Woman killed after house collapsed in Buenavista

BUENAVISTA, Bohol -- A 53-year old woman died after the house she was living in collapsed Sunday night in Barangay Poblacion, Buenavista town.

According to the Buenavista Police Station, the tragedy occurred around 6:45 p.m. when strong winds and heavy downpour caused the roof and walls of a house made of light materials to collapse and buried alive its owner identified as Susanna Gaviola, 53, a widow.

The victim was alone in said house. She was rescued by neighbors and police out of the debris and was rushed to the Francisco Dagohoy Municipal Hospital in Inabanga town, but was declared dead on arrival.

The victim sustained various injuries as she was covered in debris when her house caved in, according to police.

Lending collector robbed in Ubay

Another lending collector was victimized by highway robbers in Barangay Calanggaman, Ubay town on Tuesday, losing over P40,000 in cash to the still unidentified suspects.

A report from the Ubay PNP disclosed that one Melvin Auxtero, 21, a collector of a lending agency based in Ubay, was flagged down by three motorcycle-riding suspects around 6 p.m. Tuesday along the barangay road of Calanggaman while he was riding his own motorcycle on the way to remit his collection for the day.

According to the victim’s account, one of the backriders signalled for him to stop while another suspect was pointing his gun at him.

Upon stopping, the suspects ordered Auxtero to disembark from his motorcycle asking him to hand over the motorcycle ignition key.

Auxtero was told to turn his back from the suspects who were now opening the utility-box of his motorcycle where he was keeping the cash representing his collection from clients that day.

After taking the cash, the suspects left with the keys of the victim’s motorcycle. The victim reported to the Ubay police the incident.

Drug-smuggling in prison, jailguards on the take?

Prison guards at the Bohol District Jail (BDJ) are now accused of being corrupted by a “drug ring” inside the detention facility, allegedly paid money for every gram of shabu allowed to be smuggled into the penal compound.

A former jail personnel and another inmate, disclosed to dyRD/Chronicle that prison guards are often accomplices in allowing the active drug peddling activities that reaches far beyond the prison walls.

So what’s their take? Each prison guard who are into the drug syndicate’s operation are purportedly paid P1,000 for every gram of the prohibited substance metamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) that is sneaked into the jail.

It’s not just drugs, the sources said, but also all sorts of banned contraband that are smuggled into the facility – such as cellphones.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) regional office and the provincial government’s probe team, both investigating the escape of three inmates and the discovery of huge quantities of shabu at the district jail, are set to release their findings Tuesday.

But some quarters have challenged the conduct of the probe, as jailguards were not subjected to mandatory drug testing, even as several jailers have been implicated by BDJ insiders as accessories to the irregularities within the prison facility.

Power pylon bombed, Chatto wants power facilities secured

Another electric transmission tower of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) was blasted by still unidentified perpetrators shortly after midnight Sunday in Barangay Camanaga, San Miguel town.

On Monday after receiving the report of the bombing of the power pylon, Gov. Edgar Chatto convened a special committee at the People’s Mansion, comprised of Bohol Police Provincial Director SSupt. Constantino Barot Jr., Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner of the 2nd Special Forces Batallion, San Miguel Mayor Claudio Bonior, Provincial Administrator Alfonso Damalerio II and Provincial Legal Officer Mitchell John Boiser, to address the security of power facilities as this is the fourth electric pylon attacked by unidentified men.

Camanaga Barangay Captain Diosdado Bonilla, in an interview with dyRD “Inyong Alagad” on Tuesday, said he heard the blast shortly after midnight Sunday, but thought it was a thunder clap, as it was also raining heavily that time.

It was only on Sunday morning that they discovered one of the electric pylons damaged with its huge iron bars and concrete base blasted. There were no power interruption caused by the blast as the tower was not yet fixed with energized lines.

Army units in a nearby detachment are now patrolling the area for possible attacks on three other towers situated near the said village.

Bonilla said it is unlikely that the bombing was carried out by disgruntled residents whose lands are affected by the transmission lines. He said as far as he knew, all of residents in his barangays with claims against NGCP have already been paid out by the electric transmission company.

Although, the barangay captain said the police has not discounted the possibility that displeased residents in other barangays are behind the atrocity who has not yet received their monetary settlement from the NGCP.

In a separate interview, SSupt. Barot said the PNP has ruled out the possibility of elements of the New People’s Army (NPA) responsible for the bombing.

Despite the inconclusive initial investigation conducted jointly by the Bohol-PNP and the Philippine Army, Chatto has directed the two commanders to assist the NGCP in securing their facilities which is are considered vital installations.

It may be recalled that last December 3, 2011, three transmission towers of the NGCP in Barangay Sta. Catalina, Sagbayan town were also bombed by unidentified men.

Health workers on protest over withheld hazard pay

TAGBILARAN CITY – More than half of the entire workforce at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Regional Hospital (GCGMRH) are on strike starting Monday, to protest the government’s refusal to release their hazard pay.

Dr. Rosendo Lopez III, president of the health workers union (Nadea) at the government hospital told dyRD “Inyong Alagad” on Tuesday that although they are on strike, all of their union members are reporting for work and in no way hampering the services at the GCGMRH.

The protest, which will last until Friday, seeks to stir public support for their demand for their hazard pay to be released which has been withheld by current Health Secretary Enrique Ona since January this year.

According to Dr. Lopez, the protest is a nationwide action by Nadea affiliate labor organizations, such as the GCGMRH health workers group, who are demanding for the DOH to recognize their right for hazard pay, as mandated under Republic Act 7305, the Magna Carta for Public Health Workers.

The allowance, equivalent to at least 25 percent of the monthly basic salary of health workers receiving salary grade 19 and below and five percent for those with salary grade 20 and above, has been withheld since January as Sec. Ona ordered for the health department to classify those workers who are actually exposed to hazards, from those who are not.

Public health workers are entitled to the benefit given the risks of their jobs to safety and health.

The DOH had issued Memorandum 2012-0002 reducing the Magna Carta benefits, reportedly in response to the General Appropriations Act of 2012, which would limit their release and subject to the approval by the Department of Budget and Management.

While some GCGMRH employees, doctors, nurses and workers are not participating in the protest, Lopez said management and most of the workforce is supporting their week-long activities.