Isabela

QUEZON, Isabela (December 6)—More than P6 million worth of marijuana was recovered from a suspect in an anti-illegal drugs operation on Saturday, December 3, in Barangay Abut here. Authorities identified the suspect as Bryan Appag, who tried to elude arrest during the buy-bust. Confiscated from the suspect were two sacks containing 55 pieces of bricks of dried marijuana leaves with fruiting tops weighing 55 kilograms with an estimated market value of P6,600,000. Joint operatives from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino and this town's police station collaborated with the Kalinga Regional Force Mobile Battalion during the operation. The PDEA said a case for violation of Section 5, Article 2 of Republic Act 9165 is being prepared for fi...

BY VINCE JACOB VISAYA SANTIAGO CITY (December 2)—The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) has encouraged depositors of the closed Cooperative Bank of Aurora to file their deposit insurance claims until December 9 this year. The PDIC, in a statement, on Thursday said based on its latest data, deposit insurance claims for 514 accounts with aggregate insured deposits amounting to P3.1 million have yet to be filed. The data also showed that as of Sept. 30, 2022, the PDIC had paid the depositors of the closed cooperative bank the total amount of P12.4 million, corresponding to 79 percent of the bank's total insured deposits amounting to P15.9 million. The depositors are advised to file their claims either online or through postal mail. When filing claims through email, scan...

BY VINCE JACOB VISAYA CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (November 29)—Two hundred twenty five persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were given free legal advice by lawyers belonging to the Lingap Justice for League-Isabela at the Isabela Provincial Jail recently. Acting executive judge Joel Bantasan of the Regional Trial Court-Ilagan said they visit jails to professionally and legally help inmates. "This Lingap Justice League of Isabela is all in force to help you. As far as possible, we make this an opportunity for you to ask your legal questions like the Public Attorney's Office," he said. Bantasan, meanwhile, urged the PDLs not to vent their ire at the prosecutors "for they are only doing their jobs to present evidence against you as government lawyers." "For public attorneys, they g...

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO RAMON, Isabela (November 28)—The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has awarded the prestigious Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan (GKK)-Nationals to renewable energy solutions provider SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) Group in a ceremony on November 23. SNAP representatives personally received the trophies from Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma. SNAP has been consistently recognized by the GKK for commendable occupational safety and health (OSH) practices. According to Laguesma, GKK is the most prestigious award for health and safety in the industry, commending the participants for their collective contributions to uphold the labor department's advocacy and help build the future of OSH in the country. For years, the DoLE has lauded the best establishments and...

BY VINCE JACOB VISAYA CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela (November 27)—Twenty-three former New People's Army (NPA) rebels got a P460,000-worth livelihood package under the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Apayao through the assistance of the 17th Infantry Battalion held at the Apayao provincial conference hall in San Isidro, Luna, Apayao on Thursday. Capt. Rigor Pamittan, 5th Infantry Division public affairs chief and spokesman, said each former rebel got P20,000 in the form of sari-sari (variety) stores and agriculture products. The rebels also underwent assessments and seminars to help them identify and manage their livelihood. Liezel Lopez, an E-Clip focal person of the Apayao provincial government, encouraged the rebe...

BY VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (November 17)—An Elf truck driver died Thursday, Nov. 17, when he was thrown from his vehicle after being hit by a trailer truck in Diadi town, Nueva Vizcaya province. Lieutenant George Dayag, Diadi deputy police chief, identified the fatality as Gerald Morales, based in Tumauini town in Isabela province. An initial investigation showed that the brake of the trailer truck driven by Danilo Lopez malfunctioned as it was negotiating a curve, leading to the collision with Morales’ vehicle. The police said the trailer truck also hit a passenger bus. Lopez surrendered to the authorities and will face a charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and damage to property.

Magata Dam in Ramon, Isabela BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO RAMON, Isabela (November 14)—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) spearheaded a participatory convergence meeting pushing for strong management support among environment stakeholders focusing on the protection of the Magat watershed and rehabilitation of Magat Dam. During the convergence meeting here on November 11, National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Administrator Benny Antiporda underscored the significance of interagency collaboration to ensure the protection of Magat Dam. "An interagency collaboration will also ensure the stability of the environment and safety of people living in the region's low-lying areas," Antiporda said with a proposal to dredge the Magat reserv...

BY VILLAMOR VISAYA JR. TUGUEGARAO CITY (November 12)—Seven people were rescued while another was missing after a passenger boat capsized while traveling down the Cagayan river, between Macanaya and Minanga villages, in Aparri, Cagayan on Friday, a report said Saturday. The police report said the boat “Cassidy Leste” was plying the Furuganan Wharf route with eight passengers when it met strong waves, causing it to capsize along the Macanaya-Minanga area at 6:30 p.m. Rescuers from the Maritime and Coast Guard immediately responded. Police Brigadier General Steve Ludan, Cagayan Valley police chief, quoting a report from Aparri police, said Ray Taguba, 23; Jungie Paggabao, 34; Cassidy Leste, 10; Fernando Leste, 36; Ljay Ocampo, 17; Reynante Villanueva, 27; and Ebo Persona, 27, who...

TUGUEGARAO CITY September 13)—With a total of P11 million swine repopulation grant from the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley), two multipurpose cooperatives started constructing biosecured facilities in Isabela to revive the swine industry. Dr. Ferdinand Cortez, DA Region 2 public relations officer and broadcast unit head, said Wesley Savings Multipurpose Cooperative and Liga ng mga Barangay ng Isabela Multipurpose Cooperative received P5.5 million each from the DA Region 2. Cortez said after receiving the grant, the cooperatives broke ground and started building the bio-secured facilities in Garit Norte and Libertad, Echague, Isabela on September 9 after receiving the grant. DA Region 2 Executive Director Narciso Edillo said this is a significant event,...

According to Regional Technical Director for Research and Regulatory Rose Mary Aquino, corn silage making had already been practiced in Cagayan Valley. Aquino said corn harvested for silage is an important feed crop for our livestock and serves as high-energy forage for dairy cows. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO TUMAUINI, Isabela (August 27)—All is not lost for corn farmers after Typhoon Florita. This is after the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA-RFO2) reintroduced silage-making to corn farmers whose crops are affected by Typhoon Florita. In tandem with the local government unit of Tumauini, DA-RFO2 through its Isabela Experiment Station conducted a field demonstration on silage making on August 26, 2022, in Barangay Tunggui, one of the many baran...