Thursday, December 29, 2005

10 Big News of 2005

Upon the review of news stories published in the Madyaas Pen in 2005, the editorial staff selected the 10 considered top stories of 2005 which are as follows:

1. Magayanes Shot Dead – Police Supt. Odelardo “Ode” Magayanes, Provincial Director of Aklan PNP was shot dead in the morning, January 16 just after the field mass at Pastrana Park, Kalibo, Aklan. The assailant was Magayanes’ own close-in security named P01 Jonathan Moreño. The shooting took place at Rizal Street, in front of the Kalibo PNP station.
Police Chief Inspector Manuel Ilejay, Jr., SP01 Juan Gorion and P02 Ricky Urquiola also died with Magayanes all gunned down by Moreño. Moreño also shot and killed P01 Davy Tompong at F. Quimpo Street.
A 12 year old girl from Aranas, Balete, Aklan was hit by stray bullet from Moreño’s gun. Moreño also hit Dr. Tirol who died in the hospital. Moreño was subdued and killed by the PNP Regional Mobile group. Before Moreño died, he caused injuries to 25 civilian devotees of Sto. Niño and Ati Atihan revelers.

2. Hell In Paradise – Some P200 million worth of properties was turned into ashes after a fire broke out in the early evening of January 21. The fire started at K.C. Bactas Footwear. According to some witnesses, the fire could have been stopped without so much damage but the fire hydrant size did not match with the size of the available hoses. Moreover, Boracay at that time has a very old, mini fire truck too minute to control the fire.

3. Marquez Penalizes Provincial Guards – Aklan Governor Carlito S. Marquez dismissed PGI Rolly Zaulda fom the services; suspended PGIII Ben Dianco for six months without pay, PGI Antonio Malbas for one month; and reprimanded PGI Teodoro Centeno III. Zaulda was found guilty of gross neglect of duty while Dianco, Malbas and Centeno for simple neglect of duty.

4. Court Arraigns Jose Kim Alias Boy Cuadra – Boy Cuadra was apprehended at the Caticlan Airport on April 22, 2003. He was accused of transporting prohibited drugs in violation of Section 5, Republic Act 9165 or the Illegal Drug Act. Since then, Boy Cuadra is being detained in the jail of BJMP, Nalook, Kalibo, Aklan.
He was arraigned on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2005 in Branch I, RTC, Kalibo, Aklan despite the oral motion of his lawyer to postponed the arraignment. Boy Cuadra’s lawyer, Atty. Edgar Peralta argued his case for one hour, but the presiding judge, Hon. Marietta Homena Valencia proceeded with the arraignment. The court entered the plea of “Not Guilty” in Boy Cuadra’s behalf.
“My client refuses to be arraigned,” said Atty. Edgar Peralta while Mr. Boy Cuadra remained on his seat with crossed legs, in maong pant, signature T-shirt and in dark eyeglasses.

5. Rebaldo Removes Bolanteros Out of Toting Reyes St., Kalibo. – Mayor Raymar A. Rebaldo of Kalibo stood firm on his decision to remove the Bolanteros from Toting Reyes Street and transferred them to Oyo Torong Street. His decision to transfer those Bolanteros is in implementation of Kalibo Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 2001-021.
The Bolanteros objected to the ejectment with the use of all persuasive means to go back to Toting Reyes Street. Their efforts resulted to nothing as Mayor Rebaldo did not give in to the appeal.

6. The Bloody Wednesday, June 29 – Dr. Arthur Juada, Schools Division Superintendent of Aklan was found dead inside his room No. 216 at Punta Villa Beach Resort, Arevalo, Iloilo City. He died of 26 stab wounds inflicted by unknown assailants. Until today, his death remains a mystery.
Dr. Juada was attending the Early Child Care Development Seminar in Iloilo City when he was murdered.
On the same day, Kai J. Kuhlhman was shot to death in Cabugao, Batan, Aklan. His wife, Paz Kuhlhman was wounded. The shooting took place at high noon in a fishfarm by the suspect, a certain Rogelio Torralba of Dumangas, Iloilo.
At sun down on the same day, two inmates staged a jailbreak in Aklan Rehabilitation Center, Nalook, Kalibo. Inmates Saldy Magaslang and Gari Sultan forcedly went out of Cell No. 3, proceeded to the guard house, shot the guards on duty, lobbed a fermentation grenade that did not explode, climbed the jail fence and vanished in the dark.
Despite the manhunt operation the police and jail guards conducted, Magaslang and Sultan were never recovered.
Jail Guard Romy Fernandez was wounded on the left side of his body, Jail Guard Edgar Bonifacio suffered gun shot wound at the back of his body and left arm, while Jail Guard Rosel Silverio was wounded on his hip.

7. Jindra Demeterio Is DA Region 6 Chief – Miss Jindra Demeterio of Batan, Aklan was appointed Regional Executive Director, Department of Agriculture, Iloilo City. She assumed the position on the last week of July 2005.
Jindra is from Batan, a BS Agriculture graduate of UPLB, major in Plant Breeding. After her graduation, she worked with the Philippine Sugar Institute, transferred to the DA in 1970 where various jobs were assigned to her.

8. BFI, Aklan Diocese: Stop AKELCO Mirant Power Project – The Boracay Foundation, Inc. (BFI) and the Diocese of Kalibo filed a petition with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to stop Mirant Philippines from constructing a submarine cable 13.8 KV from Caticlan toward Boracay Island.
This objection may have hurt and highly irritated Mr. Erico Bucoy, AKELCO Chief Executive Officer. Moreover, there was the pending objection of Atty. Romeo Inocencio, Hon. Ramon Gelito and Mr. Rudson Mayor filed with ERC against the Power Purchase Agreement between AKELCO and Mirant Philippines, so that Mr. Bucoy went to the extent of calling Mr. Murillo as “mayabang, sinungaling, dishonest and hypocrite”.
The AKELCO controversy is still raging. Governor Carlito S. Marquez is now highly involved in the fray. Retired Police Provincial Director Nemesio Neron was elected AKELCO member of the Board of Directors, elected president of the BOD unopposed. After just three (3) months, a special board Meeting was held, declared his position vacant and finally ousted him as president of the BOD on December 15, 2005.

9. Ombudsman Dismisses Albar’s Complaints – Mr. Renato T. Albar is the General Manager of the Metro Kalibo Water District which services the towns of Kalibo, Banga and New Washignton.
By authority given by the MKWD Board of Directors in its Resolution No. 066-B.S. 2003, Albar filed with the Ombudsman complaint: OMB-V-C-04-0012-A against Engr. Lydio I. Ureta, Division Manager, MKWD for violation of Sec. 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019 the Anti-graft and Corrupt Practices Act and for violation of Sec.7(b)(2) of the Code of Conduct and Ethical standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Albar also charged Engr. Avelino Domingo, Jr., Engr. Lydio I. Ureta, Noriel Resulta, Engr. Vicente Ong III, Vicente de Tomas and Jess Resulta of violating Sec. 31(c)&(d) of PD 198.
To recall, Engr. Avelino Domingo Jr. is the former General Manager of Kalibo Water District. All the other accused are employees of the MKWD.
After critical consideration of the complaints, evaluation of the counter affidavits and all documents presented, the Ombudsman Visayas dismissed the charges “for lack of probable cause”.
The decision is signed by Samuel S. Malazarte, Edgardo G. Canton and Primo C. Miro.

10. Quimpo Heads Aklan Rivers Development Council – Atty. Allen S. Quimpo is designated Executive Director of Aklan Rivers Development Council. Governor Carlito S. Marquez designated him following the approval of Provincial Ordinance No. 05-026 which created the Aklan Rivers Development Council. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com

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