Comelec ahead in preparations for May 13 elections

THE Commission on Elections(Comelec) in Davao Region on Friday said it is ahead in its preparation for the May 2013 polls this time compared to the 2010 elections.

Lawyer Jay Balisado, Comelec regional director, said during the Kapehan sa PIA sa Abreeza that they are set to have the final testing and sealing of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines on May 6.

Comelec head assures nothing can stop polls

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Davao Region through its chief assured on Friday that there is nothing that will hinder the conduct of the May 13 elections.

Comelec regional director Atty. Jay Balisado, during the press briefing at Abreeza Mall said, "Anything na gagawin just to interrupt the elections are just acts of futility."

Security forces all set for May 13

THE 10th Infantry Division (10th ID) of the Philippine Army and the Police Regional Office-Davao (PRO 11) of the Philippine National Police said they are more than ready and all set in providing security for the automated midterm elections on May 13.

Commander of the 10th ID Major General Ariel Bernardo and PRO 11 regional director Chief Supt. Jaime Morente bared this during the Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency (PIA) sa Abreeza at the VIPNoy Lounge Friday.

Soldier accused of punching driver

A TEAM leader of the Davao City Anti-Crime Unit (DC-ACU) based at the Task Force Davao headquarters was accused of assaulting a driver after the latter refused to pay his debt Thursday at Gravahan, Barangay Matina Crossing, Davao City.

The suspect was identified as Corporal Jaspher Tamala, a team leader of DC-ACU based at the Task Force Davao Headquarters while the victim was identified as Crisanto Nolasco Mararac, 40, married, and a resident of the place of incident.

Thief arrested, found with shabu

A THIEF is in deeper trouble as suspected shabu packets were found in his possession.

Arrested was one Ruel Pagolo Egot, 29, a pedicab driver and a resident of Purok 3, Isla Verde, Barangay 23-C Poblacion for trying to steal an Iphone 4S worth P30,000 from one Jestoni Mark Yap, a resident of Calinan along Alvarez Street in barangay 27-C.

Over 30,000 jobs in Labor Day job fair

A TOTAL of 32,393 jobs will be offered to jobseekers in this year's two-day Labor Day Job Fair in Davao Region on May 1 and 2.

As of Thursday, Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) records showed that more overseas jobs will be opened for the two-day fair than local jobs at 28,663 jobs and 3,730 jobs, respectively.

Albano snubs Bian's challenge to debate

REELECTIONIST Representative Mylene Garcia-Albano of Davao City's second congressional district rejected on Thursday the challenge of her rival Joji Ilagan-Bian to a debate in Bisaya to tackle legitimate issues.

“Not with her because she does not even seem to know what is happening in the district. How can I debate with someone like that?” Bian told reporters at the sidelines of the birthday celebration of Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy.

Quiboloy to reveal list of endorsed bets on May 5

INTERNATIONAL televangelist Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy of Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, will announce on May 5 the list of national and local candidates he will endorse for this year's midterm elections.

Quiboloy, one of the candidates' most sought every election, said he cannot reveal any names yet as leaders of the congregation's political affairs are still finalizing the roster of candidates who deserve to have the votes of his more than six million followers.

Wanted pusher falls

POLICE arrested on Wednesday one of the wanted drug pushers in Davao Region in Purok 2, Barangay 76-A Bucana, Davao City.

Noli Nephi Dimaandal, information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Davao, identified the suspect as Jason Taladua Buhisan, 27, a resident of Purok 2 in Barangay 76-A.

Indonesian investors visit Army camp

INVESTORS from Indonesia visited the headquarters of the Philippine Army (PA) in Mawab, Compostela Valley, the 10th Infantry Division (10th ID) announced Thursday.

Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza, 10th ID spokesperson, said the Indonesian investors arrived in the province after the completion of the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) in Davao Oriental.

Phoenix cries foul over smuggling raps

DAVAO CITY -- Homegrown independent oil player Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. decried Thursday the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) decision to file smuggling charges against its head and a customs broker for alleged unlawful and fraudulent importation of oil-based products.

"While we have yet to receive a copy of the purported resolution, we are extremely surprised of the alleged reversal of the original decision absolving (Phoenix president and executive officer) Dennis Uy of the unsubstantiated charges earlier filed by the BOC (Bureau of Customs)," Phoenix vice president for external affairs lawyer Raymond Zorilla said in a text message.

Duterte lashes at Ilagan-Bian

GO OUT of politics if you can't stand the heat.

This was the message of Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte to second district congressional candidate Joji Ilagan-Bian.

Studes want leaders to address environmental woes

LEADERS who will be elected into office in the coming May 13 polls must address peace and order and environmental problems in Davao City.

This was the consensus of the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) based on result of the survey it conducted and released Tuesday.

Escudero unfazed over drop in survey

TEAM PNoy senatorial candidate Francis "Chiz" Escudero is unfazed by his continued drop in the survey as the May 13 elections draw nearer.

Escudero said that in surveys, there's no other way for a candidate to go and that is either to shoot up or take a plunge.

71-year-old farmer killed

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A 71-year-old farmer was found dead in his farm lot in Barangay Takepan, Pikit town in North Cotabato province around 8 a.m. Tuesday, police reports said.

Chief Inspector Jordine Maribojo, chief of Pikit Police Office, identified the victim as Bienvenido Pano, resident of Barangay Takepan, Pikit.

Firm to build 2 power plants in Bukidnon

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Local officials in Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon province and representatives of the Hedcor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the AboitizPower Corporation, have signed on Monday a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to build two run-of-river hydroelectric power plants in Northern Mindanao.

Among the signatories to the MOA were Impasug-ong Mayor Mario Okinlay; Ricardo Anlicao, village chief of Barangay Guihean, Impasug-ong; and Boy Jabonillo, Hedcor's vice president for business development.

NPAs abduct soldier in Comval

SUSPECTED members of the New People's Army (NPA) abducted a soldier after attacking a public market in Barangay Elizalde, Maco, Compostela Valley Wednesday morning.

First Lieutenant Vilma Mojado, spokesperson for the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade, identified the soldier as Private First Class (Pfc.) Jesus Tomas of the 71st Infantry Battalion under the 10th Infantry Division.

Bian to Hugpong: Spare my husband from black propaganda

SECOND district congressional candidate Joji Ilagan-Bian on Tuesday decried the smear campaign hurled against her husband by what she believes is the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

In an emotional press conference attended by her two children Tuesday, Bian defended her husband George, who was the subject of a news report on Monday (not Sun.Star Davao) regarding issues on "estafa cases" and "minicab operations."

Escudero, Nograles lead in AdDU’s poll survey

REELECTIONIST Karlo Alexi Nograles for Davao City's first district congressional seat and senatorial candidate Francis "Chiz" Escudero are leading the way in the poll survey conducted by the University research Council (URC) of the Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU).

In a research administered early March using the moodle online technology with 2, 307 respondents and face-to-face interviews with 503 respondents, Nograles posted 58.7 percent (face-to-face) and 38.7 percent (moodle) while Former Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan got 22.3 percent and 26.2 percent, respectively.

Robbery raps filed vs 3 men

THREE young men are now facing charges before the City Prosecutor’s Office (CPO) for stealing the collection of a public utility jeepney (PUJ) driver.

Superintendent Caezar Cabuhat, chief of the Sta. Ana Police Station, charged with robbery were one Hiyong (name withheld for being a minor), 17; Henry Ignacio Ombao, 19; and Oyong Cuso, all residents in Agdao in Davao City.

New EastMincom chief vows to pursue peace efforts

NEWLY-INSTALLED commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) Major General Ricardo Rainier G. Cruz III vowed to expand their partnership with the different stakeholders of the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) in his area-of-responsibility.

Cruz made the assurance in his speech entitled "Leveling Up the Partnerships" during the turnover of command ceremony and retiring rite of his predecessor Lieutenant General Jorge Segovia Monday afternoon at Camp Felix Apolinario in Panacan.

Army denies harassment, hostage of humanitarian groups

OFFICIALS of the 701st Brigade and the 67th Infantry Battalion (67th IB) of the Philippine Army (PA) vehemently denied allegations they took members of humanitarian groups as hostage and harassing them last weekend in Sitio Spur 2, Barangay Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental.

Contrary to the claims of the humanitarian groups that their vehicle was sabotaged and their driver was harassed, 701st Brigade commander Colonel Leonardo Rey Guerrero, in an e-mailed statement to Sun.Star Davao, said the groups were stranded in Cabuyao after being abandoned by their driver.

1 of 3 robbery suspects nabbed

POLICE arrested one of three suspects involved in a robbery incident that victimized a 58-year-old farmer in Davao City.

The suspect was identified as Glicerio Ugapang Barguio, 27, single and a resident of No. 232 Bonifacio Extension, Barangay 31-D Poblacion.

Car firm employee faces theft charges

AN EMPLOYEE of the Toyota Davao City Incorporated is facing charges before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for stealing the earnings of the company.

Charged with qualified theft under the Revised Penal Code (RPC) was Renyl S. Singson of Davao City.

Hold departure order sought on drug suspect

THE Davao City Prosecutor's Office has filed a motion seeking for the issuance of a hold departure order against the brother of an alleged drug pusher who was killed in a shootout with the police authorities in Toril in Davao City two weeks ago.

Charged with violation of the Republic Act 9165, or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and Republic Act 8294, or The Illegal Possession of Firearms, was Dioscoro Cabrera Borja, of Toril in Davao City.

Government, MILF agree on elections ceasefire

DAVAO CITY -- The Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) of both the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed on Monday the Guidelines for Mutual Understanding (MOU) for Ceasefire-Related Functions during the May 2013 polls.

Comelec-Davao intensifies ‘Operation Baklas’

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Davao City intensified its "Operation Baklas" on Monday, tearing down volumes of illegal campaign materials in different areas in the city.

Lawyer Aimee Ampoloquio, Comelec-Davao City district 1 election officer, said they assembled five teams for the operation and had coordinated with the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to assist them in removing oversized campaign materials and those posted outside of the designated common poster areas.

2 firms eye waste-to-energy projects in Davao

TWO foreign firms are eyeing to put up waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities in Davao City that may slowly free up the sanitary landfill with wastes by hundreds of tons a day.

In Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao, Lawyer Joseph Felizarta, chief of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), said the two-year-old sanitary landfill can save up more space when Sinova Holdings Ltd., and Global Green Inc. (GGI) will push through their proposals of establishing WTE facilities in the city.

Council tackles sustainable investment, infra dev’t

THE City Council of Davao is set to tackle the technical assistance agreement to be entered into between the City Government and the Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) for the pre-feasibility study on sustainable investment and infrastructure development for urban climate resilience in the city.

A copy of the agenda for the regular session showed that the proposed ordinance is set for approval under third and final reading.

‘Buffer zones along agri farms must be enforced’

AN ENVIRONMENTALIST group said the proper and functional buffer zones along large scale agricultural farms must be strictly enforced by government agencies mandated to protect the environment.

In a statement, Rey Sapid, Kinaiyahan Amomahon Panalipdan Panggaon ug Irespeto Inc. (Kappi) advocacy and campaigns officer, said they documented various plantations that established one-meter buffer zones planted to flamengia, a tropical shrub used to prevent soil erosion.