Lapinig to Jipapad Road Inaugurated

The Lapinig, Northern Samar to Jipapad, Eastern Samar Road was inaugurated on November 14,2009. The Lapinig to Jipapad Road is a 5.22 kilometer all-weather road connecting the hinterland and rebel infested towns of the provinces of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar. The road was realized after a promise by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, funded out of the President's Social Fund. The road project amounted to P20 Million and was constructed by the 53rd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army. The P20-million road project was started on August 11, 2005 and was reported to have been completed on November 5, 2009.

Present at the road inauguration were Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas, Cynthia Nierras; Brigadier General Arthur Tabaquero of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army; Congressman Paul Daza of the 1st District of Northern Samar; Lapinig Mayor Romualdo Menzon; Jipapad Mayor Joji Montillana and the officers and men of the 53rd Engineer Brigade of the Philippine Army.

San Antonio LGU Worker Slain

The latest victim of the continuing violence in the province of Northern Samar is a lowly civilian, a government employee of the local government unit (LGU) of San Antonio. Chief Supt. Mario T. San Diego, PNP Region 8 Director, identified the victim as Crusada Serrano, 48 years old and a resident of Brgy.Burabod, San Antonio,Northern Samar.

Reports said Serrano was watching a DVD movie in the afternoon of October 25, 2009, inside his house, when the lone suspect barged into his house and shot him dead. The still unidentified killer according to reports has used a .45 caliber pistol to shoot Serrano.

The lone suspect immediately fled to the poblacion proper of San Antonio. The San Antonio police is now conducting an investigation into the shooting.