No. 2 most wanted person in Zambo falls

ZAMBOANGA City's second most wanted person was arrested in Mindoro, the police said Thursday.

Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) Director Edwin de Ocampo said Tony Cegales, a resident of Arena Blanco village, was arrested last week in Puerto Galera in Mindoro province.

Zambo forms task force to check on buildings

MAYOR Celso Lobregat has ordered the creation of a task force that will check infrastructures in Zamboanga City, following the magnitude-9.0 earthquake that hit Japan last week.

Lobregat said the City Government has to be prepared to mitigate the effects of natural calamities in the city.

Ateneo de Manila tops 2010 Bar exam

MANILA (Updated 5:30 p.m.) -- A law graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University bested thousands of examinees to rule the 2010 Bar Examinations. Result was released Thursday afternoon by the Supreme Court (SC).

Cesario Antonio Singzon Jr., got a rating of 89 percent, followed by fellow Atenean Filemon Ray Javier with 86.95 percent. The Quezon City-based school earlier took five out of the top 10 places in the 2008 edition.

Palace: Respect China’s executions of 3 Pinoys

MANILA (Updated 2:36 p.m.) -- A Malacañang official said Thursday the government cannot do anything but to accept the decision of China to pursue the executions of three Filipino drug convicts.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda pointed out that China made clear with their discussion with Vice President Jejomar Binay that they will be staying the execution but not commuting it.

Government bans workers' deployment to Bahrain

MANILA (Updated 11:57 a.m.) -- The government has banned the deployment of newly hired workers to Bahrain as the kingdom intensifies a crackdown on protesters.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said the ban will not cover Filipinos already employed in the Middle Eastern kingdom who submit an affidavit that they know the risks of returning there.

Probe on military corruption continues

MANILA -- The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee is set to forge on with its probe on corruption in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

With a partial committee report on the plea bargain agreement on the plunder case against dismissed general Carlos Garcia already released, the committee will move on to another former comptroller.

7 die in Tacloban landslide

TACLOBAN CITY (Updated 1:13 p.m.) – Seven members of a family in this city in Leyte province died after their house was buried in a landslide early Thursday.

Family awaits nurse’s remains

A CEBUANO nurse, John Kristopher Chua, was identified as one of the casualties of last month's earthquake in New Zealand.

In a text message sent to Sun.Star Cebu, his father Arthur Chua said the family is relieved and is grateful for the support they have received from relatives and friends.

Medical expenses for babies treated for burns reach P500T

THE hospital bills of the babies at Chong Hua Hospital who suffered burns in a lamp accident at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) have reached almost half a million.

The amount, however, may still go up as the expenses don’t include the facial skin graft of Kean Carl Villarico, who suffered the worst burns.

Bacolod to review disaster readiness

BACOLOD City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia saw the need to review the city's disaster preparedness program to determine what aspect needs to be improved.

Malacañang has recognized Bacolod as the third city with the best disaster preparedness program in the whole country. Despite this, Leonardia believed that the city should keep on reviewing its program.

Capitol mulls judicial ejectment of squatters

THE Provincial Government considers initiating judicial proceedings to eject squatters at the Paglaum Sports Complex.

Lawyer Jose Maria Valencia, provincial legal officer and chief of staff of Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr., said some of the squatters show resistance upon receiving the notice of eviction from the Capitol.

6 police chiefs return to posts

SIX out of the 31 police chiefs in the Negros Occidental province return to their posts effective Thursday, said Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) Director Allan Guisihan on Wednesday.

Police stations in 24 other towns and cities will continue to be under an officer in charge, while the respective towns and city mayors have not yet chosen from the list of recommendees submitted to them by the selection and evaluation committee created by Guisihan.

13C operators air complaints over re-routing

AFTER only the second day of implementation of an experimental route on Panganiban St., Cebu City 13C operators said passengers are complaining to the drivers that they have to ride two jeepneys to reach their destination.

Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) Executive Director Rafael Yap said some 13C operators visited the office yesterday also to complain of the shorter route.

Fate of 2nd flyover uncertain

THE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is apparently uncertain whether the second flyover for Bacolod City will still be given, a top city official said.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson is not certain on the status of the second flyover project that is intended for Bacolod City.

House body finds car ‘tax evaders’

THE House committee on ways and means discovered in a hearing last Monday that some car importers and dealers rake in huge profits on high-end vehicles, but do not pay correct taxes and importation duties.

Committee chair Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas (Ilocos Norte, 1st district) noted that an importer paid only P467,000 in excise tax (including value-added tax or VAT) for a Porsche car that sells at P8 million. The correct excise tax should have been P3.512 million.

Firm offers P1.5-M fee for Capitol reorganization

A CONSULTANCY firm based in Manila offered its services for the Provincial Government's total reorganization at P1.5 million.

Perlas awards own spiritual adviser Vidal

THIS year’s Philippines Foundation Inc. (PFI) Perlas Awards recognized its own spiritual adviser Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who was named “The Shepherd of the Lord and Advocator of Peace and Unity” for instilling virtues and moral formation.

The awarding ceremony, which had the theme “Faith and character,” was held last Tuesday in SM Cinema One.

City hits North Terminal construction delays

THE construction of the North Terminal is apparently facing long delays, said Councilor Dindo Ramos, chair of the Bacolod City Council committee on transportation.

Policeman tagged in illegal numbers game

A MEMBER of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) is now in hot water after he was tagged as protector of illegal numbers game in the city.

Oppus ordered pullout of my escorts: Guv

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia confirmed that Senior Supt. Louie Oppus ordered for the recall of her security escorts, but Camp Crame instructed the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 to retain them.

She said Oppus went to her office and told her he will pull them out by March 15, in accordance with the guidelines of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Not guilty: Joavan on robbery raps

JOAVAN Fernandez pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge filed against him by a store clerk, who has recanted his complaint against the son of Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fer-nandez.

Lawyer George Bragat assisted Joavan during the arraignment before Judge Gilbert Moises of the Regional Trial Court Branch 18.

Capitol helps slain cop with cash assistance

THE bereaved family of PO1 William Mangubat will receive P10,000 as assistance from Capitol.

Mangubat hailed from the northern town of Borbon and was a police trainee assigned at the Talisay Police Station last February. He responded to a robbery alarm, but was shot in the head and shoulder by two armed robbers. He died on the spot.

Ombud execs SALNs not with CSC: report

“WE are not hiding anything.”

Stressing that copies of their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) are available anytime in their office, two top officials of the Visayas Ombudsman yesterday denied reports that their SALNs could not be found at the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

Rama vows to release aid to Cordova seniors

MORE than 2,000 senior citizens of Cordova town will finally get their financial assistance from the Cebu City Government.

This, as Mayor Michael Rama announced that Cebu City will honor the commitment made by former mayor now Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu, south district) to the town.

Troubled vessel towed

A PASSENGER ship bound for Leyte was towed back to Cebu after it encountered a mechanical problem off Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.

The mv Lady of Gua-dalupe of Cebu City-based Medallion Transport was carrying 144 passengers when it got stalled about 15 nautical miles off Banto-linao Point past 9 a.m.

Japan groups to help CCMC

AMID disasters in their country, representatives of two Japanese hospitals who are visiting Cebu pledged to donate equipment to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

They made the pledge after a tour of the government hospital yesterday morning, only five days since a quake and tsunami devastated parts of northeastern Japan.

Maguindanao prosecutor survives ambush

DAVAO CITY -- A provincial prosecutor in Maguindanao and his driver survived an ambush Tuesday afternoon in Cotabato City.

The victims -- Provincial Prosecutor Akilali Balt and Dandan Balt Dakula -- were on their way home onboard a black Isuzu pickup when two motorcycle-riding gunmen opened fire.

If you’re innocent, stay in Cebu, police asks duo

A TASK Force Ellah Joy official yesterday urged a Cebuana and her British boyfriend to stay in Cebu until the police file charges against suspects in the abduction and murder of a 6-year-old girl.

He hinted that would be one way for Bella Ruby Santos and Ian Charles Griffiths to prove their innocence “beyond mere statements.”

Cebuano scholar in Japan heads home

AFTER waiting for days to get out of Fukushima prefecture amid the possibility of a leak in its nuclear plants, the only Filipino student in the disaster-stricken city was scheduled to come home to his worried parents last night.

Cebu City Councilor Margot Osmeña said that Luis Cañete Sr. called her last Monday to inform her of his son’s situation. With the help of an attaché in Japan, they located Luis Jr. and assured his family that he was safe.

Labangon to ask court to clarify boundary with Guadalupe before plebiscite

BARANGAY Labangon will file in court a petition to delineate the boundary of Labangon and Barangay Guadalupe, and to stop a plebiscite on the split of Banawa-Englis from Guadalupe.