he received a chat message from a friend who informed him that the Philippine National Police Regional Intelligence Unit and the Leyte Provincial Police Office were disseminating a memorandum about an emerging “Criminal Group Dela Rosa” in the 3rd District of Leyte and in Ormoc City.

Dela Rosa learned that this memorandum originated from the PNP Regional Intelligence Division of Region 8 and concerned his activities and involvement in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30, 2023.

Upon receiving this information, Dela Rosa took steps to verify the existence of the memorandum. He sought the help of his family members, who include retired and active police officers residing in the 3rd and 4th districts of Leyte. The family was alarmed by the information tagging Edgar as an emerging leader of a criminal group.

After being re-elected as chairman of Brgy. Baco in the October 2023 elections, Dela Rosa reported that the memorandum resurfaced and was spread across PNP stations in the 3rd district of Leyte and in Ormoc City, which is in the 4th district of Leyte.

He claims the memorandum is libelous and calls for penalties under Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, as well as for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of public officers against respondents Ordonia and Ducducan.

Dela Rosa argues that the dissemination of the memorandum, which he received and read through text messages, constitutes a violation of Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code for libel and/or cyber libel, with cellphones considered a computer or similar device used for public dissemination of the malicious imputation.

He asserted that the memorandum describing him as the leader of an emerging criminal group was a false and malicious imputation that caused dishonor to him and his family.
He claimed it was publicized without any warning of confidentiality and spread among the citizens of Leyte, Leyte.

As defined in Article 353 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), libel is a public and malicious imputation of a crime, vice, defect, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause dishonor, discredit, or contempt.

Cyber libel, under Section 4(c) (4) of Republic Act No. 10175, requires that the imputation must be made publicly, be malicious, be directed at an identifiable person, and be done through the use of a computer system.

The Leyte Samar Daily Express could not contact both Ordonia and Ducducan for their reactions on the filing of libel case against them.

ORMOC CITY-An 18-year-old cook was arrested during a buy-bust operation on Saturday, July 20, at around 3:30 pm in Barangay Combado, Maasin City.

Maasin City Police Chief PLt. Col. Jason Balbarona identified the suspect as Justin Botyok, single and a resident of said village.

Botyok is listed as a street level individual on the police drug watchlist.

During the operation, three sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu were recovered from Botyok.

The substance was purchased by an undercover operative for P3,000.

A body search, conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, led to the discovery of three P1,000 bills.

The suspect did not issue any statement to the media covering the operation.

Charges for violating Section 5 (selling illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, have been filed at the City Prosecutor’s Office.

The suspect is currently detained at the Maasin City Police Station lock-up cell.
(ROBERT DEJON)

MAASIN CITY-Some 3,824 farmers and fisherfolk in the province of Southern Leyte received P10,000 each in cash assistance through the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk, and Families (PAFFF) program of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The amount disbursed amounted to more than P37 million. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) implemented the cash assistance in partnership with the provincial government through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO).

As of July 17, eleven local government units (LGUs) in the province had already conducted the PAFFFF payouts.

This includes the municipalities of Hinunangan, Liloan, Malitbog, Limasawa, Padre Burgos, San Francisco, Libagon, Anahawan, Hinundayan, Silago, and the City of Maasin.

The provincial LGU reported that the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte distributed 5 kilograms of rice to all PAFFF recipients in addition to the cash aid.

The beneficiary has signed a document confirming receipt of the cash assistance. (Photo courtesy of the provincial government)

The cash assistance was first released on July 4, at Palo, Leyte, during the president’s visit and will continue until July 22.

The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) will announce the following schedule for the distribution of financial aid, as clarified by the provincial LGU.

The PAFFF program is a component of the ‘Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita’ (AKAP) program implemented by the DSWD.

It aims to offer social assistance to individuals who may not have access to regular aid forms because they do not belong to the poorest population.

It also addresses the adverse impact of the El Nino phenomenon, especially in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

The Provincial Social Welfare office personnel ensured that each recipient received 5 kilos of rice as part of the province’s relief efforts. Vice Gov. Rosa Emilia Mercado supervised the distribution, wearing a pink attire. (Photo courtesy of the provincial government)
Maajo na lang nakapamajad-bajad sa mga utang, nakapamalit sa mga kinahanglan sa pamilya,” said Jocelyn, the wife of Rodel Luncin from Brgy. Combado, Maasin City, one of the beneficiaries, said this when asked for her reaction.

(It was good for us to pay off our debts and buy some items for family needs.)

Another Combado fisherman stated that he gave more than three-quarters of his earnings to his wife, and the remainder was spent on a celebration to mark the unexpected government support.
(MMP, PIA Southern Leyte)