No trees - no marriage law passed in Tadian

By Dexter A. See

TADIAN, Mountain Province — If love and commitment between man and woman warrants marriage, in this town, every couple applying for a license to marry will have to plant 10 trees first before their union becomes legal.

In its effort to protect its environment, town officials enacted an ordinance requiring applicants for marriage license to plant at least five tree seedlings each before their marriage license shall be released by the Municipal Registrar.

“This is for their future children. They have to plant trees – at least ten trees – first so that they will be able to effectively and efficiently contribute in the uphill climb to preserve and protect the rapidly deteriorating state of the region’s watersheds and forests,” said one barangay captain.

Under the ordinance, the barangay captain of the home barangay of either of the couple-applicants for marriage license will issue a certificate of compliance to the requirement to plant the correct number of trees in their respective villages.

In case only one of the couple applicants is a resident of the town, then the barangay chairman of the resident of the municipality shall issue the certificate of compliance so that their respective marriage license will be subsequently issued.

The barangay chairman is held liable to the fine or penalty imposed by this ordinance if he issues fraudulent certificate of compliance to the couples planning to get married in the town considering that it is his or her duty to ensure that the partners plant trees as a symbol of cooperation and love for the environment.

Violation of this ordinance shall mean a fine of P500 and repetition of the same shall be the basis of filing an administrative case against the barangay chairman who issues a fraudulent certificate of compliance as well as his eventual prohibition from holding public office once he is found guilty of violating the provisions of the ordinance.

To guarantee the realization of this program, the barangays shall make sure the availability of tree seedlings in their respective nurseries.

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4 nabbed for illegal logs; vice mayor to be charged

KABUGAO, Apayao – Four persons were arrested here for transporting illegally cut logs at Paco Valley and were later charged in court for violation of Presidential Decree 705 otherwise known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines.

This, even as the vice mayor of this town will be slapped with charges for intervening in the case.

Nabbed by police on June 4 were Freddie Cadao, owner of the seized lumbers and his brother Allen; Rogelio Udaundo, driver and Jeffrey Agudelo, helper, all residents of Poblacion, Kabugao.

Police investigation bared a police team led by Inspectors James D. Acod and Leonard A. Danasen saw a truck speeding along Sitio Angupan, Paco Valley prompting them to flag down the vehicle.

Upon inspection, the vehicle was found loaded with red lawaan and tangili lumbers of assorted dimensions with a total volume of 1,839.66 board feet.

Also found was a chainsaw machine. The occupants of the vehicle failed to show pertinent papers of the lumbers and so they were placed under arrest.

Apprehended suspects were brought to the Regional Public Safety Battalion Patrol Base at Malama, Conner, Apayao.

The arresting team was preparing to turn-over the vehicle with the confiscated lumbers and chainsaw to the office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources when Kabugao Vice-mayor Roosevelt Alitan intervened by removing two batteries of the confiscated vehicle and left.

The vehicle together and confiscated lumber and chainsaw were officially turned over to the Environment officer of Luna town in the province where inventory was done in the presence of arresting officers.

Charges were filed with the Apayao Provincial Prosecutor against the arrested persons while a separate charges will be filed against the vice-mayor.

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Bulacan gov’t tackles rising malaria cases

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan -- Gov. Wilhelmino M. Sy- Alvarado directed Tuesday the Provincial Public Health Office to investigate and take steps to address rising malaria cases in some mountainous villages in Norzagaray town as well as to prevent the mosquito-borne disease from spreading.

Alvarado said there were reports of malaria cases in Sitio Sapang Paco, Sitio Isla Putting Bato, Sitio Sapang Munti and Sitio Santol, all in the upland barangays of San Lorenzo and Anginan.

Alvarado instructed provincial health officer Dr. Joy Gomez to immediately give complete doses of anti-malaria drugs to affected individuals and conduct surveillance and monitoring of febrile cases through mass blood smearing and house spraying.

Alvarado also instructed the provincial government through the PPHO and the Provincial Public Affairs Office to conduct health education and provide villagers with information materials on malaria prevention and control.

Gomez said a joint investigation conducted by the PPHO, the Rural Health Physician of Norzagaray RHU-II, and a representative from Filipinas Shell-Malaria Project has confirmed that the number of malaria cases from May 28 to June increased to 34 and that the majority of affected persons came from Sitio Sapang Paco in Barangay San Lorenzo.
She also said residents in the affected villages have been provided with insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Gomez added that the PPHO is closely monitoring the malaria cases in those places.

The PPHO coordinated with Dumagat chieftain Leonardo Amang Samson and discussed the procedures on the utilization of previously distribution insecticide-treated mosquito nets, allocation of long-lasting net per family, possible training of volunteers in resettlement areas for early identification and treatment of malaria and provision and proper use of anti-malaria drugs.

Gomez said a government team will also meet with other Dumagat chieftains and the different barangay councils in Norzagaray regarding the dissemination of information materials and plans on malaria control.

The meeting will be followed by a medical visit to other affected areas where mass blood smearing tests and surveillance will be conducted.

The PPHO said malaria is caused by a parasite called plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. Its symptoms include fever, headache and vomiting. The sickness is usually detected between 10 to 15 days after the mosquito bite.

If not treated on time, malaria can become life-threatening due to the disruption of blood supply to vital human organs, the PPHO added. -- FV

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City to work out settlement on convention center tiff

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan last week directed city legal officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes to work out the compromise settlement with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for the resolution of the ejectment case it filed against the city over the purchase of the Baguio Convention Center.

In his Ugnayang Panlungsod press briefing last Wednesday, the mayor said he asked Rabanes to immediately coordinate with the GSIS legal counsel in preparing the compromise settlement which will be submitted to the court for approval.

This developed as the city council last Monday approved the mayor’s request for the realignment of P200,185,882.05 pooled from unused funds from the city coffers to pay the city’s outstanding balance to purchase the convention facility and avoid incurring more interest or lose the facility altogether.

The mayor pushed for the city’s payment amid the still unclear status of the city’s share from the lease rental of Camp John Hay from which the city was supposed to get the payment for the BCC as per the 2004 tripartite purchase agreement with the GSIS and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).

The BCDA failed to deliver the amortizations on the deadlines set under the MOA due to the developer Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo)’s default in its payments.

This prompted the GSIS to file an ejectment case against the city for failing to pay its amortizations for the purchase of the facility originally pegged at P250 million.

Due to the non-payment, the city’s obligation has ballooned to P318 million exclusive of the initial payments made by the city amounting to at least P100 million.

After negotiations, the city’s balance was cut down to P200,185,882.05 and the city was given until May 30 to settle.

The mayor said that since the city failed to beat the deadline as the city council’s approval came only last Monday, the arrears can be expected to increase anew thus the need to speed up the settlement process.

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Guidelines on traffic experiments adapted

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The implementation of traffic experiments in the city will now be governed by guidelines.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan has signed city council Ordinance No. 21 providing for these rules as introduced by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda and co-authored by Councilors Nicasio Aliping Jr. and Joel Alangsab and based on the report and recommendation of the Committee on Public Utilities, Transportation and Traffic Legislation.

“As a growing urban center, one of the problems besetting the city is traffic congestion. It is incumbent upon the city officials to explore possible, doable and acceptable solutions to ease the traffic situation,” the ordinance noted.

“Admittedly, there is a need to conduct traffic experiments to come up with the best solution and strategy. Although the experimental scheme maybe well planned by technical people, a wide information dissemination must be carried out prior to its implementation. A well-informed general public is a cooperative partner in the fruition of a smooth and better traffic management.”

The conduct of experiments will be subjected to the following guidelines:

* The experiment shall be conducted for a period not exceeding six (6) months. Upon the lapse of the 6-month period and no ordinance is enacted, the traffic scheme will automatically revert to its status before the experiment;

*Massive information on the proposed traffic experiment scheme shall be given to the concerned public not less than two weeks before the experiment. Any substantial alteration or modification to the scheme during the experimental period should be made known to the public at least two (2) days before the implementation;

*Before any ordinance is enacted embodying the experiment, a public hearing/consultation must be conducted by the concerned authorities;

*The Traffic and Transportation Management Committee (TTMC) shall submit a preliminary report to the City Mayor and the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) within the first two (2) weeks of implementation of the experiment;

*Signages and barriers which meet safety standards should be in place during the period of experiment. This shall be done by the TTMC in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the City Engineering Office (CEO) and other concerned agencies; and

*An evaluation report must be submitted by the TTMC before the enactment of an ordinance to make the scheme permanent, or before the lapse of the six-month experiment, whichever comes first.

Violators will face appropriate administrative and criminal sanctions.

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Man nabbed at checkpoint with illegal gun and bullets

BANGUED, Abra – Charges are being prepared by police here against a man who was nabbed for illegal firearms.

A police report said operatives of 1st Platoon, 1st Maneuver Company, Regional Public Safety Battalion led by Insp. Melenium M. Bantas arrested Rengie D. Basingan, 25 of Ulo, San Isidro town in the province June 15 at about 6:30 a.m. at Sinalang Checkpoint, Barangay Lipcan, Bangued.

Police confiscated a homemade shotgun, a magazine of Cal. 45 and 16 bullets of Cal. 45 from Basingan.

The cops were conducting checkpoint operations at Barangay Lipcan, Bangued along Abra-Ilocus Sur road, when they intercepted the suspect on board a black XRM Honda motorcycle who came from the town center going south.

The suspect attempted to speed away but cops managed to stop him and when they requested him to open his bag, they saw the gun and bullets.

Police requested Basingan to show pertinent papers but failed to produce documents.

The suspect and pieces of evidence were brought to Bangued police station for further investigation.

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Ilocos priest punches cockpit arena worker

DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte – A Catholic priest here is now in hot water for allegedly punching an employee of a cockpit arena.

Glen Guerrero of Dingras town in Ilocos Norte filed a case for serious physical injuries and grave threat against Fr. Ronnie Pillos, saying the priest even threatened to kill him.

Guerrero said the incident happened when Pillos ordered him to properly strap a blade in a fighting cock’s leg.

When he answered back, he said the priest punched him and even threw a bottle at him.

Dingras police said Guerrero also claimed in his complaint that he heard a gunshot when the priest left but could not ascertain if it was the priest who fired the shot.

The priest’s brother, Dingras Sangguniang Bayan member Nerio Pillos, admitted that his brother was inside the cockpit but only because he accompanied some guests.

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Gov vows ‘full attention to agriculture programs

By Mar T. Supnad

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan-Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. has vowed to give full attention to the province’s agriculture program specifically in the areas of irrigation, fertilizers and seed subsidy to further improve the agricultural production of the marginalized farmers.

This was the assurance made by the governor during the consultation dialogue with various irrigators’ and farmers’ associations in the province held at the Provincial Training and Development Center as he added that after laying the foundation, his administration will now set its sights to boost province’s agricultural state.

Espino said the provincial government is at present awaiting report from the National Irrigation Administration regarding the state of the province’s communal irrigation system.

“Ginawa po namin itong request sa NIA at siguro by next week may report na sila para malaman naming kung papaano kami papasok at papaano matugunan ang problema sa patubig,” Gov. Espino said.

The governor said that more than anything, Pangasinan needs irrigation since there are approximately 180,000 hectares of land in the province that can be planted with crops. Likewise, he stressed that the best way to start the cropping season is during summer when the weather is dry.

“Una nating bibigyan pansin ang patubig kapag ginawa natin ito sapagkat sa panahon ng tag-init wala pong mga bagyo, mainit ang panahon kaya kakailanganin ang irigasyon at gagawan natin ng paraan ito,” he added.

It will be recalled that the present administration has earlier distributed water pumps to farmers and irrigators associations throughout Pangasinan last year to partly address irrigation insufficiency in the province.

Another agricultural breakthrough initiated by the provincial government in coordination with the Abono Party List,Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Training Institute and the Bureau of Plant Industry was the distribution of some 2,500 sacks of certified seeds to Pangasinense farmers all over the province only last week.

The distribution was under the accelerated certified seeds and production project aimed at revolutionizing agricultural development in Pangasinan as well as increasing the income of farmers. Said sacks of seeds contain RC 222, a high yielding variety of palay.

Aside from farming, the Governor advised the farmers to avail of the provincial government’s livelihood assistance program that provides livelihood loans to marginalized sectors specifically to women’s groups and other livelihood organizations for goat and cattle-raising.

Some 700 farmers and irrigators attended the second batch of dialogue with farmers organized by the provincial government.

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4 Mountain Province roads classified national in status

BONTOC, Mountain Province — The House committee on public works favorably endorsed the conversion of four provincial roads into national roads to ensure the provision of more funding support that will enhance the development of inter-provincial and inter-municipal roads to spur economic development in the countryside.

The roads which were approved for conversion into national roads include the Mountain Province – Benguet road via Guinsadan – Mankayan section, Abatan – Maba-ay road, Mountain Province – Isabela road and the Mountain Province – Ifugao road otherwise known as Tuboy road.

The House committee on appropriations issued a certificate of availability of funds for the maintenance funds that will be used by the national government in ensuring maintenance of the roads so these will be open to vehicular traffic even during rainy and typhoon seasons.

Once local roads will be converted into national status, maintenance of the same will be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works and Highways, particularly the Mountain Province Engineering District.

Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan, chairman of the House committee on public works, said conversion of local roads into national roads will improve roads and cut travel time.

On the other hand, the House of Representatives approved the creation of a second engineering district for Mountain Province that will help speed up the development of the province’s roads considering the separate allocations for the said office.

Before the creation of the second engineering district, the MPED will be establishing a sub-office that will cater to the needs of the eastern towns of Sadanga, Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis where a three-storey building will be constructed to immediately attend to the needs of their clientele in the area.

To qualify for the creation of another engineering district office for a province, it must have at least a total of 250 kilometers of national roads.

Cosalan added converting local roads to national roads will help the provincial government in utilizing its meager funds for the implementation of other priority infrastructure projects, especially in rural areas and leave the burden to the national government in maintaining the same considering the existence of numerous sources of revenues that could be spared for the purpose.

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DepEd set to investigate Cagayan food poisoning

By Charlie Lagasca

TUGUEGARAO CITY – Education Secretary Armin Luistro has formed a panel to investigate the recent food poisoning incident in a public school here where two kindergarten pupils died and 42 others were hospitalized.

Luistro, however, clarified that the panel’s intention was not to fish out who is to blame for the incident at the Larion Bajo Elementary School but to prevent such food poisoning from happening again.

Luistro was here Wednesday, or a day after the incident, to personally look into the plight of the food poisoning victims still recovering in hospitals there.

He also extended his condolences to the families of the two fatalities.

“We will not be trying to find who is to blame here. Rather we will be more on reviewing our feeding procedures to ensure that what our pupils and students consume is safe and healthy,” Luistro was quoted as saying.

Luistro said the panel would also coordinate with health officials on how to improve the set-up of public school canteens to prevent similar incidents.

Undersecretary Alberto Muyot of the Department of Education’s legal and legislative concerns will reportedly head the probe panel.

Meanwhile, health authorities yesterday said the 42 other food poisoning victims, including three teachers, were already in stable condition.

The parents of the two fatalities, Eloisa Ballad and Jessica Mae Bangayan, both five-year-old kindergarten pupils, said they were considering filing charges of gross negligence against those found responsible for their children’s death.

Reports said the victims suddenly started vomiting and showed other signs of food poisoning after eating a local noodle dish. Teachers initially suspected that the clams used in the dish could be the culprit.

Superintendent Pedro Martirez, city police chief, however, said that upon investigation, traces of oxalic acid, a colorless salt-like bleaching agent used in cleaning marble tiles, were found in the dish.

Martirez said those who prepared the food could have mistaken the substance for iodized salt.

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2 men rob couple of P20 K cell phone; disappear

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Police are now trying to identify two men who robbed a couple here last week of P20,000 cash including a cell phone.

A police report identified one of the victims as Clemente L Adchayon, 54 yrs old, and a resident of Bulanao Centro, Tabuk.

The report did not divulge the first name of his wife. They couple was reportedly held-up on June 14, at about 7:15 p.m. by the robbers, armed with pistols who were seen riding in tandem aboard a motorcycle.

The victims were on their way home on board their motorcycle when they were flagged down and held up by the suspects wearing a masks.

The latter forcibly grabbed the shoulder bag of Clemente containing the P20,000, Land Bank ATM Card, a bank pass book, ID, cell phone and keys.

After robbing the victims, the suspects fired their guns and fled towards Purok 5, Bulanao.

Bulanao police immediately responded but the robbers could not be found.

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P130-M set for special projects in Pampanga

By George Trillo

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga– The Department of Social Welfare and Development has allotted close to P130 million special project augmentation funds for Pampanga which would benefit thousands of senior citizens, farmers and fisherfolks, malnourished children and landslide victims in the province.

The amount came from the national budget approved by President Benigno Simeon Aquino.

This was announced by Gov. Lilia Pineda during a recent program launching and distribution of the social pension for senior citizens jointly sponsored by the provincial government and the regional office of the DSWD in Central Luzon headed by Director Adelina Apostol.

Pineda acknowledged the P127,698,905.00 special project augmentation funds which the Aquino administration recently granted to the province which would greatly benefit needy sectors.

“This is a continuing project of the national government which would surely benefit our constituents, and in behalf of the provincial capitol officials, I would like to thank the President, DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman and Director Adelina Apostol,” the governor said.

Together with Apostol, the governor distributed P1,500 each to the 894 qualified senior citizens from various municipalities of the province as their social pensions for the first quarter of this year.

A total of P5,364,000 funds were allocated for the social pensions of qualified senior citizens in the province this year, Apostol said.

She added P45,930,835 was allocated for supplemental feeding of 28,171 malnourished children in various municipalities of the province from June to December this year.

In a related development, rice subsidies through the cash for work program amounting to P22,044,022.00 were allocated by Pineda to 7,007 farmers and fisherfolks.

The governor said that the said program would run for 11 days from May to June during which the beneficiaries would be receiving P286 each per day of work rendered for their rice subsidy.

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Mabalacat cityhood bid gets Lower House nod

MABALACAT, Pampanga – This town, founded in 1712 and once famous for PX goods sold in Barangay Dau from the former Clark US Air Force base, is almost sure to become Pampanga’s third city.

First district Rep. Carmelo Lazatin Thursday said his House Bill 2509 had passed third reading and was already transmitted to the Senate where it is also expected to pass smooth sailing.

Even the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) which has a pending petition before the Supreme Court against the declaration of 16 towns as cities, has expressed support for the cityhood of this town.

Mabalacat would become Pampanga’s third city, after Angeles and the capital San Fernando. Only Angeles, however, is a chartered city entitled to its own representation in the House; it is politically independent from the provincial government, so its residents do not vote for provincial officials.

San Fernando, Pampanga Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, LCP president, said that unlike the controversial 16 towns, Mabalacat meets all cityhood requirements under the law.

Latest statistics show that Mabalacat has a population of over 200,000 and income of over P200 million in the past several years. The town covers an area of 165.8 square kilometers.

Lazatin said he expects Mabalacat City to be formally declared this year. -- DC

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Two men nabbed for rape, theft

NATONIN, Mountain Province – Police recently arrested two persons in the province for rape and theft.

Town police led by officer in charge Insp. Juaquin Balaan Nacnas arrested Yufren Changawen Afiaten, 25, along a road in Barangay Tonglayan here after a long period of surveillance.

Afiaten was charged for the crime with recommended bail bond of P200, 000 on order of Judge Joseph Patnaan of Regional Trial Court, 1st Judicial Region, Branch 36, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Accused was brought to the municipal jail and later turned it over to the provincial jail in the capital town of Bontoc.

In another incident, Bontoc police received information that a person with standing warrant was sighted at the terminal of the Rising Sun bus depot at Poblacion, Bontoc.

Immediately, local police led by Insp Richard Soliven responded mabbed Noble “Noel” Paidok Ay-ayak, 25 and resident of Cagubatan, Tadian in the province.

Ay-ayak was charged for theft issued by Judge Antonio M. Esteves of RTC, 1st Judicial Region, Branch 5, Baguio City.

Accused was brought to the Bontoc jail and later incarcerated at the Baguio City jail.

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Ailing call center worker makes SOS call

By Ramon Dacawi

Benedict Angelo Isip, a 26-year old call center agent, fears for his five-year old daughter should he go blind due keratoconus, an eye defect diagnosed only last month.

Doctors at the American Eye Center in Mandaluyong set corrective surgery last June 11 but Benedict, a single parent, defaulted, unable to raise P70,000 for the procedure.

Benedict’s mother, Rose Marie Grace, presented his plight to the Benguet provincial social welfare and development office which came up with a social case study report that while the family members have a regular source of income, they need outside help to be able to pay for the costs.

Rose Marie admitted she single-handedly raised Benedict and his elder sister, Mervi Rose, 27, after a falling out with her husband when the kids were too young to understand.

“To do that, I sold strawberry jam, tried selling insurance and did odd jobs to be able to feed and send my kids to school,” she said.

In her report, social welfare aide Desemia Caweng said Rose Marie, by blood a Kapampangang and Pangasinense, grew up in Manila and later raised her children with support from her parents and her maternal relatives.

In 1995, she and her children transferred to Ambiong, La Trinidad, Benguet where they now reside.

Benedict’s medical condition was diagnosed by eye specialist, Dr. Ronald Paraan at the Notre Dame Hospital after the patient suddenly felt severe head and eye ache and submitted himself for check-up.

Benedict said the doctor advised him to go to the American Eye Center for further diagnostic and retinal screening.

“I want to see and hope for a better tomorrow for my daughter and my family,” Benedict wrote in his appeal for help. “Due to financial constraint, I am appealing to all good Samaritans who could help me pay for my eye operation.”

Those who would like to help may call Benedict’s cellphone number (09196703109) or his mother’s (09273135726).

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Vizcaya church loses equipment to robbers

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya – Thieves broke into an Aglipayan Church here about midnight Wednesday and divested it of several valuables worth some P20,000.

Rev. Charina Baltazar said the church lost two power amplifiers, five microphones and two electric extension cords.
The church, also called the Philippine Independent Catholic Church or Iglesia Filipina Catolica Independiente is just adjacent to the Roman Catholic Church along Dangulian Street, Poblacion North and only about 200 meters from the nearest police outpost along the national highway.

Rev. Baltazar and several church members discovered the theft early morning Wednesday.

“It’s a good thing that the thieves were not able to steal other valuable items like our antique bells, chalice and electric organ since we put them in a safe place while our church is undergoing renovation,” she said.

Police said that the thieves most probably entered through a window in the church façade immediately above the tomb of the late Bishop Enrique Paz Lagasca, whose remains are interred inside. – Charlie Lagasca

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2 nabbed with 7 MJ bricks in checkpoint

TABUK CITY -- Two men were arrested by police at a checkpoint here June 13 about 6:3o p.m. for transporting seven kilos of marijuana bricks valued at P385,000 aboard a motorcycle.

Police identified the suspects as arrested the suspects identified as Allan G. Hope, 36 of Quezon, San Isidro, Isabela and Wilfredo S. Satparam, 20, of Salvador, Santiago City.

The suspects said they came from Tinglayan town, Kalinga when they were accosted at the checkpoint.

When searched, they yeilded a gray traveling bag where the illegal drugs were placed.

The suspects were detained at the Tabuk police station while cases were being prepared against them.

Lawmen who participated in the arrest were from the Provincial Anti Illegal Drug Special Operations Task Group, Tabuk police under Senr Insp. John B. Cayat and the 3rd Maneuver Company Regional Public Safety Battalion led by Insp. Dennis Laurence Y. Bautista.

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Three men nabbed for murder, illegal logging, reckless imprudence

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- Three suspects were nabbed in the Cordillera last week for murder, illegal logging and reckless imprudence.

In Abra on May 20, police of Provincial Public Safety Company led by Insp. Albert Carame arrested a former barangay captain identified as Alexander Y. Ballena , 53, married of Barangay Basbasa, Tayum town for murder.

Ballena was arrested at Sitio Mutit, Barangay Poblacion following a warrant issued for his arrest by Judge Jaime L. Dojillo of Regional Trial Court, Branch 58 with no bail recommended.

Still in Abra, joint personnel of Lagangilang police led by Insp. Lou Salvador Claro and the Regional Intelligence Unit also arrested May 21 Ernesto C. Tumalip, 54, farmer for illegal logging.

RTC Judge Curpoz B. Alzate issued the warrant for the arrest of Tumalip.

In Baguio City, police of Itogon, Benguet arrested Rodrigo S. Zulueta, 30, married and resident of Magsaysay Avenue, Baguio on May 23 for reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property.

Suspect was arrested at Bokawkan road in the city following an arrest warrant issued by Judge Jose Encarnacion, Municipal Trial Court Judge of Itogon.

The amount of P16,000 was recommended for his temporary liberty.

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Execs start program to boost tourism; 41 MP guides trained

By Francis Degay

BONTOC, Mountain Province – Regional government executives and provincial officials have created a program to boost tourism in the province by training tourist guides.

As a result, 41 potential guides from Bontoc and Sabangan town in the province attended a training on “basic customers service tour guiding techniques on June 9-10 at the Pearl Café here.

The training was co-sponsored by the regional Department of Tourism, the provincial government and local government of Sabangan.

Julius Ceasar Judalena, a resource speaker, hired by DOT said there is need to professionalize tour guides through constant training.

He added tour guides must be adept in the place, its culture and tradition, facilities and all the things a tourist must like to know.

An actual tour guiding was done by the participants within from the training venue including the provincial plaza and.

The training was initiated due to absence of trained guides and the opening of new trekking and mountain climbing routes within Sabangan and Bontoc.

Tourism development is one of the flagship programs of Gov. Leonard Mayaen who said tourist arrivals propel economic prosperity among constituents through creation of new jobs, businesses and expansion of existing enterprises.

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‘Medicinal’ fruit downs 23 Angeles City kids

ANGELES CITY — A total of 23 children were hospitalized after eating fruits of a tree known locally as “galumbang” in Barangay Pulungbulu, here, last Wednesday.

Case investigator Police Officer 2 Sherwin Haboc said the children, aged seven to nine, experienced vomiting, stomach pain and dizziness after eating the fruit of the supposed medicinal tree.

Haboc said one Edwin Balbuena was taken to the police station for questioning after allegedly telling the children that the fruit of the said tree was delicious, encouraging them to pick its fruits and eat them. Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) officials said 10 of the victims are out of danger. -- FGR

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