Troopers in Mindanao back to Samar soon: DND chief

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Oct. 4  -- The four military battalions deployed to Mindanao will soon return to Eastern Visayas to help curb insurgency in Leyte and Samar Islands.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, in a meeting with members of the Samar Island for Peace, Prosperity and Development (SIPPAD) on Tuesday, said the Philippine Army will create 10 new battalions in Mindanao within the year.

“There was an imbalance in the past years because some of the troops were sent to Mindanao, but we were able to get approval from the President to increase the population of our soldiers with additional 10,000 more this year,” Lorenzana said.

The additional soldiers will form the 10 new battalions that will be assigned in Mindanao. Those military troops from other regions will be ordered to return to their mother units.

“They will return to help in maintaining peace and order in remote communities vulnerable to insurgency threats and help carry out development programs,” Lorenzana said.

In the past four years, the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar has sent four battalions to Mindanao to help address the spate of kidnappings perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf and fight Maute terror group in Marawi City.

These are the 63rd Infantry Battalion (IB), 34th IB, 46th IB from Samar provinces and 19th IB from Leyte.

Earlier, Samar province governors asked the government to consider strengthening the presence of military in remote communities to deter efforts of New People’s Army to regain lost strongholds.

In response, Lorenzana urged local government officials to take part in the campaign against insurgency.

“Village officials must be pro-active to prevent radicals in penetrating their area. If they see suspicious people in their communities, they should ask them about their intention and tell police or the military about their presence,” Lorenzana said.

SIPPAD is a group of non-political, multi-sectoral organizations headed by three Roman Catholic Church dioceses of Samar Island. (RTA/PNA)

Catbalogan heightens red tide watch

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Oct. 3  -- The city government has stepped up monitoring of shellfish trade here as red tide toxin continues to plague some bays in the province in the past five 

 weeks. A boy was reported to have died and others fell ill due to shellfish poisoning.

Aside from guarding the market, City Health Inspector Vida Lamadrid on Tuesday said they have 

been reminding residents on the risk of consuming shellfish due to red tide.

Since the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) raised the red tide alert in the region last month, at least six people in this city had been sent to hospital due to shellfish poisoning.

A six-year old boy died last month after eating contaminated mussel.

The victims are from the coastal villages of Papua and Bunuanan in this city. 

Lamadrid said that based on their investigation, the victims consumed shellfish harvested near populated communities in Irong-Irong Bay.

BFAR and the city government asked village officials to help enforce the shellfish ban, prohibiting people from harvesting, selling and eating shellfish.

“Through their community officials, all residents in the village would know if the bays nearby are still positive of red tide if in case they were not able to hear the news in the media,” Lamadrid said.

Symptoms of red tide poisoning include nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, tingling sensation or numbness in the mouth, headaches and dizziness, and trouble breathing.

As first aid, suspected victims are asked to drink coconut milk mixed with brown sugar to detoxify.

“But most importantly is to bring the victim to the hospital so that doctors can give them proper treatment,” Lamadrid added.

The bays of Irong-Irong, Maqueda, Villareal, Cambaatutay; and coastal waters of Daram and Tarangan, all in Samar province, are still found positive of red tide. 

The public is strongly advised to refrain from gathering, marketing, transporting, and consuming shellfish such as green mussels and oyster, and Acetes s.p. or “alamang” from the said bays.

Aside from bays in Samar province, other bays in Eastern Visayas affected by red tide toxin are Carigara Bay in Leyte and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar. (RTA/PNA)

PNP steps up internal cleansing amid cop’s suicide

PALO, Leyte, Oct. 2 -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here is unfazed on pushing for stronger internal cleansing drive even after a police officer tagged as one of the suspects in the killing of a robber, committed suicide.

Chief Supt. Gilbert Cruz said on Sunday that Police Office 3 Eleazar Terro allegedly committed suicide inside his house in Curva village in Ormoc City.

Terro is one the police officers allegedly behind the killing of 60-year-old Lorna Soza, a suspect in stealing a smart phone in Ormoc City last August 6.

His body was found hanging in his room tied with nylon ropes. The victim was brought to Ormoc District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival by doctors.

“The alleged involvement of Terro and five other cops in the shooting of Soza is now under investigation. All of them were earlier relieved from their post,” Cruz said.

All police officers, except Terro, reported to the police regional command for restrictive custody, according to Cruz. A murder case was filed against them on Sept. 22.

“Only his family knows why he committed suicide, but they want to stay silent on this issue. We will also investigate the case,” Cruz added.

The police regional chief, however, assured the public that the suicide incident will not discourage them to strictly enforce the PNP internal disciplinary mechanisms.

Cruz assured the public that everybody will be treated fairly and justice will be served against those who violated the law. (Jazmin Bonifacio/PNA)

Tacloban residents urged to use anti-drugs mobile app

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct 2 -- The city government here has urged residents to use the recently launched anti-illegal drugs, criminality and corruption mobile application to help improve the city’s peace and order situation.

Mayor Cristina Romualdez said on Monday the City Management Information System Division developed the application as a new mechanism to systematically report incidents related to illegal drugs, crimes and corruption committed in the city.

The system is dubbed "Mamayang Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamayang Ayaw sa Illegal na Droga Mobile Application" (Masa Masid App).

It was launched on September 28 to encourage community participation and empowerment.

“It is exclusively made for the highly urbanized city of Tacloban to protect and secure the identity of the person reporting the illegal activities in their respective barangays,” Romualdez told reporters.

The Masa Masid app, which can be downloaded by visiting the local government’s official site tacloban.gov.ph, serves as a hotline coursed through Tacloban's CCGR (Community Climate Guide Response) text alert system.

The CCGR processes the information and immediately acts by referring the report on illegal drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police (PNP); crime and terrorism to the PNP; and corruption to the Department of Interior and Local Government.

The program has devised a mechanism where individuals can report an incident without identifying themselves.

According to Romualdez, the app answers the fears of vigilant citizens. “Any villager without identifying himself or herself can report or describe the exact incident, what address or barangay and identify the culprit of the crime committed,” she said.

The mobile application using the CCGR alert system is expected to save many lives during emergencies.

The program is Tacloban’s fast communication response system to alert its constituents about weather conditions, especially if there is a typhoon, earthquake, or tsunami. Other icons tapped include police, fire, rescue, evacuation, and school classes.

The people of Tacloban can avail of the service by registering their mobile phone number. They automatically receive daily updates or alert warnings. (LAAA/PNA)

127 new soldiers complete training in east Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Oct. 2 -- The Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division (8th ID) has welcomed 127 new soldiers who completed their training on Monday at the Army Jungle Base in Fatima village, Hinabangan, Samar.

Army 8th ID Commander Maj. Gen. Raul Farnacio said in a statement sent to reporters Monday noon that out of 135 applicants, 127 completed the year-long training. 

“The soldier above all other men is required to practice the greatest act of rigorous and rigid training.

 Put emphasis on the sacrifices you have made and love your profession. What you are, inside or outside the camp, even if you are not in uniform, is the extension of you being a soldier,” Farnacio said. 

“To the 127 new soldiers, focus on your job. Help the national government in their effort in Mindanao and make us proud,” he added.

Of the 127 new soldiers, 81 are from Samar; 21 from Leyte; eight from Luzon; and 17 from Mindanao. In terms of educational profile, 23 of them are college graduates; 45 are college level and 59 are high school graduates with skills training from the Technical Education and skills Development Authority. 

Eastern Samar Acting Governor Marcelo Ferdinand Picardal was the guest speaker of the ceremony. He led the ceremonial entrustment of firearms, distribution of certificates and individual achievements.

 In his message, Picardal urged soldiers to fulfill their mission of providing protection and security to the Filipino people and to the country. 

“Today, we face the challenges more than ever and the issues of peace and security are being tested not only by internal conflicts but by external threats as well. Thus, our vision to develop into a progressive nation is getting harder to realize. We see therefore the urgent need to get the real and concrete peace development initiatives into action,” the governor said. 

All graduates are natural-born Filipino citizens, with 72 units in college, or with any certification of vocational courses, at least 18 to 26 years old, at least five feet tall, single and without a child; and of good moral character. (SQM/PNA)