Opinion

Congressman ambushed

SEARCH FOR TRUTH - Ernesto M. Maceda - The Philippine Star

December 13, 2014 | 12:00am

Iligan lone district Congressman Vicente “Barf” Belmonte, chairman of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs, was ambushed as he left the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental.

Luckily, the congressman did not sustain major injuries while three of his companions, his driver and two police escorts, were killed.

Belmonte blamed local politics for the failed ambush, especially he has already aired his intention to run for mayor of Iligan since his term as congressman expires in 2016.

Belmonte divulged that there have been several crimes happening in their city, including the death of eight people believe to be connected to the illegal drug trade because of the infestation of drug lords and drug pushers in the area; and the killing of a retired Philippine National Police (PNP) who was shot dead on the same day Belmonte was ambushed which was not reported in media, according to Belmonte.

Belmonte also claimed there are many rebel returnees and police retirees in Iligan who are allegedly controlled by the mayor. But there is no proof that would link the mayor to the ambush.

In another Mindanao province, five people, including a barangay chairman, Michael Sinsuat Dalidig, and a barangay councilor, Jonathan Benito were killed in an ambush in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao. Benito’s wife Rosemarie and his son Michiel were also killed.

To prevent the escalation of violence in Maguindanao province and in anticipation of a possible retaliation from the victim’s family, military and police forces beefed up security following the fatal ambush.

Also in Maguindanao, three people were wounded in an ambush in Guindulungan, including Kagui Akmad Ampatuan, a new prosecution witness in the infamous Ampatuan massacre. The ambush came after he had signed sworn statements attesting to the involvement of several relatives in the election-related massacre five years ago.

In Montalban, Rizal, Anthony Inopiquez, secretary general of Stop and Go Transport Coalition, was shot dead by a lone assailant who barged into his office. The killing could have been work-related since Inopiquez was an operator of UV Express vans, according to Jun Magno, president of the coalition. Inopiquez had received death threats prior to the killing.

Six taxi drivers were involved in a holdup of their passengers.

These incidents once again show the bad state of peace and order in the country.

Fares rolled back

The Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) gave Metro Manila (MM) jeepney riders an early Christmas gift with a rollback of P1.

It was a pleasant surprise as earlier petitions asked for only P.50 rollback.

It was a big deal for poor commuters as a round trip savings of P2 a day amounts to P60 a month.

Senior citizens, students and persons with disability need to pay only P6 instead of P8.50.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is also asking producers to reduce the prices of their products.

Commuters are also asking for the reduction of bus and taxi fares and also airplane tickets.

No need for emergency powers

Senator Sergio Osmeña, chairman of the Senate committee on energy, said there is no need for a grant of emergency powers to President Aquino as they have found alternative options, with which Senator Francis Escudero agreed.

“I don’t know what is the emergency power because everything seems to be in place. The Interruptible Load Program (ILP) is in place. And we have found certain solutions that would expand our reserve power,” he said.

Among the alternative options that we may use are Malaya plant (300 megawatts), hydro plants (300 megawatts), and ILP (1,000 megawatts).

Despite the reserved 1,600 megawatts (MW), we will be experiencing 3 to 4 short brownouts in a normal year, according to Osmeña.

But he insisted there is no looming shortage, only in the reserve requirements which can be filled up by malls, factories, and other businesses joining the ILP. He said implementation of the ILP does not need special powers.

Osmeña also said with 1,000 MW available from ILP there is enough reserve for small consumers.

Osmeña pointed out that the ILP is already working in Cebu and Davao since 2010. “We did not ask for special powers, we did not ask for money. It is automatic and the ILP works very well in Cebu and Davao,” he said.

Osmeña said the President has been misled by Department of Energy (DOE) officials.

He said that the Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO) power plant can produce additional 600 MW by using coal.

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