9 cops bag awards for arrests

NINE policemen received the Medalya ng Kagalingan Awards for the arrest of suspected robbers and illegal drug dealers in two separate operations in Consolacion town and Mandaue City.

PNP Director Allan Purisima handed the awards to the police officers during his visit in the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 yesterday.

Mandaue eyes high-rise bldg. to house local gov’t. offices

THE Mandaue City Government plans to build a modern and high-rise City Hall that will bring all 36 departments together in one building.

Principles of green architecture will be applied to the 23-story building, which will replace the old market, said City Administrator James Abadia.

TUCP backs Rama-Labella tandem

THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) yesterday endorsed the tandem of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Edgardo Labella for mayor and vice mayor for tomorrow’s elections.

Former senator and TUCP president Ernesto Herrera said his group is endorsing Rama and Labella because “the city needs a new kind of leadership.”

Be wary of bets joining church events: Palma

THE Archdiocese of Cebu has asked its clergy, religious and the laity to be mindful of the participation of public officials and candidates in church activities.

“Let us do the necessary things to sustain and maintain the integrity and dignity of our churches and our activities of worship,” said Commission on Worship chairman Fr. Glenn Therese Guanzon in a letter that was noted by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma.

8,000 PWDs to get cash aid on Wednesday

THE Cebu City Government will be releasing more than P24.78 million this week for the financial assistance to the estimated 8,000 persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the city.

Each PWD will receive P3,000. It will serve as the first tranche considering that Mayor Michael Rama has promised to give them P7,000 each for this year.

Pelaez’s case provokes spat

FOR about five minutes, a word war ensued yesterday morning between Deputy Ombudsman-Visayas Pelagio Apostol and Lapu-Lapu City mayoralty candidate Efrain Pelaez Jr. inside the ombudsman’s office.

“You’re destroying the Office of the Ombudsman, not me,” said Apostol, while pointing his finger at the businessman. “You’re destroying the trust and confidence of the people. Ang kasalanan mo (Your mistake)…”

Winner in 2010 mayoral race in Madridejos identified

BARELY a week before the election, the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City came out with a decision identifying Doroteo Salazar as the winner in the May 2010 mayoral race in Madridejos in Bantayan Island, Cebu.

His political rival, Madridejos Mayor Salvador de la Fuente of One Cebu party, suspects the decision and its timing.

House candidate wants to get rid of pork barrel

ABOLITION of the pork barrel; creation of a national transportation safety board; establishing a study-now-pay-later program; passage of the Freedom of Information Bill; and expanding the coverage of senior citizens’ discounts.

These are among the legislative proposals that Team Rama south district congressional candidate Aristotle Batuhan will file in Congress if elected on Monday.

Police brace for worst during polls

THE Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) will conduct round-the-clock checkpoint starting tomorrow morning as part of its efforts to secure the elections on Monday.

LLCPO Chief Rey Lyndon Lawas said the police will also be reminding stores selling alcoholic drinks about the two-day liquor ban starting tomorrow.

Tax evasion case filed vs. PJ; he’ll file same rap vs. Davide

THE daughter of the late Cebu vice governor Greg Sanchez, Engr. Grecilda “Gigi” Sanchez, asked the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to check the taxes paid by the Garcias and two of their party mates.

2 poll places haven’t tested machines yet

TWO more polling places have yet to finish the final testing and sealing (FTS) of their Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

But unlike in other precincts, their problem was not the PCOS machines themselves.

Human trafficking convictions up

MORE than 80 persons have been convicted of human trafficking nationwide from July 2010 to April 2013.

This is an increase of 51 convictions from 30 between 2005 and June 2010, according to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) of the Department of Justice (DOJ).

City Hall gets new garbage trucks from Japanese city

TO help Cebu City manage its solid waste, the government of Yokohama, Japan donated 10 new garbage compactor trucks worth P10 million to the City Government.

Ryan Echevarria of the City's Protocol Office said the trucks, which cost about P1 million each, will be delivered to Cebu City this month.

Team Rama faces poll plaint

REP. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) yesterday filed a complaint against Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, the entire slate of Team Rama and three others for allegedly violating the Omnibus Election Code.

Rama woos voters from upland villages

OFFICIALS from 13 mountain barangays in Cebu City’s north district joined the miting de avance of Mayor Michael Rama in Barangay Talamban Thursday night.

They came from Barangays Mabini, Budlaan, Bacayan, Adlaon, Guba, Binaliw, Lusaran, Paril, Agsungot, Pit-os, Pulangbato, Cambinocot and San Jose.

Man caught on cam burglarizing 2 apartments

WHAT do two apartments in Barangays Labangon and Tisa, Cebu City have in common?

Both were burglarized last Thursday by the same person. The break-ins were caught on a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera.

Joavan’s escape vehicle with red plate found

CEBU CITY -- The anti-graft office started a fact-finding investigation on Joavan Fernandez’s alleged use of a government service when he escaped last Wednesday night.

The getaway vehicle was found outside a fastfood restaurant in Mandaue City last Thursday night. The Talisay City mayor’s son, however, remains at large.

Joavan: Public Enemy 1

JOAVAN Fernandez is now the number one public enemy in Cebu Province, as far as the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is concerned.

“He has caused us a lot of problems and has disrupted our functions in the police force. He’s also dangerous and may be armed,” PRO 7 Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. told reporters during a press briefing yesterday.

Criminal rap vs Garcia, et. al

CEBU CITY -- The anti-graft office has upgraded into a criminal and administrative complaint its fact-finding inquiry on the alleged anomalous backfilling of the Balili property in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the recommendation to charge suspended Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, acting Provincial Accountant Emmanuel Guial and former Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre with violation of Article 220 (technical malversation) of the Revised Penal Code, with corresponding administrative case for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty.

LP ‘uncovers’ backfilling in Pinamungahan

ACTING Gov. Agnes Magpale and gubernatorial candidate Hilario Davide III yesterday announced that they have discovered an “illegal” backfilling of a mangrove area in Pinamungahan town.

The “illegal” backfilling was done in Sitio Bakhaw in Barangay Mangoto, Pinamungahan in the third district. This was funded from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of district congressman Pablo John Garcia, who is facing Davide in the gubernatorial fight.

PJ: I lead gubernatorial race

ONE Cebu gubernatorial candidate, Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) said he leads the race, even though some local officials, particularly in the sixth and fifth districts, are allies of the Liberal Party (LP).

Thousands attend rallies in city of Danao, Argao

IF the mark of a true leader is determined by the size of a crowd at a rally, the Liberal Party (LP) was right to make an ally of Danao City’s Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (Bakud).

Danao City Police Station Chief Resty Santos said about 10,000 people attended the LP miting de avance at the city’s Freedom Park last Tuesday.

Agnes wants free PB, transparency

THE next time she becomes vice governor, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale said she will strive to have a Provincial Board (PB) that is not hampered by political influence.

Magpale, who is running for vice governor under the Liberal Party (LP) ticket, said she asked running mate Hilario “Junjun” Davide III to respect the PB’s independence if he becomes governor.

Former allies square off for mayorship

AFTER May 13, 2013, either Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) or Mayor Michael Rama will be a first-time political loser.

They are former allies who became enemies soon after Rama’s first term as mayor began in 2010. Rama has been serving Cebu City for over 20 years without any interruption.

Veco prepares contingency measures to ensure power on election day

TO AVOID any power interruption on election day, the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) will not schedule any maintenance activity on May 13.

It has prepared contingency measures to ensure all power lines are in good condition.

Lapu blaze claims life of trapped woman

AN EARLY morning fire killed a woman in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.

Fire investigators identified the fatality as Avelina Tesoro, 49, who was trapped inside her room.

15 defective PCOS replaced

SIXTEEN Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines were busted in Cebu City, 15 from the south district and one from the north.

There were two busted machines for Barangays Guadalupe, Basak, San Nicolas, Quiot and one each for Bulacao, Inayawan, Labangon, Sawang Calero, Toong and Tisa I and Tisa II.

7 cops, chief relieved for ‘protecting’ drug trade

SEVEN policemen, including the station chief, of Dumanjug Police Station, were relieved for allegedly serving as protectors of drug trafficking and illegal gambling.

Pelaez asks PNoy to probe Apostol

LAPU-LAPU City mayoralty bet Efrain Pelaez Jr. wants Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol investigated for allegedly not acting on the complaints he filed against Rep. Arturo Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City, lone district).

Disqualification report, mere propaganda: Anad party-list

THE Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy (Anad) yesterday urged their followers and leaders to continue supporting them after it was found out there was no order from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) disqualifying the partylist group.

Balter Balangawan, the number two nominee of Anad, said reports quoting Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes about the group’s disqualification and the alleged failure to submit their statement of expenditures in the 2007 polls were a black propaganda meant to discourage the people from voting the Cebu-based partylist.