As of Janaury 23, 2018

City Council approves

Anti-smoking ordinance

By Letty M. Militante

A new anti smoking ordinance will soon be in place to implement the ban, that is already covered by an executive order emanating from Malacanang.

The City Council already passed and approved the anti -smoking during  its maiden session last January 16, 2018.

Vice Mayor Cesar Itturalde said that the proposed and already approved ordinance can only be implemented after   this will be published in the local dailies  and this will take effect 15 days there after.

It will be recalled that the city council passed and approved an ordinance on smoking .  But, this time the ordinance in line with the President. Rodrigo Duterte  on smoking law  will have stiffer fines and penalties for violators .

The ordinance now prohibits several public places  on smoking  to include among  others like business establishments. ()

Grandstand rehab

 now at 58 percent

Work for the rehabilitation of the Joaquin F. Enriquez Memorail Complex or Grandstand in Baliwasan Seaside  is now about 68 perent completed.

Work in the grandstand is being supervised by expoerts of a

German firm that provided millions of pesos woth of surface materials for the oval and playing fields

A greater part of the Grandstand particularly its playground was destroyed when it was occupied by war victims of the Sept 2016 rebel attack in shorelinebarangays in the city.

These war victims have been resettled to other areas. (Letty M. Miltante)

P32-M school building

project inaugurated

Preparations are underway to seek funds from the national government for the construction of additional school building for the Zamboanga City National High School (ZCNHS)-West.

First District Representative Celso Lobregat made the announcement as he and Department of Education (DepEd) officials on Friday led the inauguration of the PhP32 million four-storey 20-classroom building at the ZCNHS-West.

Lobregat said the funding he would seek from the national government was to finance the construction of a another building that would consist of four-storey eight-classroom edifice.

He said the building to be constructed would replace the old one-storey building of the ZCNHS-West.

“I am also making a representation to ask funds from the national government for the construction of another four-storey eight-classroom building, which will replace the existing one-storey building. We will demolish the old one and replace it with parallel building with the existing four-storey 20-classroom (building) now in place,” he said.

Another building consisting of four-storey 24-classroom is under construction and is set to be completed within this quarter. It is located just beside the four-storey 20-classroom building inaugurated Friday.

The ZCNHS-West, which has a student population of 7,273, will no longer hold classes on shifting schedules since they now have 68 classrooms.

ZCNHS-West Principal Pilar Gregorio, on behalf of the teachers and students, thanked Lobregat for giving attention to their request for additional school building.

“Congressman Lobregat is very true to his advocacy in giving priority projects to education, we are grateful for this gift he gave us because this is the solution to the congestion problem in our school,” Gregorio said.

Lobregat said he gave priority to education since it was the solution to minimize if not eradicate poverty.

“My responsibility is to create an environment, to make it easier for the teacher to teach and for students to learn,” he said.

Dr. Felix Romy Triambulo, city schools division superintendent, joined Lobregat in the inauguration of the four-storey 20-classroon school building.

The activity was witnessed by the faculty members, students and barangay officials of Baliwasan, where the ZCNHS-West was located. (PNA)

No bombings/kidnappings

in Zambo for since 2016

The city of Zamboanga has registered zero cases of bombings and. Kidnapping fpor the years 2016 anf 2017.

In her Stateof the City Address (SOCA) City Mayor Maira Isabelle C.Climaco Salazar disclosed that there was no reports of any bombings as well as kidnapping incidents in the city.

It will be recalled that the city of Zamboanga had been in the lime light because of bombings and kidnaping incidents in previous years, particularly the rebel attack in this city last September 9, 2013.

Climaco Salazar said that implementation of the no id no entry policy declared along with  martial law in the entire Mindanao sealed all entry and exit points in the city.

As this developed Climaco Saalzar said that she wants a long term solution to the peace and order problem  in the city .(Letty M. Miliatnte)

DOLE adopts online

SPES applicants list

 Preparations are underway for the implementation of online registration of applicants in the government’s Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) here in Region 9.

Ofelia Domingo, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director, told the Philippine News Agency that the online registration would be implemented starting this month.

Domingo said they were in the process of constructing a website where SPES applicants could register.

Domingo said the system, once in place, would hasten the registration and lessen the expenses of the applicants.

“The office will have a data bank of SPES workers. They will only have to submit their documents once and spend less for transportation because they can follow-up online, and an identification card will also be generated for them,” she explained.

She said there would be no more long queue of applicants for SPES which entailed efforts and expenses.

Each of the students employed through the SPES receives PhP296 daily based on the minimum wage law for Region 9. The duration of employment ranges from 30 to 78 days.

The employer shoulders 60 percent of the employees’ salary while the remaining 40 percent by DOLE.

Starting last year, SPES workers received their salary through money transfer making it convenient both for the employers and employees.

SPES is an employment bridging program during Summer or Christmas Vacation that aims to augment the family’s income of poor but deserving students, out-of-school youths (OSYs) or dependents of displaced workers who intend to finish their education. (PNA)

2 Indonesians

released in Sulu

Two Indonesians were released late Friday by the Abu Sayyaf in the island province of Sulu, the military reported Saturday.

Released were La Utu Bin La Raali and La Hadi La Edi, both skippers of Malaysia-registered fishing boats.

The Abu Sayyaf bandits seized the victims on November 5, 2016 between Pegasus Reef and Kuala Kinabatangan near the municipality of Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi.

The military said the two Indonesians were taken to the residence of former Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, Sr. by a concerned citizen around 7:30 p.m. Friday in Barangay Asturias, Jolo town.

After providing them food and other personal needs, Tan notified Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Joint Task Force Sulu commander.

They were brought to the headquarters of Joint Task Force Sulu where they had undergone medical examination.

The Abu Sayyaf Group is still holding nine people captive that include three Indonesians, one Vietnamese, one Dutch and four Filipinos.

Government troops continue to scour the hinterlands of Sulu in a bid to locate and rescue the hostages. (PNA)

Gunmen kill barangay

exec in Isabela City

Police are investigating the killing of a barangay official who recently joined the administration’s political party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Isabela City Police chief, Supt. Restituto Pangusban, identified the victim as Kaddam Ismael, 61, who succumbed to a lone gunshot wound and died instantly.

Ismael was the barangay chairperson of Kapayawan, Isabela City, Basilan province at the time of his death.

Pangusban said Ismael was shot dead along the highway in Barangay Lumbang, Isabela City at about 6:10 p.m. Thursday.

He said the slain barangay official was onboard a motorcycle driven by his son on the way home when he was shot by one of two motorcycle-riding men.

Ismael had just arrived from Manila as he was among the 40 barangay chairpersons of Isabela City who took their oaths as members of PDP-Laban on Wednesday.

Pangusban said Ismael’s son was unscathed during the incident.

The suspects, whose motorcycle bore no registered plate number, sped towards the municipality of Maluso.

Recovered from the crime scene was an empty shell of a caliber .45 pistol. (PNA)

PDEA dismantles drug

den; seizes P115-K shabu

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) arrested seven high-value target (HVT) personalities as they dismantled a drug den in an anti-illegal drugs operation in this city, an official said Friday.

PDEA Regional Director Lyndon Aspacio said the drug den's dismantling occurred following a buy-bust operation in Barangay Camino Nuevo, this city at about 5:45 p.m. Thursday.

Aspacio identified the arrested HVT persons as Jeanifer Mondares, 32; Paulita Tubil, 43; Rodrigo Tubil, 32; Raymond Farallon, 42; Mark Albia, 26; Abdel Alamia, 41; and Bobby Tubil, 30.

He disclosed that another HVT drug personality identified as Robert Berdin was able to elude arrest.

Aspacio said the arresting team confiscated from the suspects 23 grams of suspected shabu packed in one self-sealing transparent plastic sachet worth PHP115,000, PHP500 marked money, and several illegal drug paraphernalia.

The buy-bust operation was launched after days of surveillance on the illegal drug trade activity of the suspects, he added.

He said cases of violations of Section 5 (Selling of Illegal Drugs), Section 6 (Maintenance of Den, Dive or Resort), Section 7 (Employees and Visitors of Den, Dive or Resort), Section 11 (Possession of Illegal Drugs), Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia), Section 13 (Possession of Illegal Drugs during Parties), and Section 14 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia during Parties), and Section 26 (Attempt or Conspiracy) of Article II of Republic Act No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, will be filed in court against the suspects. (PNA)

MILF ‘platoon’ leader

arrested in anti-drug ops

Anti-illegal drugs operatives of the police have arrested an alleged “platoon” leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in a buy-bust operation in Zamboanga del Sur, an official disclosed Thursday.

Chief Insp. Helen Galvez, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the arrested suspect as Askim Andam, 23, of Payong, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte.

Galvez said Andam was arrested at around 1 p.m. Wednesday at Highway Aide Compound, Barangay Banale, Pagadian City.

Galvez said Andam was a platoon leader of the 105th Base Command, Central Mindanao Front, MILF “based on his admission and confiscated identification card.”

She said confiscated from the suspect were four plastic sachets of suspected shabu and PhP300 “marked money” consisting of three PhP100 bills.

She said the suspect was detained at the headquarters of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) while appropriate charges were to be filed against him. (PNA)

Westmincom neutralizes

352 Abu Sayyaf bandits

The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) announced they have achieved substantial accomplishment in its fight against the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in 2017.

Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, Westmincom information officer, made this announcement Thursday during the command’s first press conference for the year, saying 352 ASG members were neutralized from January 1 to December 31, 2017.

Of the total, 128 Abu Sayyaf bandits were killed while 80 were apprehended, and 144 surrendered in the Western Mindanao area.

Petinglay said most of those who surrendered numbering to 70 were from Basilan, 53 from Sulu, and 21 in Tawi-Tawi.

The troops also recovered and seized 223 firearms in 2017 from the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“Substantial results were achieved through the intensified conduct of combat, intelligence, and civil-military operations launched by the Joint Task Forces within their respective joint area of operations,” she said.

Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez, Westmincom chief, said the Joint Task Forces Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi would sustain the conduct of focused military operations to defeat the ASG and other threat groups in their area of operations.

The other threat groups within the area of responsibility of Westmincom included the New People’s Army in Zamboanga Peninsula and Central Mindanao as well as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) also in Central Mindanao aside from the ASG.

Two members of the ASG were neutralized since January 1 until Thursday this year in Western Mindanao area.

One of the two surrendered to the Joint Task Force Basilan while the other was apprehended in Zamboanga City. (PNA)