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Manhunt up vs. Ifugao fugitive

LAGAWE, Ifugao (Aug. 18) — A prisoner accused of molesting a 13-year old mentally retarded girl in Hingyon, Ifugao escaped from the Ifugao Provincial Jail between 2:00 and 3:00 A.M.on Aug. 15 and is now the subject of a manhunt operation.

According to Jail Warden Jerry Gano, jail guards discovered the escape of Robert Lupae, a former president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Hingyon when they were about to serve breakfast.

Lupae is facing charges for five counts of violation of RA 7160 and PD 1866.

Initial investigation revealed that after the jailbreak, an influential personality came and told the guard on duty not to report Lupae’s escape and promised to surrender the fugitive on Aug. 17. However, as of presstime, Lupae has not showed up. He did not appear during his case hearing on Aug. 18 that prompted Regional Trial Judge Godofredo Naui to postpone the hearing and order the investigation surrounding the escape.

The alleged victim is Lupae’s neighbor and relative. # PIA/Ifugao

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Huaning hits Abra agri

BANGUED, Abra (Aug. 17) — Typhoon Huaning which struck Abra last August 13, and put the province under typhoon signal no. 2 did not cause any major disaster, but still affected the province’s agricultural produce and infrastructure.

Provincial Civil Defense Deputized Coordinator and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) head Ms. Decemia D. Cabang, said the typhoon damaged some five hectares of corn fields in the town of Pidigan with an estimated damaged cost of P150,000.

Three minor landslides were also reported to have occurred at the Abra-Kalinga road causing temporary stoppage of traffic in the said highway. The minor landslides were located in Kms. 453, 479 and 461. These were already cleared by the Abra Department of Public Works and Highways maintenance crew and already passable as of Wednesday, August 17.

However, while it caused damage on the agricultural produce in Pidigan, the heavy downpour brought by the typhoon was welcomed by rice farmers from the capital town of Bangued and its neighboring town Tayum, who are currently feuding with the Abra River Irrigation Association (ARIA), maintainer of the irrigation system, which irrigates the rice farms of these towns.

ARIA decided to suspend its operation this wet season due to financial constraints. The irrigation administrators claimed they have an accumulated collectible irrigation fees amounting to some P6,012,396 from the wet season of 1997 up to the wet season of 2004.

Farmers claimed the ARIA is being mismanaged that is why they are refusing to pay their irrigation dues. The case is currently being settled in the office of Congressman Luis Bersamin, Jr. of the lone district of Abra. # Prescillano N. Bermudez/PIA Abra

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Dengue alarms Kalingahealth board

TABUK, Kalinga (Aug. 18) —The Provincial Health Board (PHB) here is on alert level due to the prevalence of dengue cases.

With six reported deaths due to dengue and the continuous increase in the number of cases in the province, the PHB recommended to give focus on the Information Education Campaign to control if not totally eradicate the breeding places of dengue carrying mosquitoes.

Dr. Romulo Gaerlan, co-chairman of the board, suggested that the local government mandate government offices, schools and affected barangays to conduct regular clean up drives like reviving the 4 o’clock habit program, creation of little dengue brigades in schools or coming up with other similar programs on environmental control.

During the meeting, Jose Pardito Jr., Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) Officer said that from January to August 12 this year, his office has recorded around 194 cases with 6 deaths, and outbreaks have been declared in Masablang, Tabuk; Macutay, Rizal and Cawagayan, Pinukpuk. These areas according to Pardito are now considered at a high-risk level including Tuga and Bulanao, Tabuk where dengue is endemic.

Pardito said the age range of those affected are from 5 months to 65 years old, but most of them are children. “This is because the Aedes Aegypti or the dengue carrying mosquito has a flight range of only 5 meters high so their most accessible target are the small children,” he added.

These mosquitoes circulate around 50 to 300 meters from its breeding place, hiding in dark areas during the day and are considered day feeders. Their peak feeding time had been observed to be 2 hours after sunrise and 2 hours before sunset.

The adult mosquito lays eggs from 60 to 100 eggs each within 5 to 6 hours and continues laying eggs in their 20 to 30-day lifespan. They usually breed in containers filled with clean water.

The PESU explained selective fogging may be required in places where there are outbreaks, but this method is only temporary since it would only kill mosquitoes that come in contact with the chemical. Besides, fogging is very expensive and even post a risk to one’s health, compared to cleaning which would require only the cooperation of the people.

As gathered from the PESU record, dengue incidents started showing up last April with 4 cases; May, 6 cases; June with 17 cases then peaked last July with 109 cases. As of August 15, 56 cases were already reported. # Gigi Dumallig/PIA-Kalinga

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