PALO, Leyte- Police in the region have arrested seven most wanted persons and 201 other offenders, including 16 illegal drug personalities and 94 illegal fishers, during a 12-day simultaneous operations from June 19-30, 2019.
This was reported by Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
“We are doing our best to keep Eastern Visayas a safe and secure place,” he said in a statement.
Leyte Police Provincial Office nabbed four most wanted persons for the crimes of rape; attempted murder; and violation of P.D. 449 or “Cockfighting Law.”
Another 49 wanted persons were also arrested in the province.
Southern Leyte police arrested one most wanted person for the crime of rape and 9 other wanted persons for various crimes.
At least one most wanted person and 11 other wanted persons were nabbed in Eastern Samar.
Northern Samar Police Provincial Office nabbed one for murder and 12 other wanted persons for the crimes of attempted homicide; frustrated murder; grave oral defamation; statutory rape; murder; and other violations.
In Samar, police arrested seven wanted persons facing the crimes of rape, estafa, attempted theft, statutory rape, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and serious physical injuries, for violation of RA 8550.
Four wanted persons were caught in Biliran, six in Tacloban City, and two in Ormoc City.
During the 12-day operations, police confiscated 89 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets suspected as “shabu” and a total of P8,000 marked money from 16 alleged illegal drug personalities.
A total of 94 illegal fishers were also arrested.
Confiscated from them were assorted fishes and fishing paraphernalia amounting to P5, 864,260. (RONALD O. REYES)

PALO, Leyte- Police in the region have arrested seven most wanted persons and 201 other offenders, including 16 illegal drug personalities and 94 illegal fishers, during a 12-day simultaneous operations from June 19-30, 2019.
This was reported by Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
“We are doing our best to keep Eastern Visayas a safe and secure place,” he said in a statement.
Leyte Police Provincial Office nabbed four most wanted persons for the crimes of rape; attempted murder; and violation of P.D. 449 or “Cockfighting Law.”
Another 49 wanted persons were also arrested in the province.
Southern Leyte police arrested one most wanted person for the crime of rape and 9 other wanted persons for various crimes.
At least one most wanted person and 11 other wanted persons were nabbed in Eastern Samar.
Northern Samar Police Provincial Office nabbed one for murder and 12 other wanted persons for the crimes of attempted homicide; frustrated murder; grave oral defamation; statutory rape; murder; and other violations.
In Samar, police arrested seven wanted persons facing the crimes of rape, estafa, attempted theft, statutory rape, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and serious physical injuries, for violation of RA 8550.
Four wanted persons were caught in Biliran, six in Tacloban City, and two in Ormoc City.
During the 12-day operations, police confiscated 89 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets suspected as “shabu” and a total of P8,000 marked money from 16 alleged illegal drug personalities.
A total of 94 illegal fishers were also arrested.
Confiscated from them were assorted fishes and fishing paraphernalia amounting to P5, 864,260. (RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The appointments of two former Leyte mayors as provincial legal officer and provincial health officer were deferred by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The deferment on the appointments of Alden Avestruz as provincial legal officer and Dr. Lesmes Lumin as provincial health officer III was motioned by Board Member Trinidad Apostol during their regular session last week.
Apostol said that while she personally knew the two former mayors, she would still prefer to see them appear before the members of the provincial board before she agreed for their appointments be approved.
“I don’t have objection to their appointments but I would like first to see these people who are to be appointed. In fact, I knew them but at least we should see them first,” Apostol, who chairs the committee on appointments, said.
Avestruz is a former mayor of Barugo while Lumen was once the mayor of Lapaz.
Meantime, the provincial board members approved on the re-appointment of lawyer Edgardo Cordeño as provincial administrator.
Avestruz, in a text message he sent to Board Member Gina Merilo, said that he will personally appear before the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on July 22.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN City- Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin of this city remained hopeful of a “united” 14th Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP).
“I’m hoping that we will be able to rise above and beyond our political differences,” Yaokasin told Leyte Samar Daily Express.
Six councilors, Leo Bahin, Steve Brian Granados, Dalisay Erpe, Evangeline Esperas, Aimee Grafil and Dr. Elvira Casal are considered to be allies of Mayor Alfred Romualdez while Councilors Jose Mari Bagulaya, Edmund Edward Chua, Rachelle Erica Pineda, Nikki Chua as well as Sangguniang Kabataan city federation president Thomas Diaz and Association of Barangay Chairmen president Eden Chua Pineda are considered to be members of the opposition in the city council.
In his inaugural speech, Yaokasin said: “Let us act like true leaders of Tacloban: servants, not spectators; contributors, not critics; doers, not destroyers. As we begin the work of leading and serving our city, may these principles bind us together and guide us in this august body: mutual regard for one another; genuine humility of spirit; respect for each other’s views; a willingness to work hard and work together for the common good.”
Meanwhile, a “movement for pro-people change” in Tacloban challenged the new officials and adopt what they called their 12-point people’s agenda.
‘Gios Taclobanon Kita an Pagbabag-o’ along with progressive group Bayan Eastern Visayas formally submitted their demands to the new set of city councilors on July 5 after lobbying their agenda to council during the July 3 inaugural session.
In its 12-point agenda, Gios Taclobanon Kita an Pagbabag-o urged the new city officials to “release a moratorium for all the demolition cases within the city, to distribute land title and ownership to Yolanda housing beneficiaries, to halt the jeepney phase-out scheme so as to review the anti-MCH (motorcab for hire) drivers and commuters scheme, release immediate aid for the agriculture sector, repeal the existing comprehensive land-use plan and provide the marginalized sector in Tacloban City a bigger voice in the decision-making and formulation of laws and rules in the city.”
The groups challenged the council to listen to their demands and push for a pro-people legislation.
Yaokasin admitted that “there is still so much to be done to uplift the lives of our fellow Taclobanons,” following the 2013 super typhoon Yolanda that devastated the city.
Six years after Yolanda, survivors at the northern resettlement sites have complained of the lack of water supply, electricity, livelihood support, and “substandard” housing. (RONALD O. REYES)