TACLOBAN CITY– A suspected member of the communist terrorist group was killed in a clash with soldiers belonging to the 87th Infantry Battalion in San Jose de Buan, Samar, on May 29.

Troops engaged around 20 alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) believed to be from the Regional Security Force of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) in a 25-minute firefight during a focused military operation.

The enemy withdrew, leaving behind the body of an unidentified combatant, along with firearms, ammunition, and subversive documents.

No casualties were reported on the government side.

Lt. Col. Kim Ilao, acting commander of the 87th IB, commended the troops’ swift response and affirmed their commitment to dismantling the remaining NPA forces in the area.

8ID Commander Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio reiterated his appeal to insurgents to surrender, assuring that those who lay down their arms may avail of government reintegration assistance through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).

“Lagi pong bukas ang pintuan ng gobyerno para sa inyong pagsuko,” Orio said in a statement. “Kasama at maaasahan niyo po kami sa pagkamit ng mas mapayapang bagong Samar.”

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA, ROEL T. AMAZONA)

MAASIN CITY– A newly identified drug peddler was arrested by local police during a buy-bust operation on Thursday evening, May 29, as part of the city’s intensified campaign against illegal drugs.

The suspect, identified only as “Arnel,” 27, single, a construction worker and resident of Barangay Dongon, was apprehended by the City Drug Enforcement Team at around 6:53 pm in his home barangay.

According to PLt. Col. Jason Balbarona, chief of police, an operative was able to purchase a sachet of suspected shabu worth P1,000 from the suspect. During the subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of required witnesses, authorities recovered a black pouch containing 14 more sachets of suspected shabu.

Also seized was the P1,000 marked money used in the buy-bust.

The suspect was informed of the reason for his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.

Charges for violation of Sections 5 (sale of illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed against him. He is currently detained at the Maasin City Police Station.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said that the declaration of a state of calamity in Eastern Visayas could help expedite funding and rehabilitation of the San Juanico Bridge, which has been under load restrictions since May 15.

OCD Director Chris Noel Bendijo said in a press statement the move would unlock emergency funds to restore logistics and public services, noting the region is losing an estimated P300–P600 million monthly due to the bridge’s limited capacity.

The OCD has coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in assessing repair costs and was endorsed to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) which endorsed the declaration of a state of calamity.
The President, however, has yet to approve the proposal by the NDRRMC.

The OCD is also working with the Department of Trade and Industry, which has implemented a price freeze amid supply disruptions.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY – A tragic road accident claimed the lives of five individuals, including a one-year-old child, when a speeding boom truck collided with a motorcycle and a multi-cab along the national highway in Barangay Cabulihan, this city, on Sunday night, June 1, 2025.

The fatal crash occurred around 7:45 pm and killed four people instantly, while one later died in the hospital.

Killed on the spot were a 20-year-old construction worker identified only as “Lloyd”; his one-year-old son, “Kit”; and a couple, “Jumar,” 40, an engineer, and his 41-year-old wife, “Marian,” a housewife. All were residents of Ormoc City. Lloyd’s 19-year-old live-in partner, “Mary,” succumbed to injuries while being treated at a local hospital.

Also injured in the collision were 75-year-old “Cresilda,” a widow and farmer from Barangay Masarayao, Kananga, Leyte, and three children—“JCL,” 11, “Kal,” 8, and “Tal,” 6—residents of Barangay Cabulihan.

Based on the initial investigation by the Ormoc City Traffic Enforcement Unit, Lloyd was driving a RUSI motorcycle with Mary and their child onboard, while Jumar was driving a multi-cab with his wife and three children. Both vehicles were traveling in the same direction toward Barangay Valencia.

Meanwhile, a boom truck, allegedly speeding, was traveling in the opposite direction toward downtown Ormoc. Upon reaching Barangay Cabulihan, the truck suddenly swerved into the opposite lane, colliding head-on with both the motorcycle and the multi-cab. It then hit a parked multi-cab owned by “Antonia,” a resident of the area.

Due to the impact, both Lloyd and his son died instantly, as did the couple inside the multi-cab. Other passengers, including the children and elderly woman, were rushed to nearby hospitals for medical attention.

The driver of the boom truck was uninjured and is now in the custody of the Ormoc City Police Office’s Traffic Enforcement Unit for proper investigation and legal action.
All involved vehicles remained at the scene as of the latest report, pending further examination.

(ROBERT DEJON)