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Cops secure ‘balik eskwela’ in Eastern Visayas

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A TOTAL of 2,984 police personnel were deployed to man places of convergence to ensure the safety and security of the students, teachers, and guardians as the Department of Education (DepEd) resumed its face-to-face classes, or “Balik Eskwela”, two years after the height of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic on Monday, August 22, 2022.

“We are happy to be of help in this significant program of the Department of Education along with other national agencies. We believe that such is a shared responsibility,” said Brigadier General Rommel Francisco Marbil, the newly-assigned police director in the region.

“From our end, we commit ourselves in upholding peace and order in all of Eastern Visayas as classes formally start,” Marbil added.

As part of the police regional command’s initiative for this school year’s opening of in-person classes, Marbil said that 169 personnel were also stationed to private schools and 3,374 other personnel to public schools out of the total 3,543 schools.

Some 477 police assistance desks were set up to cater to any concerns, clarifications, or queries from the general public with 917 personnel, while the police regional command increased the police presence through patrolling in key areas in the whole region.

The Police Regional Office (PRO)-Eastern Visayas also deployed 168 tactical motorcycle riders and 28 personnel from the explosive ordnance disposal unit.

At least 211 personnel were installed as bus marshals, and 215 were positioned at transportation hubs.

“Around 1,445 personnel were distributed as route security, while the presence of force multipliers was also felt,” the police regional command said.

Earlier, DepEd-Eastern Visayas Director Dr. Evelyn Fetalvero lauded the support of different stakeholders in opening in-person classes.

“Even with the limited resources, quality learning should continue. Our partners go beyond the regular functions to ensure safe back-to-school activity,” Fetalvero said.

Along with other government agencies and private organizations, police personnel in the region joined the Brigada Eskwela activities, such as cleaning school premises in preparation for the new academic year.

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Families mourn Thai nursery dead ahead of king’s visit

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Photo by AP/Sakchai Lalit

NA KLANG, Thailand — Weeping, grief-stricken families gathered Friday outside a Thai nursery where an ex-policeman murdered nearly two dozen children in one of the kingdom’s worst mass killings.

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha will later visit survivors of the attack that left at least 37 people dead, including the attacker’s wife and child.

Around the small low-slung building, where only 2 days ago scores of preschool children played, officials in white uniforms with black armbands laid a red carpet for the king’s visit.

A line of heartbroken parents placed white roses on the steps of the nursery as the baking sun bore down on them Friday morning.

Buarai Tanontong’s two 3-year-old grandsons were among those killed at the nursery when the attacker burst through the door.

“I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t think that it would be my 2 grandsons,” she said, clutching her inconsolable daughter’s shoulder.

Earlier a palace representative laid a wreath from the royal family at the entrance of the nursery.

Overnight, coffins carrying the bodies of the victims — who include 23 children — arrived at a morgue in Udon Thani, the closest city to the rural district ripped apart by Thursday’s three-hour rampage.

Armed with a 9mm pistol and a knife, sacked police sergeant Panya Khamrab opened fire on the childcare centre in the northeastern Nong Bua Lam Phu province at about 12:30 p.m. 

Following the attack, 34-year-old Panya fled the scene in a pickup truck to head home and murder his wife and child before taking his own life, police said, ending the killing spree around 3:00 pm. 

Flags on government buildings flew at half-mast on Friday in a gesture of mourning for one of the deadliest days in recent Thai history.

Nanthicha Punchum, acting chief of the nursery, described harrowing scenes as the attacker barged into the building in the rural Na Klang district.

“There were some staff eating lunch outside the nursery and the attacker parked his car and shot four of them dead,” she told AFP.

“The shooter smashed down the door with his leg and then came inside and started slashing the children’s heads with a knife.”

Local media reported that the dead included a school teacher who was 8 months pregnant, and that one child survived because they were sleeping hidden by a blanket when the attacker struck.

National Police Chief Damrongsak Kittiprapat told reporters that Panya, a former police sergeant, was suspended in January and sacked in June for drug use.

He said the attacker — who used a legally purchased pistol — had been due in court on a drugs charge, adding that Panya was in a manic state but it was unknown whether it was drug-related.

Witness Paweena Purichan, 31, said the attacker was well-known in the area as a drug addict.

She told AFP she encountered Panya driving erratically as he fled the scene.

“The attacker rammed a motorbike into 2 people who were injured. I sped off to get away from him,” she said.

“There was blood everywhere.”

Video footage that Paweena posted online showed a woman lying injured in a roadside bush after apparently being knocked off her motorbike by Panya.

Thai PM Prayut has ordered a rapid probe into the attack, which came less than 3 years after a soldier gunned down 29 people in a 17-hour rampage and wounded scores more before he was shot dead by commandos.

And less than a month ago an army officer shot dead two colleagues at a military training base in the capital Bangkok.

But while Thailand has high rates of gun ownership, mass shootings such as Thursday’s are rare.



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LNG Power Plant will increase Power Rates in Negros

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NEGROS, Philippines — SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., the power unit of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC), plans to invest P18.5 billion for a 300-megawatt (MW) liquefied natural gas (LNG) combined cycle power plant in Negros Occidental.

In a filing with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), SMC Global’s wholly owned unit Reliance Energy Development Inc. (REDI) is proposing a 4×75-MW LNG Combined Cycle Power Plant within the San Carlos City Ecozone in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

The proposed project, which has an estimated project cost of P18.5 billion, will be constructed inside the 49-hectare leased property from Grand Planters International Inc.

An on-shore LNG terminal facility will be constructed adjacent to the power plant to store and re-gasify the LNG that will be delivered through barging.

REDI is targeting to start constructing the power project in the third quarter with completion eyed in the third quarter of 2024. It is in the process of pre-feasibility study and environmental compliance certificate (ECC) application.

The company considered different technologies for the project, such as natural gas, coal, wind and solar, but chose natural gas since it is more flexible, secured, environmental-friendly and cost-effective.

Moreover, the Department of Energy issued a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants in 2020 to support the government’s direction towards clean energy, removing coal from REDI’s list of considerations.

REDI said its proposed power plant would help augment the demand for reliable and affordable power supply.

“The proposed power plant will not only supply enough electricity to Filipino households and businesses, but will also contribute to national development. The proposed project will also support DOE’s advocacy to shift to cleaner source of energy to reduce the GHG emissions from the energy sector,” it said.

However, for consumer welfare group, Koryente Konsumers Alliance, an LNG power plant will only lead to increase power rates in the area. 

“We have not explored indigenous fuel sources so the country will have to import LNG. LNG is a fossil fuel like oil, diesel and gas. The world market price is just as high and it is hard to secure supply due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Although, we have Malampaya in the country, the well is set to dry up very soon and the country has not explored new areas to replace it.

Especially for Negros Island let us explore other sources of power like Mini-Hydro, Wind, Solar, and most especially Bagasse cogerneration with the Sugar Mills.

Negros being the sugar capital of the country with numerous sugar mills, let us increase the congeneration capacity of all sugar mills to create power.”

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ISANG MATANDANG BABAE, NATAGPUANG PATAY SA BRGY ILIHAN, MACROHON, SOUTHERN LEYTE

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August 13, 2022
By Janna Mae Lambo
SOUTHERN LEYTE – Isang matandang babae ang natagpuang patay kahapon, pasado alas-5 ng hapon, sa brgy Ilihan, lungsod ng Macrohon, Southern Leyte.
Ayon sa Brgy Ilihan Councilor, Ronil Miole, isang babae ang nakita sa kanal ng nasabing lugar.
Agad namang rumesponde ang puwersa ng pulisya at ang Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) rescuer.
Kinilala ng mga awtoridad ang biktima na si Pacita Vasquez Lastosa, 64 taong gulang, biyuda, at residente ng lugar.
Nakita kahapon ang bangkay ni Lastosa ng isang dump truck driver na dumaan sa lugar kahapon .
Ayon naman sa case investigator na si PMSg Richie Selencio, hindi sinadyang mahulog ang lola sa bangin na may lalim na 15 metro habang nagtatapon umano ito ng mga binunot na damo.
Samantala, ayon sa findings ng post mortem examination na isinagawa ni Municipal Health Officer Dra Pilar Bitos Abaday, intracerebral hemorrhage ang sanhi ng pagkamatay ng biktima.
Nilinaw din ng opisyal na walang foul play sa insidente.

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