Sol increases pay of local teachers

By Jun Lira Making true to her commitment of improving the lot of local school board teachers, Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Forcadilla-Matugas recently ordered a second-round increase on mentors’ honorarium which would benefit one hundred seventy two elementary and seconda…

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Electoral protests vs Romarate, Matugas, Egay dismissed

The Second Division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has dismissed for lack of merit the election protest against three elected officials in Surigao del Norte. The Comelec Second Division dismissed the petition to nullify election results filed by former officials o…

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Coin tossing settles race for barangay chairman in Siargao

As two candidates for Barangay Chairman in Siargao Island garnered the same number of votes, election officials settled the race with a coin toss, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) reported. The two candidates — Godofredo Sajol and Apple Tiu — were running for the same…

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Violence, chaos mars polls in some areas in Caraga Region, Misamis Oriental

Voters who went early to different polling precincts in some areas in the Caraga Region and nearby province of Misamis Oriental particularly Gingoog City made loud noises to express their dismay after they were informed voting ins aid precincts will be delayed while some cl…

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4Ps beneficiaries not to be delisted, DSWD assures

Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Surigao del Norte need not to worry of being delisted from the program if they don't vote for certain candidates for the barangay and SK elections. Reports reached DSWD said that some 4Ps beneficiaries wer…

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Massive vote-buying in Surigao del Norte observed

Massive vote-buying also marred the Barangay and SK polls in Surigao del Norte. Reports reaching PIA showed that the going rate in a barangay in Surigao City was up to P500 per voter. A resident who requested anonymity said since Saturday, she received a total of P1,350.00. M…

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SC says Dinagat Islands not a province anymore; Issues final entry of judgment

It’s final, the Supreme Court (SC) has finally recorded an Entry of Judgment to its decision dated February 10, 2010 nullifying a law that created the province of Dinagat Islands. In an interview, Atty. Victor Bernal, one of the 3 petitioners, said the entry of judgment was …

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Comelec set to buy 1,084 PCOS; 128 slated for Dinagat Islands Special Poll

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to purchase P52 million worth of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines equivalent to 1,084 units. It was earlier reported that the poll body would buy only 487 units for $4 million (approximately P189 million at $1 to P46) t…

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Barbers claims operator offered e-fraud for P50M

Losing Surigao del Norte gubernatorial bet Robert "Ace" Barbers appeared before the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms hearing on Monday to elevate his concerns regarding the recently concluded elections in his province. Barbers, who lost to his oppo…

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'Altered’ compact flash cards were up for sale, bets claim

More stories of election irregularities cropped up during the resumption of the House investigation on alleged poll fraud, including selling of compact flash cards and even "ballot cutting." Defeated Surigao del Norte gubernatorial candidate and incumbent Gov. Ace …

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Former DepEd Director proclaims winner in Surigao Norte gubernatorial race

The Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) here finally proclaimed former education Caraga regional director Sol Matugas at past 11pm, Saturday(May 15). Matugas, a Lakas-Kampi-CMD candidate, got 111,225 votes against her rival, incumbent gov. Robert Ace Barbers of Nacionalist…

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Ecleo wins as congressman of Dinagat island

THE influential Ecleo political clan of Dinagat Island in the Caraga Region dominated the local elections there, according to the official tally of votes released by the Commission on Elections. Cult leader Ruben Ecleo Jr., who is facing a parricide case in Cebu City for al…

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19 of 20 Lakas mayoral bets in Surigao take lead

Nineteen of 20 Surigao del Norte Lakas-KAMPI-Padajon Surigao mayoral candidates in twenty municipalities have beaten their Nacionalista Party-Abante Surigao rivals in the Commission on Elections’ final unofficial tally as of 8 p.m. May 11. Surigao City Lakas Mayoralty bet En…

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Comelec, PNP to enforce liquor ban in Surigao Norte

The local COMELEC here will start enforcing a liquor ban effective Sunday (May 9) in time for the first-ever automated election on Monday, May 10. The COMELEC imposed the liquor ban in Resolution no. 8730 promulgated last December 23, 2009. Also, the local police here led by …

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CFCs for Surigao Norte arrive

Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Geraldine Samson confirmed today that the reformatted compact flash cards arrived here yesterday evening at around 11 p.m. Samson said that the delivered flash cards were already distributed to the mainland municipalities of this provinc…

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PCOS machines for Dinagat Islands received, CFCs to follow

13 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines and its battery packs for the May polls in Loreto, Dinagat Islands have arrived last May 5, Election Officer Helen Daytoc of Loreto said. Reports revealed that around 21 PCOS machines were also delivered to the municipality of …

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Surigao del Norte solon, Caraga Comelec chief deny NPA allegations on election fraud plan in Siargao

Following an impending threat to teachers in Siargao Island because of the spread of leaflets by group of NPAs led by Ka Jojo of Pulang Diwata Command imputing that BEIs, Cong. Francisco Matugas and COMELEC Regional Director Francisco Pobe are in cahoots of the upcoming elec…

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Surigao Norte PNP all set for 2010 May polls

With three more days before the election, security preparations for the first-ever poll automation are now in full gear in this province. PNP Provincial Director PS/Supt. Gilbert dC Cruz said that at least 200 police personnel were augmented from the PNP regional office to b…

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Surigao Norte, ARMM, other provinces to receive flash cards on Election Day itself

Problems in the country's first ever nationwide automated elections continued to mount Thursday as officials confirmed that clustered precincts in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and other provinces may only get compact flash cards for automated voting machines…

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Surigao politics: “Survival and Expansion”

In both Surigao City and Province, the contest is between two families. The Barbers’ and the Matugas’. The political description can be summarized. For the Barbers family, it is survival. For the Matugas family, it is expansion. Before 2004, there were three B arbers in p…

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