Chan is Pangasinan's election "Police Czar"

Author meeting yesterday at the Police Regional Office in San Fernando City, La Union two of his police friends "General" Marlou Chan, deputy police regional director for administration - a star ranked position, and Lt. Colonel Ed Revita.

Chan would be playing a very crucial role in the acrimonious Pangasinan election after he was appointed lately by the chief of the national police Director-General Ricardo Marquez as designated commander of the regional special operations task group. "You're appointed as the supervisor of the election in Pangasinan and other provinces because of your expertise on election's crises management," Marquez was overheard by a source telling Chan.

The almost two millon vote - rich Pangasinan is the only province in Region 1 included in the list of election watch-list areas (EWAs) on account of recorded political violence in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

Chan is a member of the Philippine Military Academy's Class 1985 while Revita is an alumnus of the Philippine National Police Academy. MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

PNP Chief Director General Ricardo Marquez (2nd from left) and Deputy Regional Director for Administration S/Supt. Marlou Chan briefed members of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office last February 14, 2016.

PALS. Chan poses with posterity with two of his favorite media men
Ronnel de Vera (extreme left)  and media hearthrob Atong
Remogat. 

Author with Chan's PMA 1985 classmates who are police generals.

Cayetano and Bangus Farmers

Vice presidential aspirant and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano went to Dagupan, Pangasinan on February 23 and spoke with bangus farmers to push for a "people's bank" to facilitate capital lending.

This is part of the "Ronda-Serye” listening tour with his running mate, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo, where the tandem personally listens to ordinary Filipinos and presents their solutions to the country's disorder.

Media man Atong Remogat , dubbed as the Duterte's dead ringer in Pangasinan, introduced Philippines Councilors League President Maybelyn dela Cruz -Fernandez before the latter spoke lauding the help Senator Cayetano rendered to the PCL. Dagupan City Councilor Maybelyn is an actress

Dagupan City Mayor calls women to be vigilant

After alleged Muslim rapist arrested

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez commended the Dagupan City Police Station for the immediate arrest of the suspect in a rape and frustrated murder case committed somewhere in Bonuan last February 19.

Abdul Kapia y Rumapnec

The arrest of the suspect came three days after the victim, a young lady working in a subdivision office was raped, attacked and was left for dead on February 19 in a subdivision in Bonuan here.

The police identified the suspect as Abdul Kapia y Rumapnec, 44, of Bonuan this city. He was positively identified by the victim as the one who abused her when she was alone in the office at around 12:00 noon that day.

Karen (not her real name) said the suspect hit her with a stone until she fell unconscious. While unconscious, Kapia dragged the victim outside and brought her to  a grassy portion of the subdivision where he  molested her

After satisfying his carnal desire, Kapia hit Karen with a stone several times and left her for dead.

The victim was found later by the subdivision’s guard who brought her to the hospital.

Dagupan City Mayor calls on women to be vigilant

Today at 1:02 AM

After alleged Muslim rapist arrested

DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Belen T. Fernandez commended the Dagupan City Police Station for the immediate arrest of the suspect in a rape and frustrated murder case committed somewhere in Bonuan last February 19.

Abdul Kapia y Rumapnec

The arrest of the suspect came three days after the victim, a young lady working in a subdivision office was raped, attacked and was left for dead on February 19 in a subdivision in Bonuan here.

Comelec reminds candidates on common poster area rule

CALASIAO  – Days into the campaign period for the national positions, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Ilocos Region reminded all political candidates to abide by the common poster area rule.

Election Officer Jeremias Mencias of Calasiao advised all national politicians to check with local election registrars of towns and cities to know the common designated area where they can display their campaign posters.

He said posting of campaign materials on trees, electric posts, telephone posts, bridges, and structures administered by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as well as on the properties of the Department of Education (DepEd), is strictly prohibited by the Comelec resolutions.

He added that painting of campaign advertisements on public and private walls or fences is also prohibited.

Romulo: Salary increase timely but inadequate without tax rates cut

Senatorial Candidate Roman T. Romulo lauded the action of President Aquino of signing an executive order increasing  the salary of government workers but continues to express his disappointment on the President's lack of support on the proposals to reduce income tax rates.

"The grant of salary increase to government workers is timely considering the high cost of living.    However, such would have been more meaningful if the President also supported my proposal to lower the tax of all income earning citizens, private or government."said Romulo.

"Despite the signing of said Executive Order, Congress should still pass the SSL 4 to ensure its continued implementation. The Executive Order of the President is good only for this year and does not provide for an indexation of pensions for retired police and military personnel, as such Congress should not pass this matter to the next administration, we should decide on this once the election season is over, " said Romulo.

Solon mulls revival of North Railroad System

DAGUPAN CITY  -  A Senatorial aspirant is mulling the revival of the North Railroad System that traverses Dagupan City which is deemed to contribute to agricultural boost in the province.

Incumbent Congressman  Sherwin ‘Win’ Gatchalian talked about the train system revival during his visit to Dagupan City when asked about his possible top priorities in Pangasinan should he clinch a Senate seat in the 2016 elections.

 “As Pangasinan is agriculture-based, priority pa rin natin ang agriculture. Buhayin natin ang North Rail transit sa Luzon which could help in the delivery of agricultural goods at bababa ang cost ng transport pati ng goods,” Gatchalian told media  men.

In this way, the province can contribute to the country’s rice sufficiency, he said.

Gatchalian  also mentioned of tourism boost as a priority since the province has the Hundred Islands, Manaoag shrine and plenty of caves.

The 42-year old Senatoriable said it was always good to go back to the province where he spent his early teenage days in the family fishpond in Lingayen town.

The North Railroad Transit is part of the  Philippine National Railways or PNR, operating a single line of track in Luzon. History dictates that on June 25, 1875, under a royal decree issued by   King Alfonso XII of Spain, the required Inspector of Public Works of the Philippine Islands was requested to submit a railway system plan for Luzon. The plan included a  concession for the construction of a railway line from Manila to Dagupan  which was granted to Don Edmundo Sykes of the Ferrocarril de Manila–Dagupan (Manila–Dagupan Railway), later to become the Manila Railway Company, Ltd. of London, on June 1, 1887

However, continued neglect in past decades reduced PNR's efficiency and railroad coverage. Persistent problems with informal settlers in the 1990s contributed further to PNR's decline.

A village in Dagupan City, Barangay Mayombo, retains a sitio called PNR where the railroad transit used to traverse. (VHS/PIA-1, Pangasinan)