ECHAGUE, Isabela – Police here are still facing a blank wall on who is responsible for the death threats against a municipal election officer which was sent by still unidentified suspects to her office this week.

A report from the Echague municipal police station identified the recipient of the death threat allegedly sent by a certain “Ka Beltran” as Miriam Ualat, 45, the election officer of the town, who resides in Barangay Malitao, this town.

Based on initial investigation, a still unidentified man reportedly entered Ualat’s office at around 9:45 a.m. Thursday and informed her staff he was handing over a gift to the election officer which came from an undisclosed individual.

However, when the election officer opened the supposed letter, she was surprised to see the printed words threatening her life.

“Malapit na ang oras mo, ingatan mo ang pamilya mo,” were the words written in the letter sent to her by a certain “Ka Beltran” who reportedly signed the same.

After handing over the supposed gift to the election officer’s staff, the courier immediately left the office prior to the handing of the gift to the embattled election officer. (Dexter See)

Excise taxes push Ilocos economy

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur – The billions of pesos worth of taxes derived by the region from the Tobacco Excise Tax has propelled the economy of the Virginia-tobacco producing provinces in Region 1 for the past several years.

Authored by then congressman and former Deputy National Security Adviser Luis “Chavit” Singson, Republic Act (RA) 7171, known as the Tobacco Excise Tax, provides 15 percent excise tax share of the Virginia-tobacco producing provinces.

Only recently, the national government released a total of P3-billion share from the tobacco excise tax for Ilocos Sur, the biggest Virginia-tobacco producing province.

Singson explained to the farmers that although he was the one who fought for the passage of the RA 7171, he shared the tobacco excise tax to the municipality that has been allocated 40 percent, another 30 percent goes to the two districts, and the remaining 30 percent will be the only amount to be implemented by the provincial government. (Mar Supnad)

Dengue cases rise in C.A.R.

BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Administrative Region office of the Center for Health and Development (CHD-CAR) recorded 173 dengue cases throughout the region from January 1 to the present which showed a significant increase in the occurrence of the dreaded disease because of the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.

According to CHD-CAR Medical Officer III and Dengue/Malaria Coordinator Dr. Alexei Marrero, the data reflects a 22 percent increase in dengue cases compared to the same period last year. Marrero also reported two dengue fatalities this year which came from Ifugao province.

Based on collated data from the provinces, CHD-CAR reported 46 dengue cases in Ifugao, 45 cases in Benguet, 22 in Kalinga, 17 in Mountain Province, six in Apayao, five in Abra, 24 in Baguio City, and eight non-CAR cases.

As compared to last year, there was an increase in the number of cases in Ifugao, Benguet, and Mountain Province, while the other provinces including Baguio City reflected a decrease in dengue fever cases.

As for the increase in dengue cases, Marrero explained that somehow it is also attributed to climate change and as the hot summer season, brought by El Niño, every household’s stockpile of water could be a possible breeding ground for dengue-carrying mosquitoes. (Dexter See)