ORMOC CITY-The local police are conducting a thorough investigation involving the killing of an incumbent barangay chairwoman and her common-law husband in Barangay Campeig, Sta. Margarita, Samar on Wednesday (Sept.6) at about 7:30 am.
Local police identified the victims as Vivian Verano, 46, and the current barangay chairwoman and her live-in partner, Roel Casalay, 43.
Verano was seeking for another term in the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
The incident happened in Brgy. Campeig, a remote village that could be reached only through walking about three hours from the highway.
Investigation conducted by the local police disclosed that the live-in couple were inside their house when six unidentified persons armed with long and short firearms barged into their house.
Police Staff Sergeant Jeremy Aropo-op, in a phone interview, said that while the couple were stunned upon their entry of the suspects as they suddenly opened fire with the victims killing them both on the spot.
The perpetrators immediately came out of the house after the shooting and fled to an unknown area.
Sgt. Oropo-op said that they are facing a blank wall on this incident in identifying the suspects and their motive in killing the victims. (ROBERT DEJON)
NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar – The residents and passersby along Bantayan Bay, San Roque, Northern Samar, will be safeguarded by on-going construction of 320.00 meters seawall against potential sea-level surge. This project was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSSDEO), led by OIC District Engineer Charlito S. Carlobos and OIC Assistant District Engineer Atty. Arthur Eric L. Sabong, funded under General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2023 with an appropriation of P52.25 million. Furthermore, CDU Construction undertakes the construction work with Contract ID 23II0017 and has contract amount of P 5,0411,055.55.
As of July 31, 2023, it had an actual accomplishment status of 81.05% and a positive slippage result of 54.65%. The project used RC Piles to increase the bearing capacity and to reduce settlement at the site, which are weak compressible soils. Hence, this project may be accomplished earlier than its planned date of completion.
To ensure the quality standard coastal protection project, the DPWH-NSSDEO management assigned, Project Engineer Filoteo T. Delorino to supervise along with Project Inspector Engr. Ma. Luzyl P. Castillo and Resident Engineer Florando Emilio O. Moscare while Engr. Justino E. Serafin, Jr., for the materials quality assurance of the project.
The impact of this project is to provide protection from soil erosion and damage to roads brought by continuous heavy rains. Since the area has the potential for promoting local tourism, the completion of seawall project would benefit the town, as well as the province’s economy. (ZYRA JOY CHING/PR)
TACLOBAN CITY– Earthquakes were felt in Leyte on Wednesday night with no damages or aftershocks reported by local authorities.
The center of these tremors was the town of Capoocan wherein its disaster risk reduction management office conducted its inspection of the different schools to check their conditions.
As of morning, no school or classroom in the town reported to have sustained damage due to the jolts, the office said.
The first quake to strike the town was about 10:38 pm with a magnitude of 4.5.
It was felt in the towns of Kananga, Carigara, and Capoocan at Intensity IV; Ormoc City, Tunga, Jaro, Barugo, San Miguel, and Leyte town at Intensity III; Matag-ob, Villaba, Calubian, San Isidro, Tabango, Palompon, and Merida, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.
The series of quakes was again felt in Capoocan at about 11:18 pm with a magnitude of 2.9 followed by a 2.7 magnitude that struck at 11: 21 pm.
Meantime, a 3.0 magnitude was also hit in the historic town of Homonhon town, Guiuan, Eastern Samar at about 6:21 am on Thursday (Sept.7).
The Phivolcs said that it does not expect any damages or aftershocks due to the tremor. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
ORMOC CITY– A village councilor who is running for barangay chairman in next month’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, was shot several times in Leyte, Leyte on Thursday at about 7:45 am.
The victim was identified by the local police as Junie Dela Peña, 51, a candidate for village chairman in Tag-abaca, about 15 kms away from the town center.
The three suspects, who were clad in black jackets and on board a pick-up, overtook the vehicle where De la Peña and his passenger were on board and without provocation, shot the victim several times hitting him on the different parts of his body, the report added.
The woman companion of the victim, Rosalia Gondong, was unhurt.
It was learned that the victim was on his way to Ta-abaca and traversing at Sitio Naga, Brgy. Consuegra, also in Leyte, when the incident took place.
The victim was brought to a hospital in Ormoc City and is said to be in critical condition.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the region has yet to issue a statement on whether the incident was related to the October 30 village elections.
The town of Leyte is part of the third district of Leyte which has been identified to be a hot spot area relative to the forthcoming balloting. (ROBERT DEJON)
ORMOC CITY-A member of the notorious Magbutay criminal gang was killed when he put up a gun fight with authorities during an entrapment operation at about 11:30 am on Thursday (Sept.7) in Barangay Bagacay, Calbayog City.
The suspect was identified as Ricky Casaljay, a resident of Brgy. Hamorawon in the said city. He was known to be a member of the Magbutay criminal gang which is operating in Calbayog City and nearby towns like Santa Margarita.
The suspect was caught in the act by joint forces from the Philippine National Police selling loose firearms in violation of RA 10591, the comprehensive law against illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions and explosives.
The police said that the joint operating units conducted an entrapment operation against the suspect with their asset was able to purchase a one-unit caliber 9mm revolver at P5,000 from him.
However, after the consumption of the transaction, the law enforcers rushed towards Casaljay to arrest him, he sensed and noticed the approaching police officers and immediately drew his firearm of unknown caliber and fired towards the operating team while trying to evade arrest.
This resulted for the government enforcers to fire back, hitting the suspect in the different parts of his body.
Casaljay was brought to the Calbayog District Hospital where he was declared as dead on arrival.
The police said that suspect was among the suspects in the ambush that killed Vicente Luzong Jr., 45, Angelito Lustico, 43 and Rachel Ann Bolinao, 14 and the wounding of two others in Brgy. Victory, also in Calbayog City last April 15 this year that also resulted in the wounding of two others including a barangay treasurer identified as Emy Casaljay and Lani Dealagdon.
Casaljay was arrested for illegal possession of firearms last May 10 this year but was released from prison after posting bail. (ROBERT DEJON)
RICE PRICE CEILING. Starting today (Sept.5), the government will monitor rice sellers if they will comply the P41 to P45 selling prices of rice per kilogram as mandated by President Marcos, Jr. The traders and even the farmers said that this order would only result to their economic losses. Photo shows the high prices of rice being sold at the Tacloban city public market. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)
Farmers also express their apprehension
RICE PRICE CEILING. Starting today (Sept.5), the government will monitor rice sellers if they will comply the P41 to P45 selling prices of rice per kilogram as mandated by President Marcos, Jr. The traders and even the farmers said that this order would only result to their economic losses. Photo shows the high prices of rice being sold at the Tacloban city public market. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY– Rice traders in the region would not comply with the directive of Pres. Ferdinand Marcos to have a rice price cap which is to take effect today (Sept. 5).
This was disclosed by Frederic Dy, president of the more than 330-strong members Grains Retailers Confederation of the Philippines (Grecon).
He, however, said that their reason for not obeying the order is simply due to business reasons.
“We will not follow that order. Most of us bought our supplies before the issuance of the rice cap order and doing so would lead to our losses,” he said.
Dy said that they bought their current bags of rice at about P2,400 which they sell at P47 per kilogram for them to make a profit.
“But at P45 per kilo, we will only earn P2,250. Now, this is no longer business,” he said.
Dy, who owns a stall at the city’s main public market, said that they were caught by surprise on this directive of the President putting the price of rice per kilo at P41 for regular milled and P45 for well-milled rice nationwide.
“They could have issued that directive as early as February when the prices of rice were skyrocketing. At that time, we have sought for government interventions like rice ceiling,” he said.
“So it’s wrong timing as it is now a season of harvest which means there will be more supply of rice in the market which could result in lower prices,” Dy added.
According to him, most of the retailers like him have stock of bags of rice before the issuance of the directive which is to take effect today, Tuesday (Sept.5).
Dy said that they hope that Pres. Marcos will give them more time before setting the deadline for them to consume first all their stocks which they bought at higher prices for them to recover their expenses.
He also said that the national government should conduct a thorough inventory of all rice warehouses across the country.
This way, they could determine if there is really indeed a rice shortage or just an artificial one created due to hoarding by some unscrupulous rice millers, he said.
“The government should run after them and not to us ordinary retailers,” Dy said.
Meantime, farmers are also not sold on the directive on rice price ceiling.
Rodrigo Alumbro, president of the 107-strong members of a farmers association in Barangay Odiongan, Abuyog, Leyte, said that while they are with the move of Pres. Marcos to place a cap on the prices of rice, this would also result in financial losses to them.
“We are not opposing on this move of the President as this will benefit our ordinary rice consumers. However, it will also impact us in a bad way,” he said in a phone interview Sunday (August 3).
“With lower prices of rice in the market, traders will also buy our fresh harvest at a lower price to our disadvantage. This will only result for us farmers to take more loans for us to survive,” Alumbro,65, said.
He said that from the previous rate of P23.70 buying price by the traders, they are now buying the freshly harvested palay at just P18.50.
“It is the traders that dictate the price, not us farmers. We are at their mercy,” Alumbro said.
Alumbro, who tends a two-hectare rice field, said that Mr. Marcos should also look into the impacts of his directive on the plight of the farmers who he said majority are deep in debts.
“He should also provide assistance to us farmers like lowering the prices of pesticides and fertilizers,” he said.
He said that in preparing his rice field alone, before planting palay, he needs at least P20,000 of which majority goes to pesticides and fertilizers.
“Of this amount, P8,000 goes for pesticides and another P4,000 at least for fertilizers unless we can get some help from the Department of Agriculture,” Alumbro said.
For his part, Ruben Latoja, president of the Pangpang farmer’s association in Villareal, Samar, echoed the same sentiment of Alumbro saying this will only further push the farmers into poverty.
“It will never make the farmers improve their economic condition but would result in further debts because the traders will buy our harvest at a very, very low price,” he said.
According to the 42-year-old farmer, traders in their area buy their newly harvested palay at P11 to P12 per kilograms.
“If the President will push this order, he should subsidize the inputs of the farmers like fertilizers and pesticides,” Latoja said.
Incidentally, Mr. Marcos sits as the concurrent Agriculture Secretary.
