by magnolia_eic | Oct 17, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
TOWNS who have issued certifications of “no illegal numbers game” bear the burden of proof, hints
PSSupt. Constantino V. Barot during the recent Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) held at Camp
Dagohoy.
Recently, the provincial police director has received certifications issued by at least 22 town leaders
who declared their towns “swertres free.”
Towns declared emancipated from illegal numbers game or swertres operations are Alburquerque,
Alicia, Balilihan, Batuan, Bien Unido, Buenavista, Calape, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Danao,
Duero, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, Loay, Loboc, San Isidro, Sevilla, Sikatuna, Trinidad and Valencia.
The list also drew reactions from media present during the forum, as text messages reported by the
public continue to negate the absence of swertres as reported.
The Camp Dagohoy police chief said he is now organizing a team to monitor and validate the town’s
claims. If fund to out that there still are operations contrary to the certifications, the local police chief
would be in the hot seat, he assured.
He also urged the public to report directly to the police any information contrary to the claims of the
their town leaders. Police hotline is 0917 305 1833 or 0912-808-9279.
Barot also added that the PNP is mandated by higher authorities to implement the “One Strike
Policy.”
According to the police chief, by one strike policy, if elements of a higher unit operates on a town
and finds evidence contrary to the claims that illegal numbers game has been inexistent, it would
immediately cost the axing of the town’s police chief.
Of course, a different unit conducts the operations so as not to burn out local police assets and at
the same time keep the usual element of surprise in the swift operations whithout fear of operational
leakages, PSSupt. Barot explained to the media.
This too came as daily text barrage reaching media stations have gone to the level of naming alleged
financiers, coordinators and even their operations bases, many of which are calimed to be just a
stone throw away from police stations. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 17, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
IT is these little things that will matter in the long run.
This was the gist of the statement issued by Bohol’s prime Environment and Natural Resources Officer to the
public during the recent Kapihan sa PIA which was aired live over DyTR.
At the weekly forum held at the PIA at K of C Drive this city, PENRO Nestor Canda who spoke on the national
celebration of the Fisheries Conservation Week October 8-15, said that simple planting and protecting or
conserving mangroves, seagrass beds and corals would go a long way to ensure breeding and spawning
grounds for fish and other marine resources.
Even texting authorities about an illegal fishing activity would be a big help, he said.
Local police authorities has appointed a regular text and call hotline for such instances of the public seeing
the commission of a criminal activity. Hotline 0917-305-1833 or 0912-808-9279 is manned 24 hours, 7 days
a week, said PSSupt Constantino Barot during the hotline numbers launching held a couple of weeks earlier.
The national celebration comes at the time when authorities in Bohol meet with fishery stakeholders to discuss
mitigation schemes on the high market price for fish.
Capitol has created a technical working group to look into the matter and hopes to bring down the market
price of fish. It has also strengthened its coastal law enforcement assets to aggressively implement coastal
laws.
Marginal fishers here also air the problem of dwindling fish catch, and alleged that the intrusion of commercial
fishing into the municipal waters had dealt harsh issues to coastal communities dependent on small time
fisheries.
Tackling up “Asenso sa pangisdaan, makamit sa sama-samang pagtutulungan,” Canda said while
the government is addressing issues within its powers, communities can pitch in and show vigilance.
Local fishery officials still agree that despite very strict implementation of coastal resource management laws
by the Coastal Law Enforcement Councils, some still manage to poach areas and revert to destructive fishing
for quick results.
These marine protected areas should be managed well by communities and operated like a bank, Canda said.
In banks, ideally, we do not withdraw the principal amount deposited, we only get the interest, he said as
he urged communities to harvest only those fish that stray out of the marine sanctuaries to assure continued
supply of fish. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 17, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
LOCAL police authorities have issued warnings against people who own improvised “thinner” guns as
these are now considered deadly weapons.
At the recent Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis, PSInspector Ramoncillo Sawan said Camp Dagohoy has
started confiscating improvised polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe barrel guns using compressed gas and
toy marble as projectiles.
We have run tests with these improvides guns and we agree that with its capacity to get its marble
projectile through a 1.4 inch thick plywood placed at a specific distance could ve bery fatal to
humans, police inspector Sawan said.
Bohol Provincial Police Commander, Pssupt Constantino Barot added that his tests also confirmed
that the weapon is fatal as it could deal a substantial damage to a banana trunk, which he pointed
out, is denser than a human body.
Police authorities also shared that several people use the improvised gun to scare off cattle and
livestock straying into their personal properties, but in the proactive side of things, keeping these
guns off would be pre-emptive against future crimes.
In the election season and with the implementation of the gun ban, the same improvised thinner
guns are outlawed.
It’s a simple contraption, explains a police officer after the TSIP forum.
“All you need to to is store the right amount of gas in a collecting chamber, often a plastic bottle
container and put in a gas exhaust vent that you channel to the PVC barrel,” he explained.
It’s sometimes called “thinner gun” because many would use the highly volatile lacqueer
thinner or lighter fluid into the pressure container to produce the powerful compressed gas.
“With the gas collected in the container, all you need is a spark for the gas to ignite and push its way
into the barrel, releasing the pressure that pushes the marble at incredible speed off the tightfitted
barrel.”
A simple lighter igniter, which can be taken from a disposable lighter works as improvised gun igniter
which produced the spark to ignite the compressed gas and you have a boom, he said as he gingerly
showed the gun operation to the media.
When that ignition happen, the last thing you would want to be is at the wrong end of the barrel.
(racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 17, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
POLICE authorities offer escorts and assure its presence along the way to the extreme adventure
town of Danao in Bohol.
“Tourists wanting to go to Danao can pre-arrange their trips with Danao Eco-Tour Advanture Park
and police security would be arranged from there,” said Pssupt. Constantino Barot, during the
monthly Talakayan Sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) Wednesday October 13 at Camp Dagohoy in Tagbilaran.
This is the usual security arrangements with the adventure facility, and anybody who fails to
notify the park is in for a breach of protocol. It is safe however but for tourists who still have
apprehensions, coordination with the authorities could be done, Col. Barot explained.
“This is part of our assurance to tourists that the isolated case of highway robbers victimizing tourists
would never happen again” said PInspector Norman Nuez, Danao police chief.
It may be recalled that last August 22, some three vans loaded with tourists to Danao were flagged
down by highway robbers in Sitio Mabuhay, barangay Tabok of Danao and tourists were divested of
cash and personal belongings, Nuez reported.
No one among the tourists however was harmed.
Police thereafter conducted pursuit operations when investigatons revealed that at least some of the
prepetrators were local boys.
Subsequent operations pegged a score for the Camp Dagohoy based Provincial Public Safety
Company of special weapons and tactics officers when it succeeded in apprehending some of the
suspects identified in the Danao incident in a raid in Loon.
Acting immediately to reassure tourists of their safety, Danao Mayor Louis Thomas Gonzaga asked
the Bohol Police Office to augment police security and presence along the access routes to Danao to
ensure safety.
On this, Camp Dagohoy has installed police detachments along the way, using integral
poluce elements from Sagbayan, Inabanga, and Danao stations, Inspector Nuez bared.
Insisting that Danao is back on the track, Mayor Gonzaga said it has just recently hosted the
nationwide Thrill of the Trail race which brought to the town professional and amateur marathon
enthusiasts to compete in the 20 and 10 kilometer races. (racPIABohol)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 17, 2010 | Headlines, Local News / Bohol Balita
Commission on Elections in Bohol as candidates in the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang
Kabataan (SK) synchronized elections October 25.
This as 729,815 registered voters in Bohol as of the last elections are expected to troop to their
respective precincts to pick their preferred candidates listed by the poll body as the filing of
certificates of candidacies closed on the midninght Wednesday, October 13.
The number could be more as this elections include Sangguninag Kabataan members whoc can
already vote at 15.
Age of political maturity in the Philippines is pegged at 18.
Opened slots for the local are a seat for Chairman and seven barangay council members or kagawads
in each barangay while similar positions are also at stake in the barangay youth council or SK.
According to the data furnished by the Comelec, a total of 2,147 of these candidates eye the office
of barangay chairman, while 17,008 are running for the seven slots opened for the barangay council
members.
For the SK, 2,359 are interested in 1,109 slots for youth barangay SK chairman while 11,970 youth
are running to get elected as SK councilor.
While Comelec Bohol agree that there are barangay chairmen’s seats that remain uncontested, some
seats in some towns are vied by three or more eager candidates.
Over this, the local Comelec through Atty. Eliseo Labaria reiterates that the barangay election is in
nature, non-partisan so that the filing of candidacies would be by individual and no slate is expected.
A cusory look at the local scenes however reveal that unseen hands of mayors and allies is still
prominent, as the battle for the coveted Association of Barangay Councils get its material from the
polls.
And as the election period rolls starting September 25, the issuance of appointments, promotions and
creation of new positions as well as giving salary increases in government officer and instrumentalties
are prohibited.
The period has also banned fund raising activities through dances, lotteries and cockfights, Comelec
said. (racPIABohol)
