FOR TRUTH, GMA RESIGNATION

SOME 5,000 members of multi-sectoral groups marched on the streets of Dagupan Friday afternoon before holding protest action at the Dagupan City Plaza to demand for the truth about the scandal-ridden NBN-ZTE deal and ask for President Arroyo’s resignation.

Organized by Agco la–Pangasinan, it was the first mass action in the province directed against the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Agco is a broad coalition of different organizations in Pangasinan formed in 2000 to seek the resignation of then President Joseph Estrada.
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PAYOLA “WHITE PAPER”

CHIEF Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil has left Region 1 for another posting leaving questions about continued jueteng operations in Pangasinan and alleged involvement of local media practitioners in protecting jueteng unsettled.

A regular item in The PUNCH’s “People have not forgotten” section pointed out the continued jueteng operations in the province as evidenced by the squabble among local media practitioners for a share of the “media-yola” (media payola).

Bataoil refused to comment on the PUNCH item which observers believe could implicate the police officers in both the region and the province in the distribution of the “hush” money.
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WHO gave them the land?

This question was posed by Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. as the issue about massive squatting by affluent individuals in the foreshore land of Bonuan Binloc rages on.

Fernandez stressed that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has maintained that it had not given the plots to these individuals who, he said, are already landed and have the means to buy more lands.

It was in this context that the city mayor asked under what means were these owners in question, among them Calasiao Mayor Roy Macanlalay, able to acquire the lands that they are claiming if the DENR says it did not give them any.
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SAN FABIAN–Mrs. Gina de Venecia, wife of ousted House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., said she still cares for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo but her love for country weighs more than her love for her “kumare”.

Speaking to newsmen after standing as “ninang” to 106 couples married in a mass civil wedding ceremony here on Thursday, Mrs. De Venecia said she feels that her “kumare” betrayed the people’s trust and her oath when she became President of the Philippines”.

The former president of the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. (CSFI) had already joined the ranks of those seeking the President’s resignation and to let her constitutional successor take over.
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LINGAYEN—Ilocos Norte remained unbeatable and retained its crown as the champion in the recently concluded Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet both in the elementary and secondary levels.

Pangasinan II and La Union were good for first runner-up and second runner-up spots.

Ilocos Norte, which has held the top spot for the last nine years, dominated baseball, football, softball, volleyball, chess, archery, tennis, gymnastics and swimming.
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THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Bonuan Gueset, Dagupan is taking full advantage of new technology.

Jail Senior Inspector Roque Constantino Sison III, jail warden, has announced their use of the internet, particularly podcasting, the first among jails nationwide, for wider information dissemination about their projects.

Podcasts are audio clips that may be downloaded on mp3 players or mobile telephones.
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CLOSURE OF LUCAO-TAPUAC ROAD

LINGAYEN- Please bear with us.

Thus appealed District Engineer Rodolfo Dion of the Pangasinan Second Engineering District amid complaints and objections of businessmen and commuters to his agency’s plan to close a portion of the busy Lucao-Tapuac highway for 60 days beginning March 3.

The closure of the road is intended to give way to the construction of a P20-million drainage system and road elevation.

A 650-meter long road stretch will be totally closed and traffic will be re-routed to the De Venecia Highway up to Malued district for vehicles to and from the western areas.
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RESIDENTS of Arellano Street, a thickly populated area in Dagupan, are opposing a plan of a businessman to construct a gasoline station within their community, calling it a health hazard and life-threatening.

Dr. Edwin Aguirre, executive assistant to Mayor Alipio Fernandez Jr. and who lives on Arellano Street, called on the city council led by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez not to endorse the proposed project in their area.

The project proponent has begun installing its two gasoline tanks preparatory to building the project without an endorsement from the city council.
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SAN FABIAN—Before the world bade goodbye to the heart month this year, 161 couples here exchanged “I dos” in a mass civil sunset wedding ceremony dubbed “Kasalan sa San Fabian” on Thursday.

Officiated by Mayor Mojamito Libunao, the mass civil wedding was held amid the back drop of rain, which was considered a blessing since it seldom rains on summer days.

Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Mrs. Gina de Venecia, wife of 4th District Rep. Jose de Venecia Jr., and Irene Libunao, wife of the town mayor, stood as sponsors.
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A student of Ednas School-Dagupan clinched two major awards in the recently concluded National Schools Press Conference (NSPC) held in Koronadal, South Cotabato.

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