Mudslide kills one in Kalinga

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Disaster Response, Operation, Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) in Kalinga reported that a resident of this city was killed by mudslide during the height of the heavy rains spawned by an Inter-tropical Convergence Zone.

The DROMIC said that Leon Liagao, 70, of Brookside, Purok 6, Bulanao was killed when his house was buried in a mudslide at midday of November 4.

Liagao’s house located around 10 meters from the base of a 30-meter ravine was completely covered by mud and a coconut tree.

Neighbors said that there were actually two mudslides. The first hit the house but did not yet bury it while the second which came down with a coconut tree and a bamboo clump swept down and completely covered the hut.

The neighbors said that Liagao who was resting in his hut after making a canal for the water flowing down the ravine was recovered from the mudslide already dead.

The DROMIC also reported that eight families in Tabuk and 58 in Rizal town were evacuated due to the flooding brought about by the heavy rains. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., zzw

Caucasian foundling found in Tabuk City

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - A woman in Saudi Bulo, Bulo, this city had the surprise of her life when she came upon a baby girl on her yard early morning of June 30, 2010.

The baby which was wrapped in a blanket was lying in a basin. Also in the basin was a can of Bona milk, a purple colored feeding bottle, EQ diapers, a form which showed that the baby was vaccinated with Hepa-B vaccine on June 17 and a letter addressed to Mary (not her real name), the daughter of the woman.

The letter which was in Pilipino said she is leaving the child with her (Mary's) mother because she does not know her (Mary's) house. The letter-writer who signed as Your old friend explained that she got pregnant accidentally but decided to have the baby with the intention of giving the baby to Mary because she knows the latter has been married for sometime but remains childless.

The letter continued that Mary should not worry because she will never reclaim her daughter or even just come back to show herself to the child someday.

Because of the content of the letter, the woman brought the child to Mary who resides in Bulanao Norte, also this city, that same day.

The story of the founding spread like wildfire in Bulo and reached an agit-itik (one who herds mallard ducks) who is a native of Isabela. Right away, the agit-itik informed people back home about the find.

It so happens that nine days earlier, a relative of the agit-itik named Proceso and Nora de Guzman lost their newly born baby girl at the Rosario National Hospital in Santiago City, Isabela.

The baby girl was allegedly spirited away by an unknown person on June 21 or six days after it was born in the same hospital.

Thinking that the founding in Bulo was their missing baby, Proceso reported the matter to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) which promptly sent a team to this city to retrieve the baby and restore her to her parents.

According to Social Welfare Officer Eusebia Edduba of the Tabuk City Social Welfare and Development Office, Mary refused to give the baby to the CIDG but agreed to take the baby to the Philippine National Police (PNP) station in Bulanao for proper recording in the blotter.

Edduba said that since Proceso could not show proof that the baby belongs to him, it was agreed among the police, the CIDG team and social workers present that the baby be brought to Reception Study Center for Children (RSCC) in Solana, Cagayan pending disposition. The RSCC is a facility for children run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The baby is still at the RSCC as of this writing.

In an interview on July 15, Mary told the ZZW the baby could not possibly be that of the de Guzmans because their baby is dark and has thick curly hair while the foundling has light skin, brown hair and bluish eyes.

She added that according to the de Guzmans themselves their baby has underwent complete BCG vaccination but on the other hand, the foundling does not have needle marks for BCG vaccination.

The relatives of the de Guzmans who took care of the baby at the hospital also said that their baby had a big mole on her back but there is no such mark on the back of the foundling.

The mother admitted that their baby has long fingers. Miracle (the name she has given to the baby) does not have long fingers. They also said that their baby was not confined but mine must have been confined because she has dextrose needle marks, Mary said.

She claimed she has no idea as to the identity of Your old friend.

In a phone interview, RSCC center head Maris Jamor confirmed that although it is too early to say if indeed she is a Caucasian the eyes which are bluish do look like they belong to a Caucasian.

She added that they cannot still take cognizance of the desire of Mary to adopt the baby because of the pending claim of the de Guzmans.

We are still waiting for them to submit proof that the baby belongs to them. In the meantime, we have petitioned the court for protective custody of the child pending the determination of her parentage, Jamor said. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., ZZW

SLCB inaugurates new building, Bishop Andaya celebrates anniversary

Seven years ago today, July 16, 2010, the Most Rev. Prudencio P. Andaya Jr., CICM, D.D., Apostolic Vicar of Tabuk, celebrates his Seventh Episcopal Ordination Anniversary with a fittingly low profile festivities. Coinciding with the anniversary celebration this morning is the inauguration of the new building of the St. Louis College of Bulanao in spite of the fact that there are still a lot of minor works yet to be done. Such a new edifice is symbolic of seven years of human toils.

As he celebrates his anniversary, Bishop Andaya, who is concurrently the College President, led the inauguration ceremonies by saying first a Holy Mass at the St. William's Cathedral, which started at about 8:00 A.M.

Still inside the Cathedral just after the Holy Mass, there was a short multimedia presentation whereby the major accomplishments of Bishop Andaya for the college were on the spotlight. His coming in 2003 to St. Louis College gave impetus and determination for the college to beat all odds thence, like a struggling knight who has found at last an oasis in the middle of the uncharted desert, begun to thread with renewed vigor. It is recalled that in 2003, after years of existence since the 60’s humbly contributing to the socio-cultural, economic and political dynamics of our society, persistent talks unfold in some circles that SLCB is going to be shutdown because of financial oddities being the major contributing factor.

After the presentation of accomplishments, everybody moved to the SLCB ground for the inauguration and cutting of the ribbon. Indeed, the building is a manifestation of “years of hard works and sacrifices”, says Fr. Sean Mejia, JCL, College Vice President, in his welcome speech during the inaugural program in front of the new building.

The event was attended by some priests, guests and visitors, faculty and staff of SLCB and St. William’s Academy, and of course the students.

Hoorah, congratulations indeed!

Kalinga broadcaster cheats death, slay try condemned

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - Jerome Tabanganay, 44, the hard-hitting announcer of the Radyo ng Bayan here, narrowly escaped death when he was shot at close range by an assassin as he was entering the radio station at Bulanao Norte shortly before 7 a.m. of May 15.

Tabanganay was reporting to the station for his program “Agenda” which airs from 7 to 9 a.m. when the attempt on his life took place.

Tabanganay told the media that as he was at the door of the station, a man approached him and asked his name. When he asked why, the man instead repeated the question.

Sensing danger, Tabanganay ran into the station and that was when the man opened fire hitting him behind the knee.

Although injured, the victim managed to take refuge in the engineering room of the station and would later go to the booth to call the police and the emergency health service for help.

Rescuers later brought Tabanganay to the nearby Almora General Hospital. Read more **By Estanislao Albano, ZZW

KARSA denounces religious groups involved in vote-buying

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Kalinga Apayao Religious Sector Association (KARSA) which consist of nine religious denominations in the province has denounced some clergymen and churches who it alleged took part in buying votes during the last elections.

In a statement, the outspoken religious group said that there were pastors who promised the votes of their congregations to individual politicians and party list groups in exchange for material considerations.

“They themselves spearheaded campaign sorties and some of them personally distributed money in exchange for votes. They themselves led their people to the road of perdition instead of leading them to the narrow gate of heaven,” the statement said.

In the same statement, KARSA also condemned politicians who bought votes saying that with their act, they just “displayed what kind of leaders they will be in the next three years.”

The group made it known that it does not condone these religious personalities and groups on one hand and candidates on the other likening them to “termites eating up the fabric and the moral foundations of our society.”

In an interview, KARSA Chairman Luis Aoas informed that one sect had received P10,000.00 from a partylist group and another P30,000.00 from a candidate for a provincial position.

He also said that one pastor who does not belong to the KARSA had violated the arrangement with a politician to give P500.00 to each member voter by reducing the amount to P300.00.

Admitting that some of those involved are members of the association, Aoas said that they will shortly meet to decide on what disciplinary action it will impose on its members who violated their policy and advocacy against vote-buying and other illegal and immoral election practices. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., ZZW

News flash: A gloomy day here at Bulanao

Barangay Bulanao, Tabuk City - At about 11:45 this morning there was a gun battle right there at the waiting shade located near beside the Mama’s Bakery or just in front of the compound of Saint Louis College, Saint William’s Academy, and Saint William’s Cathedral. The scene of the crime is also about 20 meters away from the white Carabao monument which is about 30 meters away from the newly built Police outpost. In short the incident took place about 50 meters away from said Police outpost.

There were a lot of people in that area that time who scrambled in every direction for safety. There were at least three slugs found, but according to witnesses there should be more. There were bystanders that were hit by stray bullets, one of whom is a female student who that time was taking her snacks in one of the stalls located at the Saint William’s Cathedral compound. One of the parties involved in the gun battle identified as certain “It-iti” of Barangay Nambaran was fatally wounded and was rushed by police authorities to the provincial hospital few minutes after the incident. The other parties involved who wore helmets were able to escape with their motorcycles and as of this time police authorities are still in hot pursuit operations.

Vote-buying in Kalinga scored, automation praised

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Aside from the remarkable advances brought about by poll automation, what stands out in the minds of some residents of this province regarding the last elections was the massive vote-buying which took place.

In the capital town, there are reports that the vote-buying binges of some politicians extended to the day of the election itself.

Grocer Paul Naoy, 55, of Casigayan, this city, told the ZZW the practice of exchanging votes for material things including cash should stop because it’s the children who will suffer as a result.

“The benefits of selling votes are momentary but the effects on the community are long lasting. Once a politician who has bought votes wins, he will always find a way to recoup his expenses through corruption to the detriment of the community,” Naoy said.

Manuel Onalan, 49, a resident of Bulanao, this city, and a cooperative officer, said that the mercenary character of politics in the province has become so pervasive that when he tried to recruit volunteers for Liberal Party standard-bearer Benigno Aquino III, those he approached asked how much they will be paid.

He continued that due to their level of ignorance, 80 percent of the Kalinga electorate are vulnerable to deception, gimmickry and material enticement by unscrupulous politicians.

“It is hard to eradicate the practice of vote-buying and selling unless we now start preaching and exemplifying politics of principles and action,” Onalan said.

On the other hand, all are agreed that automation has revolutionized the electoral process for the better.

Radio ng Bayan station manager Basilio Baluyan, 54, said that during past elections, the heat generated by the exercise was felt and vented through the airwaves.

“Complaints from politicians and their supporters used to inundate the station as though the media could make decisions on their complaints. This elections, aside from complaints about missing names in the voters’ list, so far we only had one candidate who came to complain about an alleged irregularity,” he said.

Mary Anne Buslig, 63, provincial election assistant of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), said that aside from the relative peacefulness and orderliness of the elections, automation also reduced the time for the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) to complete its task.

“In previous elections, it took us at least a week to complete the canvassing. In contrast, this elections, the winning provincial candidates were proclaimed less than three days after the elections,” the veteran of elections since 1984 said.

Buslig jestingly added that automation has emptied the electoral process of thrill.

“As a substitute for election officers who could no longer take the pressure of municipal canvassing, I am used to fear, nervousness and tension. All that is gone now,” she said.

Farmer John Doclan, Jr., 42, of Casigayan, claimed that automation has eliminated cheating when elections returns (ERs) are transported from the precincts to the canvassing center because now, ERs are transmitted electronically to the canvassing center.

He, however, said that the element of suspense is now gone from the electoral process as the results are revealed right away.

Rev. John Binbinan, 43, pastor of the Assembly of God of Dagupan Centro, this city, who monitored the goings on in the Tabuk Central School for the election watchdog Bantay Eleksyon 2010, is impressed by the speed of the process but said that due to the long queues, some voters failed to vote.

He said that he noticed some of the people who came in the morning when the place was jampacked go home and that he is certain some of them did not come back.

A practicing lawyer who does not want to be named observed that with computers taking over the counting of votes, the role of counsels in the electoral process has been drastically reduced.

He said that he declined the request to represent a candidate because he will only be watching the process “as you cannot object to a machine.”

He, however, warned that with automation making it hard to cheat during the electoral process, vote-buying will become even more rampant in the future.

“A vote will cost more during future elections because vote-buying will be the only way candidates could cheat,” he said. **By Estanislao Albano, Jr., ZZW

The winners

The following winners here in Kalinga were proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers at about 1:00 AM, May 13, 2010:

House of Representative:
Manuel S. Agyao (Incumbent)

Governor:
Jocel C. Baac (Incumbent Vice Governor)

Vice Governor:
Allen Jesse Mangaoang (Incumbent Mayor - Balbalan)

Provincial Board Members - District I:
1. Dave Odiem
2. Roy Dickpus
3. Chester Alunday (Incumbent)
4. Alfonso Canao (Incumbent)

Provincial Board Members - District II:
1. Gelacio Bongngat
2. Edwardo Sarol (Incumbent)
3. GKachay Claver
4. Ludar Luyaben (Incumbent Councilor - Tabuk)

Congratulations!

Local election results

Partial unofficial election results can be viewed here for those who are interested to know who will likely to win in the gubernatorial race in Kalinga.

In the presidential and vice presidential race, Erap and Binay respectively bested their opponents in this province.

It is very disappointing that huge sum of money and other goodies were distributed by the politicians all over the place.

11 dead in Kalinga, Isabela road accidents

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines  – At least 11 people were confirmed dead in two separate road accidents in Kalinga and Isabela over the past two days.

In Tabuk City, the capital of Kalinga, eight passengers were killed while at least 50 others were injured after a Lovely Mae mini-bus they were riding slipped off a bridge and plunged into a 25-foot deep ravine in Barangay Bagumbayan Tuesday afternoon.

Inspector Manolito Miyana of the Tabuk City police identified the fatalities as Christopher Cuesta, 24; Sheinalyn Cauilan, 19; Samson Aw-as, Jojo Bannuya, Yaya Pukyas, Ricardo Tamani, Francis Macley, and Boy Alonday.

Tamani was reportedly an enlisted man of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Gamu, Isabela.

Reports said the bus was negotiating a sharp curve leading to a bridge when it suffered mechanical trouble, causing the driver, a certain Joseph Maiyao, to lose control of the steering wheel. *Philstar Read more...

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El Niño worsens illegal fishing in Tabuk City

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Illegal fishing with the use of electric gadgets and explosives is rampant in the Chico River in Tabuk City with the illegal fishers openly going about their illegal activities as though these were not against the law.

The El Nino phenomenon has worsened the problem because it is easier to catch fish with these illegal means when the water is shallow.

The electric gadget which is referred to locally as koryente is powered by a 12-volt battery and equipped with two rods to one of which the net is fixed. Both rods conduct electricity to the water. Fish which come within the range of the power of the gadget are temporarily stunned enough for the fisher to catch them with the net.

A local fisherman who spoke on condition of anonymity estimated that as many as 100 fishermen using the koryente fish in a 15-kilometer stretch of the Chico River from Calanan, Tabuk City, to Magaogao in Pinukpuk, Kalinga during weekdays and there are even more during weekends when people go for picnics.

He said that many of these koryente fishers depend on fishing for much of their livelihood. Their wives sell their catch in the barangays or in the public market during market days.

The fisherman who admits that he also uses the koryente at times said that this method of fishing stunts and makes sterile the affected fish which get away but that on the other hand, it is a very easy and economical way of catching fish and that there are fish such as the “wading” which is considered a delicacy in the city but which cannot be caught by any other means but the koryente.

The fisherman also stressed that no matter the harm the koryente inflicts on the fish population, it is nothing compared to the devastation wrought by dynamite fishing which he says has become a common occurrence in the Chico River since the water started to drop in January.

He said that the usage of dynamite has caused the lower catch of fishers using nets and koryente since January. He added that none of the deep portions of the river from Calanan to Magaogao have been spared from the explosions of dynamites and that there are perhaps some of these portions that have already been dynamited several times since January. .

Bureau of Fish and Aquatic Resources provincial officer Joyce Ducyogen affirms the statements of the fisherman on the widespread usage of dynamite and koryente in the Chico River saying this is the reason she keeps telling barangay officials and residents wherever she goes of the bad effects of these methods of fishing and also has conducted trainings on the enforcement of anti-illegal fishing laws among the police and the army and barangay officials and tanods.

The problem, according to Ducyogen, is that barangay officials and police and army officers do not personally attend the trainings but send representatives.

Under the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA9147), the conservation and protection of fish and other aquatic resources is vested in the Department of Agriculture where the BFAR is an office.

She said that the common reaction from barangay officials is that it is hard to implement ordinances against illegal fishing because some residents depend on the koryente for their livelihood and that the light penalties imposed by the ordinances do not deter the illegal fishers.

She said that she is advising them to just confiscate the gadgets and burn them infront of their barangay halls to put some teeth to the laws against illegal fishing.

She admitted that the BFAR has yet to deputize barangay officials or tanods as fish wardens in Kalinga. Deputized fish wardens could arrest illegal fishers.

She quickly added that in the absence of deputized wardens, the police and the military are always there to take on the job of enforcing anti-illegal fishing laws they being the mandated enforces or anti-illegal fishing laws.

Tabuk City chief of police Chief Inspector Pablo Baliwag bristled at the insinuation that the police is sleeping on the job when it comes to illegal fishing in the city specially the Chico River.

He said that being the lead agency, the BFAR should organize and lead operations against illegal fishers as well as help the police with the prosecution of those who will be arrested.

He commented that he observed that illegal fishing cases seldom prosper in the province.

He stressed that unlike the BFAR whose only mandate is about fish and aquatic resources, the police is involved in more important tasks all geared towards the maintenance of peace and order in the city.

While Ducyogen and Baliwag could not agree on who really should spearhead the fight against illegal fishing, the Chico River and other bodies of water in the city are being threatened of permanently losing their fish and other aquatic inhabitants through koryente and dynamite. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW

“SC decision on 16 new cities a good precedent”

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The decision is a good precedent. Thus was the comment of a top official of this city on the decision of the Supreme Court reversing itself on the petition filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) against 16 new cities. This is contrary to the published comment of the LCP president and Mandaluyong city mayor Benhur Abalos that the recent decision was a bad precedent.

Vice Mayor Rainier Sarol, a practicing lawyer, said that “the decision is a very good precedent as it in fact clarified the issue on the constitutionality of the cityhood laws.”

“It is now made clear by the recent ruling that in passing upon the issue of constitutionality of a law, the concurrence of the majority of those who took part in the deliberation of a case is required,” Sarol explained.

Sarol is referring to the 6-6 vote on the second motion for reconsideration of the 16 new cities which eventually paved the way for the issuance of an entry of judgment on the case on May 21, 2009.

“It has always been the position of the 16 cities that the 6-6 vote on the motion for reconsideration requires further deliberation on the constitutionality of the laws. This is in accordance with the provision of the Constitution requiring the concurrence of majority of members who took part in the deliberation of a case involving the constitutionality of a law just like in this case,” Sarol said.

In its latest ruling on the case, the SC vindicated the position of the 16 cities when it said that the 6-6 vote then did not comply with Section 4 (2), Article VIII of the Constitution which requires that constitutional questions should be heard by the full court and decided with the concurrence of a majority of the members who actually took part in the deliberations of the case.

Regarding the allegation of Abalos that a second motion for reconsideration is “deemed illegal,” Sarol said that a second motion for reconsideration is only prohibited if it is not entertained by the tribunal “and in this particular case, the Supreme Court found merit in our second motion for reconsideration.”

“The court has the sole discretion whether or not to entertain the pleading,” Sarol said.

As for the comment of Abalos that the recent SC decision is sending the signal that an entry of judgment can now be opened, Sarol countered that it has always been the position of the 16 new cities that the decision of the court has not become final and executory due to the timely filing of a motion for reconsideration by the respondents.

Sarol also said that Abalos was way out of line when he asked where now will his city get the money to increase the salaries of its employees in compliance with the Standardization Law and also to fund its projects.

“The possibility that the capability of the LCP to pay the salary increases of their employees and to undertake projects will be affected by the recent decision of the Supreme Court is a non-issue because what is involved here is the constitutionality of the cityhood laws,” Sarol said even as he called on the LCP to now respect the decision of the tribunal that the cityhood laws of the 16 municipalities are constitutional. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW