Cebu Capitol revenue up

CEBU CITY -- The Capitol’s revenues increased by P87 million from January to April this year compared to the first four months of 2012.

Two officials attributed the 13 percent increase to prudent spending and close monitoring of delinquent taxpayers.

From 5 cities, canines come to bow, wow

BARACK seemed afraid to go down a steep wooden panel and Darna couldn’t really fly. Tasha walked like a model while Mulan just wanted to do her own thing. Oh, and Osama was there, too.

These were among the over 50 dogs that competed in yesterday’s first Philippine Dog Agility Association (PDAA) championships.

'Laughter lowers depression, kills cancer cells'

IT WAS an unusual morning workout session. Some 80 participants and their instructor with contorted faces let out boisterous “hahahas” and “hohohos,” followed by prolonged laughter.

The exercises were components of laughter yoga, a mixture of proper breathing techniques, facial exercises and “faking laughter” for cancer patients and survivors.

Several road repairs to cause heavier traffic in Lapu-Lapu

SEVERAL road projects are causing heavier traffic in Lapu-Lapu City.

Frank Brazil, head of the City Traffic Management System, asked the riding public to bear with the inconvenience, as the projects are aimed to improve the roads.

Warrant out for Clavel’s arrest

THE Sandiganbayan has issued a warrant of arrest for former congresswoman Clavel Asas-Martinez and six others for the graft and malversation of public funds cases they face before the anti-graft court.

Associate Justice Teresita Diaz-Baldos confirmed the warrant was issued last March 18, or before the defense filed a motion for the court to confirm if there was probable cause and to quash the information.

Struggling to survive in their twilight years

ACROSS a fast food restaurant teeming with customers, an old couple watched as pedestrians walked past their makeshift store.

Almost an hour passed before a woman glanced at the pile of banana cue and decided to buy one.

Mabini brgy. captain may have committed a ‘passion crime’

SIGNS would suggest that the barangay captain of Mabini, Cebu City who allegedly shot and killed his rumored paramour committed a crime of passion.

“It (crime of passion) is committed when someone is under extreme emotional circumstances, especially if the person senses an impending loss,” said Dr. Rene Obra, head of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for Behavioral Sciences.

Lahug folks ask for City’s help

TWENTY-ONE families living along Salinas Drive in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City are asking the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DPWH) 7 for financial assistance.

They said they will use the cash aid to rebuild their homes that are located in front of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) 7.

Councilor moves to give titles to occupants of Province lots

A MOVE to grant tax relief to beneficiaries of the Cebu Provincial Ordinance 93-1 who don’t have titles yet for their home lots is being pushed at the Cebu City Council.

Councilor Nida Cabrera has filed an ordinance that seeks to grant a 100-percent transfer tax exemption to occupants of provincial lots in the city.

Pelaez camp accused of bribery try

A 24-YEAR-OLD resident of Olango Island, Lapu-Lapu City alleged that a supporter of defeated mayoralty candidate Efrain Pelaez Jr. tried to bribe him to attest that he received money in exchange for his vote for the candidates of Team Deretso, the group of Mayor-elect Paz Radaza.

Ronnel Alibong, a resident of Barangay Tungasan, said a man he did not know offered him P500 and asked him to say in front of a video camera that he received money from Team Deretso.

Joavan to join dancing inmates, to undergo training for 2 weeks

JOAVAN Fernandez is behaving well inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), said jail consultant Romeo Manansala.

In about a month, Joavan, the adopted son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez, will be seen joining the famous CPDRC dancing inmates.

Boy, 3, electrocuted in Toledo City

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy got electrocuted after he accidentally touched a live wire inside their house in Cantabaco, Toledo City, Cebu last Friday.

Police said that the boy, James Carl Camocamo, was seen by his father shaking while holding the wire of a washing machine, which was left plugged in at 2 p.m.

Passion killing eyed in deaths of Cebu village chief, widow

CEBU CITY -- The same type of bullet pierced the chest of Mabini Barangay Captain Rey Oybenes and Rohamma Luage and the shot killed both.

The bullet was fired from a .45 pistol.

BI officer nabbed for extortion

THE National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) arrested yesterday a legal officer of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) 7 for allegedly extorting P25,000 from an American national in exchange for his visa extension.

NBI 7 Director Antonio Pagatpat said a joint team from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Manila and the NBI Central Visayas caught Serafin A. Abellon, BI legal officer, in an entrapment.

Transportation department asks Cebu City to submit project brief

THE Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) has asked the Cebu City Government to submit a project brief on the establishment of bike lanes in the city.

This will be used for possible funding for the project’s feasibility study.

Asean media eye creation of press council

BANGKOK - Representatives from seven media groups in Southeast Asia yesterday discussed the possibility of establishing an Asean Press Council (APC).

City: Use of pickups remain unrestricted

CEBU City Hall has no plans, for now, to restrict the use of government-owned vehicles issued to barangay captains.

The issue was raised as Mabini Barangay Captain Rey Oybenes used the City-issued pickup truck when he allegedly dumped the body of his lover in Barangay Cansumoroy, Balamban before shooting himself inside the same vehicle last Thursday.

Mabini folk voice disbelief at Oybenes’s ‘act’

TO many residents of Barangay Mabini, Cebu City, Rey Oybenes is a generous and helpful village chief.

Many of them were shocked when they heard that Oybenes was accused of killing Rohama Luage, his alleged lover, and dumping her body in a ravine in Balamban.

DWUP chief: Luage always happy at work

DESPITE the death of her husband in 2007, Rohama Luage was a jolly person.

Her co-workers at the Cebu City Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) could not believe Luage’s life would end the way it did.

Submarine operator apologizes

THE operator of the controversial underwater tour in Lapu-Lapu City said they will take full responsibility for the damaged corals in a diving site where their submarine operated.

“We would like to apologize for the trouble that the Yellow Submarine has caused,” Cebu Yellow Submarine Undersea Tour Corp. general manager Jun Kim said in a letter to Mayor Paz Radaza last May 9.

Joavan’s arraignment postponed

THE arraignment of Joavan Fernandez, considered by police as Cebu’s public enemy number one, on his latest cases was postponed yesterday after his lawyer, Paulino Labrado, failed to appear in court.

Judge Soliver Peras had scheduled Fernandez’s arraignment of his three criminal cases yesterday morning.

1,000 BEIs have yet to get honorarium

OVER 1,000 board of election inspectors (BEI) of seven local government units in Cebu Province have not received their cash cards where their honorariums will be deposited. These towns include Badian (114 BEIs), Asturias (138), Dumanjug (153), Catmon (78) and Sibonga (117) and the cities of Carcar (209) and Toledo (369).

Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba submitted the list to Finance Services Department Director 4 Eduardo Mejos of Comelec Manila last Tuesday.

Notebooks bearing images of officials to be distributed

THE Capitol will cover the notebooks that bear the images of provincial officials, including suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale.

“Then, there’s another suggestion… coveran unya ihatag sa (cover the notebooks then distribute these to local government units) and we want to talk to the local chief executives nga (that) they will take care of providing covers,” Magpale said.

Lapu-Lapu to promote culture, heritage during Gabii sa Kabilin

FOR the first time, heritage sites in Lapu-Lapu City will be featured in the Gabii sa Kabilin (Night of Heritage), an annual tour of museums and historical sites.

City Tourism Officer Hembler Mendoza said participants of the event will be given a tour of the Mactan Shrine and the Nuestra Virgen de la Regla National Shrine on May 31.

Cebu village chief, widow of cop found dead

CEBU CITY -- The barangay captain of Mabini, this city, allegedly killed his rumored paramour before shooting himself to death inside his vehicle a few hours after he had thrown her body off a cliff.

The body of the woman was dumped in a cliff in Barangay Cansumoroy, Balamban, which is in the mountain borders of Cebu City.

Wanted: 5T teachers for public schools

CENTRAL Visayas needs more than 5,600 public school teachers this year, the Department of Education (DepEd 7) said.

The new teachers will augment the 44,234 currently employed by the National Government for Central Visayas.

Joavan eats CPDRC’s breakfast ration; pa visits

ACTING Governor Agnes Magpale said Joavan Fernandez will not be harmed inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), but he won’t get any special treatment.

Joavan was transferred to the CPDRC last Wednesday after he and two other companions were arrested in the southwestern town of Moalboal last Monday. They were preparing to board two pump boats for Negros Oriental.

‘Metro Cebu’ swindlers claim 2 more victims

TWO more complainants surfaced yesterday as police continue to search for the swindlers who issued bouncing checks to several stores in Metro Cebu last week.

Businessman Mark Loreto, 28, of Liloan, Cebu, said he lost five coffee vending machines worth P76,000 after the buyer who ordered the items over the phone issued a check that turned out to be of no value.

Cebu City Hall needs P70 million a month

IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.

City Treasurer Emma Villarete said the monthly release of the allowances and financial aid can be done if made through the distribution of cash cards.

City Hall needs P70M a month

IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.