July 9 -15, 2012 Issue

COC filing, voters’ registration, validation deadlines set

By Edalyn Acta

The Certificate of Candidacy (COC) for the May 13, 2013 elections can only be filed until Oct. 1–5, 2012, while the voters’ registration and validation will only be allowed on Oct. 31.

According to Atty. Joemar Betita, Commission on Election (Comelec) officer of Roxas City, as per Comelec’s advice, the registration and validation begun June 25– July 31 were suspended to give way to the conduct of general registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). They will resume Aug. 1.

Betita said the candidates and voters in Capiz should file early and avoid skirting the deadline to avoid hassles and delays.

Betita said that they will not be able to finish on deadline the registration and filing of COCs for the 47 Barangays in the city.

Betita also cited the potential hassles or dangers involved in the case of far-flung Olotayan where they have to validate only 200 voters.

Betita said that for the 2013 elections COMELEC will still use the PCOs machines. According to Betita, by November 2012, they should have already determined the number of voters so as not to delay the printing of the ballots.

Capiz peacekeepers cited

By Alex Lumaque

Some 30 members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPATs) here were recognized by the Roxas City government during the awards rites for outstanding law enforcers for the month of June at the Covered Gym of Inzo Arnaldo Village.

“These BPAT agents conduct barangay patrolling and anti-drug campaign as they are also members of the Citizen’s Crime Watch (CCW),” Roxas City Police Station (RCPS) Public Information Officer and BPATs Trainer PO2 Ramil Arcangeles said.

Awardees also assist RCPS members in the conduct of police checkpoints and other anti-crime campaigns, Arcangeles added.

Aside from the BPAT awardees, top performing members of RCPS, Roxas City Fire Marshal, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and police auxiliaries also received Certificates of Recognition given by Roxas City Councilor lawyer Powell Del Rosario.

The monthly award is given to outstanding peace and order enforcers for their hard work and great contribution to the community.

Arcangeles emphasized that about 95 percent of the city’s 47 barangays have organized their respective teams of force multipliers since November 2010.

BPAT membership comes from various sectors in the community such as barangay tanods, school groups, Sangguniang Kabataan, barangay officials, Muslims and other people’s organizations in the barangays.

Each BPAT member is equipped with a baton, whistle, flashlight, identification card.

In some cases, barangay peacekeepers have a tear gas and handcuff to effectively assist police authorities as early responders when criminalities occur.

The BPAT strategy has been replicated in the various barangays regionwide as a unique version of community-oriented policing system and a way of strengthening police-community partnership.

Inmate escapes; captured

By Edalyn Acta

An inmate of the Capiz Rehabilitation Center (CRC) at Barangay Lawaan here tried to escape from jail July 7th but was later captured.

The inmate identified as 30-year-old Ramil Alifante, and resident of President Roxas, Capiz, is facing robbery and homicide charges.

Five days before the attempted escape, Acting Jail Warden Arjuna Yngcong learned from among the inmates that Alifante “was planning” to escape. So he ordered the guards to watch closely.

On July 7, Enrique Alifante, 23, brother of Ramil together with his friend who served as driver of Motorcycle visited Ramil until 12 noon.

When his visitors left, Alifante went to the comfort room around 12:06 p.m.

When a fellow inmate saw Alifante climbing through the CR’s open window, he immediately alarmed the guards.

Alifante ran some 30 meters from the area but before he could get to his brother Enrique and their friend Ramil all set on their getaway motorcycle, he was captured by the guards on duty, officers John Borlado and Linar Ilustre.

According to Yngcong, Officer Borlado gave six warning shots using his .38 caliber pistol, “rattling” Alifante who was later captured and brought back to the CRC.

On July 11, Enrique Alifante surrendered to the Roxas City Police Station where he is now detained.

Yngcong said that inmates should abide by rules and regulations implemented by their office. According to Yngcong, it is their responsibility is to help the inmates be restored to the community.”