Armed men burn Globe cell site

By George Trillo

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – At least 30 heavily armed men in military uniforms suspected to be members of the New People’s Army raided the Globe cell site in Barangay Calabgan, Casiguran, Aurora and torched down its facilities.

Senior Supt. Romeo Teope, Aurora provincial police director, said the rebels armed with long firearms forcibly entered the compound of the Globe cell site at around 1 a.m. Sunday.

The rebels kicked the main gate of the compound and at gunpoint disarmed the lone company guard identified as Joseph Disabille, said Teope.

He said the suspects bringing with them one gallon of gasoline poured into the generator set, panel board and electrical wiring gutter of the Globe cell site and set it on fire.

The rebels then took the firearm of the guard and fled toward the mountainous area of Aurora.

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Bus driver in mishap faces homicide raps
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Police filed charges of reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and serious physical injuries and damage to property against the driver of the passenger bus that rammed a Toyota Revo that killed five people Oct. 30 along the North Luzon Expressway in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

This, as the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board grounded 10 units of the bus company that operates the Manila-Tarlac-Pangasinan and vice versa route.

Senior Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, said Mabalacat police filed the charges against bus driver Bernardo Santos, 34, of Mangaldan, Pangasinan who was among the more than 60 injured in the collision and who is still confined at the Angeles University Foundation Memorial Hospital.

The LTFRB field office in Dagupan City served the 30-day cease and desist order on the operator of Fermina Express pending the result of a separate investigation being conducted by the board.

The fatalities in the accident were identified as Ruth Diane Ferrer, 22, a law student of Ateneo de Manila University and driver of the Toyota Revo with license plate XHE-829, her companion Fr. Domingo Moraleda, 66, of Claret Formation School. Also killed were bus passengers Aurelia Orio Montera, 56, of San Juan City; Adela Padua, 63, of Quezon City, and a still unidentified female commuter.

Mabalacat police investigators said the northbound Fermina Express bus, driven by Santos, with license plate NYN-688 left Cubao in Quezon City and was on its way to San Carlos City in Pangasinan when the collision occurred at around 12 noon in Barangay Mabiga, Mabalacat.

Investigators said the bus was overtaking another vehicle and had occupied the lane of the Revo when the mishap happened.

“We will review the record of the bus company and if we find that it had already three accidents we have no recourse but to cancel its franchise to operate,” said LTFRB chairman Thompson Lantion.

The LTFRB is also investigating reports that the bus was overloaded when the accident happened.

LTFRB officials have also suspended the operations of the Joanna Jesh Bus Lines that operates in Metro Manila after two of its buses were involved in an accident along EDSA in Quezon City, which killed one person and wounded two others.


Dengue claims lives of 40 persons in Central Luzon
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Health in Central Luzon Tuesday that 40 persons, mostly girls under 15 years of age, died of mosquito-caused dengue fever in the region this year.

“It’s rather high,” nurse Marilou Pajarillaga of the DOH’s regional epidiomology service unit told newsmen.

Latest records have indicated 4,768 dengue cases in Central Luzon so far this year, even as Pajarillaga noted three dengue strains affecting the victims.

Pajarillaga said experts have yet to come out with some explanation on the fact that most of the fatalities are girls below 15 years old.

She cited statistics showing the deaths this year include four girls within the age bracket one to five years, 12 in the six to 10 bracket, 10 in the 11 to 15 bracket, three each in the 16 to 20 and the 21 to 25 brackets, and two aged more than 25.

This, amid figures showing only two boys in the fatalities under the one to five-year-old bracket, three in the six to 10 bracket, and one in the 11 to 15 bracket. No males above 15 years of age was reported to have died of dengue in the region so far this year.

Pajarillaga said that since January, Pampanga topped the list of the number of dengue cases at 1,838, followed by Bulacan with 1,195, Nueva Ecija with 740, Zambales with 393, Tarlac with 336, Bataan with 247, and Aurora with only 19.

Police eye land dispute behind vice mayor’s slay

By George Trillo

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – Land dispute is now being eyed as root cause behind the slaying of San Manuel Vice Mayor Reynaldo Malazo.

Chief Supt. Errol Pan, Central Luzon police director told local newsmen Task Force Malazo has been formed by Senior Supt. Rudy Lacadin, Tarlac provincial police director to investigate and identify the killers of Malazo.

On Oct 25, Malazo, 64, and his bodyguard Romeo Barrientos, 47, were shot dead by three motorcycle riding men along Mac-Arthur highway in Barangay Salcedo, San Manuel, Tarlac.

Pan said the task force was composed of Tarlac police, Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, PNP Crime Laboratory and Provincial Intelligence and Investigation Division and will be headed by Supt. Florentino Torres, deputy director for operations of the Tarlac police.

Initial investigation showed land dispute could be behind the killing of the vice mayor, he said.

Pan ordered the task force to dig deeper and look for possible angle of old political rivalry.

At about 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 25, Malazo and his aide arrived in his residence from a wedding party they attended in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, when they were fired upon by the suspects.

The victims were on board a white Mazda van (XZD 637) driven by Malazo with five companions including Barrientos.

Police said the four other companions of Malazo were sitting in the middle of the van.

Police said three unidentified armed men riding on tandem shot Malazo and Barrientos.

The gunmen reportedly fled on board an unlicensed Honda Wave motorcycle.

Malazo and Barrientos were rushed to a nearby hospital but were declared dead on arrival.

The victims were immediately rushed to the Carmen Rosales Hospital by the responding police but they were pronounced dead on arrival by the attending doctor.

Police said Malazo was shot five times while Barrientos got three in different parts of their bodies.

Recovered from the crime scene were three tilted slugs and eight spent shells of Cal.45 pistol.

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

CL bus operators dispute reports on fare increase

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga -- Central Luzon bus operators Thursday reports they have increased their fares unilaterally.

The P1.30-per-km fare operators started to collect Wednesday was still 15 centavos lower than the mandated fare of P1.45 per km fare set by the Land Transport Franchising and Regulatory Board more than two years ago, said Rely Jalbuna, spokesman of the Central Luzon-based air-con bus operators.

"Central Luzon has the lowest fare in Luzon, even with the P1.30-perkilometer charge that took effect yesterday," Jalbuna said.

"We were forced by the global conditions. The price of crude in the global market has surged to more than $ 100 per barrel, yet our fare structure has remained low. It was applicable when oil prices ranged from $ 24 to $ 26 per barrel," he said.

Jalbuna said bus operators, who are not yet implementing the mandated fare of P1.45 per kilometer, have been advised by the leadership of the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines to collect the mandated fare.

This would enable them to adjust to the increase in oil prices and the surge in operating costs without seeking a fresh round of fare adjustments from the government, he said.
Jalbuna said the bus operators will not petition for a fare increase after the gradual adjustment to the LTFRB-mandated fares.


No funds for recall, says DBM: Recall proponent bats for candidate vs Panlilio
SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The leader of the group behind the recall petition against Gov. Eddie Panlilio said he was confident different sectors would rally behind a common candidate in the special election, which he expects could be held in December or January next year.

But the regional director of the Department of Budget and Management told the provincial board that it does not have the power to allocate P25 million from local funds for a special gubernatorial election that could arise from a pending recall petition against Panlilio.

Rosve Henson, president of the Kapanalig at Kambilan da reng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan), said his group which had gathered over 220,000 signatures for the recall petition, would not endorse any candidate.

Only Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao has openly declared interest in running against Panlilio, but only if he would be chosen as the common candidate of all groups supporting the recall move.

Henson declined to comment on Guiao’s pronouncement, saying, “It’s too early to talk about personalities.”

Although Kambilan would not endorse any candidate, Henson said they are willing to serve as an umbrella group for anti-Panlilio sectors.

“We do not want to preempt (these) sectors from coming up with their own shortlist of candidates, but Kambilan, if requested, can act as some kind of convenor to get all these groups together,” he said.

Henson said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) would eventually uphold the recall petition, as endorsed by its Pampanga office, so a special gubernatorial election could be set.

“Ideally, there should only be one candidate who can unite the province. This unification factor is one qualification we want in the candidate,” he said.

Panlilio will automatically be a candidate in the special poll, which must be held not later than May 9 next year, or one year before the next regular elections, as prescribed by law.

Guiao earlier said the provincial board is prepared to allocate some P25 million for the special election, as the Comelec said it lacks funds for such an exercise.

Should Panlilio veto the allocation, he said board members would override it.

Panlilio’s legal counsel Romulo Macalintal expressed doubt if the Comelec would approve the recall petition, which he described as “fatally flawed,” as the signatories failed to write down detailed reasons for supporting the petition.

The petition merely cited “lack of confidence” in Panlilio’s leadership as basis for the recall move.

This, as Panlilio asked the Commission on Elections last week to “deny due course” to the recall petition against him.

In a meeting with the board here Monday,, DBM-Central Luzon director Eliza Salon said under the Local Government Code, only Panlilio is authorized to make such an allocation from the provincial coffers.

Earlier, board members bared plans to provide the P25 million needed for the recall election, saying they were prepared to override Panlilio’s veto of the allocation.

“Not even supplemental funds can be resorted to by the board for recall elections,” Salon said.

During the meeting, Zoilo Perlas, the Comelec’s regional director, said such funds could be obtained from the Special Purpose Fund under the national government’s general appropriations or even from the Office of the President.

But Comelec Chairman Jose Melo, in a recent interview in Angeles City, said obtaining the funds from the national government might give the impression that President Arroyo is supporting the recall petition against Panlilio, who had exposed alleged “payola” from Malacañang during a meeting of governors in October last year.

Vice Gov. Guiao, the board’s presiding officer, insisted that the Comelec is bound by law to seek funding for the recall election once it finds the recall petition meritorious.

In the past, he said funds from national coffers were used for recall elections, including those against former Bataan governor Enrique Garcia and former Angeles City mayor Jose Abad Santos.

Guiao said President Arroyo’s being a Kapampangan should not be taken as a reason against the propriety of using national government funds for recall elections.

“It’s the interest of the Kapampangan people which should be protected once the recall petition is found meritorious,” he said.

The recall petition, signed by over 220,000 Pampanga voters, was endorsed as valid in form and substance by Comelec provincial officer Temmie Lambino and forwarded to Comelec deputy executive director for operations Bartolome Sinocruz for consideration of the Comelec.

While Sinocruz has yet to endorse the petition, Panlilio, in his petition, said the ongoing proceedings “have caused and continue to cause grave and irreparable injury” to him, as his standing and reputation as governor “is being put to question.”

Panlilio cited four grounds for the Comelec to deny the petition, including the absence of a “brief narration of the reasons and justifications.”

He added that the petition bore signatures of voters not registered in Pampanga and did not comply with Comelec rules and regulations on the verification of signatures.

Panlilio also argued that the recall petition is “premature” and is “barred” by the pending electoral protest filed by Lilia Pineda, who lost to him in last year’s gubernatorial race by 1,147 votes.

The respondents in the petition included Lambino, Sinocruz, and Rosve Henson whose group Kapanalig at Kabilan da reng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan) launched the recall petition.

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Vendor gets P50,000 reward for info on Australian’s murder

ANGELES CITY – A cigarette vendor here has received a P50,000 reward for identifying one of the two men who gunned down the Australian owner-president of a company at the Clark Freeport last Sept. 24.

Senior Supt. Pierre Bucsit, city police chief, said Ivan Brown, brother of victim Malcolm Brown, offered a reward of P500,000 to P1 million for information leading to the arrest of the two gunmen and the one who hired them.

Brown, 55, was the owner and president of Outback Five Star Inc., which manufactures coolers and iceboxes at Clark.

His wife, Gloria, took over the management of the company after his death. Bucsit said Ivan gave the vendor P50,000 only, pending the arrest of all the suspects.

He said he was hopeful even the police would partake of the P1 million once the case is solved.

The vendor identified the suspected gunman from the rogues’ gallery of the city police, Bucsit told newsmen.

“The identified suspect is known to belong to a gun-for-hire gang and is known to have been dropped from the ranks of the rebel movement RHB (Rebolusyonaryong Hukbo ng Bayan) because of his criminal involvements. Now it is clear that there was a mastermind,” Bucsit said.

Buscit didn’t reveal the full identities of both the witness and the suspect but identified him as a certain Ona.

Brown was shot several times by two motorcycle-riding men as he drove home along the highway in Barangay Anonas here at around 5:30 p.m. last Sept. 24.

Before killing Brown, the gunmen had bought cigarettes from the vendor.

“We have circumstantial evidence against somebody whom we suspect to be the mastermind, and the capture of the suspected gunman will complete our investigation toward arresting the author of the crime,” Bucsit said, without elaborating. Bucsit said guns-for-hire get no more than P100,000 for a kill, although some agree to only P15,000.

“Most of them are former members of rebel groups,” he said. -- DF


Comelec-Pampanga validates recall petition vs ‘Among Ed’

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The provincial office of the Commission on Elections here confirmed that the recall petition against Gov. Eddie Panlilio – “Among Ed” to his supporters – is valid in “form and substance” and endorsed it last week to the poll body’s central office which will decide whether to hold a special election or not.

Provincial Comelec supervisor Temmie Lambino did bit comment on his recommendation on the recall petition. But sources from the poll body’s regional office said his recommendation “clearly indicated” his confirmation of the validity of the petition’s form and substance, as required by law.

“Otherwise, the petition would stop right at the provincial level,” one of the sources said.
Lambino said he preferred the announcement on the petition’s form and substance be made by the Comelec, which still has to further scrutinize his recommendation.

Lambino added a special gubernatorial election that could arise from the recall petition would cost P24 million if held in one day, P37 million in two days, and P52 million in three days. “I think (Comelec Chairman Jose Melo) was thinking of two days when he cited the P40-million cost of the special election for governor in Pampanga,” he said.

In a visit to Pampanga last week, Melo said his agency did not have P40 million to finance such a special election, but added local governments in Pampanga could pitch in for the needed funds.

The provincial board has begun moves to allocate P25 million for the exercise. Panlilio though said he would veto this, adding there are more pressing concerns that needed funding. Vice Gov. Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, who presides over the board, said they would override Panlilio’s veto of their funding resolution approved on first reading Oct. 20.

“It (P25-million fund) will be worth the investment based on the clamor of the 224,000 Pampanga folk who signed the recall petition,” he said, adding that the board has not been remiss in approving funds for Panlilio’s projects that were “justified.”

But election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, one of Panlilio’s legal counsels, said the board’s move would be “illegal,” as it would violate Section 305 of the Local Government Code that provides that public funds be spent solely for public purpose and payment of goods and services.

“ For sure, recall is not for a public purpose but a partisan political act which is disruptive of public service,” he said.

Macalintal said the board “cannot raise funds to construct roads, schools and other public facilities but can easily raise P25 million for their own political interests.”

Lambino said the recall petition’s timetable could be affected if Panlilio files a protest before the Comelec, explaining that the law allows recall polls to be held only up to May 9 next year, or one year before the next elections.

Lambino said his recommendation on the recall petition was submitted yesterday to Comelec deputy executive director for operations Bartolome Sinocruz Jr.

He said his action concerned only the form and substance of the petition, as the authenticity of the 224,000 signatures will be validated only after the Comelec confirms his recommendation.

He said Sinocruz has three days to study his recommendation before forwarding it to the Comelec en banc, which will then either confirm or reject the recommendation within 15 days from the filing of the petition last Oct. 15.

Lambino said form and substance refers to the petition’s compliance with the legal requirement for 10 percent of signatures of registered voters in the province. It also refers to documentary requirements such as a certification from the National Statistics Office on the province’s voting population, a certification from the Department of the Interior and Local Government on when Panlilio took over as governor, and a certification on the P50,000 filing fee paid to the Comelec provincial office.

The Kapanalig at Kambilan neng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan), headed by Rosve Henson, initiated the recall move against Panlilio, citing loss of confidence in his leadership.

The Kambilan submitted the petition to Lambino last Thursday with 224,000 signatures or more than 10 percent of the province’s nearly one million voters. Should the Comelec affirm the validity of the petition’s form and substance, Lambino said he has 12 days within which to validate each of the 224,000 signatures with the help of municipal and city election officers.


Bid process for Mimosa Estate declared a failure
By George Trillo

CLARK FREEPORT — The board of directors of Clark Development Corp. did not grant a request of Waterfront Philippines Inc. to extend the period of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the bidding of the multi-million-peso Mimosa Leisure Estate here.

CDC President Benigno N. Ricafort said the board during its Oct. 17 meeting declared the bidding process a failure and decided not to extend the MOU period because the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. imposed an additional condition for the issuance of a casino license to the winning bidder.

On July 14, CDC and WPI signed a MOU, which is valid for 90 calendar days. WPI committed to pay the initial sum of P930 million within the 90-day period of the MOU on or before Oct. 11.

But WPI requested for a 60-day extension of the deadline "or until such time that a legal and binding solution can be worked out with all affected parties," particularly on the matter of a gaming license from Pagcor.

Ricafort said that the conditions Pagcor had imposed on WPI "have materially affected the original terms and conditions imposed by CDC on any prospective bidder."

He said that WPI, in its Sept. 30 letter to CDC, stated that "the heart of the estate’s operations lies in the gaming industry, and without clear right to obtain a license that has equal footing on a level playing field with other licenses, the financial viability of the whole project is greatly imperiled."

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Melo: Comelec won’t seek recall poll funds from DBM
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – As constituents filed the recall petition against Gov. Eddie Panlilio here last week, Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Melo said his agency does not have funds for recall elections.

“Even if we decide favorably for a recall election, we don’t have the money for that. I don’t know how we can hold a recall election,” Melo said.

Melo added the Comelec does not intend to request any funding from the Department of Budget and Management for such elections.

He said seeking funding from the DBM would wrongly hint that the Arroyo administration is supporting the recall move against Panlilio, who defeated two pro-administration candidates – former governor Mark Lapid and provincial board member Lilia Pineda – in last year’s polls. Panlilio ran as an independent candidate.

“The DBM is basically Malacañang because it’s under Malacañang. And I don’t think Malacañang would want the people to think that it’s supporting a recall election by giving a budget for it,” he said.

At present, Melo said there cannot be a quorum in the Comelec as five commissioners are abroad.

According to law, no recall elections can be held by May 11 next year, or one year before the next elections.

Melo bared this during the inauguration of five classrooms at the Mabalacat National College last week.

The classrooms were funded by Fontana Leisure Resorts where Melo used to be an officer.

Melo said some P40 million would be needed for the special gubernatorial election in Pampanga.

“That’s a lot of money and we still have to prepare for the automation of the 2010 polls). But I think the residents are willing to shoulder the expenses for the recall election. I don’t know,” he said.

Earlier, Comelec provincial supervisor Temmie Lambino said the special poll might need some P24 million.

Melo, however, said the Pampanga provincial government may provide funds for the special election.

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Firm wins Mimosa bid; wants partner or sellout due to financial woes
By George Trillo

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Waterfront Philippines Inc., winning bidder in the privatization of the billion-peso Mimosa Leisure Estate here, is looking and negotiating with a foreign financial firm for a tie-up arrangement or total sell-out. This developed after it was established that Waterfront Philippines has outstanding financial obligations to the Philippine National Bank amounting to P739.6 million, and P375 million to the Social Security System.

Clark Development Corp. which has been operating and managing the 320-hectare Mimosa Leisure Estate since December 1999, conducted last June 6 an open bidding participated in by two qualified bidders.

The two bidders were Waterfront Philippines and I&D Capital Joint Venture of Korea. The CDC bids and awards committee declared Waterfront as the winner on technicality after it noted that I&D Venture failed to insert the bid’s security check in the second envelop although the security check was presented right on the spot during the bidding.

A former CDC director cast doubt over the capability of Waterfront to pay to CDC some P872.5 million within 90 days as provided for in a memorandum of understanding that will mature into a lease agreement on Oct. 10, 2008. The MOU was entered into and between CDC and Waterfront after the bidding. Waterfront is required to remit P770 million to CDC.

The financial deliverables of Waterfront should include the performance security equivalent of five percent or P50 million of the total investment commitment, and P52.5 million for the "Going Concern Value" (GCV), advance guaranteed lease of R160 million, and another P160 million sd security deposit.

CDC’s legal department said that it cannot allow the winning bidder an extension of from 30 to 45 days for Waterfront to settle its obligation, saying that it is not in conformity with CDC bids and awards committee’s terms of reference (TOR).

The legal officer said that furthermore, CDC has not committed deficiency in the terms of reference of the bidding.

Some CDC executives said that they will be in an awkward position to grant the request for the grace period to Waterfront because they already denied the request of the losing bidder for a grace period in submitting its bid security check.


Police file murder charges vs wife of slain Aussie exec
By Mar T. Supnad

ANGELES CITY- Police had filed murder charges against the Filipina wife of the murdered Australian executive and another cohort following the shooting to death of the foreign investor in Clark.

Relatives of Ivan Royal Brown who was shot to death last Sept. 25, police said, believed that the murder of Brown was purely motivated by money and greed since the victim owned the Outback Five star Clark Philippines in Clark Freeport, a multi-million dollar company.

Charges of murder were filed against Gloria Fuentes-Brown and her alleged cohort Alvin Salas, also a Filipino.

Malcolm Brown, Jr., nephew of the victim told newsmen they were happy about the development and that they are not actually running against the assets of the Austrian but a justice for his bloody murder.

The young Brown said the victim’s family in Australia strongly believed that the murder of their relatives was motivated by greed so his wife can manipulate and control his business alone.

Police said the victim was on his way home last Sept. 25 aboard his Toyota Prado when he was waylaid along Friendship Highway at Barangay Anunas.

Police said indications pointed to the suspects were hired killers.

The young Brown has also expressed fear that his life is also in danger following the death of his uncle for pursuing the murder case.

He added the victim was described in Australia as hard working and kindhearted man.

Pampanga cops eye charges against judgeover large shabu haul

By George Trillo

FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga – The provincial police director said he might file charges of “abuse of discretion” against a court judge who junked the police’s petition for a search warrant on padlocked buildings in a compound that yielded shabu and paraphernalia in a raid in Barangay Consuelo here Wednesday.

“How can we build up cases if things end up this way?” provincial police chief Senior Supt. Keith Singian Singian asked. after Executive Judge Pamela Anne Maxino of the Regional Trial Court in
Guagua denied the police’s petition for search warrants.

He said the padlocked buildings could contain more evidences to build up stronger cases against the suspects, most of whom have yet to be caught.

On Sept. 24, the Pampanga police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency raided a suspected shabu laboratory in Barangay Consuelo operated by three Chinese nationals identified as Peter Pei, Caroline Dy and Eugene Bao.

Singian said initially, police were merely responding to a land dispute in the area after a former worker from Iraq came home to find out that his property was occupied by foreigners after some error in cadastral surveys.

The policemen, however, saw from the outside shabu paraphernalia inside the building, prompting them to raid the site. They then contacted the PDEA for a planned raid.

Some P1.4 million worth of chemical substances such as chloroform, pyridine and other drug precursors and several equipment used in manufacturing shabu were confiscated by the raiding team. “I am surprised that the judge denied us the search warrant,” Singian said.

He said the judge even called for the testimony of the chemist of the PDEA pending the petition, but he noted “she didn’t even ask one question.”

“We are studying whether we should file abuse of discretion charges against her, perhaps before the Ombudsman,” he added.

Meanwhile, cops have been assigned to secure the two buildings which could contain more evidence against the suspects in Wednesday’s raid.

The maintainers of the shabu laboratory, mostly Chinese nationals, have remained at large. Three of them were identified already.

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

More shabu chemicals seized in Pampanga

By George Trillo CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga – A joint team of the Pampanga police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency seized more chemicals and equipment used in manufacturing shabu during a raid on two other buildings in a compound in Floridablanca town yesterday.

Chief Supt. Errol Pan, Central Luzon police director, said the raiding team was armed with a search warrant issued by Executive Judge Reynaldo Ros of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 33. Pan said the team swooped down on the two buildings in Barangay Consuelo together with local officials led Floridablanca Mayor Eddie Guerrero, Barangay Consuelo chairman Remigio Dimla, and Senior Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, who supervised the operation.

Pan said the search warrant was served to Renie Reyes, 29, caretaker of the compound. Singian said Reyes was arrested and detained at the Floridablanca police station while appropriate charges are being readied against him.

All the confiscated chemicals and equipment were taken to the PDEA office in Manila for examination, he said.

As of Sept. 30, Supt. Jose Rayco, PDEA regional officer, could not give an estimate on the value of the seized chemicals and equipment. Last Sept. 25, the police-PDEA team confiscated chemicals such as chloroform, pyridine and other shabu precursors and several equipment in a building in the compound.

Three Chinese nationals, identified as Peter Pei, Caroline Dy and Eugene Bao, were tagged in the operation of the shabu lab.

Police were investigating a land dispute in the area when they chanced upon the illegal facility.
Bao’s wife, a certain Vilma Dimarucut, reportedly bought the property from one Jesus Dimla sometime in 2004. Pan earlier said that he would order a deeper investigation into the shabu lab to unmask local policemen and barangay officials who might be in cahoots with its operators.

MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Huge shabu lab busted in Floridablanca, Pampanga
By George Trillo

FLORIDABLANCA, Pampanga -- Anti-narcotics agents scored anew in their campaign against illegal drugs as they busted a large shabu laboratory in Floridablanca, Pampanga on Sept. 25.

Joint operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Pampanga police found millions of pesos’ worth of chemicals and equipment used in making shabu at a house in Barangay Consuelo, Floridablanca town.

Authorities invited for questioning the caretaker of the house, Renie Reyes, who identified the operator of the shabu lab as Eugene Bao, a Chinese national, an initial PDEA report said.

Chief Supt. Errol Pan, Central Luzon police director, also identified a certain Peter Pei and Caroline Dy, also both Chinese nationals, as Bao’s alleged co-operators of the illegal facility.

PDEA information office chief Derrick Carreon said the raid was conducted by virtue of a search warrant issued by the Pampanga regional trial court.

“It was a storage facility housing chemicals. Our men in the field are still conducting an inventory of the seized chemicals. They are also conducting follow-up operations,” Carreon said.

Senior Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director, said his men discovered the shabu lab while looking into a land dispute in the area.

Chief Insp. Val Lopez, head of PDEA’s Complaints and Reaction Unit, said they were verifying the involvement of some “Chinese nationals” in illegal drug operations in the area.

Singian said he dispatched a team to look for one Vilma Dimarucut, said to be Bao’s wife, who bought the one-hectare lot where the shabu lab was put up sometime in 2004.

Last week, PDEA agents also dismantled another shabu lab in Masbate City, seizing shabu precursors, essential chemicals and equipment.

PDEA director general Dionisio Santiago said the apartment where the shabu lab was put up was rented by Chinese national Lin Cui Feng, alias Jeffrey Villegas, and a certain Ronald Gabriel, alias Tandodoy, who were both not around during the raid.


Petitioners for Bulacan Gov’s recall hits 125,000
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Signatures in the petition seeking to recall Gov. Eddie Panlilio from his post has already exceeded the 100,000 mark needed to pave the way for special elections for governor in this province. At least 125,000 signatures have been gathered.

This, amid plans of petitioners to seek Malacañang’s funding for recall elections that could cost some P24 million amid the repeated declaration of Commission on Elections officials that the poll body lacks funds.

While the needed signatures have reportedly been reached, prominent supporters of the recall petition refused last week to disclose who they are supporting as gubernatorial candidate against Panlilio who, by law, would automatically be also a candidate in recall polls.

In an interview with, Kapanalig at Kambilan neng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan) president Rosve Henson said over the weekend, over 125,000 registered voters had already signed the recall petition which cited lack of confidence in the leadership of Panlilio.

He said the signatures were solicited by around 80,000 persons who were issued identification cards as members of Kambilan and that the signatures had already been “validated” by Kambilan volunteers.

Henson could not say exactly how many had signed the petition, saying that the ID-carrying members of Kambilan continued yesterday to solicit more signatures.

According to law, a recall petition needs 10 percent of the signatures of registered voters. Pampanga has about 977,000 registered voters.

“I think we’d be able to submit the recall petition to the Comelec even much earlier than the initial target in mid October,” Henson said.

Undaunted by Comelec’s lack of funds, Henson said he expected the special recall elections to be held in December or January at the latest.

“It’s the duty of the Comelec to look for funds for the recall elections,” Henson said, although a source from Kambilan who asked not to be named said his group is considering the Office of the President to allocate the P24 million needed for the special polls from its contingency fund.

Earlier, Comelec legal department chief Ferdinand Rafanan said while only the Comelec is authorized by law to fund recall elections, other government agencies could officially turn over such funds to the Comelec coffers for use in recall exercises.

Henson said Kambilan will not endorse any candidate in the special polls. “Anybody can run in such special elections. It’s a democratic exercise,” he said.

But he also said “no one can prevent Kambilan from later endorsing a candidate of its choice from among those who would opt to file their candidacies.”

At the same time, Candaba Mayor Jerry Pelayo, who had acted as spokesperson of the Kampi Party which fielded defeated gubernatorial candidate Lilia Pineda in last year’s gubernatorial elections, signed yesterday the recall petition in the presence of scores of dismissed employees of the provincial government in front of the capitol building here yesterday.

He denied reports that he was being groomed to run for governor against Panlilio. “I am not interested in being governor at this time.

I have a mandate to finish in my town and that’s where I belong,” he told local media.
Pelayo said he initially planned to steer away from controversies affecting Panlilio but decided to sign the petition after Panlilio hit the declaration of the Arnedo Park in front of the capitol as Freedom Park.

employees who were dismissed from the provincial government’s lahar sand quarrying operations

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Panlilio hits board for declaring freedom park
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Gov. Eddie Panlilio assailed the provincial board last week of agitating picketers against him and his provincial administrator by issuing a mere resolution declaring the Arnedo Park in front of the provincial capitol here a freedom park.

Referring to dismissed provincial government workers who have been holding a picket at the park, Panlilio said, “Their slogans are disrespectful and provocative. A mockery of the governor and the provincial administrator is uncalled for.”

The picketers, who were dismissed from their jobs in the provincial government’s lahar sand quarrying operations, have been criticizing Panlilio for allegedly reneging on his promise to rehire them.

They have also been seeking the ouster of provincial administrator Vivian Dabu whom they have accused of being behind their dismissal.

Panlilio said the picketers are “transgressing on the rights of others more particularly the right to a peaceful working environment of the employees at the provincial capitol.”

He said apparently, the intent of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in issuing Resolution No. 1338 was to further agitate the picketers.

But Vice Gov. Joseller Guiao denied this, saying civil society leaders, including former supporters of Panlilio, were the ones who asked the provincial board to issue the declaration of Arnedo as freedom park.

The park was named after former Pampanga governor Macario Arnedo who served at the turn of the 20th century.

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Comelec challenged on funds for recall move against Panlilio
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Kapanalig at Kam­bilan neng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan) challenged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last week to uphold the “constitutional right” of local folk to recall elective officials by guaranteeing funds for the possible holding of special elections.

This, even as Comelec central office’s acting budget officer Minda Songco confirmed the earlier statement of Comelec field officer for Central Luzon Teresita Ocampo that the polls body has only P5 million funds for recall polls and plebiscites.

Both Songco and Ocampo said they did not think the success of the recall petition signature drive in this province would eventually lead to special gubernatorial elections not only because of lack of funds, but also because of lack of time.

The law provides that no recall elections could be held by May next year, or a year before the next elections.

Ocampo said that 18 other recall petitions from other parts of the country, already endorsed by local Comelec offices, have been submitted to the Comelec central office which has not acted on them.

Pampanga Comelec supervisor Temmie Lambino said that some P100 million was spent for last year’s elections in his province.

Kambilan president Rosve Henson, however, said that “laws guaranteeing people empowerment through recall, including Comelec resolutions, does not say that the recall power of the people should depend on availability of funds.”

He said it is up to the Comelec to find funds, adding, recall elections should be held once recall petitions are duly signed by voters in accordance with all the requirements of the law.

But regardless of whether the recall move against Panlilio would lead to the holding of special elections, Henson said his group would continue to gather signatures to prove that the governor has already lost the confidence of local voters.

Moreover, the recall petition against Panlilio has increased its support.

This was also diclosed yesterday by Henson, adding that Panlilio may soon find himself undergoing the rigorous recall process “sooner than expected.”

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No funds for special polls, says Comelec on oust Panlilio move
By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Commission on Elections field officer for Central Luzon Teresita Ocampo said the initiative seeking the recall of Gov. Eddie Panlilio and calling for the holding of special gubernatorial elections in this province would not be realized.

“It don’t think it will push through,” she said. “We don’t have funds.”

Tolentino said she is in charge of all election matters, including recall petitions, in Central Luzon as regional field officer under the office of the Comelec’s executive director for operations.

Ocampo said there are 18 recall petitions all over the country now pending before the Comelec.

“We have to receive the petitions, but we don’t have the funds for them,” she said, noting that not a single petition has even been declared sufficient in form and substance.

At the outset of the recall petition initiated by the local group Kapanalig at Kambilan neng Memalen Pampanga (Kambilan), Panlilio’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal, downplayed the move saying the Comelec has no funds for the holding of special gubernatorial polls saying the recall move would be an exercise in futility.

Tolentino said the Comelec has only a P5-million allocation for special polls that could be triggered by recall petitions.

“That’s what was allocated by law and any additional budget will have to pass through Congress,” she said.

Provincial Comelec supervisor Temmie Lambin