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Abra town poll officer vanished, Valera says
BY MAR T. SUPNAD

BANGUED, Abra – The municipal election officer of Manabo town has vanished after he was allegedly forced by four armed men to sign the certificate of votes with altered figures in favor of certain candidates.

Abra Gov. Vicente “Vicsyd” Valera, a congressional candidate in the lone district of Abra, told newsmen Henry Digit, Manabo election officer, has been in hiding since he was forced to allow the vote padding and shaving (dagdag-bawas) and to alter certificate of votes.
Senior Supt. Alex Pumecha, Abra police director, said he had no knowledge of the reported hiding of Digit.

Valera said his votes in Manabo and Bangued towns were shaved and padded with the collusion of some teachers and Comelec officers.

Valera appealed to various government agencies concerned to look into the “irregularities” in Abra polls.

In Bangued alone, Valera said he was cheated by at least 2,000 votes in what he described as an orchestrated and grand design to make him lose in this election.

He also accused a top police official of having to do with maneuvering of the counting of votes.
This, as violence continued to hound conflict-stricken Abra.

A man shot and killed his father inside their house in Bangued town at about 8: 15 p.m. on May 21.

Senior Supt. Alexander Pumecha, police director of Abra, identified the fatality as Carlito Mariano, 60, married, driver of the municipal government of Tineg.

Initial police investigation showed the elder Mariano and his son Elmer were inside their house at Zone III, Bangued, Abra, when a misunderstanding over an old family problem came about.
This reportedly prompted the younger Mariano to pull out his unlicensed Cal. 45 pistol and fired successively at his father.

Pumecha said the older Mariano suffered from multiple bullet wounds.

Physicians at the Abra Provincial Hospital declared him dead on arrival.
Elements of the scene of the crime operation team found several empty shells of Cal.45 bullets in the residence of the Mariano family. Pumecha ordered a hunt for the younger Mariano.


95 teachers needed for Mt Prov; Congress to create vital positions
BY GINA DIZON

BONTOC, Mountain Province – At least 95 teachers are needed in elementary and secondary schools in this 4rth class province this coming school year 2007-2008.

Superintendent Teresita Velasco of the provincial Department of Education said the need for teachers was forwarded to the central office of DepEd for action.

Based from basic education system needs in the previous school year 2006-2007 gathered from the planning unit of the district’s DEP-ED, additional teachers are needed in 12 secondary annex schools in all towns of the province and six elementary schools specially located in far flung Paracelis.

Velasco said the need for extension positions shall be created by Congress. Should there be created positions, these shall be filled up by November this year, she said.

Additional teachers are needed in the elementary schools of Catao, Danaal, Burayoc, Muliang, Anonat, and Gassilang in Paracelis and Pingad in Sabangan. These schools registered more than 45 pupils per grade.

DepEd officials said one teacher was needed per 45 students in one grade.

There are 23,418 elementary pupils registered in school year 2006-2007 in 190 primary schools served by 987 teachers in this district.

Caotit primary school in Bauko has the least number of 10 pupils enrolled in one grade. Anonat elementary school in Paracelis has the biggest number of enrollees with 81 pupils in one grade served by one teacher.

In secondary schools, Betwagan national high school surpassed the 1:45 teacher-student ratio with 196 enrollees having only 4 teachers. The least ratio is found in Panabungen Schools of Arts, Trade, and Home Economics in Besao with 130 pupils served by 11 teachers.

At least 438 teachers served 10,829 students enrolled in 32 high schools spread throughout the ten towns of the province.

Yet, the number of teachers is still wanting in secondary schools.

Velasco said computation for the need of teachers is based on the location of the school and not on the total number of enrollees.

Cabna Graal Beleo, provincial DepEd planning officer said high school annexes are in need of 89 teachers including annexes in Tocucan, Bontoc; Belwang, Sadanga; Data, Sabangan; Sta Isabel, Natonin; Tipunan, Leseb, Mayag, Tapapan, and Bansa in Bauko; Palitod and San Rafael in Paracelis; Am-am, Tadian; and Lias in Barlig.

Beleo said these annex high school employ volunteer teachers paid by parents and the community with a measly honorarium. They need to be employed as regular teachers, she said.

Gassilang elementary school in Paracelis also employs a volunteer teacher with her honorarium paid by parents and the community.


Theories on fall of Josons in Nueva Ecija now political fodder
BY LIAM ANACLETO

CABANATUAN CITY – The “fall from grace” of three-term Gov. Tomas N. Joson and his brother, Vice Gov. Mariano Cristino “Boyet” Joson, candidates for mayor of this city and governor of Nueva Ecija is now political fodder for pundits here.

The two Josons fell by the wayside due to the “crying need for change as the camp of 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Umali had kept on harping during the campaign period.

Nueva Ecija, since the time of the Joson patriarch (1959), former six-term Gov. Eduardo L. Joson – fondly called “Tatang” for his fatherly, wise words and vision – had been an “opposition province.”

Since 1959, the rule of the Josons had been continuous and interrupted until 1986 when “Tatang” was ousted in the aftermath of the EDSA “people power” revolution.

In 1988, the legendary Joson patriarch won another term. When he died, he was succeeded by Tomas III, and Eduardo Nonato. Since then, there had another 15-year winning run of the Josons that ended in the recent May 14 elections.

The only time the Josons had penetrated politics in this city was when Eduardo Joson III, also known as “Danding,” won as the city’s vice mayor in 1988.

The closest that family came close to sitting in the mayor’s office at city hall was when Danding challenged then Mayor Honorato Perez in the 1992 elections.

On Nov. 30 1990, Danding was killed in an ambush in Barfangay Canlibangbangan.

In fairness to the Josons, it may well be said that they have undertaken various projects, especially infrastructure, education through scholarships, and agriculture focusing on hybrid rice production and research on cash crops and high-value fruit trees.

But as the trends in vote preferences have shown not lonely in Nueva Ecija but also in other areas, there has been a prevalent anti-administration sentiment.

In Nueva Ecija alone, the “magic 12” senatorial list was dominated by nine-candidates and one Team Unity (TU) bet in the person of reelectionist Senator Edgardo Angara. This seems to indicate the “anti-administration mood” of the Nono Ecijano voters.

This enfolding phenomenon first surfaced in the province in the 2004 elections but, too bad, the Josons were committed to President Arroyo.

Aligning with the administration Laban party in 2004, Ms Arroyo suffered a spanking, no thanks to Fernando Poe Jr.

In the May 14, polls, the Josons junked its long-time alliance with the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and sided with the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), the President’s party. But all the “Queen’s men,” save Angara , suffered a drubbing.

And swept away as well were Governor Tommy and Vice Governor Boyet.

Many original Balane members who claimed membership since 1987 when it was founded were dismayed by the party-switching by the Josons.

They recalled that Gov. Tommy had, in 1988, coined the battle cry “Walang Iwanan,” referring to his alliance with ousted President Joseph Estrada.

The traditionalist “Tatang” followers said they were also hurt when brothers Tommy and Boyet junked the tie-up their father had formed with former Ambassador Eduardo with former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco’s party in favor of KAMPI.

In the aftermath of the May 14 elections, there is clearly a need for the Josons to mend the political fences.

Left to do this are Edward Thomas, who won as vice governor, come-backing former governor Eduardo Nonato “Edno,” who emerged as Nueva Ecija’s 1st district representative; Eduardo Basilio Manuel Joson, who was reelected Mayor of Quezon town, the Josons’ hometown.

Another saving grace for the Josons: Three of the five city mayors and 20 of the 27 elected mayors belong to the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane) party, formed by the Josons in 1987.

Governor-elect Aurelio “Oyie” Umali was magnanimous in his victory in the recent elections, saying he was at the night time and at the right place when the changing of the guards had to take place.

Cabanatuan Mayor-elect Alvin Vergara, who bested Gov. Tommy in the city’s mayoral race, was prophetic.

He said it is God’s will,” referring to his victory in the polls.


171 persons nabbed, 153 guns seized in Ilocos PNP poll drive
BY FREDDIE LAZARO

VIGAN CITY – A total of 171 persons were arrested while 153 assorted firearms were seized in the Ilocos Region during the election period that started on Jan. 14 to date.
Regional police director Chief Supt. Leopoldo N. Bataoil bared this saying police filed 122 cases in court against the suspects.

He said statistics showed a total of 109 firearms were confiscated from gun-ban violators through police interventions, and 44 firearms were seized in raids authorized by search warrants.

But despite these, Bataoil said conduct of elections in the Ilocos was generally peaceful based on the monitoring by the Regional Election Monitoring Action Center of the Police Regional Office 1 based in San Fernando City , La Union.

“The REMAC scoreboard as of May 16, 2007 showed no occurrence of violence during the voting period on May 14 up to the counting of votes,” he said.

Bataoil said checkpoints were set up on the national highway and this will continue until the assumption of office by all winning candidates on July 1.


COA: Lot claimants can’t build structures in Baguio watershed
BY AILEEN P. REFUERZO

BAGUIO CITY – The Court of Appeals sustained the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples issuance of an injunction stopping the city government’s fencing of the Busol watershed but the court’s decision did not allow lot claimants to continue building structures within the watershed.

The was the clarification of city legal officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes to prevent misconception that the CA decision gave ancestral lot claimants who opposed the city’s plan to fence the area the imprimatur to construct structures or do activities that will destroy the watershed’s resources.

In a 16-page decision rendered last April 30,the CA junked the petition filed by the Baguio Regreening Movement represented by Councilor Erdolfo Balajadia, the office of the city architect and parks superintendent represented by then city architect Ignacio Estipona and the Busol Task Force headed by Moises Anipew assailing the NCIP injunction move but at the same time, it gave merit to the petitioners’ bid to protect the watershed from degradation.

“Indeed, allowing activities (that threaten or degrade the resources within the watershed) to continue without regard for environmental considerations would result in irreparable damage to the watershed and the ecosystem as a whole.

Unless and until viable measures or programs for the maintenance, preservation and development of the Busol Watershed are adopted, private respondents should be enjoined from constructing buildings and other improvements on the lands within the watershed.

Otherwise, the quality and quantity of the water supply of Baguio City , as well as the surrounding municipalities and the indigenous cultural communities or indigenous peoples, would be impaired,” the court noted.

The case stemmed from the city government’s plan to fence its side of the watershed to prevent intrusion from squatters.

However, lot claimants Elizabeth Mat-an, Judith Maranes, Helen Lubos, Magdalena Gumangan Que, spouses Alexander and Lucia Ampaguey and spouses Melanio and Carmen Panayo filed a petition before the NCIP for the issuance of a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to stop the fencing project which they claimed would deny them access to their residences, farmlands and water sources.

The NCIP subsequently granted the petition but the BRM, OCAPS and Busol task force claimed that the NCIP has no jurisdiction over the case since the petition deals on the government’s fencing project and not on the ancestral land application.

They further contended that Busol watershed is a government reservation and therefore excluded from the coverage of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.

In its decision, the CA however struck down the petitioners’ arguments and affirmed that NCIP has jurisdiction over the case “since the petition involves the protection of private respondents’ rights to their ancestral domains.”

The court also maintained that Busol watershed is not exempt from the coverage of the IPRA.

However, it enjoined the private respondents from “introducing constructions and engaging in activities that degrade the resources therein.”


New Kalinga solon vows better infra development
BY DEXTER A SEE

TABUK, Kalinga – Retired Public Works Assistant Secretary and Kalinga congressman-elect Manuel S. Agyao assured his province mates of a revitalized infrastructure development that will translate to economic progress in the far flung communities of this lowland province of the Cordillera.

The provincial board of canvassers recently proclaimed Agyao as the winning candidate for the position of congressman in the province after he was able to garner 23,890 votes while his closest rival, James Bijarin, son-in-law of incumbent Kalinga Rep. Lawrence Wacnang, was able to garner 22,500 votes. Former regional director Macario Duguiang of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) in the Cordillera, who tired his luck for the congressional seat for the second time was able to get 20,300 votes.

The former ranking DPWH official disclosed that among his priorities would be the completion of the upgrading of the Tanuda-Barlig road and the on-going upgrading of the Bontoc-Tabuk-Tuguegarao roadline which will improve the accessibility of rural areas to the urban centers in the Cordillera and Region II.

At the same time, Agyao cited that the development of farm to market roads in the different barangays of the province would help improve the economic activities of the people which would translate to improved sources of income and livelihood.

He emphasized that infrastructure development goes hand in hand with economic development and the realization of both would be dependent on the political will of national and local leaders who are elected by the people to govern them for the next three years.

Agyao, who ran under the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) ticket of the Arroyo administration in the province, decided to enter the political scene to continue his service to the people of Kalinga after he retied as an Assistant Secretary of the DPWH last December.

Prior to entering politics, Agyao was considered to have rose from the ranks as he was the former assistant district engineer and district engineer of the Benguet Engineering district before he took over the post of assistant regional director of the DPWH-CAR in the middle 1990s.

He was then appointed as the regional director of the DPWH-CAR sometime in 1997 before being promoted as DPWH Assistant Secretary in 2002 where he stayed until his retirement.


Cancer-stricken kid wants to go to school
BY RAMON DACAWI

BAGUIO CITY -- Like normal kids his age, six-year old John Brix de Guzman will sign up early tomorrow morning when enrollment opens in the public schools. His mother Brenda says the boy really wants to be in the first grade at the Quezon Elementary School .

She knows – more than other mothers, that her boy - more than any normal kid, needs that assurance of being there – with his bag, pencil, eraser and notebooks when classes open on June 4.

"That's why his doctor set his confinement just after he's enrolled, " said Brenda, a 30-year old barbecue vendor who is due to deliver her third child next September.

From school, the kid will be wheeled into the pedia ward of the Baguio General Hospital for his next round of treatment. The five-day confinement should have began last Friday yet, but Brenda and husband Johnny couldn't buy the three vials of Leunase needed for his chemotherapy.

The sign of cancer - a lump on the shoulder - appeared last January. The next month, John Brix stayed 12 days in the hospital as doctors tried to pinpoint what’s wrong. A bone marrow biopsy pointed to ALL, or acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

ALL is cancer of the blood. It’s characterized by overproduction of malignant and immature white blood cells that, unlike normal ones, can’t fight infection. It’s acute because it develops fast.

John Brix, who’ll turn seven on July 18, spent summer on six weeks of intravenous systemic chemotherapy. It was the initial step in a three-year treatment schedule that includes taking in daily medicines his financially strapped parents can hardly sustain.

In-between attending class and learning to write his lengthy name, spell, add and subtract, he’ll submit to quarterly intrathecal chemo, the injection of anti-cancer drugs into the thin covering of the spinal cord or brain.

Last Thursday, his daily oral dose ran out. His mother, who had to stop skewering barbecues, went out again to scrounge for funds. His father, an eatery dishwasher, has been sidelined since last January due to bone injury caused by a bad fall.

Late in the afternoon, Brenda received P1,000, which will be good for a week’s dosage. The amount was half of a cash donation set aside by a young Baguio sportsman for another patient but advised its diversion for the boy’s needs.

Same day, Brenda called the hospital. She was told another mother with a four-year old girl also stricken with leukemia had just deposited three vials of Leunase for John Brix’s consolidation chemo tomorrow.

“She offered to lend the medicine which she purchased but may no longer need as her daughter’s prescription has been changed,” Brenda explained with relief. “We have to pay later as she’ll also need the cash for her child’s treatment.”

As this was being written Friday, Freddie de Guzman, a Baguio boy now working in Canada , called. He’ll be sending some amount end of the month to cover the cost of the chemo drug estimated at P8,400 and to replenish the P1,000.

De Guzman, an architect with three young daughters, has been reaching out to indigent patients here since April last year. He began with Linda Claire (not her real name), a widow with nine children who’s recuperating from breast cancer.

Recently, he sent P17,000. Ten thousand pesos will be for widow Grace Biogan who’s figuring out how to raise three kids. Her husband Elmer succumbed to lymphoma late last month.

“The remaining amount will be for Filbert Almoza,” he advised. He was referring to a 24-year old truck driver who from Camisong, Itogon, Benguet who’s been into twice-a-week dialysis since June last year for kidney failure.

An Ibaloi woman raising her young daughter in Kentucky likewise sent $200 for other patients. “My heart goes out to many who are ill at this time and have difficulty paying medical bills,” she wrote.

Like de Guzman, the lady donor has been regularly sending support since last year, at a time she was also undergoing remission for cancer.

The two Samaritans and Joel Aliping, another Baguio boy living in California , earlier teamed up for Elmer Biogan’s fight. Joel’s latest support helped pay the bills for Elmer’s burial.

Together with Guy Aliping, Joel’s brother in Australia , they are hopeful for another patient they supported – 40-year old Rose Ann Cordova of Outlook Drive Barangay. The mother of three young boys is now on remission from breast cancer.

Irwin Ilustre, another Baguio boy based in Canada, was here recently personally reaching out to other patients that included Pidiong Bandao, an 11-year old orphan going blind due to complications of diabetes.

A walk-in donor who requested anonymity, also entrusted P6,000 to bank executive Rolly de Guzman of RCBC. Part of the amount paid for the needs of Almoza and 16-year old heart patient Crisly Anayasan on their way to and from Manila for their check-ups.

Others who would like to help John Brix go to school may call up his mother’s cellphone number - 09108085009. Perhaps to ask if he’s ready with his school bag, Mongol, notebooks, writing pad and all that a first grader would need.


Many surprises sprung in Pampanga May 14 polls
BY GEORGE TRILLO

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga – Lots of surprises characterized the elections in Pampanga, President Arroyo’s home province.

At the start of the campaign, Pampanga residents were surprised that local officials of Gov. Mark Lapid’s hometown of Porac abandoned him and vowed support for his rival, provincial board member Lilia “Baby” Pineda.

When suspended priest Fr. Ed Panlilio announced his bid to join the gubernatorial race, the local residents expressed surprise.

At the outset, many believed that the priest had no chance of defeating two traditional and financially capable political bigwigs.

They were, however, surprised in the end: Among Ed defeated the two powerful politicians.

Another unexpected happened in the town of Bacolor where reelectionist Mayor Buddy Dungca, known supporter of Pineda, ran unopposed.

In that town Pineda won by a margin of some 400 votes only.

Lapid and Pineda, both widely known as President’s Arroyo’s supporters, surprised many Kapampangans for opposing each other.

This could not have happened if Lapid had listened to majority of mayors who had said that he considers Pampanga Mayors League president Dennis Pineda, son of Lilia and mayor of Lubao, as his vice-gubernatorial candidate.

Lapid insisted on choosing Con Con Laus, a neophyte in politics, as his running mate.

This move “angered” many mayors who decided to abandon him and convince Lilia to run.

At least 17 mayors formed a coalition and asked Lilia to run. She was eventually defeated by Among Ed who had a margin of more than 1,000 votes only.

Impartial politics observers said it was surprising that Lapid and Pineda who reportedly spent millions of pesos were defeated by a suspended priest who did not even have his own candidates for vice governor, congressman, provincial board members and mayors.

Surprisingly, all sectors in the province from professional and business groups and ordinary people, including other priests, campaign and contributed whatever they can for the candidacy of Among Ed.

Another surprise came about when the camp of Pineda, although not actually herself, reportedly fielded a leader in Apalit who had lost confidence and influence in that town.
As a result, Lilia lost by some 2,000 votes there.

Mayor Boking Morales ran for his fifth term and won by some 800 votes in Mabalacat. The Supreme Court authorizes him to run for seven terms up to 2016.

“What’s more surprising in the case of Boking was that his third term could have been terminated in 2004 had his perennial opponent, Anthony Dee did not file a protest in court.
Although Dee won and was declared winner, the court decision did not work favorably for him,” said a supporter of Morales.

Instead, the court action was a blessing in disguise for Boking with an interregnum in his three terms.

As a result, Boking was authorized to run for reelection in 2004, which was legally recognized as his first term.

“Was it not surprising that repeated representations by concerned officials to establish special polling precincts in resettlement centers were not considered or given favorable action by the Comelec?” asked Congressman-elect Dong Gonzales (3rd District).

Thousands of registered voters of Bacolor who were displaced by the fury of Mt. Pinatubo are still living in these resettlement centers and have been encountering difficulty in commuting to their old precincts to vote in previous elections.

Many lost interest again to vote last election.

“Some more surprises are forth-coming reports that the think-tank of Among Ed was planning to convince him to designate chaplains in the police service as provincial police director and city and municipal chiefs of police,” a reelected mayor said.

These chaplains are graduates of seminary institutions and who do not have any actual formal police trainings.

The action of this plan by PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon could be another surprise.


Lady bet makes it on 4th attempt
BY LIAM ANACLETO

CABIAO, Nueva Ecija – If at first you didn’t succeed, try again. And again and again. In her fourth attempt, Lakas CMD standard bearer Abunda Garcia finally made it to the mayorship of this town, ousting comebacking candidate Ireneo Manahan, of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino-Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija.

It was sweet victory for “Sister Biding,” as she is fondly addressed by her townmates, especially since she also beat the Manahan’s relative, the incumbent mayor Gloria Congco, who with Manahan, ruled this agricultural community for 18 straight years.

Garcia’s husband, Joe, also made it to the line-up of eight municipal councilors. Garcia first tried her luck in politics in 1995.

Manahan beat her with a plurality of 1,500 votes. Her election protest of alleged massive election irregularities did not prosper.

In the 1998 and 2004 mayoralty races, she ran and lost on both counts to outgoing three-term mayor Gloria Crespo-Congco, a close kin of Mark Jimenez, who went by the name Maria Crespo when he was still a resident here.

Garcia also lost her 2004 election protest. This time around, riding on the battle-cry, “Subukan naman ninyo ako,” she came through, with 16,612 votes as against Manahan’s 14,393 votes, giving her an edge of 2,219 votes.