Monday, June 18, 2007

Politics? Mayor-elect, vice mayor gunned down in Nueva Ecija

LUPAO, Nueva Ecija: Unidentified gunmen shot dead the newly elected Nueva Ecija town mayor and vice-mayor of this town inside a cockpit in Barangay Sto. Nino, San Jose City late Friday evening.

Seven other people were wounded in the shooting, reports said.

Killed were Alfredo Vendivil, the mayor of Lupao, and his cousin, Vice-Mayor Virgilio Vendivil.
Wounded were Michael Jordan, 8, son of a vendor; Manuel Vendivil, 47, barangay captain of Poblacion, Lupao; Wilfredo Solano, 52; Tito Collado, 37; Albert Olimon, 31; Armando Valiente, 51; and Marcelino Gulapa, 68.

The reports said the gunmen then fired shots in the air to scatter the crowd and cover their escape.

Vendivil’s security escorts were in a canteen inside the cockpit when the attack took place.
Vendivil was mayor for three consecutive terms. In 2004 he was elected as a board member.

Last May 14, he ran under the administration party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats against the incumbent Mayor Alex Joanino and Nestor de Guzman.

Sunday, June 03, 2007

PMA Class undergoes field training

FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City - The Field Training Exercises (FTX) of the PMA cadets was opened on 01 June 2007, 2PM at the grand stand, 7th Infantry Division, Philippine Army, Fort Magsaysay, Palayan City.

The FTX is an integrated activity of all Cadets in different year levels yearly conducted to practice and reinforce their acquired knowledge and skills in the academy to better prepare them as leaders on conventional warfare for internal security operations.

BAGHAWI FTX is termed after the class name of the 1st class cadets who are the most senior among the group.

Objectives of the exercise are to evaluate leadership performance of the 1st class cadets and 2nd class cadets and to evaluate the performance as well as the knowledge and skills of the lower class as members of the fire team.

In the speech of BGen. Ralph A Villanueva, the commandant of cadets, he said that the FTX is different from those previously conducted because this year, the pilots and sailors among the 1st class cadets are included in the exercise. This is according to Villanueva, to ensure that cadets will have the broad intensive military skills and the height of the character to be responsible officers.

With Villanueva are other officers of the PMA to supervise the conduct of the activity.

First class cadets will be thought on how to become good platoon leaders and good officers in preparation to their field duty. Second class cadets will be thought on how to become good squad leaders. Third class will focus on weapons training. The plebes will be tested on their obedience as the most junior among the group.

In the speech of MGen. Juanito Gomez, commander of 7th Infantry Division and Guest of Honor and Speaker during the ceremony, he expressed his hope for these future “cutting edge” of the Internal Security Operations as supporters to the accomplishment of the AFP’s mission.

Gomez emphasized that in the regimented life of soldiery, the “Military Professionalism” of Charles de Gaulle must be known by heart by the Cadets.

Gomez also imposed challenge to the cadets to strive for excellence in all their endeavors and exert best efforts to the limits of their abilities.