MINDANAO DAILY TRUTH | JUSTICE | PROGRESS
Volume XI, No. 128
www.mindanaodailynews.com
Tuesday March 15, 2022
Bizman nabbed, P27M shabu seized by PDEA By GERRY LEE GORIT Correspondent
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A businessman was arrested with illegal drugs confiscated estimated to be worth P27 million following a buy-bust operation conducted by government agents led by the Phil. Drug Enforcement Agency-10 (PDEA-10) Saturday night March 12, 2022. Based on his driver’s license, the suspect’s name was Arnel Asuncion, from Poblacion, Lupon, Davao Oriental. During the buy-bust operation, PDEA-10 operatives, with the help of police and government soldiers, confiscated from the suspect’s possession about four kilos of alleged “shabu.” Ji g g e r Mo nt a l l a n a , PDEA-10 director, said they have been keeping track of Asuncion for two months before he was caught during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Maria Cristina, Iligan City. He said the suspect, who arrived from Davao Oriental, got the drugs in Marawi City and was planning to drop it off in Cagayan de Oro and other parts of the region. Montallana said Asuncion traveled alone in his blue Navara pick-up when he agreed to meet up See NABBED, page 11
P15.00 Andanar sees need to expand SAP amid rising fuel prices By AZER PARROCHA
MANILA – Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, acting presidential spokesperson, on Thursday said he sees the need to expand the existing social amelioration program (SAP) to relieve Filipinos from spiraling prices of petroleum products caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In an interview over DZBB, Andanar said he favors the distribution of a cash subsidy but acknowledged the challenges of generating funds for the program. “Kung gugustuhin talaga mas gusto natin mayroong ayuda, may SAP lahat (If it were up to me, I favor cash aid, everyone would have SAP),” he said. The SAP is a monthly cash subsidy given to lowincome families whose livelihoods were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Andanar echoed reservations made by the Department of Finance (DOF) on lawmakers’ calls to suspend fuel excise taxes amid the soaring oil prices. “Nandoon nga iyong magiging dilemma natin sapagkat kapag tinanggal mo iyong excise tax siyempre maraming pondo ang mawawala doon sa social services sa DSWD [Department of Social Welfare and Development]. So, kaya kailangan talagang PDEA-10 regional director Jigger Montallana (seated) presents to reporters the suspect, Arnel Asuncion, who was balansehin nang husto itong arrested in a buy-bust operation in Iligan City late Saturday, and the alleged crystal meth, estimated to be worth problema at ang solusyon P27 million. photo by gerry lee gorit
Councilor Lordan Suan pushes for creation of city colleges By GERRY LEE GORIT Correspondent
Cagayan de Oro City City Councilor and 1st District congressional candidate Atty. Lordan Suan discusses with reporters on Thursday (March 10, 2022) the issue on city scholars as he emphasized it must be sustained. photo gerry lee gorit
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – City Councilor and 1st District congressional aspirant Lordan Suan is pushing for the creation of city colleges as part of his priority program if elected. Suan said that the city’s scholarship program which has an annual sponsorship of 7,000 students is already “an outstanding” number but says that the city can do better.
Since 2013, Mayor Oscar Moreno launched a massive education development program constructing almost a thousand classrooms in almost nine years for the primary and secondary levels. The city government also sent thousands of scholars to higher education institutions across the city. Suan said that there are at least 12,000 senior high school graduates annually and the city is sending seven
thousand each year. “We want to fill that gap of five thousand students, send them to college too,” Suan said. He said that if elected, he will file a law that will establish the Cagayan de Oro City Colleges – a daunting task but the young councilor says is doable on a multi-year program. This city’s neighboring towns, Opol and Tagoloan, See PUSHES, page 11
See NEED, page 11