ORMOC CITY — A 52-year-old habal-habal driver was arrested by police after allegedly brandishing and firing a homemade firearm during a disturbance in Barangay Cangcahipos, Laoang in Northern Samar early Saturday morning, April 11.

Police identified the suspect only as alias “Vic,” a resident of the said barangay.
According to the Laoang Municipal Police Station (MPS), the incident was reported to authorities through a cellphone call from a concerned citizen around 4:00 a.m., prompting immediate police response to verify the situation.

Initial investigation showed that the suspect had been drinking with a neighbor when his live-in partner reportedly asked their child to remind him to stop drinking, citing previous incidents of disturbance while intoxicated. The reminder allegedly angered the suspect, who felt embarrassed and went inside their house.

A heated argument between the couple followed, during which the suspect reportedly uttered, “Ayaw ak pakialami kay waray makagbuot sa ak!” (“Don’t bother me because no one can control me!”)

Police said the suspect later came out of the house armed with a caliber .45 pistol and an improvised firearm locally known as “boga.” He then allegedly roamed the area, shouting challenges at residents, saying, “Sige, guwa kun sino maisog sa iyo!” (“Come out, who among you is brave!”)

The suspect also reportedly pointed his firearm at nearby residents, causing panic and forcing some to take cover.

Barangay officials attempted to intervene and calm the suspect, but he reportedly continued his actions and tried to flee the area.

Responding police officers were eventually able to arrest him and recover one loaded improvised firearm. The .45-caliber pistol, however, was not recovered.

He is currently under the custody of the Laoang lock-up facility for proper disposition.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY— A 64-year-old man was found dead and already in an advanced state of decomposition inside a residential area in Barangay Muñoz, Catbalogan City on Friday afternoon, April 10.

Police identified the victim as alias “Frank,” a single, jobless resident of the said barangay.
Based on the initial report of the Catbalogan City Police Station, authorities received a call from a concerned citizen around 4:30 p.m. reporting the discovery of a dead body in Sitio Palanas, Purok 5, Barangay Muñoz.

Responding personnel immediately proceeded to the area to verify the report and found the victim’s lifeless body already in a state of decomposition.

Neighbors told investigators that the victim was known in the community for his habitual drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Police said there were no visible signs of external injuries or struggle at the scene, and no indications of foul play were initially established.

Authorities have coordinated with the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) for proper examination and processing of the remains.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY — The City Veterinary Office (CVO) intensified its anti-rabies campaign by conducting a house-to-house vaccination drive in Barangay 80 Marasbaras, where 58 domestic pets were immunized on Tuesday, April 14.

The activity is part of the city government’s ongoing mass vaccination program aimed at strengthening rabies prevention efforts by bringing free services directly to communities and increasing compliance among pet owners.

Veterinary personnel led the door-to-door operations, administering anti-rabies vaccines to dogs while also reminding residents of the importance of responsible pet ownership and regular immunization.

Student interns from Leyte Normal University’s Bachelor of Science in Biology program assisted in the fieldwork, helping with vaccination support and documentation.

City officials emphasized that rabies remains a serious but preventable public health concern, urging pet owners to take advantage of free government services and ensure their pets are vaccinated annually.

The CVO said it will continue barangay-level vaccination drives in the coming weeks as part of its goal to achieve sustained rabies control and promote a safer, rabies-free community.

(JUSTIN CARL SABILLO, LNU STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY — Rising fuel and food costs pushed inflation higher across Eastern Visayas in March 2026, with Samar emerging as the hardest hit area while the region placed fifth highest in the country, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Data released by the PSA-8 showed that Eastern Visayas recorded a 4.8 percent inflation rate in March, a significant jump from 3.4 percent in February and above the national average of 4.1 percent.

Samar posted the steepest increase in the region at 7.6 percent, reflecting continued pressure on household budgets due to higher prices of basic goods and services. It was followed by Biliran and Northern Samar, both at 5.7 percent.

Other areas in the region posted lower rates: Eastern Samar at 4.3 percent, Tacloban City at 4.1 percent, Leyte at 3.8 percent, and Southern Leyte recording the lowest inflation at 2.9 percent.

PSA officials identified transport as the primary driver of the uptick, citing rising fuel prices that increased logistics and distribution costs across the island provinces.

The surge in petroleum prices has had a cascading effect on commodity prices, particularly in geographically dispersed areas that rely heavily on inter-island transport.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the biggest contributor to inflation, accounting for 2.63 percentage points of the regional figure. Prices of staple goods such as rice, vegetables, and fish continued to rise, further tightening household spending.

Economic agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA), noted that elevated transport and logistics costs continue to affect retail prices, especially for goods moving from Tacloban to coastal and remote areas of Eastern Samar where fuel costs further push up final prices.

Officials said they will continue monitoring price movements as part of ongoing efforts to manage inflationary pressures in the region.

(RICARDO TODIO, JR., LNU STUDENT INTERN)