PDEA: Dagupan supplies illegal drugs to Ilocos, Cordillera

DAGUPAN -- The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Ilocos Region confirmed that Barangay Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan City is the source of illegal drugs filtering into other parts of Pangasinan, La Union and Baguio City as affirmed by most arrested drug pushers and dealers in those areas.

Dagupan to scrap tsunami hill project

DAGUPAN -- The incoming city administration of Dagupan has no intention of continuing with the proposed man-made tsunami hill in the island village of Pugaro started last year by outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim.

Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez, the mayor-elect of Dagupan who beat Lim in the last election, said the City Government will save at least P8 million if it will discontinue with the project after P6 million was already spent for its Phase 1.

Dagupan to limit hiring of consultants

DAGUPAN -- The incoming administration of Dagupan City has announced that it would limit the hiring of consultants in order to run the City Government efficiently.

Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez, the incoming city mayor, said she does not think that her administration will have the luxury of doing what outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim did when he hired 69 consultants aside from more than 800 emergency workers (EWs).

SSS Dagupan opens every Saturday for registering ‘kasambahay’

DAGUPAN -- The Social Security System here has announced it is open on Saturdays this June to accommodate household employers and domestic workers or "kasambahay" who are registering.

Katarina Basbas, SSS Dagupan assistant branch manager, said the Saturday schedule already started last June 8 when 20 "kasambahay" and their employers already registered.

LTO field offices await IRR vs drunk, drugged drivers

DAGUPAN -- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) here is still awaiting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to fully implement the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.

Eric Suriben, officer-in-charge of the LTO district office in Dagupan City, admitted that the newly signed law requires a well-studied IRR for the effective implementation of said law.

Acting-mayor orders probe on alleged misuse of funds

DAGUPAN -- Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez was surprised to learn that a city hall-based cooperative is supplying the food intended for malnourished children in a feeding program bankrolled by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The administration of outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim allegedly allows the city-hall based Asenso cooperative to buy food stuff and also cook these to be served to the malnourished children.

Pastor arrested for illegal possession of ammunition

LINGAYEN -- A man said to be a Methodist pastor was arrested after police seized several rounds of ammunition during a raid in his house at Thursday morning in Barangay Flores, Umingan town.

Raiding teams however failed to seize any firearm from the house of Glenon Guimbal, a native of Basilan province who was reported to be a minister of the Ancient Church of the East in Barangay Flores.

Dagupan lacks funds to pay 914 consultants, workers

DAGUPAN -- The City Government of Dagupan has no funds to pay the at least 900 consultants and technical workers under its payroll, said mayor-elect Belen Fernandez.

Fernandez said she already signed the payroll for the 69 technical consultants (TCs) and 845 emergency workers (EWs) for May 1 to 15 but she admitted that she does not know if the workers can be paid for May 16 to 31 and June.

Guv seeks ouster of police chief

LINGAYEN – The Provincial Government of Pangasinan on Friday has asked a local court to issue a temporary restraining order on the appointment of provincial police director Marlou Chan.

In a petitioned filed before the Regional Trial Court in Lingayen, the petitioners said Chan's appointment should be declared "unlawful" and that he "should be ousted from the position."

Espino, Calimlim proclaimed

LINGAYEN -- Governor Amado Espino Jr. and Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim were given fresh mandates Wednesday after the Provincial Board of Canvassers proclaimed them as winners in Monday's elections.

They were proclaimed even if only 70.2 percent of the votes cast in province had been transmitted and canvassed with 29.8 percent yet to be transmitted from different electoral precincts in the province.

LP produces 6 mayors in Pangasinan

DAGUPAN -- The Liberal Party (LP) has emerged a force to reckon with even if its candidates for governor and vice governor lost by a wide margin in this year's election.

As shown by the result of Monday's voting, the LP now dominate one legislative district-- the fourth district of Pangasinan whose re-elected representative is Gina de Venecia.

Dagupan mayor’s son belies reports his father has died

DAGUPAN -- The son of Mayor Benjamin Lim has issued on Wednesday a press statement denying that his father has died, belying what is being circulated in text messages as well as those appearing in networking sites.

Brian Lim, who was proclaimed as vice mayor-elect of Dagupan City Tuesday, said his father is in stable condition in a Manila hospital where he was transferred after being treated initially at a local hospital in Dagupan City.

Power now restored in some Pangasinan towns

DAGUPAN -- Power has been returned as of 5 p.m. in the towns of San Manuel, Manaoag, San Fabian and San Jacinto but not in four other towns in central and western Pangasinan, including Dagupan City.

This was announced by the Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp), power franchise holder in some of the affected towns.

Team PNoy's mood? Upbeat but not celebratory

LINGAYEN -- Upbeat but not celebratory.

This is how senatorial candidate Aurora Representative Sonny Angara described the mood of the Team PNoy ticket with just nine days left in the national campaign.

De Venecia: Team PNoy will win big in Pangasinan

LINGAYEN -- Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said Thursday that the administration senatorial bets will likely edge out candidates of the opposition ticket in the province of Pangasinan.

"Team PNoy I think will have an edge. But Pangasinan looks at the two tickets as factions of one great national coalition," De Venecia told reporters in an ambush interview.

Braganza denies backing out from gubernatorial race

DAGUPAN CITY -- Liberal Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate Hernani Braganza on Monday laughed off a report allegedly being peddled by the camp of his rival that he has withdrawn from the race.

Special Action Force secures Pangasinan mayor

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- The Police Provincial Office (PPO) has announced they had secured Bugallon Mayor Rodrigo Orduna and his family following a grenade attack in front of his house in Barangay Bugayong, Bugallon at dawn of April 17.

Senior Inspector Ryan Manongo, PPO information officer, said members of the Special Action Force (SAF), not the local policemen, are securing Orduna and his family.

Cargo truck hijacked

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- Five armed men hijacked last Friday a cargo truck loaded with 173 sacks of rice worth P242,000, police reported.

Danilo Balin, 36, of Barangay Polo, San Carlos City, driver of the truck owned by Khato Moreno, proprietor of KNK Grains Merchandizing, told the police that his vehicle was blocked by the armed men at the boundary of the Urbiztondo-San Carlos provincial road around 9:30 p.m.

Student missing while swimming along Agno River

A STUDENT was missing and believed already drowned Friday afternoon along the Agno River in Barangay Laoac, Bautista, police reported.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the police Maritime Group as well as the Bautista Police are still conducting search operation for the still missing Noriel Barroga, 19, of Barangay Ketegan, Bautista, Pangasinan.

Fil-Am awed by fast development of Pangasinan

"IF MY grandfathers were still alive, I know they would be amused with what is now developing in their dear province."

Thus said Alma Quintans-Kerns, this year’s Balitok Awardee of the Asna Awards when she was the guest of honor during the commemorative program of the 433rd Foundation Anniversary of Pangasinan at the Capitol Plaza Friday, in praise of her province.

Dagupan mayoralty bet thanks Aquino for his endorsement

THE vice mayor of Dagupan City has vowed to campaign harder in order to win the mayoralty race in the city now that she and her entire slate have the support of President Benigno Aquino III.

Belen Fernandez, the Liberal Party candidate for mayor, received the endorsement from Aquino when he and the entire Team PNoy were in Dagupan City last Friday as part of the team's barnstorming rallies in different parts of vote-rich Pangasinan.

Guv mourns death of Lingayen mayor

PANGASINAN Governor Amado Espino Jr. mourned the passing of Lingayen Mayor Ernesto "Jonas" Castaneda who died last Saturday due to a heart problem.

"We mourn the death of a dear friend and fellow public servant," he said.

Aquino promises more development projects for Pangasinan

DAGUPAN CITY -- President Benigno Aquino III exhorted the people of Pangasinan Friday to support candidates allied with his administration to easily realize the province's potential in trade and tourism.

The government has not changed its strategy to develop Pangasinan, he said in his address during a meeting with local leaders here.

12-0 sweep for Team PNoy in Pangasinan 'possible'

DAGUPAN CITY -- A Liberal Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate on Friday said Pangasinan, the third most vote-rich province in the country, will deliver a 12-0 sweep for the Team PNoy senatorial bets in the midterm elections.

Alaminos City Mayor Hernani Braganza, a candidate for governor, admitted that there is coalition problem in the local level but he assured that the LP-led administration coalition will get a 12-0 sweep comes Election Day.

Team PNoy: No pressure in matching UNA crowd in Baguio

DAGUPAN CITY -- Team PNoy doesn't feel the pressure to match the crowd attendance of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) when both political coalitions hold their rallies in Baguio City this coming Sunday.

"We have no problems with the crowd, we will present our platform," Team PNoy campaign manager Senator Franklin Drilon told reporters in an ambush interview on Friday.

Oil spill cleanup done by March 18 -- OCD

THE oil spill affecting the coastlines of Ilocos region for two weeks now is expected to be cleaned up by March 18, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said.

OCD regional director Melchito Castro said March 18 is the deadline set by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to finally remove oil debris scattered in the coastlines of La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and Pangasinan.

De Venecia files bill to protect special children

DAGUPAN CITY - Pangasinan Representative Gina de Venecia (4th district) has filed a bill seeking the establishment of a welfare institution that will take care of special children or those with autism, and hearing and speech impairments.

House Bill 6547, which De Venecia filed in Congress, is an act providing for the establishment of centers for children with autism and those with hearing and speech impairment.

Oil spill reaches Ilocos Norte coastline

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced that a coordinating conference is scheduled on Tuesday to determine the exact cause of the oil spill in the coastal waters of La Union and Ilocos Sur.

The conference will be attended by various government agencies headed by the Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the local governments of the affected provinces, municipalities and cities.

Pangasinan guv, congressman face murder raps

PANGASINAN Governor Amado Espino is facing murder charges at the Department of Justice (DOJ) for the death of Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez last December 15.

The case, which also tagged Pangasinan Representative Jesus Celeste, came nearly two months after Espino was implicated in the proliferation of illegal numbers game, jueteng.

Gun ban violator nabbed

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan -- A farmer from Umingan town believed to be gunrunner was the latest person arrested by police for violation of the election gun ban and illegal possession of firearms.

Ricardo Balala, 39, a widower, of Sitio Raniag, Barangay Capaz, Umingan, was on board his motorcycle around 4:45 p.m. Sunday when he was arrested by the police.