TACLOBAN CITY- Ridiculous and far from the truth.
Thus said the nephew of slain judge Roberto Navidad who was named by President Rodrigo Duterte as a protector to the illegal drug trade.
Navidad was shot to death on January 15, 2008 by still unidentified assailant inside his vehicle in Calbayog City where he served as the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court(RTC)- Branch 32.
But on Sunday (August 7), Pres. Duterte named Navidad as among the judges said to be protectors of drug lords.
“That is a big lie. The reason why he was shot to death was because he fought with the drug lords in Calbayog City,” Elias Acosta, who works as a court sheriff at RTC-Branch 7 based in the city, said in a text message.
“He was my uncle. I know him from head to foot. He was not a drug protector. He was a drug eliminator or a drug buster. That is why he was shot dead by these syndicates,” he added.
Before his assignment to Calbayog, Navidad served as the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 7 here in Tacloban for almost 10 years.
He also served as mayor of MacArthur, a town in Eastern Samar from 1972 to 1979. He then began his law practice.
In 2007 elections, Navidad announced his plan to run for vice governor of Eastern Samar but later abandoned the plan.
His family now lives in the United States.
His murder remains unresolved eight years since he was gunned down by his assailant.
(EILEEN BALLESTEROS NAZARENO/JOEY A. GABIETA)

SAN ISIDRO, Northern, Samar—“My program for the next three years is HEART or “kasingkasing” which stands for health, education, agriculture, revenue generation and tourism,” says newly-elected Mayor Ferdinand Avila. Mayor “Nanding”, as he is fondly called by his town mates, took the post from his father, Conrado Avila who is now a councilor, said that the delivery of basic health services like free medicines will continue. A mobile clinic, which could be the first of its kind in Northern Samar, will be made available to the people in the barangays. The mobile clinic is equipped with medical facilities and to be man with medical personnel providing free checkup and treatment for their primary medical needs.  “This will bring health service at your doorsteps,” the mayor said, addressing his constituents.  On education, aside of their continuing educational assistance program funded under educational special fund (ESF) which were apportioned to different school levels, the mayor will also introduced a concept that is new to the province: providing free school buses for all the students. Mayor Avila also disclosed of an amount for cost-share for the purchase of four-wheel (big) tractor sthat to help the agriculture sector of the town. “Kay dede sa San Isidro, may halo nga bato an tuna so they are hard up for the soil preparation”, he said. He will also provide assistance to the farmers like providing them free seeds and technical assistance, among others. On the revenue generation aspect, one of his plans is to construct a bus terminal, wet and dry public markets and hotel and restaurant run by the municipal government. “Kay dede sa amon bungto problema an accommodation”, he said adding that promoting the local tourism industry is also a priority of his administration. Likewise, Avila also announced of their town’s being chosen by the Department of Energy as one of the four towns in the country being considered of its wind mass project. The installation of wind turbine, to be constructed in Barangay Seven Hills, will not only generate employment to the local people but could become a tourist attraction of their town like that in Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte and Pelilia, Rizal.(PETER D. PAREDES)

TACLOBAN CITY- The surrender of Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. and his son, Kerwin, is a big blow for those engaging in the illegal drug activity in the region.
Thus said Isidro Lapeña, director general of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) who was in the region last Friday (August 5).
The Espinosas, particularly Kerwin, are considered as Eastern Visayas’ number one drug lord. While the embattled mayor has surrendered to the authorities last August 2 after President Rodrigo Duterte asked him to give up, his son remain at-large.
A shoot-to-kill order was already issued against the young Espinosa by Police Director General Roland de la Rosa.
“With the neutralization of drug syndicate led by Kerwin Espinosa, more people will come out to report incidents of operation on illegal drug trade here in Region 8,” said Lapeña.
“It is good that we have now a President who is hands on on the fight against illegal drug. This is a golden opportunity for the Filipino people to suppress illegal drugs,” he added.
Lapeña said that their agency is still investigating and conducting surveillance operations against individuals in the region who are considered high value targets.
The PDEA official, however, declined to divulge any names who are in the illegal drug activity in the region.
Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, in a press briefing on August 4, also confirmed that they are conducting surveillance several individuals in the region who could be involved in the illegal drug trade.
Lapeña did not provide any names of individuals in the region that they consider as high value targets that are under their list.
The new PDEA chief re-echoed Pres. Duterte’s announcement to end illegal drug trade problem in the country within three to six months by intensifying their campaign up to the community level.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)