TACLOBAN CITY– An incumbent barangay chairman was shot dead while his wife sustained a gunshot wound after unidentified gunmen opened fire on the couple in broad daylight on Wednesday, July 23 in Calbayog City.

The victims were aboard a tricycle locally known as a “timbol” and were on their way home around 1:10 p.m. when the attack occurred along the boundary road between Barangays Guinbaoyan Norte and Guinbaoyan Sur.

Police identified the deceased as Anastacio Catalan 59, chairman of Brgy. Tapa-e. His wife, Remegia, 53, suffered a gunshot wound to her left thigh and was rushed to Calbayog District Hospital for treatment.

According to Calbayog City Police Chief Lt.Col. Dinvir Revita, the police were alerted to the incident via a phone call from a concerned citizen at around 1:15 p.m. Responding officers arrived to find Catalan slumped over his motorcycle in a supine position, already lifeless. His wife had already been taken to the hospital.

Initial investigations revealed that two unidentified men on a motorcycle approached the victims from behind and fired without warning—fatally striking Catalan in the head and wounding his wife.

The suspects fled in the opposite direction after the shooting. Scene investigators recovered a fired cartridge case (FCC) from a caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

However, after a manhunt operations conducted by the police, the suspect, who was not named, after arrested.

Authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the motive.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY – Police in Naval, Biliran arrested the province’s No. 5 most wanted person in a statutory rape case during a joint operation on Sunday, July 21, 2025.

Authorities apprehended Jovanie Oriendo, 25, a resident of Barangay Ilawod, Caray-Caray, Naval, at around 11:35 a.m. in Sitio Bliss, Barangay Calumpang. The arrest was carried out by the Naval Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Biliran Provincial Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Unit 8, and the PIDMU Tracker Team.

Oriendo was arrested based on a warrant issued on July 18 by Executive Judge Luz Petilla Navarrete of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 16, 8th Judicial Region in Naval.
He is charged with one count of statutory rape under Article 266-A(1)(d) of the Revised Penal Code, as amended by Republic Acts 8353 and 11648 (Criminal Case No. N-4819). The warrant specified no bail recommended.

Following his arrest, Oriendo was brought to the Naval Municipal Police Station for booking and legal processing.

Police Regional Office 8 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Jay Cumigad commended the swift, intelligence-driven operation.

“This arrest underscores our unwavering commitment to intensified law enforcement and our aggressive campaign against wanted fugitives,” Cumigad said. “We will continue our efforts until every criminal is brought to justice.”

The successful operation is part of PRO-8’s strengthened anti-criminality campaign, which emphasizes inter-agency coordination, intelligence-led policing, and community involvement.

Authorities encourage the public to report information on fugitives through the PNP hotline, local police stations, or PRO-8’s official social media pages.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

ORMOC CITY-A 52-year-old driver was arrested for indiscriminate firing and illegal possession of a firearm on July 15, in Town Homes Village, Barangay A. Bonifacio, Mayorga, Leyte.

The suspect, identified only as alias “Niel,” was caught in possession of a .45 caliber pistol without proper documents, according to the Mayorga Municipal Police Station (MPS).

Police said they were on mobile patrol when they received a call from a concerned resident about gunfire near the suspect’s home. Responding officers found the suspect standing in his backyard holding a firearm. When asked for documentation, he failed to produce any.

The suspect was immediately arrested. A body search yielded the .45 caliber pistol with a defaced serial number, a magazine with two live rounds, and one fired cartridge case.
Authorities informed the suspect of his constitutional rights and brought him to Mayorga MPS along with the seized evidence.

Charges for violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, have been filed before the Leyte Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Borongan has increased the financial assistance granted to senior high school and college students under its flagship Direkta Ayuda program, while also expanding its coverage to include Alternative Learning System (ALS) students.

This development follows the approval of City Ordinance No. 33, authored by Councilor Atty. Kathlyn Jane Cainday, which amended key provisions of the original Direkta Ayuda ordinance—specifically Sections 3, 4, and 4b.

Under the amended Section 3, qualified beneficiaries will now receive P3,000 in cash assistance per semester, doubling the previous amount of P1,500.

Section 4 now broadens the program’s scope to include ALS students, in addition to Senior High School and college students who were previously the only eligible recipients.

Meanwhile, Section 4b sets clearer guidelines for eligibility: college students must be enrolled in at least nine units per semester, while senior high school students must be enrolled in accredited institutions. College students in their final semester with fewer than nine units will still be eligible, provided they present proof that they are completing their degree.

Direkta Ayuda is one of the key social service initiatives of the Borongan City government, spearheaded by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda, aimed at helping student-residents offset education-related expenses.

Originally launched with a monthly assistance of P250, the program was institutionalized through a city ordinance and has since increased to P500 per month, or P3,000 per semester.

In the most recent payout held in January 2025 by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, a total of 6,188 students received cash aid. With the inclusion of ALS students under the revised ordinance, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise in the coming semesters.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)