Kidapawan bitter over decision on cityhood laws

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- This city is expected to lose some P36 million from its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) starting next year, and the city mayor here is blaming the latest Supreme Court's decision that granted cityhood to 16 towns, five of which are in Mindanao.

City Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco said the loss will mean a cut in the delivery of basic social services, including health and education, to its more than a hundred thousand residents.

Reds free soldier

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The New Peoples' Army (NPA) operating in North Cotabato and Bukidnon released Friday an Army sergeant after they found him not guilty of any counter-revolutionary activity.

Probe report favors Norwegian, fiancée

CEBU CITY -- The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Central Visayas submitted Friday a report that supports a Norwegian national and his Cebuana fiancee's alibi that they were elsewhere at the time a six-year-old girl was kidnapped in Minglanilla.

At least 14 photographs, captured from the footage of the Waterfront Hotel's security cameras, were submitted to Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. She will submit the full report on Monday to the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor's office.

Army division vows help despite camp transfer

ARMY's 10th Infantry Division commander Major General George Segovia said their support for Davao City will not change despite the transfer of their division's headquarters to Mawab in Compostela Valley.

"We will support the city anytime she needs our help, we will respond to the call," Segovia said during an exit call on Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio at the 911 Central office on Ponciano Street, Davao City.

Volunteer, fisherman killed in Argao encounter

TWO men were killed in a shootout off the shores of Barangay Talaga, Argao at midnight Friday, an incident provoked by suspicions of illegal fishing.

Bantay Dagat member Alvin Galeos, 39, and Joel Quisagan, 50, died after the gunfight.

8 Cordillera schools file for fee hikes

BAGUIO CITY -- The number of schools filing petitions for tuition increase this year dropped considerably due to fears of decline in enrollment, an education official said.

Judge says lawyer of Norwegian, Pinay fiancee filed the wrong petition

NORWEGIAN computer engineer Sven Erik Berger and fiancée Karen Esdrelon remain in police custody in connection with the abduction and death of six-year-old Ellah Joy Pique.

This came after defense lawyer Salvador Solima failed to convince the court to issue an order directing authorities to release his clients.

Talisay police chief to resign from post

TALISAY City Police Chief Henry Biñas is pleading with journalists to exercise care in reporting the allegations of sexual harassment hurled against him by newspaper correspondent Carmel Loise Matus, not only for his sake but for hers as well.

Squatters given 30 days to leave

SOME 200 illegal structures beside the Bulacao River will be the next demolition target of the Squatters Prevention, Encroachment and Elimination Division (Speed).

City Hall identified the shanties and other structures to be demolished during an ocular inspection on the river recently.

Vidal to receive highest award from City Hall for 2nd time

FOR the second time, Cebu City Hall will confer on Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal the highest recognition the City Government can give to an individual, the Rajah Humabon Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award will be given by Mayor Michael Rama during the City’s 74th Charter Day Celebration next week, more than a month after Vidal turned over the reins of the Cebu Archdiocese to Archbishop Jose Palma.

Neighbors, kin of drug suspect fight Pdea team

STONES and improvised bombs flew while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (Pdea) 7 arrested a drug suspect in Barangay Suba, Cebu City last Thursday afternoon.

Pdea agents were dragging drug suspect Marcial Enso, 38, into a parked service vehicle at past 5 p.m. when the suspect’s neighbors and relatives tried to pull him away.

City Hall workers to get P10T bonus

CHRISTMAS is not over for Cebu City Hall employees because the council has passed the first supplemental budget of P47 million for their productivity enhancement bonus.

Each one of the 4,700 employees will get P10,000 each.

Judges’ allowances from City Hall ‘will not affect independence of courts’

MONTHLY allowances given by Cebu City to judges are “not meant to undermine the independence of the judiciary,” a lawyer said.

Lawyer Ramon Ceniza, counsel for Demetrio Labrador and wife Fructousa, expressed confidence that Judge Gilbert Moises will handle their petition fairly.

BIR asked to act on CH’s request

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama is asking the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to act with urgency on the City’s request to exempt it from paying the income tax of the South Road Properties (SRP).

This, considering the development that will soon be in place in the 295-hectare property.

Talisay City gunning for a ‘three-peat’

AFTER having been adjudged Cebu’s most gender-responsive local government unit (LGU) twice in a row, Talisay City is eyeing to become a hall of famer this year.

The City Government is a top contender for the award because of its programs upholding the rights of women and children against violence and other forms of gender-based discrimination.

Ex-military chiefs deny 'send-off' money

TWO former chiefs of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied Friday that they received cash gifts when they headed the country's military.

Retired Air Force general Diomedio Villanueva said he had wanted to observe 40 days of mourning for his wife, but that "fate has not been kind lately," referring to allegations he received millions monthly from AFP funds.

Generals: UAV deal not anomalous

FORMER Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Diomedio Villanueva defended Friday an allegedly anomalous project to buy an unmanned aerial vehicle for the military.

Former AFP budget officer George Rabusa earlier said the project was anomalous because it did not undergo bidding and because the demonstration units crashed.

Ligot's bank accounts revealed in Senate hearing

FORMER Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) comptroller Jacinto Ligot accumulated around P740 million in cash in four years, Senator Franklin Drilon said Friday.

At the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on military corruption, Drilon brought out a spreadsheet showing bank accounts in the name of Ligot, his family, and friends.

Rains force Agusan folk to evacuate

AN UNDISCLOSED number of families in two villages in flood-hit Agusan del Sur were brought to evacuation centers on Thursday as a shallow low pressure area continues to bring rains in Mindanao.

Palace says no Cabinet revamp yet

THE announcement of changes in the Cabinet of President Benigno Aquino III will not happen this week, a Malacañang official said Friday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President opted to focus on the more pressing issues than finalize the revamp in his Cabinet.

SC 'flip-flop' on cityhood ruling irritates legislator

AFTER the recent flip-flopping rulings issued by the High Tribunal, a neophyte legislator expressed concern over the court's latest decision on the cityhood case of 16 municipalities.

Iloilo Representative Jerry Trenas, chairman of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, said the third reversal of the Supreme Court's (SC) original ruling since 2008 could set a dangerous precedent.

Aquino takes rest, cancels appointments

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III is still sick Friday, but Malacañang assured that there is nothing serious about his condition.

"I think he is still under the weather," said Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.

Ex-senator bares anomalies in swimming funds

CASES of unaccounted funds and the lack of grassroots program have allegedly put Philippine swimming into a mess, according to former senator Nikki Coseteng.

Coseteng, who is now president of Diliman Preparatory School in Quezon City, told the House of Representatives recently about the supposed irregularities under Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) president Mark Joseph.

Lawmaker wants commercial logging banned

TAKING the cue from President Benigno Aquino III, Laguna Representative Danilo Fernandez filed House Bill 2176 to prohibit commercial logging for 12 years after the enactment of the proposed act.

"Despite a good number of forest conservation laws, lives and property continue to be under severe threat due to the irresponsible, unsustainable and devastating commercial logging activities," Fernandez said.

Traffic scheme for Edsa anniversary readied

TO ENSURE a traffic-free celebration of the 25th Edsa People Power anniversary next week, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday released its traffic re-routing plan for the occasion.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino said three north-bound lanes of Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (Edsa) from the Service Road along Edsa after Ortigas Avenue to Camp Aguinaldo will be closed to traffic to facilitate the activities in connection with the celebrations.

Car thieves strike in Taguig

CARJACKERS apparently have transferred their illegal activities to Taguig after several incidents in Makati and Quezon cities in the past weeks taking away a blue Mitsubishi Montero Friday morning.

Taguig police chief Tomas Apolinario said the incident took place around 3 a.m. when the vehicle with plate number NID-687 was reportedly taken by unidentified suspects while inside the garage of Glen Franco at No.31 F.P. Burgos street, Barangay Sta. Ana, Taguig.

Rats destroy P29M ricelands in Mindanao

KORONADAL CITY -- Rat infestation has destroyed about P29 million worth of palay in two provinces in Central Mindanao as agriculture officials move in to control the damage wrought by the rodents.

Mayor's killer nabbed

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Justice came after three years for a grieving family.

After more than three years of hiding, police have arrested Rommel Ambatali alias Borbon, one of the accused in the murder of the Paracelis mayor Ceasar Balacanao Rafael in 2007.

No reservation at Baguio public market: mayor

THERE is no advanced reservation of stalls in the soon to open Block III of the Baguio City public market.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan denied reports that 80 stalls have been reserved for City Government employees.

Envoy: Closer Canada, Baguio tie-ups

THERE would be more tradeoffs between Baguio City and the government of Canada.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Christopher Thornley said training of personnel in the fields of energy and alternative energy sources are among the projects his government wishes to strengthen in the next years.