1,700 Eastern Visayas cops deployed to secure ‘Undas’

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 31 -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas has deployed nearly 1,700 of its men to cemeteries, terminals, seaports, airports, and highways to ensure peaceful and orderly observance of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day.

The deployment of 1,692 policemen kicked off Tuesday as people started visiting cemeteries to honor their dead loved ones.

PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said Tuesday that security measures will be augmented by 2,418 force multipliers from local government units and private organizations.

“We are putting all police units in the region in full alert status this week to prevent any untoward incident and help people respect the solemnity of the annual commemoration,” Carlos told reporters.

Earlier, the police regional chief asked hid men to coordinate with local government units, emergency response team, and other volunteers to identify their specific roles. Tasks may include traffic management and security patrol even in residential areas to prevent theft and robbery incidents.

“We remind the public not bring prohibited items inside cemeteries such as firearms, bladed and sharp weapons, alcoholic drinks, gambling items, speakers, and other materials which may disturb the solemnity of the occasion,” Carlos said.

Meanwhile, Carlos disclosed that crime incidents in the region declined during the first three quarters of the year. Records show that crime against persons dropped to 2,113 compare to the 2,553 of the same period in 2017.

Crimes involving properties and violations of special laws also decreased to 5,212 for January to September 2018 from 5,785 in the same period last year. (SQM/PNA)

Universal health care bill passage eyed in December

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Oct. 30 -- The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) is upbeat on the passage of universal health care bill in the middle of December in the bid to further expand the country’s health insurance program.

PhilHealth acting president and Chief Executive Officer Roy Ferrer said they are currently going through the legal process prior to the bill’s signing by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The state-run health insurance firm’s law department is still working on the reconciliation of benefit packages offered in the bill’s version in the House of Representatives and Senate.

“The President promised that more Filipinos will be covered by a stronger and effective health care system that knows no boundaries. He has promised a government that will work tirelessly regardless of your age, gender, faith, economic status, political beliefs. It will happen soon with the passage of universal health care bill,” Ferrer said during a press briefing here late Monday afternoon.

Under Senate Bill 1896, the proposed measure, contributors -- or income earners -- will have to pay for their premiums while the government will shoulder the contributions of non-contributors. Funds for the subsidy will be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Coverage under the proposed measure include uniform benefits for all; prioritize using a fair and transparent priority setting process guided by health technology assessment; and development of a single, comprehensive, primary care package for all.

Under cost coverage, the proposed law will ensure ‘No Balance Billing’ for the non-formal members or ward admissions and fixed co-payment for formal sector members or private room accommodation.

Rodolfo del Rosario, PhilHealth acting senior vice president for legal sector, said the administrative capacity of PhilHealth will be expanded under the proposed law.

“Every congressional district will have a PhilHealth office to make our service more accessible to all Filipinos. Some functions of the regional office will be decentralized to district offices,” del Rosario told reporters.

On Oct. 10, the Senate passed on third and final reading Senate Bill 1896 or the Universal Health Care Bill four months after President Duterte certified the proposed measure as urgent.

Top PhilHealth officials are in this city Monday and Tuesday for the PhilHealth Forward Visayas, a campaign that seeks to inform members of new health benefit packages. (SQM/PNA)

New infra projects seen to expand Ormoc’s tourism

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, Oct. 30 -- The city government here is eyeing more infrastructure projects to support its growing number of tourism activities.

Mayor Richard Gomez on Monday said there is an ongoing effort to expand tourism attractions to provide more reasons to visit the city.

“We have included developing and identifying waterfalls, our mountains for treks and adventures, our mangroves, even our agriculture, in the tourism loop that we are creating,” Gomez said.

One of the ongoing major projects designed to support tourism is the PHP1.3 billion scenic coastal road from San Juan to Naungan villages. The project is expected to decongest traffic and provide “alternative place for locals to enjoy the view of the sea.”

The local government also acquired a property in Naungan village for the building of Tourism Welcome Center. Using PHP11 million local funds, a floating jetty will be set up for the convenience of Air Juan seaplane passengers. Same jetty port will be put up in Lake Danao.

Recently, the city government got an allocation of PHP27 million from the Department of Budget and Management to improve and reforest the city’s plaza, quadrangle, and baywalk.

“We have also invested on cultural awareness among our people, especially the young. We give the workshops so that they can hone their skills -- from dancing to arts. To propagate cultural awareness, we will soon be offering cultural scholarships,” the actor-politician said.

Gomez has been lobbying to host big events in Ormoc such as national and regional sports meet, national World Teacher’s Day celebration, and other major gatherings.

“Every time a huge event is held in Ormoc, money is infused in our economy. Hotels are fully booked, tricycle drivers are happy, our food parks and restaurants are always full, etcetera, etcetera,” Gomez said.

Ormoc, a first-class independent component city in Leyte province and a home to more than 215,000 people, is known for its guitar-shaped Lake Danao, a pristine 148-hectare inland lake surrounded by verdant mountains and invigorating cool air, just a 30-minute drive from the city.

The city is also famous for its “Queen Pineapple”, the top pick for “pasalubong” (gifts for friends at home), Leyte Geothermal Production Field -- the country’s biggest geothermal complex that supplies energy even to parts of Luzon and Mindanao. (SQM/PNA)

An Waray unfazed by other party-lists in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 30 -- The participation of other party-list groups based in Eastern Visayas in the 2019 elections does not bother the An Waray Party list, its founder said Tuesday.

The 2019 elections are more challenging to their group with three other party-lists from the poverty-stricken region seeking posts in the House of Representatives, Florencio Noel said.

“There is always a challenge just like before, but for as long as your intention is good, people will vote for you. The help and assistance you give to them is more important,” Noel said.

The former solon is making a comeback in politics as first nominee of the regional party-list formed in 2001. Other An Waray party list nominees are singer Nonoy Zuñiga from Calbayog City and Grace Evardone, wife of Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone.

The region’s vote for party-list will be shared by An Waray, Tingog Sinirangan, Aangat Tayo, and People’s Surge.

Leyte 1st District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez is the first nominee of Tingog Sinirangan. The group joined the 2016 elections but lost.

The party-list is expected to step up its campaign next year with a member of influential Romualdez family as nominee.

Aangat Tayo, a multi-sectoral group that won a seat in the 2016 elections, has Rep. Harlin Neil Abayon III as first nominee. Abayon’s father is the former governor and congressman of Northern Samar province.

The group, formed after the 2013 Super Typhoon Yolanda and known as People’s Surge, is also joining the 2019 mid-term elections. The party-list, labeled as an alliance for disaster survivors, has fielded leaders of militant groups in the region as its nominees.

“We don’t want to think of the other personalities or the name of the other party-list group from the region. We will work and serve the people of Eastern Visayas,” Noel added.

“Before, it was more on education and health, now the state is taking care of that, there’s free education and there’s practically free health. Now we will focus more on livelihood to address urban migration,” he added.

An Waray, first won a seat in the House of Representatives in 2004 with Noel as representative. Noel’s sister Victoria Isabel is the incumbent party-list representative. (SQM/RTA/PNA)

Strong waves destroy 77 houses in Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 29 -- Big waves badly damaged several houses in Northern Samar early Monday, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) reported.

Northern Samar PDRRMO chief Rei Josiah Echano said strong waves as high as three meters destroyed 77 houses in coastal areas of Pambujan town.

As of 3 p.m. on Monday, the provincial government was still consolidating reports of damaged houses in Catarman town, the provincial capital and Mapanas town.

“We still have to confirm reports that other towns are also affected by strong waves associated with the northeast monsoon and Typhoon Rosita,” Echano said in a phone interview.

In Mapanas town, at least 11 houses and a day care center were badly destroyed when strong waves battered a coastal village of Magtaon in Mapanas, Northern Samar Monday dawn.

Julius Macayayong, Mapanas town assistant municipal disaster risk reduction officer, said two-meter high waves damaged houses made of light materials around 4 a.m.

“Some houses were completely washed out while others were partially damaged. It happened despite fair weather early Monday,” he said in a mobile phone interview.

Affected residents received food packs from the local social welfare and development office as they took shelter in their relatives’ houses.

Magtaon is a coastal community some eight kilometers away from the town center.

The PDRRMO had alerted 20 coastal towns in Northern Samar to caution residents living along coastal areas against damaging waves.(SQM/PNA)

DPWH Leyte to deploy skeletal force for ‘Undas’

CARIGARA, Leyte, Oct. 29 – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in central Leyte is all set for its “Lakbay Alalay” to assist motorists and travellers for the All Saints and All Soul’s day observance.

Skeletal forces will be deployed in three strategic areas along Leyte’s second district starting 5p.m. on Oct. 31 up to 12 noon of November 2.

The areas include the DPWH field office in Carigara town, the Lemon junction in Capoocan town, and along the Burauen-Julita junction in Dulag town.

“As directed by the central office, the teams to be deployed shall assist roadside concerns of motorists joining the All Saints’ Day rush,” DPWH district engineer Carlos Veloso said in a mobile phone interview Sunday.

Uniformed teams will provide prompt assistance on normal and emergency situations in strategic locations along major thoroughfares on a round-the-clock shift.

The agency added that the teams shall also coordinate with the Land Transportation Office (LTO), Philippine National Police (PNP), and officials of local government units (LGUs).

DPWH added that it is coordinating with contractors to guarantee proper scheduling of road works and installation of necessary traffic advisory.

All national highways, particularly those leading to public and private cemeteries, are now being cleared of obstructions and potholes to ensure safety of the huge volume of motorists expected to flock for the long weekend. (LAAA/PNA)

Yolanda survivors remember dead in nameless graves

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 29 -- In a lonely place where thousands of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) victims were buried in 2013, family members come to offer flowers and light candles unsure of the exact spot of their loved ones’ final resting place.   

Ren Domingo, 48, a college professor picked four crosses in the middle part of the common grave at Holy Cross Memorial Cemetery in Basper village here because he got the impression that these are the grave site of his family members.

"My two daughters who died when Yolanda struck appeared to me in my dreams in a form of butterflies flying around in this spot,” said Domingo, who also lost his wife and mother-in-law.

For him, it’s hard to put closure to the tragic event since there’s no single test done to find out where his family members were exactly buried.

After the disaster, Domingo left for Cebu to move on from the pain and tragic memories of the monster typhoon that swept their coastal community in San Jose district in this city.

“When I saw the place where my kids and wife perished, it brings back memories and I can’t help but to weep,” he said in an interview over the weekend.

In the past four observances of the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, Jocefine Fallier, 40, has been regularly visiting the mass grave here to remember five family members killed by Yolanda’s storm surges in 2013.

Fallier came on Saturday to offer flowers for her sister, grandfather, grandmother, aunt, and niece who all died when storm surges hit their community in San Jose.

She is unsure if all her family members are buried there except for her sister, Jackelyn. The rest are still missing.

Fallier's loved ones are just few of the 2,273 bodies buried at the mass grave in this city late in 2013, considered as Yolanda’s ground zero. The site is dotted with white wooden crosses and some tombstones. Some people picked a cross and wrote the names of their family members on it.

The city government is currently constructing a large cross at the mass grave as a common place for survivors to remember their loved ones. The target is to complete the structure in time for the fifth commemoration of the typhoon's wrath on Nov. 8.

With piles of bodies lining the streets and funeral parlors destroyed, the local government resorted to burying the dead together at the Holy Cross cemetery in Basper village. It is the largest Yolanda mass grave in the region, which was established after the Nov. 8, 2013 catastrophe.

In the past five years, residents of a nearby community had extraordinary experiences. One of them is Jomar Aure, 29. Their house is just a stone throw away from the common grave.

Aure recalled about hearing a crying woman who seemed to be asking for help every midnight, especially during the first seven months in 2014.

“The sound was loud that even those families living near farther can even hear that horrifying voice," he said.

They stopped hearing horrific sounds after a priest blessed the grave during the first commemoration of Yolanda.

However, Aure recalled that early this year, community members also heard frightening voices at night. (SQM/PNA)

Samar police steps up anti-drugs watch in jails

PALO, Leyte, Oct. 27 – The Samar Provincial Police Office has stepped up its anti-drug operations in prison facilities, following the recent apprehension over illegal drugs of jail guards and detainees inside Calbayog City’s sub-provincial jail.

Samar police director, Senior Supt. Nicolas Torre III, said Friday they have strengthened their coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to monitor the illegal drug trade inside jail facilities.

“We asked informants not to be afraid to disclose details to us if there is illegal drug trading inside the jail. This is on top of regular inspection of prison cells,” Torre told reporters in a press briefing here.

On the night of Oct. 23, two prison guards and three detainees were apprehended in a buy-bust operation conducted in a jail facility in Calbayog City.

Prison guards Vivencion Elbano and Ronnel Salomon assigned to the sub-provincial jail in Calbayog City and detainees Melencio Diaz, Johnny Tibo and Remigo Cabredo were apprehended in a buy-bust operation and “Oplan-Galugad” conducted by the Samar police, 1st Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company, and PDEA.

The subject of the operation was Diaz, who was jailed for an illegal drug case, and has availed of a plea bargaining agreement.

Diaz, who is a trustee at the facility, was able to get out of jail and sell illegal drugs to an operative who acted as a poseur buyer.

The suspect was escorted by the prison guard when he went out of the prison gate and was able to get back to the prison cell where they were arrested.

Seized from the suspects were 11 plastic sachets filled with “shabu” (crystal meth), marked money worth PHP10,000, mobile phones, illegal drug paraphernalia, a .45-caliber pistol with live ammunitions, lighter, PHP711 cash, and a glass tooter.

Top officials of the jail facility will face administrative charges and will be investigated to determine if they are involved in the illegal drug transactions, Torre said.

The suspects are now in the custody of PDEA’s regional office and will be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 9165 for the sale and possession of illegal drugs while the jail guard will face conspiracy charges. (RTA/PNA)

An Waray Party list launches One Eastern Visayas drive

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 27 -- The An Waray Party list has launched the One Eastern Visayas campaign in a bid to help locals patronize the region’s agricultural products and unify efforts to promote tourism destinations.

An Waray Party list founder Florencio Noel on Friday said one of the features of the campaign is the creation of an online platform, in which the economic goods—products and services— that are available in every towns in six provinces are listed, explained, and made easily accessible for people.

The online platform is also designed to facilitate inquiry and contact with related agencies and persons when certain products and services are sought by people, Noel said. 

“I am confident that this process will be easy and efficient for most of us given that today,  people, especially the youth, can easily navigate the internet. In fact, Filipinos rank second in the world in terms of the number of hours spent online, and third in terms of the number of hours spent on social media,” Noel said.

The official explained that consistent with the goals of countryside development and interdependence, the platform will make it easy for people to procure goods and services from nearby places before resorting to sources outside the region.

“Hinged on the principles of unity and interdependence, One Eastern Visayas endeavors to link the region’s six provinces, its cities and towns, government agencies, non-government organizations, and other sectors bring more development and provide more jobs or livelihood opportunities,” Noel explained.

Senator Grace Poe, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, mayors from different parts of the region, and key officials from regional line agencies came to the city’s astrodome to express support to the campaign.

One Eastern Visayas will operate in greater scale as the campaign’s linkage or bridging of sectors in the region will work through a system of sharing of natural and human resources available in various parts of the region, Noel said. 

“In this powerful system of sharing, we will be able to not only optimize the resources we already have and provide for the socio-economic needs of our neighboring provinces, but to also foster a greater and more palpable sense of solidarity, reciprocity, and belongingness in one Eastern Visayan community—a holistic prospect that responds to both our material and cultural needs,” Noel added.

The party list official noted that the region is characterized by a diverse topography conducive to agricultural production and various recreational activities. These two aspects—agriculture and tourism—are especially part of the campaign’s focus.

“The same goal of interdependence is echoed here in the sense that we don’t need to excessively import agricultural goods when we can produce our own. We don’t really have to go far for tourist destinations because we already have and can even further develop our own,” he added.

An Waray came up with the campaign 17 years after the regional party list was formed. Since 2004, the party list has been winning seats in the House of Representatives.

Noel recalled that An Waray started only with a very simple intention, which is to help. When a fire broke out in 2001 in the 5th district of Manila, a fraternity brother from the Aquila Legis asked for Noel’s help since 90 percent of the victims were from Eastern Visayas.

“Word travels really fast that more and more Waray-speaking people in the Metro learned of the group. That collaboration served as a springboard for the group, eventually giving An Waray five terms in Congress. Our intentions have since then gone beyond helping” Noel said.

Noel informed that during his first term as representative of An Waray in Congress, a colleague once asked him why there were so many Waray in the big cities of the country, mostly informal settlers.

“I think we all see one clear answer to this. We come from the easternmost part of the country which, facing the Pacific, has for so long been the typhoon belt, rendering us vulnerable to this natural hazard, among others like landslides and earthquakes. Because of this, many of our people migrate to the Metro to try their luck in what is thought to be a safer, albeit less familiar environment,” he added.

The party list launched the campaign during the 10th Oktubafest, the showcase of best local wine known as “tuba” (coconut wine). The festival is the local version of the German beer fiesta known as “Octoberfest.” 

Thousands of tuba producers, officials, and students gathered at the City’s Astrodome for the annual event organized by An Waray Party list. (LAAA/PNA)

Maguindanao solon backs martial law extension in Mindanao

TACLOBAN CITY -- Maguindanao Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu of 2nd District has expressed support to the extension of martial law in Mindanao in the bid to recover all loose firearms.

Mangudadatu, who was here Friday to join the local wine tasting event of “Oktubafest”, said the government has to enforce martial law for another one to two years to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

“One to two years is enough to recover all loose firearms and disband private armies. I believe there are still a lot of unlicensed firearms in Mindanao because it is a culture of our Muslim brothers to own guns,” the congressman said.

Earlier, Malacañang said it would depend on the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines whether or not martial law will be extended after the end of the year.

Martial law in Mindanao was declared on May 23, 2017 following attacks launched by the Maute Group in Marawi City.

Congress, in a special joint session in July last year, granted the extension of martial law until Dec. 31, 2017 at the President's request.

The Senate and House of Representatives, convening in a joint session early December, then granted Duterte's request for the extension of martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus for a period of one year from January 1 to December 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, Mangudadatu, admitted that it will be tough for a Filipino Muslim to win a Senate seat, but he’s not discouraged to hold a nationwide campaign despite not being in the top 12 picks for Senate in 2019.

“I don’t believe in surveys. We have to talk to local officials and grassroots to let them know about our platform. No one is a sure winner in every election. There are always losers and winners,” he said.

“As a Muslim Filipino, my call is for us to be united. I want to change the impression of our Christian brothers and sisters about Muslims. We should not have segregation. We only have one government," he added.

Running under the ruling PDP-Laban Party, Mangudadatu will try to be the first Muslim to win a Senate seat after Santanina Rasul, who served as senator from 1987 to 1995. (SQM/PNA)

Senators eye Rice Tariffication Law passage in December

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 26 -- Senators are eyeing the passage of the Rice Tariffication Bill before the year ends as one of the measures to ensure stable supply of rice and provide safety net for local farmers.

Senator Juan Edgar “Sonny” Angara is confident the proposed law, which is now up for third and final reading in the Senate, will be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte by December.

“We give to private sector the power to import rice since only NFA (National Food Authority) and few traders are in control of rice importation. This measure will not allow the big traders to dictate the price of rice,” Angara told reporters.

The law will ensure stable supply of rice in the market and generate more taxes from rice imports, Angara said. The Senate has started the interpolation of Senate Bill No. 1998 on September 19.

The proposed bill replaces the quantitative import restriction on rice with tariffs and lifts the quantitative exports restrictions on rice.

The measure has been certified as urgent by President Rodrigo Duterte in his recent State of the Nation Address.

Senator Grace Poe, in a separate interview, said since rice tariffication will affect local producers, the bill has placed some safety nets to minimize losses among farmers.

“Collections from rice tariffs can be used as financial assistance to farmers’ groups for the procurement of seedlings, fertilizers, pesticide, and other production support needs,” Poe told reporters.

A key feature of the bill is the creation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or the Rice Fund with an initial appropriation of PHP10 billion sourced from the national budget until such time there is enough collection from tariff.

The two senators were in this city Friday to join the 10th Oktubafest, the showcase of best local wine known as “tuba” (coconut wine).

The festival is the local version of the German beer fiesta known as “Octoberfest.” Thousands of tuba producers, officials, and students gathered at the City’s Astrodome for the annual event organized by An Waray Partylist. (SQM/PNA)

Leyte’s Mamanwa tribe: From wild hunters to vegetable farmers

BURAUEN, Leyte, Oct. 25  -- Learning the techniques of modern organic farming was a turning point for a small community of indigenous people in an upland village here as they transformed from being wild hunters to cultivators of high-value vegetables.

Mamanwa tribe leader Dioni Manatbanat, 49, of Kagbana village, said in an interview Wednesday that after completing an organic farming training last June, they abandoned their age-old practice of hunting in the wild and engaged in raising high-value crops.

A total of 50 members of the Mamanwa tribe in Kagbana received a certification from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. The trainees -- 31 women and 19 men -- finished the 10-day training course on producing organic vegetable leading to organic agriculture and earned a National Certificate II for it.

Specifically, tribe members were trained the organic of way of producing lettuce, broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers, radish, asparagus, onions and strawberries. The long-term goal is to supply the demand of groceries and hotels in the province.

Tribe members also learned how to produce their own organic fertilizers using manure or agricultural residues available in the community.

At least 15 of those who trained are former members of the New People’s Army. Their low level of education and poverty made them vulnerable to influences of community rebels.

Since they don’t earn regular income from wildlife hunting, some tribe members resorted to gathering rattan and weaving them into baskets and making furniture. Each of the 10 families in the tribe earns an average of PHP1,500 a month from this livelihood.

“We all know how to plant, but we all have different ways and techniques. The modern organic farming techniques taught to us have opened new windows of opportunities and are our key for development and for more assistance from the government to reach us,” Manatbanat said during a gathering at the town hall.

The Leyte provincial government also gave the trainees agricultural tool kits, seeds and PHP5,000 in cash as start-up capital to set up a cooperative for tribe members so they could easily access assistance from the government.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said in an earlier interview the provincial government will continue its assistance to residents of Kagbana, some 40 km. from the town center.

A PHP15-million road construction project from San Vicente village in McArthur town to the Kagbana community is ongoing and will be followed by the construction of a hanging bridge before the end of the year.

“The government is here to improve the lives of people living in remote communities. The province will implement projects to improve their condition, like what we did in Villaconzoilo,” Petilla said.

Villaconzoilo is a village in Jaro town that has been transformed from being a rebel-infested and poverty-stricken community into a model of agri-tourism in the Eastern Visayas region.

From producing high-value crops and supplying their products to big groceries, hotels and malls in Tacloban City and other parts of Leyte province, Villaconzoilo expanded its operations to farm tourism in 2016, generating additional income from entrance fee.

The Mamanwa tribe settled in Kagbana village in the early 1950s, choosing to live in the farthest village of the town that is covered with virgin forest and difficult to reach, and where lands have no owners.

The Mamanwa families, whose houses are in the upper part of the village, get along well with locals living at the lower part. (SQM/RTA/PNA)

DILG urges 2019 poll bets to take drug tests

TACLOBAN CITY , Oct. 24 -- Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge Eduardo Año has called on candidates for next year’s elections to submit themselves to drug tests as proof of support for the government’s anti-drug war.

“If they’re not using drugs, why are they afraid? You have to show to your constituents you deserve their votes,” Año told reporters during the inauguration of the peace and resiliency center here on Wednesday.

Año said they will meet with the Commission on Elections to review the legal basis in possible disqualification of candidates linked to illegal drugs.

The poll body earlier said mere inclusion in the so-called “narco list” of Malacañang and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency is not enough to de-list a candidate’s name from the ballot.

Meanwhile, Año reminded politicians not to hire or maintain private armies to ensure peaceful and orderly elections next year

“Dismantling of private armed groups will continue and intensified nationwide. We just need information from the public to disarm them. Those found violating rules will face charges,” he warned.

In fighting private armed groups, the government will apply the “Alunan doctrine” introduced by former Interior secretary Rafael Alunan III, who served during the presidency of Fidel Ramos.

Under the Alunan doctrine, any official with more than two armed men can be considered as an organizer of private armed groups and must be disarmed.

He said the police and military will work together to intensify intelligence gathering to prevent regrouping of private armed groups and dismantle existing ones. (SQM/PNA)