Aquino warns sedition raps vs group’s tax boycott

MANILA (Updated) -- President Benigno Aquino III on Friday said sedition charges may be filed against those who threatened to refuse paying taxes should the Reproductive Health (RH) bill be enacted.

"I will be surprised if somebody will say that publicly because if I’m not mistaken that’s a serious offense," Aquino told reporters after the launch of the National Greening Program in Quezon City.

8 communist rebels killed in Nueva Ecija

MANILA (Updated 12:56 p.m.) -- Eight members of the New People’s Army (NPA) died following a clash with government troops at a remote village in Nueva Ecija province before noon Friday.

Citing initial reports from the field, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Agrimero Cruz said police and military forces were on a security mission at 11:41 a.m. when they caught up with undetermined number of communist rebels at Sitio Bulod in Poblacion West village in Rizal town.

Labor union files petition for P80 wage hike

THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) recently petitioned for a P80 across-the-board additional wage, citing previous increases in salaries have been overtaken by continuing price hikes.

In the petition, TUCP national president Democrito Mendoza said the latest wage orders of P10 to P15 for cost of living allowance (Cola) in 2008 and the P12 additional Cola enforced this year have been overtaken by increases in prices of petroleum products, transportation and basic goods and commodities.

Civil service conducts spot checks

THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) is spearheading spot checks on government agencies to further boost the drive against cheats, with the launching of Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 Watch.

CSC Cordillera Director Fernando Porio said at least 35 government agencies in the region have undergone the Report Card Survey (RCS), which is part of the spot checking process and is used to gather actual feedback from customers in availing government service.

Education office issues strict rules on emergency fund use

THE Department of Education (DepEd) is calling for a more prudent use of standby emergency funds, like the Quick Response (QR), that are used during calamities.

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro said the QR funds are intended for prompt construction, repairs and rehabilitation of schools destroyed by fire and natural calamities, especially those in coastal areas; thus they should be used judiciously.

Tam-Awan festival schedule of activities bared

VARIOUS activities are scheduled for the 2nd Tam-awan International Arts Festival to encourage people to appreciate and preserve their own heritage and history.

A must-see element of the festival is the opening of Tam-awan exhibit, which will showcase the beauty of Cordilleran arts.

Benguet town promotes indigenous people's rights

TUBA, Benguet -- Officials here recently passed a resolution to include a committee dedicated to indigenous peoples in the municipality.

A law has been in place to recognize and promote all the rights of indigenous cultural communities and indigenous peoples nationwide.

Migrant issues heard in first OFW congress

OVERSEAS Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) will get their concerns heard through a manifesto in the first OFW National Congress in Manila next month.

This developed after the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) conducted the 1st Regional Congress of OFWs and their Families last Monday at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole)-CAR conference room.

Lepanto pays P180 million to workers

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company paid P180 million worth of separation pay for 151 retrenched workers.

Knestor Godino, Lepanto Mine Division Administrative Services manager, said the pay-off was one of the most peaceful in recent negotiations.

John Hay developer gets final demand letter

THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) issued a final demand letter to the Camp John Hay Development Corporation, developer of Camp John Hay.

The BCDA team led by Dean Santiago, vice president for planning and business development, announced this in a close-door session with Baguio City officials Tuesday afternoon.

Joavan arrested near court building

JOAVAN Fernandez went to the courthouse yesterday to post bail but found himself arrested and then detained in jail for the night.

Policemen led by the official whose car Joavan rammed months ago and who lodged the complaint that led to the cases he was posting bail for, intercepted him on the way to the judge’s office and arrested him.

Court orders arrest of barangay captain, execs

FOUR officials of Barangay San Roque, Cebu City each posted bail at P50,000 yesterday, following their arrest last Tuesday for alleged irregularities in barangay transactions.

COA questions implementation of Cebu City project without a contract

FOUR contractors in Cebu City have started implementing the City Government’s P100-million asphalt storm.

The Commission on Audit (COA), though, questioned the regularity of the move, considering the contractors have yet to sign a contract with the City.

Visayas ombudsman nominated for top post

CEBU CITY -- Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol has been nominated for the post of Tanodbayan.

The nomination was contained in a single-page letter Crisanto Gabriel, secretary general of the Council for the Restoration of Filipino Values, sent to the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) in Manila.

3-year moratorium on new law schools to start

THE Legal Education Board passed a resolution last year, declaring a three-year moratorium on the opening of new law schools. The order will take effect this school year, according to the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

Quiño, other officials leave municipal hall

OPERATIONS in Compostela Municipal Hall resumed yesterday after officials protesting their unresolved electoral case left the town hall peacefully.

Mayor-elect Joel Quiño and his allies stepped down shortly before noon, after Secretary Jesse Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) promised to take up their sentiments with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Mandaue recognizes honesty of restroom cleaner

EVEN with her meager salary, a 54-year-old rest-room cleaner in Mandaue City refused to give in to temptation, even when she could have owned almost P300,000 in cash and valuables.

The Mandaue City Government honored Hermisa Marfe Cejas for her exemplary act of honesty when she returned some P300,000 in cash and mobile phones to people who had left their belongings in the restroom of the city’s public market, where she is assigned.

Wage increase needed: board

THE Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 7 yesterday voted 3-2 to declare there are “supervening conditions” in the region that require an increase in wages.

But the board still has to ask the legal department of the National Wages and Productivity Commission whether they can make the declaration when only three members, instead of four, voted for it.

18 museums, plazas participate in ‘Gabii sa Kabilin’ night tours

TARTANILLAS, walking tours and night programs will return in the fifth Gabii sa Kabilin, night of museum tours, on May 27 at different heritage spots in the province.

The tour, organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi) in partnership with the Visayas Association of Museums and Galleries Inc., has attracted the participation of 18 museums and plazas in the event, including new participants Cebu Normal University (CNU) Museum, Cebu City Museum, and Mandaue City Plaza.

Ciudad developer submits traffic plan

Gov. Gwen Garcia met with Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday to discuss the P1.2-billion Ciudad project along the Banilad-Talamban (Ban-Tal) corridor.

Although the governor was mum on what transpired during the meeting, she did say “Ciudad will ease traffic congestion” and the project will have “one major impact for the City’s revenue generation in terms of business taxes.”

CH bureaucracy blamed for late payments

RED tape at the Cebu City Accounting Office is being blamed for the late payments of electricity of some barangays.

And as a result of the delay, the barangays are forced to pay surcharges to the Visayan Electric Co.

Bella Ruby, BF to share same lawyer

BELLA Ruby Santos’s lawyer will also defend her British boyfriend, Ian Charles Griffiths.

Atty. Ana Luz Cristal confirmed this yesterday, saying she is in contact with Griffiths who is in England.

Poll body resets Armm polls

MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has issued two resolutions rescheduling polls at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm).

In two resolutions promulgated Wednesday, the commission en banc decided to reset the election period, as well as the period for the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy (COCs).

Salary hike likely this year

WORKERS in the private sector may have a reason to celebrate before the year ends as the Regional Tripartite Wage and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Northern Mindanao is seeking another salary increase to offset rising prices.

Myrna B. Callo of the RTWPB said the tripartite wage body is meeting with its line agencies to look into proposals to hike wages for minimum wage earners in Northern Mindanao.

Drugs agency nabs suspected pushers

FOUR suspected high-profile drug pushers were arrested on simultaneous buy-bust operation Wednesday at Purok 5A, Aloha, Tubod, Lanao del Norte, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) reported.

PDEA-Northern Mindanao Director General Undersecretary Jose S. Gutierrez Jr. identified the suspects as Ricardo Ocon Gaje,Jr. alias Dodong, a barangay police officer, Dimple Banaag Mulliet, Rachel Gaje Montejar alias Amay, and Raynald Morales Mirenquez, all residents of Tubod, Lanao del Norte.

Quota for Misamis Oriental high school enrollees scrapped

MISAMIS Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno opposed the plan to limit the number of students of the Misamis Oriental General Comprehensive High School (MOGHS) this June despite the expected lack of classroom following a fire that hit the school last month.

The school administration earlier announced that it will accommodate a lesser number of enrollees for the school year 2011-2012 because of the expected shortage of classrooms.

Road repair to affect Nite Cafe

CAGAYAN de Oro City's Nite Café will be temporarily moving to a new site starting this weekend due to the long overdue rehabilitation of the road around DV Soria.

Necoline Blanco of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the P9-million rehabilitation project, which began Monday, will affect the road fronting the Philippine Veteran's Bank to Corrales Street and is estimated to be completed in time for the City fiesta.

Tanker to be removed from Sarangani reef in 3 weeks

KIAMBA, Sarangani -- The 225-meter tanker Double Prosperity, which damaged a portion of the Bakud Reef in this town on Sunday, is expected to be towed away from the reef within three weeks.

"Weather permitting and on ideal conditions plus the additional salvage equipment that will be coming, the ship may be extricated within more or less three weeks according to a representative of the salvor," Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commander Roy Echeverria said Thursday.

Less than half of House members get pork

LESS than half of the House of Representatives members have received their Special Allotment Release Order (Saro), which allows congressmen to get the first half of their yearly priority development assistance fund (PDAF).

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. announced this on Thursday, saying 131 House members have already gotten their Saro while another 90 who have submitted their requests have not received theirs. The rest, meanwhile, failed to file their requests on time.

Cebuano lawmakers get no pork after missing deadline

TWO Cebuano lawmakers have not yet received their priority development assistance fund (PDAF), more commonly known as "pork barrel", since they failed to file their requests on time.

Representatives Pablo John Garcia (Cebu, third district) and Tomas Osmena (Cebu City, second district) failed to file their request for a Special Allotment Release Order (Saro), which allows congressmen to get the first half of their yearly priority development assistance fund (PDAF), Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said on Thursday.