Spates of killings in Pangasinan: Not abetted by hired killers – Col. Ricaforte

LINGAYEN –Provincial Director Col. Rosueto Ricaforte, explained that not all the series of killings that ensued in Pangasinan were perpetrated by hired killers. “According to our intelligence (reports) that most of the crimes are result of vengeance. These are common crimes that resulted to shooting incident,” he stressed. He said that killers who ride in tandem on a motorcycle is a modus where everybody can buy a motorcycle for P5 thousand. “Sakyan nila then babaril na sila (They use the motorcycle and shoot somebody). But these are not organized crimes. Ito ay resulta ng away-away ng mga ta-o (This is a result of quarrels),” he stressed. He said that he consulted with his chiefs of police in a command conference the flaws that beset the operational procedure like in the police integrated patrol system. “So if there are lapses there, we would like to plug the holes. Kung iko-correct namin ito mapag-igting natin ang ating crime prevention”.

Politics in the 3rd and 4th congressional districts

The political kettle in Mangaldan, Pangasinan heats up this early. Since incumbent Mayor Herminio Romero is bowing out (he is on his last term) next year, those being rumored to run there are former national police chief and land transportation office’s (LTO) boss Art Lomibao, incumbent Vice Mayor Berex Abalos, and former mayoralty candidate Bona de Vera. My mole told me last week that Lomibao’s supporters have been scouting for his vice mayor. The spy said the logical tandem they found that could jibe with Lomibao is former vice Mayor Pedro Surdilla. They said vice mayor Abalos immediately torpedoed their proposal for him to be Art’s vice mayor. Abalos, who is the protégée of former congressman Mark Cojuangco, has been overheard telling the Lomibao’s boys that they should ask somebody to enlist a scientific survey for them to know that he (Berex) leads the pack. ‘Not just like the surveys cum consensunin the mahjong dens that some gambling aficionados’ supporters of Art have been crowing their figures,” Abalos told Lomibao’s emissary.

Gina de Venecia for governor?

By Mortz C. Ortigoza DAGUPAN CITY – Fourth District Rep. Gina de Venecia said her electoral option in the next year’s national and local election is open, including running for the province’s gubernatorial post. “Yes, it is not an impossibility,” she quipped when asked if she has a moist eye for the highest political post of the province. Earlier, de Venecia told media men in this city that she considered too a senatorial post in the 2013 poll. “Nag-uusap pa kaming mag-asawa kung ano ang nakakabuti for us and for the people kung saan kami mas makakatulong (I and my husband mull what is best for us and the people where we can help more),”she stressed. In the recent mass wedding in San Jacinto, Pangasinan where the solon stood as a witness, de Venecia’s brother-in-law former senator Ernesto Maceda declared to the crowd that former speaker Jose de Venecia, Gina’s husband, will seek a congressional seat next year, while his spouse Gina can either run as governor, mayor (Dagupan City), or seek another congressional seat in another district. Former speaker de Venecia said he has been also receiving proposals from different sectors for him to either run in the senate or the House of Representatives. “Some people are telling me to run for the senate, my constituents in the 4th District are also asking me to run for the House of Representatives –back to my old seat although Manay Gina is also doing a good job,” he said. But a political spectator, who asked for anonymity, opined that the former speaker’s son and namesake who ran and lost in the 2010 senatorial derby, is rumored too to be running again for a senate seat.

Lim prepares to veto P581 M budget

By Mortz C. Ortigoza DAGUPAN CITY – Mayor Benjamin Lim is set to veto a line item in the P581 million budget for 2012 which was approved recently by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city council). City Administrator Vladimir Mata said there were some provisions colatilla to a section of the ordinance that Lim deemed for a possible veto. “We are still preparing for the veto message of the mayor and we will be coming out with the message probably before the end of the 10 day reglementary period,” he explained. Although Mata refuse to cite the provision that got the attention of the executive department, he agreed that the particular item will make it hard for the Lim Administration to implement a certain project. Mata said the controversial P10 million budget intended for the lying-in hospital and the P4 million budget for the Tsunami Hill in Pugaro village have been approved by the SP. He explained that the P4 million is the initial phase of the project, while the remaining P2 million will be sourced from this year’s calamity fund. “The tsunami hill could be implemented because the fund is charged from the 2011 calamity fund which we already approved by the SP in 2011,” he said. He said the eventual approval of the budget for the tsunami hill was buttressed by the assurances of the Mines Geosciences Bureau and the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology that the project is technically sound.

Bobom practices austerity in recent trips abroad

By Mortz C. Ortigoza URDANETA CITY – If many Europeans today practice austerity measures imposed to them by lending institutions, the mayor of this city has his version of austerity during his recent trips abroad. Mayor Gregorio “Bobom” Perez IV said when he attended the 10 –day League of Cities of the Philippines conference and official visit to Hawaii for the historic signing of the memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the LCP and the State of Hawaii, he did not stay in a hotel but stayed in the house of a city mate there. He added that he stayed too in the house of a friend from this city in the US mainland when he made a three-day side trip there. “Mabuti iyon dahil matipid unlike sa hotel na mahal,” he quipped. He said he asked compatriots in Hawaii and in the U.S mainland to join again the renowned Mrs. Urdaneta in the next city fiesta. He said he did not solicit monies for this city as practiced by other mayors in Pangasinan whenever they go abroad.

Pangasinan braces for Palarong Pambansa 2012

The upgrading and rehabilitation of the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) in Lingayen is in full blast that includes the construction of the grandstand’s southwing in preparation for the staging of Palarong Pambansa 2012 on May 6-12 in Pangasinan. Once finished, the facility can accommodate 15,000 spectators, from the present 10,000 sitting capacity. Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. assured all Department of Education’s (DepEd) officials, athletes and delegates that all additional constructions and repairs will be completed as scheduled. It will be remembered that Gov. Espino, then police provincial director of Pangasinan, was the Palaro’s Task Force Commander when Pangasinan first hosted the event in 1995. He led the completion of the NRSCC in record time of 49 days with full support of then President of the Philippines Fidel V. Ramos, a native of Pangasinan. (PIO Photo by Meinard Sadim)

San Roque Power Corporation Fetes FVR and Opens Reservoir Cruise

Lingayen - - Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan led the provincial government of Pangasinan during the unveiling of a marker to honor former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos and the launch of the San Roque Reservoir Boat at the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC) on March 12 in the municipality of San Manuel. The SRPC, which officially started operations in 2003, also tendered a special birthday celebration for Ramos after the activities.