Gov’s son’s name missing in PNP report: Paracelis gun ban case assigned to Baguio fiscal

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The “mystery” over the controversial and alleged non-inclusion of the name of a son of the provincial governor in a police report for alleged violation of the gun ban along with other suspects arrested in Paracelis town in the province will be known soon through litigation.

Following elevation of the case to the office of Regional State Prosecutor Caesar Nonnatus Rojas after the Provincial Prosecutor’s office here inhibited itself from handling the case on grounds of “fair play and justice,” the case was assigned by Rojas to Baguio Prosecutor Elmer Sagsago.

With this, Sagsago proposed to Rojas a three-member panel to assist and decide in the determination of the probability of said case.

Sagsago said designation of the panel members shall be next week.

Earlier 2Lt Alvin Dagondon of the 54rth IB of the Philippine Army filed charges of violation of the Election Code and PD 1866 on illegal possession of firearms against Fangkingan Hewan, Domingo Fangkingan, Mario Yawan, Norman Funite, Floricel Miing and police Insp. Dexter Mariano Paredes on May 20 at the provincial fiscal’s office.

Said suspects were arrested at Sitio Ampekla, Barangay Bunot in Paracelis for carrying six high powered firearms loaded in three cars.

The police report was reportedly tampered due to the alleged non-inclusion of other occupants of said three cars, including a son of Mountain Province Gov. and Congressman-elect Maximo Dalog.

Said suspects were also released after arresting officers of the Philippine Army refused to sign affidavits of arrest which resulted to the non-filing of charges against those arrested within 36 hours from their arrest on May 11.

The guns are currently under the custody of the Philippine Army. One of the guns is reportedly registered to Maximo B. Dalog as shown in a certification from the National Police Commission.

The confiscated cars which are under the custody of the Army are now nowhere to be found within the premises of the Bontoc provincial police office.

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Boarding houses top fire hazards

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY — Around 90 percent of the boarding houses and apartments in this mountain resort city were found to be fire hazards when the Bureau of Fire Protection conducted surprise inspections in the weeks leading to the opening of classes Tuesday.

Senior Supt. Richard Villanueva, Baguio City fire marshall, said violations of boarding houses and apartments included inadequate fire exits, absence or inadequate first aid kits and fire-fighting equipment, no emergency lighting and poor housekeeping.

Under the Fire Code of the Philippines, it is mandatory for structures, especially in urban centers, to have two fire exits which are remote from each other to provide alternate exits in case the fire emanates from one of the location of the prescribed exits.

The Baguio Fire Department started its routine inspection and assessment of boarding houses and apartments in time for the opening of classes in order to ensure that the safety of the students who will be occupying the said structures will be guaranteed by the landowners.

The fire official said emergency lights are part of the fire safety measure because its absence will cause undue panic among the inhabitants of the place in case of fire as they will not be able to find the exit immediately when they want to escape from the crime scene.

Owners of dormitories found to have been violating the fire safety rules will be reprimanded so that they will initiate the necessary corrective measures in the construction of their structures prior to the processing of their permits to operate their respective businesses in the different barangays.

If the owners will not comply with correction of their discovered violations, Villanueva said the local fire station will recommend to the local government unit closure of the business so that people will be spared from eminent danger.

Villanueva, the deficiencies they discovered in boarding houses are almost the same deficiencies that they were able to uncover in various universities, lodging houses and hotels as well as in hospitals.

The Baguio Fire Department defines a fire hazard establishment as any condition or act that increases the probability of the occurrence of fire incident that could pose a serious threat to life and limb.

Villanueva said he is tasked to look into the design of infrastructure which affects the fire safety compliance of the different establishments, thus, the need to institute appropriate corrective measures prior to the completion of the facilities for public use in order to ensure that people who will be using such structures will be spared from future accidents that could happen.

He said there is a need for the academe to incorporate the study of the fire safety code in the curriculum of the courses that involves the building of infrastructure so that future experts will value the importance of fire safety.

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Comelec urged: Hold special polls in Abra

BANGUED, Abra -- The Commission on Elections was urged by an incumbent congresswoman in Abra to declare a failure of elections in two towns of this province as a result of alleged election violence that marred the recent automated polls.

In a petition filed before the poll body, incumbent Abra Rep. Cecilia Seares-Luna asked Comelec to hold special elections in the towns of Danglas and La Paz after thousands of voters allegedly were not able to vote.

Her counsel, lawyer Edmund Espina, said they have 500 witnesses who can testify against the rampant and systematic acts of violence that occurred in the elections held in La Paz and Danglas municipalities.

Espina said they will submit to Comelec within several days a memorandum attached with the statements and affidavits of their witnesses.

“It will be hard but we try to do our best to get their affidavits attached to the memorandum,” Espina said, adding that their statements will definitely prove to the poll body that violence allegedly took place in these municipalities.

Comelec Commissioners, in an en banc hearing, earlier directed the camp of the former Abra solon to provide the camp of Abra Representative-elect Maria Jocelyn Valera Bernos a copy of their petition after her allies were allegedly involved in the “violence and illegal acts.”

Luna said there were voters who allegedly failed to cast their ballots due to “the arm-twisting and gun-poking" tactics.

In a statement, Luna said that many voters in the two towns were not able to cast their vote so they were disenfranchised, thus, warranting the conduct of special polls.

She noted that among the violent acts committed during the election were the strafing of a vehicle while passing through Barangay Canan in La Paz town, the abduction and detention of her poll watchers and coercion and harassment of teachers who served as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) preventing them from carrying out their poll duties in the two towns.

Luna alleged there were incidents when voters were dragged in voting precincts “at gunpoint or threats of physical harm” were forced to vote for Bernos.

She said that under threat and intimidation, the BEIs have fed “pre-shaded ballots” and put indelible ink to voters even before the start of the voting hours.

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PNP: Tetangco brod's killers left palm prints

By George Trillo

ANGELES CITY– Police laboratory findings have yielded enough palm prints apparently belonging to a suspect in the June 2 murder here of three men, including a brother of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Amando Tetangco, but probers have yet to identify him amid lack of a direct witness.

Senior Supt. Wendy Rosario, head of the Tetangco-Yap Task Force, said the palm prints were found in various parts of the sports utility vehicle where the bodies of Tetangco’s brother, his friend Florencio Yap and the latter’s aide Dennis Guinto were found in a vacant lot in Barangay Pampanga here.

Rosario also said tissues gathered by forensic investigators on the SUV’s ceiling apparently belonged to Yap “as a result of the bullet entering and exiting from his temporal lobe.”

This, he said, could indicate that Yap was on the driver’s seat when he was shot. The victims’ bodies were riddled with M-16 bullets.

The SUV was first spotted in the vacant lot at around 9 p.m. on June 2. Earlier at 7:30 p.m. that day, the victims had called up King’s Poker and Sports Club to make dinner reservations.

When found, Yap’s body was at the backseat, Tetangco’s at the front passenger’s seat, and Guinto’s in the back compartment.

So far, Rosario said none of the testimonies that police have gathered revealed any direct witness to the murders.

“We hope that a direct witness will surface now that we have increased the reward from P200,000 to P400,000,” he said.

“We hope this will entice walk-in witnesses who can provide us finally with information that can identify the suspect or suspects,” he said.

Rosario said nearly all of 11 indirect witnesses have given their testimonies to the police, including an employee of King’s Poker and Sports Club who talked to Yap about the dinner reservations.

Rosario said outgoing Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca and former provincial board member Dinan Labung were among those whose statements were taken by investigators.

The victims were slated to play poker with them at King’s on the night they were killed.

Rosario said Yap was a close friend of Jomar Hizon who defeated Labung and Dungca’s son in the mayoral race in Bacolor last May 10.

“None of our witnesses directly witnessed the crime, so we hope that the reward will attract walk-in witnesses who did,” he said.

Rosario said the task force would also rely on the available forensic evidence, including at least five palm prints gathered from Yap’s van and tissues apparently left behind by the suspect or suspects.

“Once we have the suspects, these forensic evidence will be matched against them,” he said.

The task force has downplayed robbery as possible motive although the victims’ wallets, cell phones and other personal items were missing.

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After 40 years, P’sinan town elects male mayor

NATIVIDAD, Pangasinan – After four decades, the next mayor of this town in eastern Pangasinan is a man.

The record breaker – businessman Rodrigo Rafael (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) – won the mayoral race here, beating three other aspirants – Ma. Luisa Mil-lan-Supnet (Nacionalist People’s Coalition), incumbent Vice Mayor Manolito Noveda (Nacionalista Party), and Francis Taccad (Independent).

Rafael’s running mate, Mateo Briones, also won in the vice mayoral race against William Medrano Jr. (NPC), Rodrigo Noveda (NP), and Anne Miranda (Ind.).

Rafael will succeed Mayor Alejandrea Nadonza-Supnet, who is on her third term.

The last time Natividad had an elected male town executive was in 1963-67 – Beato Cachero (now deceased), who became mayor in 1959 and was re-elected in 1963.

He was preceded by Dr. Rodulfo Arciaga (also deceased), husband of Bonifacia Calica-Arciaga, who became mayor in 1967.

Mrs. Arciaga, a former high school teacher, was re-elected in 1971 and went on to serve as mayor when Martial Law was declared by then President Ferdinand Marcos on Sept. 21, 1972.

She held the town’s top post until EDSA 1 in 1986.

During the temporary revolutionary government following the 1986 upheaval, Arturo Manaois Jr. was appointed acting mayor for seven months. He was followed by Domingo Braganza (13 months) and Guil-lermo Barcena (four months).

When the electoral process was restored in 1988, an elementary school official, Susana Rillorta-Ancheta, won in the mayoral race. Ancheta (now deceased) served for one term (1988-1991).

She was succeeded by Rowena Zaragoza-Bernabe, who was mayor for three terms.

In the 2001 elections, Supnet beat Janette Zaragoza, a sister of Bernabe.

Natividad used to be a barangay official of San Nicolas north of here. It became a town in 1902 out of the barangays of San Nicolas, Tayug (west of here), and San Quintin (south of here). East of the town is the Caraballo Mountain.

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Gov’t execs urged: Hasten repatriation of OFW’s body

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- An online petition urged Overseas Welfare Workers Administration Administrator Carmelita Dimzon, Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Jose Brillantes, and China-based Consul of the Philippine Embassy Pablito Mendoza to immediately expedite release of financial assistance for the repatriation of the body of deceased migrant Benjamin Galap Yango, from China to the Philippines.

As of press time, repatriation fees reportedly cost RMB 86,000 (P584,800) with cost getting higher as the frozen body remained in the morgue.

Benjamin Yango, 33, was an English teacher in a private school in Harbin, China when he met his death.

Yango, believed to have died of heart attack two to three days prior to May 21 was found dead in his apartment by police.

Autopsy has not yet been done on the body.

Yango traces his roots from Bontoc, Mountain Province and Benguet. He was married to Fely Tomino of Kabayan, Benguet with two children.

The Philippine Embassy in China was repeatedly asked by Fely Tomino, Yango’s widow to provide or facilitate monetary assistance to enable repatriation of the body to the Philippines, it was learned.

Consul Pablito Mendoza of the China-based Philippine Embassy however said there was no monetary support coming from the Philippine government as he encouraged solicitation to raise the needed repatriation amount, a Beijing- based English teacher from Bontoc said.

The online petition which has registered as of press time 70 petitioners since it’s launching June 16 called on OWWA, DFA and the China-based Philippine Embassy to urgently expedite monetary assistance for the repatriation cost of the body, as part of the Philippine government’s “responsibility and duty to provide services for migrant workers who continue to provide a big part on the economic backbone of the country.”

In 2009, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) numbering around 11 million sent $17.348 billion, representing around 13.5% of the country’s GDP. The amount of $15.9 billion worth of remittances was sent by migrant workers to the Philippines in 2008, up from the $14.4 billion in 2007, and $13 billion in 2006.

OFWs often work as caregivers, domestic helpers, factory workers, nurses, IT technicians and programmers, engineers, entertainers, technicians, teachers, and seafarers in developed countries most especially in the US, UK, Australia, Europe, and other developed countries of Asia including Hongkong, Malaysia and Singapore.

Online petitioner Santos Magay Unsad said, “may the Philippine and Chinese authorities, concerned government agencies and NGOs take their obligation and duties to give due regard to its citizens.”

The petition commends the support Benguet Province Governor Nestor Fongwan in asking the DFA to ask the Philippine Embassy in China to assist in the repatriation of the body as soon as possible.

It also urged Mountain Province Governor Maximo Dalog in his respective effort to do the appropriate action for the immediate release of the body of Benjamin Yango in order that the body is flown home as soon as possible.

Israel-based OFW Juliet Santiago joins “fellow OFW around the world in asking your (DFA, OWWA, Philippine Embassy) favorable and mostly needed help in the repatriation of our brother’s body back home”.

In the same vein, said petition urged the concerned offices to intervene and ask Wang Ying, the school owner-employer of Benjamin Yango to provide the corresponding financial assistance for Yango.

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Kalinga folks get 1,184 land titles

By Dexter A. See

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has approved the awarding of 1,184 land titles to residents in agricultural and other parcels of land in this province.

Engineer Ricardo Dang-iw, provincial Environment and Natural Resources chief, said the free patents will be awarded under the newly approved provisions and implementing rules of Republic Act 10023 or the Free Patent Law for qualified beneficiaries.

Dang-iw said the free patents are now with the Register of Deeds for registration and distribution.

The land titles cover residential lots and agricultural lands in the different parts of the province and that the applicants for free patents have been appropriately screened and subjected to stringent rules and regulations prior to the approval of the award, Dang-iw said.

He said their office also worked on areas surveyed under cadastral land survey in order to establish the legitimate boundaries of the delineated properties of the awardees considering that there are conflicts between the results of the cadastral surveys of the various local governments.

Dangkiw said DENR Kalinga will target the same number of titles this year.

“We are on ground survey and hope to meet the same target at the end of the year,”
He added the sudden increase of land owners applying for titles is due to the expansion of agriculture activities in idle alienable and disposable lands.

Kalinga has one of the widest land areas in the region because it is serving as the rice granary of the Cordillera due to the presence of vast tracts of agricultural lands that serve as production areas for agricultural crops.

Dang-iw called on land owners to visit DENR and request for survey and titling of their property to establish security and true ownership of the real estate. “And the greater advantage is that the property will serve as business capital whenever one plans to engage in profit ventures,” he said.

The issuance of land titles will also help government in its revenue generation campaign since land owners are also obliged to pay taxes,” Dang-iw claimed.

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Benguet declared in state of calamity; funds needed

By Dexter A. See

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Due to “low performance” of national government agencies and local governments in implementation of calamity projects, the provincial board here approved a resolution declaring Benguet in a state of calamity to allow utilization of calamity funds for restoration of many provincial roads damaged by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” last year.

The local legislative body authorized Benguet Gov. Nestor B. Fongwan to utilize at least 30 percent of the calamity funds of the province this year to repair damaged roads that were not given appropriate attention by concerned national government agencies in its multi-billion-peso disaster rehabilitation project.

Based on the evaluation of the provincial engineering office, many provincial roads have numerous critical areas that need to be restored before heavy rains and typhoons will worsen the damages which could result in the closure of the roads leading to the farms and significantly affect the supply of vegetables.

Fongwan said normal living has not been restored in dozens of villages because of the presence of road cuts and eroded mountain slopes that pose a serious threat to the safety of the motoring public, especially during heavy downpours.

A good number of villages in the towns of Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kapangan, Kibungan, Kabayan, Mankayan, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay have reportedly isolated last year for over a month after the onslaught of typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng.”

Fongwan’s report cited most of the critical sections in all provincial roads still pose danger to the community and that the punch through in the roads were the handy works of the people living in the affected villages, thus, the occurrence of future strong rains could lead to their isolation from urban centers which threatens their regular supply of food and fuel.

Fongwan stressed that the provincial government has to catch up with the onset of the typhoon season so that lesser inconveniences will be encountered by the people once the provincial

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Anti-gambling pastor retires

By Maurice Malanes

BAGUIO CITY – The senior pastor of a mainline Protestant church -- who was known for his advocacies against casinos, lotto and other legal and illegal gambling as well as drug abuse – has retired.

“I praise God for in the almost 100-year history of this local church, the Good Lord has allowed me to be one of His servants for almost eight fruitful years,” said the Rev. Dr. Simplicio Dang-awan Jr in a message before his congregation last June 5.

Dang-awan had been the senior pastor of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Baguio from July 1, 2002 until last May 31. The UCCP-Baguio celebrates its centenary in February next year.

During his leadership, Dang-awan did not only introduce changes in administration, physical development of the church, worship and evangelism and in discipleship and mission.

In the spirit of ecumenical cooperation, Dang-awan collaborated with other leaders of other churches and civic groups in opposing the proposal to legalize small-town lottery in the city, proposed casino in Camp John Hay, the purchase of cars for each of the city councilors in 2007, and the operation of a lotto outlet near the UCCP.

Through public forums, television talk shows, and prayer rallies, Dang-awan joined leaders of the Baguio Multi-Sectoral Group in helping ensure the moral and spiritual integrity of Baguio as a “character city.”

Together with other churches, the UCCP-Baguio under Dang-awan helped participate in helping ensure “clean, honest, accurate, meaningful and peaceful” (CHAMP) elections last May.

Replacing Dang-awan as UCCP-Baguio senior pastor is Bishop Marino Inong. Inong vowed to help sustain what his predecessor had begun so the church, “with God’s spirit, can help play its role as the salt of the earth and light of the world” in Baguio and its environs.

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PNP recalls 50 Ecija bets’ security escorts

CABANATUAN CITY – The Philippine National Police has recalled some 50 of its personnel who served as security escorts of local candidates in Nueva Ecija in last month’s elections.

Senior Supt. Ricardo Marquez, PNP pro-vincial director, told local media that with the end of the election period on June 9, policemen detailed as security scorts for local bets have been ordered to go back to their respective mother units.

Marquez, however, said the recall order has not yet covered re-elected Gov. Aurelio Umali, vice governor-elect Gay Padiernos and outgoing Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson and all winning candidates in the 27 towns and five cities of the province.

“Except for those who have won and the incumbents, we have recalled the police security escorts of all politicians.

in Nueva Ecija,” he said, adding these lawmen must go back to their mother units because starting June 10, they no longer have the authority to be detailed as security escorts.

He said Joson, who lost in the gubernatorial race to Umali, remains an incumbent whose term of office expires on June 30 yet.

He said the authority given by the Commission on Elections for them to be security escorts expired simultaneous with the end of the election period.

Marquez said some of the candidates have requested him to retain their security escorts. “But it is beyond my authority already,” he said, noting that requests will have to be forwarded to higher-ups for threat assessment.

Based on PNP records, a total of 2,194 local and national candidates were secured by some 3,800 policemen as early as the start of the election period on Jan. 10.

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Philex sets biz centers for folk

TUBA, Benguet – Philex Mining Corp. here in partnership with Foundation for People Development recently launched four community business and technology centers to boost liverlihood of local folk here, now considered a first in the country.

The programs, under the mine company’s community enterprise development program aim to also address educational, social, cultural and spiritual concerns of the over 1,500 Philex-Padcal workforce, their families and neighboring communities.

According to Philex officials, the program is a showcase to the world that esponsible mining is a partner of community development.

This year, much of Philex's efforts centered on developing the four CBTCs like on livestock techno-business, an establishment which has a gene transfer facility to improve breeds of livestock, dairy beef cattle, dairy barn and milk processing plant .

Projects include setting up a coffee and agro-forestry center to produce the world famous Arabica coffee and introduce other forest products.

A meat processing center will also produce comparable and competitive meat processed products and packaging services.

Also in line is an integrated agri-aquaculture area which includes vegetable and cut flower production and a greenhouse aquaculture project

The CBTCs shall serve as avenues to access to technology whereby specialists are assigned to assist beneficiaries gain skills and assist in preparation of their individual business plans, access tomarket not only locally but also through the North Food Exchange being constructed in Bulacan.

Access to capital from various entities is also a part of the projects including management system by training the participants on how to manage their enterprises.

Fulfilling its corporate social responsibility, Philex envisions a program that will socially transform its employees and their families and its host and neighboring communities and enable them all to achieve both individual and collective self-reliance and sustainability.

The past five decades, the mining firm has been instrumental in the development and advancement of its work force as well as the empowerment of the residents in host communities to be self-reliant and resourceful in the search for sufficient sources of livelihood that could spark economic development in their places.

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4 Luzon cities eyed for study on climate

BAGUIO CITY – An international funding agency has chosen four key cities in Northern Luzon as pilot areas for a four-year study on how to significantly mitigate effects of climate change on people living in the said areas.

The four cities, Baguio in the Cordillera; Dagupan and San Fernando in Region 1, and Tuguegarao in Region 2, were chosen as pilot sites for the “Cities in Asia Developing Climate Sensitive Adaptation Plans” because of the worsening effects of global warming to the lives of the people in the areas.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) Local Government for Sustainability cited the study which includes cities in India and with a total budget of 1.5 million euros, is reportedly funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The study, in consonance with climate change adaptation and disaster is reduction advocacy of the Regional Development Council in the Cordillera, aims to help concerned local governments formulate comprehensive and long-term mitigation or adaptation plans, together with ICLEI or the local governments for sustainability, which is an international association of local governments and national and regional local government organizations that have initially made a commitment for sustainable development. – Dexter A. See

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Purisima next Central Luzon PNP director?

By Mar T. Supnad

CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga- This regional police office of Central Luzon, is buzzing with talks that Chief Supt. Allan Purisima, will be the incoming regional director once the new administration of President-elect Noynoy Aquino assumes next month.

This was gathered by this correspondent from a number of senior police officers here who said the assumption of Purisima as Region 3 police director is in the bag and is no longer a secret.

Purisima, a graduate of the PMA class 1981, is at present detailed with the Anti Kidnapping Task Force in Camp Crame.

Although some newsmen who knew Purisima described him as low profile, inaccessible and unfriendly to media, a number of policemen described him as hard-working and brilliant when it comes to intelligence gathering and police work.

“Even our incumbent RD Art Cacdac knows already that he will be replaced by Purisima. While some newsmen based here regard Gen. Cacdac in high-esteem due to his being low-profile and respectful, some of his staff described Cacdac otherwise.

“The morale of the staff here and in the provincial commands is slowly being demoralized brought about by the style of leadership of our RD who has the habit of shouting and subjecting you to public ridicule and embarrassment. Napapahiya at nasasaktan tong mga opisyal na ito. Kaya tinatamad silang magtrabaho,” said a police colonel who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Senior Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, a cum laude of PMA class 1985, an erstwhile Pampanga police director, admitted to this correspondent that he can no longer work with the unproductive attitude of Cacdac “so I prefer to personally relinquish my post as PD and look for other positions.”

A bemedalled police officer who is regarded in high esteem among his peers particularly in Bataan where he worked as PD for two years, Gaerlan left the Pampanga PNP with a heavy heart, newsmen learned.

But for a number of newsmen, they were impressed with Cacdac. “Napakagalang niya, po ng po saiyo maski mas bata ka sa kanya,” said Jimmy Hipolito of the Central Luzon Daily news.

Erstwhile Camp Olivas Press Club president, Ric Sapnu,of the Phil. Star, described Gen. Cacdac as low-profile but “deep” when it comes to police work and managerial skills.

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Irregular proceedings: Paracelis mayoral bet urges special elections

By Gina Dizon

PARACELIS, Mountain Province -- Mayoral candidate Ernesto Gunday filed before the Commission on Elections in Manila a petition for declaration of failure of elections as he called for special polls in four precincts here.

Gunday was second with 2,065 votes less 519 votes from co-candidate Avelino Amangyen’s 2,584 votes.

Eight candidates vied for the mayoral position.

Petitioning against respondents mayor-elect Amangyen and the Municipal Board of Canvassers headed by Virginia Chokowen, Gunday alleged inaction on the part of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) and the MBOC on his (Gunday’s) prior opposition which eventually led to the proclamation of Amangyen as municipal mayor on May 19.

Gunday earlier forwarded a certificate of challenge to the BEI stopping the counting of votes in Addang precinct on May 11, “but was not acted upon by BEI chairman Lucio Domingo.”

Stemming from his cause of action, the petitioner cited massive disenfranchisement of voters to cast their votes in three clustered precincts of Bunot barangay namely Maababnot, Apalis, and Addang; and Buringal Proper allegedly due to acts of terrorism, intimidation, and threats on the electorate.

A total of 158 voters were not able to cast their votes in Addang. Bodily threats from some irritated voters on the voting line resulted to the closing of the polling precinct at 4:00 pm on May 10, 2010.

Voting also started around 9 a.m. on said date.

In Precinct Apalis with 148 registered voters, four men reportedly frustrated with the printed election returns which showed zero votes, hacked the PCOS machine, poured gasoline and burned the machine along with the ballots.

In Maababnot with 218 registered voters, transmission of the electronic election returns failed several times.

In Buringal Proper, threats and intimidation against the lives of voters were reportedly employed by several unidentified persons who insisted that were no more ballots.

A total of 97 out of 169 voters were not able to cast their votes.

In the same petition to the Comelec, Gunday forwarded a motion for inhibition of MBOC Chairman Virginia Chokowen, which “until now has not been acted upon by the body.”

Petitioner alleged that Chokowen was seen entering the house of private respondent.

“This act of MBOC Chairman Virginia Chokowen is in plain and utter disregard of what is incumbent upon her as chairman of a Comelec arm charged by the Constitution of ensuring free, orderly, peaceful and credible elections”, he said.

Gunday also noted that the “MBOC of Paracelis was more concerned on the proclamation of the provincial candidates rather than the municipal level of which it stands to canvass.”

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WWII vets to observe ‘Battle of Besang Pass’

By Freddie Lazaro

VIGAN CITY – Hundreds of surviving World War II veterans from the provinces in the Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions will remember Monday the 65th anniversary of the victory at the Battle of Besang Pass to be held at the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines Northern Luzon (USAFIP-NL) Memorial Monument and Shrine in Barangay Darigayos, Luna, La Union.

Highlighting the celebration includes the conduct of a short program for the floral offering at the veterans’ memorial shrine, a medical and dental outreach program dubbed “Oplan: Pagkalinga,” presentation of a diorama exhibit showcasing the event leading to the victory at the “Battle of Besang Pass,” and the launching of a book that chronicles the Filipino and American WWII veterans’ victory at the “Battle of Besang Pass.”

Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Region 1 head Maria Juanita Rivera disclosed that at least 250 pensioners, most of whom are real-life heroes of the historical battle during World War II, are expected to attend the significant event.

“Launched in 2005, the Oplan: Pagkalinga will now be on its fifth year and will be open exclusively to the pensioners of PVAO from 9 a.m. until 12 noon in which it will offer free medical and dental consultations including free Digital Rectal Examination and electrocardiogram screening for patients,” she said.

The medical and dental mission is jointly sponsored by the PVAO Medical and Dental Unit, the La Union Provincial Health Office and the Abbott International drug company.

“PVAO administrator Undersecretary Ernesto G. Carolina, re-elected La Union Governor Manuel C. Ortega and Brigadier General Arnulfo Banez, the USAFIP-NL president are among the national dignitaries to be expected to grace the significant event,” she said.

For the content of the book that chronicles the victory at the “Battle of Besang Pass,” Rivera disclosed the featuring of the testimonies, achievements and memories of the surviving heroes/veterans who courageously fought leading to the victory at the Besang Pass.

“Some of those heroes/veterans featured in the book are the late Dr. Godofredo S. Reyes, Colonel Gregorio Ufano and among others,” she said.

“The battle at the Bessang Pass is one of the world’s ferocious battles in the history of war that was predominantly spearheaded by the Filipino soldiers, guerrilas and bolomen with the farmers and haulers,” she noted.

According to Rivera, the USAFIP-NL Memorial Monument and Shrine in Barangay Darigayos, Luna, La Union, which is the venue of this year celebration, was the former Camp Spencer, which is the base hospital for the wounded members of the USAFIP-NL during the “Battle of Besang Pass.”

Besang Pass was the last stronghold of the Japanese imperial forces under Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, known as the “Tiger of Malaya” and conqueror of Singapore.

It was part of the triangular defense of General Yamashita in the north, namely the Balete Pass, Villaverde Trail and Besang Pass, guarding the Ifugao-Benguet-Vizcaya borders.

Its fall on the hands of the USAFIP-NL on June 14, 1945 paved the way to the entrapment of Yamashita’s forces in the Cordillera until the general’s surrender in September 1945.

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Soldier snuffs out sleeping wife’s life

CONNER, Apayao — A former soldier was arrested after allegedly shooting his 45-year-old wife to death while she was asleep at the living room of their house in Buluan, here night of June 16.

Supt. Leon Tallo, regional police public information officer of Cordillera, identified the victim as Ruby Joyce Collado Eugenio.

Her husband, Dennis Arigoz Eugenio Sr., 47, is now detained at the Conner Police Station while charges of parricide are being prepared against him.

Tallo said domestic problems prompted Eugenio to kill his wife, following an incident in which the suspect was allegedly complained by his teenaged daughter of allegedly attempting to rape her. – Dexter A. See

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7 Catholic bishops oppose Pangasinan, Ecija casinos

By Jennelyn Mondejar

DAGUPAN CITY– Seven bishops from Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija are opposing a plan to open a casino in Urdaneta City and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.

The following bishops signed June 14 a statement titled Restoring Integrity, Alleviating Poverty: Archbishop Socrates Villegas of Lingayen-Dagupan Archdiocese, Bishop Jacinto Jose of Urdaneta, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of San Jose de Nueva Ecija, Bishop Artemio Rillera of San Fernando, La Union, Bishop Marlo Peralta of Alaminos, Auxiliary Bishop Renato Mayugba of Lingayen, Dagupan and Bishop Sofronio Bancud of Cabanatuan.

In a statement, the bishops said, “Now that we are at the dawn of a new beginning for our nation, with hopes high and patriotic fervor at its best, we your Catholic pastors in Pangasinan, La Union and Nueva Ecija comprising the Ecclesiastical Metropolitan Province of Lingayen, Dagupan make a unified stand to oppose the plan to open a casino in Urdaneta City and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.”

“If it is not legally possible to close all casinos immediately, we plead with the government not to open new ones. Opening another casino will open more doors for corruption and pave the way for the impoverishment of the families of the gamblers,” they said.

They added,” where the casinos operate now, we see the ill-effects on the sociomoral fiber of the citizenry – the rise of criminality, the spread of prostitution and the shameless corruption of those engaged in the business.”

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P’Noy’s ‘unsung heroes’recall campaign to victory

By Mar T. Supnad

It wasn’t the strength of a political party but the people’s thirst for “true reforms” that won for Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III the Philippines presidency.

This was the remark of one of the president-elect’s top coordinators during the 90-day national campaign period, as he recalled how the broad mass-based votes of 15.7 million were garnered for the Liberal Party’s standard-bearer, posting the biggest margin so far (more than 4 million votes) over a close political rival in the history of the country’s presidential race.

A native of scenic Bolinao town in Pangasinan, true-blue Ilocano-Pangasinense, Dale Cabrera, who volunteered as national coordinator of the “Aquino to Malacanang”(ATOM) movement, rationalized, however, that Noynoy’s Party gave its best in spite of some apparent shortfalls in the campaign kitty.

“But people who believe more in transformational politics delivered the clincher, actually, the adrenalin, which inspired the broad mass-based of supporters to sweat it out for their candidate,” Cabrera said.

ATOM’s keyman described the support for Aquino as “spontaneous, as though validating and demonstrating a new kind of people power to realize the vision for change.” ATOM stalwarts include Jose “Pepe” Sarmiento, formerly of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), businessman Wilo Layug and former governor Zacaria Candao of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

According to Cabrera, among the volunteer groups that fanned nationwide support for Aquino were the Association of the Socio-economic Advancement of Pinoys, Inc. (ASAP) under Roy Sangil, the Noynoy Aquino for President Movement (NAPM), the Blue Falcons International Association, Inc., Islamic Party of the Philippines (IPP), Philippine Association of Small Coconut Farmers’ Organization (PASCFO), the Federation of Farmers’ Associations of the Philippines (FFAP) and Watawat, a movement for social democracy.

By Cabrera’s account, ATOM and ASAP zeroed-in on the indigenous communities of the Cordillera region, Central Luzon and Mindanao.

The twin group also worked hard organizing volunteers in Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat, the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Davao and General Santos and Sarangani and in Bulacan, particularly Valenzuela City . It was in these areas and in Metro Manila and the Visayas where Noynoy polled majority of the votes cast.

Consolidated into the Bayanihan ni Noy, the various groups first mounted a signature campaign to convince Aquino to be the LP’s standard bearer.

Motivated by the issue on stinking corruption in the government, the campaign gathered in no time more than a million signatories, mostly from the marginalized sector in the countryside, the urban poor, youth sector, farming communities and the religious sector.

The peasant groups under the spearhead of Charlie Avila moved fast to beat the deadline for party nomination, Cabrera recalled, even as he noted the strong resolve of leaders of theMakati Business Club to back Noynoy’s presidential bid.

Aquino’s campaign battlecry, “walang mahirap kung walang corrupt,” gave flesh-and-bone to the LP’s “pagbabago” slogan, said Cabrera.

He took note that “volunteerism in Noynoy’s campaign found an oasis in the youth sector which “worked with full enthusiasm, spending most of their vacation time helping other volunteer groups produce and distribute t-shirts, stickers, fans, posters, ribbons and other campaign paraphernalia.”

From the proclamation rally at the historic Club Filipino where Noynoy’s mother, Cory, was proclaimed president of the republic in 1986, Aquino went starboard as he dominated successive poll surveys by Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS).

“The survey results were precise, perfect forecast,” Cabrera said, as he called on leaders of the various volunteer groups to keep their vigilance and stay put as “watchdogs against corruption of the Aquino presidency.”

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Pangasinan town parentswant school principal out

By Jerry Padilla

BUGALLON, Pangasinan – A padlocked gate, streamers with messages of protest, and schoolchildren joining their parents to press the ouster of their school principal, greeted the first day of school in Buenlag Elementary School this town Wednesday.

Rose Reyes, one of the protesting parents, said they want school principal, Perla Sampaga, removed from their school because of money matters.

“Our school used to be very quiet until she came here. We had no problem, but it was different because, all that should not be done are happening here since she assumed as principal” she said.

She cited their payment of less than P500 each for the toga and graduation gown of their children but nothing happened, plus the alleged cutting of trees in the school.

Rowena Raga, another parent, said the parents, Sampaga, teachers and schools division personnel already had a dialogue regarding their protest last week but nothing happened.

She said her fellow parents want Sampaga out of their school and vowed not to stop from their protest, including padlocking of the gate.

She said they would not let their children attend their classes here or to transfer them to another school if Sampaga is not removed as their principal.

Raga said parents cooperated last week during the Brigada Eskwela, a clean up drive to prepare for the back-to-school of their children hoping not to see anymore Sampaga in their school.

“Hanggat di po siya umaalis, dito po kami (As long as she is not removed, we would stay here),” Raga said.

There are 311 school children in the school here from kindergarten to grade six with 11 teachers plus a utility worker and the principal.

All the other teachers, however, were allowed by the parents to go to their classrooms.
Sampaga came here Wednesday morning but was prevented by the parents from entering the school. She quietly left riding in a tricycle and local newsmen failed to find her whereabouts for reactions.

It was the sixth time that Sampaga was the subject of a protest in other schools where she was assigned. She was designated principal here August last year.

Myrna de la Cruz, Master Teacher 2 in the said school teaching grade one, said the parents rebelled against Sampaga on certain issues especially involving money matters.

She said the parents and Sampaga were supposed to meet a day after the graduation day in March to settle their differences but the principal was a no-show.

Before noon Wednesday, Police Supt, Wilson Joseph Lopez, head of the Special Operations Group of the provincial police office talked to the parents and explained to them that their children’s education should not be compromised because of their protest.

He urged them to resort to legal means whatever their sentiments are and tried to convince them to open the gate and allow their children to attend their classes.

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DSWD allots P8.6M for typhoon victims

By Andrew Dogaong

BONTOC, Mountain Province - The Department of Social Welfare and Development has released P8.6 million to fund the construction of shelter units for 123 families whose houses were totally destroyed by last year’s Typhoon ‘Pepeng ’ and those located in geo-hazard areas.

Provincial DSWD head Rosalinda Belagan said the initial 123 beneficiaries of the Core Shelter Assistance Program of DSWD are from barangays Bun-ayan and Bao-angan in the municipality of Sabangan and barangays Kayan East, Lubon, Bunga, Tue, Duagan and Tadian Poblacion, all in the town of Tadian.

The Mines and Geo-Science Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Science and Technology earlier identified portions of barangays Bun-ayan and adjacent Bao-angan in Sabangan and barangays Kayan East, Tue, Lubon and Poblacion Tadian as landslide prone.

In the MGB’s report to the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council, they recommended residents in these critical areas relocate to safer places so as not to experience another Kayan East tragedy.

Thirty six residents of Sitio Bulala, Kayan East died and their houses destroyed when a landslide buried their village during the onslaught of Typhoon Pepeng last year.

Belagan said the core shelter unit measuring 4 by 5 meters cost P70,000 each which the beneficiaries themselves and as an organization will construct through bayanihan style and with the supervision of their respective local government units.

Belagan said the CSAP beneficiaries complied with the DSWD criteria.

Aside from their houses being located in hazardous location or their houses were totally destroyed by typhoon Pepeng, they have proof of ownership or a deed of donation to the lands where they are to be relocated and that they are not also recipient of any assistance from any source.

Kayan Catholic Mission and the Christian Children’s Fund provided materials for the reconstruction of the houses of some of the Kayan East typhoon victims.

Belagan said the DSWD through its Emergency Shelter Assistance Program also released P5,000 or P2,500 to 84 families for repair of their houses or fields partially damaged by the previous typhoons.

The social welfare officer said she hoped the DSWD will approve other proposals from other municipalities whose houses are in disaster prone sites to avail of the CSAP.

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