Despite the lack of signs that Kanlaon’s activity will escalate, the Provincial Disaster Management Team had already drawn up plans for evacuating the 95,200 people living in 32 barangays around the volcano.
These are villages that belong to La Castellana town, Moises Padilla, and the cities of La Carlota, Bago, San Carlos and Canlaon.
There was no recorded ash fall in nearby communities either but people were advised to stay out of the volcano’s four-kilometer permanent danger zone as steam-driven explosions could still occur.
Raps vs PNP provincial chief
While the protest marches of workers and militant groups failed to elicit much interest among Negrenses, there was another development that sounded more explosive.
Three local journalists are filing administrative complaints against Senior Superintendent Charles Calima, the PNP provincial director, and his bodyguard-driver, PO3 Reynaldo Rivera, for misconduct, harassment and intimidation.
The letter of complaint was signed by Bombo Radyo reporter Benedict Entuna, senior reporter Gilbert Bayoaan of the Visayan Daily STAR, and RPN TV 8 anchorwoman Annie Calderon, also a writer of the Negros Daily Bulletin.
The complaint was an offshoot of an incident last April 28 when the three journalists and Calderon’s son were nearly sideswiped by Calima’s driver inside the Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. compound in Camingawan.
Entuma, who is often seen in Calima’s company, said he was not entertained by the PNP chief when he sought him out to answer some questions last April 26.
Bayoran and Calderon also complained that the driver of Calima’s Nissan Frontier allegedly revved the vehicle very loudly for several seconds then drove very fast and nearly sideswiped Bayoran, Calderon and her 12-year old son, Tan Erwin Sellado.
The two media men asked PNP Region VI Director Doroteo Reyes to relieve Calima pending the investigation of the incident.
The Negros Press Club, incidentally, has come forward to back up the three complainants. Incidentally, Bayoran is president of the Defense Press Corps while Annie is his vice president.
Tough luck for Calima who has stirred a hornet’s nest. The Negros Press Club is considered one of the most prestigious in the country today.
International awards for NPC prexy
As I had mentioned, the Negros Press Club has gained prestige as an organization. It was the country’s first organized press club. And it has spawned a lot of respected mediamen, including the late National Press Club president Eddie Monteclaro.
Sunday, the incumbent president, Primo Esleyer, received the Commitment To Service Award from Rotary International president Glenn Estes Sr. during the closing day of Rotary District 3850 conference at the Bacolod Convention Plaza Hotel.
Esleyer received the award from district governor Ma. Victoria Garcia together with lawyer William Mirano, also of the Rotary Club of Bacolod. Mirano is president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Negros Chapter.
This is the second time that Esleyer received an international award from the Rotary. The first time was given by Rotary International president Rejendra Saboo on a club project. He was assisted also by Mirano.
Mirano, incidentally, is expected to act a legal counsel of the three journalists. That’s tough challenge for Calima.
Pavia fiesta
As I had earlier mentioned, another event that I missed attending was the fiesta of Pavia in Iloilo. This used to be the town where my late mother, Gracia Lopez, had a farm which was sold a few years before she died.
Thus, to a certain extent, I always had a soft spot for the town. Its incumbent Mayor Arcadio Gorriceta is a friend whom I have the highest regard since I had known him since he was still a member of the Sugar Board.
What caught my fancy was the fiesta’s slogan — "Pavia is back . . . on the go!"
Well, to a certain extent this typifies the development surge of Pavia. It has been transformed into a beehive of activity under the able stewardship of Gorricetta, a no-nonsense executive.
Iloilo Gov. Niel Tupas led the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon of the Pavia Agro-Industrial Fair, which showcased the town’s varied products.
But Gorricetta need not worry. I’ll be visiting that town next week. I miss it.
What happened to the German tourist?
What seems to be wrong with local journalists is our short attention span. We focus on a story, then forget about following it up.
That’s exactly what happened with the recent arrest of a 55-year-old German tourist, Klaus Pter Lanta, by the Boracay Special Protection Unit for having allegedly exploited an 11-year-old girl from Sitio Ambulong, Barangay Manoc-Manoc.
Lanta is well known by Boracay residents. Even the licensed massage workers of the resort know him, according to PO1 Rachel Quisoy of the BSPU.
Arrested with Lanta was his companion, 39-year-old Lailaine Decena, of Hinobaan, Negros Occidental.
Quisoy claimed that Decena approached the victim and offered her a drink while she was watching a show at the BagaBerde Music and Sports Bar in Boracay.
The victim initially refused the drink. Decena reportedly left but returned a few minutes later. This time, the victim accepted her offer of a glass of juice. Later, they were joined by the German and together went to his cottage at Angel Point Resort.
When they were in Room 8, the German allegedly took off his clothes and ordered both Decena and the girl to massage him. Decena also reportedly held the private parts of Lanta, who allegedly tried to convince the girl to do the same.
When the girl refused, both Decena and Lanta reportedly laughed at her, which prompted the girl to flee the scene and report the incident to her parents. The BSPU accompanied the girl and her parents back to the Angel Point Resort where the girl identified Decena and Lanta.
Both were arrested by the BSPU and reportedly transferred later to Kalibo where charges were to be filed against them for violation of Republic Act 7610, the special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
So far, government prosecutors of Kalibo have not come up with a report on the preliminary investigation of the case. But we hope to receive soon a follow-up report on the incident.
ADDENDA. Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio Arroyo denied yesterday that he was a recipient of jueteng payola. He also cleared his brother, First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo and his nephew, Rep. Mikey Arroyo. Iggy, as he is better known, pointed out that jueteng is not prevalent in Negros, much less in his district. Meanwhile, four suspected New People’s Army (NPA) gunmen allegedly gunned down last Saturday Sgt. Tranquilino Malcredo, intelligence officer of the 11th Infantry Battalion in Northern Negros. Malcredo was slain at Hacienda Santo Domingo in Barangay San Pablo, Manapala town. He was hit in the head several times. He was reportedly on his way to the poblacion when waylaid by four assassins, one of whom was a woman. The army enlisted man was hit by caliber .45 and 9mm bullets. One of the four reportedly wielded an M-16 rifle. Lt. Col. Abraham Bagasin, 11th IB chief, challenged human rights groups such as Karapatan and its affiliated organizations to denounce the atrocity committed by the NPA. Well, that’s a tall order.