Stunning developments in Western Visayas

Stunning developments often swamp journalists in the countryside that they sometimes find themselves at a loss on what to prioritize.

That’s exactly what happened to me this week. First, there was the capture of a group of suspected pirates, who had passed themselves off as members of Bantay Dagat in Masbate. They were arrested Monday evening on board the fishing boat F/B Cadiz City St. Peter, owned by Atoy Chua.

The five had allegedly boarded the fishing vessel when the crew, who were earlier alerted by the crew of F/B Laura of a "seajacking" incident, reportedly overpowered them. Seven of their companions jumped off the ship.

The suspects reportedly informed the FB St. Peter crew that they were members of Bantay Bayan and Bantay Dagat mandated to apprehend vessels for violating the sea waters of Masbate.

Among those nabbed by the F/B St. Peter’s crew were Allan Son, 46; Ronaldo Gabriel, 42; Diosdado Ado, 18; Nilo Mercader, 50; and Douglas Geratsa, 45; all from Masbate.

Son and Geratsa were reportedly stringers of radio station dYME in Masbate for the "Dos Kantos" program. dYME’s supervisor Diosdado Briones, however, said that they were no longer connected with the station.

Cadiz City desk officer PO1 Generoso Menen disclosed that the group had allegedly extorted P150,000 from the owner of F/B Laura.

The same evening, they also demanded crude oil from a small fishing boat before proceeding to the F/B St. Peter.

One of the five, a certain Jun, even identified himself as a policeman from Masbate.

PNP provincial Superintendent Charles Calima told local newsmen that this is a standard ploy of the group. He added that the group often later seize the boat’s communication equipment, and command the entire vessel unit until the owner gives in to their demand for "ransom," which ranges from P100,000 to P500,000.

The F/B St. Peter’s crew recovered from the suspects an M-16 assault rifle and a KG99 rifle.

Calima said that provincial authorities will coordinate with operatives in Region 5 and in Iloilo City as well as fishing boat operators in Western Visayas to counter the "racket."

Police are poised to file charges of extortion and piracy against the suspects to discourage similar attempts in the future.

Roy Bajandre, another victim of the group, told Aksyon Radyo that he had already lodged a complaint against the suspects. Bajandre said he was instructed by the group to deposit P150,000 to the account of a certain Monserrat Nazareno Aguilar in Land Bank-Masbate.

Reports indicate that the group had also been operating along the coastal waters of Capiz, Iloilo and Negros Occidental.

That’s one big story about the rumored seajacking of commercial fishing boats in the Visayan Sea.

Fajardo takes on Justice Secretary Gonzalez

There was a time when a local editor and columnist of a regional daily, the Panay News, took on Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez. This time a journalist has been emboldened to legally question the actuations of the Justice secretary.

For weeks, I had watched with interest Fajardo’s feud with Gonzalez, which stemmed from the Justice chief’s order to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to keep a tight watch on Fajardo.

A fearless newsman, Fajardo often boasts about the string of libel cases filed against him which lawyer Rex Salvilla had successfully defended in court; at one time even reaching 35 cases.

In the past few days, I was surprised to read that Fajardo and reporter Felino Celino had filed a petition to the Court of Appeals to issue prohibition and a temporary restraining order and a writ of preliminary injunction to restrain Gonzalez, acting chairman Teresita Doming of the Board of Pardons and Parole, and BPP executive secretary Reynaldo Bayanag from cancelling the conditional pardon granted to them.

The petitioners claimed that after their conviction for libel filed by Lily Ong on Sept. 23, 1991 and President Arroyo on Jan. 24-27, 2004, they were granted conditional pardon through a document signed by then executive secretary Alberto Romulo.

This is one case that Panay News readers in Iloilo are watching closely.

Fajardo asked the court whether Gonzalez and the BPP can cancel a presidential pardon even without due process. This is one for the books.

School opening fees

It’s not just a question of pre-need plan firms failing to live up to their obligations to policy holders. Even those who could not afford it find themselves also protesting against the education department’s "No Collection of Fees" policy this enrollment.

As a matter of fact, Bacolod Superintendent of Schools Milagros Gonzales had already sent letters of reprimand to four principals of public elementary and high schools in the city for reportedly collecting fees for enrollment.

Gonzales, however, did not identify the schools nor the erring principals.

DepEd Order No. 22, series of 2005, was issued by then Education Secretary Florencio Abad and provides that students have the right to enroll without being compelled to pay any amount.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia reminded the public that the city government has already assumed the miscellaneous fees of students and had appropriated some P4 million in the budget for the purpose. He said the city government is looking for another P2 million as additional funding.

He asked parents or students to make their complaints official and to present evidence against school officials violating the education department’s order.

Dr. Eva Belicena, Negros Occidental Division Superintendent, said the DepEd order clearly states that teachers are not allowed to collect fees during enrollment. Besides, Dr. Belicena said teachers are also ordered to enroll the students in public elementary and high schools even if they have unsettled accounts in the previous years. Their report card must also be released to them.

Teresa Ella-Dulla of the Negros Daily Bulletin reported that some students of the Negros Occidental High School in Murcia extension claimed that their report cards were not released unless they pay the miscellaneous fees due last year.

Parents from the Emiliano Lizares Elementary School in Barangay Granada complained that they are still required to pay enrollment fees and miscellaneous fees amounting to P220. Similarly, parents from JR Torres Elementary School in Barangay Singcang also complained that they were required to pay P150 for enrollment and said that their child could not be enrolled unless they pay the fee.

These complaints had already been brought to the attention of Superintendent Gonzales. These school officials may be among those reprimanded by her office.

Definitely, though, there will be more outcries expected from students and their parents as the school year is about to start.

Right now, I have asked our reporters from the Negros Daily Bulletin to canvass the outstanding obligations of pre-need firms in private universities and colleges in the city.

In fairness to Prudential Life Insurance, however, I have found out that the amounts due to my youngest son, Jesus, had already been paid. Those of my other grandchildren have already been processed and readied for payment.

But that’s only one of the paying firms. Other plans which my late wife and I had paid for through CAP remain in limbo.