ORMOC CITY-Two minors on board a single motorcycle were killed when their vehicle collided with a truck at about 4 pm on June 27 along the national highway of Barangay Minuswang, Barugo in Leyte.

The victims were identified as alias “MPR,” 15, and back rider alias “Tata,” 16, both female students and residents of Poblacion, Barugo.

The driver of the truck, a yellow Mitsubishi Fuso Fighter, was identified as alias “Mid,” 28, a driver for Gauvin Trucking and a resident of Brgy. Cabulihan, Ormoc City.

According to the Barugo police, they responded to a vehicular incident at Brgy. Minuswang past 4 pm. Upon arrival, they found debris from the two vehicles scattered on the road and the lifeless bodies of the victims.

Initial investigation revealed that the victims were traveling on a Gray Suzuki Burgman with plate number 346HJO from Carigara, Leyte, heading towards Barugo.

Meanwhile, the Fuso Fighter was traveling from Barugo towards Carigara. The collision occurred when the motorcycle encroached into the opposite lane, resulting in a head-on collision with the truck.

The impact caused both the driver and the back rider of the motorcycle to crash onto the concrete pavement, sustaining serious injuries and losing consciousness.

The victims were immediately taken by responding rescue personnel to Carigara District Hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending physician at 4:14 pm.

The driver of the Fuso Fighter was unharmed. Both the destroyed motorcycle and the truck were brought to Barugo MPS for documentation and proper disposition.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– An ex-convict for illegal drugs was shot dead by unidentified assailants riding in tandem while hanging out with friends outside his house at about 9:40 pm on Saturday (June 29) in Purok 9, Barangay Linao of this city.

The police identified the victim as alias “Buting,” a 26-year-old single cellphone electrician, and resident of said village.

Initial investigation revealed that while the victim was sitting outside his residence, two unidentified male assailants opened fire using an unknown caliber weapon.

The victim, who was not hit during the first volley of shots, ran inside his house to hide. However, the assailants followed him inside and shot him multiple times, resulting in his instantaneous death.

The Ormoc forensic unit was called to process the crime scene.

The victim had previously been arrested in a buy-bust operation in 2017.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– The provincial government of Samar went through the 2024 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) regional assessment on June 13-14, 2024 as it once again tries to get the award, considered to be the highest recognition given to a local government unit.

The SGLG regional assessment team from the Department of the Interior and Local Government Eastern Samar Provincial Office headed by Provincial Director Johannes Dorado, evaluated the documents and other modes of verification (MOVs), and interviewed the department heads and program focal persons.

Board Member Fe Arcales, in her message, said that the provincial government is thankful for the visit of the SGLG regional assessment team saying this also help them to work for their constituents.

“While the provincial government is thankful that its performance has been commended several times, it also poses a great challenge that keeps every official and employees on their toes. We are excited, hopeful, and keeping our fingers crossed for the next SGLG Award,” she added.

To qualify for the SGLG Award, the province of Samar has to pass 10 governance areas particularly: financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection and sensitivity, health compliance and responsiveness, sustainable education, business-friendliness and competitiveness, safety, peace and order, environmental management tourism, heritage development, culture and arts, and youth development.

After the document and site validation, the group converged for the assessment feedback to which Dorado commended the province for the efforts put into, to ensure that the provincial government is prepared for the SGLG regional assessment.

The Samar provincial government was a recipient of the SGLG Award in 2016, 2019, and 2023.
(LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)