Recall move vs. Umali dead

PALAYAN CITY - The Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija (Balane), the political party led by the influentrial Joson clan, has finally dropped the idea of seeking a recall elections against Gov. Aurelio Umali.

First District Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson, party chair, said the idea which was floated as early as December last year, could have been best way to remove Umali from office owing to the governor's "failure to deliver," good governance."But the party decided not to go with it," Joson said, saying the decision was reached during the recent meeting among party officials and members in Cabanatuan City.

He maintained a recall election was all for the advantage of a party candidate.

"Una, maliit ang gastos dahil one on one ang laban," he said. The campaign could be conveniently carried by party members since they are not in a fight. "Ikaw lang ang ikakampanya nila," Joson added, pertaining to whoever the party will field against Umali.

He also believes that Iglesia Ni Cristo, a powerful religious group that effectively endorses some candidates during elections, would take a neutral side this time.

The INC reportedly favored Umali during the 2004 gubernatorial elections over Joson's younger brother , former Vice Gov. Mariano Cristino Joson.

Umali said he was not in a position to comment of the "wisdom and efficacy" of the decision to "recall the recall" but vowed an un-distracted discharge of duties and Nueva Ecija's chief executive.Being not a member of Balane, he said, he would not know the reason behind the move.

He said the reports of a drive to subject him to a recall elections cropped up even he was only a few months from office.

Joson also said the party has yet to decide on the who will be it's standard bearer for the 2010 elections. This amid reports that former Gov. Tomas Joson, his elder brother, would be the strongest bet.

N. Ecija has new dev't plan

PALAYAN CITY - The new medium term development agendaof the Nueva Ecija government was approved, yearsafter the prrevious version lapsed, by members of theprovincial development council (PDC) the other day.

Gov. Aurelio Umali, PDC chair, said the new mediumterm development plan that tackle of economic andhuman resources of the province was a product ofextensive study by the local chief executives andtheir municipal or city planning and developmentoffices.

Dr. Abraham Pascua, director of the Department ofInterior and Local Government (DILG)-Nueva Ecija,presented the pplan to PDC memebrs that includemayors, MPDCs and non-government organizations, duringthe first general assembly meeting at the Nueva EcijaConvention Center (NECC).

Umali explained that the MTPDP serves as the farmeworkof development of all LGUs, in coordinbation withnational implementing agencies for 2008 to 2010.Bert Bolinao, city planning and development officer ofPalayan City, moved for inclusion of some otherprojects which the local government is readying.

MayorLorna Vero of Llanera town said irrigation andenvironment projects are on top of their local agenda.All these issues, Umali said, will be tackled laterand the plan could actually be subject to amendments.The province, according to the governmenr, has indeeda large room for development.

Ecija police scores big in anti-drugs drive

CABANATUAN CITY – A sustained anti-drug abuse campaign by the police, in cooperation with civilian-led Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC), has "dramatically" reduced the number of drug-infested territories in Nueva Ecija, the police reported.

Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, that of 32 towns and cities of the province, 14 have already been declared drug-free. This accounts to only 51 of over 859 villages.

Of the five cities, Palayan City was declared drug-free while the drug-freetowns are Aliaga, Bongabon, Gen. Natividad, Laur, Licab, Llanera, Lupa, Nampicuan, Pantabangan, Quezon, San Isidro, Sta. Rosa and Zaragoza, accoprding to police records.

This as the police keep a tight watch on at least 252 drug users and pushers even as it enlisted the help of the Barangay Anti-Drug AbuseAction Councils in fighting the menace, a report to Gov. Aurelio Umali disclosed yesterday.

The report, submitted by Taas also showed that the suspected drug offenders are mostly in Cabanatuan City with 56, followed by Guimba,34; 29 in GapanCity, 25 in San Jose City, 21 in Gen.Tinio, 18 in Talavera, 17 in San Leonardo, 15 in Carranglan, 8 in San Antonio, seven in Gabaldon, four each in Cabiao and Penaranda, two in Sto. Domingo, one each in Talugtog, Cuyapo and Rizal.

CABANATUAN CITY - The city government yesterday announced a plan to implement a "no segragation no collection" policy in garbage collection here, a highly urbanizing city dubbed as trade and education center of Nueva Ecija.

Mayor Alvin P. Vergara said the policy, is in compliance with the provision of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecoligical Solid Waste Management Act of 200, will be implemented starting July 16.

The step is aimed at reducing garbage dumped in the city's dump site, currently situated in Barangay Valle Cruz, Cabanatuan City. The dumpsite is now subject of conflict between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the city government.

The DENR wants the dump site closed with its operation supposedly against RA 9003. Despite attempts, however, the previous city administration, under former Mayor Jay Vergara, failed to establish new sanitary landfill due to resistance of residents in identified areas.

Vergara said the garbage trucks will also be color coded for easy identification.

Trucks to be used in collecting biodegradable materials, for instance will be colored green while those of the non-biodegradable has yet to be determined.

GMA vows heads will roll in ferry sinking

BALER, Aurora – President Arroyo yesterday vowed that heads will roll in connection with the ill-fated sinking of the Princess of the Stars off the coast of Sibuyan Islands last week, including the cancellation of the franchise of the Sulpicio Lines,Inc. (SLI).

Speaking during the sixth anniversary of the Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day at the Quezon Memorial Park here yesterday morning, Mrs. Arroyo said those responsible for the tragedy will not go unpunished.

“We demand full accounting. Pananagutin natin ang lahat ng mapapatunayang nagpabaya at naging sanhi ng pagkamatay ng marami nating kababayan (We will hold accountable those who will be proved to have been negligent and caused the deaths of many of our countrymen),” she said

It was her first official statement about the incident since arriving in the country at dawn yesterday. The tragedy, the offshoot of typhoon Frank, struck when she was on official trip abroad.

The President, who flew here a few hours after arriving in the country, said that even before she flew to the United States to meet with President George Bush and other officials, she already directed the various government agencies to brace for the coming typhoon. She said it was a difficult decision to forge ahead with the trip but she went ahead nevertheless because of several reasons.

She said that as President, she had to make the difficult choice whether to cancel important meetings with Bush and leaders of the US Congress who specifically asked that she be in Washington to lobby for pending legislation on the Philippine Veterans’ Bill.

She added that while in the US, she was overseeing relief efforts and was in constant touch with officials on the ground and personally directing activities.

The Chief Executive said that over the next few days, she and her Cabinet would be meeting with government officials for the rescue and relief operations to ensure the speedy rehabilitation of the affected areas.

She said she will fly to Cebu tomorrow to meet with the families, express condolences and to pledge to them that the government will get to the bottom of the tragedy.

She also thanked the Spanish government for being one of the first countries to extend assistance to the Philippines in the wake of the typhoon and the ferry accident. She said that a plane of the Spanish Air Force is now on its way to the country to deliver relief goods.

In an earlier speech, Spanish Ambassador Luis Arias-Romero conveyed his government’s condolences to the victims of the ferry accident.

At the same time, Mrs. Arroyo said the government should take pains to be more prepared in the event of another typhoon. She said the government will install new Doppler radars or weather forecasting instruments in Surigao del Sur, South Cotabato, Mactan, Tagaytay,
She added that two Doppler radars in Baguio and in this province will be upgraded to make them more responsive during calamities.

CL has enough rice for 'gawat'

CABANATUAN CITY - About 2.4 million bags of rice arestored in National Food Authority warehouses inCentral Luzon, ensuring ample supply of the stapleduring the traditional lean months of June toSeptember, grains officials said on Thursday.

Engr. Nicolas Crisostomo, NFA-Region 3 director, saidthe volume strategically positioned in the agencywarehouses is even supplemented by 1.8 million bags incommercial sector.

He said that Central Luzon, a rice producing region,"is better prepared" for the anticipated tight supplyduring lean period. An inventory, Crisostomo said, showed that thepresent stocks that include private and households'will last up to 95 days based on daily riceconsumption requirement of 69,700 Bags.

Besides existing stocks, the food agency is stillexpecting to receive a tentative volume of 577,000bags of imported rice which represent the balance ofCentral Luzon as 2008 import allocation.

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija - The Philippine movie's BadBoy, Robin Padilla, his fellow actor-brother and NuevaEcija board member Rommel, and other industrypersonalities made a pitch on campaign again globalwarming as they joined irrigation officials in atree-planting activity on a mountain range here onMonday.

Padilla who brought with him almost the entire castof the teleserye Joaquin Bordado where he plays thelead role, planted seedlings with Engr. Alex Coloma,manager of the Casecnan Multi-Purpose IrrigationProject wat the vicinity of the multi-billion pesoirrigation and power project.

He readily conceded on the appeal of a fellow actor tostop illegal logging activity.

Rommel who is the province's senior board memberhaving garnered the highest votes, said his brotherbelieves that the problem on global warming issomething to be addressed properly by all sectors."This is a problem which people from the governmentand elsewhere should help address," Rommel whorepresents Nueva Ecija's first district said.

Coloma said the project was supported by the officialsof the CalEnergy, a foreign consortium that undertakesthe build-operate-transfer portion of the project.Casecnan diverts water from Taan and Casecnan Riversin the tri-boundaries of Nueva Ecija, Aurora andNueva Vizcaya for irrigation and energy trough the26-kilometer underground tunnel to Pantabangan Dam, Reservoir.

Nueva Ecija police, businessmen agree on peace agenda

CABANATUAN CITY- Business leaders and the police  

hierarchy in Nueva Ecija vowed over the weekend to

work hand in hand in keeping sound peace and order

amid occurrence law infractions in some parts of the

country.

Jojo Cadiz, board chair of the Nueva Ecija Chamber of

Commerce and Industry, said local businessmen have to

protect their "limited resources," thus they need to

feel secure from law offenders, such as robbers. 

Cadiz said that no businessman has unlimited resources so they just use them "for maximum end."

For his part, Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, director of the provincial police, said his office instituted

various steps to thwart criminalities, including those against properties.

With limited resources, he explained, the police implements the "where needed, when needed," and

conduct of anti-crime checkpoints.

He said that every Thursday morning, he sits with police officers from all over the province for two

hours, from 7:00 to 9:00 am, to discuss all intelligence inputs and peace and order assessment.

187,000 seedlings, target ng Cenro-Cabanatuan

Inaasahang maaabot ng Community Environment and

Natural Resources Office (cenro) ng Cabanatuan City ang target

nito na makapag-produce ng 187,000 seedlings ngayong

2008.

Ito ay matapos bisitahin ni Cenro Arthur Salazar ang mga

nursery sa kanyang hurisdiksiyon, lalo na ang nasa

bayan ng General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.

Ayon kay Salazar, ang mga seedlings na ito na karaniwang

mga kahoy-gubat ay kanilang ipinamamahagi sa taumbayan

para sa tree planting activities bilang bahagi ng

refrestation program.

Ang Cenro cabanatuan ay sumasakop sa mga bayan at

lungsod sa timog nueva ecija.

Professional lens peep through Nueva Ecija

Nueva Ecija is far different from what people from the outside see it, thus a group ofprofessional photographers finds.The president, Boy Samson, and members of the Societyof Portrait Photographers of the Philippines (SPPP) took several rounds of pictures of various tourism potentials some of which now loaded in the newly created website of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO).

Senior Supt. Napoelon Taas, acting NEPPO director, thepictures are featured in the website, along with thetraditional crime statistics and crime prevention tips.

Samson said they found a new face of the province with the tour.

Contrary to prevailingperception,he said, Nueva Ecija is one of the mostpeaceful and secured provinces to visit.

“All six of us went around unescorted in themunicipalities of Bongabon, Rizal, Pantabangan,Gabaldon, and Cabanatuan from April 18 to 20.

Thoseplaces offer some of the most picturesque locationsthat an amateur phographer would surely love tovisit." Pantabangan he said, is one photogs paradise. He agreed with Taas in saying that Pantabangan is practically "Tagaytay and Baguio put together." Launched Monday, the website of the Nueva Ecija PoliceProvincial Office, features the "beauty and serenityof a province that was once known for its violence."

Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, acting director of theprovincial police, said the website also contains softmaterials on crime statistics and crime preventiontips but reveals the scenic spots and places of humaninterests in Nueva Ecija.

Congressional consultation on agriculture held in Nueva Ecija

The House Committee on Agriculture andFood vowed Monday to bring to Congress the sentimentsof Novo Ecijano Farmers, particularly their call touse National Food Authority fund in procuring locallyproduced palay instead of importing rice.

Palawan Rep. Ramon Kahlil Mitra, chair of the HoyuseCommitteee on agriculture and food, also said he willbring out the issue on alleged swine swindling thatsupposedly crippled a once strong women’s cooperative in the province.

This allegedly involvedthe government owned financing firm Quedancor.The concerns were raised during the consultativemeeting at the provincial capitol here which was also attended by farmers’ organizations and othersofficials, including Gov. Aurelio Umali, Reps. LeonilaChavez of Butil Partylist, Roberto Etsrella of Abono Partylist , Cherry Umali of Nueva Ecija’s 3rd district and Rodolfo Antonino, 4th district.

Assistant Secretary Dennis Araullo of agriculturedepartment , Dir. Redentor Gatus of DA Region 3 and Dir. Nicolas Crisostomo of NFA-Central Luzon andprovincial manager Edelino Alejandro joined the consultation.

Mayor's brod dies in road accident

RIZAL, Nueva Ecija - A brother of Pantabangan town mayor Romeo Borja was killed after a motorcycle collision caused by palay drying on
a national road here.

The victim, Danilo Borja of East Poblacion, Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, was initially rushed to Dr.
Bautista Medical Clinic in this town for multiple injuries but had to be transferred to Cabanatuan City
due to the gravity of his condition.

Investigation disclosed that the victim was on his way to Cabanatuan City on board a motorcycle with license
plate RH 4103 when hit by another motorcycle driven by a minor.

SPO1 Ariel Alcantara, police investigator, said the minor who was running for Rizal took the wrong way
because of the palay being dried on the highway pavement.

village head shoots cop

ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija - A police officer was shot by a
village chair over an old grudge in this town the
other day.

The victim was identified as Senior Police
Officer 2 Antonio Manucot,41, detailed at Santa Rosa
Police Station and resident of Barangay Umangan here.

The suspect was barangay captain Rodrigo Dionisio of
the said place.

Reports reaching the office of Senior
Supt. Napoleon Taas, Nueva Ecija police director,
showed Manucot was in front of the house of barangay
councilman Primo Cabahil when the suspect suddenly
arrive and after an altercation shot the victim.

The cop had to cover himself inside Cabahil's house for
safety.

More offensive cops on the go

CABANATUAN CITY - "Mamang Pulis on the very doorstep of the criminals."

Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, director of the Nueva Ecija provincial police office, ordered all the chiefs of the 32 police stations and directors of provincial mobile groups to take an offensive stance against wanted criminals as part of it "shift to second gear" of anti-ciminality campaign.

"Mamang Pulis will be on the very doorstep of the criminals, their lairs," Taas said saying the next few days will be marked by more aggressive servings of arrest warrants and massive manhunts where no stone will be left unturned.

Taas said that of 295 rrest warrants issued by the court in the last 70 days, 140 have effectively been effected by the various police offices in the province. That he said, is for na average of two wanted persons arrested per day.

These arrests, Taas said, should send signal to other criminal elements that they have no place in Nueva Ecija. He expressed belief this would also deter crimes.

The command maintains 40 personnel actively visible everyday, he added.

Nueva Ecija: Umali challenges "Mamang Pulis"

PALAYAN CITY - Gov. Aurelio Umali yesterday challenged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to immediately solve the murder of two aides of one his most trusted men at the Capitol Thursday night.

“I challenge PD (Provincial Director Napoleon) Taas and Mamang Pulis to work towards the immediate solution of this case,” Umali said in an interview.

Motorcycle-riding men gunned down the two driver-escorts of Umali's top man, Dr. Reymund Sarmiento, acting head of the provincial affairs monitoringoffice (PAMO) a few meters away from his residence.

Taas said that Roy Malijana, driver-aide Sarmiento died on the spot while Michael Pritanio expired at theto Paulino J. Garcia Memoria Research andMedical Center (PJGMRC) in Cabanatuan City.

Investigation showed the victims were in Poblacion, Sto. Domingo town at about 8:30 p.m. when fired at by unidentified men.

Ecijanos rush for affordable rice

With Novo Ecijanos rushing to get kilos of affordable rice, the National Food Authority (NFA) in the province has set up Tindahan Natin outlets right on the doorstep of its warehouses in the province.

NFA Central Luzon Director Nicolas Crisostomo and Provincial Manager Edelino Alejandro, meanwhile, personally supervise deliveries of the staple to intended market.

Josons charged; 'Pure harassment', says former guv

PALAYAN CITY – The provincial government of Nueva Ecija, thourgh an acting division head, has charged five members of the influential Joson family of graft before the Office of the Ombudsman over the donation of a number of heavy equipment to various local government units early this year.

In a complaint filed by Dr. Raymund Sarmiento, officer-in-charge of the Public Affairs Monitoring Office (PAMO), the respondents were identified as former Gov. Tomas Joson III, his son and now Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson and Quezon town Mayor Eduardo Basilo Joson and former Guimba town Mayor Jose Pocholo Dizon, son-in-law of incumbent 1st district Rep. Eduardo Nonato Joson.

The other respondents were Bongabon Mayor Amelia Gamilla, Board Member Cesar Cucio, former Mayor Marvin Martin of San Leonardo and former provincial board members Bella Aurora Dulay, Jose Bernardo Yango, Cesar Eduardo, Leonardo Garcia and Allan Gamilla.

But Tomas III said the complaint was a plain harassment by the incumbent administration even as he clarified no money is involved in the graft charges.“

Pag sinabi kasing graft, akala ay may nagnakaw. Sa kasong ito, walang kahit isang sentimong sangkot,” Joson said in an interview.Sarmiento sought the preventive suspension of the incumbent officials pending the outcome of the investigation by the anti-graft body.

Vice Gov. Edward was named respondent being a member of the provincial board which approved the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution 37-A which provides for the donation of the heavy equipment to the towns of Quezon, Bongabon, Guimba, San Leonardo and Talugtog.

In the complaint Sarmiento alleged that the respondents violated Section 3.e of RA 3019 when it passed on January 22,2007 the resolution authorizing Tomas III to donate the heavy equipment to the above-mentioned towns.

The complaint claimed that the respondents, in the “malevolent and reprehensible” performance of their official functions conspired with evident bad faith to “seriously prejudice, if not totally paralyze” the then incoming administration of Umali, in the process giving unwarranted benefits to the respondent mayors.

Tomas III said that the donation was part of the government’s program to upgrade the provincial engineering by acquiring more new heavy equipment and donating the old ones to LGUs that lack them. The plan, he said, was hatched as early as 2006.The resolution was apparently approved January 2007. “Noong panahong ‘yon ang alam naming magiging gubernador ay si Boyet (his younger brother Mariano Cristino),” he said.

He said he knew fund sources to finance the procurement of new equipment.Questioning the propriety of charging him for implementing a board resolution, Tomas III also wondered why even the recipients were charged.

Among the heavy equipment donated were seven units of heavy equipment to the municipality of Guimba; six units of heavy equipment, Tomas III’s Ford Expedition and a Nissan Terrano to the town of Bongabon; five units of heavy equipment, the provincial mobile clinic, a Toyota Revo, a Ford F150 and a Nissan Urvan to the town of Quezon. Then followed with six units of heavy equipment to the municipality of San Leonardo consisting of three units of Isuzu 10-wheeler truck, one Mitsubishi Road Grader, one PHH Komatsu Excavator and one Komatsu bulldozer.

PNP, Army vow to finish insurgents in Ecija in 2 months

CABANATUAN CITY - Government security forces in Nueva Ecija have set a "next level" drive against insurgency as its officials signed over the weekend an agreement the spelled out actions to have the province free of rebels in the next two months.

Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, Nueva Ecija police director, and Army Lt. Col. Gilbert Gapay, commanding officer of the third Mechanized Infantry Brigade, both expressed belief that local government units can take the lead role against the insurgency by June 2008 because the internal security is settled by then.They signed the memorandum of agreement at the provincial police headquarters here Friday.

Police chiefs fron various stations such as Cabanatuan City, and the towns of San Antonio, Jaen, San leonardo, Sta. Rosa, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Quezon and Licab also gined the MOA along with officers from the police's elite 307th and 309th Mobile groups.

The MOA proveides for an intensified joint police-military operations against the insurgents operating within their respective area of responsibility, particularly at the provincioal boundary. T
he 3MIB holds jurisdiction over Eastern Nueva Ecija and Tarlac.Both the police and the Army will man checkpoints to pursue internal security operations.

Central Luzon rice stocks sufficient

CABANATUAN CITY - With a total of stocks inventory of 4.5 million bags as of date, which is 46 per cent higher than that of last year, the rice market can feed the people in the seven provinces of Central Luzon for at least 67 days, ahead of the peaking harvest season.

National Food Authority Regional Director Nicolas Crisostomo said that last year, the inventory of this same period was placed at only 3.1 million bags. The stocks represented those from the NFA warehouses, traders and households.

The increase, he said, can be attributed to the governments stocks that from only 182,800 bags in its r warehouses for the same period last year, is now at 1.5 million bags.

"This is due to the prudent management of stocks during the last quarter of 2007 and the early arrival of our partial imported rice allocation for 2008," Crisostomo added.

Besides the warehouse inventory, Crisostomo revealed, around 2.2 million bags of imported rice will be allocated to Central Luzon this year. Of this volume, 403,000 bags from Vietnam have already arrived at the Subic port via two vessels. The balance of 1.8 million bags will arrive in the coming months.

On top of them is the expected production from the harvest that peaks this summe for which the food agency has posititioned itself for aggressive procurement at support price of P12.00 per kilo, including incentives in order to add up to our buffer stocks in anticipation of the coming lean months in the 3rd quarter.

The stocks, he said, are strategically positioned in the seven provinces of the region with 1,5000 accredited outlets to ensure the availablity in the market of the P18.25 per kilo NFA rice. The grains are repacked in one and two-kilogram plastic bags.

Meanwhile, Crisostomo asked NFA provincial managers to deploy their monitoring and "Palengke Watch" teams that will oversee the grains trading operations in their areas. "We will make sure that NFA rice will be visible and available in all public markets" he said.

Moreover, he reported that they are now in the process of sanitizing and revoking the existing passbooks of all their retailers in response to President Gloria Arroyo’s directive to purge the industry of unscrupulous traders.

Aside from the food agency’s regular rice distribution operations in public markets, the NFA also prioritizes the provision of rice to outlets under the hunger mitigation program of the government such as the Food for School program, Tindahan Natin and Tindahan sa Parokya.

Nueva Ecija: Military general is now a Sultan

Barely seven days to go before bowing out from the military service, a testimonial parade and review has been accorded to Mgen Juanito P Gomez, Commander, 7TH Infantry Division, Philippine Army early Monday morning of 17 March 2008 at the Grandstand, 7ID. The testimonial parade and review, is a traditional way in recognition and honor for the outgoing 7thID Division Commander for his meritorious, loyal and dedicated service in the Armed Forces of the Philippines as a high ranking official.

Major General Gomez’ accomplishments of all his mission could be attributed not only to his capability to formulate and execute strategies and plans during his stint as a Division Commander, 7TH ID from 11 September 2006 to February 2008, but most importantly is his unique leadership his highly ethical conduct with the masses has significantly in promoting civil military operations.

There is also an awards giving during the said ceremony for those deserving officers and units at 7th ID, categorized as follows: Command plaques has been given to BGen Manuel E Mariano Jr, Assistant Divison Commander, 7ID; BGen Rommel A Gomez, AFP, Commander, 703rd Bde and to Chief Master Sergeant Manuel T Ayon Ayon, Division Sergeant Major. For the military merit medal awards goes to Maj Esmael Mama, Cpt’s Ramir Rodesendo, Chamberlaine Esmino and Lieutenants Evangeline Manzolim and Evangeline Espanola. Also Certificates of Appreciation has been given to twenty-three (23) officers and Certificates of Appreciation for the units of 702nd and 703rd Bdes; for the Division Infantry Battalions like, 3IB, 24IB, 48IB, 56IB, 69IB, 70IB, 71stIB and other units inside post.


The 7ID Commander during his speech said that he owed the success of his military career on the trust and confident the Army and AFP leadership entrusted to him through his numerous significant positions including the prestigious task to lead the 7th Infantry Division in September 2006. As he took the challenge with great faith, he convey that honor and tributes also is a credit to all of the officers and men of 7ID whom cooperation and support during his stint contributed most to his success.

Meanwhile, according to Major Fernando Los Banes, the 7th Infantry Division Spokesman, MGen Gomez being an adopted son of Islam religion was enthroned as Sultan a Masiricampo sa Pilipinas immediately just after the Testimonial parade and review held at the Multi Purpose Hall, 7ID It’s Sultanate will confirmed at Mindanao State University on 01 April 2008. He said that he is proud for his enthronement as Sultan a Misiricampo sa Pilipinas… and he thanks his brothers Moslems. Gomez said that religion is not a hindrance for peace. Being raised in marawi, a muslim community and his tour of duty in Mindanao as a military officer it has led to his conviction the advocacy for peace facilitating for a peaceful interaction between the christians and the Moslems.

4 kinasuhan sa pagpatay ng dating Ecija BM

CABANATUAN CITY -Sinampahan na ng kaso sa Nueva Ecija Prosecutor's Office ang apat na suspek sa pamamaslang kay dating Board Member Rodolfo Lopez.

Ayon kay Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, acting provincial director ng Nueva Ecija police, ang mga kinasuhan ay sina Benito Hipolito, Lito Flores, Evelito Flores at isang hindi pa nakikilala.

Sinabi ni Taas na ang kaso ay isinampa batay sa dying declaration ng biktima kung saan sinabi nito habang lulan ng ambulansiya sa kanyang asawa at anak na si Flores ang bumaril sa kanya.

Lopez, dating pangulo ng Association of Barangay Captains at kagawad ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ay dating kapitan ng Barangay Pulo, San Isidro. Bago napaslang, siya ay consultant sa pagawaing bayan ni Rep. Rodolfo Antonino ng ika-apat na distrito ng Nueva Ecija.

Lopez, 52, ay pinagbabaril matapos dumalo ng Misa sa San Isidro Parish Church sa Barangay Poblacion, San Isidro, bandang ika- 7:40 ng gabi noong Sabado.

Ayon kay Taas, nalutas ang kaso sa loob ng 48 oras.

Malawakan naman ang ginagawang paghahanap ng mga otoridad laban sa mga suspek.

800 ex-rebels embrace development program

LUPAO, Nueva Ecija - About 800 members and symphatizers of the communist-led New People's Army took their oath of allegiance to the Philippine flag in this "once most organzied guerilla stronghold," on Tuesday.

This as the mass organization formed as a result of several months of military's special operations in northern Nueva Ecija towns, was turned over to the municipal government by the Army's 71st Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Melquiadez Feliciano to the municipal government headed by Mayor Richard Ramos.

The mass organization is the umbrella group of the rebel returnees from various villages formed into economic clusters as facilitated by the Army in coordination with different government institutions such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian reform, Land Bank of the Philippines and the local government units.

Of the returnees, Feliciano said, 25 were regular armed members of the NPA while the rest served as the mass based of the movement who provided services, food, monies and intelligence information that made it strong in the past.

Nueva Ecija: Umali to veto budget

PALAYAN CITY- Gov. Aurelio M. Umali will veto the P1.07 billion 2008 budget approved by the provincial board which is over P325 million short of the proposed P1,400,117,806, a ranking official said on Thursday.

The official said the budget cut was detrimental to the interest of Novo Ecijanos since the slashed amount was intended for basic social services as well as education and health programs.

Based on the transmittal made by Sangguniang Panlalawigan secretary, lawyer Bembol Castillo, the Appropriaton Ordinance 02-2008 allocated P1,074,613,945 out of the general fund of the province for this year.The SP used the phrase “set aside and transferred to un-appropriated balance” for the proposed amount that are not approved. It also stated in some cases: “subject to later appropriation upon justification of its utilization..”

Of the P325 million slashed from the proposed budget, P84 million was for the capital outlay of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office while P50-million was for Special Purpose Fund and P21 million intended for intelligence fund and confidential expenses. The SP also withheld budget for the maintenance and operating expenses of the Civil Security Services, Provincial Action and Monitoring Office, the Provincial Engineering Office and radio dwNE.

The official noted that the budget slashed from the PSWDO are for financial assistance from the provincial government such as mortuary and social services.The scholars who actually first availed of the support under the previous administration will also be adversely affected, he said. The province has about 5,000 scholars, it was learned.

Nueva Ecija's most wanted falls

The long arms of the law has caught up with the Nueva Ecija's most wanted man who got to ellude arrest for over 10 years, a suspect in the striong of murder and frustrated murder charges in connection with a land disipute in Gapan City, police said on Thursday.

Senior Supt. Napoleon Taas, officer-in-charge of the Nueva Ecija police office, the suspect Patricio Quiambao,60, was arrested in the mountainous village of Pita, Dinalupihan, Bataan by a composite team from the police's regional intelligence division under Supt. Pierre Bucsit, the
Nueva Ecija provincial intelligence branch led by Chief Insp. Alex Mariano and Bataan 303rd provincial mobile group.

The arrest, he said, was made on the strength of a warrant issued by Gapan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 36 Judge Arturo Bernardo. Taas said the suspect's arrest was in line with the directive of PNP Chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and Region 3 police director, Chief Supt. Errol Pan to focus more on manhunt operations as outlined in the “Mamang Pulis” program.

Nueva Ecija employment program intensified

PALAYAN CITY: The provincial government of Nueva Ecija intensified its employment drive using a program that matches job applicants and prospective employers called “Trabahong Una ang Mamamayan sa Abroad at Lokal na Industriya.”

The Provincial Manpower and Training Center (PMTC) under Emmanuel San Juan and the Provincial Employment Service Office spearhead this program.

Under the scheme, the PMTC will maintain a databank of skilled and semi-skilled applicants from all over Nueva Ecija and the industries that need workers.

Once the databank traces compatibility between the job applicants and the prospective employer, the provincial government through the PMTC matches them. There will be no fees to be paid to the government, San Juan said.

The program was launched in a simple ceremony led by Gov. Aurelio Umali, third district Rep. Czarina Umali, Nueva Ecija Small and Medium Enterprise Development Council President Vicky Gaetos, Nueva Ecija Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Kenny Bansale, as well as representatives from various learning institutions and industries.

Umali said the program would spare Novo Ecijanos from falling prey to illegal recruiters. This will also avoid problems between the employer and employee due to mismatch of skills and job placement. --Armand M. Galang/The Manila Times

advocacy group bats for clean elections

San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija - An advocacy group on Wednesday called on candidates for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to adhere to the principle of good governance even as the campaign reaches its peak.

Virginia Orogo, executive director of the Movement Yearning for Valor and Oneness through Intellectual, Cultural and Economic Development or MyVoice said that the practice of good governance should start from the barangay, being the basic unit of our political system.

"If only the barangay officials will initiate such practice, it will surely have a ripple effect on the rest of the local and national officials,” Orogo said.
She stressed that barangay officials should initiate the reform in our rotting electoral process.

They should observe election laws and let the conscience of the voters prevail in choosing their barangay leaders by not bribing them with gifts or cash.

The movement made the call even as the family of slain candidate for barangay councilor,

Numeriano Sapiandante, appealed to law enforcers for a speedy resolution of the killing.
Sapiandante was gunned down on the first day of the campaign. A former village chief of Tagumpay, he was running for a council seat in the barangay.

Police are reportedly looking into different angles, one of which would be the problem the victim had with a local politician, but they have yet to come up with concrete evidence.

MyVoice pleaded for the candidates not to practice vote buying in whatever form. (Armand M. Galang, The Manila Times)

Local exec seeks "justice" for Pantabangan people

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija: The people who had their share of “supreme sacrifice” to ensure the abundant flow of irrigation to over 102,000 hectares of farmfields and Nueva Ecija and adjoining areas and production of additional electricity for Luzon grid through the construction of the giant dam must enjoy a return.

Thus Mayor Romeo Borja called on the national government to provide assistance to local residents “who remain in poverty” after the construction of the Asia’s largest earthen Pantabangan dam displaced them33 years ago.

The dam, funded by the World Bank as provided for in Republic Act 5499 passed by the Congress in May 1969 that created the Upper Pampanga River Project, was completed in 1974. The law provided for its construction through a $34-million grant given by the United States in Aug. 1969.

The project submerged some 8,100 hectares, including the Old Poblacion, forcing townsfolk to resettle to other places.

Borja said its high time the residents be provided stable means of livelihood since the families in the old Pantabangan town proper still live an hand-to-mouth existence. It was launched on June 11, 1971 by the former strongmenFerdinand Marcos which ground breaking was held at the town peoper.

Among the villages submerged were barangays Liberty, San Juan, Cadaclan, Napon-Napon, Marikit, Villarica and Conversion, representing 10 percent of the old town’s area. Affected villagers were resettled .

Engr. Antonio Nangel, operations manager of NIA-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System, has said the dam ensured enough sufficient irrigation supply during the feared prolonged dry spell in the past few weeks.

Borja recalled that when the residents were resettled, the national government only gave them two heads of pigs and goats. “anong mangyayari do’n? Hindi ‘yon ang kailangan naming,” he said.

He said it was ironic that while Pantabangan Dam provides irrigation to other areas, local residents do not benefit from the irrigation since they were brought in the uplands where there were no viable irrigation service.

“The government should now give justice to the sacrifices rendered by the townsfolk in giving up their lands and properties to play host to an irrigation facility where they have never been beneficiary,” Borja added.

Fire hits Gapan City Market

GAPAN CITY - Some P200-million worth of properties and goods were razed to the ground by a 3-hour fire that gutted the public market Sunday morning, a fire official said.
Insp. Norman Fines, Gapan City fire marshal, said the fire started 2:15 a.m. and contained in three hours.

While some stall owners alleged the fire bureau, responded late to the call, Fines admitted having difficulty with water supply. The fire bureau was only 50 meters away from the market.
He said faulty electrical wiring might have caused the fire, emanating from the dry goods section.

Arson was initially ruled out, following investigation.

Fines said fire trucks from about 15 towns and cities of Nueva Ecija responded to the alarm.
Hours after the fire, text messages prodded the townsfolk to press for an impartial investigation to determine if the fire had anything to do with plans to construct a new market. “Ang pagkasunog ng Gapan public market ay dapat paim­besitigahan ng taong bayan at tingnan ang kaugnayan nito sa planong pagtatayo ng bagong palengke,” the text messages read. --Armand M. Galang, The Manila Times

With rainwaters; NIA stops water release to service areas

CABANATUAN CITY - The National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System has suspended release of water from the Pantabangan Dam amid generous inflow from heavy rains the past few days, a ranking official said Friday.

Antonio S. Nangel, NIA-UPRIIS operations manager, ordered a stop on the release of water to cushion the impact of continuous rain brought about by Typhoons Chedeng and Dodong.

Before the typhoons, the dam was releasing irrigation water at an average of 110 cubic meters a second to UPRIIS’s programmed areas of 84,830-hectares farmland.

Nangel said that on Thursday the water level in Pantabangan Dam was at 190.01 meters, or about a meter higher than the 189.56 meters on August 7. The inflow was pegged at 160 cms, Nangel said.

Although the inflow is substantial, with the underground tunnel diverting water from Taan and Casecnan Rivers in Nueva Vizcaya to the giant reservoir, dam officials allayed fears of spilling.

“At 190.01 meters [Thursday], we need more rain,” said Nangel, saying that the dam’s spilling level is 221 meters. -Armand M. Galang

NIA to farmers: take care of facilities

CABANATUAN CITY - The National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation System has appealed to farmers to take care of its facilities to avoid wasting the irrigation water.

The call was made amid fears of a prolonged drought.

Engineer Antonio Nangel, operations manager of the system, also advised members of irrigators’ associations to embrace recommended technology to ensure great yield without the need for excessive water.

In a letter, Nangel, along with other officials, asked the farmers to avoid activities that would destroy irrigation facilities and structures.
They also called for prompt payment of irrigation fees, which go to the improvement of the system and services.

The water elevation in Pantabangan Dam is now below the 190 meters level, far from the normal 200 meters, because of the below-normal rainfall.

The downgrade happens despite continuous inflow from the multibillion-peso Casecnan Multipurpose Irrigation and Power Project, the underground tunnel that diverts water from the Taan and Casecnan River in the triboundaries of Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya and Aurora provinces.

Sources said that officials from the Lopez-owned FirstGen company, which now runs the Pantabangan hydroelectric power plant, are worried about the dwindling reserve. -Armand M. Galang, The Manila Times

NFA head assures public of sufficient rice on lean days

CABANATUAN CITY - About 1.5 million bags of rice imported from Vietnam were distributed to seven provinces in Central Luzon to beef up their respective buffer stocks over the weekend.

The engineer Nicolas Cri­sos­tomo, regional director of the National Food Authority in Region 3 said that the province of Aurora received 40,000 bags; Bataan,111,000; Bulacan, 397,000; Nueva Ecija, 280,000; Pam­panga, 370,000; Tarlac, 185,000 and Zambales, 86,000.
The rice was shipped from Vietnam to Subic Freeport via seven vessels last week, Cri­sos­tomo continued.

“By injecting the markets with these cheaper and good quality NFA rice stocks, the commercial prices of rice remained stable at this time when supply is at a traditional low because of the planting season,” Crisostomo said.

Another batch of 2 million bags of rice is due to arrive on September, an allocation for the typhoon season, he added. -Armand M. Galang

Army test fire rounds of mortar

FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City - Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino witnessed the test firing on July 19 of 4o rounds of 60 mm and 81 mm mortar here as part of the ongoing investigation on the controversial Tipo-Tipo incident.

Of the 40 rounds fired, at least two of them misfired or a dud.

Tolentino said mishandling or poor storage can be blamed for it.

PhilRice launches online course for agri extension workers

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija - A prime rice research institution in the country has opened the door of digital technologies to agricultural extension workers whose age range from 40 to 60 with at least 16 of them currently taking up the one-and a half month online course on rice production technology.

Dr. Leocadio Sebastian, Executive Director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute based in Baranagay Maligaya here, the introductory program is being offered “to primarily run-test the viability of the e-learning system as well as to gauge the learning curve and readiness of their clients (extension workers) in this kind of learning platform.”

The current enrollees are agricultural extension workers from Cabanatuan City and the Science City of Muñoz, both in Nueva Ecija, who are each required a farmer-cooperator. The cooperator’s farm, another official explained, serves as the enrollee’s experimental field where he or she will apply his/her acquired knowledge.

Diadem Gonsalez of PhilRice Communication Division said that the online course program uses a blended pedagogical approach which deals with the Minus-One Technique (MOET) is composed of a series of lessons and discussions as well as field works. MOET is defined as the easy and cheap way to diagnose the nutrient deficiencies in the soil.

Online discussions are done through forums and chat, is supplemented with the use of texting or short messaging system “to facilitate better interaction despite geographical disparity.”

“With this pilot test, we hope to hear feedbacks from them (extension workers) on how the system works and on how we can improve it to better serve them,” Sebastian said. He added : “We envision to offer both onsite and online trainings in the near future to give our clients more learning options.”

Last July 6, the participants were taught of the basic uses of information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as computer and internet.

Umali swears in to office

Ecija top cop given 3 months to improve peace and order

PALAYAN CITY -- Newly installed Nueva Ecija police director, Senior Supt. Agrifino Javier, has three months to reshape the peace and order situation in the province, following the series of assassinations after the May polls, that is if the provincial governor would have his way.

In his first day in office, Gov. Aurelio Umali underscored that he has every intention to rewrite the political history of Nueva Ecija, particularly the elimination of political violence.

Javier, who took over the helm of the Nueva Ecija provincial police office on June 30, is reportedly the personal choice of Umali. A member of the Philippine Military Academy Class 1985, Javier is perceived to be efficient at solving crimes having served at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Umali said he wants the police to solve not only the recent killings because its “closure will not be enough to allay fears.”

Javier admitted that he received a similar directive from the PNP chief, Director General Oscar Calderon, which is to solve the series of violence.

Among the victims of assassination after the May 14 election were Mayor-elect Alfredo Vendivil and Vice-Mayor-elect Virgilio Vendivil of Lupao town, First Nueva Ecija Engineering district engineer Pacifico Berin, barangay captain Miguel Sta. Ana, village watchman Florentino Alberto Jr. and Victor Ramos, all of Barangay Dos, Quezon.

Last Monday night municipal engineer Mauro Balajadia, 47, of Barangay Mallorca, San Leonardo, was killed by still unidentified suspect. Investigation showed the victim was about to enter his compound riding a car (CRR-675) when repeatedly shot by two motorcycle-riding suspects about 10:30. Javier said they have some new leads to the killings in Quezon but he refused to elaborate further lest their ongoing investigation be jeopardized. --Armand M. Galang (The Manila Times)

Joson to support Umali but...

PALAYAN CITY - Vice-Governor Edward Thomas F. Joson of the influential Joson clan who won in the recent elections vowed on to cross party lines “if only for the best of the people.”

Joson, son of former four-term Gov. Thomas Joson, who himself lodged a protests versus Cabanatuan City mayoralty rival Mayor Alvin Ver­gara, presides over the Sang­guniang Panlalawigan with a majority of board members as political allies.

Gov. Aurelio Umali has only one party mate in the 13-member provincial board, board member Joseph Ortiz from the province’s second congressional district.

Umali is the chairman of Lakas-Christian Muslim De­mocrats in the province, while Joson belongs to the family-founded Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija that coalesced with President Arroyo’s Ka­balikat ng Malalayang Pilipino (Kampi) shortly before the May elections.

Umali, however, visited with Joson and shook hands at the latter’s office on Monday, the first working day for the newly elected local officials.

The governor said he did not expect political alliance but he expressed belief they could agree for undertakings that will benefit the people.

“Tayo’y handang sumuporta sa mga programa basta’t para sa kapakanan ng ating mga mama­mayan,” Joson said, but he added: “Pero kung ito ay may halong katiwalian at para sa pansariling interes lamang, e labis na itong panloloko, hindi na uubra sa atin ’yon.” - Armand M. Galang

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.

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.

Nueva Ecija elections: Winning polls without money

SAN JOSE CITY - This is for the record.

With a meager budget of less than P10,000, a city councilor pursued his political ambition and won a mandate for a seat in the provincial board.

For another record of sorts, San Jose City Councilor Joseph Ortiz was the only Lakas-CMD bet for the province’s Sangguniang Panlalawigan who survived, as all the nine others were candidates of the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija-Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino coalition.

Ortiz was a newsman and former member of the congressional staff of Second District Rep. Elueterio Violago before he run for councilor nine years ago. During the recent campaign, there was no singlesticker or T-shirt to promote his candidacy in the district, which covers the cities of San Jose and Muñoz and the towns of Lupao, Llanera, Rizal, Pantabangan, Carranglan and Talugtog.

“Wala po akong pera para magpagawa ng stickers, hinihiling kong idikit niyo na lamang ako sa inyong mga puso,” Ortiz would tell electorates during campaign sorties of his fellow Lakas-CMD candidates, particularly of congressman-elect Joseph Violago, which he would join.

“I also want to make a difference. Ibang pulitika na ang basehan ay pagkatao kakayahan at karanasan,” he said. “Pulitika na dapat patas sa mayaman at mahirap,” he added.

But to manifest his sincere interest in public service, Ortiz produced flyers that were photo copied for dissemination, which contained a summary of what he wanted to do and why deserved to be elected. It included his profile and achievements as councilor of San Jose since 1998, a 9-year stint that translated into some 1,013 ordinances and resolutions. He also served as national treasurer of the Philippine Councilors League during this time.

Ortiz was president of the Parish Pastoral Council, District Warden of the Knights of Columbus Council 4073, President of Cursillo in Christianity, a brother at the Catholic Charismatic Movement and Lay minister, among others.

He was a correspondent for the now defunct Philippine Daily Globe, and columnist in a local newspaper, Isyu Ngayon.

But before his stint in public service, Ortiz worked in a rice mill, was a jeepney conductor, a janitor in a travel agency and a vendor at the PNR bus station. As a councilman, Ortiz sponsored programs and activities that benefited workers, housing, social services, agriculture, fire and safety, cultural enrichment, revenue generation, among others. - Armand M. Galang

New landscape of Nueva Ecija politics

CABANATUAN CITY - A new political landscape is expected to develop in Nueva Ecija with the election of Third District Rep. Aurelio M. Umali of Lakas-CMD as the new governor, with senior board member Edward Thomas Joson of Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija-Kampi as vice-governor.
Umali was proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers headed by Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio, provincial election supervisor on Sunday, as the winner in the May 14 gubernatorial race having garnered 434,445 votes as against his rival, Mariano Cristino Joson’s 314,335 votes.
The younger Joson, meanwhile, garnered 392,031 votes to win the vice gubernatorial fight over Jose Taruc V who got 327,015 votes.

Umali said the mandate that the Novo Ecijanos gave him only confirm that the province wants change. “This is a vote for change,” he told reporters.

Ironically, as governor, Umali has to work at the provincial Capitol where most people belong to the party of the Josons. Besides Joson as vice-governor, political observers noted that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is filled up with members affiliated with Balane-Kampi, except for Second District’s Joseph Ortiz (Lakas-CMD).

The board members-elect are Rommel Padilla, Eric Salazar, Cesar Cucio (First District), Wilfredo Munsayac, Ortiz (Second District), Raqueliza Agapito, Melchor Morales (Third District) Teresita Patiag, Zaldy Matias and Romanito Juatco (Fourth District).

For the Congress, Umali has two allies and two from the Josons. They are Congressmen-elect Eduardo Nonato Joson (First District, Balane), Joseph Violago (Second District, Lakas), Czarina Umali (Third District, Lakas) and Rodolfo Antonino (Fourth District, Balane-Kampi).

Meanwhile, in Talavera, the son-in-law of TU senatorial candidate Tito Sotto and actress Helen Gamboa, and the actor brother of action star Robin Padilla proved their showbiz connection working to their favor when they emerged winning the recently concluded midterm elections in Nueva Ecija. Not as lucky though was Barbara Milano who lost her bid for reelection as Talavera councilor.

Francis Vincent de Leon, 29, husband of Quezon City Councilor Lala Sotto (3rd district) won by a landslide as vice-mayor of Talavera with 23,142 votes over his rival and reelectionist Vice Mayor Maritess Gaboy’s 17,714.

He ran under the banner of Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija-Kampi as running mate of re-electionist Mayor Nerito Santos who won another mandate.

In his campaign, the business administration graduate from De La Salle University de Leon used the slogan “Manugang ni Tito Sotto at Helen Gamboa.” His wife, Lala, who also appeared in at least five movies during her younger years, joined him in some sorties in Talavera. His father also served as councilman of Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.

Actor Rommel Padilla, brother of Robin Padilla, also won big as member of the Nueva Ecija provincial board representing the First District. He obtained more than 104,000 votes topping the roster of elected board members. Padilla’s mother, Eva Cariño, is from Barangay Nagmisahan, Cuyapo.

But while de Leon and Padilla were a hit, former sexy start Barabara Milano, whose real name is Anabel Ramos, failed to receive a fresh mandates as councilor from her constituents in Talavera town. Milano who run under Lakas-CMD was elected number one in the race for a council seat in 2004. This time around though, she emerged ninth for the eight-member council election. -Armand M. Galang, The Manila Times

Foreign observer denies report

CABANATUAN CITY - Disputing earlier reports circulating in the province of Nueva Ecija that a foreign observer was shot and killed, the team leader of the International Observer's Mission '07 debunked the ugly rumors, saying, "We feel safe in the countryside."

Reached through his mobile phone, American Larry Emery informed this reporter that this "ugly report" is fathest from the truth, saying "We feel safe in the countryside and, hopefully nothing much more than a stomachache will befall their group."

Together with their local counterparts here, the "Compact for Peaceful Elections," led by Jigs Claymore, Emery expressed confidence nothing untoward will come to them well knowing that Filipinos are hospitable people and reasonable to a fault.

It was learned that on election day, the foreign observers group paid courtesy to officer-in-charge of the Nueva Ecija police Senior Superintendent Alfredo Caballes.

Caballes said he offered the foreign observers group security but which they declined.The foreign observers observing the conduct of election here were were Australians Jason Grant Bray, Nathah Paul Woodard, and Swiss Lars Granberd.

They had a briefing with the various members of the "Compact for Peaceful Elections."Meanwhile, Comelec provincial election supervisor Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio urged NAMFREL to proceed with its own canvass of the votes cast and to finish it as soon.

"We have to proceed with and finish the canvassing as soon as possible to take the heat off from us," he said. - MAGTANGGOL C. VILAR

Elections in Nueva Ecija: DOJ panel formed to probe Bloody Jaen incident

CABANATUAN CITY - A panel of prosecutors have been formed here that will conduct the preliminary investigation on the cases to be filed in connection with the April 26 violent incident in a road blockade near a political rally in Jaen town that claimed the lives of a candidate for councilor and a police escort, and injured 17 others.

To-date, at least four separate cases for murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder have been filed by the camp of Jaen ex-Mayor Antonio Prospero Esquivel with the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor here.

Named respondents in the cases are: Nueva Ecija 4th District Congressman Rodolfo W. Antonino, police Inspector Gamilo, SPO2 Hermenigildo "Gil" Eduardo, PO1 Modesto Catacutan, PO1 William Catacutan and several other "John Does,"

According to Prosecutor Floro F. Florendo, Provincial Prosecutor officer-in-charge, the preliminary investigation of cases I.S. Nos. 07D-1011, 07D-1012, 07E-1038 and 07E-1047, will be conducted by a panel of prosecutors composed of Assistant Provincial Prosecutors Felicisimo Villaflor, Eddie Gutierrez and Dionisio Ledda Jr.

During an interview, Region 3 police director Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan said that the soon-to-be issued findings of the "Task Force Jaen" formed to probe the April 26 Jaen incident will be a "no-holds barred" finding of the group.

He said that the third version of the investigation has been submitted only last Monday and he said he expects the full report to be ready latest Wednesday, or within the week.

"Masaktan kung sino man ang masaktan, ma-pulis o sino man siyang malaking tao, kakasuhan natin ang mga iyan kung ito ang lalabas sa ating imbestigasyon. Siguradong walang white-wash dito." ("The investigation we are conducting will spare no one, be he a police officer or somebody big. If he is found guilty in our investigation he will get the full force of the law.") - MAGTANGGOL C. VILAR

Nueva Ecija elections: Three village officials killed in ambush

TALUGTOG, Nueva Ecija - A village head and two other officials were killed in an ambush after attending a political meeting in this far-flung municipality of Talugtog, Nueva Ecija Monday night.

Senior Supt. Allen Bantolo, Nueva Ecija policedirector, identified the victims as Barangay CaptainLiberato Ramos of Barangay Saverano, councilmanJuanito Tonya, and barangay treasurer Eusebio Jimenez.

The victims were shot repeatedly by still unidentifiedgun men at the adjoining Barangay Severano afterattending a meeting of Bagong Lakas nbg Nueva Ecija inthe adjoining Barangay Sampaloc, reports said.

Bantolo said they were conducting an ocularinvestigation and have yet to got lead on the suspectsas of press time.

Nueva Ecija pols sign peace covenant

CABANATUAN CITY - Rival politicians running for various positions in Nueva Ecija are set to sign a peace covenant in connection with the May 14 elections, an official of the Parish Pastoral Council said.

Initiated by the PPCRV, the Candidates’ Forum and Peace Covenant, spearheaded by Bishop Sofronio A. Bancud of Cabanatuan, is expected to “clearly reiterate our unwavering commitment to peace and justice, for the service of our people and for the good of our province,” said a letter from Fr. Aldrin B. Domingo, PPCRV-Diocese of Cabanatuan coordinator.

The priest said that the covenant fills the need to promote peace and justice as fundamental foundations of a civilized, orderly and progressive society.

He stressed that “only in an environment of peace and justice can we pursue the road to progress and harmony that we all dream about.”
Candidates for congress, governor, vice governor, mayors will participate in the peace covenant, said Fr. Domingo.

It was learned that several candidates for posts in the municipal level have already signed peace covenants.

Nueva Ecija reporter killed

SANTA ROSA, Nueva Ecija - A reporter of the government-owned radio station Radyo ng Bayan was killed and dumped in the outskirts of Barangay Soledad, Santa Rosa, by still unidentified suspects.

Supt. Benjamin de la Cruz, town police chief, said the body of Mark Palacios, 42, a resident of the northern Nueva Ecija town of Guimba, was recovered about 6 a.m.

Palacios is a member of the Nueva Ecija Press Club Inc., the umbrella organization of media groups in the province.

He has also been involved in an anticrime group.

Initial investigation disclosed that Palacios was hit by a hard object in his head, said de la Cruz, sustaining bruises in different parts of his body. -Armand M. Galang

Nueva Ecija elections: bet gunned down in Licab

LICAB, Nueva Ecija - Two armed men killed a candidate for the town council on Sunday morning as he stepped out of the church where he stood as a sponsor in a wedding.

Police identified the fatality as Ariel de la Merced, a resident of San Cristobal, Licab, Nueva Ecija.

He was running for councilor under Liberal Party.

Mayoralty bet Teddy Ilagan was unhurt since he managed to cover himself from the assassins, reports said.

The two were just stepping out of the church in Barangay Villarosa when the suspects approached and shot de la Merced repeatedly until he lied dead on the ground. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds from .45 caliber pistol, police said.

The suspects made sure their victim was already dead, before they drove away on a motorcycle. Police have yet to established the motive of the killing. --Armand M. Galang

Tommy's certified candidate

Gov. Tomas Joson III (Kapmi-Balane) of Nueva Ecija shows his certificate of candidacy to supporters. He is running for Cabanatuan City against incumbent Vice Mayor Raul Mendoza (UNO), Celcor Pres. Alvin Vergara (Lakas-CMD) and former city Coun. Elpidio Valino (Kapartido ng Masang Pilipino). Photo by Jun Torres

Ecija candidate dies after sortie

PEÑARANDA, Nueva Ecija - A Lakas candidate for councilor in this southeastern Nueva Ecija town succumbed to suspected heart attack hours after the party’s proclamation rally, police reported on Wednesday.

Senior Insp. Reulito Barcelo, town police chief, said Benjamin M. Naga, died before reaching a local hospital at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

Naga has joined his partymates, led by mayoralty candidate Gerry Geronimo with gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial bets Rep. Aurelio Umali and Popoy Taruc, respectively until midnight of Monday at the town’s poblacion.

Initial reports said Naga could have died of heart attack owing to the pressures and fatigue brought by the campaign.

Army,NPAs exchange fire in Lupao

LUPAO, Nueva Ecija - An undetermined number of suspected New Peoples Army guerillas were wounded while two Armalite rifles with bunch of subversive documents were recovered in a “fierce encounter” between the government troopers and and the rebels in a narrow river in the far-flung village here Monday night, the military reported on Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano, commander of the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion, said the rebels, reportedly led one Antonio Layco alias Ka Domeng of Sandatahang Yunit sa Platun, Pangasinan – Front Nueva Ecija Provincial Command, initially positioned to engage the soldiers in firefight but after a considerable period of exchange of fire scampered to different directions carrying with them “their wounded comrades.”

The rebels, Cayetano, run through the “cover of darkness and thick vegetation,” in Sitio Pinggan, Barangay Parista, Lupao. The place, the military said, is a remote village situated at the foothills of Caraballo Mountain range. The encountered happened at about 9:15 p.m., he said.

Cayetano said that the soldiers, led by 2Lt. Roselio Cabarliza conducted a tactical offensive after receiving reports from some residents that the NPAs were allegedly “terrorizing” the residents in an attempt “to regain mass base in the area.”

Cabarliza, in his report to the 7th Infantry Division based in Fort Ramon Magsaysay, Palayan City, noted the alleged inferiority this time of the rebels owing to low quality manpower and evident lack of training.

“The communist insurgents were trying to regain influence over their lost mass base in Lupao,” which he said, “is the life blood of the rebels as it provides them crucial supports such as food, finance and information.”

Cayetano noted that a number of former NPA supporters have joined the military-inspired Barangay Defense System, a project supported by various private institutions which provided training and supports for livelihood. -Armand M. Galang

Popoy Taruc hits report

GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija - A neophyte politician running for a top position in Nueva Ecija deplored over the weekend alleged attempt to discredit him by identifying him as the one involved in the fatal accident along Olongapo-Gapan Road in Arayat, Pampanga.

Jose Taruc V, son of veteran broadcaster Joe Taruc, expressed belief that the linking of his name in an incident which actually involved his elder brother, Jose “Jekjek” IV, could be a try to attack his candidacy.

"Palibhasa ako ang kandidato kaya iniintriga tayo,” Taruc who is running for vice governor under Lakas-CMD told the media. He is teamed up with gubernatorial bet Aurelio Umali, incumbent third district representative.

The accident resulted to the death of tricycle driver Marlon Lumbang and serious injuries on Enrique Moranos and Ernesto Pacheco. The three were riding on a motorcyle when it collided with a car driven by Taruc IV, reports said.

Lumbang died instantly. Moranos is in unstable condition while Pacheco suffered a broken pelvis.

Weekend reports said that the driver of the car was Jose Taruc IV, a vice-gubernatorial candidate for Nueva Ecija and son of veteran broadcaster Joe Taruc.....". The report, he said, “was all wrong for he was then in Manila when the accident happened".

Investigation showed that the motorcycle, with the three on board suddenly swerved to the left lane of the road, but was hit by the vehicle driven by nger Taruc IV.

Police noted an attempt by the Taruc IV to avoid the swerving motorcycle, as evidenced by “17-meters skid mark on the road”.

Gov't says open to redeploy Pinoys not ready to return

by KRISTY ANNE C. TOPACIO-MANALAYSAY

MANILA—SUCCESSFULLY building a business after working abroad, Alberto Limbo Perez still couldn’t be pinned down in his own country. Luckily for him, a recently-built government center can give him that chance.

“Who would reject the opportunity of working abroad?” the 47-year-old Perez said in Tagalog. “Earnings from abroad are a big help to meet our needs. It’s a waste to let the opportunity pass.”

This comes from a man whose seven-year-old work abroad is being poured on a house with swimming pool at a cost of P4 million, almost half of what the Philippine government spent on a building to mold Filipinos like him to either stay home for good or go back to migrant work.

The building in Intramuros, Manila, was funded by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration with a P7-million purse (US$140,000 at US$1=P48) according to Labor Attache to Japan Reydeluz Conferido.

Conferido said the National Reintegration Center for Overseas Filipino Workers would allow temporary migrant Filipino workers with plans to return permanently here to adjust first by allowing them go back to overseas work.

Ecija families in political stints

CABANATUAN CITY - Political families in Nueva Ecija are presenting themselves to voters in pack in an apparent move to thwart future disagreement with non-relative officials.

The list Mayor Antonio Esquivel for mayor with his son, Tony Boy for vice mayor in Jaen town; Mayor Lucio Uera with son Charrys in Pantabangan; Mayor Nestor Alvarez of the Science City of Muñoz has his former mayor brother Efren; Mayor Marcial Vargas of Aliaga has his wife, Beth as running mate.

The Josons first encountered trouble with Vice-Gov. Nar­ciso Nario, now with the Philippine Commission on Good Government, when the patriarch, the Gov. Eduardo L. Joson died in early 90’s. Nario initially resigned from the position to give way to Tomas 3rd who was then senior board member in the succession but later retracted.

When another Joson, Eduar­do Nonato was elected with businessman Oscar Tinio as vice-governor, he sustained series of suspension attempts with the latter siding with their political archrivals.

This prompted Tomas 3rd to field his younger brothers, Eduardo IV and Mariano Cristino, in 2001 and 2004 elections, respectively, where they won and finished terms without much bickering.

This election, as Tomas 3rd runs for the Cabanatuan City mayoralty post, Mariano Cris­tino is running for governor with nephew, senior board Member Edward Thomas as running mate.
In Jaen, Esquivel has been replaced at the town hall since January by Vice-Mayor Santiago Austria after the former was ordered dismissed by the Ombudsman while Uera is in a deadlock with his vice-mayor in Pantabangan.

When Beth Vargas was elected mayor with an opposing party at the vice- mayor’s office, she claimed to have her projects derailed, prompting the couple in 2004 to launch their husband-and-wife tandem, which they succeeded.

Meanwhile, Mariano Cris­tino’s rival for governor, Third District Rep. Aurelio Umali has his wife running for the Congressional seat.

Former Fourth District representative Julita Villareal who is geared for a comeback has her sons, Jojo and Chris, for board member and Mayor of San Isidro town, respectively. Armand M. Galang

Cloned carabao coming soon? RP's scientists

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ - K-18 AND H-4.

They are the identifying tags for two of the super dairy water buffaloes at the gene pool of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) here.

They are among the herd of imported Bulgarian buffaloes maintained by the PCC for the improvement of the carabao breed in the country. Based on records, they produce from a low of 12 liters and a peak of 18 liters of milk a day during their lactation period. Decidedly, they are
very superior compared to the native carabaos which produce an average of 1.5 liters of milk a day.

Scientists of PCC have started the process of producing precise copies of K-18 and H-4. It is thru the cloning technology.

To be exact, this PCC’s project, according to Dr. Libertado Cruz, the agency’s executive director, is “cloning thru somatic cell nuclear transfer”. It is cloning thru the use of a body cell.

(Cloning is defined as a means of making copies of individual or the production of large number of dentical offspring. Cloning by nuclear transfer involves the transfer of genetic material from a donor cell (karyoplast) to the cytoplasm of a matured oocyte from which the nucleus, which contains the genetic materials, has been removed. This matured oocyte whose nucleus has been removed is known as the recipient cytoplast. Somatic means bodily or corporeal.)

Reproductive biotechnology


“Our aim is to develop an efficient system for the production of clones toward genetic improvement of the water buffaloes in the country,” Cruz said. “It is in addition to the
reproductive biotechnologies already successfully researched and now being used by the PCC,” he added.

The first major tool employed in reproduction by the PCC, Cruz said, were estrus synchronization and artificial insemination using frozen semen. This, however, required considerable time to attain a purebred animals thru a series of backcrossing.

This was followed by in vitro maturation-in vitro fertilization.

To date, he said, several buffalo calves had already been produced thru in vitro embryo production technique coupled with embryo cryopreservation by vitrification and embryo transfer.

Cruz added that these biotechnologies are needed as ways of hastening reproduction of water buffaloes as this large animal species are known to have very poor reproductive performance. Compared to domestic cattle, he said, the water buffaloes have smaller ovarian
follicular populations.

(Incidentally, water buffalo is the general name for the animal which is commonly called in the country as “carabao”.)

Comes now the cloning technology thru somatic cell nuclear transfer as another biotechnology being researched by PCC.

Dr. Edwin Atabay, team leader of the project, bared that cloned embryos were already transferred last September 23 to three surrogate buffalo dams (mother). He added that as their work progresses, more cloned embryos would be transferred weekly to selected dams. -Anselmo S. Roque

Cabanatuan City: Umali, Vergara alliance forged

CABANATUAN CITY - It's now official, Cherry Umali, wife of Nueva Ecija's 3rd District Rep. Aurelio "Oyie" Umali, is Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party candidate for Nueva Ecija's third congressional district in the coming May 14 elections.

"I now hold the certificate attesting to that fact," Umali, the provincial Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats chairman told Manila Bulletin in an interview on Monday during the flag-raising ceremony at city hall.

On the same occasion, Umali has endorsed the candidacy of Alvin Vergara, cousin of incumbent Mayor Julius Cesar "Jay" Vergara and his anointed candidate to replace him at city hall.

The young Alvin Vergara, a virtual unknown general manager of Cabanatuan Electric Company or CELCOR, was propelled to instant household name here after Mayor Jay started building him up as his likely successor.

This move of Umali has bashed the hope of come-backing Rep. Pacifico "Rico" Fajardo of getting declared Lakas-CMD official candidate. - Magtanggol Vilar

Nueva Ecija hosts Central Luzon's agri-aqua trade fair

Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III visits a booths at the Agri-Aqua trade far on going festivity of agricultural and fishery products from Central Luzon at the Ninoy Aquino Freedom Park in Cabanatuan City. (Photo by Jun Torres)

Fratmen attacked while in drinking spree

CABANATUAN CITY - Seven fraternity members were wounded when a hand grenade hurled by an unidentified suspect exploded on Mabini Street, Ba­rangay Quezon, over the weekend.

In his report, Supt. Eliseo Cruz, city police chief, identified the victims as Jonathan Diaz, 25; Robert Jacinto, 32; Ariel Chavez, 27; Giovani Soriano, 22; all of Sapiandante Street, Barangay Quezon; Eliseo Manuel, 33, of Nabao; James Ganao, 20, of Barangay Dimasalang; and Joven Ordonia of Barangay Kapt. Pepe, all of Cabanatuan City.

Investigation disclosed the victims, who are members of Tau Gamma Fraternity, were having a drinking spree Sunday night when a suspect threw the hand grenade in their direction.

The victims were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment, police reported.

Meanwhile, elements of the police special operations group, led by Police Insp. Jose G. Cucal, netted 1.9 kilos of dried marijuana bricks in an operation in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, on Monday.

In a report to Senior Supt. Allen Bantolo, provincial police director, Cucal said the marijuana bricks were recovered from Peter Conoy, 53, and Francisco Pascual, 39, both of Barangay Galintuja, Maria Aurora, Aurora.

Also confiscated from the suspects was a tricycle with license plate EP 8617, which was used in transporting the illegal drugs. Cucal said the suspects and the confiscated items were brought to the crime laboratory for the necessary tests. --Armand M. Galang.

Ocean to ocean highway to pass Nueva Ecija

FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Palayan City: The Department of Public Works and Highways formally unveiled on Wed­nesday the plan for the construction of an ocean-to-ocean road project, a part of the administration’s super regions scheme.

Ramon Aquino, DPWH assistant secretary, presented to the public, especially to soldiers, the blueprint of the Subic-Dingalan Port Highway that traverses this huge military reservation.

Defense Secretary Hermo­genes Ebdane who made his first official visit in this camp as top defense man, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and Army Chief, Lt. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, also viewed the giant road plan.

The road, Aquino explained, will link the port of Subic from the western port of Central Luzon to the Port of Dingalan in the east.

Mentioned during President Arroyo’s State of the Nation address in July last year, Aquino said the project is expected to spur development in the region. It passes by Tarlac and Nueva Ecija provinces. Subic areas are considered industrial while the other provinces involved in the project are mostly agricultural. --Armand M. Galang

May 14, '07: Ecija giants stage comeback

CABANATUAN CITY – Two known political families in Nueva Ecija, which fell apart in the 2001 and 2004 local elections following a head-on collision with the Josons, are staging a comeback in the May 14 elections.

The Fajardo and Villareal clans, which were dismantled by the Josons –the acknowledged political kingpins in the province – are attempting to reclaim their old glory by fielding candidates in their former turfs.

Former three-term third district congressman Pacifico Fajardo is eyeing to regain his old seat in the House of Representatives in his district, which covers the cities of Cabanatuan and Palayan and the central towns of Sta. Rosa, Bongabon, Laur, Gabaldon and Gen. Natividad.

Fajardo’s wife, former three-term mayor of Palayn, will also gun for her old post and will run against re-electionist Mayor Romeo Capinpin. The Fajardos used to be the second biggest political dynasty in the province after the Josons. Pacifico, a second cousin of President Arroyo, was OIC mayor of Palayan in 1986 and won the regular elections in 1988. In 1992, Fajardo defeated former Rep. Hermogenes Concepcion Jr. and was re-elected twice. Following the expiration of his third and last term in 2001, he challenged outgoing three-term Gov. Tomas Joson III but lost. He was later appointed by Mrs. Arroyo as administrator of the Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) but was later replaced by Mel Robles.

Pacifico was replaced by his wife Leonora as city mayor in 1992 and also won three successive terms. In 2001, she ran for the House seat vacated by her husband but lost to the incumbent Rep. Aurelio Umali. She was succeeded by their eldest daughter, Lorelei, as Palayan mayor in 2001 but lost in her re-election bid against Capinpin.

On the other hand, the Villareals are seeking to recover lost ground with former two-term Rep. Julita trying to exact revenge in the fourth district against re-eleci nist Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, who defeated her husband, R ul, in 2004. Antonino is an uncle of Gen. Santos City Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, a potential rival of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

Former provincial board member Chris Villareal will also try to regain his old post in the district to be vacated by his brother, incumbent board member Jojo. Chris lost to his aunt, re-electionist San Isidro Mayor Sonia Lorenzo, in the mayoral polls in 2004. Lorenzo is the wife of Julita’s elder brother, former congressman Victorio Lorenzo who lost to Julita in 1992.

Chris is also contemplating on running for mayor of San Isidro in a return bout with Lorenzo but on condition that he wins his election protest before the polls. The Villareals, scions of the late former San Isidro mayor Maximino Lorenzo, replaced the Fajardos as the second most powerful dynasty in 2001, lording it over the fourth district for 10 years.

The district covers the towns of San Leonardo, San Isidro, Cabiao, Jaen, Peñaranda and Gen. Tinio and Gapan City. But it crumbled in 2004 when Julita lost to Tomas III in the gubernatorial elections, Raul to Antonino and Chris to Lorenzo. Only Jojo

Gapan City mayor linked to murder cases; charges belied

Gapan City Mayor Ernesto Natividad has been implicated by two witnesses in the killing of five people in a cockpit in March 2006 attack.

The witnesses went to the National Bureau of Investigation and reportedly identified him as among the masterminds in the attack.

Natividad called the charges as baseless and pure lies, and said he is ready to face them with a clean conscience.

Pedro Roque, chief of the NBI field office in Nueva Ecija, refused to comment, saying that the witnesses, Virgilio Malgapo and Conrado Ortiz, were under the custody of the agency’s main office in Manila.

The witnesses alleged that Natividad was behind the attack in the cockpit arena in Barangay Pambuan in Gapan City owned by a businessman Boy Pascual on March 20, 2006.
Pascual’s two sons, Ericson and Evertson, along with three security guards identified as Juanito Reyes, Jessie Pablo and Carino Caring, were gunned down in the incident.

Pascual, who is reportedly out to challenge Natividad for the mayoralty post, survived the raid because he was in a closed room at the time.

Ex-rebels, residents of Lupao get business aid

LUPAO, Nueva Ecija - The government’s anti-insurgency campaign received a big boost after a group of businessmen and civic organizations poured in both technical and financial assistance to an association of residents in a former insurgency hotbed here.

Vicky Gaetos, chairman of the Nueva Ecija Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NECCI), said the mushroom production project that was launched on Tuesday was only one of three projects they drew up for the Parista Barangay Defense System Development Association (PBDSDA), a group composed of residents and families of former rebels and communist sympathizers in Barangay Parista, Lupao.

Gaetos said that besides the NECCI, the stakeholders in the project aimed at improving the lives of those who had turned their back from armed and ideological struggle are the Nueva Ecija Small and Medium Development Enterprise Development Council which provides training and marketing support and the Army’s 71st Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Gregory Cayetano and Rotary Club and the local government.

Roberto Gaid, PBDSDA president, said they set up at least seven mushroom growing huts in different purok (district) of Parista where the initial 2,000 mushroom fruiting bags were placed for production.

Gaetos said the initial P50, 000 they extended as grant to the residents can be increased should the funds be managed well. “Our friends are always willing to help, only they don’t want to see money go to waste,” she stressed. “It’s actually not the project but the way the project is managed,” Gaetos explained. (Armand M. Galang, The Manila Times)

Comelec Control pushed; opposed

CABANATUAN CITY - An administration congressman stressed the other day the need to place Nueva Ecija under the direct control of the Commission on Elections in the coming midterm elections.

Rep. Aurelio Umali of the Third District of Nueva Ecija said that Comelec control is needed to “avoid the eruption of violence,” saying even Gov. Tomas Joson III reported a death threat.

But Joson’s brother, Vice-Gov. Mariano Cristino Joson, slammed their “political rivals” of allegedly creating a dark image of the province.
Umali, the provincial chairman of administration party Lakas, is headed for a fight against the younger Joson, chairman of the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija, for the gubernatorial post.

Umali said that even the private sectors, including church-based, organizations and former governor Eduardo Nonato Joson, have call for the Comelec control. Former representative Renato Diaz, presidential assistant for North Luzon, agreed.
Vice-Governor Joson, however, stressed that no violence has erupted in Nueva Ecija since 1998, saying that any official like him can walk through barangays without a security escort.

Without mentioning names, he slammed those who would claim to be having a good fight only if they survived until May 14.
The governor, on the other hand, said the police only have to create clear-cut guidelines on responding to election-related calls.

Maintaining the peace and order is sound; he said Comelec control could only be good for the implementation of a gun ban. --Armand M. Galang

NFA region 3 hosts National Board meet

The National Food Authority in Cabanatuan City hosted the NFA Employees’ Association (NFAEA) 2007 1st Quarter National Board Conference held on February 5-9, 2007. Photo was taken during the opening ceremonies at the Farmers Training Center in NFA Cabanatuan City. With the NFAEA National Board Officers headed by President Roman Sanchez are NFA Region 3 Director Nicolas Crisostomo and NFAEA Region 3 President Rebecca Santiago.

Issues discussed during the conference are : the welfare and benefits of NFA employees; the joint cost-saving measures of the Union and Management; the fight against graft and corruption and; to work for the non-privatization/abolition of the NFA.

The NFAEA and newly-appointed NFA Administrator Jessup Navarro also recently signed a Pact of Unity at the NFA Central Office in Quezon City. This was followed by a Transparency, Empowerment and Accord (TEA) Forum attended by the NFAEA National Board Officers led by Pres. Sanchez and the NFA management headed by Adm. Navarro.

Galang is new Nueva Ecija Press Club president

CABANATUAN CITY - Nueva Ecija newspapermen and broadcasters elected a new set of officers on Friday with The Manila Times correspondent Armand M. Galang voted unanimously after a lawyer opted to run for a board seat.

Galang who also hosts a public affairs program on dzXO, led the new set of officers of the Nueva Ecija Press Club in taking their oath of office before Judge Rodrigo Caspillo, executive judge of the Regional Trial Court of Cabanatuan.

Elected officers were Light Nolasco (Balita/dwJJ/dwIZ), executive vice-president; Elsa Rivera (Police Files Tonight), VP for Print Media; Julius Caesar Cauzo (dwJJ), VP for Broadcast Media; Gina Caling (dwNE), secretary; Celso Cajucom (Manila Standard Today), treasurer; Jessica Eraña (Hataw), auditor; Ferdie Do­mingo (Tempo), business manager and Cris de los Trinos Jr. (dwNE), public relation officer.
The lawyer Carlito Inton (dwJJ), is the chairman of the board which is composed of Mirriam Tangunan-Garcia (dwNE), Venci Datol (dwJJ), Mel Ciriaco (dwNE), Boy Verde (dwJJ), Mayette Lucas (dwNE) and Jojo de Guzman (dzXO/ Abante) as an ex-officio member.

The Nueva Ecija Press Club is the umbrella organization of media groups in Nueva Ecija with about 90 members from national and local media entities.

Galang also publishes the community paper Novo Chronicle.