Group welcomes probe into foresters’ death

MILITANT group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) on Saturday welcomed President Benigno Aquino III’s order to hunt the people responsible for the death of a forest guard in Mt. Makiling last May 9.

In a statement, PM chairman Renato Magtubo said justice must be served to Elpidio “Jojo” Malinao, who was killed after attending a court hearing on a case against forest law offenders within the Makiling Forest Reserve.

Amnesty International report ‘unfair’, Palace says

A REPORT from an international human rights group asserting that the Aquino administration has so far not done enough in protecting human rights is unfair, a Palace official said.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Saturday that the executive department has taken steps to assure that those who committed wrongdoing will be punished.

Armm rural communities will soon get internet access

SOME 2,000 rural communities at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) will be transformed into electronic centers, helping residents get internet access, among others, the government said Saturday.

These e-centers will serve as public facilities where people can have one-stop access to different information and communications technology (ICT) services like web resources, e-mail, and voice calls.

Samar guv expresses reservations on gun ban

SAMAR Governor Sharee Ann Tan expressed her reservations on the implementation of the province-wide gun ban, saying it would not guarantee that those carrying loose firearms would be apprehended by police authorities.

The enforcement of the gun ban in Samar was a result of the killing of Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy, a known political critic of Tan.

Recovered ‘cocaine bricks’ turn out negative

THE more than 10 kilos of supposed bricks of cocaine recently recovered by police authorities in Eastern Visayas turned out not to be the genuine thing, after all.

Guv orders probe on jail escape

ALLEN, Northern Samar -- Governor Paul Daza ordered a thorough investigation on the escape of an inmate at the Allen Sub-provincial Jail.

Daza also ordered the filing of necessary charges against the jailguard who allegedly escorted the inmate outside the jail without permission from the court.

Pacquiao denies steroid rumors

MANILA (Updated 12:48 p.m.) -- Eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines on Saturday, denying rumors about his supposed “steroid use.”

The Sarangani congressman is now back home after successfully defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Shane Mosley last May 8.

La Top launches organic center in Cordillera

LA TRINIDAD Organic Practitioners (La Top) Multipurpose Cooperative opened another outlet for organic products located at the Baguio Convention Center.

The local governments of Baguio and La Trinidad attended the ribbon cutting ceremonies.

Song, dance open Tam-Awan fest

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Cordilleran culture was at its best at the 2nd Tam-awan International Arts Festival (TIAF).

Traditional songs and dances were featured at the TIAF as National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) executive director Malou Jacob opened the three-day festival.

Youth urged to join RH forum on May 23

THE YOUTH, a major tool in nation building, are enjoined by the National Youth Commission to attend a free forum focused on reproductive health issues on May 23.

NYC North Luzon area coordinator Jun Angeles said they are conducting the forum in cooperation with Reproductive Health, Rights and Ethics Center for Studies and Training (ReproCen) and with the support of the Asia-Pacific Research and Resource Center on Women.

Drug agents to donate blood to Red Cross

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)–Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is set to donate blood to those in need.

There are 55 agents of the drug agency set to donate 500 cubic centimeters of blood each totaling 930 ounces of blood to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).

Mayor warns village officials on bingo

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan this week cautioned barangay officials not to conduct questionable fund raising activities during the barangay officials’ general assembly.

Domogan said, “he hopes that barangay captains carefully read the provisions of the law.”

Stat board: 54,949 CAR families still poor

A SIGNIFICANT number of families in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) remain poor based on a poverty incidence survey conducted by the National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB).

In a report furnished to Sun.Star Baguio by NSCB-CAR Regional Head Benjie Navarro, poverty incidence in the region in 2009 dipped slightly by as much as 2.5 percent but a significant number of families still fall below the poverty threshold.

Abra village chiefs arrested

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Abra village chiefs were arrested for falsification.

Regional police reports show Barangay Abang, Bucay kagawad Romella Villano was arrested on May 6.

Young communist rebel surrenders

ASIPULO, Ifugao -- Tired of a grueling life in the underground movement, a young rebel recently surrendered to authorities.

Mayor Eladio Bang-ud of this town said the 20-year-old elementary graduate was accompanied by his uncle when he surrendered.

Wofex boosts business enterprise in city

ONCE again, the city of Baguio proved its charm not only as the Summer Capital but also as the center of commerce here in Northern Luzon.

On its opening day on Thursday at the Baguio Convention Center, the first World Food Expo (Wofex) in Northern Luzon was attended by business affiliated sectors in the locality.

Registry system to monitor fishery resources

THE BUREAU of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in response to its mandate to provide technical assistance to the LGUs in managing their fishery resources, developed a Municipal Fisherfolk Registration System (MRFS).

The system aims to facilitate the processing of fisherfolk registration using technology-based solutions.

Tabuk City steps up tourism programs

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The City Government of Tabuk is stepping up its endeavors to improve its tourism industry towards making it one major economic activity in the future.

City Tourism Officer–designate Arlene Ethel Odiem said during the weekly barangay re-visit of the City Government, a team headed by Sangguniang Panglungsod tourism chair Lester Tarnate, has been exploring the barangays for possible eco-tourism destinations.

Children protection council re-organized

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan last week issued Administrative Order (AO) 60 for the re-organization of the City Council for the protection of children; with four distinct committees: Survival, Development, Protection and Participation.

The council will attend to plans, programs and policies which are “gender-fair, culturally relevant and responsive” to needs of children 0 to below 18 years of age.

Village chiefs to strictly implement waste segregation

IN AN untiring routine and to bring the message across, City Mayor Mauricio Domogan once again reminded barangay officials to help in the implementation of the city’s waste segregation program.

Domogan said the effort will bring about smoother garbage collection, disposal and would ensure that the environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines installed at the Irisan Dump Facility will reach its full potential.

Guv to drivers: Cancel transport strike

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. is appealing to the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (Undoc) and its affiliates to call off the planned two-day transport strike on May 16-17.

Undoc, along with the business sector, truckers and sugar planters, will hold the transport strike to dramatize their demand for the government to immediately address the disparity of fuel prices here and in Luzon.

Capitol employees' midyear bonus released

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said Capitol employees already received half of their yearly bonus.

"We are even advance than the National Government," he said.

Army: NPA leadership in crisis

THE Philippine Army in the province confirmed that the New People’s Army (NPA) is now having a leadership crisis, especially in northern Negros, which resulted in infightings and misencounter among their ranks.

Colonel Jonas Sumagaysay, commanding officer of the 303rd Brigade of the Philippine Army, said this has also resulted in demoralization among the armed cadres of the NPA in northern Negros.

Benitez is 2nd richest congressman

NEGROS Occidental third district Representative Alfredo Benitez is the second richest of the 284 congressmen comprising the 15th Congress of the Philippines House of Representatives.

As per the 2010 Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN), Benitez, a first-termer solon, is worth P624.85 million, second only to eight-division boxing champion and Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao, whose net worth totaled to P1.13 billion.

Energy office targets 600 firms in enercon drive

ABOUT 600 companies nationwide are being targeted by the Department of Energy (DOE) to learn the concept of energy management and measures on energy efficiency and conservation (enercon).

DOE OIC-Assistant Director of the Energy Utilization Management Bureau Jesus Anunciacion told the Philippine Information Agency that they will introduce the concept to 600 companies nationwide and hope the participants will create their enercon committee or group, identify measures on how to save energy within their company, implement these measures and be able to determine their savings.

Health office acts on breast cancer treatment

THE Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Cancer Society Inc. (PCSI) launched a medicines access program through a patient navigation scheme targeting indigent women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.

The program aims to promote early breast cancer screening, particularly among poor women, by providing assured access to medicines and psychosocial support as well as highlight the advocacy that breast cancer is a curable disease when detected, treated and managed early.

Cops on full alert during 2-day strike

THE Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will be in full alert during the two-day province-wide transport strike on May 16-17, BCPO director Ricardo De la Paz said Friday.

During the command conference Friday, De la Paz directed all station chief commanders to be in full alert and review their respective security plans to ensure that said transport strike will be peaceful.

Police arrest rape suspect

A RAPE suspect with a pending warrant was arrested Thursday evening by operatives of the City Intelligence Branch along Burgos-San Juan Streets in Bacolod City.

Station 1 commander Ulysses Ortiz identified the suspect as Domingo Dato-on, 46, of Abada Escay, Relocation Site in Barangay Vista Alegre.

Provincial jail turn-over to BJMP set June

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. confirmed Friday that the provincial jail will be fully turned over to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) June this year.

Marañon met with the officials of the BJMP Friday to finalize the turn-over of the facility.

Pacquiao back home

MANILA (Updated 8:32 a.m.) --Eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao returned to the Philippines Saturday after successfully defending his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title against Shane Mosley on May 8.

The country's boxing icon and Sarangani representative arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) at 6:35 a.m. on a Philippine Airlines PR-103 flight from Los Angeles.