SOLDIER LEAVES CHILDREN TO EVADE CAPTURE
ZAMBOANGA CITY: The New People’s Army (NPA) said that a government soldier abandoned his two children and a woman to escape capture in Davao del Norte province. It also denied reports by Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, a spokesman for the 10th Infantry Division, that rebels abducted the trio after failing to kill the soldier in San Isidro town. Ka Boyet Makatindog, speaking for the rebels in southern Mindanao, said that they rescued the children and a woman who were abandoned by the soldier, while fleeing from possible capture on a village where insurgents were helping victims of Typhoon Pablo (international codename: Bopha) repair their houses. He said that the children were handed safely over to village officials. AL JACINTO

LA TRINIDAD REFORESTATION STOPPED
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet: The municipal government and the Community Environment Office (Cenro) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have suspended indefinitely tree-planting activities within four communal forests in the province. The notice to the public was signed by Mayor Gregorio Abalos Jr., Julio Lopez, Cenro of the Environment agency and Punong Barangays Rolado Leon (Barangay Alapang), Renato Tereng (Barangay Alno), Osburn Visaya (Barangay Puguis) and Mariano Caluza (Barangay Shilan). The temporary suspension of all activities includes the communal forests of Alno, Alapang, Puguis and Shilan. According to the notice to the public, the temporary suspension of all activities within the communal forests was given upon the request of the barangay officials and those of the private sector from these areas for the issuance of a uniform policy that will be observed by individuals, groups and organizations who intend to further enhance the advocacy of protecting the environment. LARRY MADARANG

ITOGON BEAUTIES SAY ‘YES’ TO MINING
ITOGON, Benguet: Five of the nine beauty contestants vying for the Miss Itogon 2013 title, who were present during the “darling of the press” selection, said that they were not in favor of the Cordillera Regional Autonomous Region. Of the five, two admitted that they have not been informed of the ongoing organic act drive.Years after the autonomy drive in the Cordillera region failed two times in a plebiscite the Regional Development Council is now conducting information and education campaigns on the third organic act that would pave way for a Cordillera Autonomous Region. The candidates favored mining in their town; however, they said that mining must be fair and responsible. Itogon is a main source of gold in the country from the 1900s to the present. LARRY MADARANG