Vice mayor: Meridien has no permit

BACOLOD City Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayon said there is no approved permit issued to Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. for its jai-alai operations in the city.

He said he has checked with the City Permits and Licensing Division Wednesday through its head Arlene Memoria if there is an application from the said company.

Flyover, North terminals completion eyed in June

THE construction of the flyover project at the intersection of Bata-Circumferential Road and the two Northbound terminals are now being worked out so that they can become operational before the opening of classes in June.

Bacolod City Acting Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) stated that the flyover will be completed either in July or August.

Mayor slams interveners in sandbar issue

PULUPANDAN Mayor Magdaleno M. Peña turned over to the Diocese of Bacolod's Social Action Center the responsibility over loss of lives and destruction to properties that may arise from the possible inundation of the Bago River if a strong typhoon would hit Pulupandan and Bago City.

In July 2010, Peña directed the removal of the sandbar that protrudes from the area of Sitio Cavan, a body of sand, which crawls lengthily toward the mouth of Bago River and which almost closes the outlet of river water toward the sea.

Transmission firms fault causes 4-hour brownout

THE four-hour brownout that hit some major areas covered by Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) was due to the defective protective relay of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

An update from the office of Roel Venus, chief of the Consumers Services Division of Ceneco, stated that the power interruption started at 2:37 p.m. and power resumed at 5:45 p.m.

Capitol: No increase in Ayalin bounty

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon on Wednesday said the Provincial Government has no plans to increase the reward it offered for the capture of Noel Ayalin, a fugitive former barangay captain of Kapitan Ramon in Silay City.

Ayalin is wanted for killing four members Kapitan Ramon barangay council and the wounding of three others, including incumbent barangay captain Ramon Celebre.

Provincial police assures protection for businessmen

NEGROS Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) director Allan Guisihan assured the public that the local police is ready to protect the businessmen in the province.

Guisihan made the assurance amid threats of the New People's Army (NPA) through its spokesman Ka Frank Fernandez that they will stop the ongoing mining explorations and operations of Philex Mining, Philmet Exploration and Essensa Mining Corporations, as well as 40 other mining companies that have pending mining rights applications in Negros Occidental.

City lifts suspension order on Alangilan quarry

ACTING Bacolod City Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson lifted the suspension order the City Government issued on the operations of Jokris Enterprises, which is being operated by Aljo Arceo in Barangay Alangilan.

Sayson announced the lifting of the suspension order Wednesday following the receipt of a letter from Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Director Leo Van V. Juguan.

Four more charges served on rape suspect

FOUR more arrest warrants for rape and acts of lasciviousness were served Wednesday by operatives of Station 1 against Domingo Dato-on who was arrested last May 16 for rape in Bacolod City.

Dato-on, a family driver who has six children was charged for the five sex-related crimes, which were all committed against minors.

Leviste arrested for leaving prison without permit

MANILA -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday afternoon arrested former Batangas Governor Antonio Leviste after he was caught leaving the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) without permit.

Leviste is sentenced to 6 to 12 years of imprisonment at the Bilibid after he was convicted with homicide for the killing of his long-time aide, Rafael de las Alas, in 2007 inside his office in LPL Tower in Legaspe Village, Makati City.

One of Joavan’s complainants who later desisted seen working for CH

HAS Raymund Paran been hired as a new job-order employee at Talisay City Hall?

Reporters spotted him at the Fishermen Sea and Ecological Care (Fiseca), a local Bantay Dagat office, in Barangay Cansojong, while they were covering the seizure of 30 live corals yesterday morning.

City Hall to shoulder scavenger’s expenses

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama promised to help Joselito Nuñez with his hospital bills and medicine at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

Nuñez, 36, was rushed to the CCMC last Tuesday after he met an accident while cleaning one of the three biodegradable shredder machines.

‘I had money before I became gov’

SHE had P100 million to her name before she became governor of Cebu.

This was Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s reaction to businessman Cris Saavedra’s call for the Office of the Ombudsman to subject her to a lifestyle check.

Daans commend Talisay cops; 2 robbery suspects charged

GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia and the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) yesterday commended Talisay City policemen for the swift arrest of two robbers who allegedly victimized Provincial Board (PB) Member Julian “Teban” Daan.

Yesterday afternoon, the City’s police officers charged both Ramses Abatayo, 29, and Julius Racaza, 34, for robbery with violence and intimidation at the Talisay City Prosecutor’s Office.

Lapu wants seat in MCIAA board

LAPU-LAPU City officials told a congressional committee yesterday that the local government should have a representative in the Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) board.

No civil disobedience: Palma

EVEN if the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill is approved, civil disobedience will not be an option for the Catholic Church, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma assured yesterday.

Palma believes the bill won’t be passed, but granted that it does, Palma said the Church will challenge its followers to live according to its convictions.

Danao, MCWD sign P150M deal

THE Danao City Government and the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) signed a P153.3-million annual bulk water supply contract last May 17.

The Danao City Council, however, criticized the agreement as a violation of the provision of the Local Government Code.

Pay and I’ll sue: Tomas to CH

FORMER mayor and now Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) threatened to file a formal complaint if E.M. Arante Construction is paid for barangay infrastructure projects undertaken more than a year ago.

The projects questioned were funded by the P182-million aid to the baran-gays, which Osmeña distributed when he was still mayor in November 2009, and other funds released before the May elections last year.

Blaze destroys P405T worth of properties

AN AFTERNOON fire destroyed one house and damaged another in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday.

The blaze, which was allegedly caused by a short circuit, started in the house of retired Philippine Air Force Major Oscar Cornelio in Sitio Sewage, Barangay Pusok at 1:35 p.m.

Columnist asked to shed light on blind item

THE Cebu City Council will summon a columnist of Sun.Star Super-balita for his column that came out yesterday, where he wrote about a councilor who allegedly abuses his authority.

City Councilor Sisinio Andales wants Efren Lon-zon to appear before one of the regular sessions to shed light on his column.

Council okays P849T radio contract

ALTHOUGH Cebu City Hall has yet to pay P300,000 to two radio stations and a TV network for air time in radio programs and commercials, the City Council authorized Mayor Michael Rama to sign a six-month contract with another radio station.

The contract will cost City Hall P849,000, or P141,600 a month for a two-hour program over radio dyRF of Word Broadcasting Corp.

Ex-policeman in national wanted list for murder of his cop-wife

CEBU CITY -- A policeman who remains at large after allegedly killing his policewoman-wife in 2005 is now in the nationwide list of most wanted criminals.

Informants whose tips lead to the arrest of PO2 Karl Lou Tejano may also get P95,000 as a reward, based on a memorandum circular issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Cebu City owes schools P15M

CEBU CITY – Over P15 million for first semester payments for Cebu City’s scholarship program is still pending at the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO).

A City Hall official believes it’s just a question of submitting requirements, and not a more serious flaw that could derail the scholarship program.

Lawmakers to study if plagiarism is betrayal of public trust

MANILA -- The House Committee on Justice will have to determine if plagiarism constitutes betrayal of public trust in its next hearing on the impeachment complaint against Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo.

This developed after the "divided committee" found the complaint sufficient in form on Wednesday.

Senate may rely on House transcripts of Armm poll postponement

LACK of time may prompt the Senate to rely on hearings held by the House of Representatives on the proposed postponement of elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said records of hearings that the House conducted before approving their version of the bill might have to be integrated into the committee report he will present to the Senate in plenary.

Lawmaker: 120 House members support RH bill

A PRO-Reproductive Health (RH) bill congressman on Wednesday said at least 120 lawmakers are supporting the passage of the bill, while others have refused to take a stand to avoid pressure coming from leaders of the Catholic Church.

ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said the 120 congressmen supporting the approval of House Bill 4244, otherwise known as “An act providing for a comprehensive policy on responsible parenthood, reproductive health, and population and development, and for other purposes” include the 97 co-authors of the measure.

Recto on RH: Let's talk about fees

PASSING the Reproductive Health bill could mean higher taxes and salary deductions, the chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means said Wednesday.

Senator Ralph Recto said that aside from debating on moral and health issues, supporters of the bill must also make a cost analysis to find out how much of a burden the bill will be on the government.

Catholic bishops send formal letter to Palace

THE Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines formally sent a letter to Malacanang Wednesday affirming its decision to discontinue its dialogue with the administration on Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

Probe on plea bargain decision sought

A GROUP asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to look into an anti-graft court's decision upholding a plea bargain agreement that allowed a retired general to walk away from a P303-million plunder case.

Paderanga secures appointment

CAYETANO Paderanga Jr., director general of the National Economic Development Authority (Neda), officially became the only Mindanaoan on the Aquino Cabinet after the Commission on Appointments confirmed him Wednesday.

Higher damages sought for Sarangani reef accident

DAMAGES inflicted by a vessel that plowed into a protected reef off Sarangani province last week should include the total worth of marine services that have been lost, a Cabinet member said Wednesday.