De Lima: Cybercrime law to stand legal scrutiny

MANILA -- Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said her department is readying changes to the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act, which will be presented to lawmakers in the incoming 16th Congress.

De Lima refused to specify the "improvements" on Thursday but certainly the Department of Justice took cue from the consolidated petitions against Republic Act 10175, whose implementation has been blocked by the Supreme Court since October last year.

Public schools reminded of no-collection policy

THE Department of Education (DepEd) reminded Friday all public schools nationwide to strictly adhere on the policy of no collection of fees during enrollment when school year 2013-2014 opens on June 3.

Based on DepEd Order 41 series of 2012, "Revised guidelines on the opening of classes," Education Secretary Armin Luistro has directed all school officials that no fees shall be collected from school children in kindergarten up to Grade 4 anytime during school year 2013-2014. 

Army supports probe on 2 erring Palace guards

THE Philippine Army said it won't tolerate the wrongdoing of two of its personnel, assigned with the Presidential Security Group, who were arrested by the police on alleged robbery in Novaliches, Quezon City on Thursday.

Lieutenant Colonel Randolph Cabangbang, Army spokesman, said the Army leadership is supporting the ongoing investigation against Corporal Bobby Cepe Ates and Sergeant Marvin Gamba Gaton.

DOH holds HIV surveillance

THE Department of Health (DOH) and other agencies held a random human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) surveillance to determine the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/Aids) cases in Cagayan de Oro City.

Since last week the Integrated HIV Behavioral and Serologic Surveillance System (IHBSSS) and the group Tingog CdeO rounded up the different areas of the city to spot and identify persons engaging in men having sex with men (MSM), aged 15 and up, to achieve its research goal of 300 respondents in a period of one month.

Teachers complain of honoraria delay

PUBLIC school teachers in the city, who served as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in the recently concluded May 13 polls, are complaining of the delay in the release of their honoraria.

The teachers said they are disappointed over the disdainful treatment of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) at them citing that the P4,000 stipend isn’t enough to compensate the extra work and sleepless nights they spent in the May 13 polls.

Fire hits MisOr vet office

FIRE hits the Misamis Oriental Provincial Veterinary office on Luna corner Velez Streets in Cagayan de Oro Thursday afternoon.

Cagayan de Oro City Fire District’s initial investigation suggested a faulty electrical wiring may have caused the fire considering that the building is very old, said fire investigator Rosalito Caratao.

‘Riding-in-tandem’ suspects fall

TWO suspects, who are allegedly members of the dreaded riding-in-tandem groups, were arrested Wednesday evening in Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental, police reports said.

Police Officer 3 (PO3) Edilberto Gacita of the Jasaan police station identified the suspects as Wilborn Cabil, 27, a resident of Zone 2, Gusa; and Alex Redoblado, 25, of Ilaya, Upper Carmen -- both are barangays in Cagayan de Oro.

Gas station lost P11,000 to robbery

SOME P11,000 worth of cash and valuables were carted away from a gasoline station by six unidentified suspects on Wednesday evening along Masterson Avenue in Upper Balulang in Cagayan de Oro.

Police Officer 1 (PO1) Liezel Mejos, of the Carmen police station, said the suspects, who were on board two single motorcycles without plate numbers (red and white), carted some P11,000 cash from Shell gas station’s income for the day and two cell phones of the cashier, Leah Daayata.

Lawmaker hopeful FOI will be prioritized next Congress

A MEMBER of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) on Friday called on the Aquino administration to add the proposed freedom of information (FOI) law to its priority list in the incoming 16th Congress.

Reelected Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat Jr., a member of the House committee on public information, said the FOI bill is crucial to the government's campaign to eradicate graft and corruption.

Cebu village chief, widow of cop found dead

CEBU CITY -- The barangay captain of Mabini, this city, allegedly killed his rumored paramour before shooting himself to death inside his vehicle a few hours after he had thrown her body off a cliff.

The body of the woman was dumped in a cliff in Barangay Cansumoroy, Balamban, which is in the mountain borders of Cebu City.

Wanted: 5T teachers for public schools

CENTRAL Visayas needs more than 5,600 public school teachers this year, the Department of Education (DepEd 7) said.

The new teachers will augment the 44,234 currently employed by the National Government for Central Visayas.

Leonardia: Ride momentum of call center growth

CONGRESSMAN-ELECT and outgoing Bacolod City Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia said Thursday that his administration has set the foundation and fundamentals of information technology-business process management industry or “call centers.”

This came following the recent elevation of Bacolod City as among the cities in the country classified as "center of excellence" by the Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology Office (DOST-ICTO.

Leonardia denies ‘dropping’ VM Sayson

NPC-Grupo Progreso District Chair Bacolod City Mayor and Congressman-elect Evelio R. Leonardia on Thursday denied claims that he dropped his partner mayoralty candidate Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson during the May 13, 2013 polls to favor the reported "MoBing (Monico-Bing)" alliance on the eve of election day.

Leonardia said it is an impossible thing to happen because, based on figures, 96 percent of the voters who voted him also voted Sayson.

Cops ready for school opening

THE Philippine National Police in Western Visayas region are now ready for the opening of classes in June.

Regional Police Director Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz said that more police will be visible near school campuses, terminals and commercial establishments as the opening of classes nears.

Capitol prepares salary adjustment notice

AFTER the passage of the 2013 Provincial Budget, all department heads at the Capitol have been advised to prepare the Notice of Salary Adjustments, according to Provincial Administrator Enrique Pinongan.

Pinongan said that each employee will be sent the Notice of Salary Adjustment, in line with the implementation of the last tranche of salary increase.

Army: Bets who paid campaign fees to NPA are answerable

POLITICIANS who will be proven to have paid the New People's Army for permit to campaign (PTC) during the recently concluded elections are answerable to the law, a military official warned Thursday.

Colonel Jon Aying, Commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, said that all over the country, the NPA rebels were able to raise about P25 million from politicians for permit to campaign in what was claimed by the rebels as their controlled areas.

Bacolod SP urge bets to remove campaign posters

THE election is over but many campaign posters continue to greet the public until now.

The Bacolod City Council has approved on Wednesday a resolution directing the Department of Public Services through the Office of the City Mayor, all barangay officials and candidates, who participated in the May 13 midterm elections, to help and assist in removing all posters, election materials and political notices placed in non-Comelec poster areas, to make Bacolod City clean and neat.

Pagla-um petitioners ask Comelec to conduct plebiscite

Petitioners of Barangay Paglaum, through their counsel Lawyer Gemeno Ymballa, reiterated their appeal to the Commission on Elections to make the conduct of the plebiscite of Barangay Paglaum a reality.

This as the Comelec earlier promised to attend to the request of Pagla-um village residents for a plebiscite after the May 13, 2013 polls,

3 wounded in rumble

THREE men were wounded in a rumble which occurred around 1:30 a.m. Thursday in San Sebastian Street, Barangay 32, Bacolod City.

Police identified the victims as Manuel B. Ojera, 23, of Purok Mabinuligon, Brgy. 30; Warlito P. Silos, 31, of Purok Everlasting, Brgy. 29; and Glenn D. Tan, 33, of Purok Cadena De Amor, Brgy 11, all of Bacolod City.

Pastors volunteer as traffic personnel

FOURTEEN volunteers, mostly pastors, are helping ensure the smooth flow of traffic in Bacolod City through the project called Society Uniting People Power for Order and Good Governance (SUPPOG) of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) under the supervision of the Traffic Management Unit (TMU).

BTAO Deputy Head SPO4 Joelito Colantro said that 40 people applied as volunteers and attended the two-day seminar last May 1 and 2 which trained them to direct traffic rules.

Joavan eats CPDRC’s breakfast ration; pa visits

ACTING Governor Agnes Magpale said Joavan Fernandez will not be harmed inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), but he won’t get any special treatment.

Joavan was transferred to the CPDRC last Wednesday after he and two other companions were arrested in the southwestern town of Moalboal last Monday. They were preparing to board two pump boats for Negros Oriental.

‘Metro Cebu’ swindlers claim 2 more victims

TWO more complainants surfaced yesterday as police continue to search for the swindlers who issued bouncing checks to several stores in Metro Cebu last week.

Businessman Mark Loreto, 28, of Liloan, Cebu, said he lost five coffee vending machines worth P76,000 after the buyer who ordered the items over the phone issued a check that turned out to be of no value.

Cebu City Hall needs P70 million a month

IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.

City Treasurer Emma Villarete said the monthly release of the allowances and financial aid can be done if made through the distribution of cash cards.

City Hall needs P70M a month

IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.

Election bet’s female supporter shot, another killed in Tuburan

MORE than a week after the elections, supporters of opposing political parties in Tuburan, Cebu were shot in separate occasions this week.

The incidents — the first occurred last Tuesday and the second on Wednesday — prompted Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador to order police station chiefs of areas where there was intense political rivalry during the elections to hold a dialogue between opposing politicians.

COA answer on tour buses lacks specifics

AS the management of Capitol’s funds is the responsibility of the head of the Provincial Government, the Commission on Audit (COA) said that it is up to the acting governor to decide whether to pay the supplier of the Suroy-suroy buses given to the towns.

In a May 21 letter to acting Gov. Agnes Magpale, COA state auditor 5 Eva Cabrera said fiscal responsibility “resides with management” as provided under COA Circular 2011-002.

Mayor sued for vote-buying

DUMANJUG Liberal party mayoralty candidate Cesar Baricuatro filed a disqualification case against newly-elected Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia before the Cebu Provincial Comelec office on the day of the election on the grounds of vote-buying.

Baricuatro, in a phone interview, said Garcia gave the policemen of Dumanjug Police Station P10,000 each sometime before May 13.

P12M smuggled rice seized at Sasa port

BUREAU of Customs (BOC) led by Commissioner Ruffy Biazon inspected on Thursday P12-million worth of smuggled rice seized by authorities at Sasa Port in Davao City in March.

Joint operatives of the Customs Intelligence Group in Manila and Davao port seized the illegal rice shipment that were placed in 23 misdeclared 20-footer container vans consigned to two different Davao traders.

Cigarette distributors told: Remove signages

AN OFFICIAL of the Anti-Smoking Task Force of Davao City told distributors of cigarettes in the city on Thursday to remove its big signages placed atop some stores in the metropolis.

"We encourage them to remove it and transfer it to a city which is not implementing an anti-smoking ordinance. So do not dare us na lang to remove the ads," Dr. Domilyn C. Villareiz, chair for Davao City Anti-Smoking Task Force, said during the I-Speak Forum on Thursday.

Pelaez wants Radaza victory voided

DEFEATED mayoral candidate Ephraim Pelaez Jr. will file today a petition before the Comelec in Manila for the nullification of the proclamation Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and her entire slate as winners in the May 13 election.

In a press conference at his mansion in Rahman St., Cebu City, Pelaez said Radaza and her camp engaged in terrorism, threats and intimidation against his supporters, and many of them failed to vote.