RIP John Romulo Caresosa Garcia & 108th Rotary International Convention

Corporal John Romulo Caresosa Garcia had long wanted to go home but new assignments kept cropping up that eventually brought him to Marawi City in Lanao del Sur.

The 28-year-old member of the Philippine Marine Corps was finally home last Tuesday in his native San Miguel town, Bohol.

But it was a sad homecoming for the family who first learned about his death on Facebook.

John Romulo Caresosa Garcia of Bohol was 

among the 13 soldiers killed in Marawi on June 9, 2017. 

Contributed Photo

John had wanted to come home in March but he was ordered to provide security to the president of Vietnam who was attending the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit, said his grandmother, Conrada Relampagos-Caresosa, 76.

He was not also able to come home after the summit meeting because he was told to go to Marawi City to augment the troops fighting against the Maute group.

His family’s worst fears came true.

John was one of the 13 Marines who were killed on June 9 in a 16-hour firefight against an undetermined number of Maute group members in Barangay Lilod Madaya that started around 3:30 a.m. on Friday.

His 19-year-old sister, Princess, said they were browsing Facebook when they noticed that John’s page was filled with condolences from his friends.

They were shocked.

“Many had posted on Facebook that he had died. But we, his family, didn’t know about it. When we learned about it, we were very shocked,” she added.

Princess said they could not believe that he was really gone until John’s commanding officer called their parents to inform them about what happened.

Their parents, Sylvia and Romulo, flew to Metro Manila on Saturday to retrieve their son’s body.

And on Tuesday, June 13, John was finally home.

His remains arrived on board a C-130 cargo plane of the Philippine Air Force at the Tagbilaran airport at 4:20 p.m.

Soldiers carried the casket bearing his remains as John was given full military honors by his comrades from the 47th Infantry Battalion led by 1st Lt. Michael Bumatay.

No local official was in the airport to condole with Sylvia and Romulo.

Bumatay told the family that it was a fitting tribute for a brave Boholano who gave his life for peace in Mindanao.

After the arrival honors, his remains were later brought to his house in Barangay Kagawasan, San Miguel, where his four siblings, relatives and friends waited for him.

John, the eldest among five siblings, had been in the Philippine Marines for four years and had graduated from Central Visayas State College of Agriculture Forestry and Technology, now called the Bohol Island State University.

His family was against his plan to join the Philippine Marines but his love for the country prevailed.

Romulo and Sylvia said they could not accept the death of their eldest child, saying he was too young to die.

Romulo said it hurt to lose a son who was kind and generous.

He said they had received financial assistance from the government but no amount could compensate for the life of his son.

“Until now, I still cannot believe what happened to him. We don’t know how to recover from the pain,” he said.

John was given a posthumous military merit award for his gallantry in action.

The medal with a bronze spearhead was traditionally pinned on the left chest of the awardee.

In the case of John, his medal was placed on the left side of the glass covering of his casket.

Caresosa said it was painful and difficult to accept the death of her eldest grandchild.

“The only thing I could say was my grandson was a good man who was gone too soon,” she said.

***

Benjie and Joan Oliva attend

Rotary’s confab in Georgia, USA

Boholano couple Benjie and Joan Oliva had attended the 108th Rotary International Convention, organized by Rotary International, was held at Georgia  World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, USA on June 10-14, 2017.

For Benjie, erstwhile National Youth Commission (NYC) Visayas Commissioner and now Cooperative Development Authority Central Visayas administrator, said the confab was “one of the amazing international events” he attended.

Benjie and Joan Oliva attend the 108th 

Rotary International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Contributed Photo

Here is Benjie:

 There are at least 40,000 participating Rotarians from 160 countries all over the world who attended the 108th Rotary International Convention.

  In this event, I tagged along with me my wife Joan to experience herself the very purpose of the founders of Rotary Club organization.

I became involved in the Rotary way back in 2010 when I was chosen as one of the members of the Group Study Exchange (GSE) Program sent to North Carolina, USA for two months on a goodwill exchange by Rotary International District 3810 and the Rotary Foundation.

In said convention, the Philippine delegation composed of ten Rotary districts has registered as the 4th largest contingent. It only shows that the Filipinos has been in the forefront of Rotary Club movement in the world. Not to mention being the first to organized a Rotary Club in Asia way back in 1919, the Rotary Club of Manila. At present Rotary Club Manila is under District 3810 composed of Manila, Pasay, Cavite and Occidental Mindoro. 

The Rotary International Convention is an annual gathering of civic and and business community leaders across the globe to exchange ideas on how to improve lives and bring positive, lasting change to communities around the world.

The convention aims to renew friendship, find inspirations, promote camaraderie and goodwill, build linkages among rotary clubs and Rotarians in pursuit of service to humanity and doing good in the world.

The highlight of this year's convention is the centennial anniversary of Rotary Foundation. The Foundation's 100 years of existence has been instrumental in delivering programs and projects in many rural communities worldwide with specific area of focus such as Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution, Disease Prevention and Treatment, Water and Sanitation, Maternal and Child Health, Basic Education and Literacy and Economic and Community Development.

The notable speakers for this year's convention includes billionaire businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates, actor Ashton Kutcher, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Indian philanthropist Rajashree Birla, golf icon Jack Nicklaus, WWE Superstar, actor, and Rotary polio ambassador John Cena, among others.

This year's convention has reached a total pledges of 1.2 Billion US Dollars in the cause to End Polio in the next three years with Bill Gates as the leading donor with a contribution of 450Million US Dollars under the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The Atlanta convention brings good memories and experiences that Joan and I can't forget for the rest of lives. Our dedication to be of service to our fellowmen and communities has been raised to a higher degree of commitment to make a difference even in our own little ways.

In July of this year, Joan and I will join the Rotary Club of Pasay Cyber City as a manifestation of our commitment to continue in doing good in the world. Rotary indeed is true to its motto of 'Service Above Self'.

***

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When love falls apart

Captain Gisela Bendong-Boniel was making waves as the first female pilot of a budget airline.

Mayor Niño Rey Boniel of Bien Unido was making a mark, not just as one of the youngest chief executives in Bohol but for improving his town's classification from 5th class to 4th class.

When they got married in 2015, their constituents thought it was a union made in heaven. They elected Gisela as mayor in 2016 to replace her husband who also won as 2nd district board member.

On the outside, everything looked well between the couple. But on Thursday, the residents were shocked with the news that the body of their mayor was thrown into the sea after she was killed by her husband.

Danilo Salabe, 40, said he didn’t expect that tragedy would fall on their favorite couple.

“We were sad when we heard the news,” said Danilo, who is managing the Dive Camp.

Happier times. Board member Niño Rey Boniel with his

 wife Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel. File Photo/Nestor Daarol

Another resident, Eisen Avenido, 51, described the couple as “good people.”

“Mayor Giselle is very close to the people, especially the senior citizens. She is a pilot, young, pretty and on top of it, a mayor,” he added.

Gay Mabanag-Delima, 36, councilor of Barangay Poblacion in Bien Unido said the news about the Boniel couple left them in a state of shock.

“How I wish they will not be able to find her body so there is still a chance that she is alive,” she said.

Gisela, 40 and a native of Iligan City, had made history in the male-dominated aviation industry as the first female pilot of AirAsia Philippines with a rank of captain.

Her high school friends said that she had always been fascinated by planes since she was a little girl. In turning her dream into a reality, she inspired other women to take courage in pursuing their aspirations.

On Feb. 28, 2016, she received a commendation for outstanding airmanship after she steered an AirAsia plane to safety at Mactan Cebu International Airport in Lapu-Lapu City even if the plane only had one working engine.

Niño also made his own mark in his town in Bien Unido, about 108 km from the capital Tagbilaran City.

Although he is from Bohol, he studied in Cebu and a product of the University of San Carlos where he studied from elementary to college. He finished Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and later took up Law while running his businesses. But he dropped out in his second year in law school because of his work.

Aside from an insurance firm, Niño owned Diamond Trading that imports vehicles from Japan and a restaurant in SM City. He was a also a Director of ABN Dreamworks Corporation. Niño returned to Bien Unido to  follow the footsteps of his father  Cosme who became a town mayor in 1980s.

Bohol Board member Niño Rey Boniel  

At 29, he was elected mayor in 2007 election and was the second youngest chief executive in Bohol's history.

During his term, he elevated Bien Unido’s economic status from 5th to 4th class town. He also tried to put the town in the tourism map by joining the Sinulog Grand Parade in Cebu and the Sandugo Festival in Bohol.

He also put up the Dive Camp, an accommodation to bring in tourists and divers who wanted to experience the Bien Unido Double Barrier Reef.

The Danajon Reef is the only documented double barrier reef in the Philippines and reportedly, one of only six in the entire world. Niño also improved the water system and infrastructure, while addressing the other concerns such as health and sanitation, livelihood and peace and order.

Niño was also instrumental in curbing illegal fishing in the coastal municipality. He put up underwater grotto near the coral reefs of the Danajon Double Barrier Reef consisting of 14-foot tall statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Sto. Niño (the Child Jesus).

 “Illegal fishers will be scared when they see these images,” he told the reporters during the launching several years ago.

Since the mayor was a bachelor, his constituents were curious if he would settle down and with whom since he was seen with several women. Most of his ex-girlfriends were older than him.

In 2010, Niño introduced Gisela to his friends. Five years later, the two got married. They have a three-year-old son.

 The Boniel couple had a promising political career especially that they looked good together and had good credentials, said a local official who asked not be named.

Bien Unido Mayor Gisela Bendong-Boniel

Indeed, Gisela won over the hearts of the residents of Bien Unido when she ran for mayor in 2016. She had grand plans for the town that remained underdeveloped and unfrequented by tourists unlike other towns in Bohol.

When she was sworn into office last year, Gisela said her priorities would be to bring in tourists as well as provide health services, education and livelihood to her constituents.

Since she was criticized by her lack of experience in public service, Gisela took a crash course in local governance at the National College of Public Administration and Governance in Quezon City.

Although Niño and Gisela were seen together in public functions, their marriage started to rock in December last year when Gisela was attacked on Facebook by her husband's political opponents and was dragged into controversies involving her husband.

Financial problems also took a toll on her marriage after Gisela took out a big loan to finance a watch business and to buy a watch worth P2.5 million. Niño reportedly got angry because Gisela could not pay off her debts. But some close friends of the couple told the Inquirer that what infuriated Niño was Gisela's move to file a petition for annulment.

“She discovered that her husband used her for his political advancement,” said another friend.

Friends of Gisela have taken to social media to express their sadness over her reported death.

Loraine Anne Marie Baguio, a flight attendant at AirAsia Philippines, posted on Facebook: “I still can’t believe this news. Really?? A very reputable woman pilot was killed by her husband?? Rest in peace Capt Gisel. I am deeply hurt right now and I know the Air Asia family is also sad by this sudden news. May justice prevail in your death. My condolences to the Biel family.”

One of her friends, Grace, posted her photos with Gisela on her Facebook account. The caption read: “Giselle I am going to miss you more than words can say.”

“I can’t believe such a beautiful soul is gone so soon,” she said.

Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado of Bohol’s second district said that he was saddened by the tragic events involving the couple who was close to him.

“We all have our own marital problems which we try to solve in a discreet and private manner. I understand that lives of politicians take so much of one’s time from the family. This sometimes breaks down the closeness of siblings,” Aumentado said.

“While I wish to understand their situation, we also have laws to obey. Let justice move,” he added.

Bohol Gov. Edgar M. Chatto said they did not know that the couple had problems.

“Board Member Boniel deserves due process as he is brought to the bar of justice,” he said in a statement.

***

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Fr. Parilla’s ‘Hashtags for Seekers’ illustrates the endless love of God

I was at my lowest point in my life last week. My self-confidence was at zero for entertaining negative people and things in life.

I told myself, life is gritty, and above all, life is full of ups and downs. Sigh!

When I went to visit dyRD office on Thursday, I got my copy of the book Hashtags for Seekers written by Fr. Harold Arnold Parilla courtesy of Michael Cañares, the book’s publisher.

While I read the book deep into the night while the whole household was in sweet slumber, it helped me to get my life back. I learned how to heal and rebuild my confidence.

Fr. Harold Anthony Parilla writes Hashtags for Seekers

to illustrate the love of God. Courtesy: Ric Obedencio

I’d read lots of books about inspirational stories on life, love, and happiness.  However, reading Hashtags for Seekers is young and refreshing yet full of insights to inspire, guide, comfort and draw you closer to the Lord’s endless, boundless love.

Published by Creannovate Publishing House in Tagbilaran City, Hashtags for Seekers is a welcome breather from the homilies and Sunday gospel reflections of Fr. Parilla which first appeared on Facebook in 2011. The homilies were posted at the request of some of his friends from Italy and the US.

Fr. Parilla makes the Word of God easier to digest for the young ones.  It is a powerhouse filled with stories and practical practical suggestions for learning to make good decisions and becoming happier in ways that are meaningful and lasting.

“Hashtags for Seekers- the title speaks of what is contemporary yet old-age. In concise but nuanced and penetrating reflections on the Sunday liturgical readings, Harold unpacks the vitality of the Word of God in dialogue with some of our most real yet unrecognized questions and longings,” says Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in the book’s Foreword. “He makes the Gospel message attractive rather than intrusive and condemning. Words proclaimed and written centuries ago sound like a hashtag meant for  me now.”

From About The Author:  Fr. Parilla, who was ordained priest in 2003,  is a paring Bol-anon from Clarin town who is currently a formator and lecturer at St. John Vianney Theological Seminar in Cagayan de Oro City. After some years of work at the local seminary and in the chancery of the Diocese of Tagbilaran, he left for Rome to obtain a licentiate degree in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. His academic resume includes masteral degrees in pastoral ministry ad educational management from two Jesuit universities in the Philippines. His ministry in the Church involves teaching and formation work.

Buy a copy of Hashtags for Seekers before it goes out of stock.

Remember, God loves you!

***

Grandpa beaten by Abu needs help

An 82-year-old survivor of Abu Sayyaf torture in Bohol has appealed for help from government as he struggles to recover from injuries he sustained from the beatings by the bandits.

Octogenarian Porferio Cosenas now has difficulty speaking and walking.  His whole body aches and he has to buy a lot of medication to recover but he does not have the money to buy them.

As he recalled the torture he suffered in the hands of the bandits, Cosenas spoke as if he was being strangled. He walked slowly since his groin was still aching.

An 82-year-old survivor of Abu Sayyaf torture in Bohol has appealed for help from government as he struggles to recover from injuries he sustained from the beatings by the bandits.

Cosenas, also known as Lolo Peryong, was being beaten by two Abu Sayyaf bandits, minutes before they were killed by soldiers on Pangangan Island, Calape town, last May 15.

His back, chest and groin remain painful even if it has been two weeks since he was beaten up.

Porferio Cosenas is asking for financial assistance

 from the government so that he can buy his medicines 

needed to heal his body from the beatings he endured

 in the hands of two Abu Sayyaf bandits. The two gunmen

 were later killed by government troops on Pangangan

 Island, Calape town, last May 15. Leo Udtohan

On Tuesday (May 30), Lolo Peryong was accompanied by his daughter, Rodelita Granaderos, to Tagbilaran City for his check-up.

They also dropped by radio station dyRD to air an appeal for financial assistance from the government to buy the medicines needed to treat his wounds.

Granaderos, 49, said she could not afford to buy the medicines her father needed.

“Our situation is very difficult. That is why we are asking for help,” she said.

Police reports said the elderly chanced upon Abu Ubayda, who was armed with an M-16 rifle, while he was trying to escape from government troopers who had been hunting the bandit group down.

He tried to fight Ubayda off using his bolo but was overpowered and beaten up.

Ubayda was later killed by government troops, along with his companion, Abu Asis, in Barangay Lawis, on Pangangan Island, Calape town.

The two were the last men standing out of several Abu Sayyaf members who tried to set up a base in Barangay Napo, Inabanga town on April 10.

All were killed in separate operations in different towns that lasted for more than a month.

But according to Lolo Peryong, the two Abu Sayyaf members, and not just one, attacked him and even threatened to kill him.

One of the armed men hit the elderly with the rifle butt while the other jumped on top of him and choked him.

He said one Abu Sayyaf member then spoke in Bisaya: “Ato lang ni patyon ning tiguwaa (Let us just kill this old man).”

Lolo Peryong said he had to plead for his life.

“Unsay sala nako ninyo nga patyon man ko ninyo? (What have I done wrong that you want to kill me?), he told the bandit group.

Abu Ubayda repeatedly punched and kicked him in the body and groin area that he lost consciousness.

“Abi nako patay nako adto higayuna (I thought that was my last)” he said.

The men fled and government troops found the unconscious Lolo Peryong who was then brought to a hospital in Calape town.

He had a wound in the head that required stitches. The police said it could be that his head hit a rock when he fell unconscious or was bashed by one of the Abu Sayyaf members.

The physicians also had to stitch his genitals because it was damaged due to severe beating.

Although he was released from the hospital, his back and chest continued to ache while his groin remained painful due to swollen testicles.

To help Lolo Peryong, you may contact Rodelita Granaderos at 0936-115-2615.

***

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A ‘high voltage’ experience in Leyte

The last time I looked, the mountain of Leyte was showing itself in full magnificent glory, breathtakingly beautiful.

That was last January when I covered the swim of Atty. Ingemar Macarine a.ka. Pinoy Aquaman in Canigao Channel. Although, we stayed there for only thirty minutes in Barangay Guadalupe in Maasin City, the mountain of Leyte awed me.

And last week, I saw her again.  The mountain transfixed me in awe as we arrived in Leyte for a facility familiarization tour and power transmission briefing by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

Mary Hope Arcenal receives a warm hug from Mayor Richard Gomez.

  Courtesy: Ric Obedencio

Our group — Lito Responte (dyTR), Mike Ligalig (Bohol Tribune/Agence France-Presse), Angeline Valencia (Bohol Chronicle/PNA/Freeman), Ric Obedencio (Bohol News Today/Freeman), Andy Nalzaro (Bohol Balita Daily News), Fred Amora (Radyo Jagna), Frony Narisma (Bohol Tribune), Jessa Agua- Ylanan (DA 7 Bohol media liaison officer), Maryknoll Joan Porpor (Magic  92.7 FM), Ern Pahayahay (dyTR), Mary Hope “Dice” Arcenal (Bohol Light Company, Inc.), Rey Anthony Chiu (Philippine Information Agency –Bohol) and Janet Lim Villarojo (Effective Development Communication Unit)— was the latest batch to be invited by Betty Martinez, spokesperson of NGCP –Visayas who, we soon found out, was an energetic multi-tasker who could talk about power supply as fast as she could shuttle from one project/meeting to another.

We took an early trip to Cebu City. Travel time was two hours. At Cebu Pier, Maam Betty accosted us and made things easy for us to the next level of our sea travel. We took the 11 a.m. boat going to Ormoc City. The three-hour trip gave us the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Leyte from a distance. It also gave us breathless feeling when we saw islands/islets.  

At the Ormoc City port, we were reminded that Ormoc City is part of Leyte.

Leyte is divided into two provinces: Leyte and Southern Leyte.

  

Asked in jest if we had time to see Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, the city’s main tourist attraction, Maam Betty (so casual and so unpretentious that’s why she’s so easy to love) said, “We will find time!”  And she did find way to arrange our courtesy call to Mayor Gomez.

From the pier, the group proceeded first to the NGCP’s Leyte Area Control Center where the group had an NGCP Power 101 briefing. 

It was an opportunity for us to know how the facilities operate and how power interruptions takes place.

We all know that the province of Bohol is fully dependent on Leyte for power. And our visit was timely after Bohol had experienced the 21-hour total power outage in December last year.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard “Goma” Gomez 

warmly welcomes the members of the Bohol media and 

NGCP personnel. Courtesy: Ric Obedencio

We learned that NGCP is a privately owned corporation in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country's state-owned power grid, an interconnected system that transmits gigawatts of power at thousands of volts from where it is made to where it is needed.

Its network of interconnected transmission towers and substations serves as the highway where electricity travels from various energy sources to the smaller thoroughfares of distribution utilities and electric cooperatives until it reaches the households.

NGCP's task is to ensure that the country's transmission assets are in optimal condition to convey safe, quality, and reliable electricity. NGCP does this through regular inspection and repair of lines and substations, clearing of Right-of-Way obstructions, and timely restoration during and after natural disasters.

Reliability of power is the company's utmost priority so it closely monitors the grid and immediately responds to any system disturbance. NGCP acts as System Operator that balances the supply and demand of power to maintain the quality of electricity that flows through the grid.

Bulk of the NGCP Ormoc Substation (Visayas Operations District 1) supply is primarily from geothermal power plants plus latest sources from solar.

Bohol has a declared maximum capacity supply of 90 megawatts from Leyte to Bohol via Ormoc-Maasin-Pitogo-Ubay submarine cable.

The actual power supply to Bohol ranges from 55-56mw, while the average supply at night is at 60mw.

The personnel of the NGCP told us that Bohol’s competitive edge as an investment destination is negatively affected until Bohol can find alternative power sources.

 At 5 p.m., we hurriedly went to Ormoc City Hall. Goma is running the 110 barangays.

The people of Ormoc have seen the kind of work that Lucy and Goma have been doing. “Maayos at matino,” said a staff.

The mayor’s office staff said that Goma’s work ethic that he learned in showbiz in his work as a public servant is timeliness.

“Pag sinabing we start work at 8 o’clock, dapat before 8 o’clock ready na kami,” said another staff.

Members of the Bohol Media and personnel of the National Grid Corporation 

of the Philippines and Energy Development Corporation at Tongonan Geothermal 

Plant in Ormoc City. Courtesy: Ric Obedencio

Goma’s three priority projects are:

“No 1 is peace and order. No. 2 is tourism. No 3 is for Ormoc to be business-friendly,” said Goma.

“Ginagaya nga namin yung Bohol because you are one of the places na very successful ang tourism program ninyo,” Goma told members of the Bohol media.

He added, “Our thrust in Ormoc is to promote tourism, because we believe that ‘pag tourism, walang masyadong kalaban where you welcome people. You make them happy and at the same time, when people come sa isang lugar, you want them to spend money.”

                                                                                                

What can tourists see in Ormoc?

“One of them is our Lake Danao, parang Taal Lake. It’s very beautiful.”

Other attractions in Ormoc City are the Lake Kasudsuran, Lake Janagdan, Punta dela Reina, Ormoc’s oldest bridge, and sugar cane and pineapple plantation.

“We are aiming Ormoc to be a tourist destination. Maybe we are not as beautiful as Bohol but we have some areas that we can be proud of like Lake Danao,” said Goma.

While Goma was talking to us, I’d noticed that the women attentively  listened to him with sparkling eyes!  Goma, afterall, is still a hunk who is making women — and other creatures besides — swoon.  

Daghan na-dalaga og balik! Ha! Ha! Ha!

We were billeted at Ormoc Villa Hotel where we had a sumptuous dinner together with Ormoc-based media — Robert Dejon (PDI/GMA News), Lalaine Marcos-Jimenia, publisher of the Eastern Visayas Mail, Elvie Roa, et al.

The following day, we attended the briefing of Energy Development Corporation (EDC) facilitated by NGCP particularly on geothermal power plant.

The EDC personnel explained that since the Philippines is found in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the common heat source is magma, which transfers the heat from the earth’s core, where temperatures reach over 5,000 C.

The presence of water must be positive in a geothermal system. The water beneath the earth turns into that all-important steam used as geothermal energy.

They said that geothermal developers must take care of the forests because without trees, water will just run off to the rivers and seas and leave geothermal reservoirs empty.

From EDC Building, we went to visit the Tongonan Geothermal Reservation.  We missed the visit to the Tongonan Hot Spring National Park. Maybe next time.  The Tongonan Hot Spring National Park has a medicinal pool, a geyser that spurts hourly, and formations exuding sulphuric vapors. We were told that wild pigs, monkeys, deers and birds are also fund in the park.

Of course, we didn’t leave Ormoc City without buying pineapples and moron, and visiting the Saints Paul and Peter Parish Church where Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres and Mayor Goma tied the knot in 1998.

At past 1 p.m., we left Ormoc for Maasin City. We dropped by at the Albuera Town Hall and had photo ops with Mayor Rosa Meneses.  The town rings a bell? We had a stop-over in BayBay City to see the Visayas State University (formerly Visayas State College of Agriculture). It has a total land area of 1, 479 hectares that extends from the shores of Camotes Sea to the top of Mt. Pangasugan.

The group arrived in Maasin City at around 5 p.m., and proceeded to the NGCP-Maasin Substation, where Bohol province gets its power supply via Pitogo island-Ubay.

The NGCP has upgraded the second line, or Line 2 to the Leyte-Bohol grid that supplies electricity to Bohol through submarine cables.

“Line 2 has been in place to ensure continuous power supply in the future,” said Engr. Giovanni Torralba.

Hitches in Leyte grid clutched the whole Bohol to another total power outage on Dec. 4, 2016 which lasted for 20 hours. And we got irked for that.

We stayed at Villa Romana Hotel. We capped the night with a sumptuous dinner together with Ormoc-based journalists- Jani Arnaiz (Inquirer), Monching Buyser and Frank Bandibas of dyDM-AM Maasin.  Others went to the city to buy slippers, while others had a video-k session.

Unfortunately, we spent barely 24 hours in Maasin City and proceeded to Bato, Leyte for our trip back to Bohol.

So much to see, so little time!

From the boat going to Ubay, I took a fleeting glimpse of the mountain of Leyte glittering in the summer sun. It seemed to bid us goodbye, inviting us to visit again. Paging Maam Betty! Ha! Ha! Ha!

 Thank you NGCP for the great experience. Thank you Maam Betty! Thank you Ms Michelle Visera! Thank you Ms  Ma. Edna Legaspina!

***

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ASG wiped out in Bohol

ASG wiped out in Bohol

The day the Abu Sayyaf landed in Bohol and never made it out

CALAPE— Sleep has come easy for Alexander Cuabo and his family now that the two remaining members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) are dead.

“We can sleep well now because all ASG members have been neutralized,” said Cuabo, 57, and a resident of Barangay Looc, Pangangan Island, Calape town.

Fishermen went fishing on Tuesday morning, a day after the killing of the two remaining bandits. Some residents went to the beach to swim.

Life on the island of Pangangan has slowly returned to normal following the death of Abu Ubayda and Alias Asis, the last of the 11 Abu Sayyaf members who tried to enter Bohol through Barangay Napo in Inabanga town on April 10.

Soldiers combing the five-hectare mangrove swamps on Pangangan Island 

in Calape where the two remnants of the Abu Sayyaf Group 

hid before they were killed.  Leo Udtohan

The two were killed in a shootout with the police on May 15 after surviving two separate clashes with government troops on April 11 and April 22 that killed seven of their colleagues including leader Abu Rami and their local guide, sub-leader Joselito Melloria.

“Life on the island is back to normal although the presence of the police there remains. We still conduct police visibility and mobile patrol,” said Senior Inspector Cresente Gurrea, Calape police chief.

Cuabo said he and his neighbors used to stay awake at night after they learned that the two Abu Sayyaf members reached their island by stealing a paddle boat.

They were afraid that the bandit group might hostage them out of desperation since the government troops were hot on their trail.

Even their fiesta last week was affected, said Cuabo.

“The fiesta was so quiet. It was better to kill a snake because it would create a little noise,” said Cuabo.

Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto said it was the residents’ vigilance that enabled authorities to track down the bandits and neutralize them.

“We laud our people’s vigilance in providing information to our law enforcement authorities without which tracking of the bandits would have been very difficult,” Chatto said.

Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Matanguihan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, said Bohol is now cleared of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits.

“This crisis is finally over,” said Matanguihan. “Now, we can finally say that nothing was left of the terrorists who went to Bohol,” he added.

Survival

Alias Ubayda and Alias Asis were spotted on May 8 in Barangay Candungao, a hinterland village in San Isidro town, at least 17 km from Barangay Tanawan in Tubigon town.

The two were hiding in the forests and thick vegetation of San Isidro.

According to Capt. Jojo Mascariñas, spokesman of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, they were able to survive in the forest of Bohol which is abundant with coconut trees and other edible fruits.

But he added they had difficulty getting out of the province because they didn’t know Bohol’s topography.

“They just kept on avoiding the people and would go where their feet would take them,” he added.

The hinterlands of Clarin, Tubigon and Inabanga has a lot of coconuts, bananas and several fruit-bearing trees that could provide food for the stragglers.

They could drink water from the springs and rivers in the areas.

Mascariñas said Kiram survived by eating coconut meat for many days.

“Our body can survive as long as there is water and food that contains sugar,” he added.

‘Kastila Cave’

The "Kastila Cave" in Barangay Kahayag in Pangangan 

Island in Calape town, #Bohol where the the last two 

remnants of the Abu Sayyaf-Alias Ubayda and Alias Asis -hid 

for five days before they were killed on Monday. Leo Udtohan

Early morning on May 11,   several island residents spotted the two men paddling a stolen boat from Sitio Abucayan in Barangay Liboron, still in Calape.

The villagers immediately reported the sightings to authorities.

Checkpoints were set up the following day in the seven barangays on Pangangan Island.

By the crack of dawn on Friday, government troops were already seen on the island’s Barangays Kahayag and Lawis.

Rubber boats from the Philippine Navy roved the waters surrounding the island while helicopters hovered at night to prevent the ASG members’ escape.

The bandits were believed to hide in a mangrove forest preserve connected by a four-kilometer causeway to mainland Calape town.

At around 7 a.m. on May 11, Hilario “Baludoy” Toloy, 76, and his 12-year-old son went near the mangroves to look for seashells in Barangay Kahayag, Pangangan Island.

Little did they know that Abu Ubayda and Alias Asis were hiding in a small cave called “Kastila Cave” which was covered by mangrove trees.

The father and son were held hostage by the bandits who asked for food because they were starving.

To ensure that Toloy would return after going home to get rice and “inun-unan” (fish stewed in vinegar), the bandits kept his son.

At home, Toloy told his wife about what had just happened.

His wife then reported the matter to the village chief and authorities while Toloy returned to the bandits.

After Ubayda and Asis finished eating, the Toloys were released.

Authorities later found near the cave four coconuts, a string, pieces of small wood and jackets — believed to be owned by the bandits.

Meanwhile, the two fled to Barangay Lomboy where Asis reportedly commandeered a motorcycle.

While traveling, the bandits were flagged down at a security checkpoint. The two turned around and were chased by government troops.

They then split up.

Ubayda, who was armed with an M-16 rifle, tried to go back to the mangrove forest but was met by a 70-year-old man identified only as Lolo Peryong who was cleaning his yard.

Gurrea said that instead of running away, the elderly took his bolo and tried to attack Ubayda.

But Peryong was overpowered by the much younger Ubayda who slashed the farmer with his own bolo and hit him with the rifle.

Peryong was rushed to a hospital while Ubayda was killed moments later after he was cornered by government troops who repeatedly shot him in the head, ripping off his face.

The military confirmed that the fatality was Ubayda because of his wedding ring where the name of his wife was engraved.

A few hours later, Asis was killed at least 200 meters from where Ubayda lay dead.

At about 10 a.m. on May 12, Ubayda and Asis, like their ASG comrades slain in Inabanga and Clarin towns, were buried without a ceremony outside the Calape Municipal Cemetery in keeping with the Islam tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours of their death.

Incidentally, their burial site is just a few meters away from where Special Weapons and Tactics operative PO2 Rey Anthony Nazareno was laid to rest.

Nazareno was among the four government troops who were killed in the encounter in Barangay Napo, Inabanga.

T I M E L I N E

APRIL 10, 2017- 11 Abu Sayyaf members including their sub-leader Joselito Melloria slipped into Bohol on board three kumpits (two- engine motorboats) in Barangay Napo, Inabanga town, for a kidnapping and terror mission.

APRIL 11, 2017 – A firefight erupted in Inabanga town between the ASG members and government troops and resulted in the killing of four ASG members including bomb expert Abu Rami, three soldiers and one policeman and 2 civilians. Thousands of villagers were displaced. Seven ASG survivors went into hiding. 

April 22, 2017- A firefight in Clarin killed Joselito Melloria and three other members. At the height of Clarin clash, law enforcers arrested Supt. Ma. Cristina Nobleza and her husband  Abu Sayyaf bomber Reenor Lou Dungon, Judith Dungon and a minor. Nobleza and Dungon were in a mission to rescue the remaining ASG members trapped in Bohol.

May 4, 2017-  Samad Saad Kiram o Alyas Kiram was arrested in Barangay Tanawan in Tubigon town.  He came out of hiding to look for food in the village. He was held for tactical investigation, but less than 24 hours after his capture, he was gunned down by police for allegedly trying to escape while being transported to the Bohol District Jail. Kiram’s death is now the subject of an in-depth investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

May 15, 2017- The last two remaining ASG remnants-Alias Ubayda and Alias Asis were killed in a firefight in Barangay Lawis, Pangangan Island, Calape town. They were hiding for five days inside the “Kastila Cave” covered by mangrove trees until they accosted a resident ad held his son hostage in exchange for food.

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.

Happy Mother’s Day!

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.— Jewish Proverb

Mother’s Day always gets me feeling so emotional, simply because it’s such a day that we honor our mothers.  We are so eternally grateful to have such an amazing Mama, Nanay, Nana, Ina, Ima, Ermats, Mamang, Inang,  Mommy, Mudra!

As early as last week, VRS readers sent inspiration mother’s day stories they culled from the internet that brought tears to my eyes. I just couldn’t stop myself from crying because we know that a mother would do everything for her children.  Read on.

My Mom Only Had One Eye

My mom only had one eye. I hated her… She was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students and teachers to support the family.

There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed.

The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. 

Courtesy: Pinterest

How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out. The next day at school one of my classmates said, ‘EEEE, your mom only has one eye!’

I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. I confronted her that day and said, ‘ If you’re only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don’t you just die?’

My mom did not respond… I didn’t even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings.

I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her. So I studied real hard, got a chance to go abroad to study.

Then, I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids

and the comforts. Then one day, my Mother came to visit me. She hadn’t seen me in years and she didn’t even meet her grandchildren.

When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, ‘How dare you come to my house and scare my children!’ GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!’

And to this, my mother quietly answered, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address,’ and she disappeared out of sight.

One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house. So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the reunion, I went to the old shack just out of curiosity.

My neighbors said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

‘My dearest son,

I think of you all the time. I’m sorry that I came to your house and scared your children.

I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion. But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I’m sorry that I was a constant embarrassment to you when you were growing up.

You see……..when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn’t stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine.

I was so proud of my son who was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.

With all my love to you,

Your mother.’

A Mother’s Love

A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: P50

For cleaning up my room this week: P100

For going to the store for you: P20

Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: P60

Taking out the garbage: P50

For getting a good report card: P500

For cleaning up and raking the yard: P100

Total owed: P880

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me: No Charge

For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years: No Charge

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose: No Charge

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is: No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said,”Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “PAID IN FULL”

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Thanks for your letters, all will be answered. Comments welcome at leoudtohan@yahoo.com, follow leoudtohanINQ at Twitter /Facebook.