Suspect in slay of lending officer killed in shootout

A SUSPECT in the rob-slay of a lending firm employee last month was killed in a shootout with the police in Mandaue City yesterday afternoon.

Renante Baldicantos, 26, died at the Eversly Childs Sanitarium shortly after the shooting past 5 p.m. on J.P Rizal St. in Barangay Jagobiao. He sustained three gunshot wounds.

City loses P50M intended for programs for marginalized sector

THE Cebu City Government has forfeited the P50-million fund for poverty alleviation programs after it failed to submit a Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan (LPRAP).

The LPRAP contains programs and projects that address the needs of the poor and the marginalized sector.

Subangdaku fire razes 13 houses, damages 1

A TELEVISION set, an old electric fan, a few clothes, and five chickens were the only items Lily Colipano and her family saved from the fire that gutted their house in Sitio Sapa-Sapa Dos, Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City yesterday afternoon.

“Nagkaon mi pagkahibaw namo nga naay sunog. Amo na lang gibyaan amo pagkaon (We were eating when we heard about the fire. We had to leave our food),” the 60-year-old native of Bantayan Island said.

Labor reps complain of bias at RTWPB

THE two labor sector representatives to the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 yesterday said they are only good for moving to adjourn meetings because government officials are always siding with the management.

Atty. Ernesto Carreon of the Associate Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) and Jose Tomungha of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) said they get frustrated every time the RTWPB 7 discusses and decides on petitions from unionized workers for wage increase because they are always outvoted.

DOT warns it might withdraw support for submarine project

THE Department of Tourism (DOT 7) supports the idea of having a third party investigate allegations that a tourist submarine hit a coral reef in Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

“The DOT is very supportive of eco-tourism (activities) but it should be with the preservation of nature. The formulation of guidelines and monitoring activities (are to be done by) the local government unit,” DOT 7 Director Rowena Montecillo told reporters.

‘No more extortion from bets in Cebu’

AT least seven alleged election-related incidents have been reported in Cebu Province so far, but there are no reported extortion activities.

In his report given during a joint command conference earlier this week, Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador said two retired police officers were wounded in strafing incidents in Bogo City.

Rama: I did not buy votes

HOW can the distribution of scholarship vouchers be a form of vote-buying?

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama raised this question in reaction to the complaint filed against him and Lahug Barangay Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos before the Commission on Elections.

Hagedorn’s candidacy gets backing

THERE were 28 out of the 51 incumbent city and municipal mayors in Cebu Province and eight former mayors have attended the breakfast meeting with senatorial aspirant Edward Hagedorn. All of them expressed their support for Hagedorn.

Former Compostela mayor Ritchie Wagas said although the mayors came from the different political parties, including the Liberal Party (LP), majority of them are members of One Cebu and their presence in Hagedorn’s breakfast had the consent of gubernatorial candidate Rep. Pablo John “PJ” Garcia.

We’re not partisan, CFI clarifies

THE Cebu Court of First Instance (CFI) Cooperative Inc. clarified that in their 43 years of existence they never engaged in partisan politics.

Retired judge Esperanza Fiel-Garcia, who founded the Cebu CFI, denied that the cooperative loaned P2 billion for the campaign of the Garcia family.

‘After 3 Labor Days, nothing significant’

ON LABOR Day, some organized groups belabored their point: that the administration of President Benigno Aquino III has neglected the labor sector.

“Insults, instead of non-wage benefits, were announced by President Aquino in a dialogue (the other day). Workers still have received nothing significant from Aquino after three Labor Days,” said Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) Chairman Renato Magtubo in a press statement.

Labor leaders pick bets

WITH the election less than two weeks away, Labor Day activities yesterday also served as venues to endorse some candidates.

In Fuente Osmeña, labor leaders urged rallyists to vote for Akbayan and TUCP Party-List, as well as senatorial candidate Risa Hontiveros of the Liberal Party.

Magpale blamed on halted airport, road projects in Camotes

ONE Cebu gubernatorial candidate Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) accused acting Gov. Agnes Magpale of stopping the construction of the airports in San Francisco, Camotes Island and Sta.Fe, Bantayan Island.

The two airports were included in the Provincial Government’s annual investment plan under the administration of suspended Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, Pablo John’s sister. In 2012, Capitol reportedly allotted P25 million for each airport.

Magpale hires Davide

ACTING Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale hired Dr. Romulo Davide, her running mate’s uncle, as consultant of the Farmer Scientists Training Program (FSTP).

Davide will be paid P1 a year, she told reporters yesterday.

Rama meet with teachers a no-go

CEBU City's Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) yesterday questioned Mayor Michael Rama's planned meeting with the estimated 5,000 principals and public school teachers in the city.

Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young said the meeting has been scheduled by the mayor in a hotel in Barangay Lahug on Friday, or 10 days before the May 13 elections.

Lapu coastal law coordinator leads dive team to check reef

LAPU-LAPU City Government divers found cracked and broken corals when they checked the area identified as the route of the tourist submarine off the shore of Barangay Maribago yesterday.

Andy Berame, City Coastal Law Enforcement coordinator, led a seven-man team to inspect the state of the coral reef that was allegedly hit by the Cebu Yellow Submarine.

Japanese diver who took video of sub surfaces

THE Japanese diver who took and uploaded a video of a submarine hitting a wall of corals off Mactan Island urged the operator to exercise more caution next time.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Satoshi Toyoda, 51, said he is not against the operation of Cebu Yellow Submarine but operators must ensure the corals are not harmed.

Ducayag’s kin wants all suspects caught

THE sister of Mario Alfie Ducayag, who died inside a mall on Colon St., Cebu City after he was questioned by mall guards, clarified they are not defending the security camera operator even though they prevented the police from filing criminal charges against him.

“We believe he has participation (in the crime),” said Marie Shantylle. “He was one of the persons inside the room.”

2 ‘traffickers’ charged in court

AFTER she was sold to a 42-year-old foreigner for sex, Pia (real name withheld) said she told Jane that the man asked her if she was still a virgin.

Jane then allegedly asked was what the answer of the 13-year-old victim, who was paid P1,000.

’Personality disorder not akin to insanity’

A PERSON with personality disorder is not necessarily insane, according to a psychiatrist in Cebu City.

“It does not follow. We all have some defects but it does not mean we are crazy,” said psychiatrist Dr. Rene Obra.

7,000 volunteers for polls: C-Cimpel

ABOUT 7,000 parish volunteers will be deployed to monitor the conduct of the May 13 elections.

Marilu Chiongbian, Cebu-Citizens Involvement and Maturation in People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) executive director, said the volunteers are ready to monitor the polls and assist voters, among other tasks.

BRT seen to solve city’s narrow roads problem

THERE are solutions to the narrow roads in the north district for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, a traffic official said.

Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Executive Director Rafael Yap said this has been part of the study for the implementation of the BRT.

Bucao insists no conflict of interest on PCGS giving services to City Hall

WHILE his family's janitorial and general services company has been serving the Talisay City Government for almost seven years, Vice Mayor Alan Bucao denied he has been earning millions from the venture.

Bucao issued the statement in an interview with reporters yesterday to refute allegations made by his opponents that there is a conflict of interest in allowing his family's business, Perfect Clean General Services (PCGS), to continue to operate in City Hall.

SC dismisses clerk for falsifying papers

ANOTHER court worker from Cebu was dismissed from service by the Supreme Court (SC), this time over erroneous entries in her personal data sheet in 2005.

The SC en banc found Merle Ramoneda-Pita, clerk of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) in Danao City, guilty of dishonesty and falsification of official document.

Blog shows ruling on annulment of mayor’s marriage, psychiatrist’s diagnosis

THE court decision on the annulment of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama's marriage has been posted online apparently to project him as a person with personality disorder.

Sitoy denies 3rd bridge meeting

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he has discussed with Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy the possibility of building a bridge between Mactan Island and mainland Cebu.

He said that since he mentioned the bridge connecting Cebu City and Cordova at the end of February, he has met with Sitoy and other stakeholders at least three times.

No wage hike in 17 Central Visayas firms

CEBU CITY -- Seventeen companies in Central Visayas region are exempted from the P22 daily wage increase that took effect last Dec. 7, 2012.

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) approved their applications for exemption, but denied those of 16 other companies.

Yellow sub did not hit corals, firm assures

THE operators of the Cebu Yellow Submarine denied reports that their vessel hit corals during one of its underwater tours, which have prompted orders for it to suspend operations.

It’s our turn to investigate: NBI

NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 Director Antonio Pagatpat insists they are the lead agency in the investigation on the death of a shopper inside the Metro Gaisano on Colon St., Cebu City last April 12.

“The PNP had the opportunity to investigate the case before, but they let it go,” Pagatpat told reporters yesterday, adding that the family of victim Mario Alfie Ducayag asked them to conduct the probe.

6 more Cebu City policemen participate in absentee voting

“DAPAT man gyud siguro tang mobutar kay kada boto nato importante kaayo (We should all vote because every vote counts),” said PO3 Elver Mabatid, one of six policemen who participated in the local absentee voting at the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) yesterday.

Mabatid, who is assigned in the Public Safety Battalion, will be deployed in the mountain barangay of Sibugay, Cebu City on May 13.

5 towns, cities in Cebu identified as highly critical

WHAT makes a town or city an election watch-list area (EWA)?

If there was an occurrence of poll violence in the last two preceding elections, an area will be included in the list, said Supt. Pablo Labra II of Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.