Edition

Legazpi City (29 April) -- Member-consumers of the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) expressed a sigh of relief after the local electric cooperative was successful in getting a bilateral agreement with Aboitiz Power Renewable's Inc. to supply cheap electricity in the province.

ALECO has recently entered into an agreement with Aboitiz, an independent power provider (IPP), for the latter to provide the cooperative with 40 percent of its electricity requirements.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 27, --- As the national and local political campaign heats up in Bikol, state monetary authorities are closely checking the proliferation of counterfeit peso bills and coins circulating specifically in the island provinces of Masbate and Catanduanes.

At a Joint Consultative Conference on the May Election held over the weekend, a Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) security officer issued an advisory about the presence of counterfeit bills circulating at the onset of the May national and local polls.

MASBATE CITY, April 29  -- Showing their sincerity and determination to end the culture of violence in this island province of Bikol specially during times of election, Congressman Antonio Kho and his wife Governor Elisa on Tuesday handed over to state authorities 23 high powered firearms and ammunition.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 29 --A police officer assigned at the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) here is in hot water following complaints of extracting money from a truck driver who delivered election paraphernalia's to the Commission on Election (COMELEC) regional office here.

Sr. Police Officer II (SPO2) Aldrin Monuz, HPG member operating in Albay, was placed under investigation for charges of extortion preliminary to filing of administrative charges, punishable by either suspension or dismissal from the service.

Legazpi City (30 April) -- The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Bikol has ordered the cessation of operation of the Artemis Salt Corporation in Tabaco City for failure to secure Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and other permits.

"Dai magpapadagos an operasyon kan Artemis Salt Corp. sagkod dai sinda nagkaka-igwa nin ECC (There'll be no operation of Artemis Salt Corp. until they've secured an ECC)", EMB V regional director Gilbert Gonzales underscored in an interview.

Camarines Sur Province (30 April) -- Magarao town in this province has won the first-ever National Zero Basura Olympics cited among the fourth to sixth class municipalities with most innovative and effective approaches managing solid waste.

Mayor Nelson Julia, along with the municipal government officials, received the award from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in an awarding ceremonies held in Malacañang Palace last April 23.

LEGAZPI CITY, April 30 -- At least two people died and three others wounded on Thursday when fired at by unidentified gunmen in a village in Oas town in Albay, an Army official said Friday.

Killed were Rochele Tupasi, 32, and Ronald Marco, 31. Wounded were Ronald, 28, Roderick, 21 and Rogelio, Jr. all surnamed Adonis.

The two victims died on the spot while the rest were rushed to a nearby hospital.

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, PILI, CAMARINES SUR-AN ARMY Spokesman of the 9^th Infantry Division based in this camp had revealed that recent documents captured from rebels during an encounter indicated that the CPP-NPA-NDF had directed the elimination of some high-ranking army personnel during encounters and ambuscades.

Aimed at boosting their vision of providing quality education and instructive exposure to their faculty members and educators, the University of Northeastern Philippines ' (UNEP), represented by Dr. Violeta Lomibao, Dean of the College of Education attended a 3-day benchmarking tour spearheaded by the Philippine Association for Teacher Education or PAFTE.

This is part of PAFTE's way of celebrating their 25^th Founding Anniversary.

MASBATE CITY, April 29 -- At least 2,000 soldiers assigned in the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army cast their votes for their preferred national candidates during the three-day local absentee voting which started Thursday in various designated camps around Bikol Region, a military officer said.

Major Harold M. Cabunoc, division spokesperson, said that these soldiers are expected to avail of this rare opportunity to vote for their choice national candidates.

MANILA and Naga City (April 19)  -- Frontrunners Liberal Party presidential and vice presidential bets Senators Benigno Aquino III and Mar Roxas got the support of former and current local and national leaders from the Bikol region, virtually a sure win from one of the largest voting blocs in Luzon.