Off The Beaten Path

Militiaman slain by suspected rebels in Sorsogon town

BULAN, Sorsogon, Philippines  – A member of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) based in Irosin town was shot to death about 9:45 a.m. today by suspected members of the sparrow unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay (village) San Vicente, this town police said.

PO2 Rommel Chil of this town’s police station said the victim identified as Rafael Geografo, was selling fish in his barangay when two still unidentified armed men shot the victim which caused his instantaneous death.

Geografo, 49, is a resident of Barangay (village) San Vicente this town and is selling fish during his spare time. He was shot while doing his usual rounds looking for customers in his barangay. His body was later brought to the nearest hospital here for necropsy, police said.

Recovered from the crime scene were a slug of caliber .45 and two empty shells of the same handgun.

The police conducted a hot-pursuit operation after the incident and said up to this time, they are still investigating the case.

Sorsogon village councilman shot dead

IROSIN, Sorsogon — A councilman of barangay (village) Tinampo here was shot dead Tuesday evening by unidentified men who forced their way into the victim’s house while he was having dinner with his family, police said.

Police said Noli Haspila, 39, was shot twice in the chest at about 8:30 p.m.

Haspila was rushed to the Irosin District Hospital by his family, who were unhurt in the attack, but was declared dead on arrival.

The assailants fled after the incident, said a neighbor who refused to be identified. The victim’s family also refused to be interviewed.

Police who are conducting follow-up investigation said politics might be behind the killing.

Soldiers recover 2 landmines after clash with NPA rebels

SORSOGON CITY, Philippines – Soldiers recovered two improvised landmines, personal belongings and antigovernment documents after an encounter with New People’s Army rebels at about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in the village of Pinamanahan, Donsol town, a military official said.

Captain Razaleigh Banwasan, Civil Military Operations officer of the 901st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, said in a phone interview that there were no casualties on the government side.

Banwasan, quoting a report from 2nd Infantry Battalion commander Colonel Rodrigo Gregorio, said soldiers also reported on the presence of bloodstains along the withdrawal route of the communist rebels.

Agri inputs distributed to farmers 

SORSOGON CITY — Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda spearheaded the distribution of agricultural inputs and farm implements to farmer beneficiaries held yesterday, at the City Nursery in Bibincahan, this City.

Ms. Ching Sesbreno of the City Agriculture Office said that there are 10 farmers’ associations who benefited from the project, which is aimed at restoring and strengthening the food security of the typhoon-affected farmers in Bicol Region through the provision of agricultural inputs like seeds, planting materials, farm tools, etc.

Sesbreno also said that the input package also consists of coconut seed (nuts), abaca suckers, and fruit trees (as intercrop), assorted vegetable seeds for backyard production, corn seeds and organic fertilizer.

During the Launching Program, Mayor Dioneda said that he expects full commitment of the beneficiaries in sustaining the program not only to improve food production but should also serve as a disaster risk mitigation measure since this will serve as natural barriers from calamities. He said he focuses on agriculture considering that Sorsogon City is 70% agricultural.

The project is funded by the Government of Spain through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI).

Project Implementation will be done by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in close partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit 5 and concerned local governments (LGU’s) non-governmnetal organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations.

Expected support from LGUs include project implementation at the local level, counterpart personnel for project implementation and monitoring and provision of available resources such as counterpart inputs, resource persons, venue for trainings, workshops and seminars to ensure the success of the project.

The launching program were also graced by Mr. Jaime G. Montesur – Project Team Leader of FAO, Mrs. Amy V. Deniega of the Governor’s Office, Mrs. Nancy D. Guirindola of DA-RFU 5, Provincial Agriculturist David Gillego, Councilor Roberto Dollison of the SP Committee on Agriculture and Provincial Farm Superintendent Mr. Tirso Doloiras.