JUDGE’S KILLERS? Elmer C. Cabiles, 34, of Natividad town (first from right) and Jornald A Vargas alias “Boyet” of Dupax, Nueva Vizcaya (middle) are presented by the police to the media as prime suspects in the killing of Regional trial Court judge Estrellita Paas . (Inset photo) The.38 cal. revolver with six live bullets and a fan knife confiscated from Vargas. (PStar Photo by Butch F. Uka)

PRICES of basic goods in Pangasinan have generally remained stable except for a P90 increase in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) that now costs P510 per cylinder.

Significantly, other basic commodities like flour, which is used for bread and other pastries exhibited a decreased price even as vegetable prices remained generally steady.

As predicted by finance and power sector officials, gasoline pump prices went up almost immediately catching many motorists, who thought it would be jacked up only a day or two later, by surprise last November 1.

The provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry said it has mobilized four teams to monitor prices of basic commodities to make sure that traders do not unduly increase the prices of their goods following the implementation of the Reformed Value Added tax Law. (See related story elsewhere in this issue of The Pangasinan Star)

DTI officer Marjorie Loresco said they are keeping a tight watch on various stores and supermarkets to ensure that traders do not take undue advantage of the consuming public.
Store owners should not raise the price of their goods beyond the limit of the suggested price given to them by the manufacturers, she said, adding that traders are not also allowed to impose more than the required 10 percent VAT for these commodities.

The DTI said that consumers are complaining because the prices of almost all kinds of commodities have increased and they are blaming this to the implementation of EVAT.

Loresco explained that the P90 increase in LPG price was due to the imposition of 10 percent VAT on petroleum products, which in the past were exempted.

She is however confident that the price of LPG might decrease next week due to an expected P10 rollback in the price of oil.

THE National Bureau of Investigation urged its fellow investigators in the Philippine National Police to establish more definite proofs of guilt of the arrested suspects in the RTC Judge Estrellita Paas’ killing such as hair strand matching of the suspects with those found on the victim’s hands and at the crime scene.

The NBI, thru one of its agents, offered the suggestion even as many observers have noted that police investigators have yet to establish or mention any motive for the slaying despite the lapse of time between the arrest and grilling of the suspects – Elmer Cabiles , 34, a neighbor of the Paases in Natividad town and Jornald Vargas alias Boyet, 26, of Dupax, Nueva Vizcaya – and their presentation to the media last October 28.

Police Provincial Director Alan LM Purisima presented the suspects to PNP Director General Arturo Lomibao during the latter’s recent visit to the province to inaugurate the newly constructed grandstand at the PNP Provincial Headquarters in Lingayen.

The NBI office based in Dagupan however clarified that in offering the suggestion, it is merely guided by the best interest of the case and the wishes of the judge’s grieving family and relatives to have the real killer or killers brought to justice.

It will be recalled that the late judge’s family members had expressed their wish to PNP Chief Lomibao when he condoled with them a few days after the killing that the case be solved soonest or that the killer and the motive be established at least before the burial.
Sr. Inspector Federico Castro of the regional office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, which unit joined the arresting team that brought in the suspects, said CIDG tagged Cabiles as a suspect because of his highly strange flight to barangay Sto. Domingo in Lupao, Nueva Ecija — where he was eventually arrested – the day after the murder of the woman judge.

Saying Cabiles was the only one who knew the layout of the house as he lived just at the back of the Paas house and was a trusted man of retired Ombudsman Reinerio Paas and the late judge, Castro said Cabiles’ sudden departure and his going to Asingan to ask for P5,000 from his father purportedly for him to look for a job in Tarlac or Pampanga only to be found by authorities in a hideout in Lupao, rang alarm bells for investigators.

Preliminary investigation and tactical interrogation showed that Cabiles is a suspect in an earlier murder in the National Capital Region and had a standing warrant of arrest issued by Judge Adoracion Angeles of RTC branch 121 in Caloocan City.

In a written statement in the presence of his counsel and his immediate relatives, Cabiles tagged Vargas as the killer of Judge Paas. Vargas was arrested in barangay Capulaan, Balungao while playing with a fan knife. Frisked by the police team, a cal. 38 revolver with six live bullets was found on him.

LOCAL cable television show host and public relations consultant Napoleon Donato died of a massive heart attack at the Nazareth General Hospital in Dagupan City yesterday at around 3.00 p.m.. He was 55.

Rushed by his family to the hospital at around 8 a.m. after complaining of severe back pains and with an elevated blood pressure, Donato, according to one of his sons, had looked quite alright until he took a sudden turn for the worse after lunchtime in his hospital room.

A well known figure in private and government circles from where he got most of his clients for his pioneering company, Linis Pinoy, a janitorial service group, and for his Nap Donato Show over Home Cable television, “Nap” as he is fondly called was in the thick of preparations as organizer and chief coordinator for a grand high school reunion of the University of Pangasinan, this December before the Grim Reaper came.

He was also an active committee leader in Dagupan City’s Strategic Planning discussion sessions and conferences.

He is survived by wife Elizabeth and three sons, Nathaniel Mark, Nicko Paulo and Napoleon Donato, Jr.

A necrological service will be held at the Eternal Gardens chapel in Dagupan City tomorrow at 7 p.m. A mass will precede the cremation of his mortal remains at the Eternal Gardens crematorium on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

HOUSE Speaker Jose C. de Venecia, Jr. assured that he can weather the storm in the House of Representatives and keep his speakership.

De Venecia, president of Lakas Christian Muslim Democrat party, is allegedly facing a strong challenge from Rep. Prospero Pichay, from within hi s own party.

De Venecia however told newsmen that he is not worried a bit because Lakas has a stable coalition with other political parties, such as the Nationalist People’s Coalition, Kampi, Liberal Party, Nacionalista Party and other political parties in the House.

He said all of the members of the NPC, the second largest political party in the House, have declared their support for him.

This goes also for members of the Liberal Party, including those who opposed President Arroyo during the impeachment battle, who have reunited and now express support for de Venecia.

“I think I have an overwhelming majority,” the Speaker said.

Rep. Amado Espino, Jr., congressman of the second district of Pangasinan, and a member of the Kampi party, said “nobody can yet beat our speaker.”

“He (Speaker de Venecia) has a very, very strong hold on everybody or all of us, except for a few,” Espino declared.

BINMALEY – The head of a terrorist group arrested by the military along with several others in Zamboanga City last Tuesday was the same man who set up a terrorist training camp in Anda, Pangasinan about four years ago which was raided and neutralized by the police.

Philippine National Police Chief Director Arturo Lomibao recalled that he was still the police regional director of the Ilocos when his men arrested Hilarion Santos, alias “Ahmad Santos” with several others in Anda town in 2001.

That was the first time the Rajah Solaiman Movement (RSM), an extremist group of the Balik Islam movement, surfaced, Lomibao told newsmen at a news conference here recently.

“In the Philippines, the places affected by terrorism are Metro Manila and Mindanao. And Pangasinan came to the fore before when we discovered the training camp of the Rajah Solaiman movement in Anda in 2001, Lomibao said.

Santos a native of Anda who returned home after long years of absence and settled in his parents’ large estate in Anda, was tagged by Lomibao as the leader and founder of the RSM responsible for bombing sprees in various parts of the country.

He was arrested in 2001 when police raided the training camp he set up in a secluded place in Anda. High-powered firearms with several rounds of ammunitions, including claymore mines were seized by the police and military.

Santos however claimed it was a Islamic school, or madrasah that was raided by government agents.

Santos was released after posting bail but he never attended the trial of his case for illegal possession of firearms and ammunitions as he soon jumped bail and was unheard of anymore.

True to the prediction of then Police Provincial Director, Senior Supt. Rodolfo “Boogie” Mendoza, who spearheaded the raid on the training camp, Santos went into hiding as soon as he was released.

Lomibao revealed that Santos went to Mindanao and initially trained with the Moro Islamic Liberation Movement and finally with the Abu Sayaff Group.

He said although the RSM has only a few members, what makes the group still dangerous is its alliance with the ASG.

Confirming that the terrorist camp in Anda has now been neutralized, Lomibao assured that Pangasinan is not high on their (terrorist) level of priority”

“I could guarantee that no terrorism will happen here in Pangasinan, perhaps in the next two years,” said Lomibao, a native of Mangaldan town in Pangasinan.

Still, Lomibao called on the people to be extra-vigilant because terrorism is a fact of life and can happen anywhere, even in the United States, Spain and in United Kingdom.

MORE and more people are getting mad at the controversial food and drug regulation officer over his continued refusal to identify doctors he alleged to be involved in the sale of counterfeit drugs in Pangasinan.

Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of the Region 1 Medical Center, dared Dr. Reynaldo Jacinto to get out of the health department first before accusing government health institutions like the R1MC for patronizing counterfeit drugs while still being a part of the same institution.
“Taga DOH din siya, ‘di ba, at ang tinitira nya, kapwa taga DOH?”( He’s with DOH, isn’t he, and he’s hitting at his fellow DOH men?) he noted in a radio interview.

Jacinto was quoted tagging unnamed doctors from government hospitals as patronizing illegally-procured drugs.

Canto vehemently denied the accusation saying he will never tolerate his physicians or personnel at the medical center to get involved in the sale of fake or counterfeit medicines.

He also noted that Jacinto’s claim was a sweeping statement and a “very bad accusation” that makes every government physician a suspect.

Canto also advised the regional food and drug enforcement officer to refrain from entertaining complaints thru text messages unless these are verified. “Alam mo naman diyan, may mga professional jealousy among doctors at gustong siraan ng isa ang kalaban niya,” ( You know how it is, there’s professional jealousy in the ranks and one (would) want to destroy the other) he observed.

Board Member Dionisio Villar, who heads the sangguniang panlalawigan health committee, criticized Jacinto for failing to attend the scheduled committee hearing last Friday. Villar invited the latter to attend the hearing hoping that he (Jacinto) will be forced to identify the doctors in order to clear the names of those not involved.

He said that as health committee chair, he was duly bound to unearth the truth no matter who gets hurt and at the same time protect the integrity of government doctors who were put in a bad light by Jacinto’s expose which has remained unverified.

Villar was so dismayed by Jacinto’s non-appearance at the hearing that he revealed to the public some negative remarks about the latter. “Nagkagulo-gulo mula noong dumating siya, pati mga gamot nagkawala-wala,” he told a radio interview quoting his sources at the DOH and the Bureau of Food and Drug. He did not elaborate on what medicines or medical supplies went missing or how such happened.

Jacinto earlier said he was willing to appear in formal investigations by appropriate agencies and would reveal the names of involved persons when necessary charges have been filed against them in court.

MALACAÑANG branded as premature talks about the cutting short the term limit of President Arroyo, stressing that such would all depend on the transitory provisions of the amended Constitution to be drafted by Congress as well as the recommendations of the Consultative Commission (Con-Com).

Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio R. Bunye emphasized in a radio interview that the proposal to shorten the term of the President will be covered by the amended Charter.

“The foremost consideration in changing the Charter is changing the form of government as well as economic reforms. Congress must amend the Constitution first before we proceed to other matters,” he said, in oblique reference to a term cut for President Arroyo.

Bunye was reacting to published reports that the President has agreed to hold elections for a new parliamentary government in 2007 once a new Constitution is ratified next year.

The report quoted an unnamed source as saying the President made the commitment to former President Fidel V. Ramos and Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. during a private meeting Monday.

Bunye neither confirmed nor denied the story beyond saying it is hard to confirm a report quoting an unnamed source.

“Alam ninyo, mahirap mag-comment sa speculation. Ang sinasabi lang natin ay ano talaga ang realistic. Ano ang realistic? Ang importante ay magkaroon muna talaga ng desisyon na amyendahan (The important thing is there must be a decision to amend the Constitution),” he said.

The Press Secretary noted that while the Executive branch is amenable to Charter change and a strong move is afoot in the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution, the same cannot be said of the Senate.

In a press briefing, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita reiterated the President’s support of Charter change, saying the Chief Executive believes that Charter change is the solution to the political crisis hounding the country.

Ermita said he shared the view of Bunye that it is premature to talk about term limits when Congress has yet to decide on what features should be amended in a Charter change.

“We cannot anticipate what the different committees of the Consultative Commission would recommend as to the form of government and the transitory provision,” he said, adding that the Commission is still consulting people in the provinces.

FOR the second consecutive year, the Alaminos City slaughterhouse made it to the circle of top producers of safe and quality meat in the country today.

Known as the Don Leopoldo O. Alcedo Abattoir, the city’s slaughterhouse was finalist in the “AA” Slaughterhouse Category in the Search for Best Meat Establishment after besting its counterparts in the provincial and regional level.

Mayor Hernani A. Braganza and City Veterinarian Ronald Abarra personally received the award from Agriculture Sec. Domingo F. Panganiban last October 21 at the Bureau of Soil and Water Management in Diliman Quezon City.

The simple awarding rites highlighted the 13th Meat Safety Consciousness Week and 33rd NMIS Anniversary celebration on the theme “Pambansang Kapakanan, Pandaigdigang Pamantayan sa Bagong Batas Makakamtan”.

St. Jude Abattoir of Tagaloan, Misamis Oriental bagged the highest award. Other finalists include Roblu Meat Products (Cainta, Rizal), Rombi XM Trade (Pulilan, Bulacan), Dumaguete City Abattoir and Santiago City Abattoir (Isabela).

Braganza commended Abarra as well as the NMIS accredited meat inspectors of the city for the accomplishment.

Through his administration’s “Ocho-ocho Dev’t. Program” for the livestock sector, Braganza is extending additional funding support and assistance to the veterinary division.

“This humble feat would definitely inspire more our meat inspectors and staff to extend their share for the realization of our vision of a “Hot Meat Free City” in the next five years” Abarra, a former city councilor, said

In 2003, the city veterinary office was also adjudged as the Best Implementor of Meat Inspection Service and Good Management Practices.

With the city’s proposed construction of a cold storage facility at the abattoir compound coming soon, the slaughterhouse could further improve its services in the coming year (MAM-CIO)

ENVIRONMENTAL changes, not a terrorist evil design, probably caused the evolution of the deadly avian flu virus that now stalks countries throughout the world.

This was the medical assessment of Dr. Jesus Canto, chief of the Region 1 Medical Center here who dismissed insinuations that the avian flu might have been spread by terrorists.

Canto said he does not believe so and said the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus must have evolved naturally due to the now constantly changing environment, where viruses are constantly adapting and therefore mutating.

Canto explained that through mutation, a harmless virus can become a monster, just like the present N5N1 strain of avian flu virus that is currently threatening to cause a pandemic all over the world.

The Philippines is now among the very few Asian countries that has not registered cases of avian flu although nearby countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and China already have it.

Canto explained that migratory birds may be carrying the avian flu virus but the latter is not actually harmful to human beings unless it comes in contact with the local human influenza virus.

Migratory birds, among them herons and egrets, land in droves in shallow fishponds in various parts of Pangasinan this time of the year to forage for food. People have been warned to stay away from the birds.

Calling on the people to exert all efforts to stay healthy in the midst of the avian flu threat, Canto said symptoms of the disease are like those of the ordinary flu but in addition, the avian flu patient experiences difficulty of breathing.

He said in bacterial inspection caused by ordinary flu, one can hear the crackles in the patient’s chest through the stethoscope but not when he or she is afflicted with the avian flu.

Saying that cure for avian flu is now available but expensive, Canto said if the disease finally comes to our shores, the people must maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to increase bodily resistance.

He called on the people to avoid crowds, stay at home, take bed rest, drink lots of fruit juices and eat plenty of green leafy vegetables.

Canto claimed that the Department of Health is now more prepared to meet the threat of the disease than when the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) hit the country three years ago.