Kato ‘recruiting fighters in Davao’

THE POLICE Regional Office (PRO)-Davao Region is intensifying its intelligence monitoring on the reported recruitment of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and other armed groups in Davao Region.

According to reports, the group of Ameril Umbra Kato, a former field commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), is recruiting young men in the region to be trained as its fighters.

Mayor calls Kadayawan critics Nega Stars

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte refused to name the critics of the recent Kadayawan Festival whom she said “pissed” her off but only settled on tagging them as “Nega Stars”.

"Ani man gud na, ako ug si lord kabalo 'mi sa stirya, tanan-tanan nangutana ko sa iyaha kung unsay akong buhaton, unya wala man ni tubag si lord, so niana ko sa iya na siya nalanag bahala sa tanan (Only the Lord and I know the whole story and I asked Him what to do, since He did not tell me what, I told Him that I leave it all to Him),” Duterte said Monday at the City Hall.

Councilors may get fund increase

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte said Monday she is open to the possibility of increasing the P2-million Annual Development Fund (ADF) to each councilor, but will still be subjected for further study.

Duterte said the possibility of reverting the ADF of each councilor from P2-million this year to original P3-million in 2012 aims to add more services to respective constituents of each of the councilors.

City eyes night market on weekends along Roxas

THE city government is eyeing to transform a portion of Roxas Avenue into a night market that will showcase Davao City's various food products and dry goods during weekends.

City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte Monday said the city's tourism sector already proposed the possibility of holding the weekend night market that will be called "Peoples' Mart."

CA reverses Ombud ruling on city's fund misuse

THE Court of Appeals (CA) in Manila reversed a decision by the Office of the Ombudsman dismissing 11 appointive, elective and career officials of Davao City accused of misusing government funds to stage a Christmas party for over a thousand public school teachers.

In junking the Ombudsman’s decision, the CA noted that while the Office of the Ombudsman is mandated to investigate and prosecute any illegal, unjust or improper act or omission of a public officer, “such powers, though expansive, are not absolute.”

Student tries suicide after pal rapes her

A FEMALE student tried to take her own life after she was allegedly raped by her classmate on Saturday.

The victim is identified as “Joy”, 20, a native of Agusan del Sur and presently residing in Barangay Matina Crossing, Davao City.

Flooding affects 23 barangays in South Cotabato

A TOTAL of 23 barangays in Polomolok, South Cotabato are now affected with flooding due to heavy rains.

According to municipal administrator Wilfredo Handic, the latest area affected by flooding last week was barangay Silway 7 Silway 8.

LTFRB chairman resigns

MANILA (2nd update, 12:35 p.m.) -- Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Nelson Laluces has tendered his resignation last week to give Transportation and Communications Secretary Manuel Roxas free hand to choose his people in the department.

He submitted his resignation to Roxas on August 17.

Victims' kin mark anniversary of Manila hostage crisis

MANILA (Updated 12:20 p.m.) -- A simple Buddhist ritual was held Tuesday at the Quirino Grandstand to mark the anniversary of the August 23, 2010 hijacking of a tourist bus, where eight Hong Kong nationals and the Filipino hostage taker were killed.

Buddhist monks joined a survivor and families of the slain victims in the ceremony held at the scene of the incident.

OISCA celebrates 50th anniversary

THOUSANDS of people from the Philippines, Japan, Palau, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, among other countries, are expected to troop to the Pana-ad Park and Stadium starting Tuesday for the three-day Negros Eco-Tourism and Food Fair to mark the 50th year of the Organization for Industrial Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA).   Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., who is the OISCA-Philippines chapter president, said OISCA Japan officials are expected to arrive Tuesday for the opening ceremonies on Wednesday.

Guv backs call to reduce fuel price disparity

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. supports the call of the members of the House Committee on Energy for the oil companies to lower the disparity between fuel prices in the province and Metro Manila from the present P3 per liter to P1.50 per liter.

The P1.50 per liter difference represents the transportation cost incurred by the oil companies from its refineries in Luzon to Bacolod.

Sugar industry law pushed

NEGORS Occidental Governor Alfred Marañon Jr. is pushing for a sugar industry law.

Marañon declared his support for such measure as he observed the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) lacks police power to govern the sugar industry and prosecute individuals creating problems in the industry, particularly the smugglers.

Comelec starts recount on Puentevella, Leonardia votes

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila started the recount Monday relative to the election protest filed by former mayoralty candidate former Bacolod City Representative Monico O. Puentevella against incumbent Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia.

The two were in Manila Monday but Leonardia said he was on a different appointment and never went to Comelec to observe the recount proceedings, citing that his lawyer Dexter Francisco was taking charge of it.

Public discouraged to give alms to beggars

THE Anti-Mendicancy Task Force (MTF), Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) and Councilor Em L. Ang appealed to the public to avoid giving of alms to mendicants, citing the law that prohibits it.

Their call is in line with the celebration of the 9th Anti-Mendicancy Consciousness Week.

City up to inspect business establishments

THE Permits and Licensing Division will inspect all business establishments in Bacolod City on August 22 to November 22.

Lawyer Sonny Petierre, head of permits and licensing division, said a team comprising of 20 field inspectors will check the compliance of business establishment owners from sari-sari stores to malls.

DMB clears cop in illegal gambling rap

THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Investigation and Detective Management Branch (DBM) on Monday dropped for lack of merit and closed the investigation against Police Officer 3 Marlon Dela Pena, who was allegedly involved in illegal gambling activity.

BCPO director Ricardo De la Paz said the investigation conducted by DMB led by Police Inspector Homer Vargas showed that the allegations against Dela Pena is not true and it’s just pure harassment and malicious, while the investigation against Senior Police Officer 1 Carlos Berondo, who was tagged as jai alai protector, is still ongoing.

Police warn rent-a-car operators to be vigilant

BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) director Ricardo De la Paz on Monday warned businessmen engaging in rent-a-car in the city to be vigilant in dealing with their customers.

De la Paz issued the statement after one businessman in the city, whose name is being withheld, reported to the police station that one of his costumers failed to return his vehicle.

2 theft suspects collared

TWO theft suspects were collared Monday morning by operatives of Station 1 at Gatuslao Street, Bacolod City.

Station 1 commander Police Chief Inspector Ulysses Ortiz identified the suspects as Joan Lachica, 45, of Purok Boulevard, Barangay 14, Bacolod City and Ricky Aresgado, 37, of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

Indian national held up

ANOTHER Indian national was held up Monday morning at Purok 4, Magsungay, Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.

Station 8 team leader Senior Police Officer 1 Edwin Cardenas identified the victims as Jay Singh, 24, of Villa Socorro, Barangay Taculing and her companion Catherine Escobar, 19, of Barangay Singcang-Airport, all in Bacolod City.

Aquino won’t cancel agreement with CPLA

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III dismissed the Regional Development Council (RDC)’s request to cancel Executive Order 49 enjoining local governments and line agencies to help in the implementation of the closure agreement entered by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp) and the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA).

The RDC said, in its resolution seeking for the suspension of the executive order, the closure agreement may affect the region’s bid for autonomy.

City police nab Ethiopian’s killer

JOINT operatives of Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Station 1 and intelligence operatives arrested on August 16 a suspect involved in the robbing and killing of a 22-year-old Ethiopian student after two months of manhunt.

The victim, Senai Mehary Kiros, was robbed and killed last June 13.

Jueteng drive ‘helpless’

BANGUED, Abra - The drive against the illegal numbers game jueteng in Abra by government and church groups is rendered helpless.

This as local government executives and kin of powerful political leaders are being tagged in its actual operation.

Man electrocuted, died

TUBLAY, Benguet - A man died after he was accidentally electrocuted at Caponga Sunday.

The victim was identified as Dominador Villanueva, 26 years old, and a native of Conception, Cervnates, Ilocos Sur but is presently residing at Acop, Caponga.

Tourism office prioritizes project preserving culture

THE Benguet Tourism Office gave priority to projects focusing on School of Living Traditions (SLTs) to preserve culture of the province.

According to the office, SLT is prioritized since the province got the biggest number of targets for the preservation of culture in the region.

City, Beneco resolve row over Asin hydro

THE row between the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) and the Baguio City Government over the Asin Mini-hydroelectric Plants (AMP) operations, Mayor Mauricio Domogan said.

Domogan during the weekly Ugnayan forum with media last August 20 siad the parties’ joint technical team (JTT) finally came up with a logical way to divide the “money pie” over city-led operations of the AMP after a meeting last August 16.

Police national academy opens applications

THE Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) recently announced they are now opening applications for incoming class 2016.

The PNPA will administer its cadet admission test for the four-year Bachelor of Science in Public Safety cadetship program on October 30 in all 24 testing centers nationwide.

Socialized housing accreditation move okayed

THE Baguio City Council pushed for the accreditation of the City Government with the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) for the city to avail of the Localized Community Mortgaged Program (LCMP) for its housing projects.

The LCMP of the SHFC enables qualified partner-local government units (LGUs) to apply for an Omnibus Commitment Line (OCL) not exceeding P50 million, which can be made available through the SHFC to accommodate priority projects identified by the partner-LGUs.

Used cellular phone business up for regulation

COUNCILOR Edison Bilog sought the adoption of rules to regulate the sale and purchase of second-hand or used cellular phones in the city.

In a proposed ordinance, Bilog sought to declare it “unlawful for any person to purchase and/or sell any second-hand or used cellular phones without the accompanying original receipt of the original purchase.”

Tinoc allots P2.3 million for anti-poverty program

TINOC, Ifugao - The local government unit allotted P2,340,600 as its counterpart for the implementation of Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) Makamasang Tugon batch 3 in the different barangays of this upland town.

Esther Juan, program area coordinator, said the National Government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), was able to grant P5.4 million purposely for the implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon, which was augmented by the municipal government.

Dengue cases increasing in Ilocos

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union - Dengue cases continue to rise in Ilocos Region with La Union listed as having the biggest number of cases, followed by Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan and Ilocos Norte.

Director Valeriano Lopez of the Department of Health-Ilocos Region said, however, that the situation is not yet alarming.