Army, police operatives nab MB member in AgNor
By 1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang
BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte, Nov. 14 -- Joint forces of the 23rd
Infantry “Masigasig” Battalion (23rd IB) and the Butuan City Police Office
(BCPO) from Stations 1 and 5 arrested an active member of the Militia ng Bayan
(MB) and Sanga sa Partio sa Lokalidad (SPL) under the Guerrilla Front (GF) 4-A,
North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) of the Communist New People’s
Army (NPA) Terrorist (CNT) during a law enforcement operation conducted on
November 1, 2020, at Purok 22, Bagong Silang, Barangay San Mateo in Butuan
City.
The apprehended CNT member was identified as Eduardo Namaog Bagsican
@LOLONG, 55, and a resident in the area.
The police personnel and the 23rd IB troopers were in the area for the
service of an arrest warrant issued against the subject CNT member. Bagsican is
wanted for the crime of Attempted Murder docketed as Criminal Case No 2020-985
at the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 3 in Butuan City. His arrest warrant
was issued by Judge Marigel S. Dagani-Hugo with a recommended bail bond of
PHP150,000.00. After the arrest, authorities brought the CNT member to BCPO
station 5 for custody and proper disposition.
Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, the Acting Commander of 23rd IB
commended the Army and police personnel involved in the arrest of Bagsican.
“No one is above the law,” Paulo said, referring to the remaining members
and supporters of the CNTs in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte.
He pointed out that the government will not stop in performing law
enforcement operations against CNT members who have standing warrants of arrest
and the implementation of the programs and services under Executive Order No.
70, or the Whole-of-Nation approach to End Local Communist Armed Conflict
(ELCAC).
“We will do our best to neutralize all the spoilers of peace and those
who destroy our country. It is always the aim of the government to make this
country constantly soaring high to achieve lasting peace and sustainable
development,” Paulo said.
He also urged the remaining members of GF 4-A of the CNT to surrender as
the government continue to offer them programs and services.
“Stop exploiting, manipulating, harassing and extorting from the people,
especially those in the countryside. You are only making the lives of our
people miserable and their communities impoverished,” Paulo said.
He also reminded the CNT members that criminal charges will be filed
against them once they continue to harass and intimidate residents. (CMO
Officer, 23IB PA/PIA-Agusan del Norte)
DA launches breeding source of Itik Pinas in Caraga
By Kent Warren H. Fugoso
BUTUAN CITY, Nov. 14 -- With its potential production efficiency and
improved egg-laying capacity, the Department of Agriculture (DA) - Caraga
through its Livestock Program launched the Regional Center for Native Animal
Development, Production, and Learning for ItikPinas, held and located at the
Trento Research and Experiment Station (TRES) in Trento, Agusan del Sur,
October 30.
DA Caraga Regional Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo together
with DA Caraga Regional Technical Director for Operations Rebecca R. Atega
initiated the ribbon cutting, which was then followed by a turnover ceremony of
100 female and 15 male ItikPinas strain and one sack of duck feeds to the three
identified farmer recipients from the Municipality of Trento, Agusan del Sur, Lingig,
Surigao del Sur, and Butuan City.
ItikPinas (IP) strain is a genetically superior breeder duck which is a
product of continuous selection and organized breeding of the traditional
Pateros duck. A strain that is smaller in size with a minimum amount of food
consumption but with predictable higher egg production performance. The strain
was developed by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural
Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology
(DOST-PCAARRD) as an output for its Duck Industry Strategic S&T Program
(ISP).
Moreover, the DA – Caraga through its TRES, withstanding its performance
as one of the well managed and high performing stations in the Philippines, was
chosen by the National Livestock Program (NLP) to launch the Native Animals
Development, Production, and Learning Centers in three (3) strategic regions.
This includes the Caraga Region, centering to the production of Itik Pinas
strain as a commodity.
Livestock Program Focal Person Jekem Sanchez expressed that one of the
objectives of developing the multiplier farm is to augment the low supply of
poultry production in the region, specifically the duck.
Dir. Monteagudo added that the recipients should address this
opportunity as a platform to call forth business initiatives that will improve
the agriculture sector in the region, that through this, additional livelihood
will prosper.
Elevating the commerce in agriculture, Ryan Raymond Fortich, one of the
recipients of ItikPinas strain and owner of the Double R Sloping Agriculture
Land Technology (SALT) Integrated Farm in Lingig, Surigao del Sur, said that
one of his objectives anchor on the agricultural diversification.
“I came from the infrastructure sector, I have enough space that has no
use already since my business was severely affected this pandemic. I don’t want
to lose my workers so I decided to convert my space to an agricultural farm. I
kept them busy by building goat house, poultry house, house for farm equipment,
and so on,” he said.
“To make use of my 1.5-hectare farm, I acquired multiple livestock and
poultry animals for production and also for multiplying,” Fortich added.
From infrastructure to agriculture, Fortich explained that this is a
good venture for creating livelihood within his area.
“I have 100 square meter of land allocated only to ItikPinas. I already
have plans for this once it’s ready for production. Maybe we can use this for
balut, and salted duck egg production. I observed, there’s no producer of such
products here in Lingig. Through this, we can create some livelihood. We create
business,” he said.
“After all, what matters most is that we gain something from this and we
can help so many people especially here in Lingig. So instead of just leaving
my land to empty, I make sure to make it productive. Soon, if we are already
GAP-GAHP certified, we can attract even more tourists,” he added.
Individuals, farmer cooperators, and indigenous people interested in duck farming may inquire to their respective Local Government Units through the Agriculture Office for endorsement, followed by a letter of intent addressed to the regional executive director. (DA13-RAFIS/PIA Caraga)
