Former senator sues Oro mayor

FORMER Senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. has filed charges of anti-graft and corruption against Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano before the Office of the Ombudsman.

The case is in connection with the controversial then-"Piso-piso" now "50-50" lot program of Emano, which Pimentel said is "packed with irregularities."

Lawmaker leads infra ground breaking

REPRESENTATIVE Rufus Rodriguez of the second district of Cagayan de Oro City will lead Friday's ground-breaking ceremonies to signal the start of multi-billion infrastructure projects in the city.

The first ground breaking will be for the P10-million widening of the Sayre Highways in Puerto in preparation for the construction of a P300-million flyover there.

City hospital told to improve health service

THE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Cagayan de Oro Service Office (PhilHealth) is challenging the administration of JR Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) to improve their medical services to hit the P59-million target earnings this year.

Gilbert S. Cortizano, PhilHealth Social Insurance Officer II, said during the discussion meeting on Tuesday at Dynasty Court that PhilHealth reimbursed a total of P229 million in 2010, with the JRBGH getting the lowest return reimbursement in 2010 at only 3 percent of patients admitted compared to private hospitals with 36 percent and Northern Mindanao Medical Center with 39 percent.

City ready for calamities

THE City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) said it is ready if, and when, a calamity hits the city as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned of the La Niña period continuing until May this year.

Surgically amputated foot found

A MAN'S surgically cut foot wrapped in surgical bondage was found at the riverside in Barra, Macabalan, this city, Thursday morning.

3 die, 15 hurt in Oro road mishap

CAGAYAN DE ORO -- Three people were killed and 15 others were critically injured in a head-on collision between a passenger jeepney and a 10-wheeler truck on a highway in Tablon village here Thursday morning.

Attending physicians at the Puerto Community Hospital in Puerto village declared a male passenger in his 50s dead on arrival. The second fatality, a female passenger, also died at the Capitol University Medical City in Gusa while the third passenger died at the Northern Mindanao Medical Center.

Cop chief mum on transfer order

CAGAYAN de Oro’s City police director Benedicto Lopez was tight-lipped on the details of his purported transfer to Camp Crame in Quezon City but hinted he will follow orders.

Lopez also refused to confirm reports that he personally made a request for transfer to Manila.

Guv signs appropriations ordinance

MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar S. Moreno on Tuesday signed the controversial Appropriation Ordinance 1217-2010 certified by the vice governor and signed by the acting secretary to the Provincial Board.

Moreno, however, vetoed line items specifically the General Fund and that of the Provincial Board items.

40 cops face admin raps

AROUND 40 police officers are facing administrative charges before the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division (RIDMD) of the Northern Mindanao police headquarters at Camp Alagar in Cagayan de Oro City.

Inspector Gil D. Caday, head of the pre-charge investigation branch, said cases ranging from serious neglect of duty to grave misconduct had already been forwarded to higher authorities for appropriate filing of charges.

No 'quorum' at Misamis Oriental provincial council

FOR the first time in the legislative history of Misamis Oriental, its Provincial Council failed to conduct the scheduled third regular session on Monday.

Of the 13 Council members, only four showed up -- Oliver Actub, Arsenio Kho, Jimmy Caiña and Jabi Bernaldez.

Police chief still has one year

CITY police chief Benedicto Lopez need not transfer since his two-year tour of duty is not yet due after he assumed post as city director of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office on January 2010.

Philippine National Police regional information officer Regina E. Abanales said all senior officers like Lopez have to end their stint only after completing their tour of duty.

Oro expects P200M revenue collection

THE Cagayan de Oro City government has already collected some P70 million in tax payment as of yesterday morning, 20 percent higher compared to last year's P56 million collected during the same period.

According to Lino Daral, City Treasurer, the city government projects some P180- P200 million tax revenue this year, higher than the P170 million revenue collected last year.

New radio station to go on air

THE sixth AM radio station in Cagayan de Oro is set to go on air in the next few days.

The name of the radio station is not yet known, but the people behind it were former personnel of the "Radio Aguila ng Bayan," who were absorbed by the Ultra Craft Broadcasting Corporation owned by Jun Suan of Carmen.

Cop chief wants to be relieved from post

POLICE Superintendent Benedicto Lopez of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) has asked to be relieved as head of the city's 900-strong police force.

Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano on Sunday announced Lopez's intention to be relieved during his Sunday morning radio program.

Law enforcement board hears cop's case in 'absentia'

THE People's Law Enforcement Board (Pleb) here warned that the lawyers of accused PO3 Lonie Rementizo can no longer cross-examine complainants if the police officer refuses to appear at the next hearing of his case.

"Kung dili gyud mo-appear ang respondent, the Board will still continue with the so-called ex-party hearing, ang side na lang sa complainant ang i-present (If the respondent will not appear, we will continue the hearing to get the side of the complainant)," Ian Nacaya, chair of the Pleb, said.

Guv sets to veto appropriation ordinance

MISAMIS Oriental governor Oscar Moreno is set to "line veto" the Appropriation Ordinance signed by the vice governor and the Provincial Board secretary.

Health department launched family planning

AROUND 150 participants from the Local Government Units, Municipal Health Office, Population Communication, and Barangay Health Workers have joined the launching of the Family Planning Campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) here last week.

3 Oro cops hunted

Three police officers -- two facing murder and one rape -- top the list of wanted persons at the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) regional office in Northern Mindanao.

The NBI said that the two police officers have standing warrants of arrest and are now the subject of an intensive manhunt.

Peace talks to resume on Feb. 9

THE government peace panel will resume peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Feb. 9 following the completion of initial discussions in Malaysia.

The government panel just flew in on Friday from Malaysia for the initial discussions there.

Tourism agency warns of Internet hacker

ALLEGED computer hackers are now starting to make a living out of using the Internet to hit the Department of Tourism's regional office in Cagayan de Oro City on Thursday.

Deceus Esmedalla, tourism department's regional information officer, said a certain "Butro" sent him a message on his personal Yahoo! account using the DOT regional office's Yahoo account, dotr10@yahoo.com.

City Hall puts up collection centers

IN AN effort to give convenience to the taxpaying public, the City Treasurer's Office has established offsite collection centers to accept tax payments even as the city's Business One-Stop Shop (BOSS) at City Hall extends its operations to Saturdays and Sundays to process renewal of and new applications for business permits.

Highway robbery suspect nabbed

POLICE authorities on Thursday night collared a 27-year-old robbery suspect in Brgy. Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City.

Barangay police and bystanders cornered the suspect identified as Christian P. Tacas-tacas, of Jasaan, Misamis Oriental, after a chase.

Vice Guv ordered to submit Board notes

MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno on Thursday ordered the office of the vice governor to submit to his office stenographic notes of the Provincial Board proceedings pertaining to the approval of the province's Appropriation Ordinance for 2011.

"I want to be furnished copies of statements issued by the Provincial Board pertaining to issues on which appropriation ordinance is true and genuine," Moreno said in a memorandum addressed to Vice Governor Norris Babiera.

City Hall workers to get 12.5 pay raise

MORE than 3,000 Cagayan de Oro City Hall workers can expect a 12.5 percent salary adjustment starting this month.

The increase covers only regular employees of the City Government.

Barangays asked to submit list of policemen

CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor Ramon Tabor recently reminded all heads of the city's 80 barangays to submit an updated list of their respective pools of village police for 2011.

Tabor, chair of the committee on barangay police development, said every rural barangay must form 20 in every team while the urban areas can form as much as 25 barangay police depending on the size of their areas of responsibility or the size of their barangay.

Human skeleton found in Oro

POLICE in Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, on Wednesday found the skeletal remains of a person whose bones were scattered upstream of a hilly portion of Sitio Kilibay in Barangay Agusan here, seven kilometers from the highway.

5 men rob mini grocery

FIVE unidentified armed men held up a mini grocery store at NHA subdivision in barangay Kauswagan here Wednesday night and ran away with P10,000 cash and valuables.

Misamis Oriental conducts mock water rescue

THE Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) will conduct a water rescue demonstration today (Friday) using its newly purchased three rubber boats.

Provincial Board to sue guv

MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno's statement on Wednesday about considering the budget appropriation ordinance submitted and signed by the vice governor has led the Provincial Board to consider taking him to court.

Provincial Board member Jesus Jardin warned that the Provincial Board will take legal action if Moreno will approve the "Babiera version" of the appropriation ordinance.

Poll body issues subpoena to mayoral candidate

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued a subpoena to the lawyers of Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano and defeated mayoral candidate Rolando Uy for a closed-door "preliminary conference" on January 21, 2011, at the provincial office in Misamis Oriental.

Uy, through his lawyers, has filed an election protest against Emano for alleged fraud in the conduct of the May 10, 2010 mayoral elections here.