BAGUIO City and the Cordillera region experienced various events from political, environmental, social, economics, natural calamities and even bloody crimes which would shape and dictate the actions of government authorities in 2018.
La Paz,Abra bombing
The start of 2018 saw the death of two policemen with nine others injured when a grenade explosion occurred at La Paz town in Abra province in the early morning of January 25.
Among the nine injured were Abra Mayor Menchie Bernos and Congressman Joseph Sto. Nino Bernos who were both sent home after being treated for slight injuries sustained from the grenade blast.
Then newly installed Police Regional Office Cordillera director Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana in his first 100 days in office achieved a breakthrough in the incident following the arrest of Joel Millare Balucas of Lagayan, Abra on September 4, 2018, the suspect in the bombing incident.
Abra village pols top narcolist
Prior to the barangay elections in May, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency released 34 names of barangay officials identified as drug users and pushers through evaluation and intelligence gathering system.
Despite the release of the names, PDEA mulled on filing charges against these officials but until the court decided on the case, the alleged involvement of these officials in the illegal drug trade remained an accusation.
Plastic ban in Baguio
The initial total ban on the use of plastic bags and styrofoam products took effect in May paving the way for its full implementation three months after.
But prior to its full implementation, some city lawmakers wanted to make amendments to the ordinance with the intention to favor some sectors but was disregarded when Baguio Regreening Movement (BRM) Chairman Erdolfo Balajadia made public the move of some honorable members of the City Council.
Hype beasts sow terror in city
In June, the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) enforced its strict monitoring of the so called 'HypeBeast' to prevent bullying against students particularly during and after the opening of classes on the same month.
Task force on media bullies SunStar Baguio
In a press conference in Baguio City, Presidential Task Force for Media Security (PTFoMS) Undersecretary Joel Egco announced a planned Magna Carta for Media Workers to professionalize the journalism profession through a qualifying and classifying exams but not regulation, which was published by SunStar Baguio.
But after its publication, Egco wanted SunStar Baguio to retract its story by saying he was misquoted despite an audio recording and transcript.
SunStar Baguio editorial department did not retract the story and instead, stood by the story.
Aftermath of typhoons
October saw the coming of Typhoon Ompong claiming the lives of 78 people in Itogon, Benguet with most of them killed by a huge landslide that occurred in Barangay Ucab's Level 070.
Fifty were from Level 070 with at least 33 still missing, 27 from Level 070.
Close to P6 billion of agricultural products were destroyed in the region, around P30 million electric line facilities of the Benguet Electric Cooperative and P5 million water line system of Baguio Water District incurred were also damaged.
Typhoon ‘Rosita’ which followed Ompong added to the damages in the region and displaced 30,734 families with 15 confirmed deaths prompting government agencies and local government units in the affected regions to allot a total of P15,928,885 worth of assistance to the victims.
During ‘Rosita’s’ onslaught, the building of the Department of Public Woeks and Highways Second District at Sitio Ha’rang, Banawel, Natonin, Mountain Province, was washed out by a landslide, causing the death of 26 people while six remain missing with as search and rescue (SAR) operations lasted for 23 days.
The tragedy gave way for DPWH Secretary Mark Villar to instruct all existing offices and facilities of the department in the country to undergo the necessary review and assessment of its existing facilities to ensure that such unfortunate event would not happen again.
Senseless killings
The year saw a bloody end with the murder of Imam Bedijim Abdullah who was shot several times by still unidentified suspects in broad daylight on December 6.
Newly installed Baguio City Police Director Police (BCPO) director Senior Superintendent Eliseo Tanding announced the creation of Special Investigation Task Group Bedijim to determine the motive of the killing of the Imam, and the identity of the perpetrator/s.
Tanding called on the Muslim and Christian communities in Baguio City to remain calm as this was an isolated case in the countries summer capital.
In August, a 23 – year - old cellphone pawnshop sales clerk was also killed along Abanao Road. Security camera footage recorded a man wearing a face mask exited the pawnshop past 9 a.m., while police have yet to determine the identity of the suspect.
In the same month, authorities in the province of Abra remained clueless as to the motive and identity of the perpetrators in the killing of Lagayan Councilor Isagani Gamboa Joson.
PRO-COR created a special investigation task group to investigate and look into possible threats received by Joson prior to the shooting incident.