MMDA SUSPENDS ‘ TRUCK BAN’ FOR ASEAN

THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) suspended the implementation of truck ban ordinances by local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila during the duration of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. “[MMDA] has issued various traffic advisories relating to ‘lockdown areas/rerouting’ and ‘truck ban,’ among others, to be effective from November 11 to 15,” the resolution dated November 6 stated. It said there is an urgent need for LGUs of the National Capital Region to suspend the truck ban to ensure the “timely delivery of goods and services” in the metropolis.

5 NPA REBELS ARRESTED IN SOUTH COTABATO

FIVE members of the Main Regional Guerilla Unit (MRGU-Front 73) of the New People’s Army (NPA) were arrested in Lake Sebu of South Cotabato, the police said on Friday. Senior Supt. Franklin Alvero, South Cotabato provincial police director, said the MRGU-Front 73 NPA guerillas had long been reported operating in the outlying villages in Lake Sebu and are believed to be collecting revolutionary taxes from businessmen in South Cotabato. Joint elements of the Lake Sebu police operatives and the 27th Infantry Battalion arrested the rebels at a checkpoint in Sitio Datal Ligaw in Barangay Tasiman. They were identified as Ronald Kulaman Joland, alias Karding, 19; Joey Inson Salon, alias Jack and Jordan, 24; Encarnacion Comelio Sangco, 53; Hanna Blasan Adam and Bryan Dialoring Muca, alias Brown, both 21. Alvero confirmed that the NPA rebels were hardcore members of Platoon Samsung of the MRGU-Front 73 operating in South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat. They were led by a certain Kumander Billy and believed to be responsible for burning passenger buses of the Yellow Bus Line companiesConfiscated from them were two hand grenades, a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition, one 9mm pistol and a caliber .357 pistol. Meanwhile, North Cotabato Gov. Lala Mendoza released P1.1-million checks for livelihood assistance to the 18 former NPAs who surrendered to the 39th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army. Col. Harold Argamosa, 39th IB commander, said Mendoza and Interior and Local Government provincial officer Ali Abdullah handed the checks to the former guerrillas, most of them women, during the Provincial Peace and Order meeting at the provincial capitol complex on Thursday.

NOVEMBER 13 IS HOLIDAY IN PANGASINAN

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan: Gov. Amado Espino 3rd announced that November 13 will be a special public holiday in the province in commemoration of the birth date of the late Speaker Eugenio Padlan Perez, representative of the old second district of Pangasinan. A memorandum Espino signed on November 8 cited Republic Act No. 6721–An Act Declaring November Thirteen Of Each Year A Special Public Holiday in the Province of Pangasinan–that declared every November 13 as special non-working public holiday in Pangasinan, signed into law by then president Corazon Aquino in 1989. Born on November 13, 1896 in Sitio Obong, formerly a barrio of Basista in San Carlos town, Perez first became a councilor before he ran for Congress and won. Basista is now a town in Pangasinan, carved out from San Carlos, which became a city. Perez, who was House speaker from 1946 to 1953, is remembered in Dagupan as the author of the law that converted the town into a city which law was signed by then president Manuel Roxas on June 20, 1947. Perez was also one of the co-founders of the Liberal Party and was the first Pangasinense to become Speaker of the Philippine Legislature. As speaker, he supported the economic programs of former president Elpidio Quirino, including the National Power Corp., National Irrigation Administration and the Development Bank of the Philippines. Married to Consuelo Salazar, a music soprano with whom he had three children, Perez died on August 4,1957.