Poll winners warned: Submit expenses

NON-FILING of statement of election contributions and expenditures (SECE) will bar proclaimed winners of the May 13 midterm elections to assume office in June 30.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said they would be strict on implementing the March 2012 agreement enforcing campaign finance rules.

An Waray to continue programs

THE An Waray party-list group vowed to continue its program of extending assistance to the indigent patients at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) and its scholarship program in the different universities and colleges across the region.

An Waray representative Neil Benedict Montejo said the organization would also focus on tourism-related projects.

Children urged to eat breakfast

THE National Nutrition Council in Eastern Visayas urged children to eat breakfast as a good practice to a learner’s physical and mental well being.

NNC-8 program coordinator Segundina Devota Dilao said that aside from high cost of school supplies, parents should also worry about the nutrition of schoolchildren since this will greatly affect children’s performance in the school.

Emergency team holds training

THE Triskelion Emergency Response Team (TERT) together with the Department of Health-Health Emergency Management and Staff (DOH-HEMS) conducted a two-day Basic Life Support (BLS) training at Sinugba House, San Jose, Tacloban City.

The training aims to add skills needed to protect and support life during emergencies.

Palace blames communist rebels for bleak prospect in peace process

MALACAÑANG blamed Monday the communist New People's Army (NPA) for a bleak prospect in signing a peace agreement with the Aquino administration.

In his regular press briefing, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that it was the Maoist group which has stalled the peace process.

Government aims for ‘zero casualty’ during disasters

THE Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday urged the public to prepare for calamities as the government aims for "zero casualty" during disasters.

"It's better to be prepared. We need to harmonize all the disaster preparedness programs of various government agencies to ensure 'zero casualty' especially now that the rainy season is just around the corner and the typhoons are coming," Secretary Manuel Roxas II said in a statement before he presided a command conference at Camp Crame.

Manobos to reclaim ancestral domain

TALACOGON, AGUSAN DEL SUR – Members of the Manobo communities here have decided to take their ancestral lands after almost 50 years of occupancy from logging companies which left their lands barren and their forest bald.

Bagtikang Kahugpungang Manobo sa Kasilayan (BKMK) of Barangay Coalicion, San Luis town and Lumadnong Kalihukan alang sa Kalambuan (LUKAK) of Barangay Marbon, Talacogon town, in Agusan del Sur, went to Manila on Sunday morning to file their prayers and petition for their Certificate of Ancestral Domain Territory (CADT) before the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Moreno urges Cowd board of directors to resign

CAGAYAN DE ORO mayor-elect Oscar Moreno expressed alarm over the seemingly “blame game” of the city’s water district and its partner water distributor, Rio Verde, over the water supply crisis in the western areas of the city.

Moreno, in his radio program over the weekend, said he was shocked over the statement of the Cagayan de Oro Water District (Cowd) pointing the problem of insufficient water supply to its “partner,” Rio Verde Water Consortium, Inc (RVWCI).

Junior officer killed in an NPA clash

A JUNIOR officer of the Philippine Army was killed in a recent encounter with alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the boundaries of Claveria in Misamis Oriental and Malibog in Bukidnon, Friday morning, the military said.

Cocpo chief: Motive of Customs official slay-attempt ‘not yet known’

THE motive to the slay attempt of Alma Lomondot, 46, along sitio (zone) Bantiles in barangay (village) Bugo here on Friday afternoon has not been known yet.

Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) chief Graciano Mijares said the police is currently investigating one witness for possible identification of the suspects as the police are coordinating with the BOC-10 officials for the speedy resolution to the case.

IFJ asks Aquino to expedite massacre trial

OZAMIZ CITY-More than 300 delegates to the 28th World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Dublin, Ireland has called on President Benigno Aquino III to “take steps to expedite the trial” of the Maguindanao massacre.

According to National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) chair Rowena Paraan, who joined the Dublin gathering, the call was contained in an urgent resolution adopted by the Congress delegates.

Over 100 divers pick up plastics, foil underwater

A CAMPAIGN to pick up trash strewn on the shores of Lapu-Lapu City and underwater highlighted the need for the strict enforcement of solid waste management laws.

Series of shootings raise need to go after loose guns, drugs

CEBU City’s Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) has expressed alarm over the series of shooting incidents in the city.

PCAC chairperson Engr. Eugene Elizalde wants the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to intensify its efforts against loose firearms.

Rotary Clubs tie up with DOH, LGUs to prevent dengue’s rise

SEVERAL civic, school and government organizations have formed the Cebu Inter-Organizational Anti-Dengue Mosquito Larvicide Campaign against dengue-carrying mosquitoes this year.

PRO 7 ‘skilled’ vs trafficking

A CAMP Crame official said the police in Central Visayas are equipped and skilled in handling human trafficking cases.

Senior Supt. Theresa Ann Cid, chief of Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC), gave her assessment last Friday after the three-day training held at the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7.

Cops recall times with batchmate

ON their next anniversary trip to Bohol, PO2 Gerlito Estremos will be a no-show. But for his batchmates in class Bigkis, he will not be forgotten.

In their Facebook group, the police recruits offered their condolences to the slain officer’s family, who got killed last Saturday in the line of duty.

Blind couple raises family as massage therapists

CLEAR.

This is the meaning of Celeto Malinao’s family name in English.

Truck crash kills 1, injures 7

A 51-YEAR-OLD vegetable vendor was killed while seven others were severely hurt when the cargo truck they were riding crashed on the national highway in Minglanilla town yesterday dawn.

Lorenza Canoy, 51, of Barangay Dunguan in Sibonga town, was immediately killed when the cargo truck she and fellow vendors were on board crashed into the center island of the highway in Barangay Ward 3, Minglanilla at around 3 a.m. yesterday.

Exalt Immaculate Heart of Mary: CBCP

THE Catholic Bishops Conference in the Philippines (CBCP) has directed parishes nationwide to celebrate the national consecration of the people to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The activity, which was celebrated yesterday, was part of the celebration of the Year of Faith that was initiated by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

Cop probe disproves man’s tale on wife

FRANCISCO Alfar allegedly told the police that his wife, Endridia Lawas Alfar, died of a heart attack.

His two children, the live-in partner of his son, and a relative sang the same tune.

Improve port services: body

THERE’S a need to improve the services in port terminals in Central Visayas, including those in Cebu, to make the travelling experience of tourists and visitors more enjoyable and comfortable.

Court battle looms between Cebu mayor, council

CEBU CITY -- The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Visayas told the Cebu City Council to let the court decide on whether the contract that Mayor Michael Rama signed for the P167-million reconstruction of a unit in Carbon Market was valid.

In a letter to Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young, DILG-Central Visayas Director Ananias Villacorta said “judicial determination” is needed to confirm if the description of the project in the appropriation ordinance was enough to execute the contract, even without the council’s authorization.

Davao to file string of cases vs Caap, Cebu Pacific

SEVERAL cases will be filed by the City Government of Davao against the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) and Cebu Pacific due to city's economic loss brought about by the rough landing of an aircraft at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport last June 2.

The City Government estimated the economic loss to reach P250 million after the airport was closed down for 48 hours as a result of the accident.

Capitol sees additional P356-M collections with iTax

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -– The Provincial Government is eyeing an additional P356-million collection on real property units (RPUs) in Pampanga following the launching of the Integrated Tax Management System (iTax) in different municipalities.

Provincial Assessor Engr. Romeo Dizon said that under the old system, they have recorded an annual real property tax (RPT) collection of at least P44 million.

Pampanga ‘reshaping’ eyed

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Incoming Pampanga officials led by Representative-elect Oscar Rodriguez and Joseller Guiao, along with Board Member-elect Rosve Henson, Tonton Torres, Crisostomo Garbo and ex-officio Board Member Dein Henson, are mulling the “reshaping” of the province through “redistricting.”

The idea of reshaping Pampanga through redistricting was broached by the father and son Henson, who told Sun.Star Pampanga over the weekend that the move will “correct the imbalance in the distribution of board representatives” and assure the proper allocation of services and legislative measures deemed for each of the four districts of the province.

Councilor vows to continue advocacy

GUAGUA -- Re-elected Councilor Michelle Rivera over the weekend vowed to continue her advocacies in governance, particularly that of women’s, children’s, and family’s rights and welfare.

The second-term local legislator, who is the daughter of outgoing Mayor Ric Rivera, also promised to carry on her father’s legacy of good governance now that she has been given a fresh mandate by the people of the second district town.

Betis woodcarver makes waves in Bulacan

GUAGUA -- A homegrown wood carver from this town’s Betis district is now making a name in the local art scene in Bulacan and was able to install an altar piece artwork in Singapore recently.

Edwin Layug, a Betis-trained woodcarver, who now resides in Pulilan, Bulacan, recently installed the Pope Pius X Priory retablo along Upper Thompson Road in Singapore.

Catholic Church to hold heritage seminar

STA. RITA -- The Archdiocese of San Fernando (Pampanga) will host a Seminar-Workshop on June 17 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Academic Hall, St. Joseph Building of the Holy Angel University in Angeles City.

The seminar-workshop will be held to better familiarize the stewards of the archdiocese’s heritage structures with the issues and fundamentals of conservation and management.

Central Luzon farmers: Bury Carp

ANGELES CITY -- Farmers under the Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson (AMGL) are calling for the death of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (Carp) and the end of landlessness in the region.

More than 200 members of the farmers’ group from Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan, and Pangasinan held a protest at Plaza Miranda here on Sunday and assailed Republic Act 6657 or Carp.

Expert: Postponing barangay polls illegal

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A prominent election lawyer in the country reiterated Sunday that barangay elections cannot be legally postponed due clear provisions of the Constitution.

Lawyer Romulo Macalintal, in an interview, said “it's not within the authority of Congress to postpone an election or to extend the term of office of the barangay officials.”