4 more Taiwanese arrested in Isabela for rice hoarding

ILAGAN, Isabela (Apr. 18) — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on April 16 arrested four more Taiwanese nationals suspected to be members of the so-called Mosquito Gang who are engaged in unauthorized rice business here.

The NBI said the four were suspected to be members of the Mosquito Gang, a group of foreigners, composed mostly of Taiwanese and Chinese nationals illegally engaged in the grains trade and suspected to be behind the efforts to manipulate the price of rice and corn in Isabela province by creating artificial shortages of the said prime crops.

Earlier, two Taiwanese nationals were also reportedly caught by Immigration operatives, who were sent by Immigration commissioner Marcelo Libanan following reports of illegal rice and corn buying activities of the foreign nationals here.

The arrest of these foreign nationals came in the wake of alleged illegal purchase of grains for hoarding by foreign nationals in the country. # PIA NVizcaya

P90.6 Million worth of marijuana plants uprooted anew in Ilocos boundary

CAMP PRESIDENT QUIRINO, Ilocos Sur (Apr. 21)—Police operatives uprooted an estimated P90.6 million worth of fully–grown marijuana plants and seedlings along the mountainous area along the disputed boundaries of Ilocos Sur and Benguet, it was reported.

The total three hectares of marijuana plantation with more or less 300, 000 pieces of fully grown marijuana plants and 15,000 seedlings is situated in two separate plantations located in Sitio Bekes, Licungan, Sugpon, Ilocos Sur and Barangay Sayangan, Kibungan, Benguet.

“The bulk of the uprooted marijuana plants were destroyed on the site with the presence of local officials while samples of said uprooted marijuana plants were brought down to Sugpon police station and turned-over to police provincial office for proper disposition,” said Senior Inspector Greg Guerrero of Sugpon Police Station.

It was reported that no cultivators had been arrested during the operation. # Freddie G. Lazaro, PIA–Ilocos Sur

DENR stops certifying foreshore areas as ‘alienable’

DAGUPAN CITY (Apr. 23)—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has stopped issuing certifications of alienability of foreshore areas amid controversies involving occupancy of such prime public lands.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Leduina Co said the agency’s move was in response to the request of the provincial government through the municipality of Lingayen for the DENR to stop the issuance of such certifications.

Evidently there have been abuses in the issuance of such lease agreements or irregularities involving unscrupulous environment personnel.

Co however, noted that some problems involving lease agreements have been there long before she took over as PENRO officer for Pangasinan.

DENR however continues to enter into lease agreements with interested individuals or groups for the development of mountain areas. # Danny O. Sagun, PIA-Pangasinan