ORMOC CITY– A laborer who came from a drinking spree ended up dead after he was drowned at about 5:30 pm on Friday (May 24) in a river of Barangay Calirocan, Gandara in Samar province.

Police identify the victim as alias “Sam”, 38, and a resident of said barangay.

Initial investigation conducted by responding police disclosed that the victim and his friend were having a drinking session in the house of alias “Brando” and after their drinking session, the victim informed “Brando” that he was going to take a bath at the said river.

Thereafter, the victim was seen by a certain “Jas” in the said river, struggling and asking for help. The police added that Jas immediately asked for help from the residents to help the victim and called the Gandara Emergency Response Unit but the victim was already submerged in water and subsequently drowned.

The body of the victim was recovered at around 9:15 pm Friday, and was declared dead by the personnel of the response unit. (ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The University of the Philippines (UP) here eyes to transfer to a new location within a 114-hectare property some 17 kilometers from the current site in the next three to five years as part of its long-term expansion plan.

In a press briefing Thursday, UP Tacloban Dean Patricia Arinto said the development of the future campus in northern Sta. Elena village will start this year, with the allocation of PHP430 million for administration, innovation, and research building.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Tingog Partylist facilitated the release of funds this year to develop the property acquired by UP decades ago.

In the future, UP needs some PHP1.5 billion to construct three buildings for academics and student dormitories, according to Arinto.

The official said that although the new campus has the funds to start construction of some buildings, a dormitory with a capacity to house 500 students would have to be in place before they can move into the new site.

“The transfer will happen in three to five years. We should have at least three buildings there and decide for ourselves, and we’re thinking about smart development with major trails and spaces open to the public,” Arinto added.

UP President Angelo Jimenez said the infrastructure complements the expansion of its academic programs to better address the higher education needs and sustainable development of Eastern Visayas.

“We are here to underscore the national university’s commitment for further growth and development in UP Tacloban –in lockstep with the aspirations of Region 8 — and to serve Region 8,” Jimenez told reporters.

Established on May 23, 1973, UP Tacloban became an autonomous college of the UP system on April 27, 2023. Its existing campus, badly damaged by the 2013 Super Typhoon Yolanda, that is located along the city’s Magsaysay Boulevard will be retained for graduate programs and a techno park in the future.

Among the programs currently offered at UP-Tacloban are accounting, applied mathematics, biology, economics, computer science, literature, management, media arts, political science, psychology, and a master’s program in environmental science.

In the pipeline are diploma programs in geospatial information sciences and tourism management with a focus on ecotourism; associate programs in accounting technologies, entrepreneurship, forestry, and sports studies; and a bachelor’s program in agricultural chemistry.
(With reports from Harold R. Mariano, OJT/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY-A 43-year-old farmer unexpectedly unearthed a rifle grenade while planting coconut trees in Quinapondan, Eastern Samar.

The incident happened at Barangay 02 Poblacion of the said town around 6:30 am on Sunday (May 26), the local police said in a report.

The farmer, identified only as alias Jo, immediately surrendered the rifle grenade with markings M-76B-AVA-0045-83 to the authorities.

According to the Quinapondan Municipal Police Station, they will turn over the said explosive to the Regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (RECU-8) for proper disposition.
(RONALD O. REYES)

ORMOC CITY-What the police thought a newly identified drug peddler turned out to be a high-value individual drug personality after yielding more than 50 grams of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation by combined operatives from the Station Drug Enforcement Team led by Police Station 6 of Ormoc City Police Office and PS4, PS2, PS3 and PS1, together with the City Drug Enforcement Unit at about 1: 15 am on Sunday (May 26) at Purok 8, in Brgy. Linao of this city.

The police identified the suspect as Angelo Pitos, also known as “Angel Nyer”, 27, a delivery boy and a resident of Purok 10 Brgy. Linao here.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect was a medium sachet containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P5,000.

During the conduct of the body search done in the presence of an elected barangay official and a representative from the local media, the searching cop recovered in the suspect’s pocket 10 pieces of P500 bills.

Further search of the suspect resulted in the recovery of a large plastic containing the same white crystalline substances still suspected to be shabu with all the recovered illegal drugs from the suspect weighing 51.17 grams with an estimated street value of P351,764.

The suspect during the interview admitted owning all the drug evidence recovered from him saying these were recovered inside his pocket. He said that it was the first time that he ventured into this kind of activity just to make a living.

The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and was apprised of his constitutional rights through a language that he understood.

Charges of violations of sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) & 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Police Station 6 in Brgy. Ipil here. (ROBERT DEJON)