Camacho to respect DepEd on fate of Central School

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

BAYAMBANG – The mayor of this robust town said he would respect the final decision of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Manila on the fate of the gutted by fire Bayambang Central Elementary School.

Mayor Ricardo Camacho said he would bow to the DepEd in Manila incase it decides that more than 500 students in Grades 1 and 2 who are dislocated by fire that razed eight Gabaldon type classrooms should remain at the gutted building.

The school was razed by fire at the wee hour of June last year that saw students attend class every school day into two shifts.

“Kasi ang ginagawa ko talaga  lang iyong concern ko ngayon ang health ng mga bata wala ng iba kung hindi ang kapakanan ng mga bata. Sana maintindihan ako ng mga tao,” he stressed after he filed a mandatory temporary restraining order to the court for School Division Superintended Ruby Torio of Pangasinan 1 of the Department of Education and personnel to heed for the transfer of students in a new school building with a gymnasium built by a certain William Chua.

Chua was reported to eye the central school as a venue of a shopping mall.

Camacho said the 20 days mandatory TRO that took effect last October 7 was prompted by the sad plight of the students at the 100 year-old Central School who bear the flood whenever there is a downpour.

In the TRO, RTC -56 presiding judge Hermogenes Fernandez ordered Torio and Bayambang Central School principal Danilo Lopez not to stall the transfer as it would work injustice and prejudice to the students.

 “Nakita natin may basis tayo health nagka-problema sa bata dengue case during heavy rains suspended na ang klase ng two days hindi conducive for learning. At isang reason diyan dahil nasunog ang Gabaldon Building nagkaroon ng shortage sa classrooms. Kulang talaga at marumi,” he explained.

Trouble ensued after the lapsed of the TRO as some teachers, parents, and pupils, morally supported by some media outlets in Dagupan City, went back to the old school building.
But in October 31, Judge Fernandez issued a writ of preliminary injunction ordering all concern to remain at the new school buildings.

Camacho said incase the Department of Education in Manila favors his administration to transfer the students at the new school buildings he would donate all the facilities there.

“Ibibigay namin iyan infavor sa DepEd including iyong ownership ng lupa and lahat ng facilities na natapos. Tu-turn-over namin iyan so maganda ang intention namin.”

Camacho lauded the intention of the private investor when asked that the gutted Central School will be converted into a shopping edifice.

“Hindi natin matatawaran iyan kasi being the chief executive tinitingnan ko ulit kung paano umasenso ang bayan economically isa sa mga priorities natin dito. Kasi kung pababayaan natin, wala tayo initiative na aasa na lang tayo sa IRA (internal revenue allotment from the national government). Lumalaki ang population ng bayan gusto natin mag develop, gusto natin lalong umunlad”.

Incase a shopping mall rises on the gutted central school it would compete with the nearby CSI Mall owned by Dagupan City mayor Belen Fernandez.

Camacho said he aggressively campaign for more collection so he could fund more vital and ambitious projects as he ends his third term in 2016.

This town has a proposed budget of P186 million next year - an amount considered one of the highest among first class towns in Pangasinan.

P186M Bayambang Budget to fund Big Projects

BAYAMBANG, Pangasinan - Move over first class towns of Pangasinan! This burgeoning town is coming with a mammoth P186 million 2014 annual budget appropriation.

The proposed budget, one of the biggest among the 44 - town province, waits final review at the Sanggunian Panlalawigan (provincial board) in Lingayen town after Mayor Ricardo Camacho signed it into law when the Sanggunian Bayan (town council) endorsed it to his office for signature.

“Ang IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) namin umaabot ng P150 million tapos iyong local revenue collection  namin estimated amount (this year) umaabot ng P36 million kaya nag proposed tayo ng P186 million”.

Camacho explained that the factors used to boost this town's allocation from the IRA from national government are its huge area and its robust population.

The budget of this town this year is P165 million.

“That IRA has been good as it funds a lot of improvements in our town,” he said in the vernacular.

The huge appropriation jibes to the different ambitious projects and programs Camacho prepares for next year.

“Marami kaming gagawin doon sa Annual Investment Plan like livelihood and celebration of 400 years (as this town used to be a revolutionary capital of President Emilio Aguinaldo during the Filipino-American War). Siempre kailangan natin ang malaking pondo iyong highlights ng celebration natin sa Malangsi Festival”.

Camacho said the leadership of the Guinness World Records (GWR) has just confirmed the bid of this town for an eight (8) kilometer longest grill in the celebration of its Malangsi Festival on April 8-14, 2014.

“To break the world record na hinahawakan by Turkey na umabot ng 6.2 kilometer. Hindi ito dapat more than the recent effort. Ang aming gagawin ay medyo madugo. So far we are already in the planning stage. Pini-prepare namin kaya medyo maraming dapat ihanda and ni-prepare”.

In the past Dagupan City in Pangasinan broke the world record in the GWR in 2003 with its almost 1.8 kilometers longest grill where 10,000 pieces of milkfish placed simultaneously on 1,000 units of grills measuring one meter long each.

This town will be grilling fresh water fishes for its GWR attempts.

Camacho said the progress this historic town savors under his administration since he became the mayor here in 2007 was due to the cooperation of his constituents.

He cited the plaudits this town reaped for two consecutive years after the Department of Interior & Local Government awarded it with the Seal of Good House Keeping.

“Hindi namin nakuha iyan ng two consecutive years kung hindi maganda ang pamamalakad natin sa pagpapatakbo ng local government kaya marami tayong improvement and development dahil sa pag-aayon at pagamit ng pondo ng bayan sa tamang proceso,” the soft spoken Camacho stressed. (MCO)

How SWAT-Team Dagupan Nabbed Fil-Am Assassin

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

One of the members of the Special Weapons and Tactics team who apprehended in a gun chase Calasiao hit man Arnulfo Calaunan lauded me for posting their pictures in my article “Fil-Am Assassin Nabs after Shooting 3 Persons“ that can be accessed at http://wwwmortzcortigoza.blogspot.com/2013/10/fil-am-assassin-arrested-after-shooting.html.

ASSASSIN: American Citizen Arnulfo
Calaunan

I reciprocated his appreciation with the following:

“I doff my hat with you guys. I was impressed not only by your operation but your contraptions of Kevlar helmet and bullet proof vest. Just like your Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts you bested the Special Forces and the Marines who contented themselves with their Kevlar Helmet sans the flack jacket in the Zamboanga siege recently,” I told him in the vernacular.

He confided to me they bought personally these gears.

“Iyong Kevlar binili ko iyon sa taga- abroad ng P15 thousand, iyong flack jacket P5 thousand”,

I posed to him why one of their companions wore a child’s bicycle helmet probably borrowed from his elementary grade son.

“Kayang butasin ng Indian Pana ni Boy Pana iyong helmet niya?”

“Baka wala pa siyang budget pambili ng Kevlar or sadyang komedyante lang iyong kasama namin,” the SWAT guy retorted to my humor.

Searching for the Culprit

He said when they were frantically searching Calaunan in the grassy and wet area at the back of the palatial house of Sta. Barbara Mayor Lito Zaplan at Gabon in Calasiao, Pangasinan their joker colleague (just like Joker of the flick “Full Metal Jacket”) humored them by standing nonchalantly at the sideline popping his cigarette while his companions were extra cautious that Calaunan, who just shot three persons, was just lurking somewhere to pounce on them.

How the SWAT Discovered Calaunan

“How did you find the killer?. “ I asked the SWAT guy.

He told me one of their companions (in my earlier article, the Joker told me it was their team leader who found the suspect) had a hint already where was Calaunan, a U.S resident, when they were combing the wild grasses as tall as four feet.

“He saw paved grasses that betrayed someone had stepped on them”

He added that their team leader used psychological warfare to prevent Calaunan to fire at them.

“Habang sinusundan iyong dina-anan niya na damuhan, sumisigaw ang kasama namin na alam na ng SWAT kong nasaan siya. Sinasabihan na siyang sumuko na siya”

He said his companion found Calaunan lying on the watery ground aiming his 45 caliber hand gun.

Between these seconds of dangerous stand-off between the full battle geared menacing SWAT team leader and the suspect the latter blinked and surrender his handgun to the former as other SWAT members rushed  up to the scene.

“Magaling din (Calaunan) alam niya ang sitwasyon niya. May 45 (caliber hand gun) nga siya naka (Baby) Armalite naman kami. Pumutok siya hindi tatagos ang bala niya sa helmet o vest namin pero alam niya na kayang butasin ng Armalite ang vest niya”.

He said that if Calaunan was an ordinary criminal he already shot the SWAT guy because of nervousness.

“After we handcuffed him he begged us that we just kill him”.

But High Ranking Policeman wants him Alive.

I told the SWAT friend that as they were searching Calaunan I overheard a high ranking police official  talking on his phone at the scene of the crime (yes Virginia, I was 30 minutes late after Calaunan fatally shot in the head and shot in the foot two of the body guards of Longos Barangay Chairman Muja Dave Mesina whom he shot too at the right side of the body at the "putohan (white cake) stalls of Calasiao, Pangasinan) ordered the SWAT not to kill the suspect.

“Make him lived. We need him to squeal who were his companions  and master mind,” the official said in Pilipino.

During the interrogation of Calaunan he said he was monitoring the movements of Mesina since August after he arrived from the United States. He was remorseless of what he has done to the barangay chairman and his companions,” the source said.

"They killed my brother and nephew"

 Earlier on that fateful day, Mesina and candidates of the town’s 24-strong villages for the October 28 barangay polls attended a peace covenant in the nearby Catholic Church before Calaunan shot them at the fruit stalls near the town plaza.

The incident, where the police were seen frantically searching for gunmen at each stalls, was seen on television as media men have just emerged from the church where the peace covenant was held.

But the suspect insisted he carried the dastardly act alone against the trio when he coincidentally saw them buy fruits after they disembarked from Mesina’s van.

“The Mesinas have killed my brother and wounded my nephew. My other relatives have migrated to Manila because we heard that the Mesinas wanted to exterminate all of them,” the police source quoted Calaunan, who was still dripping with water after he was "fished out" on the watery part of the grassy area.

For a more detailed reading of this bloody family war in Pangasinan you can accessed http://wwwmortzcortigoza.blogspot.com/2013/10/bloody-family-war-in-pangasinan_25.html.

(Please comments at totomortz@yahoo.com)

Police chief bemoans unfair media reporting in village polls

By MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

DAGUPAN CITY – The chief of police of this city lamented the irresponsible reporting of some media men in the recent village polls that no policemen have been seen manning some polling centers.

Dagupan City's chief of police Superintendent Christopher
Abrajano enumerates to a TV reporter the preparation
of the Philippine National Police in All Saints' Day.

Superintendent Christopher Abrajano said the Philippine National Police has deployed its personnel to guard all the precincts here to ward off any eventualities that could disenfranchised the voters' rights of suffrage.

“Sa media iyong iba na observed natin, report katabi iyong police, sasabihin na walang police doon sa polling precinct where in fact ang mahigpit na tagubilin ng regional police office at ni provincial director (Superintendent Marlou Chan) ay maglagay at least two police officers doon sa ordinary polling precinct and polling center. Paano pa iyong area of concern  like iyong (Barangay Bonuan) Gueset na area of concern naglagay tayo hindi lang two police officers pero binuhos pa natin iyong quick reaction team, army, at  (police) public safety company so paano nila sasabihin na wala silang nakikitang police?,” he deplored.

Pangasinan Provincial Director Marlou Chan strictly
ordered all his chiefs of police to designate two
PNP personnel in every ordinary poll center in the
last generally peaceful village polls in the humongous
province.. 

 Aside from this city's regular forces of 160 police men here in the October 28 election, Abrajano said he deployed four teams where each of them has eight men.

He said two teams came from the public safety company and the other two teams came from the Philippine Army.

Abrajano cited the village polls here and the province of Pangasinan were not “generally peaceful” but “peaceful with an exclamation point”.

“Iyong preparation natin, iyong mga plano natin did not fail us until the last barangay official has been proclaimed walang naging significant violence naganap sa Dagupan City,” he stressed.

He said that there were no shooting incident and firearms confiscated from those who were not allowed to carry during the gun ban period imposed by the Commission on Election in this city. 

Three-cornered battle looms for Dagupan's Liga top post

                

BY RUEL CAMBA

DAGUPAN CITY – A three-cornered battle for the presidency of the Liga ng mga Barangay here is shaping up after re-elected  Barangay Captain Pedro Gonzales of Bonuan Binloc hinted his intention to run for the coveted post.

Lucao Barangay Chairman Lino Fernandez
(1st extreme Right), former president of
 the League of Barangays Dagupan City.

            “I am seriously studying the situation and in the process of consulting my fellow barangay captains, including Kapitan Willy Salayog, he said in the vernacular.

            Two names for the Liga top post cropped up even before the barangay polls on Oct. 28, elected barangay captains Marcelino “Lino” Fernandez and Dean Bryan Khua of barangays Lucao and Pogo Chico, respectively.

            Cua reportedly has the blessings of Mayor Belen Fernandez, a relative.

Lino Fernandez reportedly has the support of former Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. during whose last stint as city mayor Lino served as Liga president.

Gonzales is closely allied with the camp of former Mayor Benjamin Lim whose support enabled then Poblacion Oeste Punong Barangay Guillermo Vallejos to clinch the Liga presidency in 2010.

                                    Credentials

Gonzales is confident he has the necessary credentials for the top Liga post having intermittently served as five-term barangay chairman.

He said he is familiar with the concerns of the barangay chiefs, which he could elevate to the Sangguniang Panlungsod through appropriate resolutions and ordinances.

Throughout his years as barangay captain he has established good rapport with his fellow village chiefs, at times sharing with them practices in good governance and effective measures in addressing various barangay concerns, he said.

Gonzales said he is also familiar with the intricacies of the campaign for the Liga presidency, having taken a hand in the successful campaign of his grandson, John Chester Gonzales, for the presidency of the SangguniangKabataan in the city in 2010.

                                    Big chance

Several elected village chiefs initially approached by this writer said Gonzales has a big chance of succeeding the city’s Liga president if Fernandez and Cua will choose to fight it out against each other.

“One of them has to give way considering that Gonzales could possibly count on the support of at least 14 newly elected and re-elected barangay captains,” said a re-elected barangay chairman from an eastern barangay, who requested for anonymity since the three would-be contenders are his friends.

Between Cua and Fernandez, he said Fernandez has the edge in terms of experience and connection with the re-elected village chiefs with whom he (Fernandez) used to work with when he served as Liga president.

“He enjoys the confidence and friendship of his old buddies who got re-elected, as well as some of the new barangay captains elected for the first time,” he said.

On the other hand as a neophyte barangay captain, Cuais yet to establish rapport and leadership credibility practically with all the other barangay captains in the city, he said.

However, he added, Mayor Belen Fernandez is expected to throw her weight for Cua, her blood relative.

“As the saying goes, blood is thicker than water,” he said, even as he was quick to add that it would be wise for the mayor not to ram Cua down the throat of the city’s barangay chiefs.

                                    Reconciliation call

The same village chief said that Gonzales could capitalize on the call made by former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. on city officials for them to forge political unity and reconciliation so that the city could move on.

“Gonzales, if elected as Liga president, would stand as a symbol and instrument of genuine political unity and reconciliation in our city,” he said.

During the recent 100-day report of Mayor Belen Fernandez at the CSI stadia, De Venecia in public called on the mayor to extend a hand of unity and reconciliation to Vice Mayor Brian Lim.

“What is a better way for the mayor to show sincere effort toward genuine political unity and reconciliation than allowing Gonzales to be the city’s Liga president?” he said. 

VP Binay awards to Pangasinan as Best LGU vs. Professional Squatter.

  Engr. Alvin Bigay, chief of Provincial Housing and Urban Development Council Office (right) receives from Vice President and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) Chair Jejomar Binay (second from right) and HUDCC Secretary General Cecilia Alba (second from left) a trophy and cash prize of P100,000 for the province of Pangasinan for being adjudged the 2013 Best LGU Practice Award on National Drive Against Professional Squatters and Squatting Syndicates (NDPAPSSS) last October 25 at SM Megamall in Manila. The province of Pangasinan bested seven other provinces that were among the finalists. Davao province placed second with a cash prize of P80,000 plus trophy while Las Pinas City got the third slot with trophy and P60,000 cash prize. Witnessing the awarding ceremony were Mandaluyong City Mayor Benhur Abalos, Jr. (left) and the NDAPSSS Interagency Committee which serves as selection board. (PIO/Photo courtesy of PHUDCC)

Parties settle fishcage row

                                                                BY RUEL CAMBA

PARTIES involved in the fishcage controversy in Sual town have forged an agreement that may have ended the dispute.

            In a recent interview over DWPR-Power Radyo, Mayor Roberto “Bing” Arcinuesaid that in a meeting on Oct. 8 officials from various concerned government agencies, including those representing the fishcage operators, have agreed on the following steps to end the controversy:

Author and savvy media man Ruel Camba (1st from left) recently
interviewed Sual Mayor Roberto Arcinue

1.      Fishcages located within the 250-meter “critical zone” from the Sual Power Plant will be re-located;

2.      A demarcation line will be set up to delineate the 250-meter area, with the plant management providing the buoys, demarcation line, and anchor while the affected fishcage operators will shoulder the relocation expenses;

3.      All fishcage operators will have to secure environmental compliance certificates from the EMB-DENR and pay P4,500 as application fee, and P50,000 fine if any.

Arcinue said that among those who attended the meeting were officials from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Environment Management Bureau (EMB) of DENR, Philippine Ports Authority, Sual Power Plant, and fishcage operators.

“There was mutual understanding on the part of the management of the power plant, the fishcage operators, and municipality of Sual about the need to observe and respect co-existence,” Arcinue said.

Arcinue thanked Federico Puno, president of Team Energy that operates the Sual power plant, for the latter’s intervention in resolving the controversy.

He said Puno in his letter expressed his company’s desire to maintain goodwill with the municipality of Sual even as he hoped that a lasting solution to the dispute be achieved.

Earlier, Sual power plant manager Ruben Licerio raised concern about a fishkill that could disrupt plant operation and trigger a Luzon-wide blackout.

Licerio sought the help of Gov. Amado Espino who ordered an investigation on the matter.

A series of dialogues among concerned parties resulted to an agreement by which a 250-meter critical zone shall be established around the power plant, particularly in the Cabalitian Bay where the fishcages are located.

“Conporme kami lanamin. We have decided to consider the concern of the power plant management,” Arcinue told DWPR-Power Radyo.

He said that affected  operators have started re-locating their fishcages even without a definite date set for relocation.

“Unongedtalusan mi, ayusnaayus kami la. Agko anta balet no antoypakatalosan provincial government edsayan development,” Arcinue said. (As per our agreement, we are now very much settled. I don’t know, however, how the provincial government would consider this development.)

Arcinue explained that the affected fishcage operators could not abruptly relocate the units as this would adversely affect the growth of the milkfish being raised.

“So, I told them to start transferring their stocks little by little or slow motion on a daily basis and not wait for full harvest anymore,” he said, adding that this way they know how to honor their agreement even if verbally made.

He said that Regional Director AvelinoMunar Jr. of the Philippine Ports Authority saw no problem about the presence of fishcages in Cabalitian Bay since the planned international seaport located off in Sual Bay is yet to be completed.

Arcinue added that the possibility of a fishkill disrupting the operation of the plant is “very remote because the municipal agriculturist and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources are constantly monitoring water quality and the operation of the fish cages.”

BFAR Regional Director Nestor Domenden reported that water quality in Cabalitian Bay has not deteriorated even with the presence of the fishcages, he said.

He said the plant management itself is conducting monthly water quality testing, while the BFAR with the assistance of the municipal agriculturist conducts the testing twice a month.

“Kanyanmareen kami la diadSual.Maayos la so talusan.Kumonaglaramanggaway arum yaisyu,” he said.

                                    Investment friendly

Mayor Arcinue said the municipal government of Sual enacted its fishery code that allows the operation of fishcages in its municipal waters to generate jobs and revenues and encourage more investors to do business in the municipality.

He said this policy is in support of the vision of Gov. Espino to transform Pangasinan “to be the best place to invest, work, live and raise a family.”

            Even the SangguniangPanlalawigan supported this thrust of the municipality of Sual when it reviewed and approved the town’s fishery code, he said.

“Our position here in Sual is that, sanamagkaroontayong sustainability ngmga fish cages, mas pagandahinyongatingmariculture zone area nangmakatulongtayosa food security ngatingbansa,” he said.

Aside from generating from P7 million to P9 million annual income for the municipality in terms of business taxes, the fish cages also provide employment to some 3,500 to 5,000 local residents and their families, he said.

            The local fishery code allows for the construction of 735 fish cages in the town’s municipal waters, excluding the 200 units allowed in Babay Sur which is not yet occupied.

            According to BFAR, there are now about 778 fish cages in the Cabalitian Bay.

            Arcinue said he has ordered an inventory of the existing fish cages to verify reports that there are some structures whose owners did not secure business permits and ECC.

            “We will ask them to comply with the requirements and if they refuse, they will have to go,” he said.

            Arcinue said he will never allow the dismantling of the fish cages as these provide additional income to the municipality as well as jobs and livelihood opportunities to residents.

            He added that the milkfish produced by the fish cages are a big boon to the government’s food security program.

The combined production of all the fish cages in Sual is 30 metric tons a day, many of which are shipped to Dagupan City and Metro Manila.

                                    CDO issued

EMB Regional Director Joel Salvador told members of the SangguniangPanlalawigan during last Monday’s regular session that he has already issued on Oct. 11 a cease-and-desist order to 31 fishcage operators who have yet so secure their respective ECCs.

Salvador said he will seek the assistance of the PNP and the provincial government in implementing the cease-and-desist order.

The 31 operators were given within 15 days from receipt of the CDO to explain in writing why they should not be charged administratively for violating the ECC law since they are operating their fish cages in a bay area.

Aside from this, the operators were slapped by DENR-EMB with P50,000 fine for each fish cage that they own. It was learned that each operator own from seven to 50 fish cages.