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Abra mayor nabbed after his farmhouse yields guns

PENARRUBIA, Abra -- An incumbent mayor of Abra was arrested for illegal possession of several unlicensed, high powered firearms seized in his farmhouse last Wednesday afternoon.

Mayor Antonino Domes-ag of Penarrubia town was found in possession of an AK 47 with serial number (SN) U4052; tow 12-gauge shotguns (Armscor) SN 1061633 and SN 1061633; a caliber .22 rifle (Squires Bingham) with SN 173960; a caliber .38 revolver (Squires Bingham) with SN 826433, and several magazines and live ammunition.

The mayor was taken to the Abra Provincial Hospital after his blood pressure shot up.

Domes-ag’s bodyguard Ferdinand Fernandez was also arrested in the mayor’s house where he sought refuge after shooting and wounding a farmer, Wilfredo Pacano.

Police said said the raid on Domes-ag’s house in Barangay Lusuac, Penarrubia at around 5 p.m last Wednesday was conducted by joint elements of Task Force Abra, Regional Intelligence Division-Cordillera, RIO-14 and the 160st Provincial Mobile Group led by the Chief Inspector Melvin Napiloy.

Initial investigation showed that prior to the incident, PNP troops were on their way to Lusuac, Penarrubia to respond to an alleged shooting incident involving Fernandez and Pacano.

When the suspect noticed the responding policemen approaching, Fernandez run inside the farmhouse of Domes-ag, prompting the policemen to run after him.

The lawmen eventually concerned Fernandez in the farmhouse, where they discovered the firearms and ammunitions placed on top of two beds.

Domes-ag who was present at that time, failed to show pertinent documents for the firearms, thus prompting the policemen to arrest him and Fernandez and seize the firearms and ammunition.

Fernandez suffered an injury on his right hand caused by sharp wood when he stumbled while trying to evade arrest.

Napiloy said Domes-ag and the confiscated items were brought to the Abra Police headquarters, while Fernandez was rushed to the Abra Provincial Hospital for medical treatment.
Police said Domes-ag would be charged for violating the gun ban, while Fernandez will face attempted murder.


Mayor’s political leader shot dead in Gapan City
BY LIAM ANACLETO

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – A political leader of reelectionist Mayor Ernesto Natividad was shot dead in broad daylight here by two motorcycle-riding gunmen, making him the seventh election-violence victim in Nueva Ecija.

Supt. Marlong Bingcang identified the victim as Manuel Tolentino, 58, known ally of the mayor.
Tolentino was driving his green Suzuki Vitara along the highway in barangay Bayanihan, this city when the two motorcycle-riding assassins drove close to his vehicle and pumped bullets at him.

The shooting occurred exactly one week after the Jaen shooting that left two men dead and at least 17 other injured.

Natividad, running under the banner of the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija, has condemned the killing of his ally even as he took potshots at the police for its inability to dismantle his opponent’s private army.”

He said his other rival, former mayor Arthour Velayo, could not have done it because he had no motive for doing the heinous act.


Sagada candidates vow to spur dev’t if elected
BY GINA DIZON

SAGADA, Mountain Province - Nineteen aspiring municipal officials of this town entered into a covenant with the people represented by seven institutions from the government and the private sector.

In their agreement read during the Candidates’ Forum last May 7, the candidates including two candidates for mayor, two for vice mayor and 15 municipal councilors vowed to conduct the May 14 elections in the spirit of goodwill and friendly rivalry, follow election laws, uphold the rights of voters to vote freely, and refrain from coercive and corrupt means like vote buying.

Once elected into office, the candidates also vowed to support the strict implementation of laws and rules against the commission graft and corruption and institute prosecution of those liable for graft and corruption practices.

They will work for economic development by promoting resource allocation and sustainable livelihood programs for poverty alleviation, promote peoples’ participation, and help prevent further environmental degradation.

The candidates entered into agreement with the COMELEC through Election Officer Lamberto LLopis and the PNP through the Chief of Police Antolino Sari Yagyagan.

Other parties to the agreement include Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Parish Pastoral Council or Responsible Voting ( PPCRV), Local Government Unit (LGU), Sagada Environmental Guides Association (SEGA) and the Episcopal Church.

The covenant signing was also sponsored by the municipal office of UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities).


Mayor seeking 4th term says 1st term is counted
BY GEORGE TRILLO

SAN LUIS, Pampanga – The mayor of San Luis, Pampanga, who is currently serving his third consecutive term for the mayoralty post, has again filed his candidacy for a fourth term, claiming the arithmetic is faulty and did not apply to his case.

Mayor Jayson “Dr. J” Sagum said he is still eligible for another term because the first term he served between 1988 and 2001 did not count as one full term.

But his main rival for the mayoralty post of San Luis in the May 14 elections, Elsa P. Manliclic, is disputing Sagum’s arithmetic.

Manliclic, refusing to be intimidated by the political connections in the province of her opponent, has filed a case now pending before the Commission on Elections.

“The continued refusal of Mayor Sagum to budge from his post, although he is long considered by his townmates as a graduating mayor, indicates disregard of the rule of law,” Manliclic said.

But Sagum argued his first term was incomplete because he was prevented from assuming the town’s mayoralty post when his protagonist was declared winner.

He eventually won in a subsequent protest case and served as mayor for the remaining period of the unexpired term.

He said he is banking on the deduction of his first term as basis for him to run again in the elections.

Manliclic said it would stretch the meaning of the applicable law and violate the spirit and letter of the 1987 Constitution if one would believe in Sagum’s argument.

She pointed to jurisprudence on the matter, a Supreme Court decision in the case of the Borja Jr. vs. Comelec and Capco in which Constitutional Convention delegate Joaquin Bernas was quoted as saying, “If one is elected representative to serve the unexpired term of another, that unexpired term, no matter how short, will be considered on term for the purpose of computing the number of successive terms allowed.”

Manliclic said despite established and erudite jurisprudence on the precise definition of the term of office, the powers-that-be behind mayor Sagum’s candidacy for a fourth term are riding roughshod over the law and Constitution.

She also said that she received death threats and her followers cited instances during which strangers suspiciously checked her activities.


Reaching out to indigent patients; donors show way
BY RAMON DACAWI

BAGUIO CITY -- For a young Ibaloi couple, Tuesdays and Fridays seem to come faster each time, their afternoons longer and heavier than the rest of the week. Days in-between fleet away in a blur, and before they know it, it’s Tuesday or Friday again.

Filbert and Lorena Almoza, who are trying to raise their child in Camisong, Itogon, Benguet, have been feeling that way for months now. It’s because they can’t figure out how long they can cope. Tuesdays and Fridays are also the most expensive.

Filbert, a 24-year old truck driver, was diagnosed for end-stage kidney failure in June last year. Since then, he has been on twice-a-week dialysis, attached to blood-cleansing tubes over four hours Tuesday and Friday afternoons.

Lorena, now 25, shudders over the thought that Kathleen, their eight-month old daughter, could grow up without ever knowing her father. The baby was born early last September, some three months after her father suddenly started throwing up blood.

Filbert, who used to earn P5000 a month, needs P2,800 per dialysis session, excluding the costs for blood transfusions and handling other complications. Financially and emotionally drained, he is surviving almost on empty, if not for Samaritans out there.

Early last week, Lorena sought help in thanking them. She provided a list, explaining some declined full identification: “ Ponstar Tire Supply – P500, Feb. 26; Atty. Rodrigo Kito – P1,000, Feb. 27; Mr. Joseph – P3,000, Feb. 27; Ma’am Amy – P500, Feb. 28; Ma’am Laura F. – P3,000, March 13; Mr. Erwin Ilustre – P1,500, Apr. 10”.

An Ibaloi mother raising her own young daughter in Kentucky also understands. She sent $200 dollars which the local drawee bank converted to P9,354.22 for Filbert’s dialysis.

As in past remittances for other indigent patients, she said it was in gratitude over her having overcome cancer, in memory of an elder sister who didn’t and in keeping with her late father’s public service legacy to the people of Benguet.

Dialysis would have to be lifetime. Lorena wanted to explore the probability of a kidney transplant – with her as organ donor. So she had the amount from Kentucky in trust until last Monday when she advanced Filbert’s dialysis a day early. He had to be fit for travel to and initial work-up at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City .

They traveled at night with Emilia Anayasan and her ailing 16-year old son Crisly. The boy was due for his check-up at the Philippine Heart Center, near the NKTI.

Emilia, a seamstress and mother of three, has been trying for years now to arrange a charity surgery for her eldest.

Crisly was born with a serious heart defect termed as “VSA (tricuspid valve atesia) complicated by MGA VSA w/out PS”. He has survived and is and is on his second attempt to finish sixth grade at the Quezon Hill Elementary School .

Emilia recalled how Crisly’s classmates had to carry him home one time after he had an attack. Breathing can be difficult sometimes, with his lips and nails turning blue as if he had just munched a bowl of berries, something normal boys do.

Given the patients’ conditions, acting mayor Reinaldo Bautista dispatched a vehicle for the round trip. Volunteer Peewee Agustin offered to drive, as he had done before for other patients and therefore familiar with the route. Somebody with a heart shouldered the cost of meals and other needs along the way. The anonymous Samaritan earlier handed over P6,000 to banker Rolly de Guzman, vice president of RCBC, saying that it be spent for seriously ill and indigent patients.

After taking the long queue with other patients and potential organ donors, Filbert and Lorena were told she couldn’t be a donor. It has to be a blood kin of Filbert to ensure high tissue compatibility and prevent organ rejection after implantation.

Lorena had offered herself when she couldn’t find a potential donor among Filbert’s blood relatives. The kin believe doing so would harm their own health.

After many queues, things aren’t also looking up for Crisly. “Awan kano doctor nga akin kaya ag-opera kaso ni Crisly isu nga uray every six months ti follow up na,” his mother said when they arrived home.

Agustin said she was told surgery would be done when a specialist from the United States arrives for an outreach mission.

Filbert was back Friday at the dialysis room of the Baguio General Hospital . The routine will go on until support runs out or until a blood kin sees his potential as kidney donor.

It’s back to maintenance medication, too, for Crisly. People who feel donor fatigue shouldn’t get into their way can call up Lorena’s cellphone number (09103572198). While they can, before she decides – as she almost did - to sell it to cope with another fast-coming Tuesday and Friday.

Others can ring up Mrs. Anayasan’s number: 09197421723.


JDV to rival: Stop attacks or be open to shame expose
BY JENNELYN MONDEJAR

DAGUPAN CITY – House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. warned his rival, Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin Lim, to stop malicious attacks against him or else he will expose what he calls “shameful” conditions that Lim had demanded to withdraw his challenge to the incumbent congressman.

“All the attacks of Lim against him are false, no one believes him,” said De Venecia who is seeking reelection for Pangasinan’s fourth district congressional seat against Lim.

A visibly irked De Venecia said he “feels like vomiting” with Lim’s ploy against him.

But De Venecia refused to reveal Lim’s demands and insisted that he prefer to promote “politics of performance, of forgiveness and reconciliation,” unlike his rival.

De Venecia said that if Lim continue to spread lies against him, he might be forced to reveal his “Shameful” demands.

“What he (Lim) demanded (in exchange for withdrawing his candidacy for congressman) are bad. Not worthy of a public official. We never had somebody like that in Pangasinan,” De Venecia said.

Pressed by the media to expose these, De Venecia only cited one particular demand of Lim so he will not run against De Venecia, was for the Speaker to assure that Lim’s son, Brian will run unopposed for Dagupan Mayor.

De Venecia said he rejected the proposal because Brian Lim had never held an elective position.

This arrangement is “insulting” to the leaders of the city, De Venecia added.

He said if Lim doesn’t stop in his demolition job against him, he will ask guidance from the Lord whether he will tell the people about these demands or not.

De Venecia had filed a disqualification case against Lim for massive vote buying.

Lim had also accused De Venecia of resorting to vote buying after the Speaker distributed Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats membership cards with corresponding insurance benefits.

The complaint of Lim, however, was not accepted by the Commission on elections Law Department of Lack of sufficient evidence.

Lim’s lawyer Francisco Baraan III said de Venecia had distributed accident insurance cards to supporters which is a form of vote-buying.