April 28, 2015
2015 Balikatan ends tomorrow
MANILA, Philippines - This year’s Balikatan Exercises involving more than 11,000 Filipino and US soldiers will end with a big bang tomorrow at a military bomb and gunnery range in Capas, Tarlac.
“The Philippine and the US Marine Corps will launch a combined arms live fire exercise at the Crow Valley in Barangay Sta. Juliana,” Lt. Cmdr. Marineth Domingo, Philippine Navy spokesman for this year’s event, said.
Domingo said the soldiers would be using a variety of ammunition and weapons during the live fire drill.
Earlier, Filipino and US Marines launched an amphibious assault to “retake” the shores of San Narciso town in Zambales.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 0
16 hurt in Zambo mishap
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Sixteen persons were injured in a vehicular collision in this city yesterday morning.
A canning factory’s truck was ferrying 50 workers when it was hit by another truck loaded with construction materials in Barangay Talisayan at past 7 a.m.
The passengers were thrown off as the truck fell on its side.
Village officials and residents rushed the victims to different hospitals.
In Laguna, 15 persons were injured when a passenger jeepney collided with a bus in Sto. Tomas, Batangas yesterday.
The passengers were taken to the Saint Francis Cabrini Hospital for treatment of bruises and contusions.
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Reports said the jeepney (DRB-465) with the victims on board was traveling along the highway in Barangay San Pedro when it was hit by a Raymund passenger bus (ABS-260) at around 5 a.m.
The bus driver reportedly lost control of the wheel after the vehicle developed engine trouble. – Roel Pareño, Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 0
Ex-mayor’s house robbed
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Robbers broke into the house of a former municipal mayor in Masbate and took away three firearms and cash in Esperanza town last Saturday.
Reports said the robbers took two M16 rifles, a caliber .45 pistol and P2,000 cash from the house of former mayor Mac John Seachon, 38, in Barangay Agoho.
House caretaker Emmie Manatay told police that the robbers destroyed the window.
The mayor and his family were vacationing in Manila when the incident occurred.
Police said they would check if there are other motives than robbery.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Tuesday, April 28, 2015 0
April 27, 2015
2 dead, 12 hurt in South Cotabato road mishap
South Cotabato is located in the Mindanao region, the southernmost part of the Philippines. Google Maps
MANILA, Philippines — Two members of a family were killed while 12 others were injured as two vans collided with each other in South Cotabato Monday afternoon.
Quoting local police, reports said Pedro Herman, 58; and Jimmy Herman, were instantly killed during the accident.
Five other family members were brought to General Santos City Hospital while the seven victims were rushed to a private hospital in Polomolok.
Initial investigation showed that the van, driven by Rocky Diama, 36, was speeding along the road coming from Koronadal to General Santos around 3 p.m. when the van of the victims overtook, hitting Diama's van.
Authorities have taken Diama into custody while still probing the incident. He faces charges for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Monday, April 27, 2015 0
ARMM pursues suspects in Lanao del Sur rape, killings
Map shows the remote town of Wao in Lanao del Sur, which has seen a spate of bloody incidents in recent weeks. Google Maps
MANILA, Philippines — The inter-agency peace and order council in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) ordered the immediate prosecution of the culprits in last week's seven related killings in Wao, Lanao del Sur.
Among the seven fatalities in the atrocities, which sparked panic among local folks, were children and a pregnant woman.
ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman, presiding chair of the council, said he has directed the regional police office to dispatch a special group of probers in Wao to help investigate on the incident to hasten the filing of corresponding criminal cases against the perpetrators.
"The full force of law will be applied on them. That's a promise," Hataman said in a text message, adding that he had also tasked his local government secretary, lawyer Anwar Malang, to help in the investigation.
He said he also requested the General Headquarters of the Armed Forces to look into allegations that militiamen were involved in some of the killings.
Officials have been trying since Sunday to peacefully resolve the spate of bloody incidents in Wao, which shook the remote town and prompted some residents to flee to safer areas.
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Report that reached Hataman's office indicate that the bloody incidents started with the rape and murder of a teenage girl by cattle thieves on Friday.
"That is something that we need to investigate on first and validate. We need the cooperation of the people in Wao, regardless of whether they are Maranaws or Visayans," Hataman said.
ARMM officials said Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. already held an initial dialogue with sectoral leaders in Wao to defuse the tension spawned by the incident.
The suspects in Friday's alleged rape and murder of a Visayan girl also killed another child who was watching over family-owned water buffaloes in a hacking frenzy near a river in a hinterland barangay in Wao, a component town of ARMM.
Relatives of the victims on Saturday reportedly shot houses with assault rifles in another barangay, where the suspects were believed to have come from, instantly killing four villagers, one of them a pregnant woman.
The ARMM police reported that one of the eight villagers wounded in the attack died later in a hospital.
Wao Mayor Elvino Balicao, presiding chair of the Wao municipal peace and order council, said the local police is now investigating on the incident with the help of barangay leaders.
The mayor said the gruesome incidents forced dozens of families in the affected barangays to evacuate to safer areas.
The ARMM's Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Response Team (HEART) dispatched on Tuesday a team to attend to the needs of the displaced Wao residents.
"The HEART will provide them relief and rehabilitation services in coordination with the office of (Lanao del Sur) Gov. Adiong," Hataman said.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Monday, April 27, 2015 0
Incumbent, ex-Cagayan town mayors indicted for fund misuse
MANILA, Philippines - Criminal charges were filed yesterday against an incumbent municipal mayor and his predecessor in Cagayan in connection with the misuse of P18.7 million in public funds.
Amulung Mayor Nicanor de Leon and former mayor Pacita de Leon were charged with graft and malversation for allegedly authorizing the disbursement of the funds from 2000 to 2009.
Aside from them, charged were municipal treasurer Luzviminda Macasio and accountant Maria Remudaro.
The Office of the Ombudsman said that in December 2008, the Commission on Audit (COA) found the municipality’s financial statements inaccurate.
State auditors said the municipal government did not keep ledgers and that funds remain unaccounted for.
In 2010, the COA issued notices of disallowance following the conduct of a special fraud audit leading to the discovery of the unlawful disbursement.
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Audit resuts showed that Pacita and Nicanor, during their respective terms, signed 38 checks without disbursement vouchers and other supporting documents.
Nicanor allegedly approved and facilitated the release of 29 checks amounting to more than P16 million while Pacita signed nine checks amounting to more than P2 million.
The ombudsman said Remudaro made it appear that the checks were disbursed for valid purposes.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Monday, April 27, 2015 0
Rebels rescue comrade, seize jail guards
MANILA, Philippines - Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas ambushed a prison vehicle and rescued their comrade in Marihatag town in Surigao del Sur yesterday morning.
After rescuing Jojean Alameda, the rebels escaped, taking with them prison guards Senior Jail Officers 2 Juan Salazar and Feliciano Polan and their firearms.
Three other personnel of the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology (BJMP) and another detained rebel identified as Robert Rovas were wounded in the attack, which took place in Barangay Amontay at about 7:45 a.m., said Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, deputy spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.
The names of the wounded BJMP personnel were not immediately available.
Rivas and the wounded prison guards were taken to the Adela Serra Ty Memorial Hospital in Tandag City for treatment.
Investigation showed that Alameda and Rivas, escorted by a team of BJMP personnel, were on their way to a court hearing at the Lianga Regional Trial Court when they were waylaid by 30 rebels.
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Source: philstar.com - Nation
Monday, April 27, 2015 0
China seeks help in transporting body of Chinese crew in Tawi-Tawi
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Chinese embassy sought the assistance of the Philippine Navy in transporting the remains of a Chinese crew, who was found dead in an islet off Tawi-Tawi the other week.
Coast Guard Station commander Lt. Junior Grade Jimmy Berbo said the Chinese embassy has coordinated with the Navy after the commercial vessel refused to transport the decomposing remains of Xiangyong Wu.
Wu, a mess crew of the Qing May, a vessel transporting iron-ore, was a suspect in the murder of his two officials and injuring another last April 11 while their ship was on transit from Australia to China.
The crew claimed to the police Wu reportedly jumped over board while near the waters off Tawi-Tawi.
His remains were fished out on April 14 by a seaweed farmer near Tahaw Island of Languyan town. His decomposing body was buried on the shoreline.
Berbo said they have already prepared the metal casket to assist the transport of the remains of the recovered Chinese crew.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Monday, April 27, 2015 0
April 26, 2015
22,000 Cabanatuan voters removed from list
CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – After removing 1,279 dead voters, the local office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) delisted 22,826 others from this city’s list of voters in preparation for the 2016 elections.
City election officer Leon Navarro said the removal was provided under Comelec Resolution 9863, which allows the deactivation of voters who failed to vote in two successive elections.
Navarro said the law does not apply to those who failed to vote in the Sangguniang Kabataan election.
He said the removal of deceased voters, estimated to be around 5,000, would continue until October.
The list, which was discovered in October last year, included a centenarian and 13 nonagenarians who passed away between 2012 and 2014.
“We are verifying the list of other dead voters and securing death certificates from their relatives in 89 villages to help fast-track the cleansing process,” Navarro said.
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The purging of the city’s voters’ list is one of Comelec’s two major campaigns.
Earlier, the poll body launched a barangay-based campaign urging voters to update their records through the biometrics system.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
P45 B sought for Central Luzon education program
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines – The regional development council in Central Luzon has approved the proposed budget for national government agencies based in the region, including P45.15 billion for the education program.
The council endorsed the budget proposal for 2016, which included P2.6 billion for the Department of Health, P861 million for interior and local government and P793 million for environment and natural resources.
The council also approved P302 million for the Department of Labor and Employment, P176 million for Trade and Industry and P381 million for the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
RDC vice chairman and National Economic and Development Authority regional director Severino Santos said the Department of Education is seeking the bulk of next year’s allocations, as the funds will be used for the construction of classrooms and hiring of teachers for the K to 12 program.
The council has yet to approve the budget proposals for the departments of public works and highways, agriculture, science and technology, agrarian reform and social welfare and development; National Telecommunications Commission; National Irrigation Administration; Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and Environmental Management Bureau.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
NPA slain, troopers hurt in Davao clash
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla was killed while four Army troopers were wounded in an encounter in Toril District in this city yesterday morning.
Government security forces recovered three firearms following the firefight that erupted in Barangay Sibuland.
Soldiers belonging to the 84th Infantry Battalion were patrolling in Sitio Pamara when they encountered a band of rebels at around 8:20 a. m., 1Lt. Vergel Lacambra, spokesman for the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID), said.
Lacambra said the firefight lasted 20 minutes.
The rebels fled leaving behind their dead comrade and two M16 Armalites and another rifle with a grenade launcher.
The wounded soldiers were taken to Camp Panacan Station Hospital for treatment.
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Maj. Gen. Eduardo Año, chief of the 10th ID, said the residents sought help from the soldiers regarding the presence of armed men engaging in extortion activities in the village.
In another incident, Army troopers clashed with around 20 rebels in Paquibato District, also in this city yesterday.
No casualty was reported in the firefight that broke out in Barangay Fatima, the military said. – With Alexis Romero
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
Boy, 8, drowns in Batangas
BATANGAS, Philippines – Two persons, including an eight-year-old boy, drowned in separate incidents in the towns of Lobo and Lian here over the weekend.
Zyrell Abanilla, 8, and his family were swimming in Barangay Soloc when he, his sister and their cousin were swept away by the waves.
Relatives rescued and rushed the children to the Lobo Municipal Hospital, but Zyrell was declared dead on arrival by doctors.
Meanwhile, in Lian town, Symon Sumaya drowned as he was swimming at the Lenid beach resort in Barangay Matabungay.
Sumaya was declared dead on arrival at the Apacible Hospital in Nasugbu.
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Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
Clean water for 4 Albay villages
MANILA, Philippines - More than 1,000 households in four barangays in Camalig town in Albay stand to benefit from an P8-million water supply system that was recently opened by the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said the project, dubbed “Patak ng Buhay,” would serve the villages of Baligang, Taladong, Comun and Cotmon.
The project was funded by the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig para sa Lahat program of the government’s Bottom-Up Budgeting initiative.
Villagers used to walk for 15 minutes to fetch water, which needs to be boiled before it can be used for drinking.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
2 die in Laguna, Batangas violence
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines – Two persons died in separate incidents in Laguna and Batangas Saturday, police reported yesterday.
Reports said Rolando Mendoza was allegedly shot dead by his rival identified as Rey Bigata in Calatagan, Batangas.
Police arrested Bigata after the incident that occurred in Barangay Tanagan at around 8:30 p.m.
In Laguna, Nicanor Mulimbayan was hit with a steel pipe by suspect Rizaldy Banasihan, 28, in Barangay Bayog, Los Baños.
Mulimbayan died while being rushed to the Bay District Hospital.
Police arrested Banasihan.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
4 nabbed for marijuana
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Four persons, including a minor, were arrested for allegedly transporting 36 kilos of marijuana bricks with an estimated value of P150,000 in Alilem, Ilocos Sur last Saturday.
Driver Ernesto Das-ilen, William Estrada, Anton Sagong and the minor were in a jeepney when they were pulled over by police officers at a checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion, town police chief Senior Inspector Joel Lagto said.
Reports said the four were on their way to deliver the marijuana to La Trinidad in Benguet.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
P450 M earmarked for P’sinan irrigation projects
DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines– At least P450 million has been allotted for 59 irrigation projects that will supply water to farms in Pangasinan, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said over the weekend.
NIA senior engineer Agapito Yamat Jr. said 30 percent of the project is up for bidding as he called on interested bidders to visit the NIA office in Urdaneta City.
The fund will be distributed among the province’s six districts.
Meanwhile, Warlito Presto of the NIA’s project irrigation management office said irrigation supply in Districts 4, 5 and 6 had been cut off since April 15, as most of the crops have been harvested.
Presto said irrigation supply continues in Districts 1, 2 and 3 as these are served by the communal river system.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
7 netted in Ecija, Pampanga drug stings
CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines – Seven suspected drug traffickers were arrested in separate stings in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga last Thursday.
Benigno Angeles, 45; Ruben Villanueva, 43; and Elizer Quejada, 27 allegedly yielded three plastic sachets said to contain shabu and marked money, Chief Superintendent Ronald Santos, officer-in-charge of the Police Regional Office 3, said.
Meanwhile, Ariel Pangilinan, was collared after he allegedly sold marijuana to an undercover agent in Sta. Rita.
Pangilinan was said to be the town’s fifth most wanted drug suspect. Seized from him were seven plastic sachets said to contain dried marijuana and marked money.
In Arayat town, also in Pampanga, police arrested Raul Regala for allegedly possessing seven plastic sachets containing shabu.
In Guagua, Tarantingan Mohammad and Mahid Jamil were arrested while their alleged companion identified as Alex Mohammad escaped following a sting in Barangay San Rafael.
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Reports said the suspects yielded six plastic sachets said to contain shabu and marked money.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Sunday, April 26, 2015 0
April 25, 2015
4 nabbed for marijuana
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – Four persons, including a minor, were arrested for allegedly transporting 36 kilos of marijuana bricks with an estimated value of P150,000 in Alilem, Ilocos Sur last Saturday.
Driver Ernesto Das-ilen, William Estrada, Anton Sagong and the minor were in a jeepney when they were pulled over by police officers at a checkpoint in Barangay Poblacion, town police chief Senior Inspector Joel Lagto said.
Reports said the four were on their way to deliver the marijuana to La Trinidad in Benguet.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Saturday, April 25, 2015 0
P450 M earmarked for P’sinan irrigation projects
DAGUPAN CITY , Philippines– At least P450 million has been allotted for 59 irrigation projects that will supply water to farms in Pangasinan, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said over the weekend.
NIA senior engineer Agapito Yamat Jr. said 30 percent of the project is up for bidding as he called on interested bidders to visit the NIA office in Urdaneta City.
The fund will be distributed among the province’s six districts.
Meanwhile, Warlito Presto of the NIA’s project irrigation management office said irrigation supply in Districts 4, 5 and 6 had been cut off since April 15, as most of the crops have been harvested.
Presto said irrigation supply continues in Districts 1, 2 and 3 as these are served by the communal river system.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Saturday, April 25, 2015 0
7 netted in Ecija, Pampanga drug stings
CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga, Philippines – Seven suspected drug traffickers were arrested in separate stings in Nueva Ecija and Pampanga last Thursday.
Benigno Angeles, 45; Ruben Villanueva, 43; and Elizer Quejada, 27 allegedly yielded three plastic sachets said to contain shabu and marked money, Chief Superintendent Ronald Santos, officer-in-charge of the Police Regional Office 3, said.
Meanwhile, Ariel Pangilinan, was collared after he allegedly sold marijuana to an undercover agent in Sta. Rita.
Pangilinan was said to be the town’s fifth most wanted drug suspect. Seized from him were seven plastic sachets said to contain dried marijuana and marked money.
In Arayat town, also in Pampanga, police arrested Raul Regala for allegedly possessing seven plastic sachets containing shabu.
In Guagua, Tarantingan Mohammad and Mahid Jamil were arrested while their alleged companion identified as Alex Mohammad escaped following a sting in Barangay San Rafael.
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Reports said the suspects yielded six plastic sachets said to contain shabu and marked money.
Source: philstar.com - Nation
Saturday, April 25, 2015 0
