A world-famous island in Bohol gets 24-hour electricity supply

Balicasag, an island in Bohol province globally known for diving and snorkeling due to its rich marine life, is now fully energized.

The National Power Corporation's Small Power Utilities Group (Napocor-SPUG) installed a diesel-fed generator set that can supply electricity to some 225 households around the clock.

During a switch-on ceremony Monday, September 4, officials announced that a 24-hour power service will enhance economic activity and people's productivity.

This ends decades of insufficient power supply that was available only from 6 pm to 11 pm in Balicasag Island, which is also famous for whales and dolphin watching tours.

Power is a crucial need for an island that is frequented by thousands of tourists every year and is home to the only Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA)-operated facility in the Visayas, the Balicasag Island Dive Resort, said Panglao Mayor Nila Paredes Montero.

The project, according to Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, is a result of the commitments made by Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi during the Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in August on Panglao Island, and where energy experts and policymakers from 34 countries in Asia participated.

During the ACD summit, Cusi learned that most of the 111 off-the-grid islands surrounding mainland Bohol remain in darkness, or with limited power supply at night. He instructed Napocor president Pio Benavides to look for solutions.

"We are now mapping out which of these islands in Bohol will receive a 24-hour electricity service," Chatto told Rappler in a text message.

In July this year, Balicasag's neighboring island, Pamilacan, received a P10-million solar energy facility installed and donated by WeGen Distributed Energy Philippines, enabling 300 off-grid households to enjoy power during daytime.

For Balicasag residents, power cost comes at a much lower rate compared to charges billed on grid-connected communities, according to Bohol Electric Cooperative (Boheco-I) general manager Dino Roxas. This is due to a special arrangement made between Boheco and SPUG of Napocor.

SPUG was formed after the merging of the Integrated Barge Management Group (IBMG) and Small Island and Isolated Grids (SIIG), all created by Napocor when power crisis gripped the country during the 1980s and the 1990s.

Present during Monday's switch-on ceremony were Chatto, Montero, Roxas, Napocor department manager Pete Llorente, Archie Lungay representing Bohol 1st District Representative Rene Relampagos, 302nd Infantry Battalion Commander Brig. General Arnulfo Matanguihan, and Philippine Navy Col. Jorge Ibarra.

Dela Rosa admits Kian killing 'was an overkill'

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa admitted his men may have taken it too far in killing Kian delos Santos during a drug raid.

"Based on the 'yung (the) forensic reports, it was really an overkill. Maraming tama yung bata. Parang nasobrahan, nasobrahan (The boy was shot many times. It seems it went too far, it went too far)," Dela Rosa said.

He was answering Senator Loren Legarda, who had asked him what he thought of the 17-year-old's slay, during her interpellation of the PNP's budget on Tuesday, September 5.

According to autopsy reports, Delos Santos was shot twice on the head while he was kneeling, face down. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), with its own probe, concluded that the teen was murdered. (READ: LIST: Minors, college students killed in Duterte's drug war)

The budget briefing came immediately after Dela Rosa attended the second session of the Senate probe into the case of Delos Santos, where the top cop was grilled by legislators to tears.

Asked by Legarda whether he thinks his cops intentionally killed Delos Santos, Dela Rosa said that the most he can say is Delos Santos was "namatay" (died), but not "pinatay"(killed with intention).

Legarda then asked top officials of the PNP how they have tried to curb drug-related vigilante killings, to which the PNP Director for Operations Chief Superintendent Camilo Cascolan replied that they have operations targeting such acts through police checkpoints, and patrols.

The result of all police operations has so far yielded a drop in all crimes, save for murder and homicide.

The PNP is asking for P131.26 billion for its 2018 budget, P900 million of which will be allocated to Project Double Barrel Reloaded, which encompasses all of the law-enforcement agency's anti-drug efforts.

The budget briefing was suspended early, up for continuation, as the Senators of the Finance Comittee had to attend their regular session.

Before adjourning, the committee asked the PNP for data on killings from 2007 to 2017 so that, according to them, they may "contextualize" them.

Caloocan cops linked to Carl Angelo Arnaiz killing relieved from posts

The policemen involved in the killing of 19-year-old Carl Angelo Arnaiz in Caloocan City in August were removed from their posts.

According to Bam Alegre's report on Unang Balita Monday, the order to have  Police Officer 1 Jeffrey Perez and Police Offcer 1 Ricky Arquilita relieved of their duties was received at 6 p.m. Sunday by the Caloocan Police.

Perez and Arquilita were ordered transferred to Camp Bagong Diwa.

The two policemen were allegedly engaged in an exchange of fire with Arnaiz past 3:30 a.m. on August 18.

In a sworn affidavit, the policemen said Arnaiz held up a taxi driver on C3 Road, took the driver's wallet, hit him with a gun then fled the scene.

The policemen were patrolling the area and saw Arnaiz who was walking. When they accosted Arnaiz, he reportedly opened fire against them, prompting them to fire back. The teenager was killed in the hail of bullets.

The taxi driver and other policemen then arrived. The driver positively identified Arnaiz as the one who held him up.

In another document, police said the driver's wallet containing P450 and the taxi were recovered from the crime scene.

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They also said marijuana and shabu were found on Arnaiz's person.

However, the victim's relatives refused to believe this account since the autopsy report of the Public Attorney's Office showed that Arnaiz bore handcuff marks and his eyes were swollen. He also seemed to have been kneeling when he was shot several times on the chest.

"Doon sa spot report nila nakalagay na dead on the spot 'yung kapatid ko. Pero nakita ko 'yung kamay niya, 'yung right hand niya' na may parang bakas siya ng posas. Atsaka 'yung sa may mata niya may parang sinuntok siya or pinukpok siya ng baril. 'Yun 'yung mga parang 'di talaga nakakapagpatunay na nakipaglaban sa kanila 'yung kapatid ko," said Camille Arnaiz, sister of the victim.

"Ang gusto lang namin malaman bukod sa ano ba talaga ang nangyari, kasi nakalagay sa autopsy na 'yung tama ng bala, nakaluhod siya eh. Parang ganun. Bakit, 'di ba? Anong ginawa ng kapatid ko?" she added.

Arnaiz's body was in a morgue in Caloocan for more than a week before his relatives found his remains.

It was only in recent days when his family was oable to hold a wake for him in Cainta, Rizal. Arnaiz will be buried on Tuesday.

Caloocan Police officer in charge Superintendent Ilustre Mendoza declined to be interviewed but said that as far as they were concerned, the case was closed.

He however said that they are aware that the family has asked the Public Attorney's Office to investigate the case.

PAO chief Persida Acosta visited Arnaiz's wake over the weekend.

Trillanes dares Gordon: Go ahead, file your case

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV has dared Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate blue ribbon committee, to make good on his threat to file an ethics case against him. Gordon on Friday said he would.

A verbal clash erupted between the two senators during Thursday’s hearing on the entry of P6.4 billion worth of “shabu” into the country and the alleged involvement of the “Davao Group” in smuggling.

“Go ahead. I am not scared of President Duterte, much less of him or an ethics case. He is just wasting his time scaring me so he should just do it and see how it will pan out,” Trillanes told reporters late on Thursday.

Gordon said on Friday he would file the ethics complaint, adding that it was not the first time that Trillanes had shown acts and used language that were offensive to a fellow senator and the Senate itself.

“He has done that consistently. I already forgave him the first time … but he’s getting used to being forgiven and that can’t be,” Gordon said.

Trillanes said many senators were “disgruntled” about  Gordon’s handling of his committee’s investigation on the shabu shipment that slipped through the Bureau of Customs in May.

“He’ll be lucky if he gets three to four signatures. If he believes the majority will sign [the complaint], then he has lost touch with the pulse of the senators,” Trillanes added.

The verbal skirmish began when Trillanes called the blue ribbon committee a “comité de absuelto” (committee of exoneration) after Gordon rebuffed his motion to summon the President’s son, Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, and son-in-law Manases Carpio.

Trillanes said Gordon appeared to divert the course of the investigation whenever the name of the president’s son cropped up.

A BOC fixer, Mark Taguba, who is under investigation for helping facilitate the shabu shipment, had testified that he gave a total of P8 million to the Davao Group, which allegedly included the President’s son and son-in-law, in exchange for the free movement of his cargos.

Taguba on Friday issued a statement clearing the two men of involvement in the shabu smuggling and corruption in the BOC.

Trillanes urged the committee to invite Paolo Duterte and Carpio, saying that it had enough basis to summon them. Gordon refused.

Trillanes told reporters that Gordon had a “historical track record” of using his committee to clear whoever he wanted to clear.

He referred to past investigations, such as those involving ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the case of former immigration officials Al Argosino and Michael Robles, who were accused of receiving bribes from casino operator Jack Lam.

Trillanes said Gordon also abruptly terminated the investigation on extrajudicial killings in Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs without hearing witnesses already set to testify. Gordon’s committee report belied the existence of state-sponsored killings.

“I was merely stating an observation. I did not do anything improper and unethical. In fact, there are many senators who are disgruntled about the way he (Gordon) is handling the case,” he said.

After the turbulent ending of Thursday’s hearing, Gordon insisted he was not protecting the President’s son and dismissed Trillanes’ criticisms as baseless.

On Friday, Gordon maintained his position against summoning the President’s son and son-in-law, saying the Senate was not “a cockpit of gossip.”

“We are here to find the truth, so we will not be misled by lies and hearsay,” Gordon said.

The Senate minority bloc supported Trillanes and urged the majority to rethink their position on the threat of an ethics case against the senator.

“We cannot help but ask our colleagues in the majority if this is an attempt to harass and intimidate a colleague in the opposition,” the minority senators said in a statement.

It said a decision to suspend or dismiss Trillanes would weaken the opposition and democracy as a whole.

Espenido's reassignment was cancelled - PNP

The reassignment of Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido to Iloilo City was cancelled, the Western Visayas police chief announced on Saturday, September 2.

Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6) Director Cesar Binag made the announcement in a news conference on the raid that killed alleged Western Visayas drug lord Richard Prevendido, and later confirmed it in other media interviews.

Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas will take over the Iloilo City post instead, Binag said.

‪"Nakatanggap kami ng order sa national headquarters na effective sa September 1, si Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas [ang Iloilo City police chief] (We received an order from the national headquarters that effective September 1, Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas [is the iloilo City police chief])," said Binag.

When asked for the reason behind the scrapped reassignment of Espenido to Iloilo City, Binag said in interviews with dzBB and dzMM Teleradyo that this was the order relayed to them by the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame.

"Kami dito, sabi ko nga, 'yung assignment ni Espenido, we welcome 'yan kasi magiging malaking tulong 'yung experience sa lugar, 'yung kanyang accomplishments malaking maitutulong. 'Yun nga lang, nagbago decision ng national headquarters. Kami ay susunod lang naman doon," Binag said.

(We in the regional office welcome the assignment of Espenido because he will be of great help considering his experience and his accomplishments. But then, the national headquarters changed its decision. We are just following that.)

President Rodrigo Duterte himself announced the reassignment of Espenido to Iloilo City on August 28. Duterte had previously tagged Iloilo province as the most "shabulized" in the country.

The appointment faced opposition as Espenido's rank disqualifies him from the post. Espenido would have to be a Senior Superintendent – two promotions away – to head a highly-urbanized city like Iloilo.

Following the President's order, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa, earlier said they made Espenido an "exemption" by assigning him as officer-in-charge of Iloilo City police instead.

The PNP chief said later, however, that he preferred Espenido to remain in Ozamiz City to complete the crime and illegal drugs cleanup, and that he would raise this concern to the President. Three days later, the PNP cancelled Espenido's new assignment.

The reassignment of Espenido to Iloilo City was a “cause of concern” following the track record of the police officer, especially after Duterte pointed out the two mayors in his drug list who were killed in police raids when Espenido was police chief in their areas.

Espenido was assigned Albuera, Leyte, when Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr was killed in a raid in is jail cell; and in Ozamiz City when mayor Reynaldo Parojinog was killed in a police operation.

Duterte had wondered aloud whether Iloilo City Mayor Jed Mabilog, whom he tagged in his drug list, would "survive" since Espenido was supposed to be his police chief. Mabilog had categorically denied the allegation.

Most wanted drug personality in Iloilo was killed in police raid

The Philippine National Police has marked Richard Prevendido as a national target while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency has tagged him as a high-value target.

Iloilo City's "most wanted drug personality' was gunned down Friday night, September 1, after he allegedly shot at police in a search operation.

According to an initial report of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Iloilo cops were serving a search warrant to Richard Prevendido, known as "Buang," when they were met with a "volley of gunfire coming from the subject."

The report said the police forced to retaliate and by the end of the shootout, Prevendido was dead. Also killed was a "male companion" later identified as the suspect's nephew, Jason Prevendido.

Recovered from the scene was an AK-47 assault rifle, two .45 caliber handguns, bladed weapons, and sachets of suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu.

The PNP had marked Prevendido, a known drug lord in the area, as a "national target" while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) deemed him a high-value target. The Iloilo City government and police, reports said, have put up a P1-million reward for his capture.

Prevendido is said to be a top drug lord in Western Visayas.

His death comes just days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced the reassignment of Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido to Iloilo City.

Police have yet to announce whether Espenido was involved in the operation.

Husband Asks Raffy Tulfo ‘s Help After Claiming His Brother-in-Law Disallowed Him To Attend His Deceased Wife’s Funeral!

Raffy Tulfo has been called to action once again, after this grieving husband went to him for help. According to this video report on Facebook, the husband was forbidden to attend his diseased wife’s funeral after his sister-in-law and brother-in-law wouldn’t allow it.

The husband, identified as Samuel Asunto, claimed that his in-laws wouldn’t allow him to attend the wake because there would be trouble during the visit. Asunto says his in-laws stopped being kind to him after a discussion his wife had with her siblings. He also says his wife’s family would claim ownership over their adopted daughter – who happens to be the biological daughter of his brother-in-law.

Tulfo wanted to make sure that was the only reason for their disagreement.
However when Mr. Tulfo contacted the wife’s sister, Rhodora Taduya, she argued that Asunto had actually abandoned his wife. The husband said it wasn’t true – that he actually sent money to support his dying wife.

It was made clear that the wife had written a last will and testament stating that her property wouldn’t be given to the husband. Later the brother-in-law, Rafael Domingo, spoke on air and verbally argued with Asunto over the issue. He said that the issue was that Asunto had simply abandoned his duties to his wife.

Tulfo made it clear for both parties that Asunto was legally allowed to visit his wife’s funeral.

But as soon as the cameras went off the air, the husband asked Mr. Tulfo’s help for another issue he was having – getting his deceased wife’s insurance policy as well as his inheritance!

Unbelievable!

Raffy Tulfo explained that he and his team weren’t concerned with the items his wife left behind. He was only going to help him attend his wife’s funeral and bring her to Cavite to be buried there.

Later, the wife’s family and Mr. Asunto were seen discussing where the wife would be buried. He had a change of heart and decided to let his wife’s family decide where she would be laid to rest. They even shook hands and put this issue behind them.