Cops to disband more private armies in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, April 13 (PNA) –- The Philippine National Police is stepping up their drive to disband 97 suspected members of private armed groups in Samar less than a month before the May 9 elections.

PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said that they may not be able to arrest all suspected private armies, the police managed to neutralize their activities through manhunt operations.

“Most of them are not anymore in Samar. They’re now hiding because of so many raids we have launched,” Villacorte said.

During the first quarter of 2016, the Regional Special Operations Task Group nabbed 11 out of 39 PAGs members with warrant of arrest. During these operations, the police have recovered nine assorted firearms.

Reports reaching the police regional headquarters show that private armed groups (PAGS) with 158 firearms thrive in Calbayog City and nearby towns within the first congressional district of Samar province.

Montealto group based in Calbayog City has the most number of members at 65, followed by Moloboco group with a force of 44 armed men based in nearby Sta. Margarita town. These two groups are in control of 129 firearms.

Private armies are also present in Matuguinao, San Jorge, and Gandara towns. These areas have been consistently identified as hotspot every election period.

PAGs have been reportedly used by some politicians in Samar province to harass their opponent’s political leaders and intimidate voters. (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)

Cops to disband more private armies in Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, April 13 (PNA) –- The Philippine National Police is stepping up their drive to disband 97 suspected members of private armed groups in Samar less than a month before the May 9 elections.

PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said that they may not be able to arrest all suspected private armies, the police managed to neutralize their activities through manhunt operations.

“Most of them are not anymore in Samar. They’re now hiding because of so many raids we have launched,” Villacorte said.

During the first quarter of 2016, the Regional Special Operations Task Group nabbed 11 out of 39 PAGs members with warrant of arrest. During these operations, the police have recovered nine assorted firearms.

Reports reaching the police regional headquarters show that private armed groups (PAGS) with 158 firearms thrive in Calbayog City and nearby towns within the first congressional district of Samar province.

Montealto group based in Calbayog City has the most number of members at 65, followed by Moloboco group with a force of 44 armed men based in nearby Sta. Margarita town. These two groups are in control of 129 firearms.

Private armies are also present in Matuguinao, San Jorge, and Gandara towns. These areas have been consistently identified as hotspot every election period.

PAGs have been reportedly used by some politicians in Samar province to harass their opponent’s political leaders and intimidate voters. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Robinsons to begin Ormoc mall construction this year

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, April 14 (PNA) -- Propoerty developer Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) will proceed with the construction of a mall in this city within the year as part of its provincial expansion.

RLC regional manager Ditas Taleon met with Mayor Edward Codilla this week to inform the city government about their plan to start the construction of a full-service mall within the year.

The mall will rise on a 12.2-hectare property in Cogon village, some 2.2 kilometers north of downtown.

Aside from opening economic and employment opportunities, the mall will reinforce Ormoc’s status as the trading hub of west coast Leyte.

Ormoc is one the sites identified by RLC for their provincial expansion, which is up for opening in 2017.

Other sites are Tuguegarao in Cagayan, Naga in Camarines Sur, Valencia in Bukidnon, Cabangcalan in Negros Occidental, Cabanatuan in Nueva Ecija, Calbayog in Samar, Abucay in Tacloban and Pavia in Iloilo.

In a statement, RLC said they acquired properties after they have studied the demographics of the area, bank deposits, competitor, population of the market, and accessibility of the location.

In 2012, Robinsons opened a supermarket located on Aviles St. in the middle of the city’s central business district.

Codilla hopes the group’s visit will bolster the business-friendliness being projected by his administration.(PNA)

Gun ban yields 248 firearms in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, April 14 (PNA) -- The number of firearms seized by the police in Eastern Visayas has risen to 248 as they step up gun ban implementation ahead of May 9 polls.

Checkpoints and series of police operations led to the arrest of 257 persons in different parts of the region, said Chief Insp. Ma. Bella D. Rentuaya, secretary directorial staff of the police regional office, here.

“As the election day nears, we have strengthened the implementation of gun ban to ensure peaceful and orderly polls,” Rentuaya said in a mobile phone interview.

Of the 248 confiscated as of Wednesday, 155 are bladed weapons, 101 are short firearms, 14 explosives, and six light weapons.

At least 32 cases have been filed in courts, 148 cases filed in prosecutor’s office, and 68 cases are either under investigation or scheduled for filing.

Leyte had the most number of arrests with 105 seized firearms.

Police confiscated 39 weapons in Samar, 28 in Tacloban City, 24 in Northern Samar, 21 in Eastern Samar, 19 in Southern Leyte, 14 in Ormoc City and eight in Biliran.

“The gun ban has been helping us a lot. It gives the people the assurance that we are closely watching those who will commit crimes through checkpoints,” said Chief Supt. Jose Erwin T. Villacorte in a press briefing earlier.

Under Commission on Elections Resolution No. 10015, it is an election offense to bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons –whether licensed or not– in public places during the election period from January 10 to June 18 this year.

The offense is punishable with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years. (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)