Top E. Visayas cop calls for strengthening of seaports security

PALO, Leyte, July 28 -- The top official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas on Friday said illegal drug supply could still enter the region through its various seaports as it is surrounded by waters. 

“We have a long shorelines, but we have talked it out with the Visayas Cluster of the Regional Peace and Order Council how to strengthen security measures at the seaports and pre-empt the entry of these illegal drugs into Eastern Visayas,” PNP regional director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar said in an interview. 

As a police initiative, the PNP in the region is also strengthening its village intelligence network considered as the first line of defense against the proliferation of prohibited drugs in the community.

 Its members, primarily consist of village officials and village sectoral representatives having first- hand information about the members of the community. 

Earlier, the PNP in Eastern Visayas reported a huge drop of crimes since the President launched a war against illegal drugs when he assumed office middle of last year. 

Beltejar attributed the decline to the all-out offensive against illegal drugs in the past 12 months.

For several years, the region’s illegal drugs trade was primarily controlled by the Espinosa group. 

Meanwhile, Beltejar confirmed the immediate neutralization of new groups of illegal drug operators during the start of President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drug war last year. 

PNP Regional Direct Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar said the groups, breakaway from the high-value target Espinosa drug group, were starting to operate in Albuera and Kananga towns. 

However, the new groups were immediately “nipped in the bud” before their operations could start to flourish, Beltejar said. 

Arrests have been made on several of these identified illegal drug personalities, while others died during police operations. 

“These emerging groups were not as high value a target as that of the Espinosa group of Albuera town, and other targets from Northern Samar and Samar provinces which have already been neutralized,” Beltejar said. (Ahlette C. Reyes/PNA)

Catbalogan gov’t upbeat of airport dev’t

CATBALOGAN CITY, July 27 -- The city government here is optimistic of opening its airport for commercial operations after its appeal for improvement received attention from the central government. 

Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said in an interview on Thursday afternoon, that Undersecretary Ferdinand Cui, acting head of the Presidential Management Staff, has endorsed the project to Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade. 

Cui, a native of Catbalogan City, recently met with Uy-Tan to discuss about the proposed airport development plans. 

Officials from the City Investment and Promotions Office had initial talks with an airline company for possible opening of Cebu-Catbalogan route. 

Uy-Tan has already scheduled a meeting with residents of Buri Island, who will be affected with the proposed airport expansion project. 

“The city government is planning to meet DOTr Secretary Tugade to ask for a higher budget for the airport improvement project,” she added. 

Department of Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said there was public clamor to open the airport for commercial operations. 

Catbalogan City, the capital of Samar is two hours drive from Tacloban, the regional capital. The city is nearly two hours away from the nearest airport in Calbayog City. 

“Region 8 has many potential for aviation sector and that include Catbalogan City. There was a survey made and the result is there really a need for air connectivity from Catbalogan to either Cebu and Manila and we are trying to work on this,” said Tiopes. 

The government built the airport in Buri Island in 1995 for PHP57 million but the facility was never used commercially. 

In 2012, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines allocated PHP94 million budget for a five-year development of Catbalogan Airport. Activities include construction of parking area, perimeter fence, apron, runway and taxiway; runway extension; a fire station building; and additional security fence. (Roel T. Amazona, PNA)

DTI steps up info drive on ASEAN free trade

TACLOBAN CITY, July 27-- The Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB) is stepping up its awareness drive on Free Trade Area (FTA) to potential exporters in the countryside. 

The agency brought its information campaign session Thursday to this city to talk about the benefits of doing business under FTA among 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

The trade department has been leading the information drive campaign in different parts of the country to help business leaders, industry groups, and other stakeholders appreciate the concept of trade deals. 

“We need to maximize the existing benefit of FTA by imparting information on the opportunities to our stakeholders, especially our exporters,” DTI-EMB Assitant Director Agnes Legaspi said. 

Joining the Tacloban leg of information session are officials from government agencies and 22 exporters from the six provinces of the region. 

Among the topics discussed were registering businesses in exporting, accreditation processes, tariff classifications, and the rules of origin. They also held one-on-one mentoring with exporters. 

The ASEAN Free Trade Area is a trade bloc agreement supporting local manufacturing in all member states. (Angelica N. Royo, OJT/PNA)

Top cop says Reds still weak in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, July 27 -– A top regional official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the recent harassment by the New People’s Army (NPA) was all just for show as they were trying to project their strength. 

PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar said the armed rebels were incapable to launch major attacks or even fight back government forces. 

“The incident of harassment is alarming because it injured soldiers and policemen, but we are more than prepared to face them,” Beltejar said. 

The police regional chief backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to terminate peace talks with the communist rebels frustrated by attacks against government troops. 

“There are many violations committed by the NPAs, indicating that they are not sincere about peace talks,” Beltejar told reporters Wednesday night. 

He reiterated his call to all units to be on alert against possible attacks after two policemen were wounded when rebels detonated an improvised explosive device targeting a police patrol car at a national road in Jiabong, Samar on Wednesday. 

Police officers of Catarman, Northern Samar were heading to this city to attend a meeting when attacked around 12:15 p.m. in Jia-an village, Jiabong town. 

Samar police provincial director Supt. Nicolas Torre said about five NPA members planted the explosive to harm policemen. 

“When we responded, they just ran away and not attempted to fight back. This is just pure harassment since they have no capability to really fight back,” Torre said. 

Citing intelligence report, Beltejar said rebels in the region have not increased its numbers. “We know their real strength. They’re just launching attacks as a strategy to project that they are strong.”

The police has stepped up its security plan after the Communist Party of the Philippines asked its armed wing, the NPA, to launch “armed counteractions and offensives” across the country. 

The violent action is a protest against the five-month extension of martial law in Mindanao.(Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)

Rookie cop gets medal for fighting Samar private armies

TACLOBAN CITY, July 27 -– The Philippine National Police has recognized the bravery of a junior police officer who was wounded during a hot pursuit operation against members of private armed groups in Sta. Margarita, Samar. 

PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar pinned the medal to Police Officer 1 Ringy Boy Tomale of Catbalogan City at the latter’s hospital room in this city Wednesday night. 

Tomale was wounded in his left arm while chasing private armies on the night of July 23 in Lambao village, Sta. Margarita town. The lawless group were tagged as suspects in the killing of a farmer in Bahay village earlier on the same day. 

“Although one of our police was injured, the hot pursuit operation killed a private army and arrested two of his wounded companions,” Beltejar told reporters. 

“This is a major breakthrough against private armed groups. The two arrested persons have vital information and we expect them to tell us about their handlers,” he added. 

The police also recovered assorted firearms and ammunition during the operation. 

Tomale, who joined the police in 2013, thanked the PNP for the wounded personnel medal.

“I am more determined to help in any effort to disband all members of private armed groups in Samar. I want my home province to be peaceful,” Tomale said.

Last year, the government launched a crackdown against private armies in Samar in the bid to end election-related violence. The group is being used by some politicians to harass their opponents, according to the police. 

Recently, the PNP filed cases against large members of Deborbon private armed groups allegedly involved in the latest shooting incident. 

Major follow up operations will be done by the Samar police provincial office to hunt down identified private armies.(Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)

2 cops hurt in Samar roadside blast

TACLOBAN CITY, July 26 –- Two policemen were wounded when alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) detonated an improvised explosive devise targeting a police patrol car at a national road in Jiabong, Samar Wednesday noon. 

PNP regional police spokesperson Chief Insp. Ma. Bella D. Rentuaya said police officers of Catarman, Northern Samar were heading to this city to attend a meeting when attacked them around 12:15 p.m. in Jia-an village, Jiabong town. 

Wounded were Police Officer (PO) 1 Roan Ralph Sabanal and PO1 John Cervantes. 

“We are saddened that this incident happened. Clearly, this was part of a series of harassment of the NPA targeting government forces in the region,” Rentuaya said. 

“I could not say that NPA forces are getting stronger in our region because there’s no casualty on the side of the government.” 

The police have stepped up their security plan after the Communist Party of the Philippines asked its armed wing, the NPA, to launch “armed counteractions and offensives” across the country. 

The violent action is a protest against the five-month extension of Martial Law in Mindanao.

Rentuaya confirmed that there are some reported harassment against soldiers and police officers in the region since Sunday, but she declined to disclose details. 

“Our vulnerable police stations are being directed to always be on guard and not be caught off-guard. They really have to be alert,” she added. 

The police have been focusing in Samar provinces because of past incidents of rebel attacks. The remote villages in Samar have been tagged by government troops as hotbed of the NPA. Poor road network, poverty and low level of education are the major factors why communism thrives in Samar provinces. (Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)