Task force vs wanted persons formed

THE Western Visayas police office has formed Task Force Manhunt Bravo to immediately arrest wanted persons with pending arrests warrants in the region.

Cebuano lawyer joins Aquino’s appointees

CEBU CITY – It’s from courtrooms to oil tankers for lawyer Democrito Barcenas, one of the Cebu-based campaign leaders for President Benigno Aquino III.

Gas station robbers kill new guard

A SECURITY guard, on his second day at work, was shot dead by two men in a gasoline station in Consolacion town yesterday afternoon.

Another gas station in Mandaue was robbed and then set on fire by a still unidentified man at dawn yesterday.

COA questions purchase of firefighting devices by City Hall, councilor’s role

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned Cebu City Hall’s purchase of 6,000 fire extinguishers worth P10.8 million for schools, barangays and several government offices.

In its audit observation report, COA asked why the notice of award was issued by the City to the bidder even before a post-qualification was made, contrary to the law.

WB unit allows ex-gov’s son to pay debt in 2 installments

THE International Finance Corp. (IFC) and the oldest son of former Cebu governor Emilio “Lito” Osmeña have amicably settled the civil case the lending firm filed against the Osmeña scion, to collect US$326,670.21.

Prov’l. Board offers prayer for Sanchez

A PRAYER for healing was offered by the Provincial Board (PB) for Vice Gov. Gregorio Sanchez Jr. before they started their regular session yesterday.

The one-page, three-paragraph prayer asked for God's healing hands for Sanchez, who is suffering from stage-four lung cancer. They have also asked for a healing miracle.

Council campaigns for mayor’s recall

AFTER lodging an anti-graft complaint against their mayor for oppression, the members of the Danao City Council are embarking on a signature campaign for Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr.’s recall.

Councilor Jorge John Cane confirmed this in an interview yesterday, adding that they only need 15,000 signatures to satisfy the requirement in Republic Act 9244. The law sets the guidelines for the recall of an elected public official.

Smoking a high-risk factor for lung cancer: DOH

THE Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas reported that most of the people diagnosed with lung cancer are smokers, although there are also non-smokers who are stricken by the disease.

Dr. Juditha Tawatao, DOH 7 non-communicable diseases division chief, said smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, which is also considered a lifestyle disease.

Rama links recent violence to drugs

SHOOTING and hacking incidents during the Holy Week made officials want to revisit the drug problem in Cebu City.

A snatching incident last Wednesday led to two people going after the suspects and getting shot in the process. Felix Panugaling, 45, was wounded, but the other pursuer, 47-year-old Arsenio Hanggin, died.

Local Muslim leader backs RH bill

A MUSLIM leader favors the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill that pushes for the use of both artificial and natural methods in family planning.

Datu Malo Manongiring, director of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) Visayas, said he wants the bill to be passed for population control.

Alubijid provincial hospital pushes through

AFTER a series of debates and discussions, the planned construction of the P100-million Alubijid Provincial Hospital will definitely push through.

During Monday's flag raising ceremony at the Capitol grounds, Misamis Oriental Vice Governor Norris Babiera announced that the Provincial Board (PB) already supported Governor Oscar Moreno's move to put up the said hospital in partnership with the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration (Owwa), which will provide P45 million.

Top graduates undergo training

ABOUT 200 high school valedictorians from Cebu Province met yesterday for a three-day leadership training sponsored by the Cebu Provincial Government and the Department of Education (DepEd) 7.

During the opening program at the Ecotech Center in Lahug, Cebu City, the topnotch students got to know each other through fun-filled activities that had them dancing and singing.

No lead yet on Easter Sunday fire

ARSON investigators are still establishing the cause of fire that razed a six-door commercial building along Tirso Neri and Pabayo Sts. on Sunday morning.

The three-hour fire burned down six establishments (not five as earlier reported) and damaged at least P1.5 million worth of properties.

Director resigns after ‘losing’ Rama’s trust

CEBU City Bantay Dagat Commission (CCBDC) project director Cesar Enriquez will submit his resignation today, after learning Mayor Michael Rama has lost his trust in him.

Enriquez said he was called for a meeting yesterday by the mayor’s secretary, Belinda Navascues, who told him about it.

Judge allows lab tests on 2 of 6 seized items

JUDGE Meinrado Paredes granted the request of the police to conduct forensic examination on items taken from the house of Bella Ruby Santos last March 4.

Instead of the six items, Paredes, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court Branch 13, said the forensic exam will be limited to the universal serial bus (USB) and the video camera.

Mahiga households get more cash help

SO THAT they can build new homes, the families along Mahiga Creek who will be affected by Cebu City Hall’s clearing operations will be given an increase in their financial assistance.

From P2,000, Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) has pledged to give P5,000 to each affected family. The congressman will use P6 million of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

‘Light to return to Kamagayan’

A BARANGAY Kamaga-yan official believes its barangay hall’s electricity will be reconnected within the week, while the Visayas Electric Co. (Veco) says only if the former will pay its pending bills.

As of the last computation, Kamagayan barangay hall owes Veco P301,280.25.

Cebu fuel costs higher due to 'lack of competition'

MANILA -- Petroleum prices in Cebu are more expensive than in Manila owing to lesser competition in the Philippines' third-largest island and high costs of transporting oil from Luzon, where the country's fuel depots are located.

Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Zenaida Monsada reiterated this on Monday, the same day a task force vowed to look into the disparity of fuel prices in Manila and Cebu.

RH proponents laud Iglesia ni Cristo's support

MANILA -- Authors of the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill in the House of Representatives welcomed the support of Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) on the measure now pending for approval in second reading.

"This support shows that the RH debate is not about morality and that not all faiths are anti-RH," Akbayan party-list Representative Kaka Bag-ao, one of the bill's authors, said in a text message.

Waste segregation to save San Fernando P90M

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Mayor Oscar Rodriguez said Sunday that the city's strengthened solid waste management program -- centering on segregation -- will cut the cost of garbage disposal from P100 million annually to just about P10 million.

During the launch of the program dubbed "Handa KNB San Fernando? Now na!" at the Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Rodriguez said the City spends hundreds of millions to dispose of its garbage taken primarily to the Metro Clark Kalangitan facility.

Let's uphold anti-red tape act: mayor

ANGELES CITY -- Mayor Edgardo D. Pamintuan has urged frontline service offices in the city to uphold Republic Act (RA) 9485, or the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) in a bid to end graft and corruption in government service.

Pamintuan said RA 9485 was passed in order to improve efficiency in the delivery of government service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape, preventing graft and corruption, and providing penalties for the violators.

Meds database installed in Pampanga hospitals

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- At least nine computers with capabilities of tracking down availability of medicines have recently been installed in public hospitals in Pampanga.

The computers were recently installed at the Diosdado Macapagal Memorial Medical Center in Sta. Rita, Andres G. Luciano Memorial Hospital (formerly Balitucan District Hospital) in Magalang, Romana Pangan District Hospital in Floridablanca and the district hospitals of Mabalacat, Macabebe, San Luis and Arayat, among others.

Kapampangan hailed UP magna cum laude

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A Kapampangan was hailed as magna cum laude among the graduates of Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of the Philippines-Diliman recently.

Environment exec: 'More than the event, the thrust'

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A city official on Sunday said that more than the teaser-gimmick and big environment event "Handa KNB San Fernando? 04.24.11. Now na!" is the renewed thrust to sustain environmental care and protection.

Kapampangans 7th in global indigenous tweets site

THE Kapampangan Indigenous Tweets Page, just two weeks old, has zoomed past other languages on the Indigenous Tweets Page, which is dedicated to non-dominant indigenous languages around the world.

Holy Week events successful

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Although there were minor flaws, city officials said Holy Week activities were carried out successfully.

AUF to stage health fair at SM Clark

ANGELES CITY -- The Angeles University Foundation (AUF) is set to stage its Health and Wellness Fair 2011 at SM City Clark from April 27 to May 2.

Aquino orders probe into Compostela Valley landslide

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has ordered an investigation on Friday's landslide in Compostela Valley that killed eight persons and left 16 others missing.

"The President has already tasked [Environment Secretary Ramon] Paje, the DENR [Department of Environment and Natural Resources], to conduct an investigation after the rescue efforts are done to see what did go wrong," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang on Monday.

Church urges Aquino to issue moratorium on mining activity

IN THE wake of the tragic landslide in Compostela Valley, a Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) official strongly urged President Benigno Aquino III to issue a moratorium on all mining operations in the country.

According to CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action, Justice and Peace (Nassa) Chairman Bishop Broderick Pabillo, mining operations in the country should be suspended as long as there are risks that have yet to be addressed.

All-female panel formed to probe Arroyo's tax case

THE Department of Justice has created an all-female prosecution panel to conduct preliminary investigation on the P73.85-million tax evasion case filed against Ang Galing Pinoy party-list Representative Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo and his wife Maria Angela.

Under Department Order 292 dated April 19, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Lagrimas Agaran was designated as chair of the panel, with Assistant State Prosecutors Mederlyn Presa-Mangalindan and Ma. Cristina Barot as members.