Celeste, Bataoil mum on whom to support for speakership

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

LINGAYEN- Lakas-Kampi NUCD Party’s Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas of the 3rd District of Pangasinan has signified over a radio interview that she will support President Gloria Arroyo for speakership, but two Pangasinan solons remain silent on their top bet for the position.

Congressmen-elect Jesus “Boying” Celeste (1st District) and Leopoldo Bataoil (2nd Distrcit) said they have yet to decide whether they will vote for President Arroyo, in case she throws her hat in the speakership contest, or for Liberal Party stalwart and Quezon City Representative-elect Sonny Belmonte.

“Hindi po natin masasagot iyan,” Celeste said.

Ebdane to generals: Politics is different from war

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

Many military and police generals who dipped their fingers in the May 10, 2010 polls lost.
Some of them are retired generals Hermogenes Esperon, Raffy Rafanan, Rey Velasco, Virgilio Marcelo (Rear Admiral and former Navy FOIC (Flag Officer in Command), and Julito Casillan (commodore of our decrepit navy).

But the one who suffered most in the fall-out was police three-star general Velasco – whose coup d’ grace was ministered by a civilian but seasoned politician Carlito Zaplan.

PDEA raids ‘drug hub’ in Dagupan

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY- A multi-agency group that used a military armored personnel carrier and an elite team of the Navy swooped into an alleged drug hub in this city believed to be the source of the illegal substance shabu for the Northern Luzon area.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region-1 Director Robert Opena, which led the operation dubbed as Task Force Avatar, said that they hoarded the still undetermined amount of the illegal drugs methamphetamine hydrochloride, and seized several unlicensed small firearms in a Muslim area in Brgy. Bunuan Binloc.

The place is allegedly the drop-off point of illegal drugs for Regions 1 and 2 and the Cordillera Region.