Cops, soldiers clash with rebels
in Gen. Tinio

A combined force of soldiers and policemen clashed with a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Sitio Kabilogan, Barangay Nazareth, General Tinio last May 26.

The 20 minute fire fight with some 40 rebels resulted in the capture of three NPA members, including a woman, and the recovery of three high-powered firearms, a hand-held radio and subversive documents.

The confiscated items were presented to Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado, the new commanding general of the Philippine Army, by Maj. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, commander of the Army's 7th Infantry Division.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the combined team from the Army's reconnaissance company and intelligence group and the General Tinio police were verifying reports of the presence of armed rebels at Aves Farm when the fire fight happened.

He said that Lt. Hector de Leon was wounded in the encounter and brought to a hospital for treatment.

Sr. Supt. Napoleon Taas, provincial police director, said several rebels could have been wounded in the encounter.

He attributed the success of the operation  to the memorandum of agreement signed by the province's so-called "Mamang Pulis" and the "Mamang Sundalo" -- referring to the provincial police office and the 7th ID -- aimed at strengthening internal security operations. ###
 
 

Task Force Pagbabago chief denies 'political terrorist' tag

The chief of the provincial task force against illegal logging and quarrying denied reports that his group uses "political terrorism" in doing its job.

Fred Hermoso, a former Quezon councilor appointed by Gov. Aurelio Umali as Nueva Ecija Task Force Pagbabago chief, said his group's task is to enforce the laws.

He said the task force only exercises the mandate given by the governor to run after "environmental terrorists" who destroy the environment through illegal logging and quarrying operations.

He stressed that the task force does not discriminate and spare those allied with Umali's camp.

He reported that the efforts resulted in higher income for the provincial government, especially from quarrying operations.

Hermoso was reacting to accusations by First Dist. Rep. Edno Joson that the task force was engaging in political terrorism and using a platoon of armed men in performing its functions.

Joson accused Hermoso's men of using unnecessary force to retrieve some heavy equipment and vehicles acquired by the previous administration. ###
 
 

Aliaga, Talavera join 'e-governance' project

The towns of Aliaga and Talavera joined 29 other Luzon municipalities in signing a covenant of commitment to help each other in implementing the "e-Governance for Municipal Development" (eGov4MD) project funded by the Canadian International Development Agency.

In signing rites held at the Subic Exhibition and Convention Center, they also agreed to pool finances to build a community of technical professional who will help local government units in implementing e-governance projects.

Robert Sagun, e-government project officer of the Philippine branch of the Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), said that an agreement will be signed next month to deploy electronic real property tax systems to the 31 participating towns.

Aside from Aliaga and Talavera, the other participating municipalities are Binalonan, Calasiao and Rosales in Pangasinan; Capas and Paniqui in Tarlac; Minalin, Lubao, Masantol, San Simon, Magalang, and Guagua in Pampanga; Masinloc, Botolan, San Antonio, and San Marcelino in Zambales; Orion and Dinalupihan in Bataan; San Mateo in Rizal; Imus, Carmona, Gen. Mariano, and Gen. Trias in Cavite; Tiaong, Pagbilao, Mauban, Lucban, Atimonan, Catanauan, and Calauag in Quezon

The covenant was part of a flagship program of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, Mayors Development Center, CESO, National Computer Center and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology. ###
 
 

Ecija's Mariano to replace Beltran in House

Rafael Mariano who had formerly represented the party list Anakpawis in the 13th Congress, will replace Rep. Crispin Beltran who died last May 20.

Cherry Clemente, Anakpawis secretary general, confirmed that Mariano is the party list's second nominee and would take Beltran's seat in the House.

Mariano, 51, a native of Nueva Ecija, first became a party list congressman in 2004, together with Beltran when Anakpawis was entitled to two party list House seats. He was then the national chair of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said there is no need for a special election for Beltran's vacated seat.  He said that Anakpawis only needs to file a manifestation before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on what happened to its original representative and who will replace him. The commission will then issue a resolution naming the new party list representative and this will be presented to the House secretary general. ###
 
 

CELCOR allowed to trade electricity

The Cabanatuan Electric Corporation (CELCOR)  has obtained a retail electricity supplier (RES) license from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) that allows the power firm to sell, broker, market or aggregate electricity to consumers.

The ERC said that CELCOR was the sixth power company in the country  to get an ERC license.

"The ERC welcomes CELCOR to the growing community of investors who support the reforms in the electric power industry in the Philippines," Alejandro Barin, ERC officer-in-charge, said. 

"Electricity consumers will be happy to note that their power to choose their source of electricity is now being realized," he added.

CELCOR's franchise area covers Cabanatuan City.

The firm organized its RES business to handle the buying and selling of electricity to the so-called contestable market made up of electricity users whose monthly average peak demand is at least one megawatt for the preceding 12 months prior to the implementation of open access. They will be allowed to choose their own power supplier within and outside the franchise area under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 or the EPIRA Law.

The required peak demand will eventually be lowered in succeeding years until it covers even households. ###
 
 

NFA distributes rice allocation cards

To ease the long line of residents buying government subsidized rice, National Food Authority (NFA) has distributed allocation cards to poor families entitling them to buy up to seven kilos of the cereal twice a week.

Edelino Alejandro, NFA provincial manager, said the scheme will ease the travel expenses of buyers and the time spent in lining up just to buy two or three kilos of rice.

He said more than 1,000 allocation cards have been distributed to poor families in barangays near the NFA warehouse in Cabanatuan City, from a list provided by the city social welfare and development office.

The cards are color coded and can be used only on specific days.

Alejandro said other families without allocation cards can buy rice from "Tindahan Natin" outlets in public markers, authorized NFA outlets and three other NFA warehouses in the province.

NFA rice is sold at P18.25 a kilo while the price of the cheapest commercial rice is P31.00 a kilo. ###
 
 

Jollibee taps Nueva Ecija onion farmers

There's Nueva Ecija onion in your Jollibee burger!

Filipino fast-food giant Jollibee has ventured into  agricultural development as one of its corporate thrusts by encouraging farmers to provide the company with farm products needed for the meals it serves.

Jollibee Foundation president Grace Tan Caktiong said the areas covered by the program are San Isidro and San Jose City in Nueva Ecija for the supply of white onions; Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya for carrots and bell pepper; Lantapan and Impasugong in Bukidnon for carrots and onion; and Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay for calamansi.

The pilot agri development project is being implemented in partnership with the Catholic Relief Services and the National Livelihood Development Corp. ###
 
 

Lack of capital and gov't support discourage Bongabon farmers

Less than half of Bongabon farmers planted onion last season, producing only one million metric tons or a quarter of the usual yearly produce.

The reasons: lack of capital and government support.

Onions are in short supply, costing P140 per kilo or thrice the normal price.

Ret. Commodore Ismael Aparri, president of Kilusan ng Mamimiling Pilipino Laban sa Kahirapan, Inc. (KAMPILAN) said the normal yearly onion production is four million metric tons. The total harvest from February 2 to May 2 this year was only about one million metric tons.

Onion farmers said they suffered a big loss after their newly planted farms were destroyed twice by floods caused by overflowing dikes in the town.

“Suwerte-suwerte lang talaga ang pagtatanin ng sibuyas sa panahong ito gaya ng tumataya sa lotto. Madalas talo, kung minsan panalo,”  a farmer commented.

In the public market of Bongabon, vendors sell leftover onions that were not bought by local traders for being undersized. These are sold even in Metro Manila public markets as speculators hoard local produce and keep them in storage while waiting for better prices.

Lilibeth Valenzuela, president of the Philippine Onion Importers/Growers, Inc., said big consumers like hotels do not buy local onions because they would not pass strict quality standards. ###
 
 

Bodies of kidnapped couple dug up in  Sto. Domingo

Police recovered the decomposing remains of a kidnapped couple said to be relatives of National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, in Barangay Ilog-Baliwag, Santo Domingo last May 31.

The bodies were identified as those of Ronaldo and Imelda Gonzales who were abducted by the Lopez kidnap-for-ransom group last April 13 while coming out of the Balanga Cathedral in Bataan.

Four of the five members of the group identified as Allan Lopez, Michael Vitug, Lexi Lei Ventura and Efren Viray were arrested last May 26.

Sr. Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, Bataan police director, said the group preys on people engaged in the money lending business, threatening them to avoid payment.

He said the Gonzales couple lent money to the suspects that reached P900,000.

The suspects first planned to scare the couple.

Gaerlan said that based on the confession of one of the suspects, it was Lopez who decided to kidnap the Gonzaleses to demand ransom for their freedom. The suspects eventually decided to kill the victims when they sensed they would not be paid.

The suspects reportedly killed the couple in Ilog-Baliwag, then buried them in a deep grave. ###
 
 

2 'salvage' victims found in Guimba

The bodies of two men, apparently victims of summary execution, were found in San Miguel, Guimba at about 7:00 AM last June 14.

One of the victims had bullet wounds in the head. He was 5'4" tall, with curly hair, and  wearing a brown shirt, shorts, brown shoes. 

 The second was found to have three gunshot wounds in the body. He was wearing a white shirt, denim shorts, and was about 5'2" tall. 

The Guimba police said that the victims could have been killed elsewhere. ###
 
 

San Jose security guard nabbed for unlicensed gun

A security guard found carrying an unlicensed pistol was arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Santo Niño, San Jose City last May 21.

Supt. Sidney Villaflor, city police chief, identified the victim as Danilo Ramos Apostol, 49, of Barangay Sibut and a security guard of Constancio Padilla National High School.

Found in his possession was an unlicensed Taurus 9mm pistol and three magazines with 39 bullets.

He was charged with illegal possession of firearm. ###