Judges’ allowances from City Hall ‘will not affect independence of courts’

MONTHLY allowances given by Cebu City to judges are “not meant to undermine the independence of the judiciary,” a lawyer said.

Lawyer Ramon Ceniza, counsel for Demetrio Labrador and wife Fructousa, expressed confidence that Judge Gilbert Moises will handle their petition fairly.

BIR asked to act on CH’s request

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama is asking the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to act with urgency on the City’s request to exempt it from paying the income tax of the South Road Properties (SRP).

This, considering the development that will soon be in place in the 295-hectare property.

Talisay City gunning for a ‘three-peat’

AFTER having been adjudged Cebu’s most gender-responsive local government unit (LGU) twice in a row, Talisay City is eyeing to become a hall of famer this year.

The City Government is a top contender for the award because of its programs upholding the rights of women and children against violence and other forms of gender-based discrimination.

Ex-military chiefs deny 'send-off' money

TWO former chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied Friday that they received cash gifts when they headed the country's military.

Retired Air Force general Diomedio Villanueva said he had wanted to observe 40 days of mourning for his wife, but that "fate has not been kind lately," referring to allegations he received millions monthly from AFP funds.

Generals: UAV deal not anomalous

FORMER Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Diomedio Villanueva defended Friday an allegedly anomalous project to buy an unmanned aerial vehicle for the military.

Former AFP budget officer George Rabusa earlier said the project was anomalous because it did not undergo bidding and because the demonstration units crashed.

Ligot's bank accounts revealed in Senate hearing

FORMER Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Jacinto Ligot accumulated around P740 million in cash in four years, Senator Franklin Drilon said Friday.

At the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on military corruption, Drilon brought out a spreadsheet showing bank accounts in the name of Ligot, his family, and friends.

Rains force Agusan folk to evacuate

AN UNDISCLOSED number of families in two villages in flood-hit Agusan del Sur were brought to evacuation centers on Thursday as a shallow low pressure area continues to bring rains in Mindanao.

Palace says no Cabinet revamp yet

THE announcement of changes in the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III will not happen this week, a Malacañang official said Friday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President opted to focus on the more pressing issues than finalize the revamp in his Cabinet.

SC 'flip-flop' on cityhood ruling irritates legislator

AFTER the recent flip-flopping rulings issued by the High Tribunal, a neophyte legislator expressed concern over the court's latest decision on the cityhood case of 16 municipalities.

Iloilo Representative Jerry Trenas, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, said the third reversal of the Supreme Court's (SC) original ruling since 2008 could set a dangerous precedent.

Aquino takes rest, cancels appointments

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is still sick Friday, but Malacañang assured that there is nothing serious about his condition.

"I think he is still under the weather," said Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Ex-senator bares anomalies in swimming funds

CASES of unaccounted funds and the lack of grassroots program have allegedly put Philippine swimming into a mess, according to former senator Nikki Coseteng.

Coseteng, who is now president of Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City, told the House of Representatives recently about the supposed irregularities under Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) president Mark Joseph.

Lawmaker wants commercial logging banned

TAKING the cue from President Benigno Aquino III, Laguna Representative Danilo Fernandez filed House Bill 2176 to prohibit commercial logging for 12 years after the enactment of the proposed act.

"Despite a good number of forest conservation laws, lives and property continue to be under severe threat due to the irresponsible, unsustainable and devastating commercial logging activities," Fernandez said.

Traffic scheme for Edsa anniversary readied

TO ENSURE a traffic-free celebration of the 25th Edsa People Power anniversary next week, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday released its traffic re-routing plan for the occasion.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said three north-bound lanes of Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (Edsa) from the Service Road along Edsa after Ortigas Avenue to Camp Aguinaldo will be closed to traffic to facilitate the activities in connection with the celebrations.

Car thieves strike in Taguig

CARJACKERS apparently have transferred their illegal activities to Taguig after several incidents in Makati and Quezon cities in the past weeks taking away a blue Mitsubishi Montero Friday morning.

Taguig police chief Tomas Apolinario said the incident took place around 3 a.m. when the vehicle with plate number NID-687 was reportedly taken by unidentified suspects while inside the garage of Glen Franco at No.31 F.P. Burgos street, Barangay Sta. Ana, Taguig.

Rats destroy P29M ricelands in Mindanao

KORONADAL CITY -- Rat infestation has destroyed about P29 million worth of palay in two provinces in Central Mindanao as agriculture officials move in to control the damage wrought by the rodents.

Mayor's killer nabbed

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Justice came after three years for a grieving family.

After more than three years of hiding, police have arrested Rommel Ambatali alias Borbon, one of the accused in the murder of the Paracelis mayor Ceasar Balacanao Rafael in 2007.

No reservation at Baguio public market: mayor

THERE is no advanced reservation of stalls in the soon to open Block III of the Baguio City public market.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan denied reports that 80 stalls have been reserved for City Government employees.

Envoy: Closer Canada, Baguio tie-ups

THERE would be more tradeoffs between Baguio City and the government of Canada.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley said training of personnel in the fields of energy and alternative energy sources are among the projects his government wishes to strengthen in the next years.

Mild earthquakes jolt Baguio, Trinidad

JUST a few minutes after the entire country conducted a nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill, two mild earthquakes were experienced Thursday.

One of the quakes, an intensity 3.3 magnitude earthquake with a depth of 65 kilometers, was felt around noon in the Summer Capital, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Fire 'likely' again at market

FIRE is likely to occur again at the public market owing to violations lessors continue to commit.

Baguio City Fire Marshall Richard Villanueva revealed that in a recent inspection, some lessors built a storage area within their stalls and stocked combustible materials, such as calcium carbide, cartons, tissue paper and plastic.

Guv wants Kalinga in Cordillera terraces commission

TABUK, Kalinga -- Rice terraces farmers here are hoping to be dubbed world-class.

Governor Jocel Baac during the regional development meeting Monday is batting for the inclusion of the province's rice terraces in the Cordillera Rice Terraces Commission.

Young Cordillerans launch poetry journal

TWENTY-THREE young Cordillerans will launch their first collection of literary masterpieces in different languages of the region on Saturday, February 19.

Ubbog Cordillera Young Writers Inc. president Sacha Weygan said the collection comes into fruition after many years of continued workshops from members who write poetry and fiction in different indigenous languages.

Health department gives free anti-measles vaccines

SUSPECTED cases of measles in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) doubled from January 1 to February 5.

Data from the Surveillance Unit of Department of Health (DOH)-CAR showed 40 cases were logged this year compared to 18 cases during the same period last year.

China delays execution of 3 Pinoys

MANILA (2nd Update) -- Beijing decided Friday to postpone the executions of three Filipinos convicted of drug trafficking in China.

Vice President Jejomar Binar, who is in Beijing to make a last-ditch appeal for clemency for the three drug convicts due to be executed next week, said the Supreme People's Court delayed the executions "within the scope of Chinese law."

Airport firm set to penalize contractor for delay

CLARK FREEPORT -- The Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) said Friday that it will penalize Laguna-based AG Araja for the delays it had caused the P308-million Terminal 1 expansion project.

CIAC, the operating arm of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), indicated that it will require the contractor to pay liquidated damages upon presentation of their final billing.

Solving waste problem a 'tall order'

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Solving the massive garbage problem in the province is a "tall order" that cannot be realized overnight, said Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer Art Punzalan.

Punzalan and some Provincial Board members just arrived from an observation trip in Cebu where he led the team in taking a look at one of the city's model materials recovery facility.

Execs file resolution vs hog farms

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- As a response to Governor Lilia Pineda's call, village officials in Porac town have filed a resolution not to issue business permits to piggeries and poultry farms there.

In a phone interview, Acting Vice Mayor Michael Tapang said village officials from Barangay Sta. Cruz and Manibaug Paralaya filed the resolution before the Municipal Council.

Arroyo leads Tesda graduation rites

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Second district Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice Mayor Dexter David led Friday's graduation rites of 207 students who took short-term courses at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and the Porac Manpower Training Center in Barangay Cangatba here.

Pampanga town ready for realty, industry boom

PORAC -- Vice Mayor Dexter David said the Porac Manpower Training Center will provide skills training in line with construction and industry-related programs to anticipate the realty business' boom.

This came in answer to second district Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's call to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) and local officials here to ready the necessary manpower, as major land developers in Metro Manila are now eyeing the lands along the vital routes of this town for possible development.

490 vacant slots for Central Luzon policemen

CAMP OLIVAS - The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Central Luzon has at least 490 vacant slots for new policemen to be filled up this May.

To fill-up the vacant positions, Chief Inspector Angelito Esteban, chief of the Regional Personnel and Human Resource Development Division, announced that they are now accepting qualified applicants to become police officers.