Top NPA commander captured in AgNor
By 1Lt Roel
Maglalang
BUENAVISTA, Agusan
del Norte, Jan. 3 – Authorities nabbed Agusan del Norte’s top 1 most wanted New
People’s Army (NPA) terrorist on Sunday morning, Dec. 30, 2018.
The top most
wanted NPA terrorist was identified as Juoquin A. MadriΓ±an Jr. alias
Alto/Jun-Jun.
MadriΓ±an was also
listed as the top 2 in the list of criminals in the province.
He was caught in
Barangay Tagcatong in Carmen town by the joint elements of 23rd Infantry
Battalion under the operational control of the 402nd Infantry Brigade,
Provincial Police Office of Agusan del Norte, 1st Agusan del Norte Provincial
Mobile Force Company and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-13.
He was allegedly an
intelligence officer of Sub-Regional Committee WANAS of the North Central
Mindanao Regional Committee and the current commanding officer of Special
Partisan Armed Revolutionary Unit (SPARU) of NPA in CARAGA region.
During the arrest,
confiscated in his possession are one-unit caliber 45 pistol with one magazine
and 22 rounds of live ammunition for caliber 45, one hand grenade; and one
piece sling bag.
The suspect was
arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for several murder cases and arson.
The captured NPA
criminal is responsible for numerous crimes and atrocities and has warrants of
arrest for several murder cases and arson.
Meanwhile, 23IB
Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Francisco Molina Jr. thanked the concerned citizens
who bravely provided positive and timely information to the authorities about
the activities and whereabouts of the captured commander.
“We extend our
gratitude to the residents of the Municipality of Carmen for providing the
information that led to the arrest of the top most wanted NPA criminal who is
sowing fear amongst the ordinary people,” Lt. Col. Molina said.
Molina assured the
public that the 23IB troopers will continue to perform their mandate of serving
and protecting the people.
“It will abide by
the rules of engagements, respect human rights and adhere to the rule of law in
the performance of its mission,” Molina added. (23IB PA/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DA chief leads turnover of Solar-Powered
Irrigation Project in Agusan Sur
By Emmylou T.
Presilda
PROSPERIDAD,
Agusan del Sur, Jan. 3 - Just in time for the start of the planting season in
Caraga region, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel F. PiΓ±ol spent
his last day of work for the year 2018 by providing the rice farmers’
long-dreamed irrigation project.
PiΓ±ol leads the
turnover of the first of the five Solar-Powered Irrigation Project (SPIS)
established in Caraga region located in Brgy. Sinobong, Veruela, Agusan del
Sur. This was received by Chairman Angelo Jalucon of the Cautan Sinobong
Farmers Association (CASFA), a 58-member association.
The Php6-Million
worth SPIS with a 25 Horsepower Irrigation Pump can irrigate up to 60 hectares,
and more if additional pipes are added to reach farther areas.
SPIS is a project
introduced by PiΓ±ol as part of his 10-Priority Agenda in lifting the state of
rice farming in the country.
It aims to
increase rice production by providing the water needed by farmers to irrigate
their farms and enable them to plant and harvest at least twice a year thereby
increasing productivity.
“Compared to the
big NIA Irrigation systems that are costly and require millions of pesos for
its construction, the SPIS is cheaper and can be built within three months,”
said PiΓ±ol.
With the
establishment of more SPIS, PiΓ±ol hopes to introduce later another technology
called Fertigation. As the name implies, fertigation is a process in which
fertilizer is applied with the irrigation water.
“Through this
technology, fertilization becomes more accurate and uniform for every rice
area,” PiΓ±ol added.
The DA's SPIS
Project goes in tandem with the Easy Access Credit Loan Program called
Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) that gives farmers the access to a loan of
only six percent interest rate without collateral payable in two years for rice
farmers.
The DA hopes that
through this two flagship program under the Duterte Administration, farmers
will finally graduate from the cycle of lending from loan sharks which hits
them twice to poverty.
In 2019, a budget
of Php3.4 Billion has been allocated for easy access credit financing under the
Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC).
During the
turnover ceremony and open forum with farmers, PiΓ±ol commits to allocating Php5
million under the PLEA Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council as
initial fund for the farmers in Veruela.
According to
Secretary PiΓ±ol, each farmer can avail the loan provided that they undergo the
orientation, financial literacy program, and register under the Farmers
Registration System.
In addition, PiΓ±ol
directed DA-Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo to
conduct a Rice Derby in Veruela to determine the most suitable variety of rice
for the locality.
LGU shall identify
the five-hectare area for the said project, preferably those that benefit from
the solar irrigation system.
Rice Derby is a
technology demonstration initiative of the DA where Rice Seed Companies will be
given a one-hectare area to showcase the yield capacity and performance of
their product.
The farmers will
then choose the best variety through the result of the demonstration.
PiΓ±ol also
committed to providing the municipality a 1.5-kilometer Farm-to-Market Road
(FMR) after seeing for himself the lack of good road network from the SPIS
Service area to the barangay center.
“I would like to
provide you a 1.5-kilometer FMR project but this would be included in the year
2020 since our budget for 2019 is already done. I would also instruct Director
Monteagudo to establish a Multiplier farm for Native Pigs and native Chicken in
this municipality. I am also instructing the Rice Focal Person of the Region to
provide one rice seeds each to the 58 farmer-recipients of the SPIS,” Pinol
said.
Mayor Myrna Mondejar of
Veruela expressed her joy for the agriculture assistance received by the municipality
and also commits to putting up their own counterpart to widen the coverage of
the project to help more farmers. (DA-Caraga/PIA-Agusan del Sur)
