ORMOC CITY— A man wanted for child abuse in Zambales was arrested by local police authorities in Barangay Acaban, Culaba, Biliran, around 11:30 a.m. last week.
Police identified the suspect only by his alias “Rey,” 38, married, jobless, and a resident of Barangay Acaban.

The operation, conducted on October 15, was jointly carried out by personnel of the Culaba Municipal Police Station, Iba Municipal Police Station of Zambales, and the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Biliran Provincial Police Office.

According to the police report submitted to the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8), the arrest was made by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued on May 3, 2024, by Judge Maribel Mariano-Beltran, presiding judge of the Family Court, Third Judicial Region, Branch 13, Iba, Zambales.

The suspect is facing charges for violation of Section 10 (a) of Republic Act No. 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, under Criminal Case No. 16169-2024-I. The court recommended P80,000 bail for his temporary liberty.

Police said the accused was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he fully understood.

He was brought to the Culaba Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition before being turned over to the issuing court in Zambales.

Authorities commended the coordination between Biliran and Zambales police units, noting that the arrest demonstrates the continuing efforts of law enforcement agencies to track down fugitives and ensure accountability for crimes involving the protection of minors.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY — Less than a week after the fatal school shooting in Tanauan, Leyte, another tragedy struck the education sector in the province when a 39-year-old public school teacher was gunned down by her husband inside Agbanga Elementary School in Barangay Agbanga, Matalom, Leyte, on October 22, 2025.

Police identified the victim only as “Ellen,” 39, who was inside the school premises when her husband, “Lino,” 49, confronted her and opened fire around 11:05 a.m.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim tried to escape and ran into a co-teacher’s classroom for safety, but the suspect pursued her and shot her multiple times with an unidentified firearm, killing her instantly.

The suspect immediately fled aboard a white Suzuki mini-van toward Matalom town proper.
Authorities from the Matalom Municipal Police Station launched a hot pursuit operation which led to the house of the suspect.

There, he tried to engage the police in a firefight but was later found lifeless inside their house’s comfort room, apparently due to suicide.
The Municipal Health Officer conducted a post-mortem examination, while the Baybay City Forensic Unit processed the crime scene.

The incident followed the October 16 shooting at a school in Tanauan, Leyte, where a teacher was also shot but managed to survive due to jealousy.

These incidents prompted renewed calls for tighter security measures in schools across the province.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

BORONGAN CITY-Eastern Samar made history this year after posting a 10.2 percent growth in its economy, the highest in the entire Philippines, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The report was presented today, October 16, by Ronnie Bajado, Chief Statistical Specialist of PSA Eastern Samar, during the Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) Dissemination Forum held at Melinda’s Resort and Restaurant, Borongan City.

Bajado said that Eastern Samar’s economy is now valued at P40.42 billion based on 2018 prices. This means that the province’s total production of goods and services, from farming to trade and construction, grew faster than any other province or city in the country in 2024.

According to PSA data, the biggest contributors to this growth were: agriculture, forestry, and fishing, which added 3.5 percentage points to the overall growth; construction, which contributed 1.8 percentage points; and wholesale and retail trade (including motor vehicle repair), which added 1.0 percentage point.

The services sector remained the top performer, making up 54.2 percent of the province’s economy. This includes jobs and businesses in trade, education, and public services. The industry sector, which includes construction and manufacturing, accounted for 31.3 percent, while agriculture, forestry, and fishing made up 14.5 percent.

Eastern Samar’s per capita GDP was recorded at P85,502, meaning that, on average, each Estehanon contributed that amount to the local economy in 2024.

(PIA-EASTERN SAMAR/VEE TOLENTINO-GUMBAN)

TACLOBAN CITY– The Social Security System (SSS) Tacloban Branch successfully carried out its 9th Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE), targeting non-compliant employers within the city.

SSS Tacloban Assistant Branch Head Joel C. Tonido and Visayas Central Legal Department Atty. Iris Maglasang led the issuance of violation notices to four employers for non-remittance of contributions amounting to over P200,000 and two employers for non-registration of businesses.

Employers were given 15 days to comply with their obligations under the SSS Law before the cases are elevated to the Office of the City Prosecutor. As of mid-October, two employers have made partial payments and the other two have already registered their business with the SSS.

“The remaining two employers will be referred to the Visayas Central Legal Department for issuance of demand letters. Rest assured that we will closely monitor these delinquent accounts and enforce the law to its fullest extent, if necessary to secure the welfare of our employed members,” Tonido said.

He concluded by urging all employers to uphold their legal obligations as business owners to avoid legal repercussions resulting from their non-compliance.

The RACE campaign continues to reinforce SSS’s commitment of protecting the rights and benefits of Filipino workers by intensifying employer compliance to their legal obligations under Republic Act 11199 or Social Security Act of 2018. (PR)