Airline suspends Caticlan flights

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

AN airline suspended its flights to Caticlan in Malay, Aklan after aviation authorities ordered new operating procedures in the Godofredo Ramos Airport in the said town.

In a statement, Cebu Pacific airline said it will suspend its Manila-Caticlan flights starting July 9 until further notice after the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) imposed the “one-way landing, one-way take-off” policy.

“We have therefore decided to divert all Caticlan flights to Kalibo instead and from there bus all our Boracay-bound passengers at no extra cost,” said CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

The new CAAP policy started June 26, a day after a Zest Air plane carrying 55 passengers and crew overshot the Caticlan airport.

The Caticlan airport, which is the gateway to Boracay Island, has Runways 06-24. Before the CAAP order, pilots could use either runways for take off or landing.

The CAAP discouraged using runway 24 for landing because of a 39-meter hill near the runway.

The CAAP ordered that runway 06 will be used for take off only while runway 24, which is 950 meters long, will be used for landing only.

In its investigation, CAAP found the Zest Air plane attempted to land on runway 24 but touched down past the landing area marked by white grid lines while trying to avoid the hill.

The plane’s momentum carried it beyond the runway’s end and settled on a grassy area of the field.

The one-way landing, one-way take-off policy will take effect while the Caticlan airport is being rehabilitated. This policy on the airport has been published in the Aeronautical Information Publication since last year.

CEB has been operating direct flights to Caticlan since February 29, 2008 and has since then carried over 340,000 passengers.

CEB mounted as many as 15 round-trip flights daily to Caticlan until June 25.  More than 60,000 booked passengers will be affected by the cancellation.

Gokongwei said “We continue to work closely with our industry partner, the CAAP, to find a speedy resolution, to these airport issues, to allow Cebu Pacific to re-instate flights to Caticlan.

“Boracay continues to be one of the country’s most important tourism destinations.   CEB’s low fare service has been integral to the growth and development of the island’s tourism industry and has increased its accessibility to both local and foreign tourists.” 

Affected passengers may call the call center (02) 702-0888 / (032) 230-8888 or visit the website www.cebupacificair.com for more details and updates on their flights.

Also, the CAAP, upon recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (Icao), shortened the length of the two runways.

Runway 06 was reduced from 950 meters to 825 while runway 24 was reduced to 875 meters.

The restriction was adopted following an inspection by foreign consultants hired by the CAAP to assess the airport.

The consultants said the runways’ design posed a real hazard to aircraft operations.

Cuevas orders cops to search for KFR group

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

POLICE have a free hand on what to do with the alleged kidnap for ransom (KFR) group that was spotted in Iloilo City.

C/Supt. Isagani Cuevas, Police Regional Office (PRO-6) director, said he ordered intelligence operatives to verify and confirm the presence of the KFR group in the metropolis.

Text messages circulated in the city since last week regarding a group of men roaming the city onboard a Mitsubishi Delica van. The suspicious-looking men were also said to be using a sedan and another van in their “surveillance” operations.

Cuevas said police officers who will confirm and spot these alleged kidnappers will deal with the suspects accordingly.

City Hall sources said an unidentified Ilonggo-Chinese businessman reportedly sought the help of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas after he spotted a group of persons taking pictures of his home and businesses.

The businessman is a distributor of junk food and has a warehouse in the city.

Treñas said the alleged presence of the KFR group is still raw and under verification by the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) intelligence section.

S/Supt. Melvin Mongcal, ICPO director, said the intelligence section and the six district police stations are still authenticating the KFR group’s presence in the city.

Mongcal said he also received text messages on the alleged kidnappers “and we had the information processed by our operatives.”

“We relayed the plate numbers of the vehicles mentioned in text messages to our police stations so they can watch out and validate the information. There is no confirmation yet that these alleged kidnappers are roaming the city,” Mongcal said.   

Mongcal said the information they have right now is “very sketchy” and has no specific target or victim.

Mejorada, Sumbing row continues at Capitol

By Francis Allan L. Angelo 

TWO Iloilo provincial officials traded barbs over reassignments and purported transfer of the media lounge to the old capitol building.

Marilou Sumbing, former Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said she has been transferred to the Provincial Tourism Office headed by Atty. Jonar Pueblo. Her transfer is contained in Reassignment Order No. 005.

While Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. issued the transfer order, Sumbing said Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada had a hand in her reassignment.

Sumbing claimed that four PIO personnel were also reassigned to the said office.

She said her assignment will result in the transfer of the media lounge from the second floor of the new capitol building to the third floor of the old building.

“We cannot even promise you if there will be a media lounge in the old capitol building because of space limitations,” Sumbing added.

Sumbing also claimed that the Hospital Operations Management Service will take over the PIO space in the new capitol.

Mejorada said Sumbing was lying regarding the transfer of the media lounge.

“The media lounge will stay in the new capitol building. We will put a round table in the PIO where we can have coffee and talk about issues in the provincial government,” Mejorada said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo.

Mejorada said he will serve as PIO head after Sumbing’s reassignment.

Sumbing and Mejorada had clashed before when the latter allegedly tried to use the P200,000 capital outlay allocated to the PIO.

Sumbing told Tupas about Mejorada’s move, prompting the latter to retain the money with the PIO.

Mejorada said Sumbing was transferred to the tourism office because of her sub par performance as PIO chief.

Suspected pusher ‘played’ with corpse

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A MARIJUANA-smoking corpse. A 6-year-old pothead.

These lurid tales pertain to suspected drug pusher in Balasan, Iloilo who was arrested in a buy-bust operation the other day.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) along with the Balasan police and the Regional Anti Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force (RAIDSOTF) conducted two buy-bust operations in the town Tuesday.

The first operation in Brgy. Camambugan led to the arrest of Jayvee Gabriel and Johnny Jovito.

The operatives confiscated from Gabriel three small sachets containing suspected shabu and mark money used in the buy-bust.

Paul Ledesma, PDEA regional chief, said they received reports that Gabriel made his 6-year-old grandson smoke marijuana and sniff shabu during their pot sessions.

Three years ago, Gabriel allegedly dug up the remains of a 1-year-old boy, dressed and propped him up his tomb and put a marijuana stick in the corpse’s lips.

Ledesma said the Balasan police confirmed the story on the pot-smoking corpse after the buy-bust operation.

“I felt disgusted when I heard the story. I could not believe that they could do such dastardly act,” Ledesma said in a phone interview.

Another buy-bust operation was conducted in Brgy. Poblacion Sur resulting in the arrest of Bobby de la Cruz, Reynaldo Pendon, John Lester Malata and Arman Diocos

De la Cruz was the subject of the operation while Pendon, Malata and Diocos were inside the De la Cruz’s house during the operation.

The team seizes two sachets of suspected marijuana and a small bag allegedly containing dried marijuana leaves.

The suspects are included in the PDEA watchlist of suspected drug peddlers and users in Iloilo.

Balasan is also the hometown of O’Henry Caspillo and Rolly Tiope whom the PDEA suspected as the top drug peddlers in northern Iloilo.

Caspillo and Tiope, collectively known as the Balasan Boys, became the subject of a congressional inquiry after the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office dismissed the non-bailable charges against them. 

C/Insp. Ramir Gallardo, RAIDSOTF chief, said the suspects belong to the Balasan Boys group which operates in northern Iloilo.

The suspects underwent drug tests before charges for violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 were filed against them.

City jeeps, taxis won’t join strike

By Francis Allan L. Angelo 

IT WILL be business as usual in Iloilo City despite threats of a transport strike next week.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said major transport groups in the metropolis will not join Monday’s nationwide transport stoppage initiated by Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide (PISTON).

Treñas said he got assurance from the Iloilo City Alliance of Drivers Association (ICADA), Alliance of Panay Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (APTODA), Association of Taxi Operators in Panay (ATOP) and the Iloilo City Alliance of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Association (ICAJODA) that they will not the strike.

Nick Dalisay, ICADA president, said they went to the City Mayor’s Office Wednesday to assure Treñas that they will continue ferrying passengers in the city.

Dalisay said it would be premature to join the strike because the latest fare increase granted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is still provisional.

Dalisay said they are awaiting the LTFRB to decide on their main petition for the fare hike. 

Dalisay said they don’t have enough funds to support their members during the two-day strike, July 13-14.

“Because of the crisis, we were not able to gather funds to buy rice and food which we distribute to our members when we go on strike. While we join the cause of other groups, the two-day strike is too much for us, we will go hungry,” he added.

PISTON is calling for the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and suspension of the 12% value added tax on petroleum products.

The militant group is also calling for the suspension of Department of Transportation and Communication Order N0. 38 and 39 which increased administrative fees such as licensing fees and penalties on traffic rule violators.  

Treñas said he will meet transport groups to help solve their grievances and try to postpone the strike.

Treñas said he will not allow the city to suffer economic losses because of the strike. He added that he will find ways to meet protesting transport groups.

The mayor said he can use his emergency powers to facilitate smooth transportation of passengers and goods in and out of the city.

“We can allow tricycles and trisikads to ply city streets. We can also suspend the car pass system on provincial jeeps to allow them to ferry their passengers and cargoes in the city. Or we may opt to suspend the perimeter boundary ordinance as a drastic measure,” he said.

Treñas said there is no need to deploy government vehicles to ferry employees and stranded commuters during the strike because city streets will be opened to provincial public utility jeepneys. (With reports from LCPendon)

Schools suspend classes as A(H1N1) flu cases rise

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

TWO private schools in Iloilo City suspended their classes due to suspected A(H1N1) flu cases.

Dr. Jessie Glen Alonsabe, regional epidemiologist of the Department of Health (DoH) in Western Visayas, said Iloilo Scholastic Academy (ISA) in LaPaz, Iloilo City suspended its classes for one week after several students suffered fever.

Alonsabe said they have yet to confirm if the students contracted Influenza A(H1N1) virus.

“That’s part of their precautionary measures in keeping with the joint guidelines of the DoH and the Department of Education,” Alonsabe said.

Some parents did not send their children to ISA for fear of contracting the virus

ISA will resume classes Monday even as school officials ordered the disinfection of the whole campus.

The University of San Agustin High School (USAHS) in Jaro district also suspended its classes although there was no confirmation that one of its students contracted Influenza A(H1N1) virus. The campus was also disinfected.

Assumption Iloilo suspended its classes last month until July 6 after one of its students tested positive for A(H1N1) flu.

Latest report from DoH data said eight more persons contracted the virus, bringing the total positive cases of A(H1N1) flu in Western Visayas to 22.

The DoH said six of the new cases came from Iloilo City and two from Bacolod City.

Two new cases under observation (CUOs) were also recorded as of Monday. One CUO is from Iloilo City and the other from Iloilo province.

This brings the total of CUOs in Western Visayas to 93, with 36 negative cases and 35 pending test results from the Research Institure for Tropical Medicine.

DoH-6 said 14 of the 22 confirmed A(H1N1) cases have recovered.

Aklan province, the gateway to Boracay Island, also recorded its first positive A(H1N1) flu case.

The patient is a 12-year-old Taiwanese girl who arrived in country via a China Airlines flight that landed at the Kalibo International Airport. She, together with her parents, were supposed to visit Boracay when airport authorities detected flu-like symptoms in the patient.

DoH officials took throat swab samples from the patient June 26 and sent to the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine for analysis. The result was released on July 1.

The city and province of Iloilo reported 9 positive A(H1N1) flu cases, Bacolod City and Negros Occidental (7), Capiz and Roxas City (5), and Kalibo (1).

Ombudsman offended by ‘fleeing’ officials

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

NO one is above the law.

This was the reminder of the Office of the Ombudsman to local officials who continue to violate the red plate policy.

Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas Pelagio Apostol said they will strictly implement the red plate policy and other rules on the use of government vehicles to all public officials.

Apostol issued the warning following reports that Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas “evaded” the Ombudsman’s Oplan Red plate checkpoint last week.

The Ombudsman in Iloilo conducted a checkpoint Friday last week along Diversion Road in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

A composite team of the Ombudsman, PNP, Civil Service Commission, Land Transportation Office, Commission on Audit and Philippine Information Office manned the checkpoint.

The team apprehended a total of 13 government vehicles, including that of Treñas and Tupas.

The team had to chase the official vehicles of Tupas and Treñas after they failed to stop at the checkpoint area.

Apostol said he is awaiting the report of Ombudsman Western Visayas on the incident.

Evangeline Nuñal, Ombudsman Associate Graft Investigation Officer I, said they are preparing their report to Apostol regarding the apprehension.

“We will be asking the concerned officials to explain in writing why they did not stop considering that the operation was legal,” Nuñal said.

Nuñal said they were offended because two ranking officials of Iloilo failed to recognize the operation.

She said proper signages were placed on both lanes of the Diversion Road while members of the team wore their uniforms and identification cards.

Oplan Red Plate tarpaulins were also hanged in steel railings to let everyone know about the surprise inspections.

Apostol said the two officials will have to explain their actions.

“We don’t want to interfere in their official functions. In fact, we want to help them by guiding them on what to do. We have to implement the law and no one is above the law except if there are exemptions,” Apostol said over RMN-Iloilo.

Apostol said local officials should cooperate with Ombudsman projects to optimize delivery of services to the public. 

Treñas said his party had no reason to evade the checkpoint because his vehicles had proper markings.

Treñas said his driver thought that the Red Plate checkpoint was meant for motorcycles.

“When I heard the sirens of the checkpoint team, I thought the police was escorting me. I later learned that it was the Red Plate team already,” the mayor said.

Treñas said he came from the wake of former Iloilo City mayor Timoteo Consing in Molo where he delivered a homily for the late official.

The mayor said their trip was supported by a duly accomplished trip ticket.

“I hope that will be resolved because we have no reason to evade,” he said.

In an interview with Bombo Radyo, Tupas said he did not evade the checkpoint.

Tupas said the Red Plate team told him about the special plate marked “GOVERNOR” on his Chevrolet Suburban. The governor said the red plate is still attached behind the special plate.

But the team said special plates such as “GOVERNOR”, “MAYOR”, “COUNCILOR”, “PUNONG BARANGAY” are not allowed in government vehicles.

Tupas has ordered the removal of the special plate from his official vehicle. (With reports from PNA)

Cops on heightened alert

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE police in Western Visayas are on heightened alert following the series of bombings in Mindanao since Sunday which killed 13 people.

C/Supt. Isagani Cuevas, Police Regional Office (PRO-6) director, said Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, has ordered all units in Luzon and Visayas to go on heightened alert status.

Cuevas said police units in the region were ordered to maximize police visibility and conduct checkpoints in their areas of responsibility.

The alert levels were raised in the three major regions in the country to “prevent the situation from getting out of hand.”

In Iloilo City, Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to conduct checkpoints and maximize police visibility in the metropolis.

“We will maximize police visibility not only because of what’s happening in Mindanao but to make Iloilo very safe for all of us,” Treñas said.

Treñas also ordered the ICPO to secure churches and establishments even if there are no specific threats from terrorists.

A powerful blast took place outside the Immaculate Conception cathedral in Cotabato City while churchgoers were attending Mass past 8 am Sunday. Five people died on the spot while another died during treatment Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, another bomb exploded meters away from a church in Jolo while military and police bomb disposal units were detonating another bomb. Six more people died and more than 40 others were hurt in the blast.

It was followed by another explosion in Iligan City around 10:30 am. The bomb that exploded was rigged into a car parked at the corner of Sabayle Street and Cabili Avenue, a few meters away from the city port. The blast killed one and wounded 10 people.

HOSTAGE DRAMA

CAUGHT Police drag Marlon Inanoria inside a police car after he held hostage five Ceres liner employees for more than one hour. (Photo by Tara Yap)

Ex-Ceres man held captive 5 employees

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A DISMISSED conductor of the Ceres Bus Liner held hostage 5 employees of the liner in Jaro, Iloilo City 8am Monday.

Marlon Inanoria, a native of Brgy. Baliuagan, San Enrique, Negros Occidental, managed to sneak inside the Ceres remittance compound at Brgy. Buhang, Jaro by wearing his old uniform and boarded a Ceres bus from Roxas City.

Upon entering the compound, Inanoria drew a caliber .38 revolver and a homemade 12-gauge pistol and went straight to the cashier’s office.

Cashier Ludivina Guerra said she heard somebody shout that the armed Inanoria was approaching their office. She ran towards the door to lock it but the suspect was already there and pointed his guns at her.

Security guards and other Ceres employees were taken by surprise by Inanoria’s presence and were unable to accost him.

Aside from Guerra, Inanoria also held hostage cashier Lina Celiz, tabulators Mary Rose Quisil and Eva Viera and revisor Allen Beraguas.

Members of the Jaro PNP, Iloilo City Mobile Group (ICMG), Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), Iloilo City Crisis Management Center, Regional Intelligence Division responded to scene and surrounded the cashier’s office.

The hostage scene is an old Ceres bus refurbished with office cubicles and tables. This is where conductors remit their collections for the day.

After 30 minutes of negotiations, Inanoria released Celiz and Quisil who were fainting from their ordeal. Guerra, Viera and Beraguas remained inside the office.

Inanoria then demanded a bus and a driver that will take him away from the compound.

Police tried to buy time as SWAT and ICMG members tried to sneak inside the office through the backdoor. A sniper was also seen setting up a rifle at the rear portion of the office.

The suspect later requested water for the hostages who were also fainting because of the situation.

Unknown to Inanoria, it was a ploy to distract him and give the other hostages time and chance to run out of the office.

When a Ceres conductor handed the water to Inanoria, the three remaining hostages ran out and shouted that he was alone inside the office.

Armed police surrounded the hostage scene and told Inanoria to surrender but he refused.

Major Lowen Gil Marquez of the AFP Civil Service Relations Service then went up inside the office to negotiate Inanoria’s surrender.

Marquez said he showed his AFP identification to Inanoria to gain his confidence because the suspect’s brother is an Army member.

The AFP official also offered to shake the hand of the suspect to gain his confidence. When the suspect offered his hand, Marquez wrestled him and grabbed his guns.

Police officers helped Marquez and handcuffed the suspect. Other officers swept the area for explosives after it was reported that the suspect had grenades. But no grenade was found in the area.

 

At the Jaro police station, Inanoria said he only wanted to get back at their supervisor, a certain Juanillo for sacking him along with 61 other conductors.

Inanoria was also implicated in an alleged “holdup me” case in Jaro which he denied. A photograph of Inanoria is displayed in the gates of the Ceres remittance center with the words “Wanted.”

“I am angry because they sacked me despite my good performance. It is not only me who is disgruntled because many more are angry at the management,” he said.

Guerra said Inanoria planned to rob them because he asked for the keys to the vault. The cashier said there was cash inside the vault but she did not reveal the total amount.

8 Ilonggo businessmen cited

EIGHT Ilonggo businessmen will be recognized during the 18^th Visayas Area Business Conference of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Iloilo, Inc. (CCIII) in Iloilo City.

The Galing Ilonggo Awardees are Rogelio M. Florete, Sr. of Bombo Radyo, Phils., Edgar J. Sia of Mang Inasal, Rodolfo C. Tiu of Imperial Appliance Corporation, Marcelino M. Florete, Jr. of F&C Jewelry, Alfonso A. Uy of La Filipina Uy Gongco Corp., Johnny O. Que of Waffle Time, Angel De Leon of Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc. and Alejandro O. Que of Iloilo Supermart.

They will be recognized in a special program July 18, 2009 at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center in Iloilo City.

Joe Marie Agriam, CCIII president, said the eight businessmen awardees were chosen for exemplifying “Ilonggo ingenuity, tenacity, strength and power in business and industry.”

“They have successfully invested in the city and province of Iloilo City and other key cities of the country and employed skilled Ilonggo manpower. These business leaders embody the indomitable Ilonggo entrepreneurial spirit vis-à-vis the bigger players in the industry,” Agriam said in a statement.

The CCIII is an organization of local businessmen, established to promote trade and investments in Iloilo for the attainment of sustainable and equitable development. It is an affiliate of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the biggest business organization in the country and considered the voice of Philippine business.

The Visayas Area Business Conference is one of the five business conferences organized by PCCI in the country where regional business concerns are discussed and relevant area policy recommendations, strategies and plans of actions are formulated.

The CCIII, PCCI and the Iloilo provincial government are jointly hosting the two-day conference. (Neonita Gobuyan)

8 new A(H1N1) cases in WV

by Tara Yap

EIGHT more persons tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) virus in Western Visayas, the Department of Health (DoH) said.

As of July 6, a total of 22 positive A(H1N1) flu cases were recorded in the region.

DoH-6 said six of the eight new cases came from Iloilo City and two from Bacolod City.

The health department said four of the patients traveled outside to countries with A(H1N1) flu cases. The remaining four patients are students.

DoH 6 said the four students are under home quarantine and medication.

Two new cases under observation (CUOs) were also recorded as of Monday. One CUO is from Iloilo City and the other from Iloilo province.

This brings the total of CUOs in Western Visayas to 93, with 36 negative cases and 35 pending test results from the Research Institure for Tropical Medicine.

DoH-6 said 14 of the 22 confirmed A(H1N1) cases have recovered.

Meanwhile, health and local officials in Aklan are mum on the province’s first A(H1N1) flu case. 

The DoH-6 website bulletin confirmed the first positive case in Aklan province.

The patient is a 12-year-old Taiwanese who entered the country through a China Airlines flight that landed at the Kalibo International Airport.

Authorities at the airport noticed that she was exhibiting flu-like symptoms.  Instead of spending a vacation in the famous beach destination of Boracay, she underwent medical supervision until she tested positive for A(H1N1) flu.

‘Kap’ Poral denies collecting illegal fees, blames treasurer

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE village chief of Brgy. Ingore, LaPaz, Iloilo City denied implementing an ordinance levying fees on quarry haulers of the coal-fired power plant project in the area.

Punong Barangay Ernie Poral said he was surprised to learn that his barangay treasurer Arleen S. Herva issued receipts to Mr. Rey Pelongco, who represented hauler Leonida Segura Marketing.  

Poral said he did not know that Herva received the money from Pelongco.

“When I learned about that, I told the treasurer to stop,” he said.

The collection of registration and color coding fees by the Ingore council is being questioned after the City Council disapproved Barangay Ordinance No. 6 which sanctioned the fees April 29, 2009.

The barangay ordinance required a P500 fee for the issuance of “barangay stickers and passes” on dump tucks carrying quarry load within their village.

The City Council’s committee on rules, ordinances, resolution, style, justice and legal affairs said the barangay government of Ingore has no power to enact such ordinance.

Copies of officials receipts issued to Leonida Segura showed that Herva collected P2,600 from the hauler from March 2 to 3, more than a month before the City Council nixed BO No. 6.

Poral said they only charged P50 per truck with corresponding official receipts.

“Of the 706 trucks registered, only 52 trucks were issued official receipts at P50 each. That’s only 7% of the total trucks at that time. When I knew about it, I stopped it. The expenses for the color coding stickers are my personal money,” he added.

Poral said he is willing to return the money if the haulers who paid want them back.

The village chief said he is also wondering why the City Council waited too long before disapproving the barangay ordinance.

“The ordinance was approved (by the barangay council) September 18, 2008 but it was disapproved (by the City Council) April 29, 2009. We received a copy of the resolution disapproving the ordinance May 7, 2009. It took the City Council almost 8 months to act on our measure. Why? I don’t know,” Poral said.

Poral said he told the haulers about the ordinance and the required fees they will pay if the City Council approved their ordinance.

“But I did not impose the fees until the Sangguniang Panlungsod acted on the ordinance. Because of my busy schedule, I was not able to keep track of things and remind my treasurer about the ordinance. But no one among the haulers will complain against me and the council on this,” he added.

Meanwhile, a city councilor said barangay ordinances cannot be implemented without review and approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Councilor Perla Zulueta said barangay officials who impose unapproved ordinances can be held liable.

Atty. Ferdinand Panes said Section 57 of the Local Government Code (LGC) requires that all barangay ordinances must pass scrutiny of the City or Municipal council.

Section 57 stipulates that “Within ten (10) days after its enactment, the Sangguniang Barangay shall furnish copies of all Barangay ordinances to the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan concerned for review as to whether the ordinance is consistent with law and city or municipal ordinances.”

If the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan fails to take action on barangay ordinances within 30 days from receipt thereof, the same shall be deemed approved.

“If the Sangguniang Panlungsod or Sangguniang Bayan finds the barangay ordinances inconsistent with law or city or municipal ordinances, the Sanggunian concerned shall, within 30 days from receipt thereof, return the same with its comments and recommendations to the Sangguniang Barangay concerned for adjustment, amendment, or modification; in which case, the effectivity of the Barangay ordinance is suspended until such time as the revision called for is effected,” the section said.

Section 58 of the LGC stipulates that enforcement of disapproved ordinances or resolutions is a ground for dismissal or suspension of the concerned official.

Ombudsman chases cars of Treñas, Tupas

By Tara Yap

THE service vehicles of the mayor of Iloilo City and governor of Iloilo province were among the 13 government vehicles apprehended by the task force of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas during its Oplan Red Plate Campaign Friday night.

The task force disclosed that the service vehicles of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas Sr. evaded initial checkpoints and the team had to chase the vehicles until they caught up with said vehicles.

The task force explained it pursued the vehicles as they failed to stop at the designated checkpoint.

In a text message to the media, Treñas apologized for the incident saying they did not run away from the red plate checkpoint.

“It is unfortunate that my driver did not recognize it. I apologize if the people who were manning the checkpoint felt that way. I have no reason whatsoever to avoid the checkpoint,” the mayor said.

Tupas remains mum of the issue. Earlier, police took into custody the siren installed in the governor’s Nissan Patrol car following a traffic altercation in Jaro, Iloilo City with the son of a retired military official.

Tupas heaped five administrative charges against Jaro police chief Orly Gabinete for confiscating the siren.

But the PNP Regional Internal Affairs Service (RIAS) pre-charge findings recommended to investigate Gabinete for abuse of authority.

The RIAS junked other charges of grave misconduct, ignorance of the law, gross incompetence and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.

The task force added that all government vehicles bearing red plates must have the name of the government agency or unit or local government with the “For Official Use Only” (FOUO) sign and must use a properly accomplished serially numbered trip ticket.

The only ones that are exempted from having the “FOUO” sign are government vehicles using security plates.

The Office of the Ombudsman is also reminding heads of local government units that are using plates only bearing their position is not allowed.  These includes government issued  vehicles that have plates of “GOVERNOR”, “VICE-GOVERNOR”, “MAYOR”, “VICE MAYOR”, “BRGY. CAPT.”

Exempted from these rules are security plates and special number plates of national officials from the President to cabinet secretaries (numbers 1 to 16).

Officials who are authorized to use these 13 apprehended vehicles will be summoned to explain the use of government vehicles after office hours on a Friday night.

‘Tungro’ attack alarms agri office

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE Provincial Agriculture Office expressed alarm over the rice tungro virus (RTV) infestation in several Iloilo towns.

Provincial agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo said they continue to monitor the spread of RTV affecting 20 hectares of rice farms in seven towns in central and northern Iloilo.

“We are keeping tabs of the infestation since it has spread in the towns of San Enrique, Barotac Nuevo, Pototan, Dingle, Barotac Viejo, Ajuy and Concepcion which are the main rice-producing areas in the province. It spread quickly because farmers lack the skill to diagnose the infestation,” Toledo said.

He directed Integrated Pest Management coordinators in all towns to immediately report tungro infestation to municipal agriculture offices and the PAO.

“We will have to immediately request pathologists from the Regional Crop Protection and Control of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make the proper diagnosis and recommendation,” Toledo said.

He said they concluded that it was what had been causing the yellowing of the rice leaves that could eventually affect production.

Jovy Gaton, Regional Agriculture and Fishery Information Division chief of the DA in Western Visayas, said RTV is transmitted by green and zigzag lead hoppers and several other vectors.

Tungro infestation is characterized by spotted leaves, mild to severe stunting, mild yellowing of leaves, and yellow to orange leaves of the rice plants, according to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

“The presence of green and zigzag leaf hoppers in rice farms means that it is susceptible to tungro,” Gaton said.

Although there is no cure RTV, it can be prevented, Gaton said.

She said farmers should use tungro resistant varieties such as PSPRC 12, PSPRC 18, RC 14, RC 24, RC 28, RC 36, RC 74, RC 118, RC 130, RC 126, RC 140 and RC 158.

The DA also recommended that farmers practice synchronous planting within two to four weeks and avoid the use of pesticides 40 days after planting.

“In synchronized farming, we let the farms rest for two months so tungro will be eradicated. It is hard to eliminate this plant virus if rice planting is not synchronized, because the virus just transfers from one rice field to another,” Gaton said.

The DA also reported two months ago that 405 hectares of rice land in the province of Aklan were plagued with tungro and rat infestations.

Last year, Aklan suffered an 11.52 percent downfall in rice production due mainly to pests and diseases such as rice blast, blight, tungro, and steam borer.

Western Visayas produced 2.117 million metric tons (MT) of rice in 2008, the second highest in the country. Iloilo yielded 942,286 MT, or 42% of the region’s total production, while Negros Occidental produced 432,527 MT, Capiz (318,134 MT), Antique (244,354 MT) and Guimaras (50,979 MT). (With reports from PNA/PIA)

‘Kapitan’ in hot water for exacting illegal fees

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A PUNONG barangay and treasurer in Iloilo City may face criminal and administrative charges before the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Office of the Ombudsman for implementing an ordinance voided by the City Council that imposed fees on haulers of quarry materials.

Punong Barangay Ernie Poral of Ingore, LaPaz may be in hot water after he enforced Barangay Ordinance No. 6-2008 imposing a P500 fee for the issuance of “barangay stickers and passes” on dump tucks carrying quarry load within their village.

The barangay council approved the ordinance during its regular session September 6, 2008. The issuance of the stickers is based on six grouping and color coding system that will correspond to different haulers entering the barangay.

But the Iloilo City Council declared illegal the ordinance April 29, 2009 as based on the report of the committee on rules, ordinances, resolution, style, justice and legal affairs chaired by Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo.

Peñaredondo said in the committee report that the ordinance is not within the powers of the Ingore barangay council to enact.

“It is in fact within the ambit of the powers of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Therefore, the barangay is in effect regulating the use of the streets, which power is only to be exercised through an ordinance duly enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod. It is hereby recommended that the subject ordinance of Barangay Ingore be disapproved for being ultra vires,” the committee report said.

But before the SP can review and act on the ordinance, Poral imposed the barangay ordinance by exacting fees from haulers of quarry materials to the coal-fired power plant project. This is proven by copies of official receipts (Ors) obtained by The Daily Guardian.

In OR No. 3090213 issued March 2, 2009, Leonida Segura Marketing, one of the haulers, paid P2,150 for barangay registration (color coding). In OR Nos. 309022 and 3090226 issued March 3, 2009, the same hauler paid a total of P450 for the same purpose.

The receipts were issued and signed by barangay treasurer Arleen S. Herva.

This is not the first time that Poral and Ingore officials tried to usurp the powers of the city government.

Last December 17, 2008, the City Council also disapproved Barangay Ordinance No. 5-2008 which sought to regulate the passage of delivery trucks, vans and other similar vehicles in the village.

The disapproved ordinance also tried to set limits on the time of day that these vehicles will be allowed to pass through the village.

The same City Council committee headed by Peñaredondo said the Ingore council has no power to enact such ordinance regulating the use of city roads.

Instead, the City Council urged Ingore officials to pass a resolution asking assistance from the Traffic Management and Engineering Unit to help direct traffic in their village.

The Daily Guardian sent a text message to Poral for his reaction. He replied that he will explain his side today.

These disapproved barangay ordinances were passed by the barangay council months before the backfilling operations of Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC).

GBPC is constructing a 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant in the barangay.

Kepco plans to convert PDPP to coal-fired plant

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A KOREAN power firm is still keen on putting up a coal-fired power plant in Panay despite stiff opposition it met nine years ago.

Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias said Korean Electric Power Corp. (Kepco) plans to convert the Panay Diesel Power Plant (PDPP) in Dingle, Iloilo into a coal-fired power plant.

In an interview with the weekly cable TV talk show Serbisyo Publiko hosted by Councilor Perla Zulueta Sunday, Banias said Kepco has not lost interest in putting up a power plant in Panay.

Kepco is part owner of SPC Power Corp., the mother unit of SPC Island Power Corp. which bought PDPP and Bohol diesel fired power plant early this year for US$5 million.

“In fact, they told me that their main plan after buying the plant is to convert the PDPP into a coal-fired power plant. They are still interested in investing in the energy sector here in Panay,” Banias said.

Kepco first proposed to put up a 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Tibiao, Antique but moved to Iloilo due to poor soil stability in the area.

The Korean power firm then planned to locate the project in the towns of Ajuy and later to Banate but it ultimately transferred to Cebu due to stiff opposition from environmental groups and the Catholic Church.

Kepco is now operating a US$270-million coal-fired power plant in Cebu.

State agency takes over Iloilo power co-op amid bribery claims

http://www.bworldonline.com/BW070309/content.php?id=043

ILOILO CITY — The National Electrification Administration (NEA) yesterday took over the operations of an electric cooperative in Iloilo province following allegations of bribery over a power supply agreement with an independent power producer.

Edita Bueno, NEA administrator, designated Danny Sedoyo of the NEA Institutional Department and Eddie Adlao of the Management Accounts Group as project supervisors of Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco 3).

Messrs. Sedoyo and Adlao reported to the Ileco 3 office in the town of Sara yesterday morning. They then designated Antonio Lazarraga as OIC-general manager of the cooperative. Mr. Lazarraga also heads Ileco 3’s technical services department.

They were designated to oversee Ileco 3’s operations upon recommendation of NEA legal department chief Omar Mayo.

Mr. Mayo headed the NEA fact-finding team that initially investigated the bribery claims surrounding the new 25-year deal between Ileco 3 and Applied Research Technologies Phils., Inc. or Artech.

NEA Deputy Administrator Edgardo Piamonte said the two supervisors will handle Ileco 3 operations, particularly disbursement of funds and signing of contracts.

“They will act as overseers of the cooperative while we investigate other issues such as the power supply deal. Every transaction of the cooperative must pass scrutiny of NEA through the supervisors,” he said.

The seven-man board of directors of Ileco 3 will only act as advisory board and will have no power to decide on the cooperative’s affairs.

Mr. Lazarraga said it was business as usual at Ileco 3 and there would be no movement of personnel in the meantime.

In a report dated June 5, Mr. Mayo said there was “undue haste, aggravated by bribery, in the signing of the [new power deal], totally disregarding the findings of the very own technical personnel of Ileco 3.”

The fact-finding team based its findings and recommendations on the statements of Mateo Baldoza, Ileco 3 board president, who said he had received P150,000 from a politician and the power supplier.

Mr. Baldoza, a retired trial court judge, said he first received P75,000 from Iloilo Governor Niel Tupas on April 17 and another P75,000 from a female Artech employee on April 21.

Mr. Tupas and Artech President Reynaldo Uy have denied the alleged bribery. Mr. Tupas said he only wanted to assure Ileco 3’s power supply as its contract with the National Power Corp. will expire next year.

Mr. Baldoza later modified his statement, saying a female Artech worker gave him money on April 17 at Mr. Tupas’s house.

Mr. Mayo has recommended the rescission of the Ileco 3-Artechpower supply deal “for being grossly disadvantageous and prejudicial to its interests, as well as that of its consumers-members.” — Francis Allan L. Angelo

4 NEW A(H1N1) CASES IN WV

by Tara Yap

FOUR more persons tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) virus in Western Visayas as of July 3, according to the Department of Health (DoH-6).

This brings the total positive A(H1N1) flu cases in the region to 14.

The DoH-6 said the four new positive cases were in close contact with the high school student of Assumption Iloilo who earlier tested positive for the flu. 

Contract tracing performed by DOH 6 personnel confirmed that the two cases originated in Roxas City while the other two were found in the Catholic school in Iloilo City.

Classes were suspended in Assumption school June 23 when the female student, , who hails from Roxas City, tested positive for A(H1N1) flu. 

School officials immediately suspended classes upon suggestion of DoH 6 and the Iloilo City government. 

DOH 6 said that all four are now under home quarantine and medication. The patients no longer exhibit flu-like symptoms.

In addition, four new cases under observation (CUOs) were recorded as of Friday.  Two came from Bacolod City, one from Iloilo City and another one from Iloilo province.

This brings the total of CUOs in Western Visayas to 91 with 29 negative cases and 28 pending cases.

Meanwhile, classes will reopen in Assumption Iloilo this July 6 after the 10-day suspension.

Chiz: Panay needs more power plants

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

NEW power plants must be constructed in Panay to address the projected power shortage in Visayas.

This was the stand of Senator Francis Escudero even as he urged for the completion of the coal-fired power plant in Iloilo City.

Citing the Power Development Plan of the government, Escudero said Visayas region will require an additional 2,283 megawatts in the next five years on top of the current power demand of 967MW.

Escudero said the forecast might not be met as only two major power plants are being constructed in Visayas in the next two years.

The proposed plants are in Toledo City, Cebu with a 436MW capacity and the 164MW coal-fired power plant in Brgy. Ingore, LaPaz, Iloilo City.

“These plants can only provide a combined 601MW, leaving a power deficit of 715MW,” Escudero said.

The senator from Sorsogon said Iloilo City and the rest of Panay needs energy to power sunshine sectors such as tourism and information communication technology.

“It is important for the coal plant to be established in Iloilo because you need that,” he added.

As regards the perceived pollution from power plants, Escudero said available clean-coal technologies that conform to national and international emission standards can be used to allay fears of sectors opposing the plant.

“This clean-coal technology must pass the emission standards of the Clean Air Act of 1999 which was based on EU standards. The EU standards are even stricter than the standards used by the US Environmental Projection Agency,” Escudero said.

Environmentalists said coal-fired power plants contribute to greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and the so-called global warming.

But Escudero said the Philippines’ contribution to carbon dioxide emission is only 0.29%.

“Our carbon dioxide emission is way lower than that of the US which contributes 29% and China with 28%. And 60% of the 0.29% that we contribute to carbon dioxide emission comes from vehicles, not stationary sources such as power plants,” Escudero said.

The senator said there must be balance between environmental protection and embracing additional power sources.

“We don’t need to choose between the two. What we need is to strike a balance between our need for more energy and protecting the environment,” he added.

ILECO 3 DIRECTORS STRIPPED OF POWERS

Francis Allan L. Angelo

THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) has virtually stripped the board of directors of Ileco 3 of all the powers to run the cooperative.

Effective yesterday, Danny Sedoyo of the NEA Institutional Department and Eddie Adlao of the Management Accounts Group took over the board’s functions in Ileco 3.

Sedoyo and Adlao were designated as project supervisors of Ileco 3 following allegations of bribery in the power supply agreement (PSA) between the cooperative and an independent power producer.

NEA Administrator Edita Bueno, through the two supervisors, also designated Engr. Antonio Lazarraga as OIC-general manager of the cooperative.

Lazarraga also heads Ileco 3’s Technical Services Department.

Sedoyo and Adlao reported to Ileco 3 office in Sara, Iloilo yesterday morning and met the management team.

The supervisors were designated to oversee Ileco 3 operations upon recommendation of NEA Legal Department chief Omar Mayo. 

Mayo headed the NEA fact-finding team which initially probed the alleged bribery in the 25-year PSA between Ileco 3 and Applied Research Technologies Phils., Inc (ARTECH).

NEA Deputy Administrator Edgardo Piamonte said the two supervisors will handle Ileco 3 operations, particularly disbursement of funds and signing of contracts.

“They will act overseers of the cooperative while we investigate other issues such as the power supply deal. Every transaction of the cooperative must pass scrutiny of NEA through the supervisors,” Mr. Piamonte said.

Starting Thursday, only Adlao and Lazarraga can sign checks and disburse Ileco 3 funds. The board of directors will only act advisory board and will have no power to decide on the cooperative’s affairs.

In an interview with Aksyon Radyo, Lazarraga said it will be business as usual at Ileco 3 and there will be no movement of personnel for the meantime.

Mayo said in his report dated June 5, 2009 that there was “undue haste, aggravated by bribery, in the signing of the said PSA, totally disregarding the findings of the very own technical personnel of Ileco 3.”

The fact-finding team based its findings and recommendations on the statements of Mateo Baldoza, Ileco 3 board president, who alleged that he received P150,000 from a politician and ARTECH.

Baldoza, a retired trial court judge, said he first received P75,000 from Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas on April 17, 2009 and another P75,000 from a female ARTECH employee on April 21, 2009.

Tupas and ARTECH President Reynaldo Uy denied the alleged bribery. Tupas said he only wanted to assure Ileco 3’s power supply as its supply contract with the National Power Corp. will expire next year.

Baldoza later modified his statement saying a female ARTECH worker gave him the money on April 17 at Tupas’ house.

The former judge lately went back to his initial statement after facing the National Bureau of Investigation which is also probing the alleged bribery.

Rene Arandilla, Ileco 3 director, claimed in his sworn affidavit that he saw and counted the money which Baldoza received last April 21, the day the supply deal was approved and signed.

Mayo also recommended the conduct of a formal investigation on the alleged bribery based on the notarized complaint of two Ileco 3 consumers, Gerardo P. Panes and Evelyn P. Peñaflor. 

He also recommended that the board of directors be preventively suspended pending the probe.

Piamonte said the NEA Administration Committee headed by Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes will convene to order the investigation by the NEA Legal Department.  

Mayo recommended the rescission of the Ileco 3-ARTECH power supply deal “for being grossly disadvantageous and prejudicial to its interests, as well as that of its consumers-members.”

Domingo Beltran, ARTECH vice president, said they will sue NEA and Ileco 3 if the power supply deal is rescinded.

Arandilla said they will follow NEA orders and wait for the agency’s action and moves on the alleged bribery.

“The supervisors will only be around for 100 days until the issue has been settled. We will follow whatever NEA wants,” Arandilla said.

Suspects in housewife’s rape yield

 By Francis Allan L. Angelo

TWO of the three suspects who allegedly robbed and raped a wife in San Enrique, Iloilo last weekend surrendered to the police yesterday.

Senior Supt. Ricardo dela Paz, Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) director, said Raymund Alarba and Raffy Aguilar both of Brgy. Braulan, San Enrique yielded through their uncle.

Alarba and Aguilar are two of the three suspects who allegedly robbed and raped a wife Friday evening.

The third suspect, William Altamia, remains at-large.

Dela Paz said the suspects have pending warrants of arrest for robbery and other criminal charges.

The victim positively identified the suspects during a lineup at the San Enrique municipal hall.

The rape case has caused uproar in San Enrique with Mayor Trixie Fernandez offering cash reward to those tipsters who can help the police catch the suspects.

Dela Paz urged residents of Brgy. Braulan to help the police collar suspected criminals in their village.

The IPPO chief said some of the residents don’t cooperate with authorities, the reason why the suspects remain free.

San Enrique officials urged Altamia to surrender and face the accusations against him.

Overseers ‘take over’ Ileco 3

By Francis Allan L. Angelo 

TWO managing supervisors from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) arrived at Electric Cooperative (Ileco 3) head office yesterday to start overseeing the cooperative’s operations.

The supervisors, Engr. Danny Sedoyo and Ed Adlao, were tasked to oversee Ileco 3 following the recommendation of a NEA fact finding team that investigated the power supply agreement (PSA) with Applied Research Technologies Philippines Inc. (Artech).

The designation of project supervisors was one of the recommendations of Atty. Omar Mayo, NEA Legal Department chief, who headed the fact-finding team.

Sources from Ileco 3 and NEA said the supervisors will start their tasks today by reviewing transactions and monitoring the cooperative’s operations.

The NEA supervisors will also attend the regular meeting of the Ileco 3 board of directors Saturday to present a letter ordering the “deactivation” of the board, the sources said.

“Once the board is deactivated, it will only act as an advisory body and will have no power to decide on policies and transactions of the cooperative,” an Ileco 3 source said.   

The NEA also ordered the start of a formal investigation on the alleged bribery that attended the approval and signing of the Artech-Ileco 3 power supply deal.

The NEA administration committee (AdCom) will lead the investigation that will make the Ileco 3 board explain its action prior to the approval of the deal.

The AdCom failed to convene and act on Mayo’s recommendation because Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes was out of the country. Reyes is a member of the NEA board of administrators.

Former Judge Mateo Baldoza, Ileco 3 board president, said in an interview with Aksyon Radyo last May 5 that he received P75,000 from Gov. Niel Tupas Sr. during a meeting with Artech officials April 17 at the governor’s house in Jaro, Iloilo City.

He later modified his statements saying a female Artech worker gave the money at Tupas’ house.

Baldoza said he received another P75,000 cash from an Artech employee after the approval and signing of the 25-year PSA with Artech last April 21 in Iloilo City.

The NEA fact-finding team said the PSA must be rescinded due to its “grossly disadvantageous and prejudicial” provisions.

The NEA probers also found out that bribery may have taken place prior to the signing of the contract.

The finding was based on the sworn affidavit of Ileco 3 director Rene Arandilla and Baldoza’s radio interview with Askyon Radyo.

Arandilla claimed in his sworn affidavit that he saw and counted the money that Baldoza received on April 21 at Fine Rock Hotel.

While Baldoza changed his tune on who gave him money at Tupas’s house, his recantation “cannot obliterate the fact of bribery” in the deal.

‘Stop travel ban on pump boats’

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A GROUP of lawyers will ask the Regional Trial Court to stop the policy of suspending pump boat trips every time a storm signal is hoisted in the island and Iloilo.

Atty. John Edward Gando, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Guimaras president, said they will file a petition for declaratory relief against the policy imposed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

The IBP suit seeks to stop the enforcement of Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 01-09 which suspends the operation of sea vessels of 1,000 gross tons and below when Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) No. 1 is raised in the origin, route or destination of boats.

Vice Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo, PCG commandant, issued the memorandum June 5, 2009 in response to sea mishaps during stormy weather.

Gando said their petition will also ask the RTC to issue a temporary restraining order and injunction against the PCG regulation.

Gando said the cancellation of pump boat trips plying Iloilo-Guimaras route June 24-25 stranded more than 1,000 passengers and affected the economy of the island province.

“Small banks in Guimaras who rely on cash from the Iloilo branch of the Land Bank of the Philippines were affected. Many residents of Guimaras were stranded in Iloilo City amidst the rain and cold. Some of them failed to attend their classes and report to work. This regulation deprives Guimarasnons of their basic rights,” Gando said.

Gando said Guimaras is only 1.3 miles from Iloilo City, a distance that can be traveled 10-15 minutes away.

He said the local PCG station can determine if boats should be allowed to travel despite PSWS No. 1 in Iloilo and Guimaras.

“If the sea and wind are calm and fine despite the Storm Signal No. 1, pump boats should be allowed to ferry passengers to avoid stranding the passengers. What we want to happen is for the local PCG commander to judge or determine if the boats will be allowed to set sail,” Gando said.

IBP-Guimaras also passed Resolution No. 02-09 denouncing the PCG memorandum and Tamayo. It also authorized Gando to lead the filing of appropriate cases against the agency “for redress of grievance.”

The group said MC 01-09 is only applicable on vessels with travel time of more than two hours “and must not apply to the exceptional case of Guimaras-Iloilo route.”

The resolution also said that the PCG regulation caused “untold inconvenience to the stranded passengers, particularly tourists, students, businessmen, professionals and individuals who take the Iloilo-Guimaras route.    

MC 01-09 also “brazenly violated the due process requirement, right to property, the liberty to travel and equal protection of the law under the Constitution,” the resolution said.

“The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Guimaras Chapter cannot just kiss the abusive hand of the concerned government authorities that strangle the aforementioned rights and kills the economy of the Province of Guimaras,” the resolution said.  

Gando said they will file their petition Friday. The respondents are Tamayo, Department of Communication and Transportation (DOTC) Sec. Leandro Mendoza and Capt. Eduardo Fabricante, PCG-Iloilo station chief.

Dengue kills 16 in WV

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

A total of 16 persons in Western Visayas died of dengue fever since January, according to data from the Department of Health (DoH-6)

The DoH data said a total of 854 dengue cases were admitted in different Disease Reporting Units (DRUs) in Western Visayas January 1 to June 27, 2009. This is 22% lower compared to the same period last year with 1,048 cases.

The 16 deaths recorded in Western Visayas yielded a case fatality ratio (CFR) of 1.9%. CFR is the ratio of deaths within a designated population of people with a particular condition, over a certain period of time.  

The most number of deaths were from Iloilo City with 11 deaths or a CFR of 3.9%. Iloilo province has 4 fatalities while Capiz has 1 death.

Negros Occidental recorded the most number of confirmed cases with 304, Iloilo City (279), Iloilo province (207), Capiz (3), Guimaras (17), Aklan (10) and Antique (5).

The ages of dengue cases ranged from less than 1 month to 75 years old. Majority of cases were male (52%). Some 50% of the cases belonged to the 0-9 years age group.

In Iloilo City, majority of cases came from City proper district with clustering of cases noted in Brgy. Veterans Village.

Iloilo City proper recorded 91 confirmed cases including 3 deaths; Jaro-63 cases with 1 death; LaPaz-45 cases with no death; Molo-45 cases with 4 deaths; Mandurriao-21 cases with 2 fatalities; and Arevalo-16 cases including 1 death.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas will meet various sectors in the metropolis to discuss the conduct of a comprehensive information advocacy against dengue fever.

Artech mess spawns conflict at Ileco-3

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

DESPITE threats of suspension, the management team of Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco 3) welcomes any move by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to take over the cooperative.

Engr. Antonio Lazarraga, Ileco 3 Technical Services Division, said they have been asking NEA to take control of the cooperative since the bribery-tainted power supply agreement (PSA) with Applied Research Technologies Philippines Inc. (Artech) was exposed.

Lazarraga made the comparative report and simulation showing that Artech’s generation rate is higher compared to other independent power producers investing in Panay.

The management team headed by Dory Jane Canones, Finance Services Department manager, had asked the NEA last in a letter May 11 to investigate the PSA and alleged bribery of Ileco 3 directors.

The management team said they were embarrassed with the scandal rocking the cooperative.

“We will do our share in bringing justice to those that betrayed our member-consumers. We will bring to your attention the pronouncements and the calls of alls sectors in our communities. We will try to rebuild the trust and confidence of everyone that took years to earn. Please help us find justice for Ileco 3,” the team said.

The NEA fact-finding team headed by Legal Department head Omar Mayo recommended the rescission of the Ileco 3-Artech deal because of its “grossly disadvantageous” provisions.

The investigators also recommended the formal investigation and possible preventive suspension of Ileco 3 directors who voted in favor of the 25-year PSA.

Lazarraga said they would rather have the NEA take control of Ileco 3 to protect the interest of member-consumers who also happen to be their families.

He said while they have yet to receive a copy of the investigation report, they already expected NEA to make such recommendations.

“We will continue to work in the cooperative and our services will not be affected by the takeover which we think is the best thing to happen to us,” he added.

The management team will send a position letter to NEA to prove the alleged anomalies that attended the Ileco 3-Artech deal.

A NEA project supervisor is expected to arrive at Ileco 3 today to monitor the cooperative’s transactions. The assignment of the supervisor is also contained in the fact-finding report.

The board of directors launched a crackdown on Ileco 3 workers by imposing a 5-day suspension on a utility and three area managers.

Suspended were utility worker Juanito Buenafe; Cirilo Jerry Pacardo, area manager of Balasan sub-station; Lanie Jane Velasco Barotac Viejo sub-station manager; and Apolojandro Sicad, manager of Ileco 3 main office in Sara, Iloilo.

The four were suspended for purportedly disobeying orders from the Ileco 3 board.

But employees said it may have something to do with their refusal to dismantle streamers asking for the resignation of the Ileco 3 board.

The streamers have been hanging in Ileco 3 offices since the alleged bribery was exposed.

The four area managers also signed the May 11 letter of management team asking for NEA to investigate the Artech contract.

In their letter, the team hit the board of directors for their “vindictiveness, encroachment on otherwise purely management prerogatives and high-handed ways in dealing with coop employees who are perceived to be against them.”   

Even before the Ileco 3-Artech deal was exposed, there has been friction between the directors and the management team when former Ileco 3 General Manager Gil Altamira was forced to quit his job last year.

The Ileco 3 board, with clearance from NEA, formed a crisis management team (CMT) until a new general manager is appointed.

The CMT is alternately headed by three department managers on a monthly basis.

The board later appointed Aida Lamigo as permanent officer-in-charge of the cooperative which did not sit well with the management team.

3 Ilonggo gang members killed in in QC shootout

By Francis Allan L. Angelo 

THREE Ilonggos believed to be members of a robbery-holdup group were killed in a shootout with Quezon City police in Metro Manila after a botched robbery over the weekend.

Supt. Alex Sintin, Talipapa station commander under the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) identified the suspected robbers as Eugene Poblacion of Pototan, Iloilo, Ernesto Pueblo of Janiuay town and alias Jun-Jun also of Pototan.

Two of the suspects died during the shootout along Road 20 in Brgy. Bahay Toro while the third died at the Quezon City General Hospital, according to the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.

Initial investigation showed the five suspects tried to rob Road 20 Construction Supply at 12:15pm Saturday.

But they panicked when one of their guns jammed as they tried to disarm the store’s security guard.

Realizing that the robbery was going to fail, the suspects fled aboard motorcycles but were blocked by patrolling policemen in the area.

Two of the suspects fled, leaving behind their dead companions.

Eugene Poblacion is the brother of Jonathan and Gabriel Poblacion who were tagged in alleged kidnapping and robbery-holdup operations in Iloilo.

Jonathan is detained at the Iloilo Rehabilitation Center (IRC) for his alleged involvement in the Jefferson Tan kidnapping seven years ago.

122 pupils get fever, school suspends classes

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

AN elementary school in Bacolod City suspended classes Tuesday after 122 Grade 3 pupils caught fever.

The St. John’s Institute in Hilado Extension, Bacolod City suspended Grade 3 classes until Wednesday after several pupils started getting sick last Friday.

Majority of the sick students failed to come to school on Monday.

The Bacolod City Health Office has advised the school to monitor the conditions of the pupils, who may have been infected with influenza A (H1N1) virus. The school has also disinfected the campus.

Dr. Salome Biñas, city health officer, said they have yet to determine if any of the pupils had history of travel to a country with confirmed A (H1N1) cases

There are four confirmed A(H1N1) flu cases in Bacolod City.

Meanwhile, the Iloilo City government will buy flu vaccines to be distributed to City Hall workers amid the rising cases of Influenza A(H1N1) in the country.

Mayor Jerry Treñas said they will purchase the vaccines once the stocks arrive from Argentina this month.

The vaccines will be given free to city hall employees. The remaining stocks will be distributed to barangay officials and other local officials.

The city government was supposed to bid out the vaccines but supply was running short after the World Health Organization declared a A(H1N1) flu pandemic.

“When the stocks arrive, we will decide how much we will purchase. We will give the vaccines to workers who want to get a shot,” Treñas said.

A seaman from Jaro district was the first confirmed A(H1N1) case in Iloilo City.

A student of Assumption-Iloilo, who is a native of Roxas City, also tested positive for the flu.

The third confirmed case is an overseas Filipino worker in Iloilo who came from Saudi Arabia.

The Department of Health said the total confirmed A(H1N1) flu cases in Western Visayas remain at 10 with 83 cases under observation. (With reports from abs-cbnnews.com)

Ombudsman takes interest in bribery-tainted Artech deal

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

THE Office of the Ombudsman has taken interest in the controversial power supply agreement (PSA) between Iloilo Electric Cooperative (Ileco-3) and an independent power producer (IPP).

The anti-graft body has asked the National Electrification Administration (NEA) for a copy of the fact-finding’s team report on the PSA between Ileco-3 and Applied Research Technologies Phils., Inc. (Artech).

The three-man fact-finding team headed by Atty. Omar Mayo, NEA legal department chief, recommended the rescission of the PSA due to its grossly disadvantageous provisions that will burden Ileco-3 consumers.

The fact-finding also recommended that Ileco 3 directors will be preventively suspended and investigated for allegedly receiving bribes in exchange for the approval of the deal.

Edgardo Piamonte, National Electrification Administration (NEA) deputy administrator, confirmed that Ombudsman central office subpoenaed a copy of the fact-finding team’s report.

Mayor also confirmed that the anti-graft body asked for a copy of his report.

But the Ombudsman in Western Visayas said they have no records of any compliant or request for investigation on the Ileco 3-Artech deal.

Atty. Evangeline Nuñal, assistant graft investigation officer, said the complaint or request may have been filed with the Ombudsman Visayas in Cebu or their central office in Metro Manila.

Nuñal said the Ombudsman can also investigate alleged graft and corruption in government reported in the media.

Last May 5, former Judge Mateo Baldoza, Ileco 3 board president, told Joel Tormon of Aksyon Radyo that he received P75,000 cash from Gov. Niel Tupas Sr.

Baldoza said he received the money from Tupas during a meeting with Artech officials led by president Reynaldo Uy at the governor’s mansion in Jaro, Iloilo City last April 17.

The former judge alleged that Tupas asked him to help Artech while handing the money inside a white envelope.

The following day, Baldoza modified his statement saying it was a lady employee of Artech who gave him the money at the governor’s house.

He received another P75,000 cash from an Artech employee after they approved and signed the PSA in a hotel in Iloilo City April 21.

Lately, Baldoza said he stood by his first statement that Tupas gave him the money when the former faced the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) early this month.

The NBI had also launched an investigation on the issue based on the complaints of two Ileco 3 consumers.

Tupas denied bribing Ileco 3 directors saying he was only concerned with the looming power shortage in the cooperative’s franchise area.

Tupas said he wanted to assure that Ileco 3 will have enough power supply when its contract with National Power Corp. expires next year.

Domingo Beltran, Artech vice president, said they might sue Ileco 3 and NEA should the cooperative decide to rescind their PSA.

Beltran said it is up to Ileco 3 if it will decide to continue with the contract or not.

Tupas also accused Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias of spreading unsigned copies of the fact-finding team’s report to the media.

The governor said the report is not yet official as it remains unsigned and unapproved by NEA.

Banias, who requested the NEA probe, said Mayo and other NEA officials already confirmed the existence of the report which assailed the alleged onerous provisions of the contract.

Banias said the deployment of a NEA project supervisor to Ileco 3 is proof that NEA is seriously looking into deals and operations of the cooperative.

“NEA can always take over the operations of Ileco 3. We hope that NEA will hear the qualms of the consumers who are seeking justice for this alleged anomalous transaction,” Banias said.

‘Nothing illegal in maintenance fee’

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THERE is nothing illegal in the assistance given to police officers and traffic enforcers who help maintain peace and order in barangays near the coal-fired power plant project site in LaPaz, Iloilo City.

Officials of Global Business Power Corp. (GBPC) justified the assistance they gave to policemen and traffic aides in the Sunday cable TV talk show Serbisyo Publiko hosted by Councilor Perla Zulueta.

Engr. Adrian Moncada, GBPC assistant vice president, said they requested the LaPaz police to help protect haulers of filling materials that are being harassed by way of stoning by unidentified persons in Brgys. Ingore and Baldoza.

Moncada cited Executive Order No. 655 which mandates the PNP to protect vital installations and projects such as power plants. The same EO encourages the private sector to help in the security of power plants.

The traffic aides, meanwhile, were requested to help manage the traffic because the road going to the project site is narrow and accident prone.

“There have been harassments of the haulers from persons who want to gain from the project, naturally we requested for police assistance. And we also want to protect residents especially the children from trucks passing by the areas that is why we requested the help of the Traffic Engineering and Management Unit (TMEU),” Moncada said.

Moncada said Ingore officials should feel responsible in asking help from the TMEU as mandated by Resolution No. 2008-1912 of the City Council. This is the same resolution which disapproved Barangay Ordinance No. 5 passed by Ingore officials under Punong Barangay Ernie Poral. This disapproved ordinance sought to regulate traffic in the village, particularly the delivery trucks vans and other vehicles.

The council said the Local Government Code does not empower Sangguniang Barangays to enact traffic rules and regulations.

“We already requested the assistance of the police and traffic aides even before the council told the barangay to seek help from the TMEU,” Moncada said.

Engr. Henry Alcalde, project manager of the 164-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Brgy. Ingore, LaPaz, said the assistance and maintenance fees are part of their corporate social responsibility program.

Alcalde said the giving of food assistance and allowances to police and traffic aides is similar to the practice of plant owners and other businesses in Luzon.

“We don’t have a specific list of police officers and traffic personnel who will receive the assistance because it depends on who will be deployed to the area. What we have is a monthly budget of around P744,000. In Luzon, the rate is P80 a day per head,” he added.

The distribution of the meal assistance depends on the police officers and traffic personnel deployed by their superiors

GBPC officials said they also give maintenance fee, not disturbance fees, to Ingore and Baldoza residents to motivate them to help clean debris falling from dump trucks. The recipients are households by the roadside affected by the hauling activities.

There are 200 maintenance fee recipients “but the list grows every month because officials keep on adding names of those who will receive the fee,” Alcalde said.

“There is no law mandating that project proponents should give disturbance fees to residents. But as part of our corporate social responsibility and to enjoin the community to help in the project, we gave out maintenance fees to them if they help clean their surroundings,” Alcalde said.

The GBPC officials said there should be no malice in the assistance given to police officers and traffic aides because the company does not engage in illegal activities. They likened the assistance to donations of business groups and other entities to the PNP and Iloilo City government.

“But since some people are putting malice in the maintenance fee and assistance, we are mulling to stop it already,” Alcalde said.

Wife robbed, gang raped

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

THREE persons are wanted for allegedly robbing and raping a wife in San Enrique, Iloilo Friday evening.

S/Insp. Bonifacio Ancajas, San Enrique police chief, said the victim identified the suspects as Raffy and Raymund Alarba of Brgy. Braulan, San Enrique. The third suspect remains unidentified.

Ancajas said the drunken suspects barged inside the victim’s house and took away their chickens and other valuables.

But before leaving the house, the suspects took turns in raping the victim in front of her 8-month-old child.

Ancajas said the suspects have pending warrants of arrest for robbery.

 “The crime scene is far from the other houses reason why they did not hear her shout for help. The husband was not at home because he was working in Passi City,” Ancajas said. 

The police chief said the suspects fled to another barangay based on their intelligence reports.