ORMOC CITY-A high-value individual listed on the Philippine National Police(PNP-PRO-8) drug watch list and ranked No. 1 in the regional priority target list was apprehended by joint forces led by the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU) 8 during a buy-bust operation at approximately 10:24 pm on Wednesday, August 7, in Barangay Pawing, Palo, Leyte.
The arrested suspect was identified as alias “Ton,” 34, jobless, with a common-law wife, and a resident of said village.
Recovered from his possession was one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, purchased by an operative for P20,000.
During a body search conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, agents found 15 additional sachets of the same white crystalline substance, also suspected to be shabu, inside a sling bag worn by the suspect.
Charges for violating sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed against the suspect at the City Prosecutor’s Office. The suspect is currently detained in a locked-up cell at Palo municipal police station. (ROBERT DEJON)
TACLOBAN CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has apprehended Emmanuel ‘Weng-Weng’ Veloso, the alleged mastermind behind the 2019 killing of Levi Mabini, the former municipal administrator of San Isidro, Leyte.
Veloso was arrested by NBI personnel on Wednesday, August 7, at approximately 8:01 am while he was at his batching plant in Barangay Linao, San Isidro.
Veloso is accused of orchestrating the murder of Mabini, who was killed on May 8, 2019, in Brgy. Capiñahan, San Isidro.
Veloso’s arrest follows a warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 85 in Quezon City on April 2 of this year.
The case against Veloso was transferred to the Quezon City-based regional trial court by a Supreme Court resolution dated January 22, 2024, at the request of Mabini’s family.
The murder case was originally filed at RTC Branch 11 in Calubian, Leyte, which had also issued an arrest warrant for Veloso.
Veloso is part of a politically prominent family in Leyte’s third district, which has recently experienced a series of violent incidents involving barangay officials.
His sister, Juanita Veloso, was ambushed and killed on December 21, 2023, while driving in Brgy. Libongao, Kananga, on her way home to San Isidro.
Emmanuel Veloso is the brother of Mayor Remedio Veloso of San Isidro.
Mayor Veloso, who visited the NBI regional office when his brother was arrested, declined to comment on the situation involving Emmanuel. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
ORMOC CITY-A drug personality listed in the Regional Target List was apprehended by joint forces led by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) during a buy-bust operation at approximately 11 pm on Thursday, August 8, in Barangay 3, Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
PDEA 8 Regional Director Atty. Jacqueline De Guzman identified the suspect as alias “Tope,” of legal age, married, unemployed, and a resident of the same barangay.
Recovered from the suspect’s possession was one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, purchased by an agent for P500.
During a body search conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, agents discovered an envelope containing eight additional sachets of white crystalline substances, also suspected to be shabu, with an estimated total weight of 0.75 grams and a market value of approximately P8,000.
Charges for violating sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, were filed against the suspect who is now detained in the locked-up cell of the Balangiga municipal police station. (ROBERT DEJON)
Carlos Yulo’s extraordinary performance at the Paris Olympics 2024 has not only brought pride to the Philippines, but also reverberated across Southeast Asia. His remarkable success, underscored by multi-million-peso prizes, rewards, and incentives from a myriad of individuals, government and private organizations, and business firms, showcases the potential of Filipino athletes on the world stage. It’s a monumental moment in our nation’s history, exemplifying dedication, perseverance, and the rewards of striving for excellence.
As we celebrate Yulo’s achievements, we are reminded of the power of sports to inspire and transform lives. His journey from a young gymnast with dreams to an Olympic champion is a story that resonates deeply, especially with the youth who may be struggling in poverty.
Yulo’s success is a beacon of hope, illustrating that with determination, hard work, and the right support, even the most daunting challenges can be overcome. It is a reminder that sports can be a pathway to a better future, offering opportunities that go beyond the arena and into the realm of life-changing possibilities.
The accolades and incentives showered upon Yulo are not just a recognition of his skill and hard work; they are also a call to action for the nation. His victory should serve as a wake-up call for the government and private sectors to invest more in sports development. There is immense untapped potential in our youth, and with the right infrastructure, training, and support, many more Filipino athletes could rise to international acclaim. Yulo’s triumph is proof that our athletes can compete and succeed on the global stage, and it is incumbent upon us to nurture and support this potential.
Beyond the realm of sports, Yulo’s success carries a deeper significance in a nation that has been bitterly divided along political and religious lines. His victory is a unifying force, a rare moment of collective pride that transcends our differences. In a time when divisiveness often overshadows our shared identity, Yulo’s achievement is a reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together to support our own. It is a call to set aside our differences and rally behind the common cause of national pride and excellence.
Yulo’s Olympic success is more than just a personal victory; it is a triumph for the entire nation. It is an inspiration for the youth, a challenge to our leaders, and a symbol of unity for a divided country. As we bask in the glory of his achievement, let us carry forward the lessons of his journey – that with hard work, unity, and dedication, we too can achieve greatness in our pursuits. May his victory inspire us all to aim for excellence in everything we do.
The title above is taken from my new, unpublished short story that I hope to again make a name for itself. It sort of documents, or fictionalizes, the account of Magellan’s landing on the island of Humonhon, near Samar Island. It’s a story of love, frustration, jealousy, and hatred, set against the time when our forebears were still living in backwardness in the face of colonizers.
The Language Used
This story was originally written in Waray, one of the major languages in the Philippines spoken largely in the islands of Samar, Leyte, and Biliran, which comprise the Eastern Visayan Region. Generally, Winaray belongs to the three Visayan languages called Bisaya, or Binisaya, namely: Ilonggo Bisayan, Cebuano Bisayan, and Waray Bisayan.
Although I can write proficiently in English, I intentionally use Winaray, my native language, to produce literary works because of my commitment to helping enrich Waray Literature, which is among the country’s poorest bodies of regional literature. Somehow, my resolve has been paying off, given the many contributions I have already made to it, particularly in realistic fiction.
Context of the Story
The story tells about the turbulent love story of Labita who, at an early age, was chosen by Samar’s ruling Datu as his next wife in addition to his collection of wives. She was confined alone in an exclusive house before the wedding ceremony. But Lubaw, who was gravely in love with her, abducted her at night and brought her to an island called Humumo, and stayed there as a couple until the death of the Datu.
After many years, their marriage yielded two sons, but Labita frequently complained of Lubaw’s possessiveness and excessive jealousy. She felt like he was treating her like a prisoner. Disappointed, Labita had no choice but to stay with him, although he could not satisfy her longings for a lavish living and a desire for renown as a beautiful woman.
One day, while Lubaw and his sons were crafting a wooden boat on that island, they saw the landing of Spanish Galleons that ferried the group of Ferdinand Magellan. The foreigners dropped by to scout for resources they needed for their voyage. That time, Labita and their servant also came, bringing Lubaw’s food supplies, but no one was in the workplace as Lubaw and their sons were spying on the foreigners.
Labita also saw the docked ships and descended the hill to investigate, only to find the aliens suddenly attracted to her while she, on the other hand, quickly fell for their commander. In that confrontation, Lubaw suddenly came, brandishing his long itak, ready to kill and be killed. Magellan explained that they were not enemies at all, but Lubaw quickly grabbed Labita off the scene and were soon on their way home, though Labita was mourning over that lost opportunity.
Once published and gets into the hands of Waray readers, this story could hopefully augment the existing literary productions of our Waray fiction writers. We have plenty of materials to narrate from this part of the country. All it takes is patience and diligence from our leading fictionists for our stories and voices to be heard. The challenge is before us. Go for it!
The Filipino nation was glued watching on various media platforms and television as the final competition on gymnastics unfold before the world. Many viewers were expecting a good finish by Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo who brought with a record as the first male Filipino and Southeast Asian to win a medal in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championship with his bronze medal finish in 2018. He too was won a gold medal in the same World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in 2019.
Such credentials made him among the athletes to watch in all gymnastics event in the 2024 Parish Olympics. People only had a glimpse of his world records but has not much idea about his rigorous training in Japan where he earned a degree in literature. In the events where he competed in the 2024 Parish Olympics, people were not much updated as most of the world audience were following other events such as track and field, ball games and boxing. The initial salvo inside the boxing ring had many Filipinos in both the men and women divisions who earned victories.
The updates in the boxing ring fueled expectations that there is a good chance to win the first gold medal for the Philippines. The attention was somehow diverted by side issues that drew public outcry when a female boxer halted her fight just seconds before the opening bell as the organizer allowed a transgender as her opponent. Negative reactions filled the various social media platforms as people opined that the transgender is still a male by his strength.
With Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo grabbing the limelight in the floor event as he came out the last competitor waiting for the final score after his outstanding performance, the world kept their fingers crossed as supporters prayed for the results to go in favor of the Filipino. A tense moment gripped the arena as Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo waited for the judges to flash the scores on the electronic scoreboard. With the world audience already aware of the scores obtained by the competitors from the other countries, it would not be hard to tell who will be on top of the competition.
Euphoria caught everyone, chiefly Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo when the scoreboard flashed his score of 6.600 for difficulty and 8.400 for execution with 0.0 penalty for a total score of 15.000 in the floor event. People watched in awe with the performance where even his competitors greeted him after the performance. The event was capped with the awarding of medals with Carlos Edriel Poquiz Yulo on center and the Philippine flag was raised for the first time in one hundred years and the Philippine National Anthem was sung by every Filipino all over the world. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
