The Weekly
Vanguard
For what is true, for what is just, for what is right!.
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
Photo courtesy of CIDG Reg. 8
Vol. 1, No. 4
P15
Suspected drug lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa’s lifeless body lies inside the prison cell at the Baybay sub-provincial jail, blood oozing from his chest where he was shot at point blank range The manner of his death has triggered a multi-agency investigation.
Killed for a reason By Jun Tarroza
Baybay City –Mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of Mayor Rolando Espinosa and Raul Yap last Saturday, November 5, 2016, have raised a lot of questions about the veracity of the official reports of the Civilian Intelligence and Detection Group (CIDG).
No one seems to believe in the story peddled by the CIDG, including top police and government officials who suspect a rubout no less. The CIDG team comprising 15 men arrived at the provincial jail at around 4:00 in the morning, But the jail guards refused to honor the request of the CIDG. So five of them and four other augmentation policemen were
disarmed and made to kneel down, after which the team barged inside the jail. Minutes later, gunfire was heard. “Silang dalawa ang nagpaputok sa operatiba natin at napilitan po yung mga operatiba natin na gumanti at ito po yung nagresulta na ikinamatay ng mga suspek (The two of them fired at our operatives and they were forced to shoot back, resulting in the death of the suspects),” said CIDG Region 8’s Supt. Melvin Marcos in a statement afterwards. The team accordingly found in the cell of Espinosa a sachet of shabu, a tooter, a plastic straw used as a scoop, a piece of tinfoil, a pencil case containing cellophane plastics, and 4 lighters. He was said to be armed. In the cell of the other victim, the CIDG said they found a cannister tinfoil, 15 sachets of shabu, 27 sachets of marijuana, and other paraphernalia. Like Espinosa, he was also said to be armed.
Dissenting But Leyte provincial jail warden Homobono Bardillon last Saturday related what he described as the final moments of Espinosa and Yap. Bardillon said the jail guards tried to prevent the CIDG team from entering the jail premises because no search warrant could be produced. “They heard gunshots fired inside the cell of Espinosa where the slain mayor was begging (for his life) from the CIDG operatives,” Bardillon said. “Ayaw gyud ko ninyo plantere, sir, wa ko armas nga gitago (Please do not plant evidence sir, I’m not hiding any firearms),” Espinosa was heard saying before gunshots rang out. Moments later, he lay dead, along with an inmate in an adjacent cell, Raul Yap. Likewise, the administrator of Leyte Provincial Jail Atty. Edgar Cordeño
(Go io p. 2)
Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, Region 8 police director: “No coordination.”
CIDG Region head Supt. Marvin Marcos: An independent operation
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Vanguard In Leyte
They are also in the list
Cong. Vicente Veloso
Gov. Dominic Petilla
Vice-Gov. Carlo Loreto
Board Member Matt Torres
Vice-Mayor Michael Cari
Former Albuera Mayor Sixto de la Victoria
If some of the names listed as drug protectors by slain drug lord Mayor Rolando Espinosa sound familiar, it’s because they are some of our elected public officials in Leyte. Leading the list here is 3rd District Congressman Vicente ‘Ching’ Veloso, a former associate justice and labor commissioner; Leyte Governor Dominic Petilla, his cousin Vice-Governor Carlo Loreto; another cousin, Baybay City Vice-Mayor Michael Cari; Board Mem-
ber Matt Torres, a brother of Congresswoman Lucy Torres-Gomez; and Albuera Kagawad Sixto de la Victoria, a former mayor. Veloso, Petilla, Loreto and dela Victoria have denied the allegations of Espinosa, while Cari and Torres have yet to issue their statements.. Among those mentioned are Senator Leila Delima, Police Generals Loot, Dolina, Espina and 22 other police officers, media personalities from Ormoc, a PDEA official,
and some civilians. The list was culled from a small notebook where the records of cash give-outs were noted down every time payments were made to the said ‘protectors’. The late Espinosa had signed a sworn statement where the said personalities were implicated prior to his arrest and incarceration at the Baybay City jail. His sudden death could possibly weaken the cases against the mentioned personalities, said Atty. Levi Baligod.#
A part of the affidavit of the late Mayor Espinosa
Nov 6 - 12, 2016 (From page 1) cannot accept that the inmates concerned were in possession of drugs or arms. He said on October 30, the guards conducted an ‘operation galugad’ inside the jail but they found none of the items reported by the CIDG. He also disclosed that the hard drive with data from the CCTV is gone, apparently taken by the raiding team. What was even more disconcerting was that the search warrant was only given to the warden hours after the actual search of the CIDG. The warrant was earlier obtained from Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of the Regional Trial Court branch 30 in Basey, Samar, about three hours away from Baybay in the early afternoon of Friday. While his agency will not file a case against the CIDG, Cordeño said he wants to make it clear that his office does not tolerate the presence of firearms, illegal drugs, cellphone, camera, all kinds of liqour and all kinds of bladed weapons inside the jail. The Baybay jail is under the provincial government, not the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. No coordination When confronted by the media, Chief Superintendent Elmer Beltejar, the Eastern Visayas police director, said the CIDG did not coordinate with his office when they carried out the operation. Beltejar’s statement echoed that made earlier by Chief Inspector Bella Rentuaya, regional police spokesperson, who said they knew nothing of the operation because it was “purely a CIDG operation.” Senator Ping Lacson, a former police chief, could not believe what he described “a very bad script,” that is the official version of how Espinosa had died. “I can’t understand for the life of me how a prisoner inside a prison cell could even think of fighting back
at police officers serving a warrant for his arrest,” said Lacson. It was a clear case of extra-judicial killing, he said. Reasons for the kill Meanwhile, questions have been raised as to who will benefit most from the death of Espinosa. To recall, the late mayor in his affidavit has implicated top government officials as ‘protector’. (See separate story in page 2) Seven of these are CIDG officials, aside from Senator Leila and three other generals. One of the CIDG official is PSupt Joey Masauding, the former CIDG-8 director. According to lawyer Levi Balgod, the case against these officials could weaken because of the absence of a live witness, although the paper trail left by the payoffs, like the notebooks and encashed checks, could still be used as evidence. Investigations In other police statements, PNP spokesperson Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said, “ this incident will undergo investigation to establish the facts and circumstances surrrounding the incident. The Regional Internal Affairs Service 8 (RIAS8) will conduct its own investigation.” “Yun yung aming SOP, hiwalay sa investigation ng PNP-CIDG. IAS yung pinacoconduct para huwag mapaghinalaang bias tayo kasi yun naman yung mandato ng IAS na magconduct ng motu propio investigation whenever ‘yung mga police operations na ganyan ay may namamatay,” he added. CIDG regional head Marcos said they will be investigating the alleged noncooperation of jail personnel and how the two inmates were able to sneak in drugs and weapons. The CIDG team has been grounded and placed under investigation. #(With reports from Miriam Desacada and the Vanguard Research team)
RIAS officer in charge Supt. Victor Ongkiko during media chance interview at the CIDG office in connection with their investigation on the death of Espinosa and suspected drug lord Raul Yap
Vanguard
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016 in Calbayog City
Task force formed to solve pol killings
JTF CAGASMAS (Calbayog-Gandara-Sta. Margarita-Matuguinao-San Jorge) weekly assessment with task group commander Col Rosalito G Martires INF, (GSC) PA of 803rd Bde, Acting Provl Dir of SPPO PSSupt Elmer R Pelobello, COPs of CAGASMAS stations and other members of operating units and quad staff .
By Gina Dean Calbayog City – The city is getting the moniker “Killbayog” for a reason. Some 100 shooting incidents have occurred during the past eight months said to be perpetrated by members of private armed groups, and yet only 28 cases have been filed so far. And while 10 of the suspects have their faces posted in public places, not one has been arrested. Calbayog Chief of Police Marlon Quimno told The Weekly Vanguard in an interview last week that aside from Calbayog, the neighboring towns of Gandara, Sta. Margarita and Matuginao are included as places with killing incidents. But it is Calbayog that has the highest number of such incidents, numbering 38, followed by
Gandara, 11, Sta. Margarita, 9 and Matuginao, 3. The period covered is from January 1 to September 22, this year. He said a Task Force Cagasmas to represent the said towns and San Jorge have been formed to capture the suspects. The task force was created last October 11 in response to appeals by local politicians concerned with the situation. There seems to be a public perception that said killings were politically motivated. But Quimno was quick to deny this, saying of the 38 shooting incidents, only three involving barangay officials can be classified as ‘political’ because of their respective political leanings. “Based on our investigation, the victims and the suspects have personal differences because they are political opponents. There
was no information linking the suspects to politicians in higher office,” Quimno said. He also admitted the difficulties the task force is facing. One of these is getting the cooperation of the community. He said they cannot file cases in court because nobody wants to testify. Thus, linking the killings to political masterminds is almost impossible due to the difficulty of getting concrete evidence. Headed by the 803rd Peacemaker Brigade of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, the task force is expected to adhere to the PNP operational procedures and rules of engagement and respect for human rights and international humanitarian laws. All chiefs of police are expected to provide personnel in the conduct of operations in their jurisdiction. #
Merida is drug-free After over four months of operation “Tokhang”, a police officer claims Merida is now a drug-free municipality in 4th District of Leyte (Town population: 27, 224), although Mayor Marcos Antonio D. Solana has his reservations, saying “possibly.” Solaña said he has not heard about his constituents using or selling illegal drugs here. According to the police, they were able to stop the trans-shipment of drugs from Ormoc, Cebu and Palompon coming into town. Solaña added drugs can-
not penetrate neighboring town Isabel town because of the strong stand of Mayor Saturnino Medina Jr. against its presence in his town. The mayor said the Operation Tokhang has caused the surrender of more than 100 drug users and pushers. To date, only three pushers were arrested after they signed an affidavit of their wrong doings. After this, he has not heard of people peddling drugs in Merida. The police said they are monitoring drugs from other
Merida Mayor Marton Solaña places so that pushers cannot sell it here. Meanwhile, Solana also said he made
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2016 goal: Php32 M Isabel, Leyte - The Customs office in Isabel expects to meet its Php32 million targeted collection for this year from the three companies operating inside the Leyte Industrial Development Estate. In an interview with The Weekly Vanguard, Acting Port Collector Lourdita M. Tupa said from January to October this year, her office has already collected P29,317,137, just 8.38 percent short of the target. The estate is home to three large industrial concerns: the HK Mining & Awards Inc., the Phil. Associated Smelting and Refinery (PASAR) Corp. and the Phil. Phospate (Philphos) Fertilizer Corp. Tupa said the Customs office in Isabel cannot collect taxes, tariff, and fees from the imported and exported products of the two heavy industrial firms. What they have collected are the charg-
es and fees from the by-products of the two companies that are sold domestically, such as slugs, gypsum, sulfuric acid, among others. She is optimistic that the P32 million target can be met, given their average collection of P2.9 million a month. But Tupa admitted that sometimes her office does not meet their monthly targets, as in the months of May and July when they were able to get only P1.7 and P2.3 million, respectively. However, the collections improved after the two plants, Philphos and Pasar, got rehabilitated from the damage sustained during the typhoon Yolanda in 2013. This year, Philphos came back on its feet to produce fertilizers, she said. As for smuggling in the port, her office is closely monitoring the facility so that no smuggling happens, she said. (By Jun Tarroza)
P1.5 B port complex soon to rise in Isabel Isabel, Leyte - A breakthrough in public-private partnership project of the administration of Isabel town Mayor Saturnino M. Medina Jr. is the planned P1.5 billion port complex of the National Dev’t Corp. (NDC. In an interview, Engr. Fabian S. Padayao of the Assessor’s Office here said the future port will be built through PPP by the NDC, a government-owned and controlled corp., which owns some 425 hectares of the Leyte Industrial Development Estate (LIDE). He said the port is a domestic one which will cater to roll onroll off vessels and container cargo ships, with a shipyard and fishport. He said the port will have two booms to load and unload containers from and to the ships. It will occupy 16 hectares along the coastal area at Sitio Pingang, Brgy. Matlang in this town. Although the project will affect a private port operations there, it will eventually benorganizational changes of his administration, such as filling up vacant department head positions in the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, General Services Office and Agricultural Service Office. The vacancies should be filled up as this is one of the score cards if Merida is to obtain a seal of good housekeeping, an award for good governance given by the Department of Interior and Local Governmentt. (DILG). (By Jun Tarroza)
Engr. Fabian S. Padayao efit the private port as it is presently renting a lot in the NDC area. According to Padayao, the project is expected to boost the local economy, but he did not explain how. He said Mayor Medina has agreed in principle to go on with the construction of the project starting next year, but there would be more meetings to discuss and approve site development plan, and that will include the plans of investors. (By Jun Tarroza)
Housing...from p. 9 Biong said he wants to be “personally on top of the listing of beneficiaries” and take responsibility for any criticism that might happen. He said, being on his last term in office would free him of suspicion of politicking. Rina Reyes of Katarungan said there should be a national agency that will be on top of the situation, a body similar to OPARR but with teeth, a central body that can call meetings and censure agencies that are not doing their job.#
Vanguard
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Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
Sueno orders probe on Espinosa slay
Disaster preparedness
Samareños turn to caves By Elmer V. Recuerdo MARABUT, Samar – Preparing for the next disaster, in many communities, is looking for the sturdiest building nearby where people can evacuate to when the need arises. But in a fishing community in this southernmost town of Western Samar, the safest refuge is its cave that has protected community members for centuries from wars, typhoons and other calamities. Ahead of its third anniversary, survivors of Typhoon Yolanda commemorated the disaster by conducting an evacuation drill in Tinabanan Cave, the designated shelter of the barangay of the same name. This particular cave has saved villagers’ lives during the Yolanda, and the more recent typhoons Ruby and Senyang. On early October 28, a typical weekend, the sun was up and many men in the coastal village of Tinabanan were just mooring their boats from a nightlong of fishing when barangay leaders armed with a blaring megaphone asked the people to prepare their belongings and prepare for evacuation. Barangay Kagawad Erma Dejilla, head of the barangay’s disaster warning team, goes house to house to ensure that everybody is aware of the impending typhoon and give the command – to evacuate to Tinabanan Cave, like what they did in previous disasters and threats to their community. It was a drill to simulate how the community should prepare for an evacuation in times of calamities. Tinabanan Cave, like many other caves in Samar, has served as a safe refuge for thousands of residents and its forefathers for hundreds of years. It is said that during the Spanish era, the caves were haven of the resistance movement. During the World War II, the elders said they would run to the caves to seek protection whenever Japanese warplanes were heard approaching. Two days before typhoon Yolanda hit on November 8, 2013 Tibanan Cave was already teeming with residents of the barangay seeking shelter on what is considered as the strongest typhoon to make a landfall in modern history. At least 15 caves in Samar are known to have provided shelter during typhoon Yolanda. “Previous evacuation centers
were school buildings, day-care centers and caves around the area,” says Marabut Mayor Ely Ortillo. Bringing with them solar panels and lighting equipment, villagers trooped to Tinabanan Cave where a simulation of what to do in case of medical emergency also happens. Part of the drill involves lighting the main portion of the cave, the toilets and makeshift kitchen using the TekPak, a portable solar device capable of powering lights, mobile phones, and medical devices. Portable solar-powered electricity, like the TekPak, is currently being proposed to become an integral component in disaster preparedness programs and humanitarian work. In the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, many communities further suffered when they lacked immediate access to electricity or ran out of fuel to power their generators and light their kerosene lamps. “Our Yolanda experience three years ago taught us that access to better energy source is an urgent need in vulnerable communities. Renewable energy should become a vital component in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian work because it is easy to deploy and is not reliant on complicated logistics during disasters,” said Arturo Tahup, Project Coordinator of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC). ICSC is a policy group in the Philippines promoting low-carbon development initiatives, sustainable energy solutions and fair climate policy in vulnerable countries. The Institute has provided training on solar installations and trouble-shooting to hundreds of typhoon Yolanda survivors, including those from Tinabanan, under its Solar Scholars program which aims to turn Yolanda survivors into first responders in times of disaster. ICSC is also involved in providing renewable energy in off-grid island communities of Samar. The evacuation drill was organized by ICSC, in partnership with the local government of Marabut, Food for the Hungry, and other civil society organizations. In Barangay Suluan, an island barangay in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, where typhoon Yolanda first made a landfall, ICSC has provided solarpowered street lights that benefit the whole island.#
DILG Sec. Mike Sueno Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael ‘Mike’ D. Sueno today directed the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) to conduct a parallel investigation on the alleged shootout incident at the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail which led to the death of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and Raul Yap last Saturday morning. Sueno said the NAPOLCOM has the legal and moral ascendancy to initiate its own probe on the Baybay City jail incident to determine the culpability of the concerned police officers, considering that it is the agency mandated to exercise administrative and operational supervision over the Philippine National Police (PNP). “While the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) has automatically started its own investigation, it is still necessary for NAPOLCOM to get into the picture to lend integrity and credibility to the probe,” he said. The DILG Secretary said that
while he has no doubts with the PNPIAS led probe, the public might not trust the results of an investigation which is conducted as well by policemen. Under the law, NAPOLCOM is mandated to conduct pre-charge investigation of police anomalies and irregularities and summary dismissal of erring police officers. “NAPOLCOM should make this (probe) as their top priority. We have to know what really transpired on that day. We owe the family of the slain inmates and the public a factual and detailed account of the incident,” said Sueno. He said there are many questions that are left unanswered. “Was there really a shootout? Was there coordination with the regional and provincial police offices? Why was the search warrant hastily served too early on a Saturday morning?” Meanwhile, the PNP-IAS Headquarters (IAS HQ) and Regional IAS 8 have been working for the initial motu-proprio investigation of the incident in Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail. IAS HQ has requested both the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Headquarters and CIDG Region 8 office for the names of at least 15 operatives who were involved in the operation. RIAS 8 has also conducted an ocular investigation in said jail. The process of obtaining affidavits is ongoing, as well as the review of relevant documents to determine possible violations of Police Operational Procedures (POP). Last Saturday, Espinosa and Yap met their death during an alleged firefight with the police who were serving a search warrant at the Baybay City Sub-Provincial Jail. #
Forester Alejandro K. Bautista
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer
CENRO, Baybay City
Supports the Campaign for Climate Justice
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Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
5
3 years after Yolanda
Tacloban: Biz in full swing
The presence of s shopping mass enjoying patronage from the locals, a sure indicator of the business outlook.
By Elmer V. Recuerdo TACLOBAN CITY – Business in the city is already in full swing almost three years after the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda, but many businessmen are treading on a tight rope of survival because of maturing debts. Establishments are sprouting in different parts of the city, taking advantage of the potentials to do business in the city, the regional hub for trade, commerce and education in Eastern Visayas. When two branches
vestors,” she said in a press conference marking her first 100 days in office. “It is not enough that they see a good feasibility study, they should also see a business friendly city otherwise they might get turned off,” she said. The city government has created the Tacloban Business Council that is tasked to create a roadmap for business expansion in the city. Recently, the city hosted Tacloban Business Investment Summit inviting representatives of national and international business companies to explore potential
Tacloban through San Juanico Bridge,” said. Valenzuela said Tacloban’s 250,000 populations reaches as much as 900,000 during day time because of students, workers and people who have transactions to do in the city. “This is a big potential market,” she said. On the edge of peril But while new businesses are making a boom in the city, many homegrown businessmen who were caught by typhoon Yolanda are in a tight fix. Their problem: ma-
“It is not enough that they see a good feasibility study, they should also see a business friendly city otherwise they might get turned off.” of grocery chain Puregold opened in September, hundreds of people waited outside for the stores to admit customers. The same enthusiasm is expected when Robinsons chain of mall opens its second branch in the city soon. The hotel industry is also seeing the business potential as the number increased from 41 before Yolanda to 73 as of the last count. Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez credits the boom to the “businessfriendly” attitude of the city government. “We are doing our best to eradicate red tape, expedite the approval of business permits, and appear business friendly to in-
areas for investment. One huge potential to do business, she said, is on the cluster of underdeveloped northern villages of the city where 15,000 families currently living along high-risk areas will be relocated. “We have a long way to go,” she said. For 87-year-old Bernardita Valenzuela, a childhood friend of former first lady Imelda Marcos and the city’s information officer, the advantage of Tacloban lies in its strategic location. “Business is all about location. Tacloban is at the center of the center of Philippine archipelago. There is no land trip from Manila to Davao that will not pass by
turing debts. When typhoon Yolanda struck on November 8, 2013, neighborhood mini-grocery store owner Lito Esperas had just stocked his store with grocery items meant for Christmas out of a loan from a credit cooperative. So when the storm blew his store and washed out all its content, Esperas thought it was the end of all that he worked for. “It was as if my world crumbled. I was deep in debt and I have no other source of income aside from relief that we were receiving from different international organizations,” he said. Through some cash assistance from different international organizations
like Tzu Chi Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development and other United Nations bodies that did relief and rehabilitation work in Eastern Visayas, Esperas was able to slowly put back his business, now even bigger that it was before. “I was able to restructure my loan and get additional loans from different government programs. Business is good but there is debt that swings like a sword over my neck,” he said. Businessman and local politician Wilson Uy, on the other hand, said that while business is back it is not yet in full swing. “My estimate is we are only 60 percent of full recovery,” she said. Uy, who is also the president of Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Tacloban-Leyte chapter, said most businessmen are still in debt. “Economy is moving and there is money flowing in Eastern Visayas because of aid coming from different nongovernment organizations,” he said. Like most other businessmen, Uy said he was able to put back his gasoline business through loans. He said his mother company, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, was able to provide a loan facility for his gasoline business. The Department of Trade and Industry also provided a loan program for small business corporation to fund his other businesses. He laments, though, the slow release of funds form the government to help small and medium enterprises. “We are still awaiting those intended funds like the P2Billion grant from German government for micro financing,” he said referring
to Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (“Reconstruction Credit Institute) – Interest Differential Fund for Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda. He said through the request of the Department of Finance, the German government has allowed a portion of KfW as a credit support fund for Yolanda-affected businesses to recover. The Commission on Audit, though, has recommended the termination of this program and the reversion of the remaining amount to the general fund due to mismanagement of the Land Bank of the Philippines. The Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry has asked the assistance of the Regional Development Council to object the COA decision and make representation with the German government and the Department of Finance “to allow the use of the funds as originally intended…as a credit support fund.” In a letter to RDC, Uy said the COA decision “is a big blow to the local entrepreneurs of Region VIII and the business community as a whole.” “The government has allowed the mismanagement of the fund to the detriment of its intended beneficiaries who were in dire need of much needed to rebuild their businesses from the devastation of Yolanda,” he said in his letter. Uy said, in an interview, that KfW funds could help local businessmen exit from the high interest they are paying on existing loans through “lesser interest rates or no interest at all” offered by KfW. “It will also help extend the maturity of our loans,’ he said.
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Effects of climate change on RP
OPINION
H
Editorial
Who planned his murder?
T
he past week was a fast one as we were treated to a one-act play that was so unbelievable that no one in his right mind would swallow it. We have seen lots of movies of how assassinations are done, but the killing of Mayor Rolando Espinosa at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay City was a bad script. Not that we agree to his dying this way, but to make us believe that he was killed because he fought back with his own gun is an insult to common sense. Nobody believes it, that even top police and government officials want an investigation done. Even provincial jail officials are saying it can’t be true that guns were inside the jail. They had just finished operation galugad, and all they found was a cellphone borrowed by Espinosa from another inmate. But the CIDG insisted the cells occupied by Espinosa and Yap were teeming with drugs, paraphernalia, and each was
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
armed with a gun. So they secured a search warrant from Basey Samar, of all places, and served it at 4:00 in the morning – to surprise the two inmates. Like men possessed with new-found authority, the CIDG team disarmed the jail guards and four other cops on duty, telling them to get down on their knees facing the wall, as the team barged inside the jail, brandishing their guns. Moments later, they heard the mayor begging for his life, and the gun shots that followed. Unnamed witnesses have come forward to say there was no firefight. The raiding team would later present the items they found – or planted – and declared that the two fought back. The oftrepeated ‘nanlaban’ to justify the killing. It is pointless to argue against the CIDG’s claim that it was a legit operation, even with all the questionable circumstances at hand. Everybody, save of course the CIDG, believes it was
a rubout. Now the question is, why the desperate move to silence the mayor permanently? Murder always has a motive. In a high-profile killing like this, it is the fulfillment of a purpose more important than the life of Espinosa or Yap. A few days earlier, Espinosa signed an affidavit listing the names of top police and government officials, civilians and three local media personalities as ‘protectors’. The list was based largely on a small notebook where the names were hastily written each time the drug lord handed some amounts to their patron, like vendors keeping track of their debtors. Any of those on the list could have planned with or used the CIDG to kill Espinosa and Yap. Note that seven of those in the list are CIDG men, and one a former regional director of the agency. We are not saying they are part of this. We are just opening avenues for exploring the probables. #
The Weekly Vanguard
is the Eastern Visayas weekly newspaper published by The Vanguard Communications and Publishing Corporation, with its main office at Brgy. 95, Diversion Road, Caibaan, Tacloban City. Publisher: Bong Contapay Business Manager: Rey Enales Editor: Emil B. Justimbaste Associate Editor: Elmer V. Recuerdo Columnists: Prof. Rolando Borrinaga, Phillip Ting, Fr. Virgilio Cañete, Eric Aseo, Jun Portillo Writers/Correspondents: Miriam Desacada (Tacloban), Gina Dean (Samar), Jun Tarroza (Ormoc), Production staff: Emilio Bacoto, Sergio S. Canoy Jr., Christian RayTorres Asprenio G. Ladim Email Address: theweeklyvanguard@yahoo.com Telephones: (053) 888-0947
aiyan, Thelma, Ike, Fengshen, Washi, Durian, Bopha, Trix, Amy, Nina. These are the 10 deadliest typhoons of the Philippines between 1947 and 2014. What’s alarming is that five of the 10 have occurred since 2006, affecting and displacing thousands of citizens every time. Seven of these 10 deadly storms each resulted in more than 1,000 casualties. But the deadliest storm on record in the Philippines is Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Typhoon Yolanda, which was responsible for more than 6,300 lost lives, more than four million displaced citizens and $2 billion in damages in 2013. So what’s going on—is the Philippines simply unlucky? Not exactly. The Philippines has long been particularly vulnerable to extreme weather. But in recent years the nation has suffered from even more violent storms like Typhoon Haiyan. On average, about 20 tropical cyclones enter Philippine waters each year, with eight or nine making landfall. And over the past decade, these tropical storms have struck the nation more often and more severely, scientists believe, because of climate change. In addition, two factors unique to the Philippines—its geography and development—have combined to exacerbate both this threat and its devastating consequences. As Climate Reality heads to Manila, Philippines on March 14-16 for our next Climate Reality Leadership Corps training, we wanted to take a deeper look at how climate change affects the Philippines and the role geography and development play in making a tremendous challenge even greater. Geography
The Global Climate Risk Index 2015 listed the Philippines as the number one most affected country by climate change, using 2013’s data. This is thanks, in part, to its geography. The Philippines is located in the western Pacific Ocean, surrounded by naturally warm waters that will likely get even warmer as average sea-surface temperatures continue to rise. To some extent, this is a normal pattern: the ocean surface warms as it absorbs sunlight. The ocean then releases some of its heat into the atmosphere, creating wind and rain clouds. However, as the ocean’s surface temperature increases over time from the effects of cli-
mate change, more and more heat is released into the atmosphere. This additional heat in the ocean and air can lead to stronger and more frequent storms—which is exactly what we’ve seen in the Philippines over the last decade. The Philippines also lacks natural barriers; as a collection of more than 7,000 islands there is almost nothing standing between them and the sea. In addition to their coral reefs, one of the best buffers against typhoons are the Philippine mangrove ecosystems. These mangroves help mitigate the impact of storm surge and stabilize soil but have disappeared by almost half since 1918 due to deforestation (an issue for another day).Other natural factors, like regional wind patterns or currents, can also increase the risk of tropical storms. Geography again plays a role here, as these factors affect different areas of the country differently, due to their unique circumstances. The graphic below from a report by the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources shows how the various regions in the Philippines can face a range of climate threats, based on where they sit on the map. The map also shows the regions most vulnerable to sea-level rise, another detrimental effect of climate change that can be exacerbated by the storm surge from tropical storms. Sea levels in the Philippines are rising at about twice the global average. And when especially strong storms like Typhoon Haiyan make landfall, this higher sea level contributes to storm surge that can rise upwards of 15-20 feet, displacing thousands or even millions of citizens in coastal communities. Which brings us to our next topic: development in the Philippines. Developmental factors have made it difficult for the Philippines to prepare and respond to disasters. Evacuation plans, early-warning systems and shelters are critical to dealing with extreme weather events. Warning and relocating thousands or millions of citizens when a storm is approaching would be a massive hurdle for any country—and in the case of a developing nation like the Philippines with nearly 100 million citizens spread out across thousands of islands, the hurdle becomes bigger still. (http://www.ecowatch.com/how-is-climatechange-affecting-the-philippines-1882156625.html)
OPINION Vanguard
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
Vintage View
By Prof. Rolly Borrinaga
The turtle’s fault
O
f course, most of us are familiar with the fable “The Monkey and the Turtle.” Even Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, was known to have made comics illustrations of this fable for a young relative. The fable as we know it now has the Monkey always trying to trick the Turtle. But somehow the Turtle always ended up outwitting his supposedly wiser adversary. The Turtle’s victory over every imaginable adversary is a common theme of folklore all over the world. This is linked to the universal belief that mankind sympathizes with the oppressed and the disadvantaged. However, it is not well known that the earliest version of “The Monkey and the Turtle” fable in the Philippines was recorded in 1668 by Father Francisco Ignacio Alcina, a Jesuit missionary priest who spend much of his life serving the Leyte-Samar region. Fr. Alcina immortalized our re-
gion, the original Islas de Bisayas, through his manuscript. The main difference between the fable that Fr. Alcina recorded and the current version is in the perspective. The early Bisayans had it that it was the Turtle who always tried to trick the Monkey, until the Monkey inflicted his righteous revenge. The perspective of the current version is exactly opposite the old one. Bisayan version The old Bisayan fable went this way: The Turtle and the Monkey found by chance a sprout of banana plant they called sahaan. They fought over who would take the best part. In order to deceive the Monkey, the Turtle asked for the part that had the leaves. This part seemed best for the Monkey, who was allowed to keep it. The Monkey in turn gave the Turtle the part with the root, which was what the Turtle actually wanted because it is what sprouts,
grows and bears fruit. But the Turtle gave signs of wanting the opposite so that the Monkey would let him (Turtle) get what he wanted, which was more profitable. Eventually, the piece of stalk that the Monkey gave to the Turtle sprouted, grew and bore fruits. The Turtle, since he could not climb up and get the fruit, went to find the Monkey and asked him to climb and get the fruit. The Monkey did this gladly and, once seated above, he began to gather the bananas and ate them. The Monkey threw all the peelings to the Turtle down below, a revenge for the first trick he received from the Turtle. The original lesson intended by the fable was this: A man of intrigues and plots was likened to the Turtle, whose intestines have many twists and turns. Though small, the Turtle supposedly knew a lot, since he was able to trick the Monkey, who was supposedly larger and wiser. Anyway, the Monkey eventually got his revenge. And when somebody gave another fellow the worst part, the early Bisayans would say the treated him like a Turtle (and justly so). Sadly, the world has turned upside down on us since 1668. In a world of Monkeys and Turtles, the old Monkeys have become the modern Turtles. And they seem to be proud and righteous to have become so. No wonder we have become a society of born-losers.#
Samar breeze By Eric Aseo
Earning from carabao’s milk Eastern Samar farmers we brought to the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) at the Visayas State University were surprised when they first had a taste of carabao milk. They never thought carabao milk, pure or flavored, would taste that good or would sell that fast. They couldn’t also believe it has more protein content than cow’s milk or even mother’s milk. The carabao is often taken for granted in the Samar provinces. Only when a draft animal is needed to till the soil, or when meat is needed for festivities, or when a child in Manila calls up because school fees are due, do many families in Samar remember the lowly carabao. It never occured to us that the animal can help fight malnutrition or provide long-term income to farmers. But the young mayor of Llorente, Daniel Boco, saw opportunity for his people in the carabao, which teems in
his municipality. When he learned the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and People in Need (PIN), a Czech NGO, were artificially inseminating carabaos in his barangays, he immediately forged a partnership with them. The municipal government of Llorente, PIN and PCC are now poised to go into milk production. To date they have already artificially inseminated 68 carabaos in five barangays. Around three hectares of forage grasses have been planted. Organizing of carabao owners and construction of communal shed and milking parlor are also ongoing. Within the month, PIN and the municipal government will provide 10 cross-bred female carabaos, while PCC will provide a bull. Some 111 farmers in Llorente have already been trained in carabao health management, pasture development, milk collection
and silage-making. Next week the partners will send delegates to the National Carabao Congress at the PCC National Heaquarters in the Science City of Munoz, where they will learn more about raising carabaos, milk production and processing of milk products. The initiative looks relevant if viewed in the context of Eastern Samar. The province is the second poorest in the country, next only to Lanao Sur. Not surprisingly, the percentage of underweight children is high at 10.79 percent. Against this context, Llorente can position itself as future source of carabao milk for Eastern Samar and even for Samar province, which has an even higher malnutrition rate at 18.89 percent. The municipality can help reduce child malnutrition in the two provinces. Llorente farmers of course will earn from cara-
7
Voices ByJun Portillo
I
Life is precious
wish I never married you!” our neighbor Rosa (not her real name) shouted to her drunk and violent husband. She shouted again. This time, she shouted for help. She married a really bad man. He didn’t care if there was food on the table. He didn’t care for his family at all. Neighbors were always wary whenever he was around. He easily quarreled and always had a pisaw (small sharp knife) tucked on his body. One day, the inevitable happened. Rosa’s husband killed a man. It was gruesome. He hacked the man with a double-blade sansibar. A court sent him to prison for life. In prison, he quickly joined gangs and illegal activities. They attempted to escape where he was shot and caught. He recovered and mellowed down. Then he got sick. The liver disease made him so thin and helpless. That was the time he began to change. He became a completely different man, the opposite of who he once was. For his sickness and good behavior, he was included in the list of those granted pardon. He arrived home but was no longer a threat to his family and neighbors not only for his physical condition but also because of his kind and peaceful character, so far from the person we knew before. Rosa told my mother that her husband regretted all the bad things he had done. She and the children forgave him. He had many good plans for his family once healed. His wife took care of him but he did not heal. He died in bed with family and friends weeping around him. He died in peace. He died knowing he was forgiven.
That will never be the case for Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his family in the neighboring town of Albuera. Espinosa was charged with drug offenses. He was arrested in October and killed early morning on November 5. Espinosa was added to the list of 2,448 people killed in police operation or illegally executed as of September 1, 2016 according to count from Al Jazeera. That he was murdered inside prison under government custody by government forces is worth another article. Rosa’s husband, Mayor Espinosa and all bad people we know were not born that way. They changed. There’s always a possibility that they can change again to become better persons. It may take imprisonment for life. It may take total isolation from society. But as long as they’re alive, there’s hope. That’s why all life is precious. No one is too far gone until they are dead. Everyone can always turn around. Where there’s life, there’s possibility. No matter how bad it seems, they can still recover their humanity. Killing a drug offender will never result in peace for the family and for the community. It will never result in peace even for the murderer who believes he’s serving humanity. The most striking fact in the Senate testimony of self-confessed vigilante and Death Squad member Edgar Matobato was not that he’s admitted killing many people. It is the fact that he’s haunted for life for killing those people. We were not created to kill. We don’t have claws or fangs. Except for rare situations where we have to defend ourselves, we don’t need to kill in order to live. I wish we never learned murder.
bao milk. The farm gate price of milk is 80 pesos per liter and a native carabao can produce as much 2 liters per day, while a cross-bred one can produce as much as 6 liters per day. How much will a farmer earn very month if he has three milk-producing cross-bred carabaos? Do the math. It’s more than enough to send a child to college. With a national feeding program being launched by the Duterte administration, which will use locallysourced milk, the national government can become the biggest market of carabao milk for the farmers. House-
holds and local processors are also potential market. At the VSU dairy farmers’ coop, walk-in customers constitute a big chunk of the market for milk. If Llorente farmers go beyond production and add value to the milk by producing artisinal cheeses, ice cream and other milk products, they stand to earn more. The sales and taste of carabao milk already surprised them. They were even more surprised when they learned these possibilities. The farmers could only rue that information came to them this late. #
Vanguard
8
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
DPWH starts work on 2017 projects By Felix N. Codilla III
5 nabbed in buy-bust By Najib M. Cubio Hilongos, Leyte – Five suspected drug uses were nabbed by members of Hilongos PNP during an anti drug bust at Capt. Flordelis St, Brgy. Eastern in Hilongos Monday evening, last week. The suspects were: Jame Ryan Fuentes, 28 years old, single, and identified as a pusher; Ranulfo Torres Jr., 34, single and a member of the LGBT community; Harvey Nalangan, 32, single; his
live-in partner Marie Cris Cayunda, 28, residents of the said place; and Regie Abelis, 38, single and a native of Sogod, Southern Leyte. Hilongos Police Station Chief Alberto Renomeron said that one of his police officers, PO3 Roland Pakiding, acted as poseur buyer who bought one piece of shabu from Jame Ryan Fuentes. But Fuentes sensed that he was transacting with a police officer. So he hastily went inside the house of Maricris
Cayunda, who was having a pot session with his live-in partner Harvey Nalangan in the sala. The police officers seized several drug paraphernalia, four sachets of shabu, 2 sachets marijuana, 500 peso bills marked money and 390 pesos from Regie Abelis. The five are currently detained at the detention cell of Hilongos Police Station. They all denied involvement in the illicit drug trade.#
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THE Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO) has begun the preliminary engineering activities and perfection of program of works for projects lined up for 2017. Projects costing P10 million and below were scheduled for bidding last month while P10 million above are scheduled to be bid-out in December. The goal is to implement all 2017 projects on January as soon as the General Appropriations Act will be approved and to complete the same before end of next year. “This is a challenge for all of us especially to our technical personnel to meet the target and output expected from them considering the number of projects that has to be undertaken by this office”, said District Engineer Lino Francisco Gonzalez. As of September 30, 2016, the office has attained 96% completion rate for 2016 projects. However, two proj-
ects worth above P50 million that are supposed to be implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office were downloaded to 4th DEO. These are the P128.215 million GaasQuezon Jr. road concreting which started on July and the P59 million widening of Anilao bridge due to begin this month. Both projects, located in Ormoc, dragged the office accomplishment down to 77.93% but still ahead of target by 1.18% nonetheless. The two projects had a slow start being within the election period and also due to the delayed approval of plans. To prevent recurrence of such delays, Gonzalez has written DPWH Regional Director Edgar B. Tabacon requesting that projects intended for Leyte 4th DEO implementation should be identified and downloaded as early as December 2016 so that its implementation will not be hampered.#
Athletes’ uniforms hit for no-show By Najib M. Cubio Hilongos, Leyte – As the Leyte Provincial Meet came to a close last Saturday, athletes, coaches, and officials from Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and Matalom are crying foul because the athletic uniforms intended for the meet were not distributed. The said officials who requested not to be named are saying that until the day before the end of the meet, they have not received their uniforms. They said the area manager Dr. Daria Malanguis promised them that prior to the start of the meet, their uniforms would be given. However, the promise remained a promise. “Until today the Provincial Meet is already over we have yet to receive our uniforms. Those used by the athletes during the games were their old uniforms of previous provincial meets. The jogging pants intended
for us, officiating officials,” they said. But when Malanguis was interviewed, she explained that the uniforms intended for the meet were not finished by the designated supplier. “The number of lacking jogging pants numbered 192, some 44 arrived. So the uniforms that were not given were converted into cash incentives for the gold medalist for 200 pesos each. There is only one supplier for all the seven delegations and our uniform (for Area V-B) is not that easy to do. Some jackets arrived, which exceeded our orders. The supplier admitted their fault. Until the financial statement is done, everyone is free to ask about it here in the office,” she said. Malanguis assured the public that nothing went to anyone’s pockets. She added that as soon as they finished their financial statement, anyone is free to ask about where the funding for the athletic event went to.#
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Vanguard
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
9
Post-Yolanda blues
Housing issues still hound survivors
By Elmer V. Recuerdo TACLOBAN CITY – The government housing project for families displaced by typhoon Yolanda three years ago is finally making a headway if the basis is solely on the number of houses that have been constructed. But conditions on the ground see a myriad of problems that if not addressed in the earliest possible time, the billions of pesos spent for them will mostly go to drain. One would just wonder what the local governments have done to address the plight of their constituents or the last three years. Data from the National Housing Authority (NHA) shows 205,128 families from 116 cities and municipalities that were affected by typhoon Yolanda have been identified for relocation because either there houses were destroyed or they are living on so-called “unsafe zones.” Some 117,203 families from Western Visayas have been identified by NHA as qualified for relocation in contrast to only 56,140 families that were identified for relocation in Eastern Visayas, which is the most-battered region by the super typhoon. The government has earmarked P59.77 billion to build houses for the typhoon displaced families. Among the criteria used in the selection of target beneficiaries include that the informal settler families (ISF) should be situated within the 40-meter “unsafe” zones of the local government unit, that the ISF has been validated by the local Social Welfare and Development Office, and the families should be located in coastal cities or municipalities and included in the Provincial Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Plan (PRRP) as submitted to the Office of the Presidential As-
sistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery formerly headed by Senator Panfilo Lacson. Each family has a budget allocation of P290,000 for the house and lot package with a 22 square meter house that can withstand up to 250 kilometers per hour of wind load capacity. The land development includes concrete roads and drainage system, water pipeline distribution system, electrical distribution system and individual septic tank. Audit government housing project As of September 5 this year, barely three years after super typhoon Yolanda struck, only 11,618 houses or 10 percent of its target have been completed and 29,384 are considered as partially or substantially completed, as per record of NHA. Adding problem to this slow paced implementation is the complaint of some residents ranging from allegations that the houses are
thousands of his neighbors died during typhoon Yolanda. “I am a fisherman. The place given to me is far from sea and I have no other source of income. My family will die of hunger if we continue to live there,” he said. Local housing rights advocates, led by the Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners (CYSP), an alliance of 163 community organizations supported by 9 NGOs working in the forefront of Typhoon Yolanda response, are asking the government to provide basic services like water, electricity, schools and livelihood in resettlement sites. They are also asking the government conduct an audit on the housing projects to address the complaints. “The construction is very slow, and in some municipalities, construction of housing projects have yet to start. The need is for the government to immediately review ongoing projects in view of
Conditions on the ground see a myriad of problems that if not addressed in the earliest possible time, the billions of pesos spent for them will mostly go to drain. made of substandard materials to absence of amenities and livelihood opportunities at the relocation site. Fisherman Narito Cuesta, 42 years old, a resident of worst-hit San Jose District, is among the first few who transferred to a permanent shelter in northern villages of Tacloban. “The house looks beautiful on the outside but when it rains water leaks from the roof. You will also know that it is not sturdy because when you knock on the concrete wall it sounds hollow. There are already cracks on the wall,” he said. Barely two months at the permanent shelter, Cuesta is now back in San Jose where
survivors’ complaints of substandard construction, initiate an audit with survivors’ participation, and immediately provide a venue for consultation with survivors. Otherwise, precious government funds are going to be wasted,” Danny Carranza, policy and advocacy lead person of CYSP said. “Takot ang mga lilipat na mawawalan ng hanapbuhay, at ang lilipatan ay walang tubig, ilaw kuryente, at malayo sa paaralan, dahil malalayo ang ipinatayong housing projects,” said Fara Gumalo a survivor from Tacloban City who represents Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), a member of CYSP. “Kaya nga ang
nauuso ngayon ay from danger to death zone.” But if the problem in Tacloban is the lack of social services at the resettlement sites, Yolanda affected communities in Eastern Samar are asking if there will ever be a relocation that will be provided to them. Many municipalities have not yet identified sites to relocate families in high risk areas and the listing of beneficiaries have to be redone due to discrepancies between the NHA figures and the number of families that need to be transferred. Many residents are getting restless as they are not aware if there is any plan to relocate them, all they know is that the community where they lived from the start is now marked a “no build zone” and that sooner or later they will be asked to leave the place. “The people are kept in the dark. They don’t know what the plans are for them,” says Rina Reyes, project manager of nongovernment Katarungan-Eastern Visayas. “Where will we be relocated? What are our options? What exactly is the plan of the local government? These are legitimate questions that are not being answered,” says Lita Bagunas, president of
the land in Eastern Samar have no land titles while the titled lands are sold at exorbitant rates knowing of demand for resettlement sites. “It is difficult to find a titled land that is 4.5 hectares big where the 700 houses can be constructed,” he told the audience. He said some residents volunteered their land but more paper works have to be done like lack of records or the land size that not match what is in the land title. Biong also criticized some landowners who are taking advantage by jacking up the prices of their property. “We know that the land here costs only between P18-20 but now they are selling them at P150 – 200 per square meter.” In some areas in the town of Hernani, farm lands that qualify as resettlement area are sold to as much as P1,500 per square meter. He said many landowners are now dead and the heirs could not agree among themselves the price of the property and how they will divide money. Biong also admitted that no final list of beneficiaries has been done yet because he does not trust the list given to him by many barangay captains. “I don’t trust the
Giporlos Shelter Rights for No-Build Zone Federation, a groups from four coastal villages. She said the local government has to respond because decisions that will be done will have big impact to their families especially on their livelihood and education of the children. Giporlos Mayor Mark Biong admitted that until now no resettlement has been identified yet because of difficulty in looking for a site big enough to build the houses that will pass the requirement of NHA. Like many Yolandaaffected municipalities in Eastern Samar, many of the barangays are along the shoreline that are marked as high-risk areas. Also, most of
list. There are times when some who are deserving that are not listed, and some who are on the list that are not deserving,” he said. He said initial list submitted to him only covered 360 beneficiaries but he was able to convince National Housing Authority to increase it to 700. “We found some houses had two or three households under one roof. We will revalidate the list to be fair with everybody,” he said. “What we want to do is ensure first the housing project, all the departments to comply what need to be submitted, then we will start the assessment,” he said. He said the complete listing of beneficiaries can be accomplished in three months.
(Go to p. 3)
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Vanguard
Nov. 6 - 12, 2016
As we commemorate this 3rd Anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda, let us especially remember the children who have suffered the most from its onslaughts. For those who did not survive, let us offer our prayers! from
Gen. Danny D. Lim, AFP (ret) &
Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) & RAM Guardians Incorporated - Alakdan
Cucina de Amelia
Dealer & merchandiser of imported kitchenwares
Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Tagak, Carigara,Leyte.