Victims’ kin refuses settlement offers from firm

THE JUDGES handling the consolidated civil cases filed here in Cebu against Sulpicio Lines, Inc. by the families of those who died when the MV Princess of the Stars sunk in 2008 has rejected a belatedly filed batch of suits, ordering their raffle instead.

This comes following the failure in the settlement negotiations over a separate batch of cases that Judge Soliver Peras, presiding over the 10th branch of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), endorsed for mediation.

Rama meets offficials to organize concerns

FRESH from his overseas trip, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama lined-up several meetings with officials from neighboring cities and towns to discuss common concerns.

This Friday, Rama will meet with representatives of local government units (LGUs) in Metro Cebu to talk about peace and order, traffic, coastal management, drugs and solid waste management.

‘Mandaue drivers violated law’

JEEPNEY operators and drivers in Mandaue City erred in seeking for a provisional relief against the imposition of the city ordinances, a Cebu City Hall lawyer said yesterday.

In fact, City Attorney Joseph Bernaldez said the petitioners are violating the ordinances everyday. At the hearing of the temporary restraining order yesterday, he said the relief being sought is “practically defective” thus, must be denied.

OBO sees big collection in ‘11

THE Office of the Building Official (OBO) in Cebu City had collected some P23.6 million last year, almost double from its collection in 2006.

Acting building official Josefa Ylanan said the collection came from the different permits they issued to building owners.

3 charged in killing of 2 from rival gang

THE Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office has charged three gang members of allegedly shooting dead two members of a rival gang in Barangay Tejero, Cebu City last year.

Cebu City Prosecutor 1 Eulogio Borres has approved the filing of an information against Jordan Alueta, Joseph Yu and Eleuterio Eliacano Jr. for the crime of murder.

Vice Mayor no longer sees another term

DAVAO City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is ready to retire from politics, saying "he is on his way," as his contemporaries have done before him.

But he was quick to admit that he would have left earlier had his enemy in politics not eyed his position for so long.

Developer told to follow the rules

YET another developer is in the public eye after it pushed on with its projects despite the lack of permits required by local government.

This time, however, it is Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte who is pulling the rug from under this developer, ordering it to follow the rules.

New watchdog to look into Customs 'anomalies'

A GROUP of Dabawenyos has recently formed an anti-corruption organization whose initial salvo is to look into the alleged anomalies in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) here in Davao City.

Called the People's Action Against Corruption (PAAC), the watchdog group is taking the challenge of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to rebuild the country as corrupt-free. PAAC is composed of a group of League of Student Governments of Davao (LSGD), Youth Against Hunger (YAH), Ateneo Law Student Advocates for Bangsamoro Rights (Al-Sabr), Luntiang Kabataan (LK), Aksiyon Mindanaw (AM), Centrist Democratic Movement (CDM), office of Councilor April Dayap, a young councilor from Davao City's second district, and the office of Senator Teofisto "TG" Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.

Moro rebels want ex-military chief prosecuted

MANILA -- Moro rebels on Wednesday slammed the latest corruption issues that hobble the military even as they want former military chief Angelo Reyes to pay for his alleged crimes against them.

“Reyes should be tried and sent to prison as soon as possible for his crimes against the Moros and the Filipinos. He is not only blood-thirsty but corrupt as well,” the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said.

Public schools ill-equipped for kinder 2011 plan

THE Kahugpungan sa mga Magtutudlo ug Kawani sa Edukasyon sa Mindanao-Alliance of Concerned Teachers (Kamkem-Act) in Davao said the government should first attend to the unresolved problems of the education sector before implementing the Universal Kindergarten Program for the school year 2011-2012.

Health Financing Summit in city slated for Feb. 8

SEVERAL private health-concern groups have scheduled a Health Financing Summit on February 8 to discuss the latest trends in elevating the health care services in the country.

2 sued for setting farmhouse on fire

ARSON charges have been filed against two men who are accused of burning down a farmhouse and some fruit-bearing trees, all worth P50,000, in Marilog District, Davao City, last year.

TB patients enjoined to complete treatment

DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH)-Davao Region director Teogenes Baluma is appealing to all tuberculosis patients to follow and complete their treatment procedure to prevent public health hazards.

Ma, 2 kids die in fire

A MOTHER and her two children burned to death in a fire early morning Wednesday in Malalag, Davao del Sur.

Thief steals from church

A ROBBER fearlessly robbed a church Tuesday afternoon in barangay Catalunan Pequeño, Davao City.

Ombudsman reaffirms suspension of ‘Euro Generals’

MANILA -- The Office of the Ombudsman reaffirmed its earlier order to preventively suspend for six months without pay six police officials in relation to their alleged anomalous trip to Russia in 2008.

Sayyaf member arrested in Tawi-Tawi

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Police troops have arrested an Abu Sayyaf bandit allegedly involved in the killing of American tourists and soldiers in the Philippines, an official said Wednesday.

Dead man floating in Burnham Lake

TOURISTS who flocked to Baguio's premiere park for the opening festivities of the Panagbenga Festival were surprised by a floating body of a dead man at Burnham Lake Tuesday morning.

Joel Rambuyong, a boatman for 18 years in the park, discovered the lifeless body floating in the middle of the man-made lake around 10 a.m.

Chinese 'Sagada oranges' draws hostility

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Vice Mayor Richard Yodong is bent on addressing the misrepresentation of local products here and correcting the impression that products like huge oranges and grapes are from this highland town.

Yodong said reports reaching them revealed fake "Sagada Oranges" and "Sagada grapes" are being peddled in the neighboring towns and Baguio City.

Engineers study underpass at Naguilian

THE public works department has its hands full conducting feasibility studies on the possibility of constructing underpasses in Baguio.

In the pipeline is an underpass at the junction of Bokawkan and Naguilian Roads.

Arysta rep fails to defend firm

THE representative of Arysta Marketing failed to answer the accusations of several complainants against them leading the Department of Trade and Industry to reschedule the preliminary conference with the telemarketing firm.

Pine trees in city's parks dying claims: Cepmo

THE young pine trees planted in the surrounding of the Burnham Lake and Wright Park are slowly dying.

Council urges Aquino to sign int'l convention

THE City Council passed a resolution urging President Benigno Aquino III to sign the international convention for the protection of all persons from enforced disappearance.

Panagbenga execom explains budget

SUBSIDIES for schools, barangays are given directly to participants by the City Government.

Police discover body of Abra broadcaster

CAMP JUAN VILLAMOR, Abra - The decomposing body of a broadcaster was found Tuesday inside his temporary residence in Barangay Bangbangar, Bangued, Abra, police reported.

DA-SPMAD assesses foreign assisted projects

THE chilling winds of Baguio this time of the year also beckons to development policy makers and field workers.

City opens ERS plant

BAGUIO Representative Bernardo Vergara has expressed optimism the P128-million environment recycling system (ERS), which will convert tons of biodegradable wastes here into organic fertilizer will greatly enhance the cleanliness and beautification of this mountain resort.

More intense rains in Philippines seen

WEATHER officials on Wednesday warned the public about possible strong typhoons this year as a result of the prevailing La Nina phenomenon.

Citing series of heavy rainfall in various provinces, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Graciano Yumul said the country is experiencing a “creeping disaster”.

Drilon: No need for Garcia plea bargain

SENATOR Frankin Drilon said Wednesday that with the recent revelations on military corruption, there is no longer any need for the controversial plea bargain agreement between dismissed major general Carlos Garcia and the Office of Ombudsman.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and government prosecutors insist they approved the plea bargain because the plunder case against Garcia is weak.

Joint hearing on ‘payola’ scandal mulled

THE House opposition party thinks there should be a joint congressional investigation on the “payola” scandal hounding the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to avoid coming up with different recommendations on the issue.

In a Senate hearing last week, former military budget officer George Rabusa revealed that military chiefs had, by tradition, received welcoming gifts and “pabaon” money upon retirement.