Calbayog stores reject mutilated banknotes

CALBAYOG CITY -– Private establishments in this city refused to accept the money with stickers and staple markings as payment to purchases of customers.

Thousands of money with stickers of candidates and stapled on sample ballot, has been circulating in this city day since Saturday.

Kahlen Dalac, selling supervisor of Centro Mall Calbayog said that they have received payments from customers with stickers and staple markings, but they refused to accept it.

“Most of our customers have been using money with stickers of candidates name and other with staple markings, in paying the items they purchased, but we refused to accept the money,” Dalac said.

“We are just following the bank’s advise that no stickers or staple markings on the peso bills and that they will not accept it for deposit,” she added.

Other big establishments in the city have placed visible notice in their respective places regarding said advisory.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has been informing the public of its continuous implementation of the ‘Clean Note Policy’ and to intensify the awareness of the said policy to emphasize the importance of the Philippine currency for it represents our country and the Filipino people.

The BSP reminded the public that commercial banks will rejec
t banknotes with staple wires and stickers.

Under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 247 defacing, mutilating, tearing, or partially burning or destroying Philippine banknotes by any means is prohibited.

Stickers, stamped markings, writings, or staple wires on bank notes are unacceptable. PD No. 247 or the Anti-Mutilation Law penalizes anyone who violates the law with a fine of Php20,000 or by imprisonment of not more than five years. (PNA) PGL/SQM/JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO/EGR

San Jorge mayoralty candidate hurt in shooting incident

CALBAYOG CITY -- A mayoralty candidate and his companion in the town of San Jorge in Samar were shot by threemen early Monday morning.

Councilor Lester Bisnar, 48, who is running under Nacionalista Party, and his companion Noel Javolin, 37 gunshot wounds in the leg were brought to a nearby hospital.

San Jorge police cief Sr. Insp. Genaro Nabual said the incident happened around 4:15 a.m. at the town’s Anquiana village while the victims were on board of a van from Catbalogan City.

Nabual said that based on their initial investigation and accounts of eye witnesses, suspects were identified as Stephen Grey, Norman Bernales and Emmanual Pacampara.

The local police launched a manhunt operation to arrest the suspects. Authorities eye politics as one of the angle on the motive behind the attack. (PNA)

Samelco 1 readies contingency plan to ensure brown-out free polls

CALBAYOG CITY -- Samar 1 Electric Cooperative (Samelco 1) laid up its contingency plan to ensure no
power interruption before and during Monday’s elections and until proclamation of winning candidates.

Samelco 1 general manager Sandy Montero said that Task Force Halalan 2016 was created to ensure delivery of reliable, efficient round the clock service during “protected time” to secure substations, distribution lines and power structures, to effectively and productively carry out maintenance tasks and respond accordingly to urgent, emergency call and requests as needed.

Weeks before the elections, the power distribution firm utility has implemented preventive maintenance maintenance in its three substations – Capoocan, Palanas-Cara and San Agustin.

They also conducted clearing overhead and under brushing, repair leaning poles and critical lines, line patrol of the whole coverage area. Said activities were implemented in the whole coverage area of Samelco 1 including the Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) in the island towns of Sto. Nino, Almagro and Tagapul-an.

“We inspected the schools that will be used as polling centers and made sure that power lines are in place and in good condition to avoid power interruptions that will disrupt the conduct of elections.” Montero said.

Starting Sunday, all SAMELCO 1 personnel, especially their linemen in the three substations and SPUG in the island towns will be on standby.

Montero said that service vehicles will also be on standby for monitoring and to respond to calls in case there is an emergency.

Meanwhile, Montero said that despite all these preparations, still they cannot assure that power interruptions will be avoided during the conduct of elections.

“We ask for the cooperation of our consumers, the general public to please avoid activities like cutting of trees or ‘kaingin’ that may interrupt our power supply,” Engr. Montero said.

Samelco 1 is servicing the areas of Calbayog City, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Sta. Margarita, Tarangnan and the island towns of Sto. Nino, Tagapul-an and Almagro in Samar province. (PNA)

Army commits anew to peaceful, orderly May 9 polls

CATBALOGAN CITY, April 13 (PNA) –- The Philippine Army in Samar province reiterated their stand to stay non-partisan this election season while ensuring peaceful and orderly polls in remote communities.

Col. Perfecto Rimando, the Army’s 801st brigade commander based in Hinabangan, Samar said that they recently initiated a peace covenant among candidates in the province as part of soldier’s effort for clean and honest elections.

“Being your Army in Samar province, we will do our mandated task for this political exercise to ensure orderly and peaceful elections. We will abide all the regulations set forth by Commission on Elections as a deputized law enforcement agency,” Rimando said.

The army official told candidates during the signing of peace covenant on Monday that soldiers will remain apolitical and committed to ensure the safety of candidates and help civilians freely exercise their political rights.

“We are here to protect the voting public so that they will cast their votes without intimidation on May 9, 2016,” Rimando added.

The Army have been stepping up their watch against rebels and private armies, whose strength may be used by politicians to threat voters.

The Army-initiated peace covenant signing is backed Comelec, Calbayog Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

Samar is the only province in Eastern Visayas that is under the election watchlist area of the poll body.

Running for top provincial position are incumbent Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos who is seeking re-election for third term under Nacionalista Party.

Her opponent is former military intelligence officer Emil Soza of the ruling Liberal Party.

Both candidates were present at the peace covenant signing. This is the first time that they were seen together in a same event since they filed their candidacy.

Other candidates who attended the peace covenant signing were Vice-Governor Stephen James Tan, younger brother of Gov. Tan and their mother, Samar 2nd district representative Milagrosa Tan.

Congressional bets in the 1st district Edgar Sarmiento and Calbayog City Councilor Raymund Uy were also present during the peace pact signing

Bishop Isabelo Abarquez urged the military and police to be the guardian of peace, adheres allegiance to flag and people and defend the life of the citizenry.

“Credible election will create a credible government,” Abarquez added. (PNA)

Poe vows to rehabilitate Eastern Samar Hospital

MANILA -- Reiterating her commitment to health, Sen. Grace Poe on Thursday vowed to infuse resources into the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital to help the facility address the health needs of one of the poorest provinces in the country.

Poe, who continues to lead pre-election surveys as the voters’ choice for president, brought her campaign for “Gobyernong may Puso” to Borongan, Samar Thursday morning, where she visited the public market and public hospital.

“Galing lamang ako sa inyong provincial hospital at nakita ko kung gaano kadami ang kailangang gawin ng gobyerno para maayos ang serbisyo sa ating mga ospital,” Poe told the media.

”Kapag merong nagkakasakit, kapag malala ang sakit hindi na maihahabol pa sa malalayong lugar; dapat dito mismo sa inyong ospital ay mabigyan sila ng lunas agad. Dapat may gamot dahil may mga ibang gamot na wala dito,” she said.

Eastern Samar is the 16th poorest province in the country, according to the 2015 survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released last month. Four of 10 people in the province are living below the poverty line.

Poe said she went to Borongan, which has a relatively small population of voters, because she remembers it as one of the places that welcomed her father, the late movie icon Fernando Poe Jr., when he ran for president in 2004.

“Ang aking tatay ‘nung pumunta dito, sabi nila, talagang naglabasan lahat ng tao at punong-puno ang lugar kung saan siya ay nagsalita. Bihirang may pumunta dito noon pero si FPJ ay pumunta dito. Alam niyo kung bakit? Sapagkat ang inyong probinsiya ay patuloy pa ring maraming naghihirap dito,” she said.

“Kung ako ay magiging pangulo, hindi papabayaan ang Borongan. Dadami ang trabaho dito; aayusin natin ang ospital; at bibigyan natin ng mas maraming proyekto ang inyong probinsya,” the senator promised.

In an interview with media following her hospital visit, Poe was asked whether she believes she has a chance of convincing Eastern Samar’s 300,819 registered voters to support her.

“Ang importante naman po ay kung anong gusto ng tao. Kaya naman kami’y umiikot dahil hindi naman hawak ng iilang tao lamang ang damdamin ng mga botante,” Poe said.

“Nakita natin patuloy pa rin ang paghihirap. Balewala ang partido. Dapat isang leader na may malasakit,” she said. (Jelly F. Musico/PNA)

Samar gov to cops: Act up, solve shooting incidents

MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR SHAREE ANN TAN RE SAMAR SHOOTING INCIDENTS
Posted by Samar Province on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

CATBALOGAN CITY-- Governor Sharee Ann Tan sternly called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region to act up and solve the recent spate of shooting incidents that occurred in Calbayog City.

Tan’s call came with a plea to implement law and order in the area without bias to existing political parties in the province. A number of the governor’s family members is vying for high posts in Samar province including the mayoralty seat in Calbayog City, under the banner of the Nacionalista Party.

Tan claimed that not only is the police yet to resolve the spate of killings, most of the victims of which are known supporters of the Tan family, but has also failed to fairly and equally implement law and order.

Among the recent incidents that occurred in Calbayog City involved Rogelio Salvame, 42, a Nacionalista Party organizer in Barangay Guimbauyan Norte, who survived a shooting spree on Sunday morning.

Salvame claimed he was able to identify the gunman who sprayed him with bullets. He said the gunman is on the top list of the police most wanted and is purportedly a supporter of a close rival of the Tans.

Meanwhile, Tan said that it is quite puzzling that most, if not all, of the victims of these shooting incidents are coming from their camp and the police have failed to resolve them.

Tan also asked the police not to allow themselves to be used by politicians and succumb to pressures by other high government officials and be hindered in their honest dispatch of duty.

“Campaign is only for a few weeks and the election is only for a period of time. It is not enough reason to allow themselves to be used for political ambitions,” Tan said.

She also slammed the police for allegedly downplaying the number of shooting incidents that recently occurred and accounting it instead to land disputes and personal motives.

A recent press briefing by the PNP regional office revealed a total of 18 shooting incidents happened in Samar province from January to March of this year. However, PNP-8 Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said this figure is “not alarming”.

Tan also expressed her disappointment with the spate of shooting incidents even when politicians have signed a peace covenant to stop violence and ensure a peaceful conduct of the election.

“I am calling on the police not just the authorities, but the people, as well as the cooperation of everyone, to remind them not to resort to violence and to respect the dignity of life,” Tan said. (PNA)

Calbayog LP bets kick off campaign

Photo grab from Miles Vasquez Santos Facebook Account

CALBAYOG CITY -- Local Liberal Party (LP) candidates kicked off their campaign in this city on Monday, promising to continue unfinished tasks.

Re-electionist Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino led the campaign kick-off through a motorcade around the city and ended with a proclamation rally at the city’s plaza.

“We’re not finished yet with our job and we still have more that we have to do,” said Aquino, who is running against Angelie Tan, a member of one of the influential political clans in Samar province.

Joining them were Samar gubernatorial candidate Emil Zosa and first district congressional bet Edgar Mary Sarmiento, and candidates for board members.

Aquino acknowledged the police for a job well done in keeping peace and order in the city especially in pursuing private armed groups.

According to Aquino, his pro-business, pro-growth policies enabled the city to boost its economy, but he has other goals to accomplish as city chief executive.

“We can’t take our economy for granted. The path to success does not need a new program, huge spending or additional burden to our taxpayers, but rather it must be built with hard work of entrepreneurs around our city,” Aquino said.

Calbayog, the hometown of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento is one of the commercial trade centers in Samar Island. It is subdivided into three major districts - Calbayog, Tinambacan and Oquendo. (PNA)

44 Eastern Visayas town under election watchlist

TACLOBAN CITY -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has tagged 44 towns in Eastern Visayas as election watchlist areas in relation to the May 9 elections.

In the list of areas of concern list are 15 towns in Samar, 12 towns in Leyte, nine in Northern Samar, seven in Eastern Samar, and one in Biliran.

Sr. Supt. Brigido Unay, chief of the police regional intelligence division, said these places of concern have been consistently included in the past elections.

“These have been categorized as areas of concern because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry and insurgency problem,” Unay said.

Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the areas of concern. These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Tarangnan.

Outside Samar’s first district identified in the watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, and Tarangnan.

The police official declined to disclose the specific areas in Leyte, Biliran, Northern Samar and Eastern included in the watch list for 2016 polls, but he said the list are the same in 2013.

Listed as hotspots in the last elections are Baybay and Ormoc cities and the towns of Bato, Inopacan, Kananga, Matag-ob, Tabango, San Miguel, Albuera, Burauen, Carigara, and Jaro in Leyte.

In Eastern Samar, these areas are Arteche, Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, General MacArthur, Jipapad and Quinapondan.

In Northern Samar, these places are Bobon, Catubig, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, San Isidro, Gamay, Las Navas, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Pambujan, Capul and Victoria. The only town in Biliran province tagged as watchlist in the past elections was Kawayan.

Only the Southern Leyte province was not included in the police areas of concern this year.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said there will be more deployment of police in these areas to ensure peaceful, orderly, and honest elections.

“More intensified checkpoints will be implemented in these areas to help prevent the occurrence of election-related violence,” Mendros added.

The Comelec, PNP, and the Philippine Army has stepped up security measures for the May 9, 2016 polls with the election period kick off on Sunday. (PNA)