An Waray emerge as first in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – The An Waray party-list is number one in Eastern Visayas and 11 other party-list groups turned out to be the top picks in 33 of the 143 cities and municipalities, counting results showed.

An Waray party-list Representative Neil Benedict Montejo said this is inevitable considering that nominees and officials of some existing party-lists hail from the region, too.

Dominic proclaim as new Leyte governor

TACLOBAN CITY– Leopoldo Dominico “Dominic” Petilla was proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers as the new governor of Leyte. He ran unopposed.

The 48-year-old new governor was proclaimed at 10 p.m. Thursday by the board of canvassers, chaired by Leyte elections supervisor Richard Alvin Japzon, after the town of Calubian was able to transmit their result at 8:10 p.m.

Yaokasin as vice mayor, ‘good’ for Romualdez

TACLOBAN CITY - After proclaiming outgoing Councilor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin as the new vice mayor of this city, the information officer of the City Government said she expects a good flow of legislative action at the Sangguniang Panlungsod for the next three years.

City information officer Bernardita “Bering” Valenzuela said that they are happy that Mayor Alfred Romualdez won in the mayoralty race over out-going An Waray Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel, who was endorsed by President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.

DILG chief to meet members of problematic councils

TACLOBAN CITY – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director Pedro Noval Jr. said he would personally talk with newly elected members of the council of this city and that of Samar province.

These two councils were the most “controversial” as most of the members failed to attend their respective regular sessions, Noval said adding that this resulted to the non-passage of important measures like the annual budget of Samar.

Senator-elect Bam promises independence from Aquino

MANILA - Don’t expect Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV to be a blind follower of cousin President Benigno Aquino III in the Senate.

Aquino said he is his own man and that he can take an objective view of Malacañang’s programs.

Montelibano, Golez proclaimed in Silay City

RE-ELECTED Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano and Vice Mayor Mark Andrew Golez were finally proclaimed Thursday night as the winners for mayor and vice-mayor, respectively, of Silay City after the canvassing of votes by the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC).

Montelibano won by a margin of 914 votes, garnering 29,411 votes over Carlo Gamban's 28,497, while Golez garnered an overwhelming 41,296 votes over his opponent July Ledesma.

Prices, prizes up for PCSO’s 6/42, 6/45 draws

EFFECTIVE yesterday, May 17, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) doubled its betting price from P10 to P20 per combination, as well as the jackpot prizes, for the Lotto 6/42 and Megalotto 6/45 games.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, in a press conference Friday at the PCSO office at the Paglaum Sports Complex, Bacolod City, said that the minimum jackpot prizes also increased effective yesterday from P3 Million to P6 Million for Lotto 6/42 and from P4.5 Million to P9 Million for Megalotto 6/45.

Tubillara seeks recount vs Magno

MAYORAL candidate Jilson Tubillara revealed his plans to file a Protest for Recount against re-elected Mayor Mario Magno.

Magno won against Tubillara by only 20 votes.

Bacolod City councilors-elect thank voters

AS ELECTION is over, many things happened to both winners and losers.

The expression of gratitude from the winners becomes endless, while those who did not make it in the May 13, 2013 polls could hardly be seen or reached even by phone.

Caña: 'Political prostitution' worsened

INDEPENDENT congressional candidate for the lone district of Bacolod lawyer Lyndon Cana could not imagine the apparent political prostitution which has worsened in the city as evident in the recent conduct of the May 13, 2013 polls.

"While I accept the result of the election, it is confirmed to me that money has become the dominant force in Bacolod and even in national politics,” he said.

Orola hopes miracle can make Bart win

LAWYER John N. Orola, City Administrator and brother of Engr. Bart Orola, candidate for councilor hopes that a miracle would happen considering that there are still 3,200 plus votes which were not canvassed by the Board of Canvassers due to defective PCOS machines' memory cards.

He said that since there are still some returns that were not yet counted but he does not know whether it can still offset the votes who got the 12 slot.

BCDA pursues CJHDevCo

JOHN Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), Bases Conversion Development Authority’s (BCDA) estate manager in the former American base, maintained it is submitting to arbitration proceedings.

The management, however, stressed this does not stop them from filing and pursuing criminal cases against its lessee Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo).

Fongwan: Shun dirty politics

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Governor Nestor Fongwan reminded councilmen here of the lessons learned during the recent elections.  

Fongwan said dirty politics has no place in the province, but added “it turns out that we have been infected by dirty tactics here.”

Youth’s role in the arts stressed

CORDILLERA tourism director Purificacion Molintas said technology and culture and the arts could go hand in hand.

She underscored the role of the younger generation in preserving the best cultural practices and traditional art.

Baguilat proclaimed Ifugao representative

PROVINCIAL canvassers proclaimed Ifugao representative-elect Teodoro Baguilat Jr. despite early rumors his proclamation will be halted due to a case filed for his disqualification from a pending Ombudsman decision of his dismissal.

Commission on Elections–Ifugao provincial election supervisor Elenita Tabangin-Capuyan said there is no reason for them to suspend the proclamation of Baguilat as the Comelec En Banc has not barred them and the provincial Board of Canvassers from declaring Baguilat as winner of the congressional race in the province.

Forum set to discuss Chinese culture, globalization

“THE Role of Chinese Culture in a Globalized World” will be discussed by a German authority on the issue in a symposium set on Wednesday (May 23) at 1:00 p.m. at the multi-purpose hall of the City Hall. 

Dr. Peter Kupfer, formerly of the Chinese Language and Culture Department of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, will be the launching speaker in a series of symposia being organized by the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio, in coordination with the Baguio-Filipino Chinese Community.

Danao policeman shot 7 times, dies

A POLICE officer died after five men repeatedly shot him near an illegal cockfight arena in Barangay Looc, Danao City late yesterday afternoon.

SPO3 Jose Relampagos, who was assigned to the Tuburan Police Station, was shot seven times in his head and body.

Mayoralty candidate in Tuburan won’t face raps

DEFEATED Tuburan, Cebu mayoralty candidate Rose Marie Suezo and her running mate Daphne Lagon will not face trial for allegedly employing six armed men as bodyguards.

Cebu got most poll problems

CEBU Province has the most number of defective Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in the entire Central Visayas.

Of the total 215 defective PCOS machines in Region 7, Cebu has 134.

Radaza wants separate province for Mactan

NEWLY elected Rep. Aileen Radaza (Lapu-Lapu City, lone district) announced she will file a bill creating Mactan Province, saying this will hasten economic growth in the island.

Young to protest poll defeat

LIKE Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young won’t concede defeat to Councilor Edgardo Labella who was proclaimed vice mayor in last Monday’s elections last Thursday night.

Young said the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK) will file a protest before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) against the results for both the mayoral and vice mayoral races.

Call center official ‘tries to bribe’ police, arrested

THE vice president for external affairs of a call center company that was raided on suspicion of being involved in an online scam was arrested late Thursday afternoon for allegedly trying to bribe police.

Mayor’s executive asst. denies certifying funds are available

THE executive assistant of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama denied she was certifying the availability of funds when she signed a document for the clearing of the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) route at the South Road Properties (SRP).

Councilor Margarita Osmeña, the chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, questioned the authority of executive assistant Nenita Fernandez to sign the document.

2 persons face child abuse raps for jewelry theft

FOR allegedly instructing an 11-year-old boy to steal his grandmother’s jewelry worth P170,000, two persons will face trial.

The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office charged Noel and Marlinda Oporto with violating Republic Act 7610, or the Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Groups urge fast probe on Malampaya fund scam

MASANTOL -- Members of the Masantol Eastern Coastal Communities (MECC) urged the Commission on Audit (COA) on Friday to speed up the investigation on the Malampaya fund scam involving multi-million pesos worth of "ghost project" intended for farmers here.

Former Vice Mayor Marcelo Lacap, a member of MECC, said their "innocence had been taken advantage by some individuals who successfully enrich themselves" by facilitating the release of some P89.2 million at the expense of the supposed beneficiaries in the localities.

Rimpy to prioritize agri dev't

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Congressman-elect Juan Pablo "Rimpy" Bondoc said on Thursday he will prioritize agricultural development in the fourth district to give Kapampangan farmers more opportunities for growth.

Bondoc made a successful comeback after he overwhelmingly won over his closest rival, Mayor Jerry Pelayo of Candaba.

New heritage sites unveiled

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Two houses were added to the heritage map of the City of San Fernando on Friday as the City Government led by Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and the San Fernando Heritage Foundation chaired by businessman Levy P. Laus unveiled the markers and signed the memorandum of agreement for their preservation.

The first site opened for viewing to visitors was the century-old Paras-Hizon house along V. Tiomico Street right along the city's main Heritage District.

Mayor-elect asks fishpond owners to get insurance

MASANTOL -- The newly elected mayor in this town said he would ask fishpond operators to consider obtaining insurance policies for their businesses.

Dan Guintu of the Liberal Party got an overwhelming support from the electorate after he defeated Paul Flores, brother of incumbent mayor Peter Flores.

Masantol’s most wanted falls

MASANTOL – Police arrested the town's number one most wanted person in his residence in Barangay San Isidro here.

Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, Officer-In-Charge of Pampanga police provincial office, said Sonny Yabut, 31, was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Josephine Mercado of the Regional Trial Court Branch 55, Macabebe, Pampanga.

2 men charged for violating fisheries law

TWO men are facing charges before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) for selling illegally caught fishes.

Carlos Panuncia and Howard Salvacion are facing charges for violation of the Philippines Fisheries Code of 1998.