Tolentino keen on filing raps vs LTO 7
Incumbent senator Francis Tolentino is amendable towards the filing of case against the five dismissed personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) who abused their authority and violently accosted a Boholano farmer in a traffic stop last month.
During his visit here on Tuesday, Tolentino said that aside from dismissal, the former LTO field enforcers may also face additional charges in court.
Tolentino was asked for his reaction on the matter and said what the former LTO personnel did was wrong and he should face charges in court.
Tolentino has sought additional information about the incident involving Bert Velasco, the elder brother of former Panglao vice mayor Brian Velasco.
Reports say the information will be used for the possible prosecution of the five LTO personnel.
Earlier, Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon dismissed the five LTO field enforcers as they showed abusive behavior when accosting the farmer.
Meanwhile, Gov. Aris Aumentado said the LTO cannot be impeded to perform their nationally-mandated duty and asked Boholanos to follow the law in order to avoid getting accosted.
Although, the governor appealed to the LTO to make modifications on their protocol and also to allow the police to be deputized so they could also help in traffic law enforcement.
Candijay VM suspects spying, alleged spy speaks
In a post on social media, Candijay vice mayor Christopher Tutor on March 3, 2025, showed a white vehicle captured on CCTV and mentioned that the vehicle’s presence is suspicious.
Tutor even asked the public for any information about the owners of the vehicle as when the vice mayor’s people approached it, the vehicle scooted away.
Tutor alleged that there has been an increasing number of malicious attacks against his family-owned resorts by alleged spies.
Tutor even showed the plate number of the vehicle as the said post obtained several reactions as some commenters asked the Tutors to obtain some information from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).
On March 4, a netizen known as Tinay Monte Bersano was identified as the owner of the vehicle that was the subject of Tutor’s suspicion.
Bersano said that the issue is a case of a false alarm as she defended the presence of the vehicle saying she and companions were conducting site visits for a possible lot purchase.
She was shocked that their vehicle’s image was posted on social media and was suspected with something negative.
Meanwhile, there are netizens who reacted and said that the posting of the plate number may lead to a compromise of the vehicle owner’s security.
DENR to probe alleged excavation in Anda
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be soon conducting an investigation about an alleged excavation in barangay Virgen, Anda.
The issue stems from a photo shared on social media showing a backhoe allegedly used in an excavation in the coastal part of the said barangay.
In a letter by DENR regional executive director Paquito Melicor Jr., he said that there is a need to probe the allegations in coordination with the local government unit and other national and provincial agencies.
The DENR has already asked for the submission of pertinent documents related to the alleged excavation.
It is uncertain who was behind the alleged excavation as residents express concern that such actions may cause damage to the environment.
As of this writing, authorities are trying to obtain more facts and information behind the alleged excavation.
Nonetheless, investigation about the matter shall proceed soon, according to reports.
Pilar barangay issues reso on ASF
Barangay San Isidro in Pilar town has issued a resolution disallowing the sale of pork and pork products and to swill feed following the confirmed presence of African Swine Fever (ASF) infection.
Reports say the said barangay has recorded a confirmed case of ASF.
ASF is a viral disease that is fatal to swine but harmless to humans.
The resolution also disallows the butchering of swine even for personal consumption and such prohibition will stay until the barangay is declared ASF-free.
The barangay council is in close coordination with the Municipal Agriculturist Office (MAO) in implementing the directive,
ASF could ruin the swine industry and as such the residents are enjoined to observe the directives and protocol in order to contain the problem and prevent further spread of the disease.
Getafe town is the latest among Bohol localities that reported ASF infection as more than a dozen towns in Bohol reported having or had infections since last year.
Bong Go visits Carmen
Incumbent senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go visited Carmen town on Wednesday to inaugurate the Super Health Center built in the said town.
Go has been supporting the building of Super Health Centers across the country and several projects in Bohol including one in Tagbilaran City.
Go is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.
Go is also the principal author of the law institutionalizing the Malasakit Center. Two (2) centers are located in Bohol: one in Tagbilaran and the other is in Ubay.
Carmen mayor Conchita de los Reyes joined Go during the inauguration rites in the said town.
Aside from inaugurating the Super Health Center, Go also met with farmers as he was the guest of honor during the town’s Farmers’ Days as part of the celebration of Carmen’s 156th Foundation Day.
He also found time to campaign for his candidacy as he seeks another six-term as senator. His current term ends on June 30, 2025.
Go belongs to the Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas (PDP) and aligned with the Dutertes, the chief opposition of the administration.
Buates bares consulting Aris before signing landfill closure order
Albur mayor Don Ritchie Buates bared that before he signed the temporary closure order for the sanitary landfill, he first consulted with Gov. Aris Aumentado.
A radio report revealed that Buates sought the attention of the governor before signing the order.
Buates was told by the governor that the mayor alone could make the judgement call whether to close the landfill temporarily or not.
Aumentado reportedly told Buates to inform first the mayors included in the cluster before temporarily closing the landfill, and the notice shall provide enough time for mayors to find alternate areas where to dispose the garbage produced in their localities.
About 18 local government units are members of the cluster that use the landfill and Albur is the one in charge of operating the facility owned by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
Buates plans to temporarily close the landfill for two weeks starting on Monday, March. 10, 2025 and will end on the 24th.
Buates urged Aumentado to let the Capitol’s heavy equipment stay at the landfill until Albur could purchase new heavy equipment.
Royal Air eyes Bohol trips soon
Air carrier named Royal Air may be having flights to and from Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA) possibly later this year.
The possibility of having Royal Air flying to and from Panglao will largely depend on the approval of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB).
Based on statements from the management of BPIA, it is possible Royal Air may start its flights in May 2025.
It is possible the route will provide Bohol direct connections to Taipei, Taiwan and possibly the trips will be thrice a week.
Currently, BPIA also hosts direct flights to and from South Korea.
The additional international flights into Bohol has been seen as an indicator that more tourists and foreign investors may end up visiting the province.
It is no secret that Panglao has become more popular among tourists considering the increased interest spotted by top online travel agencies.
Panglao’s beaches and other attractions in mainland Bohol offer a unique value proposition for travelers.
Chatto, Dizon talk re BPIA
Rep. Edgar Chatto Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon
Rep. Edgar Chatto and Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon on Tuesday night talked about the future of the Bohol Panglao International Airport (BPIA), reports say on March 5, 2025.
Dizon is slated to visit Bohol once the turnover of the BPIA from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to the Aboitiz Group takes place within the year.
In the meeting, Chatto suggested to Dizon to forge an agreement with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the automatic and systematic maintenance of the road leading to the airport known as the Gov. Constancio “Nonoy” Torralba Road.
Earlier, the solon and DPWH Sec. Manuel Bonoan talked about the maintenance of the said road that serves as the zone between the airport and the rest of Panglao town.
To recall, it was during the time of the late Gov. Torralba at the Department of Transportation, when the airport dreams were formed.
It was Chatto who pushed the envelope and finally realized Torralba’s dream when the BPIA was inaugurated in 2018 with former President Duterte leading the ceremonies.
Moreover, Chatto thanked Dizon for the latter’s swift action on abusive personnel of Land Transportation Office (LTO).
Collector dies in Dimiao road accident
A collector who may have possibly slept while driving died after the motorcycle he was driving collided with a truck on Mar. 4, 2025 in Poblacion, Dimiao.
The collision between the truck and motorcycle was caught on CCTV and some footage found their way in social media.
The motorcycle driver was identified as Richard Rangas who was from Jagna and worked as a credit collector.
Based on the CCTV footage, Rangas was on the opposite lane when the motorcycle collided with a truck, which was bound for Jagna.
The rider sustained severe injuries and was brought to a nearby hospital but he eventually expired.
In some reports, the rider may have drowsed off because he veered to the opposite lane before the collision.
Reports also said that the truck driver and owner already met with the kin of the rider and reportedly reached a compromise agreement.
3 senatorial bets visit Bohol
Three senatorial candidates from the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas administration ticket paid Bohol a visit on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
The three who visited are incumbent senator Francis Tolentino, former Interior Sec. Benhur Abalos and former senator and boxing legend Manny Pacquiao.
They met their supporters in an event at the Bohol Cultural Center
Key provincial figures also attended the event including Gov. Aris Aumentado and Mayor Jane Yap who are members of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the ruling party and included in the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas coalition.
Other members of the coaliton are Nacionalist Party, Nationalist People’s Coalition, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, and National Unity Party.
They all support the leadership of President Marcos Jr.
Tolentino in his speech emphasized the need to cherish Palawan and to protect the island as China has already indicated claims that the said island is theirs.
This comes as some Chinese claimed on their social media network that Palawan used to belong to China and was discovered by a Chinese navigator.
Moreover: Paquiao said he will be batting for cheaper food by letting the government intervene in the purchase and distribution of food.
He is also batting to help coastal communities fight the effects of rising sea levels.
On the other hand, Abalos will fight for cheaper electricity and better incentives for government workers who are not regular employees.
Meanwhile, Abante Bohol candidates made an appearance during the event.
The line-up of Abante Bohol from several towns attended the campaign event.
Dizon to pay Bohol a visit
Capitol sources said Transportation Sec. Vince Dizon will pay Bohol a visit on Saturday, according to reports on March 4, 2025.
Reports say Dizon will be in town to meet with Gov. Aris Aumentado and discuss what took place in Panglao on Feb. 28, 2025.
This comes when a farmer who was accosted by field personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) was manhandled as Boholanos cried abuse as the incident was caught on video and went viral on social media.
The governor said that even if Dizon already ordered the dismissal of the five LTO personnel the secretary wants to get more details about the incident.
The swift action of the secretary on the incident that went viral on social media was welcomed by Boholanos.
Aumentado with other public figures commented on the issue as the governor immediately notified the public through social media about the steps he took regarding the situation.
Aumentado coordinated with LTO7 regional director Glen Galario who pulled out the abusive personnel immediately and then issued a public statement about the incident.
ASF TWG recommends lockdown in Bool
The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the African Swine Fever (ASF) issue recommended that a lockdown for a month would be implemented in barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City, reports on March 5, 2025 said.
The said lockdown will be temporary and is meant to prevent the spread of ASF.
It has been detected that several hogs in Bool were infected and those which got sick were already buried.
At least nine pigs tested positive for ASF, according to reports.
This means that transport of pork and pork products from barangay Bool will not be allowed when the lockdown is implemented. There is a recommendation stating that the lockdown will last for a month.
The barangay council needs to pass a resolution to impose the lockdown.
Despite the lockdown, reports say, pork and pork products from barangays without ASF cases are allowed to enter Bool.
All barangay officials and workers are tapped to guard against the spread of ASF, the reports add.
Moreover, regular monitoring of hogs in Bool is being conducted said the City Agriculture and Veterinary Office (CAVO).
Arcay remains mum on LTO abuse
Panglao mayor Edgardo Arcay remained silent in relation to the incident of the abusive and violent behavior displayed by Land Transportation Office (LTO) field enforcers against a rider, an incident that went viral on social media.
After the video went viral showing the manhandling of Bert Velasco, the brother of former Panglao vice mayor Brian Velasco, several public figures raised concerns including Gov. Aris Aumentado and Cong. Edgar Chatto.
These people raised concerns over the way the LTO managed the situation causing netizens to slam the enforcers for abusive behavior.
Despite the indignation, Arcay remained silent on the issue even if the incident took place in his town and the one manhandled is a Panglao resident and a member of his constituency.
It should be known that Bert’s brother, Brian, is running for town mayor against Arcay and other bets.
Coun. JR Rodriguez revealed that the incident was discussed during a regular session of the Panglao Sangguniang Bayan but no action was taken and allowed Mayor Arcay to make the first move.
However, if the mayor will not make any move on the matter, then there is a possibility that the five field enforcers may be declared as persona non grata, according to reports.
85% of Bohol LGUs pass Good Financial Housekeeping
About 85 percent of the local government units (LGU) in Bohol passed the Good Financial Housekeeping program for calendar year 2024.
These LGUs showed excellent performance in financial transparency and accountability and obtained favorable audit opinions from the Commission on Audit (COA).
On Monday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) released a list of LGUs which passed the program in a social media post.
Among those included in the list are Albur, Alicia. Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Batuan, Bien Unido, Bilar, Calape, Candijay, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Dagohoy, Danao, Dauis, Dimiao, Garcia Hernandez, Guindulman, Inabanga, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Pilar, Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Sagbayan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Sevilla, Sierea Bullones, Sikatuna, Trinidad, Tubigon, Ubay and Valencia.
Also included in the list is the lone city of Bohol, Tagbilaran City.
The 41 LGUs, which passed complied with full disclosure policy ensuring the correct documents are submitted to authorities to be considered as a passer of the program.
The Good Financial Housekeeping program is a way to recognize LGUs’ efforts for practicing accountable fiscal management and the program is managed by the DILG and is part of the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
The Good Financial Housekeeping is an indicator that an LGU followed proper auditing and accounting.
The passers are qualified to gain benefits from Performance Challenge Fund and other programs aimed to expand capacities of LGUs.
More than P10M worth of alleged drugs, firearms seized in Bool buy bust
More than P10 million worth of alleged shabu were confiscated in a sting operation on Monday in barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City.
Aside from the alleged drugs, police also confiscated a KG-9 sub machine gun and some live ammunition..
The city drug enforcement team detected the suspect Mark Anthony Pilayre allegedly involved in the drug trade and thus a sting operation was conducted.
In the ensuing event, the suspect was arrested after he transacted with a poseur buyer and eventually was caught possessing alleged shabu with estimated weight of one and a half kilos.
The said operation is a combined effort of the city police in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Charges of illegal possession of firearms and violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 will be filed shortly against the suspect.
Netizens chide content creator for maligning Guindulman women, creator apologizes
Netizens chided a content creator for maligning the reputation of Guindulman women.
The said content creator possibly will face a huge problem where he made some negative imputations about the ladies of Guindulman town.
In his content, the creator mentioned negative traits of Guindulman women, which were offensive.
Following the posting of the content, netizens unleashed a barrage of comments against the creator.
At this point, the scathing content has been deleted but some netizens may have already preserved a copy of the video content.
The content creator, Gence Bro, already issued a public apology for the content.
However, there are reports saying that despite the public apology, the Sangguniang Bayan may conduct an investigation on the matter.
Fire razes house in Tubigon
A fire erupted on Monday and razed a home in barangay Talenceras, Tubigon.
The home of Lolita Daplin was razed as firefighters managed to control the fire after several minutes.
No one was reported injured as a result of the incident as there was no one home at the time when the fire broke out.
Fortunately, the house was not made from light materials and only the second floor of the home was damaged.
As of this writing, fire probers are investigating the cause of the fire as damage costs are still being assessed.
March is Fire Prevention Month.
Just within a few days this month, two huge fires hit Cebu City and another one in another part of Cebu province cashing homelessness to the victims.
The Bureau of Fire Protection has been pushing for more awareness into preventing fires especially during March.
ASF hits Getafe
Reports indicate that the African Swine Fever (ASF) has infected the town of Getafe.
This comes as Getafe mayor Cary Camacho confirmed the presence of ASF in a Facebook post saying 14 pigs tested positive using rapid test.
It was reported the sick hogs were from barangay Boyog and these hogs died and were already buried to prevent further ASF spread.
Checkpoints are now being implemented to ensure no live hogs are transported from barangay Boyog, which is about seven kilometers from the Getafe poblacion area.
There are no sizable hog raisers in barangay Boyog as most of the hog raising is done at the backyard
As this developed, Camacho already activated the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) with the help from the Capitol to help stop the spread of the disease.
Camacho urged the public to cooperate as the ASF problem affects everyone in the event there will be an outbreak.
Meanwhile, Mayor Dave Duallo of neighboring Buenavista said that he already gave a directive not to take pork and pork products from Getafe.
Duallo said he will be issuing an executive order and will be meeting members of the ASF task force with the barangay captains as a precaution against the spread of the disease into Buenavista.
Capitol releases aid to ASF-affected hog growers in several Bohol towns
Capitol released more than a million pesos in aid to African Swine Fever (ASF)-affected hog growers in barangay Buenos Aires, and Nueva Vida, Carmen, La Suerte, Pilar, Poblacion Sur and Norte in Batuan, reports said on March 4, 2025.
The funds came from the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) and were disbursed through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (OPSWD) back in March 1, 2025.
OPSWD head Carmelita Tecson said that each beneficiary received P10,000 where 14 are from La Suerte, 7 from Buenos Aires, 4 from Nueva Vida, 22 from Poblacion Sur and 58 from Poblacion Norte.
The aid is an initiative of the Capitol to help hog growers who faced crisis brought about by the effects of ASF.
The Capitol has been thanking the hog growers for their cooperation in containing the problem of the spread of ASF.
The Capitol appeals to high growers to focus on bio security to prevent further spread of ASF that has affected more than a dozen Bohol localities including Tagbilaran City.
Social media regulation eyed to fight fake news
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Monday said it is exploring the possibility of establishing a regulatory body to monitor and evaluate social media posts in an effort to curb the spread of fake news.
On Monday, PCO Acting Secretary Jay Ruiz said there are talks about the idea of creating the social media regulatory body.
“We are studying the possible creation of a social media regulatory body, especially when it comes to sensitive issues). As I’ve said, a lie told a thousand times trounces the truth,” Ruiz said in a mix of Filipino and English as he spoke to Palace reporters.
Ruiz likened the regulation of social media to the regulation of traditional media, specifically referring to the role of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board in overseeing films and television broadcasts.
He emphasized that the government’s focus is to combat fake news, noting that it would resort to legal remedies when fake news and disinformation pose a threat to national security.
“Ang punto lang dito, kung vlogger ka, social media influencer tanggap mo dapat ang responsibilidad, your responsibility to the public (The point is, if you’re a vlogger or a social media influencer, you should be responsible for the information you put out to the public),” he said.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the Department of Justice (DOJ) is studying if there is a need to amend the cyber libel law to fight the proliferation of fake news.
“Fake news is something that should not be tolerated because it is actually a great disservice to the country. Making people believe things that are false, I think that is a sin against our county,” Remulla said in a separate interview.
However, Remulla clarified that the DOJ has not set a target date when the review would be finished, or does it have a deadline in filing cases against purveyors of fake news.
He said anonymous vloggers are not exempt from possible prosecution.
OPV traces cause of ASF spread in Bohol
The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian (OPV) has been tracing the cause for the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) now affecting more than a dozen localities in the province since late last year.
The said office data obtained since November 2024 showed that ASF first appeared in barangay San Vicente, San Miguel town and the cases spread to other towns in a past paced rate.
The said disease affecting swine already impacted 12 towns and Tagbilaran City.
Among the top reasons why the disease spread is the increased number of butchered swine during the holiday season, lack of biosecurity layers in some swine operations, possible spread of the ASF virus by humans, the use of boar for hire and delay in the reporting of ASF symptoms.
After the ASF case appeared in San Vicente, San Miguel, the viral infection affected 43 barangays.
While the ASF infection has been controlled in most of the affected town there are still areas where the disease spread is being monitored.
ASF causes malaise to swine and may be fatal and there is no stable vaccine approved for use released to hog growers.
For many years since 2019, Bohol was ASF free owing to its strict implementation of biosecurity efforts by disallowing the entry of pork and pork products from other areas where there are known ASF infections.
Rider’s family bent on filing raps vs. LTO 5
The family of rider Bert Velasco has decided to pursue charges against the field personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) who manhandled the rider in a routine traffic stop in Panglao on Feb. 28, 2025.
The way the LTO personnel handled the alleged belligerence of Velasco was the subject of a public outcry as the incident was caught on tape and went viral on social media.
Bert’s younger brother, former Panglao vice mayor Brian Velasco said the leader of their family has asked the rest of the family to pursue cases against the LTO personnel and not to settle with those who manhandled the 68-year-old farmer.
Bert is known in Panglao for carrying tools such as a knife being used allegedly for farming, according to Brian.
Brian said Bert also had a bolo aside from knives used for farming, as reports said.
Brian called on government officials to learn from the incident and to stop abuse of authority.
According to Asec. Jojo Reyes of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Bert was hospitalized after complaining of having back and neck pains and hypertension.