ARMY’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND GETS NEW CHIEF
MAJOR GEN. RONNIE EVANGELISTA, former commander of the Armed Forces’ Civil Relations Service (CRS), has been designated to the Army’s Special Operations Command (Socom) replacing Lt. Gen. Danilo Pamonag, who was assigned last month to the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom). Evangelista assumed the CRS post in November 2016, where he replaced Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, who is now the commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Rizal. He was designated as deputy commander of the military’s Davao-based Eastern Mindanao Command prior his CRS assignment. Evangelista belongs to the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986, where Police Director General Ronald de la Rosa is also a member. A change of command will be held at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija this Monday with Lt. Gen. Rolando Joselito Bautista, Philippine Army’s commanding general, presiding.
ARMM HIRES 192 MORE TEACHERS FOR SULU
COTABATO CITY: The Department of Education of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) has hired 192 new public school teachers for Sulu based on their competence, not on the basis of patronage like in the past. ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman signed the appointment papers and deployment orders of the teachers who will be sent to different public elementary and secondary schools in the province. Amir Mawallil, ARMM spokesman and executive director of the Bureau of Public Information, said the teachers were hired after undergoing a screening process that includes validation of their credentials, a comprehensive examination, a teaching demonstration and a panel interview that guarantees only good quality teachers will be hired. Hataman challenged the newly hired teachers to help improve the status of basic education in the region by giving their full commitment to teaching and nurturing the holistic development of students. Imelda Mangkabong, one of the licensed teachers newly hired and to be deployed to Talipao National High School in Sulu, said she is thankful that Hataman administration has cleansed the system of hiring of teachers in the DepEd-ARMM. Sulu has more than 500 public elementary and secondary schools. The ARMM is composed of nine divisions that include Maguindanao I and II, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur I and II, Lamitan City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Fake cigarettes (Philip Morris) amounting to P1.3 million were confiscated from the warehouse in Barangay 9 of this city last Friday. Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento, Quezon police director, presented to reporters suspect, Hongshao Eing alias Andy Jong, 42, born in Fozhou, China. Police, armed with a search warrant, found at Eing’s residence/warehouse on Merchant Street were 256 boxes of counterfeit cigarettes that he supplies to several retail stores in this city and nearby towns. The suspect is detained at Lucena—Philippine National Police custodial facility while the a case is prepared for filing against him.
‘ BUDOL BUDOL GANG’ VICTIMIZES GAS STATIONS
BACOLOD CITY: Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., warned the public against a “budol budol” gang using his name to solicit money by sending text messages in Tagalog asking owners of gas stations for donations to his anti-illegal drugs campaign. The Provincial Capitol received many feedback from gas station owners that they have been getting visits or calls from dubious people saying that they will be given projects in exchange for their donations. The governor’s office urged the public to report any information to police stations or to their office at telephone numbers at 034-434-1152 or 034-434-1153 that may lead to the identification or arrest of the individuals involved in the dubious activity.
DOST CONDUCTS TRAINING SEMINAR FOR PYROTECHNIC MAKERS
THE Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will conduct a training seminar for pyrotechnic makers and manufacturers to help the local fireworks industry produce products that will help them keep up with their foreign competitors. The seminar is being held from January 8-12 at the Malolos Club Royale Resort and Restaurant in Malolos City. It will tackle safety guidelines in manufacturing fireworks and regulations on how to make pyrotechnics to avoid accidents. Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy– Alvarado said the training will keep the local fireworks makers abreast with new technologies that they can adopt. The Pyrotechnic Regulatory Board of Bulacan said most of the local fireworks manufacturers still use technology that has long been banned in other countries since these have caused fireworks related incidents.