JI man's wife wants P200,000 bail reduced

THE counsel for the wife of a Malaysian national believed to be member of the international terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) is set to file an urgent motion to reduce bail for her client before the Regional Trial Court (RTC).

Annabelle Nieva Lee, who hails from Sorsogon province, pleaded not guilty when arraigned for the case filed against her for violation of the Republic Act (RA) 9516, or The Illegal Possession of Firearms, Ammunition or Explosives.

4 men sued for cutting down trees sans permit

FOUR men are facing charges before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for cutting down trees in Davao City without the necessary permit from concerned government agency.

Charged with violation of the Presidential Decree 705, or The Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, were Arnold Pampilon, care taker; Felomino Oblianda Jr. chainsaw owner and operator; Leowilyn Inson; and Datu Arcadio Saballa, tribal chieftain of Barangay Baganihan.

Cops nab couple for illegal drugs

POLICE arrested three suspected drug pushers and a user in separate operations in Davao City recently.

The most recent arrest took place at Salmonan, Quezon Blvd. at around 12 a.m. Monday and conducted by the Investigation and Detection Management Branch of the Davao City Police Office (IDMB-DCPO).

Theft suspect arrested

POLICE arrested a suspect who stole a bag from a store owner even as further investigation is being conducted over a robbery incident that victimized a church in Davao City Monday.

The arrested suspect was identified as Rey Arabis Apolinario, 18, single and a resident of Agdao Beach, Barangay Leon Garcia.

Road rehab starts, heavy traffic seen

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Davao has set aside P145 million for the second phase of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of R. Castillo Street in Agdao and Quezon Boulevard, Davao City.

DPWH regional information officer Dennis Flores, in a phone interview on Tuesday, said these projects are part of the city's road reconstruction project which was implemented starting in 2012 to address the perennial flooding problem in the city.

Council to tackle request for Muslim cemetery

THE City Council of Davao is set to approve on first reading the request of an imam (Muslim community head) from Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin District for the release of P2 million intended to purchase a parcel of land for Muslim cemetery.

A copy of the Council agenda showed that Imam Abdul Cader Cammara of Sitio Uyanguren in Tigatto, Buhangin District requested Councilor Arnulfo Cabling's intervention for the release of the budget on March 26.

Ex-cop, driver slain in Cotabato ambush

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A retired policeman and his driver were killed in an ambush along the national highway in Matalam, North Cotabato, around 3:15 a.m. Tuesday.

Senior Inspector Elias Dandan, chief of Matalam police, identified the victims as Felixberto Badayos, former member of the Philippine Constabulary and a resident of Kidapawan City; and Danny Simon of M'lang, North Cotabato.

Roadside explosion rocks Cotabato anew

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Residents in a remote village in Makilala town in North Cotabato were roused from sleep when a powerful bomb went off, around 9 p.m. Sunday, a military spokesperson said.

Lieutenant Nasrullah Sema, chief civil military operations officer of the 57th Infantry Battalion, said the roadside bomb was planted at Purok-Dos, Barangay Malasila, Makilala, which was at least 50 meters away from the community.

Woman faces raps for threat, stealing

A WOMAN is facing charges before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for threat and stealing.

Charged with robbery with intimidation of person was Annalyn Mañez Reyes, 23, a sidewalk vendor and a resident of Sto. Niño in Maa, Davao City.

Driver faces rape charges

A DRIVER is facing charges before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl.

Charged with rape or sexual assault was Lorentino Rufin of Davao City.

Maid faces murder for employer's slay

POLICE filed charges on Tuesday before the City Prosecution Office (CPO) against a housemaid for killing her employer on April 2.

Charged with murder was Tata Abliyan, 25, a resident of Patil in Barangay Gupitan in Kapalong in Davao del Norte.

Only few prisoners qualified to vote in May

ONLY 20 to 50 prisoners out of the 6,000 population of the Davao Prison and Penal Farm can vote this coming May election, Dapecol director Superintendent Venancio Tesoro said Monday.

Tesoro, speaking in Monday's Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex, said there are only few prisoners who are qualified as absentee voters.

Cops patrol crime-prone areas

THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) conducted persuasion patrols in three different crime-prone areas in the city Sunday evening.

DCPO chief Senior Superintendent Ronald M. dela Rosa, in an interview with Sun.Star Davao, said they conducted the patrol in Bankerohan, Barangay 76-A and Barangay 23-C.

120 drug suspects nabbed in first quarter

A TOTAL of 120 illegal drug suspects have been arrested by the different police stations under the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) for the first quarter of 2013.

DCPO said all of the arrested suspects have been charged in court.

Aids kills 15 in Davao in 2012

A TOTAL of 226 cases of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( HIV-Aids) with 15 deaths were recorded in Davao region last year, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed.

Based on the data, 176 of the cases were recorded in Davao City, followed by Davao del Norte with 19, Davao del Sur 10, and Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental with three cases each.

Cop facing trafficking raps surrenders

A POLICE officer facing charges for illegal recruitment surrendered to police authorities Friday.

The accused, Inspector Harold S. Teves, 40, of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) in Davao and resident of Barangay Central in Mati City in Davao Oriental, surrendered to his colleague assigned in Davao Oriental after learning that a warrant of arrest has been issued against him.

Dengue cases high in first quarter: DOH

THE Department of Health (DOH) in Davao region recorded an increase of 82 percent in dengue cases for the first three months this year compared to the same period last year..

According to the Department of Health-Update on Dengue Surveillance, the region has a total of 2,425 cases, with 24 deaths in just 12 weeks this year.

Man charged for stealing cop's helmet

CHARGES have been filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office (CPO) in Davao against a laborer for stealing a helmet of a policeman.

Superintendent Ruben Ramos, chief of Buhangin Police Station, identified the suspect as Brian Salang Miano, 18, of Spring Valley in Buhangin in Davao City.

Comelec tears down illegal poll posters

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Davao region has started enforcing "Operation Baklas" or the removal of illegal campaign materials of local and national candidates.

Comelec regional director lawyer Wilfredo Jay Balisado said they are coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in tearing down illegal campaign materials. The operation has already started in Davao del Sur, Davao City, Compostela Valley Province and Davao Oriental.

151 arrested for election gun ban

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested a total of 151 violators of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-imposed gun ban in the Davao region as of April 10.

Data from the Police Regional Office (PRO) showed that a total of 166 cases on gun ban violations were recorded thus far, with seven people neutralized or killed while eight are still at large.

Relieved police chief reinstated

POLICE Superintendent Caezar Cabuhat was reinstated as chief of Sta. Ana Police station Saturday, two days after he was relieved from his post last April 10.

Philippine National Police Chief Director General Alan Purisima ordered for Cabuhat's reinstatement after received a report that the latter had coordinated with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in an operation against illegal gambling.

Peace process now defining ‘powers’

THE peace talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is in a phase never reached before -- that of actually defining what has the power and which.

Civil Service reminds career employees to stay neutral

THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) in Davao reminded on Friday career government employees not to participate in any campaign activity of national and local candidates for the May 2013 elections.

Lawyer Annabelle Rosell, CSC-Davao director, said only co-terminus employees, or the confidential staff, are allowed to involve themselves in any campaign activity.

1,600 PCOS machines arrive in Davao

A TOTAL of 1,600 Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines intended for the May 13 midterm elections have been transported to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Davao region as of Friday.

Comelec regional director Wilfredo Jay Balisado said the PCOS machines are temporarily housed at the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) facility in the Davao International Airport (DIA).

Military, police forces ready for polls

SECURITY forces from the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao and the 10th Infantry Division (10th ID) of the Philippine Army are ready for deployment in different areas to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the May 13 elections in Davao Region.

Police regional director Jaime Morente, during the Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) meeting at Camp Catitipan on Friday, said they will field more than 5,000 of their 6,000 personnel to different polling precincts, especially in areas earlier placed under election watch list.

Existing firms tapped to fill up Mindanao power lack

DAVAO CITY -- An Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) will start commercial operation by September this year in a bid to augment Mindanao's power generation, an official said on Friday.

IMEM is a measure that will tap the embedded generators of the electric cooperatives and other industries in order to supply areas in Mindanao where there's power lack.

Drug pusher killed in Toril shootout

A NOTORIOUS drug pusher was killed in a shootout with police in Toril, Davao City, Thursday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), identified the fatality as one Tata Borja.

2 City Hall workers sought in anti-drug campaign

TWO City Government employees were among the 63 people subjected for the Oplan Tokhang (Toktok Hangyo or Knock and Plead) of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) in Barangay 76-A on Thursday.

Oplan Tokhang is a campaign against illegal drugs in Davao where authorities plead with the pusher to stop whatever he is doing.

Lawmaker pushes for more student benefits

HOUSE assistant majority leader Karlo Nograles wants the National Government to come up with more programs that will benefit the students, on top of the scholarship project he had long introduced in Davao City's first district.

Lamenting recent reports of depression among impoverished students, the re-electionist congressman said "government must institutionalize a program that could help detect early signs of depression among students, especially those in high school and college levels."

Anti-smoking body to monitor schools

THE Anti-Smoking Task Force will closely monitor schools and universities in Davao City, especially in the far-flung areas, for possible violation of the tobacco regulation.

Anti-Smoking Task Force of Davao City head Dr. Domilyn C. Villareiz said business establishments and ambulant vendors are no longer complying with the 100-meter policy of selling tobacco products, as provided for in Republic Act (RA) 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.