Government troops in Sorsogon thwart NPA rebel’s plan to ambush government relief convoy operations to Samar-Leyte; two NPA commanders dead

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Photo: 903rd Philippine Army

CASTILLA, SORSOGON, November 13 (PIA) – Two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed while one was apprehended following an encounter in Matnog, Sorsogon, at about 5:25 in the morning today at Barangay Bolacawe, Matnog town in Sorsogon.

Likewise five (5) powered firearms (HPFA’s), one Low Powered Firearm (LPA) and several Improvised Explosive Devices (IED’s) were recovered during the said encounter between government troops and members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Brigade Spokesperson 1Lt Bethany Q. Cadungan said that combined elements of 903^rd Infantry Brigade, 31^st Infantry Battalion (31IB), 96^th Military Intelligence Company (96MICO), Alpha Company of 22^nd Infantry (Cadre) Battalion and Matnog Philippine National Police (PNP) Unit in Sorsogon led by 1Lt Rory P Esico and 2Lt Linley Marl M Dajao figured in a clash with more or less 15 members of NPA believed to be members of Larangan 2, Komiteng Probinsyal(Komprob) Sorsogon under Jesus Guelas @Gapa/Insoy.

The slain NPA rebels were identified as Ka Abel, Commanding Officer (CO) of Sorsogon NPA’s Probinsyal Yunit Guerilla (PYG) and Ka Win, CO of NPA’s Sentro De Gravidad (SDG).  The apprehended rebel who was critically wounded was identified as Peter Chija, 19 years old and resident of Gate, Bulan, Sorsogon.  The recovered firearms include three M16, one M14, one M653 rifles and one Caliber .45 Pistol.

Colonel Joselito E Kakilala, Commander of 903^rd Infantry Brigade exercising operational control over the operating troops said that the above mentioned combat operation was planned out and eventually conducted following the receipt of an information from a concerned civilian of the presence of fully armed NPA rebels in the area who were planning to conduct ambuscades to government convoys delivering relief goods for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda in the nearby provinces of Samar and Leyte particularly in Tacloban City as evident in the recovered IED’s.

“I am very grateful to the cooperation and support of the Sorsoganons to our peace and security efforts by voluntarily providing us with significant information about the Communist Terrorists’ (CT’s) violent activities in their communities.  I also recognize their deep concern on the plight of the victims of Typhoon Yolanda as manifested in their Samaritan spirit by ensuring the unhampered transport of relief goods to Samar-Leyte. This act also goes to show that the civilians desire to finally put an end to NPA atrocities in Sorsogon”, Colonel Kakilala said.

“I strongly make an appeal to the NPA rebels to set aside for a while their intentions to sow fear and terror to our fellowmen as this is not the right time for such violent acts.  I call upon them to freely allow and not to disrupt the government’s humanitarian and relief missions in Samar and Leyte as our fellow Filipinos there are in dire and immediate need of those support”, Colonel Kakilala concluded. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon).

Tri-media sa Sorsogon nagkakaisa para sa pagtulong sa mga nabiktima ng bagyong “Yolanda”

Sorsogon tri-media in a meeting at PIA Office

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Nobyembre 12 (PIA) – Nagkaisa ang ilang kasapi ng tri-media sa Sorsogon upang manawagan sa may mga mabubuting kalooban sa Sorsogon na makibahagi sa pagtulong sa mga hinagupit ng bagyong “Yolanda” partikular sa rehiyon ng Visayas.

Sa naging pulong na ginawa sa tanggapan ng Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Sorsogon kahapon, sinabi ni Ms. Jing Rey-Henderson, program manager ng DZGN-FM na magandang pagkakataon ito upang magabayan ang mga Sorsoganon kung saan ito maaaring pumunta sakaling nais nitong magbigay ng tulong.

Magandang oportunidad din ito umano, ayon naman kay Ramil Marianito, Station Manager ng Wow-Smile FM Radio upang maipakita ng mga media sa Sorsogon na maaari pa rin itong magkaisa lalo sa panahon na may ganitong sakuna.

Batay sa napagkasunduan mananawagan sa publiko ang lahat ng mga istasyon sa lungsod upang magbahagi ng tulong na maaari nitong maibigay para sa mga nabiktima ng bagyo at ang tanggapan ng PIA ang siyang magsisilbing drop-off point ng lahat ng mga malilikom na tulong. Iaanunsyo din sa radyo ang mga tulong na matatanggap araw-araw at kung sino ang mga nagbigay nito.

Ang lahat ng malilikom ay ibibigay naman sa Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Sorsogon-Chapter para sa tamang pagpapaabot nito sa mga nabiktima.

Ayon kay Ms. Belinda Pelagio ng PRC Sorsogon Chapter, hinihikayat nila ang mga Sorsoganong nais makabalita ng kanilang mga kamag-anak, kaibigan at kakilala na nasa mga lugar na lubhang naapektuhan ng bagyo na samantalahin ang kanilang Disaster Tracing Inquiry upang malaman ang kalagayan ng mga ito.

Samantala, bukas naman ang Integrated Rural Development Foundation sa pamamagitan ni Ginang Libby Dometita para sa mga nais maging volunteer lalo sa pagrerepak ng mga relief goods. Kinakailangan umanong organisado ang grupo ng mga boluntaryong magrerepak dahilan sa 4-hour shifting schedule na ipinatutupad kung kaya’t kailangang magrehistro ito bago sumabak sa trabaho.

Matatandaang naghayag ang Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD) Bicol na kailangan nito ng mga volunteer na tutulong sa pagrerepak ng mga relief goods na nasa Astrodome sa Albay.

Maging ang Rotary Club of Metro Sorsogon ay nakikipag-ugnayan na rin sa mga may-ari ng negosyo sa Sorsogon, mga paaralan, simbahan at bangko na maglalagay sila ng malalaking kahon kung saan maari din nilang ilagay ang kanilang mga nais ibahaging tulong.

Kabilang sa mga ipinapanawagang agarang tulong na maaaring ibigay ay mga inuming tubig, pagkain, kandila, posporo o lighter, mga gamot, tsinelas, banig, kumot at damit. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Mga Sorsoganon malaki ang pasalamat sa pagkakasalba mula sa bagyong “Yolanda"

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

LUNGSOD NG SORSOGON, Nobyembre 11 (PIA) – Malaki ang naging pasalamat ng mga Sorsoganon dahilan sa pagkakasalba ng buong lalawigan at ng buong rehiyon ng Bicol mula sa hagupit ng bagyong “Yolanda,  ang itinututring na pinakamalakas na bagyo sa kasaysayan hindi lamang sa bansa kundi maging sa buong mundo, subalit labis na ikinalungkot din dito ang naganap sa ibang bahagi ng bansa partikular sa rehiyon ng Visayas.

Naniniwala silang ang malakas na pananampalataya , panalangin at ang naging maagap at maagang paghahanda ng mga kinauukulan dito lalo na ng Provincial, City at Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Council (DRRMC) ang dahilan ng pagkakasalba at pagkamit ng layuning zero casualty.

Matatandaang Nob. 1 pa lamang ay nagpalabas na si Sorsogon Gov. Raul R. Lee ng mga adsvisory at memorandum sa lahat ng mga kinauukulan para sa kaukulang paghahanda at upang maiwasan ang malakihang danyos sakaling tumama ang bagyo sa lalawigan.

Naging mahigpit din ang ginawang pagmamanman sa mga lugar kung saan malaki ang posibilidad ng pagtaas ng tubig tulad ng Cadac-an River sa Juban at Irosin at ng mga lugar na posibleng mgkaroon ng pagguho ng lupa tulad ng Mt. Vintacan na nasa boundary ng Bulan, Magallanes at Juban at maging ang kabundukan ng Matnog lalo pa’t sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon ay nahati ang Sorsogon sa dalawang storm warning signal, Signal No. 4 sa Southern Sorsogon at Signal No. 3 sa iba pang bahagi ng Sorsogon.

Sa ipinadalang tala ng Provincial DRRM Office noong Sabado, umabot sa 19,069 na pamilya na binubuo ng 26,224 na mga indibidwal mula sa 14 na mga bayan sa Sorsogon ang nanatili sa mga evacuation center hanggang sa tuluyang makaalis ang bagyong “Yolanda”. May mga ilang bayan na hindi naitala ang bilang ng mga indibidwal na inilikas at tanging bilang ng mga pamilya lang ang naitala.

Umabot din sa 1,599 ang mga naistranded na pasahero, 85 truck, 45 bus, at 25 na maliliit na sasakyan ang naitala ng Coast Guard Station Sorsogon sa Pilar at Matnog habang wala naming naitala sa Bulan.

Alas-dose ng Sabado, Nob. 9, ay tuluyan nang nakabyahe ang lahat ng mga sasakyang pandagat sa lahat ng mga pantalan sa Sorsogon. Nananatili naman ang paalala sa mga mangingisda ng mga dapat sundin sa paglalayag sa panahong may sama ng panahon.

Tuluyan namang naalis sa banta ng bagyong “Yolanda” ang Sorsogon Biyernes ng hapon, Nobyembre 8. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Militiaman in Sorsogon gunned down by New People’s Army SPARU

CASTILLA, SORSOGON, November 11 (PIA) – An innocent member of the CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) was added to the list of victims of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) senseless killing when he was shot to death at about 1:30 o’clock in the afternoon, yesterday, Nov. 10, at Sorsogon City.

903^rd Brigade Spokesperson 1Lt Bethany Q. Cadungan said the unarmed victim who was identified as CAA Eric C Aro, single, 32 years old and a member of Alpha Company, 22^nd Infantry Battalion, 9^th Infantry Division, Philippine Army was shot inside his residence at Brgy Abuyog, Sorsogon City by two (2) unidentified armed men believed to be members of the communist terrorist (CT) Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) of Komiteng Probinsiyal (Komprob), Sorsogon.

She said the victim who sustained two (2) gunshot wounds at his head was immediately brought to Sorsogon Doctor’s Medical Mission Group Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA) by the attending physician.

In an official statement, Lieutenant Colonel Beerjenson N Aquino INF (GSC) PA, Commanding Officer, 31^st Infantry Battalion, strongly condemned the innocent killing of the militiaman.

 “This violent act is a clear manifestation of the NPA’s blatant disrespect to human rights. CAA Aro who was deployed as part of the disaster response operation team in Sorsogon just went to his house to drop by some personal belongings when he was mercilessly shot”, Colonel Aquino said.

Lt. Col. Aquino further said that he had reminded his troops to be extra vigilant as the SPARU are lurking everywhere waiting for their next innocent prey. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon/Phil Army)

DTI closely monitored prices of goods at the onset of typhoon “Yolanda”

By: Bennie A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, November 10 (PIA) – Consumers rushed to several stores in Sorsogon City, though not in panic, to buy commodities to sustain their needs lest super typhoon “Yolanda” would hit the province of Sorsogon. This was the scenario, six days ago, before the super typhoon passed and made landfalls in several areas in Visayas region.

Typhoon “Yolanda” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), past 11:00 o’clock on Wednesday evening and left PAR, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, moving towards Vietnam.

In at least two big supermarkets in this city, cashiers confirmed that most of their buyers were anticipant of “Yolanda”. They said most saleable goods include candles, batteries, trash bags of medium and large sizes, canned goods especially sardines and noodles, among others.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Sorsogon made sure that amid the rush made, consumer’s rights were not violated by conducting a close monitoring of the prices of commodities in the market.

“Aside from our regular monitoring, we scheduled successive monitoring just to make sure that no one will take advantage of the situation,” said DTI Sorsogon Public Information Officer Senen Malaya. “We are happy that we found no significant increase in the price of prime and basic commodities all throughout the time of Yolanda’s stay,” he added.

DTI, through its regional and provincial offices, monitors regularly the prices of basic and prime commodities. They, likewise, issues suggested retail price to guide consumers of the just and fair price of commodities that would prevail in the market.

Mr. Malaya said that since August this year, members of the Local Price Coordinating and Consumers Affairs Council (LPCCAC) have made rounds in municipalities across Sorsogon to orient newly elected Mayors and their Councils on Republic Act 7581 otherwise known as the Price Act.

Meanwhile, Mr. Malaya warned the consuming and buying public to be more critical and sensitive in choosing products to avoid deceit by counterfeiters.

The warning was made following the raid conducted by operatives in one big supermarket and stores in the public market here seizing fake Nestle products and confiscated thousand of pesos worth of Magic Sarap food seasoning. Nestle Phils. Inc. filed complaint at Regional Trial Court (RTC) Manila Branch 24 over reports of counterfeit Nestle products being sold in this city.

Asked about price control in times of calamities, he said automatic price control is in effect once a state of calamity is declared. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)

Sorsogon spared of super typhoon “Yolanda”

By: Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, November 10 (PIA) - Sorsoganons felt a total relief after learning from PAGASA, the country’s official weather bureau, that super typhoon “Yolanda” won’t hit the province anymore.

“We are thankful to God that we were spared from the typhoon but we feel so sorry about what happened in our brothers and sisters in Visayas who were directly hit by the typhoon,” said a Sorsoganon who refused to be named but had an experience losing children and properties when typhoon “Sisang”, one of the strongest typhoons, hit Sorsogon in 1987.

People of Sorsogon believed that the power of prayer spared the province from the wrath of typhoon “Yolanda”.  Prayer brigade in cellular phones and in social media circulated enjoining everyone to call upon for the Divine intervention. “Prayer is the best weapon against all odds. If God is with you, who can be against you?” said Mayor Sally A. Lee of Sorsogon City who made in public her appeal for God’s intervention to save the province and the city from the super typhoon.

Typhoon “Yolanda”, internationally named “Haiyan”, entered earlier than expected the Philippine Area of Responsibility, on November 6, 2013 (11:30PM) with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph and gustiness of up to 250 kph, and for the first time, Sorsogon province experienced two typhoon warning signals – the Southern part with rarely used Signal No. 4 and the rest part with Signal No. 3.

“I have been through with several typhoons in my life, but this is the first time I have experienced two different typhoon signals in one province, I was really scared, so I just pray hard,” said 89-yr old Adelaida Banares-Asajar who was also inquisitive about the six consecutive landfalls made by typhoon “Yolanda” as it passes through its track.

Governor Raul R. Lee, chairman, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC), holding on to the information that “Yolanda” is the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, issued advisories early as November 1, addressed to all City and Municipal DRRM Officers enclosing information about the typhoon and to closely monitor its track. Concerned LGUs and agencies were asked to consider contingency plans and implement their respective preparedness and mitigation measures to reduce the impact lest the typhoon hit the province.

Part of the pre-emptive measure, an assessment of all evacuation structures especially school buildings, commonly used as evacuation centers, were also conducted to ensure that evacuated residents will be safe.

Classes in all levels and some works were also suspended on Nov. 7 and 8, while southbound trips were also temporarily suspended to avoid congestion of stranded passengers and vehicles in Matnog port, the gateway to Visayas and Mindanao.

Even the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) through Bicol regional director Blandino Maceda have also reminded the governors and mayors in the region to strictly monitor their respective localities and secure their constituents in safe evacuation centers prior to the expected landfall of Yolanda.

Typhoon “Yolanda” was felt in Sorsogon morning of Friday, Nov. 8, under signal number 3 and number 4. Gustiness of 185 kph to 215 kph was experienced with moderate rainfall.

Power supply fluctuated since midnight of Nov. 7 and was cut off early morning of Nov. 8, but was also restored late afternoon of the same date after the Daraga-Sorsogon 69 KV line was re-energized by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

As of yesterday, PDRRMC’s initial assessment bared that the zero casualty goal was achieved attributing it to the systematic pre-emptive evacuation of residents in most vulnerable areas. (BARecebido, PIA-5/Sorsogon)