BALANE to field Manang Josie
vs. Oyie

The Joson-led Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (BALANE) has unanimously named former three-termer Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson as its standard bearer in the 2010 gubernatorial elections, and will face her former co-lawmaker, Gov. Aurelio Umali.

This was reached during a meeting of the BALANE Provincial Council composed of party stalwarts from various towns and cities, last June 20 in Quezon town.

Josie, daughter of former Gapan Mayor Basilio Manuel, is the wife of former Vice Gov. Mariano Cristino Joson who lost to Umali in the 2007 elections.

Fourth Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, BALANE district chair for southern Nueva Ecija, moved to divide the house to determine if there was any objection to Josie's endorsement but no one spoke out.

Lawyer Chito Lahom described his party mates response to Josie's endorsement as "so overwhelming".

Josie said that she was heartened by her choice as BALANE's official candidate for governor and the support of what she called the "four pillars" of the party -- her husband Mariano Cristino; First Dist. Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson, former Gov. Tomas Joson III and former Vice Gov. Eduardo Joson IV.

Earlier, there were reports that the BALANE candidate for governor could either be Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson, Rep. Joson or former Gov. Joson.

Josie will be the first woman gubernatorial candidate -- and a non-blood relative --  to be fielded by the Josons.

She will try to recover the Capitol after the Joson's 48 year old hold on it ended with her husband Mariano Cristino's loss to Umali. ###
 
 

Popoy being nudged to run against Oyie, Josie

Jose "Popoy" Taruc, former running mate of Gov. Aurelio Umali, is being convinced to run for governor.

It was learned that Taruc was being eyed by local politicians and Church leaders as an alternative gubernatorial candidate to Umali and former Rep. Josie Manuel-Joson.

A signature campaign urging Taruc to run has reportedly been launched.

Taruc is the son of broadcaster Joe Taruc. He ran for vice governor in 2007 under Umali's Lakas-CMD but lost to Edward Thomas Joson. He was later appointed by Pres. Arroyo as director of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and became its youngest director at age 31.

Taruc has declined to comment on the moves to draft him as a third force in the 2007 gubernatorial elections but admitted that he had been approached to challenge Umali. He said that despite political differences, he and Umali have remained friends. ###
 
 

Ecija among 6 provinces eyed as potential election hot spots

The Philippine National police identified six provinces -- including Nueva Ecija -- as potential election hot spots

PNP chief Jesus Versoza said that the other provinces were Abra in Luzon; and Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Maguindanao in Mindanao.

Versoza explained that the provinces had a track record of violence in previous elections because of intense political rivalries among the local warlords who maintained private armies.

He said that by declaring those areas as hot spots, the police and the local residents would be prepared to cope with the worse that could happen on election day next year.

He said that those facing threats to their lives would do well to take extra precaution, saying that each person would be allowed only two uniformed police security escorts. ###
 
 

Influenza A (H1N1) aftermath
Jaen under state of calamity; virus victims fast recovering

Local officials declared the town of Jaen under a state of calamity after 19 residents in two barangays tested positive for Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

The virus had affected Barangays Hilera with 17 cases and Pakul with two cases.

Barangay Lambakin continued to be monitored after some residents were afflicted with flu-like symptoms.

It was learned that health officials were observing more than 100 people in the three barangays to check if they had been infected with the virus.

The local government released P600,000 in contingency funds and distributed medicines and relief goods to the residents.

The Department of Health had earlier declared an Influenza A (H1N1) community outbreak
in the town.

Meanwhile, Gov. Aurelio M. Umali announced that the provincial government would give food assistance to the Jaen victims who had to stay home, and financial assistance to workers who were unable to work.

"It's about time that we should help those who were advised to do self-quarantine due to the onslaught of the H1N1 virus,"  Umali told a radio interview.

He said that he was heeding the request of Dr. Benjamin Lopez, provincial health officer, to give food assistance to the families of victims of the virus in the three affected barangays.

Umali said that he had asked Lopez to identify the workers who fell ill and lost income. He did not provide details as to the amount of financial and food aids that would be given.

Julito Hermosa, barangay chair of Hilera, and Ruperto Castro, principal of the barangay elementary school, said that there was no general alarm as the residents knew that the virus victims would recover through proper medication and rest. They said it was just like ordinary flu. They also said that none of those who were downed by the virus in the barangay became seriously ill, with all the reported cases having either recovered, or were rapidly recovering, thanks to the daily help from health personnel.

Classes at Hilera Elementary School resumed last June 23 after having been suspended for ten days.

Castro said that 14 pupils who tested positive for the virus were not allowed to attend classes until June 24 so they could finish the 21 day quarantine period imposed by DOH.

He said that the school was ready to hold make-up classes for the next eight Saturdays. ###
 
 

50 Cabanatuan barangay chairs downed by food poisoning

Some 50 barangay chairs from Cabanatuan City were rushed to the hospital after complaining of dizziness, stomach ache, vomiting and diarrhea a few hours after dining at a restaurant in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.

Those downed by food poisoning were among 190 Cabanatuan City barangay officials who went on an educational trip to Palawan.

After a series of workshops, the organizers decided to take the barangay officials to a restaurant specializing in seafood.

The barangay officials started to fell ill afterwards. ###
 
 

Opposition to market code stalls Gapan City market opening

The opening of the new P248 million Gapan City public market was again delayed because of disagreements between city officials and market vendors over a proposed new market code.

This arose from a meeting held at the Gapan City Gym last June 27 attended by Mayor Ernesto Natividad, Vice Mayor  Christian Tinio and seven city councilors, and members of the New City Public Market Vendors Association and the Kapatiran ng mga Nagtitinda sa Palenge.

The market vendors opposed the high stall rates contained in the proposed market code, saying these were excessive compared to those imposed in markets in Pasig and Marikina, Metro Manila; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; and San Jose City in Nueva Ecija.

The new code imposes a P22,000 fee per square meter of stall, exclusive of the P7,000 discount. The vendors, on the other hand, demanded P5,000 per square meter for the wet section, and P10,000 per square meter for the dry section. Vendors displaced by the August 12, 2007 fire that destroyed the old market even sought an exemption from the market fees.

Adelaida Roque, president of the vendors group, criticized the city market awards committee for its alleged bias in accepting application for market stalls. She asked that the former market stall owners be given priority  She also asked that her group be represented in the committee to ensure transparency.

The vendors also questioned the validity of the new market code because of two conflicting legal opinions issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government. ###
 
 

2 'green' power projects to go up in Nueva Ecija

The town of Santa Rosa is one of three sites in the country where the Biosphere process and technology will be installed.

This was announced by Spectrum Blue Steel Corp., the outfit granted a license to promote, market, operate and manage the Biosphere process and technology in the Philippines. It also launched Zero Waste Philippine Project in partnership with cities and towns aimed at turning waste into a resource.

The Biosphere process for generating green energy was invented by Dr. Chris McCormack, chair and chief executive officer of Global Environmental Energy Corp. The scheme uses all kinds of waste materials to generate energy.

Aside from Santa Rosa, the Biosphere process will also be set up in Tanauan City, Batangas and Butuan City in Mindanao. Preliminary activities for the projects will start this July.

Meanwhile, another company, Global Green Power, is set to spend P5.6 billion to put up three 15 Megawatt biomass power plants in Nueva Ecija, Panay and Pangasinan.

The company's subsidiary, Global Biomass PLC Corp. has signed a contract with Green Power Nueva Ecija Philippines, Inc. for the project.

The biomass needed to fuel the power plants will be sourced from farm waste and other agricultural residues like rice and corn husks.

Maribeth de Montaigne, Global Green's director for social programs and poverty alleviation, said that each of the biomass power plants will deliver around 900 local jobs, purchase agricultural residues and waste from the local farming communities, and produce clean, decentralized and renewable energy that does not rely on imported fossil fuels.

The Nueva Ecija power plant and the two others are expected to operate by 2011. ###
 
 

Fire destroys San Jose vice mayor's rice mill

Fire hit a warehouse owned by San Jose City Vice Mayor Mario Salvador in Barangay Calaocan, at 11:30 AM last June 13, destroying farm equipment, a rice mill and thousands of bags of rice and palay.

Salvador was reported to be attending a wedding in Tagaytay City when the three-hour fire happened.

The local fire department was supported by firefighters from the Science City of Muñoz, Rizal, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Guimba, Cabanatuan City, Pantabangan, 3121 Fire Volunteer Brigade, Violago Cares and the Belena/Violago Corp. in fighting the blaze.

SFO1 Augusto V. Ariem, chief fire investigator, said that the entire rice mill building was totally burned with initial damage placed at P2 million, excluding equipment and rice stocks destroyed. ###
 
 

Army's 7th ID denies torturing Fil-Am activist

The 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based at Fort Magsaysay has denied reports that it was involved in the abduction and torture of Filipino-American activist Melissa Roxas.

In a press conference in Los Angeles, California, Roxas claimed that she was abducted by about 15 men from a medical mission in Tarlac last May 18. She said that she was blindfolded, dragged into a van, handcuffed and brought to what seemed to her was a military camp in Nueva Ecija where she was allegedly tortured. She was freed last May 15.

In denying the claim of Roxas, Maj. Charlemaigne Batayol, 7th ID spokesperson, said that it was not possible for Roxas to have been brought to Fort Magsaysay as the entire camp is open to the public, including tourists and visitors.

He assured that the Army upholds human rights and condemns the violations inflicted on Roxas.

He also said that the command and all its facilities were open to any investigation.

It was not the first time that the 7th ID was linked to controversies involving activists, especially when the Army unit was under the command of now Rep. Jovito Palparan. ###
 
 

Shops raided for selling fake combs, toothbrushes 

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents raided stores in San Jose City and Cabanatuan City last June 17 and seized P1 million worth of counterfeit Springmaid combs and toothbrushes.

Raided in San Jose City were Pol-Pol Merchandise, Home Base Merchandise, Candy Boy General Merchandise and Master Boy General Merchandise.

In Cabanatuan City, those raided were Dreamside/D.B. Diaz General Merchandise, AAG Merchandise, AG Yap Bazaar, SXY, W and V Foody General Merchandise, Weng Enterprises and Binondo General Merchandise.

The raiding team was armed with search warrants issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Ofelia Arellezano-Marqu based on the complaints of Placel Manufacturing Co. Inc.

Seized from the establishments were 21,749 pieces of combs and 30,200 pieces of toothbrush all marked Springmaid.

The owners of the raided establishments face charges of violating Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. ###
 
 

1 killed, 3 wounded in botched robbery

One man was killed and three of his companions wounded when their jeepney was fired upon by armed suspects who tried to rob them last June 23 in Sitio Balite, Purok Uno, Barangay Tabon, San Isidro.

In a report by Sr. Ins. Armando Taruc to the office of Mayor Sonia Lorenzo, the fatality was identified as Antonio Ruiz Sigua, 47, of Barangay Manga.  Those injured were Antonio's brother Rolando, 50, of Barangay Poblacion East, Zaragosa; Norma Sigua Romero, 42, of Barangay Manga; and driver Romel Garcia Magno, 32, of Purok 2, Barangay Tabon.

Investigation showed that at about 10:45 AM, the victims were on their way home aboard a jeepney from the Land Bank branch in Barangay Poblacion where they had encashed a P550,000 check. Upon reaching Sitio Balite, two men on a motorcycle without plate number sidled up to the jeepney and fired at the victims. A third armed suspect on a separate motorcycle was also tailing the group.

Despite sustaining a bullet wound, the driver managed to take the jeepney into a compound, preventing the suspects from pursuing them. ###
 
 

Former seaman shot dead

Two unidentified motorycycle-riding gunman repeatedly shot and killed a former seamen who was riding a tricycle in Barangay Tabuating, San Leonardo last June 24.

Sr. Insp. Carlito Lopez, officer-in-charge of the San Leonardo police, identified the victim as Pastor Alvarez of General Tinio town.

The victim had come from nearby Santa Rosa when attacked. Investigators theorized that the gunmen could have tailed the victim from that town. ###
 
 

2 robbery holdup gang members arrested

Police arrested two members of a robbery-holdup gang in Aliaga last June 20.

Sr. Supt. Ricardo Marquez, Nueva Ecija police director, identified those arrested as Enrico Santiago Sarmiento, 31, and Eduardo Sarmiento Paez, 22, both of Barangay Ilog Baliuag, Quezon and members of the dreaded "Alakdan Group".

The two were on board a motorcycle when stopped at a police checkpoint. Recovered from Sarmiento was a caliber .22 Smith and Wesson revolver while Paez yielded a hand grenade and caliber .38 bullets. ###