MAASIN CITY-The long-cherished dream of residents of an upland community in Maasin City to safely cross a river in Barangay San Jose has finally been realized.

“Dihay kausa naglubong mi, naghatod mi og patay sa sementeryo, hapit maanod ang lungon pagtabok namo sa suba kay kusog ang sug,” recalled San Jose Punong Barangay Jay Guinoo.

(There was one time we buried a dead person in the cemetery across the river. With the rampaging waters we had to cross, the strong river current almost swept away the coffin.)
The barangay cemetery lies on the other side of the river, and holding a funeral when it is raining is risky.

The San Jose bridge was formally inaugurated on Friday, March 8, following the blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony. With the project’s completion, the dangerous moments of burying the dearly departed will be a thing of the past, a scene no longer repeated.

But more than a significant factor for careful, proper handling of the dead, the people living in the vicinities—passing motorists, passengers, and traders—benefit best from the new infrastructure, even during inclement weather when the river gets rough.

Ludivina Orais, a retired teacher, affirmed that the bridge is a big help to the residents in their daily routine, allowing them to move more easily.

“I thank our officials for making this project a reality,” she said.

At the brief inauguration ceremony in the Barangay San Jose gym, District Engineer Manolo Rojas of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Southern Leyte District Engineering Office said as much, stressing that access and connectivity are a big deal for rural folks in the other higher barangays in San Rafael, for example, where he once lived as a child.

“The new bridge served as the alternate road to that of the existing one, which is prone to landslides, and so the flow of goods and delivery of basic government services can pass all the time to other upland barangays,” Rojas said.

Gov. Damian Mercado cited the bridge “as something that all people can make full use of, a big impact project,” while Rep. Luz Mercado referred to it as a “lifeline for better days ahead.”

Several provincial officials, city, and municipal mayors attended the inauguration rites, including former representative and DPWH Secretary Roger Mercado.

Mercado’s leadership fund was the source of the project’s budget, amounting to P49.5 million.

Based on technical details, the San Jose bridge is a three-span Reinforced Concrete Deck Girder (RCDG) design, supported by two abutments standing on a robust pile foundation, with railings for pedestrian safety, and having a length of 162 meters.
(MMP, PIA Southern Leyte)

ORMOC CITY– A former police personnel and his companion were killed in a shootout incident in connection to a buy-bust operation conducted against them by local police here on Sunday (March 17).

Killed were Nollete Rey Pagasartonga who was previously assigned at the police regional headquarters and Shane Carnacite.

Both were listed by the police operatives as high-value targets.

The two, listed as among the region’s high-value targets, were killed in a buy-bust operation along Tigbao- Pulak-St. Fe bypass Road in Brgy. 104 Salvacion in Tacloban City at about 5:20 am.

During the transaction, Pagasartonga handed four sachets containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu to an operative acting as buyer in the amount of P20,000.

However, the suspects sensed the approaching police officers who were just around the area to act as security of the operation and were on their way to arrest them.

The two suspects, according to the police, allegedly drew their firearms and fired towards the operating team, leaving them but to defend themselves by firing back hitting the said suspects.

The two suspects, hit on the different parts of their bodies, were immediately brought to Eastern Visayas Medical Center Hospital for immediate medical attention but were pronounced dead on arrival.

Seized from the suspects were suspected shabu weighing 30 grams with a commercial value of P204,000.

The Tacloban City Forensic Unit that conducted crime scene processing recovered at the crime scene 16 pieces fired cartridges of alleged 5.56, one cal. 45 pistol, one piece magazine assembly with five live ammunition .45 Cal, one unit revolver .38 with one fired cartridge and with four pieces of live ammunition.

The bodies of the two suspects were brought to a local funeral parlor before returning their cadavers to their respective families.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– At least 12 families were displaced including 19 transients when a fire whose origin is still being investigated engulfed Barangay 51 in Magallanes, this city, at about 4:30 am.

Initial investigation by the responding fire personnel disclosed that the fire originated at the beauty parlor owned by Ernie Amascual located on the first-floor house which also caters to commercial establishments and quickly spread at the six stalls of the same house.

The stalls, which were made of light materials, made the fire spread quickly and despite the effort of the local fire bureau, resulted in the burning of 10 houses.

Fire investigators SFO1 Nolly Lacaba and SFO1 Jonald Lace told the media that the cause of the fire and the estimated damage was placed at more than P870,000.

The fire was controlled at about 4: 45 am and was declared fire out at about 5:03 am.
The fire injured only one person after escaping from the fire.
(ROBERT DEJON)