Gwen, Imee sign sisterhood deal
Sunday, July 3, 2011 - 01:00 a.m.LAOAG City - Cebu’s sisterhood ties with Ilocos Norte, the bailiwick of the Marcoses, were formalized yesterday at Ilocos Norte’s Capitol.
The agreement was signed on the same day former first lady now Leyte Rep. Imelda Marcos celebrated her 82nd birthday.
Ombudsman clears city councilor, brgy. chief of corruption charges
Sunday, July 3, 2011 - 12:58 a.m.A CEBU City councilor and a village chief were cleared of any criminal and administrative liability in the complaint for corruption and misconduct filed against them.
The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas cleared Councilor Sisinio Andales and Kamputhaw Barangay Captain Lorenzo Basamot of the allegations of a former barangay councilor.
Stop bickering, Cebu mayor appeals
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:46 a.m.CEBU CITY -- Postpone the political bickering until the next elections in 2013.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama repeated this a few times in his State of the City Address (Soca) on Friday, where he enumerated his achievements as mayor for the past year and the 19 years he has been in government service, as well as his plans.
Conflict may stall help for World’s workers
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:19 a.m.THIRTEEN factory workers arrested in a Danao City raid last Wednesday will fire back at the police.
Lawyer Jessie Capoy said that the Criminal Intelligence and Detective Group arrested and detained them without arrest warrants.
Applause stretches Rama’s report
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:15 a.m.WHAT a speechwriter earlier projected to be a 15-minute State of the City Address (Soca) actually lasted an hour and three minutes, with the first three minutes spent on greeting the people.
With over an hour at the podium, speaking to thousands of people, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama did not read the last two pages of his speech anymore and just made a rundown of the highlights.
Some find mayor sincere, others think it’s too early to tell
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:14 a.m.DILI na kinahanglan. Buhat ang gipasulti (No need to comment on his speech. Let actions speak).”—Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia
“What he stated were facts. Dili man malalis ang facts. Ang question lang diha is that it's not a matter of kinsa man nang performance ug dili tan-aw nimo'g mahimo ba o wala ba. Wala kaayo masulti (You cannot argue against facts. The question, though, is who achieved those, and also see if these are possible).”—Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young
Marina official faces charges
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:13 a.m.HOW does a civil servant earning only P13,338 a month, married to somebody who posts no taxable income, and who, like her, is without any business holdings, raise her net worth by P900,000 in one year?
The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas found basis to charge Lilah Rodas with falsifying her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) yesterday.
Mandaue to require companies to set up breastfeeding rooms
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:11 a.m.BUSINESSMEN, nutrition advocates and officials of Mandaue City yesterday signed an agreement to set up rooms in workplaces where working mothers can breastfeed their babies.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) and the Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development also launched an exhibit at the SM City Cebu, as part of activities for the Nutrition Month, which is held every July.
K+2 program ‘worsens lack of classrooms’
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:10 a.m.CEBU City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young criticized the Department of Education (Deped) for implementing the mandatory kindergarten for public schools.
This, after the vice mayor received several complaints from teachers and parents about the shortage of classrooms in the City’s public schools.
Cris wants part in Gwen’s case
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:08 a.m.LAWYER Oliveros Kintanar has found a way to stay involved in the administrative case pending against Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.
He was unable to continue representing the complainant, the late vice governor Greg Sanchez, after the latter’s daughter sacked him over a “difference of principles” earlier last month.
15-year-old blind twins inspire PWDs like them to keep faith
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:07 a.m.HIS voice big and deep, Christian Faelnar belted out “This is the Moment” while his twin brother Christopher played the keyboard during the kick-off ceremony of the first provincial disability month yesterday.
Born blind, the 15-year-old twins said they hope to encourage persons with disabilities (PWDs) to remain faithful to God despite their condition.
Charges against Bella, boyfriend stick
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:06 a.m.BELLA Ruby Santos and Ian Charles Griffiths are facing kidnapping with homicide charges for the death of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.
Government prosecutors junked the motion for reconsideration the suspects’ lawyers filed and said there is basis to hold the respondents for trial.
Cabbie found dead in vehicle; no motive yet
Saturday, July 2, 2011 - 01:05 a.m.A HOLIDAY Taxi driver was found dead inside his vehicle in Barangay Buaya, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.
Romulo Magdasal, a resident of Barangay Banilad, Cebu City, had gunshot wounds in the head, chest and hand.
Defense's appeal over Pique’s case junked
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 12:55 p.m.CEBU CITY (Updated 12:15 p.m.) -- Government prosecutors junked Friday morning the motion for reconsideration filed by the defense team in the kidnapping with homicide case against Bella Ruby Santos and Ian Charles Griffiths.
Prosecution counsel Inocencio dela Cerna Jr., in a radio interview, said they welcome the development of the case of Ellah Joy Pique after the denial of the motion filed before the Office of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor on June 27.
Bench warrant v. Joavan lifted
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:33 a.m.JUDGE Enriquita Lo-quillano-Belarmino yesterday lifted the bench warrant she issued against Joavan Fernandez, who failed to attend the arraignment of his drug case last June 16.
Belarmino, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 57, also reinstated the P200,000 bail Joavan posted.
Reject subpoena or summons by local legislatures, media told
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:31 a.m.THE Cebu City Council and the Cebu Provincial Board have no authority to summon members of media because that power is not granted to them by the Local Government Code.
The matter was raised yesterday during the quarterly meeting en banc of the Cebu Citizens-Press Council (CCPC) based on the proposed resolution submitted by the Cebu Media Legal Aid (Cemla) to stir discussion among the media community and concerned citizens.
CG releases Indonesian vessel
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:30 a.m.THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Cebu has allowed the departure of tugboat Buleleng to Jakarta, Indonesia even though it is under investigation on suspicion that it was smuggling diesel fuel.
The fuel was seized on board the vessel Petrolino-1.
Coconut trees were not cut inside Balili property: Capitol
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:29 a.m.COCONUT trees that were uprooted by the Cebu Provincial Government in Barangay Tinaan did not fall inside the Balili property, a Capitol offiial said yesterday Adolfo Quiroga, head of Capitol’s Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), also said they have not received a notice of violation from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7.
Lawyer Jose Maria Gas-tardo, Capitol’s consultant on planning and development, said something was wrong with the communication of EMB.
PNP, agency implement curfew
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:28 a.m.POLICEMEN and social workers of Mandaue City were tasked to enforce a new curfew ordinance.
That, while more than 121 reported incidents of minors in conflict with the law were reported from July last year to June this year.
Group oversees DAR budgetting
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:27 a.m.A GROUP monitors the budget of a government agency to help it implement the country’s agrarian reform in the next three years.
The Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (Phildhrra), a network of civil society groups, held a forum yesterday to discuss the budgeting process of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
Parian health center in the dark
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:26 a.m.BECAUSE of unpaid bills, the health center of Barangay Parian, Cebu City has been without electricity for the past three months, which residents fear would hamper the delivery of health services.
A concerned citizen from Parian, who requested anonymity, wrote Sun.Star Cebu yesterday to report the barangay’s failure to settle its P13,568.40 obligation to the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco).
Cops seek stronger ties with residents, form band
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:26 a.m.CEBU City has its dancing tax collectors and Cebu Province has its world-famous dancing inmates.
But how about a rock-and-roll band composed of policemen?
Solon sets public hearing on bill that seeks to create fisheries dep’t.
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:25 a.m.A PUBLIC hearing on the bill that seeks to turn the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) into a department will be held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on July 14.
Rep. Benhur Salim-bangon (Cebu, fourth district), author of the bill, said the public hearing will also take up amendments to the Fisheries Law, as four congressmen proposed separate amendments to protect small-scale fishermen and coral reefs.
Displaced families ‘safe’ from worry
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:24 a.m.SOME displaced families from the banks of the Mahiga Creek are grateful they now live inside Lot 27 of the Cebu City Impounding Area at the North Reclamation Area.
Although most of them call blue tents home, at least they didn’t have to worry about rising waters following yesterday’s heavy downpour, they said.
Local legislators change minds, decide to listen to mayor’s Soca
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:22 a.m.CEBU City Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young and majority of the members of the City Council will listen to Mayor Michael Rama’s State of the City Address (Soca), after all.
Young said they made the decision during a dinner meeting initiated by Rep. Tomas Osmeña at his residence the other night.
Mayors list their accomplishments from day they assumed office
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:21 a.m.FIRST-TERM mayors in Cebu have many to report in their first year of office.
They count projects related to infrastructure development, health, education, social welfare and environmental protection among their accomplishments.
CIDG detains 13 gun workers in Danao without arrest warrants
Friday, July 1, 2011 - 02:20 a.m.EVEN without arrest warrants, police tossed in the detention cell 13 workers of a gun factory in Danao City because they were caught in the act of illegally making firearms during a raid Wednesday.
This was the explanation of Supt. Romano Cardiño of the Criminal Intelligence and Detective Group (CIDG) yesterday amid questions whether the police were arbitrarily detaining the workers.
Court to visit Mahiga creek and its settlers
Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 06:19 p.m.CEBU CITY (Updated 6:02 p.m.) -- The Regional Trial Court (RTC) ordered Thursday an inspection of the Mahiga Creek, and the temporary shelters the City Government is providing residents.
The inspection, RTC Judge Soliver Peras said, will help the court determine the level of danger that residents who have chosen to stay in homes built over the waterway or at the creek's banks face during heavy rains and flooding, as well as the adequacy of the city's temporary relocation site.
Spend less on party: council
Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 01:04 a.m.THE Cebu City Council slashed some items for the awarding of Cebu City’s taxpayers, saying these were unnecessary.
The committee on budget and finance said it is unnecessary to have an emcee and a voice-over talent, a dance troupe, musical arrangement and orchestra for the Awarding of Outstanding Taxpayers scheduled for Aug. 12.
EMB 7 issues notice on Capitol for unmet ECC conditions for coal ash dump
Thursday, June 30, 2011 - 01:02 a.m.CAPITOL has allegedly violated four conditions in the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of its coal ash landfill project at the former Balili property in Barangay Tinaan, City of Naga.
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 Director Alan Arranguez yesterday issued a notice of violation to Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) head Adolfo Quiroga.
