Faithful reminded to appreciate God’s blessings

CEBU Archbishop Jose Palma called on the faithful to spend time in prayer, be charitable and practice fasting and abstinence during the Lenten season.

In his homily during the Ash Wednesday mass, Palma said the season is a reminder for the people to appreciate what God has done in their lives.

Palma hears side of altar boys; ‘erring’ priest fails to show up

CEBU Archbishop Jose Palma met with the eight acolytes from Barangay Sta. Rosa in Olango Island, who claimed they were pushed and punched by the priest of St. Augustine Parish.

The prelate talked with them for an hour at his office yesterday morning. They were accompanied by a coordinator and a sacristan adviser.

Dumpit wants out of city jail

THE lawyer of jailed police officer Adonis Dumpit yesterday filed an urgent motion to have him transferred to a “safer” prison facility.

Pedro Leslie Salva asked Regional Trial Court Branch 6 Judge Ester Veloso to grant their pleading “in the highest interest of justice and fair play.”

Corals seized from barangay captain

JOINT forces of law enforcement agencies seized last Friday boxes of endangered corals and various shell varieties in the house of the barangay captain in Punta Engaño, Lapu-Lapu City, and again last Tuesday in the shorelines of the same barangay.

Confiscated from Punta Engaño Barangay Captain Lourdes Ibag were 11 boxes of helmet shells, 10 boxes of giant clams, a box of trumpet shells and a box of sea corals.

After two-year ‘delay,’ trial of 1 of the lamppost cases to start

THE Sandiganbayan will finally begin the trial of one of the three remaining criminal cases lodged against 21 people over the lamppost scam, nearly two years after this was reinvestigated and re-filed.

The prosecution will present evidence in Manila on April 27-28, said the justices of the anti-graft court’s 4th division, chaired by Justice Gregory Ong, yesterday.

1st Pinoy casualty in New Zealand quake identified

CEBU CITY -- The body of one of the Cebuano nurses buried during the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand last February 22 was retrieved and identified through DNA testing.

An ABS-CBN report confirmed it was 33-year-old Ivy Jane Cabunillas, who hailed from Talisay City.

Store attendant withdraws case vs mayor’s son

CEBU CITY -- A victim raises a complaint but later withdraws it. A father defends his son. The case is eventually dismissed.

This has become a familiar cycle whenever a complaint is made against Joavan Fernandez, a son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez.

Photos shown to new witnesses

THE police have “more or less established some motive and means” behind the death of Ellah Joy Pique, said Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador.

“We have substantial reason to believe our investigation is on the right track,” he said yesterday, exactly a month since the abduction outside a public school in Minglanilla town.

LTFRB says operators can use 2008 approval to charge 35 centavos more

BUS passengers in the province will have to shell out a few more pesos starting next week, when bus operators start implementing the fare matrix approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in 2008 yet.

Citing the rising cost of fuel and maintenance of buses, operators of buses and mini buses said yesterday that they can no longer keep the bus fares at the present rate.

Councilor worries about safety of Dumpit at detention facility

WORRIED about SPO1 Adonis Dumpit’s safety in the Cebu City Jail, a city councilor said the policeman should not be detained there.

Councilor Augustus Pe Jr. said he already apprised the jail warden of the possible danger Dumpit would be facing inside the detention facility, and asked him not to take the situation for granted.

Charge Danao chief cop: CPPO

FOR allegedly making up proof against suspected drug pushers, the police chief of Danao City was recommended to be charged with an administrative case.

Olango priest ‘settles matter’ with altar boy

THE Archdiocese of Cebu should investigate the physical abuse complaint raised by an altar boy against a priest, said a church official.

An investigation should be conducted by the archdiocesan officials who are direct superiors of the priest involved, said Msgr. Esteban Binghay, a Canon lawyer.

Beauty titlist, artist’s widow promote cancer awareness

CELEBRITIES were in Cebu yesterday to advocate for cervical cancer vaccination, while a “pink army” trooped to the Plaza Sugbo to join the celebration of the International Women’s Day.

Every day, 12 Filipinas die of cervical cancer, the second leading cause of female mortality in the country.

Students call for UP dean’s ouster

WEARING red shirts, some students, teachers and workers of the University of the Philippines Cebu College (UPCC) intensified their call for the ouster of Dean Enrique Avila, as they met with high-ranking university officials yesterday.

Banners protesting Avila’s alleged abuses were hung in front of the school administration building, and some were wrapped around the Oblation, an icon that symbolizes the University of the Philippines (UP).

Implement gender programs, towns told

THE Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission (CPWC) engaged women leaders in Cordova town in a discussion on child pornography, cyber-sex, sexual harassment and breast cancer yesterday.

The activity was held in time for the celebration of the International Women’s Day.

City to rid signs of politicians’ pics

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has reminded the Cebu City Government to ban the names, initials and photos of government officials from billboards and signs of government programs, projects and properties.

DILG sent a memorandum circular to Mayor Michael Rama to act on the directive of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III that prohibits the practice.

Cortes’ ally Boholst resigns as City Hall administrator

MAYOR Jonas Cortes yesterday accepted the resignation of his closest ally, Briccio Boholst, as Mandaue City administrator.

Boholst submitted his resignation letter last Feb. 23 yet. He did not say why he resigned. Both he and Cortes are mum on the incident.

Ingles’ waiver of LGU stipend ‘struck’ P-Noy

JUDGE Gabriel Ingles said President Benigno Aquino III found “peculiar” his application for associate justice of the Court of Appeals (CA).

Ingles said a source informed him that Aquino was impressed with his decision to waive his monthly stipend from local government units (LGU) to maintain judicial independence.

Body to wrap up inquiry on lamp blast this week

THE fact-finding committee created by Mayor Michael Rama to investigate the bulb explosion incident at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) that injured three newborn babies last month is almost done with its inquiry.

City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete, committee member, said they have gathered vital information from CCMC personnel whom they invited to the hearings.

Guv offers to construct bldg. on Capitol lot for Pdea lab

CAPITOL has offered to construct a building for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea) Central Visayas, after Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia was informed that their P1.5-million laboratory equipment remained unused for lack of space.

The governor called Pdea 7 Director Adrian Alvarino to her office yesterday to know how the Province can help them.

Motive among missing pieces in Ellah’s death

A MONTH after Ellah Joy Pique’s abduction in Minglanilla town, a police official expressed optimism yesterday that investigators have found a solid lead.

Among the things they need to figure out is the motive.

Governor Garcia wants Comendador to head Cebu Provincial Police Office

CEBU Gov. Gwen Garcia wants Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador for the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) director’s position.

The governor admitted, however, she has yet to receive Camp Crame’s official list of candidates for her to choose from.

You’ll get paid for poll food, Rama assures catering firm

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama assured a catering company it will get paid despite the Commission on Audit (Coa) order suspending payment pending justification.

Red Carpet Catering Services is demanding payment for the food served during the May 2010 elections.

BOC wants Sino duo’s dollars

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu wants the $20,000 seized from two Chinese nationals, who were earlier accosted for carrying a bag of suspicious-looking white powder, forfeited in favor of the government.

BOC Cebu legal officer Edward James Dy Buco said he will conduct a preliminary hearing this week to determine probable cause to forfeit the money in favor of the government, based on Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Circular 308, series of 2001, as amended by BSP Circular 507 of 2006.

Group petitions for P8 PUJ fare

THE Cebu Integrated Transport Service Cooperative (Citrasco) has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to increase the minimum jeepney fare from P7.50 to P8.

Ryan Benjamin Yu, Citrasco chairman, told reporters that the group filed the petition in 2009 yet.

Police stop ‘illegal recruiter,’11 victims at Mactan airport

POLICE arrested an alleged illegal recruiter at the Mactan Cebu International Airport last Sunday morning.

The alleged recruiter—a 30-year-old woman who is a native of Cabarroguis, Quirino Province—was caught by the personnel of Criminal Investigation and Detection Management Group (CIDG) 7, led by Insp. Ferdinand Mendoza.

DOH admits they didn’t consult towns

OFFICIALS of the Department of Health (DOH) admitted they did not consult the towns when they assigned midwives for its Rural Health Team Placement Program (RHTPP).

The Provincial Board (PB) yesterday invited Dr. Susana Madarieta, DOH 7 director, who couldn’t make it and sent representatives instead.

Agency awaits reports from hospitals

THE Department of Health (DOH 7) said it has yet to receive the results of the investigations conducted on two public hospitals where some patients reportedly suffered injuries due of negligence by hospital staff.

DOH 7 Director Susana Madarieta said investigations have been conducted on two incidents at the Cebu City Medical Center and the Bantayan District Hospital.

City wants probe on lost checks in CCMC concluded: lawyer

THE Cebu City Government hopes the court will finally dismiss the petition to stop the probe on the loss of 28 Philhealth checks issued to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

This, so that the investigation can start again soon.

‘Prove lawyer was in Berger party’

MEDIA practitioners who allegedly witnessed that one of the prosecutors in the Ellah Joy Pique case attended the thanksgiving dinner hos-ted by Norwegian Sven Erik Berger and his Cebuana fiancée Karen Esdrelon are urged to come forward and execute their sworn affidavit.

By so doing, Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane said his office could look into the issue. Otherwise, he said it would be better for the media to stop discussing it, out of courtesy to the Office of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor.