MALASIQUI – Vice Gov. Oscar B. Lambino today threw his all-out support behind the decision of President GloriaMacapagal-Arroyo to proclaim a state of emergency in the country because of the current coup d’ etat fears in Metro Manila.

He said the President issued Proclamation No. 1017 declaring a state of emergency because of an alleged destabilization effort by a few misguided elements of the military with the support of civilians and possibly members of the political opposition.

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AGNO – The water in the shoreline of this town facing the south China sea is still as black as coal.

It has been over two months now since a cargo ship loaded with 4,500 metric tons of coal spilled some of its cargo in the water just off sitio Talisay in barangay Macaboboni. Strong winds had pushed the ship to the shore December 18 last year.

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MALASIQUI – Another barangay captain of this town fell from an assassin’s bullet along with his companion as they rode tandem on a motorcycle in barangay Bakitiw here before noon Wednesday.

Dead in the shooting incident along the highway in barangay Don Pedro, this town were Bakitiw Barangay Captain Ruben Palaganas, 48, and Louie Tantay, 25, a member of the village security force here.

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MALASIQUI Mayor Alfonso Soriano strongly denied insinuations he was involved in the killing of Bakitiw Barangay Captain Ruben Palaganas Wednesday.

“Please do not do that. . . correct that wrong impression” he said several times while being interviewed over Bombo Radyo Dagupan Thursday morning as he asked the radio anchor not to make any insinuations linking him to the crime.

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BINALONAN – Mayor Ramon N. Guico Jr., president of the League of Municipalities in the country, challenged the sangguniang panlalawigan of Pangasinan yesterday to invite him to its regular session so that he can publicly and officially explain why he has not submitted some P2 million real property tax collections of Binalonan to the provincial government.

Guico, who has headed the league composed of municipal mayors for more than four years now, earlier created a controversy in Pangasinan when he ordered the non-remittance of the RPT collections to the provincial treasurer’s office.

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SAN FABIAN – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expressed no objection to the proposed turn-over of the government-owned San Fabian Resort Hotel by the Lingayen Gulf in the province of Pangasinan, to the municipal government here.

San Fabian Mayor Mojamito Libunao revealed that the President gave her initial nod to the desire of the municipal government to take over and operate the losing government resort when she came over to San Fabian last month.

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HOUSE Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr. said here recently that the scheduled 2007 elections will proceed even if the amendments to the 1987 Constitution push through.

Talking to newsmen here over the weekend, de Venecia said there is no plan to postpone the elections in 2007 as there is nothing in the draft of the proposed amendments now being presented to the people that calls for no election (no-el) next year.

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FILIPINO writers, students and professionals still have until March 31, 2006 to submit their entries to the 100 Years of Filipino Migration to Hawaii Literary Contest.

The Commission on Filipino Overseas and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts extended the contest deadline to ensure wider public participation and in response to the request of interested Filipino writers from the provinces, as well as abroad.

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VIGAN CITY – A hero’s welcome awaits boxing champion Brian Viloria when he comes home to Ilocos Sur next month.

This was announced by Ilocos Sur Governor Luis Chavit Singson who said the World Boxing Council (WBC) light-flyweight champion who successfully defended his title is coming home early next month.

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LINGAYEN – Shortage of water for second crop rice has spawned rat infestation in Manaoag town in the last few days.

Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares, however, said this is not quite alarming as only five hectares of land planted to rice had so far been destroyed by rats even as control measures were being instituted.

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