Citom enforcer gunned down

A TRAFFIC enforcer was gunned down while directing vehicles on Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue in Banilad, Cebu City at 7:20 a.m. yesterday.

Armando Abdon Daligdig, 47, of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom), was shot dead by a man driving a DT Yamaha motorcycle.

Palm reader ‘foreboded’ enforcer’s death

A FEW weeks before Armando Daligdig was killed, a woman he was apprehending for violating a traffic rule offered to read his palm.

“Kahibaw ka, sir, ang mohuman sa inyong balay ang imong mga anak (You know what, sir, your children will finish your house),” the woman said, studying his palm.

Grant for Cebu Business Month can’t be taken from local development fund

THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) faces the risk of not getting financial support from City Hall for the business month celebration, which started last Saturday.

2 cops hurt as gun goes off inside station

TWO police officers were injured after one of their firearms accidentally went off during a commotion inside the San Fernando Police Station when a family tried to prevent them from arresting an ex-convict.

Senior Insp. Gerard Pelare, the town’s police chief, said the incident happened at 12:45 p.m. last Tuesday.

Findings confirm submarine caused coral damage

A DAY after the Lapu-Lapu City Government lifted the suspension order against the Cebu Yellow Submarine Underwater Tour Corp., findings of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7 showed that the tour operator’s vessel damaged corals in its underwater route.

‘Gunman’ in shooting of Argao dad caught

THE suspect in the fatal shooting of Argao Councilor Joaquin Banosong was arrested on Osmeña Blvd. in Cebu City yesterday afternoon.

Reynaldo Destacamento, 32, was walking near the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 when authorities picked him up around 3:30 p.m.

Ducayag murder case starts

AFTER a month and 25 days from his death, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 has charged three suspects involved in the mauling of shopper Mario Alfie Ducayag for allegedly stealing a pair of sandals inside Metro Gaisano Colon.

‘He had no idea the slippers will cost him his life’

MARIO Alfie Ducayag was not a shoplifter.

The 23-year-old housekeeping student, who was allegedly mauled to death by Metro Gaisano Colon security personnel, did not steal a pair of sandals worth P395, according to the result of the investigation conducted by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 supervising agent Bernard dela Cruz.

Cops nab 2 maids for taking P.5M from employer

TWO female helpers, one of them a minor, were arrested for allegedly stealing more than one million yen from their Japanese employer at Winland Tower in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City last Wednesday night.

Carmelita Flores, 53, and Lina, 17 (real name withheld for being a minor), were arrested after they were allegedly caught in possession of about 1.3 million yen (P500,000).

P13M for agri projects: Capitol

THE Provincial Capitol has P13 million funds to support the agricultural projects of governor-elect Hilario Davide III.

The funds were given by the Department of Agriculture to the Provincial Government.

Bidding of smuggled rice a success: BOC

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) Port of Cebu earned P40.9 million yesterday from what they called “most transparent public bidding” of the portion of the P600-million smuggled rice that were seized shortly after arrival in Cebu between March 22 and April 3, 2013.

Port of Cebu District Collector Edward dela Cuesta said he is happy of the good result because the winning bidder bought the stocks at P40.9 million, or P5.2 million higher, or a difference of 14.5 percent over the National Food Authority’s suggested floor price of P35.7 million.

Flood came despite drainage rehab

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 implemented drainage projects along national roads in Mandaue City, but last Wednesday’s heavy rains still caused flooding in some areas.

Architect Florentino Nimor, head of the City Planning and Development Office, said he will request that the City and the DPWH 7 conduct a joint evaluation of the projects.

Another suspension for Gwen Garcia an ‘overkill’

CEBU CITY -- Government prosecutors are going for an “overkill” in asking the Sandiganbayan Second Division to order another suspension for Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

This was how Garcia’s lawyer, Tranquil Salvador III, described the latest move of government prosecutors in relation to the Balili graft complaint.

Council: Plan before buying

THE purchase of P15 million worth of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras for 30 intersections in Cebu City is “irregular,” the City Council said yesterday.

The majority said the decision to charge the purchase to the P202-million calamity fund of the City Government for this year did not pass through the legislative body’s scrutiny.

Capitol, Cebu City officials worth P388.7M in 2012

THIRTEEN officials of Cebu Province reported a combined net worth of P211.07 million last year, built on real estate assets and varied business interests, including education and manpower services.

Twenty officials of Cebu City, for their part, accounted for P177.68 million in combined net worth. Their business interests included real estate, food and agribusiness.

ABC chief warns villages with unsettled accounts against project delays

UNTIL they pay their dues to the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC), barangay projects in 40 barangays of Cebu City will be put on hold.

This, after ABC Chief Michael Ralota said that he will not sign the program of works and estimates (Powe) of projects by barangays with unpaid dues.

No more drug tests

THE drunk-driving law will remove the mandatory drug test for applicants of driver’s license, according to a former official of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB).

Lawyer Clarence Paul Oaminal, former vice chairman of the DDB, said Section 19 of Republic Act (RA) 10586 repealed a provision in the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which requires mandatory drug tests for applicants of driver's license.

Pawnshop robbed in Naga City

JUST one day after the Palawan Pawnshop was robbed by unidentified men in Barangay Mabolo Cebu City, another remittance center was robbed by two unidentified robbers in Barangay Inayagan, Naga City yesterday afternoon.

Two men robbed the M.Lhuillier Kwarta Padala, taking away about P3,000 worth of cash.

CPA official’s son ‘attacked’ jeepney driver, arrested

THE police arrested the son of Cebu Port Authority (CPA) Manager Dennis Villamor after he was accused of threatening a jeepney driver yesterday morning on N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City.

Peter Don Villamor and his companion Nelson Criticio were arrested by the traffic police team led by SPO2 William Mondragon at the corner of N. Bacalso Bacalso and V. Rama Ave. at 8 a.m.

Tribal kids long for school

FOR members of the Ati tribe in Naga City, education is the best way to get out of poverty.

Marina Muana, 13, said that Atis like her dream of being professionals.

Lot ‘owner’ blocks bridge

A CONCRETE bridge connecting two barangays in Minglanilla was blocked by a person claiming she owns the property where the structure is.

With the closure of the Lower Pakigne Bridge, which connects Barangays Pakigne and Calajoan, residents, particularly tricycle drivers plying there, are bothered that their route has become longer.

Only 8.7% of HEIs to hike tuition

THE Commission on Higher Education (Ched 7) announced that only 8.75 percent of the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Central Visayas will increase their tuition for school year 2013-2014.

There are 14 schools that will implement an increase in tuition this year out of 160 institutions in the region, said Ched 7 in a press statement.

Lapu lifts order vs yellow sub

WHILE waiting for the final report of an organization assessing the damage to corals in the Kontiki Drop, a popular diving site off Mactan Island, the City Government of Lapu-Lapu will allow an underwater tour to operate again, but only temporarily.

Representatives from City Hall will join the tour to observe, City Legal Officer Yuri Vinluan said in a press conference yesterday.

DOE picks Minglanilla, Talisay as sites for wind energy project

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has identified at least two areas as sites to study the feasibility of using wind energy as source of power in Cebu Province.

Mario Marasigan, DOE Renewable Energy Management Board director, said there are wind energy projects in the pre-development stages in the town of Minglanilla and Talisay City.

NBI to charge 2 ex-workers in Ducayag’s death

TWO persons who are allegedly involved in the death of shopper Mario Alfie Ducayag inside Metro Gaisano Colon will be charged before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office today.

Former chief security officer Mauricio Doblados Jr. and former security camera operator Jeffrey Aquino will be charged with murder, a source from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 said.

Capitol: Suroy aims to promote, not earn

ALTHOUGH she agrees that there is need for prudence in spending the Provincial Government’s funds, Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale told the Commission on Audit (COA) that the goal of Suroy-Suroy Sugbo is not profit.

Village chief seeks mayor’s help to implement day care project

WITH only four days to go before the start of day care classes, barangay officials in Apas, Cebu City still could not build a day care center for more than 40 pre-school children in Sitio Mahayahay.

With the Provincial Government blocking the day care project, Apas Barangay Captain Ramily Ayuman yesterday asked City Mayor Michael Rama to convince Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale and elected governor Hilario “Junjun” Davide III to change their minds about the undertaking.

Guard caught after hitting officer

A MAN who introduced himself to the police as a security escort of suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia was arrested by the police for allegedly hitting an officer in the forehead.

The complainant, PO3 Roderick Balili of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), said he got irked when Noel Monterola Labiaga, allegedly of the GGC Security Agency, suddenly hit him at 8:45 a.m. yesterday.

Mayor offers P50T for information on councilor’s killer

POLICE are looking into different angles in the killing of outgoing town councilor Joaquin Banosong in Argao, Cebu, as the town mayor offers a P50,000 reward for the capture of his assailants.

The victim is said to have no known enemies and was considered by family and constituents as a “good man.”

Slain councilor spent years as policeman

BEFORE joining politics, Joaquin Banosong, 64, was an accomplished police officer.

The three-termer town councilor in Argao, Cebu was a former member of the now defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC).