NO GRAVE SO HIDDEN OR INSIGNIFICANT. Tomorrow’s observance of All Souls Day at the cemeteries finds the same familiar scene of relatives looking for their departed ones’ graves even in the most remote or concealed of sites. A mother and her son do the candle-lighting ritual of devotion for their dead amid thick vines and foliage in this scene taken at the Roman Catholic cemetery in Dagupan. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

THE National Bureau of Investigation added another feather to its cap in the province of Pangasinan when it solved the daring ambush-slay of a doctor in Calasiao town in the morning of Sept. 20 after arresting the hitman, his look-out and the person who contracted them for the job in one fell swoop.

Lawyer Jose Doloiras, agent-in-charge of the NBI in Dagupan City Wednesday announced the solution of the murder of Dr. Cerdan Lopez, 49, who was shot and killed in front of his wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, while the two were aboard a black Ford Escape SUV that stopped at a traffic intersection in Calasiao town.

The slaying of Lopez, who served at one time with the Region I Medical Center, was one of the more high-profile cases in Pangasinan ever handled by the NBI. It was solved in less than a month with the help of some witnesses who volunteered valuable information.

Lopez died while being operated on at the Villaflor Hospital but before he expired he was able to identify his in-laws as the probable masterminds before doctors who operated on him for several bullet wounds in different parts of his body.

The big break was scored by NBI agents when they arrested Renato Diaz, alias “Edu” of barangay Lucao, Dagupan City who had an alias warrant of arrest for frustrated murder before the sala of Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Emma Torio of Branch 41 in Dagupan City last Oct. 15.

Diaz confessed that he acted as look-out along with one Hendrix Fernandez when Lopez was shot dead by their companion Christopher Gemino, 23, of barangay Bagong Pag-asa, San Jacinto. The latter is now also in NBI custody after surrendering voluntarily.

At his NBI detention cell, Gemino said he was recruited by Diaz for the job. He said he did not know the victim but could not refuse the job offered by Diaz as he feared for his life.

Named by Diaz as the one who contacted him for the job was a certain Joselito Gajo, alias “Joey”, a member of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) in Dagupan City, who was also arrested, but who had volunteered to turn state witness.

Doloiras said it was Gajo who Dr. Cirilo Galvez, Jr. had contacted to find hired killers who will eliminate the victim, his brother-in-law. Galvez’ co-masterminds were his father, Cirilo Galvez, Sr. and his own daughter Chiarina Galvez, whom the former sent to hand over the contract money of P50,000 to Gajo in front of the Philippine National Bank in Lingayen.

The plan to kill Lopez was hatched in May this year but it was only on Sept. 20 that the same was executed when he and his wife were spotted at the Pangasinan Regency Hotel in Calasiao. He was shot in his car as he slowed down near the Chowking highway intersection after coming out from the hotel with his wife.

Of the P50,000 given to Gajo, an initial P15,000 was given to Diaz for his surveillance and mobilization expenses and the balance of P35,000 was handed after the execution of the job.

The NBI said that after the killing, Gajo, Geminiano, Fernandez and Diaz met at the residence of Diaz in Lucao, where they boastfully narrated how they killed Lopez. Gemino said as the hit man, he was given a share of P12,000.

Doloiras told newsmen that they were able to establish that the killing stemmed more from family problem, which could either be a land dispute or family relationship but added it is the victim’s wife, Dr. Amy Lopez, who can really say what was behind the crime.

NATIVIDAD – The police believe the brutal slaying of Pasay City Regional Trial Court Judge Estrellita Paas inside their home here on Sep. 23 this year had been solved with the arrest of one of the suspects in Sto. Domingo, Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

The suspect was identified as Elmer Cabeles, of barangay Carusucan, Asingan, but residing with his wife, Aida, at their residence in barangay Poblacion West here. Cabeles was arrested in his hideout by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group headed by Chief Inspector Ronald Gayo and of the Natividad Police headed by chief of police Senior Inspector Bernardo Aromin.

Sick and downed by malaria, the suspect was brought by CIDG agents to a hospital in Urdaneta City under guard.

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation in Dagupan said it is happy that the police already found one of the suspects in the slaying of the judge.
The NBI was tapped by the family of the victim to join the police in investigating the case.

Lawyer Jose Doloiras, agent-in-charge of the NBI in Dagupan, said before the reported arrest of the suspect in Lupao, Nueva Ecija, they had invited the husband of the victim, retired Ombudsman Reinerio Paas to take polygraph test in order to clear all doubts about the slaying.

He said the retired Ombudsman agreed to take the test in order to help in the investigation of the case.

Investigation showed that on the day after Judge Paas was found hog-tied and bathing in a pool of her blood in their bathroom, Cabeles left for Asingan where he reportedly asked P5,000 from his father for him to go and look for job in either Mabalacat, Pampanga or Tarlac.

Policemen looked for him in Mabalacat and Tarlac but did not find him there. His wife Aida told the police later that her husband was actually in Lupao, Nueva Ecija.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao flew in to Natividad during the wake of the lady judge to order a speedy investigation of the case.

The police said several more persons involved in the slaying of the lady judge are still being hunted.

CITY Mayor Benjamin S. Lim is still hoping against hope that the original plan for the construction of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao diversion road can be pursued even as he solicited the commitment of the Department of Public Works and Highways to complete the project as early as possible.

“We should consider the urgency of the project. We must accomplish something in less than six months as much as possible, and let us commit ourselves to do this,” Lim said.

Lim, together with other city executives, met with DPWH Regional Director Fidel Ginez and other DPWH officials to reiterate the city government’s findings and recommendations for a direct linkup of the Phase II of the diversion road to the De Venecia Highway and for both parties to come up with a win-win solution over the proposal last Wednesday.

Lim said the city government is already undertaking initial action by identifying the parcels of land to be affected by the original road alignment.

“We have talked with some of the affected land owners. What we need to do is come up with estimates and present it to Speaker Jose de Venecia,” he declared, adding that an initial funding for the acquisition of road right-of-way would be enough to indicate DPWH commitment to the project.

The mayor disclosed that the management of Nelar’s Subdivision, which is one of the proposed exit points of the diversion road to the De Venecia highway, is more than willing to cooperate.

The city government last month discovered that the ongoing construction of the Dawel-Pantal-Lucao diversion or circumferential road had gone beyond the proposed road alignment and urged the DPWH to follow the original plan.

Ginez, for his part, explained that he was not aware of the agreement between the city government and project engineer Yolly Tangco on the road alignment indicating Phase II of the diversion road construction. He pointed out that he took over the project only early in 2004 and had not been party to the original proposal.

Ginez assured however that the proposed road alignment of the city government will be forwarded to the Bureau of Design (BOD) of DPWH for review and approval of that body.

Ginez suggested the creation of a team composed of representatives from the city government, DPWH, and BOD to survey the areas that will be traversed, and review the road design.

“We will then present the project proposal to the Speaker for funding,” Ginez declared.
Tangco suggested that two schemes will be forwarded to BOD, and let the latter decide which of the schemes would be more feasible to implement. She said the DPWH will again sit down with the city government for the final design.

During the talks, executive assistant Teddy Villamil of the mayor’s office presented the updated comparative study between the proposals of the city government and DPWH. (Sunshine D. Robles)

BINALONAN – The body of a driver and his helper were found already rotting inside the compartment of a hijacked 10-wheeler gasoline tanker parked along the road shoulder facing north in barangay Sumabnit here Monday afternoon.

Police Chief Senior Inspector Roberto Manuel identified the fatalities as Romy Simplicio and Rudy Baldemor, driver and helper, respectively of the gasoline tanker with Plate No. 559 owned by couple Noni and Norma Salvejo of Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya.

Manuel said both victims had bullet wounds in their heads and might have been shot dead somewhere else in the absence of bullet fragments, including empty shells, inside the front seat of the gasoline tanker.

Initial investigation conducted by the police here in coordination with the Nueva Vizcaya police office showed that the tanker left Bambang to fetch gasoline from Bataan last Oct. 22 and was expected to return home the following day.

The police theorized the gasoline tanker might have been hijacked on its way back from Bataan by unidentified men somewhere in Caranglan, Nueva Vizcaya and emptied of its content, an estimated P1.050 million worth of gasoline.

The owners of the vehicle told the police that their last contact with the two was through a text message from Simplicio that they were already at barangay Digdig in Caranglan, Nueva Ecija, on their way back to Bambang, after taking their dinner at barangay Sicsican in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

They never reached Bambang as the vehicle they were riding may have been hijacked from there and driven to the north, stopping at the shoulder of the road in barangay Sumabnit, Binalonan, from where it was abandoned.

SPO1 Victorino Baybayan of the Binalonan police said a certain Jose Rodriguez called up the police after he smelled foul order emanating from the tanker which may have been abandoned along the road shoulder possibly the day before. When they forcibly opened it, they found the body of Simplicio and Baldemor inside the compartment of the tanker at the back of the driver’s seat. The tanker was emptied of its gasoline cargo.

A citizen, Noel Fiesta, 19, told the police that the same gasoline tanker overtook his vehicle at 5 a.m. of Oct. 23 and saw it stopping in front of Nestle warehouse along the highway in barangay Sumabnit, where two persons whom he presumed to be the driver and helper alighted. (PNA)

LINGAYEN – If you see smiling faces of provincial employees nowadays, that’s because funds for their 13th month pay and cash gift of P10,000 have been assured and ready for release by the first week of December.

Provincial Budget Officer Hilaria J. Claveria said the province has set aside P69.68 million to cover payment of the 13th month pay and bonuses which has been deposited in the bank.

She said the province’s employees used to receive P3,000 cash gift but Gov. Victor E. Agbayani directed that an additional P5,000 cash be given starting last year. The amount of P23,413,105.01 was appropriated in the annual budget for the 13th month pay. Claveria said the governor then submitted three supplemental budgets which the Sangguniang Panlalawigan subsequently approved to cover the cash-gifts.

The first supplemental budget amounted to P20,325,784; the second totaled P8,948,050 and the third amounted to P17,000.000 or a total of P69,686,969.01.

Earlier this year, the provincial employees received extra benefits in terms of partial monetization of their leave credits.

Agbayani earlier submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the proposed annual budget for fiscal year 2006 amounting to P1,084,333,320.00 or P83.70 million higher than this year’s budget.

Claveria said the proposed 2006 budget included the additional cash gift and benefits for employees.

Next year’s budget will be derived from P49.23 million projected tax revenues and P1.03 billion from general income accounts.

The amount of P474,486,545.00 is allocated for personal services which will cover salaries and wages, clothing allowances, insurances, year-end bonus, cash gifts and other benefits of the employees. (Jennifer P. Domantay/PIO)

THE Dagupan City Fire Station (DCFS) has a new fire marshal.

Chief Inspector Manuel M. Manuel assumed the post last Monday, replacing Senior Inspector Jesus Orpilla during a formal turnover ceremony at the DCFS.

Orpilla was designated chief operations officer at the Provincial Fire Marshal Office based in Mangaldan.

Manuel was chief supply officer of the Bureau of Fire Protection headquarters before his posting in Dagupan.

City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim who witnessed the station turnover expressed support to Manuel as he challenged him to perform better than his predecessor.

“A fireman’s job is not only to protect people and property from accidents but also to properly implement fire safety measures through strict and thorough inspection of establishments and residence,” Lim declared while adding the one of the common causes of fire incidents is the overloading of electrical connections.

According to the mayor, the submission of complete electrical plan and inspection is a requirement among businesses and homes in more developed countries.

Lim cited his observation during a visit to Milpitas City in California where firefighters responded to a fire call in less than one minute.

“A change in leadership means a need to strive for excellence that is why it is your responsibility to respond immediately during fire situations and do not reason out that the lack of water or lack of gasoline delays your response,” he stressed.

Lim added Dagupan City is fortunate because volunteer fire brigades have been helping regular firemen since 20 years ago.He noted that firemen do not only serve in their area of jurisdiction but are called on to respond anywhere in the Philippines.

LINGAYEN –The long arm of the law finally caught up with one of the most wanted men in Pangasinan who was arrested in faraway barangay Pinatubo, Sarangani in Davao del Sur.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested 22-year old .Mark Lester Supangan of Alaminos City for 34 counts of rape based on an alias warrant of arrest issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branch 51 in Alaminos where he is also facing a carnapping with homicide charge.

Supangan was presented to Philippine National Police chief Director General Arturo Lomibao when he was in Lingayen Friday as guest speaker during the inauguration of a newly constructed grandstand at the PNP Provincial Office here.

Also presented to Lomibao were Elmer Cabiles, 36, andJornald Vargas, alias “Boyet”, 26, who were arrested by teams from the Natividad and Balungao police, and CIDG agents led by Chief Inspector Ronald Gayo in connection with the brutal slaying of Pasig City Regional Trial Court Judge Estrellita Paas in her home in Natividad on Sept. 23 this year.

Police Provincial Director Alan Purisima said Supangan carries a P400,000 on his head with the amount going to the person who furnished information that led to the arrest of the suspect.

A CIDG team dispatched by CIDG Provincial chief Paterno Orduña with the assistance of the Sarangani police arrested Supangan in his place of employment where he was working as a computer repairman.Supangan fled to Sarangani when he was charged with several counts of rape based on the complaint filed by a girl he said he eloped with when he was yet 17 years old. The girl was only 15 years old at that time.

In an interview, Supangan denied he raped the girl he was deeply in love with, saying the girl went with him voluntarily. He learned that the girl married later with another man. He admitted that he too had a family in Sarangani.

He said he was repairing a computer when two policemen arrived and told him the town mayor wanted to see him as he wanted him to repair a computer in his office. He left his work and when he stepped out from their shop, there were other policemen who surrounded and arrested him.

Supangan denied using an alias in Sarangani to conceal his identity. (PNA)

THE Dagupan City Police Station (DCPS) is all set to ensure peace and order and smooth traffic flow during the observance of All Saints Day on Tuesday, Nov. 1.

Police Supt. Edgar O. Basbas, chief of police, presented the security plan dubbed Oplan Kaluluwa 2005 during the department heads weekly meeting early last week.

Basbas stressed that the DCPS will strictly implement the ban on gambling and bringing of alcoholic drinks inside cemeteries. A similar strict monitoring and ban will be imposed against the carrying of firearms and other deadly weapons in cemetery areas.

He said maximum police visibility and presence will be the order of the day thru the establishment of police assistance centers and motorists assistance centers, deployment of mobile patrols and the regular police beat system with two cops pounding the beat on the sidewalks in the business centers at any given time.

The public assistance centers will be set up in the six cemeteries of the city: Eternal Gardens, Roman Catholic Cemetery, Independent Cemetery, Chinese cemetery, Bonuan cemetery and Mt. Zion cemetery.

Motorists can seek help at the Police Community Precincts (PCPs) in A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Mayombo, Arellano, Bolosan, Lucao, Bonuan and Malued.

In coordination with the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO), Basbas said a traffic rerouting scheme will be implemented for the convenience of motorists and the riding public.

Among volunteer groups that will augment the forces of the DCPS are Deltacom, Spectrum , Police Hotline Aksyon ng Bayan, Inc. (PHABI), BRADI, Riders Association of Dagupan Inc. (RADI), Department of Interior and Local Government Action Kabayan and Guardian. (Sunshine D. Robles)

LINGAYEN – The provincial government will pursue more programs and projects to promote tourism, culture and arts in the province.

In a meeting held Thursday at the Urduja House with officers and members of the reconstituted Provincial Culture and Arts Council, Gov. Victor E. Agbayani stressed the need to formulate vision and mission in which tourism, culture and arts complement each other.

This, he said, is the best way to preserve Pangasinan’s tangible and intangible heritage and make Pangasinenses better understand themselves towards promoting a distinct and true Pangasinan identity.

The provincial chief executive urged the council to first concentrate on three matters namely; creation of tasks forces that will take charge of the survey, Pista’y Dayat and the proposed establishment of a Provincial Museum originally proposed at the Casa Real here or in the present Sangguniang Bayan Hall.

The survey will serve as a form of research on past artists, musicians, literature, dances among others not commonly known by many while the proposed Provincial Museum will serve as a gallery where Pangasinan work of art and heritage can be displayed.

The provincial government is currently undertaking actual research thru the internet in coordination with the government of Spain on the exact date of the founding of Pangasinan.