Basketball league set for pushers, users

THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is holding a basketball tournament for teenagers linked to drugs in a bid to further combat the proliferation of illegal drugs and minimize crime.

DCPO director Senior Superintendent Ronald M. Dela Rosa said by organizing a basketball tournament, he expects a decrease in the involvement of teenagers in drug-related activities and other crimes.

Councilor-elect in Davao town shot dead

A councilor-elect in Davao Oriental was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen Sunday night.

Romie Almacin, who just earned his second term as councilor of Governor Generoso, was gunned down at 7:45 p.m. Sunday after his proclamation by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Capitol braces for rainy months

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Pampanga has started preparation and disaster risk management meetings to prepare the province for the coming rainy season.

PDRRMO chief Lulu Alingcastre said the province has started initial preparation works in time for the rainy months, asking the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on the status of engineering works on structures damaged by heavy rains and typhoons last year.

International Candle Light Memorial on Aids observed

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- City Hall employees lit up symbolic candles and wore red ribbon pins during the International Candle Light Memorial on Aids at the flag ceremony held Monday at the City Hall grounds.

Dr. Renely Tungol, City of San Fernando rural health physician, said Fernandinos should be more cautious and responsible with their lifestyles, and be kept up to date on information about Aids or acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Guiao to ‘hit the ground running’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- First district Congressman-elect and outgoing Vice Governor Joseller Guiao will “hit the ground running” as he buckles down to work after his plan to take a short break with his family abroad.

In an interview over dwRW 95.1 FM’s “Talakayan” with veteran broadcaster Perry Pangan, Guiao said he will start the series of consultative meetings related to his proposals and advocacies.

Pamintuan: Angeleños are victors

ANGELES CITY -- A week after the elections, re-elected Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said the real winners are the Angeleños.

“Wagi ang Angeleños!” Pamintuan told City Government workers during Monday’s flag raising rites at the City Hall compound.

Maglanque pays courtesy call on Pineda

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Candaba Mayor-elect Rene Maglanque paid a courtesy call on Governor Lilia Pineda, who successfully sealed her second term, after getting overwhelming support from the Kapampangans in the last elections.

Maglanque, who ran and won under the Liberal Party, joined the governor and other provincial officials in a flag-raising ceremony held at the Capitol grounds on Monday.

Councilor will remain ‘independent-minded’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Re-elected City of San Fernando Councilor Noel Tulabut said over the weekend that he will remain "independent-minded" even as the Magsilbi Team gained the majority at the City Council, 7-3.

Tulabut said that he and fellow re-elected councilors Dein Henson and Lito Ocampo, along with newcomers Tino Dizon, Harvey Quiwa, Jack Calimlim and comebacker Nelson Lingat, could work very well with Team Fernandino's Angie Hizon, Ayzel Macalino and BJ Lagman on the floor.

Mayor offers Arayat as another investment hub

ARAYAT, Pampanga -- The newly elected mayor here is offering Arayat to would-be investors as a potential alternative investment hub, being the gateway to the province of Pampanga.

Mayor-elect Emmanuel Bonifacio Alejandrino said he is willing to provide tax incentives for a period of five years to any investor who is willing to establish a business within the locality.

Fishermen see job loss in government tourism projects

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The tourism program of the National Government in coastal towns in several provinces, including Pampanga, is seen to affect the livelihood of fishermen all over the country.

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) stated that more people will join the ranks of unemployed and underemployed once the Philippine government pursues its projects in tourism development areas across the country.

Man drowns in Bataan beach

CAMP OLIVAS -- A man drowned while another is in critical condition after being swept by strong water current at a resort in Morong, Bataan over the weekend.

In his report here, Senior Superintendent Ricardo Zapanta, Bataan police provincial director, identified the fatality as Edgardo Bautista, 54, of Barangay Balite, Malolos City in Bulacan.

Bukas Kotse Gang strikes in NLEx

CAMP OLIVAS -- Members of the so-called “Bukas Kotse” gang managed to cart away several personal belongings from a vehicle parked at the Mega Station along the North Luzon Expressway in Barangay San Felipe, City of San Fernando, over the weekend.

In a belated report here, victim Ephraim Bustos, 25, of Barangay Cacutud, Arayat town, parked his Honda Civic (RHN-158) in front of KFC at the Mega Station around 5:17 p.m. of Saturday.

Parola ferry terminal project on the go

THE much delayed Parola ferry terminal project at the Parola area will soon be a reality after all hitches and legal setbacks were straightened out between the City Government and a private partner under a public-private partnership scheme.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the P135-million project, which aims to ferry sea commuters between Guimaras and Iloilo, was delayed for almost a year pending the completion of a new building of the Philippine Coast Guard beside the ferry terminal.

79 families set to transfer to reloc site

A TOTAL of 79 river dwelling families at Barangay North San Jose, Molo are all set to transfer residence at the city-owned relocation site in Barangay Lanit, Jaro after their housing units were already assigned to them.

Wilfredo Jurilla, chief of Iloilo City Urban Poor Affairs Office (ICUPAO), said the families are waiting the signal from Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog to occupy their assigned units.

Iloilo media undergoes entrepreneurial training

CORE members of the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps and Capitol Press Corps recently underwent a one morning session on "Media Entrepreneurial Skills Training on Cassava Delicacies" held at the Department of Agriculture (DA) Iloilo.

DA-Iloilo Director Larry Nacionales said the skills training will enable media participants to embark on a small scale business and enhance livelihood opportunities.

Pusher dies in shootout, another falls

AN ALLEGED drug pusher was killed while another was arrested in an anti-drug operation in an east coast village, a police official reported Monday.

The police identified the fatality as Denusser Iskandal, an alleged drug pusher and the arrested was Ajaral Isa.

Gunman kills village official

A LONE gunman killed a village official, who was known to be a staunch supporter of a defeated mayoralty aspirant in the province of Zamboanga del Sur, police officials said Monday.

Chief Inspector Ariel Huesca, spokesman for Zamboanga Peninsula police, said the killing happened around 12 noon Sunday in the village of west Migpulao, Dinas municipality.

Boy accidentally kills younger brother

THE hide-and-seek play of two brothers aged 12 and eight ended in the tragic death of the younger child in a remote village of Zamboanga Sibugay province, the police reported Monday.

The Zamboanga Sibugay Police office reported that the incident happened around 7:20 p.m. Saturday in Sibuguey, Siay municipality.

Zubiri accepts defeat

FORMER senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday accepted his defeat after he failed to make it to the so-called "Magic 12" of the May 13 senatorial race and thanked the 11.7 people who voted for him.

"Now, it is time to move on. It is with great pride that I return to private life as a civilian, knowing what I have done, and that I have given everything I can to help our beloved country," he said.

Comelec: All but six local bets proclaimed

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday that all but six local candidates have already been proclaimed by local board of canvassers.   In a press briefing, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said they have received reports that almost all local winners were already proclaimed.   "It should be easily 99.99 percent tapos na (done) all over the country," said Brillantes.   He said the six un-proclaimed local candidates are from areas where special election will still have to be conducted since the remaining votes will still be material in determining the winners.

Drilon doesn’t expect reward for Team PNoy’s 9-3 win

SENATOR Franklin Drilon, who helped the Team PNoy coalition attain its nine-three victory in the senatorial race, said he does expect a reward for his hard work during the national campaign.

Drilon was the campaign manager of Team PNoy–a coalition of the ruling Liberal Party (LP), the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), and the Nacionalista Party (NP).

Economic losses to reach P65B due to power deficiency

ECONOMIC losses in Mindanao could reach P65 billion if the Mindanao grid will continue to experience power deficiency in most areas in the island.

Engr. Cerael Donggay, Greenergy Development Corp. chief executive officer and project director of Bulanog-Batang and Pulangi 5 hydro projects, said production losses due to machinery breakdowns, export revenue losses, employment curtailments, net profit and taxes reduction will result to billions of economic losses if the Mindanao grid will sustain the 100-megawatt (MW) power deficiency.

Emano mulls filing election protest

WHILE saying that he respects the decision of the people in the latest elections, Mayor Vicente Emano on Sunday said he is considering filing election protest against mayor-elect Oscar Moreno.

But, he would study first the legality and basis for the filing of his election protest.

Moreno’s wife: ‘I will be the eyes and ears of Kagay-anons’

IN LESS than six weeks, before he could formally sit as the new mayor, Oscar Moreno has already found a critic -- his own wife, Arlene.

In a television interview last week, Arlene said she will be the first to criticize Moreno if he fails to perform his task as the city’s new chief executive.

Cogon vendors vent sentiments

THERE were over 100,000 Kagay-anons who voted the newly proclaimed Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno.

The color of “Hapsay nga Pang Gobyerno” will reign in the city for the next three years as promised by Team CDO.

Motorcycle driver shot dead

A “HABAL-HABAL” (motorcycle for hire) driver was shot dead along Narra St. in Reyes Village subdivision, Barangay Bugo in Cagayan de Oro City Saturday night.

Police Officer 2 (PO2) Lemuel Tecson of the Puerto police station (PS6) identified the victim as Amorsolo Corpus, 34, single, a resident of Zone 1, Sta. Ana, Tagoloan town in Misamis Oriental. Corpus sustained a single gunshot wound in the head.

Military, NPA rebels clash anew in Misamis Oriental

SOLDIERS belonging to the 402nd Infantry Brigade and some 20 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) clashed anew at the outskirts of Sitio Tongo, Tingaan village in Salay town, Misamis Oriental, Saturday afternoon, the military said.

Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) spokesperson Major Leo Bongosia said the gunfight lasted for about 10 minutes but there were no reported casualties on both sides.

4 remaining Oro councilors proclaimed

THE Cagayan de Oro City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) recently proclaimed the four remaining winning candidates for city councilors both in the first and second district of Cagayan de Oro.

Proclaimed Wednesday last week was re-elected second district councilor President Elipe for the number eighth position.

City files case vs Bato folks

THE Cebu City Government filed a criminal case against 21 residents in Sitio Bato in Barangay Ermita, for allegedly blocking the City’s efforts to clear an area that fire struck last month.

The case was filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor last Friday, three days after the proclamation of Michael Rama as the reelected mayor of Cebu City.

P580-M loan for port dredging still on hold

FOR three years now, government has been trying to get a P580-million loan to dredge and deepen the sea near Cebu City’s port, so that larger cargo vessels and cruise ships can dock there.

But the loan application of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) remains on hold, said General Manager Dennis Villamor.