Senate votes to abide by Supreme Court injunction
MANILA (Updated 4:27 p.m.) -- The Senate voted on Monday afternoon to abide by a Supreme Court injunction barring the disclosure of the details of Chief Justice Renato Corona's dollar accounts with Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).
Voting 13-10, the impeachment court decided to hold in abeyance its subpoena on Corona's dollar-account records. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said, however, that the Senate reserves the right "to vigorously defend" the basis for the subpoena it issued last week.
Corona lawyers told to explain 'bribe try' claims
MANILA (2nd update, 3:37 p.m.) -- The impeachment court ordered Monday lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona to explain why they should not be cited for contempt over claims of bribe try by Malacanang to senator-judges.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile said the defense team should submit by the end of the week a written explanation why they should not be cited for contempt.
Corona lawyers ready to face raps over ‘bribe try’ claims
MANILA (Updated 1:11 p.m.) -- Lawyers of Chief Justice Renato Corona are ready to face contempt charges as they stand against naming their source on the alleged attempts of Malacañang to bribe senators.
Former justice undersecretary Ramon Esguerra said the lawyers are willing to be cited in contempt and even go to jail to protect their source.
Sanctity of family to highlight Totus Tuus Week
“FAMILY is the wealth of society. We cannot serve as children of God if we don’t know what it is to be a child… what it is to be born in a home, in a family,” said Rev. Fr. Jose Granados, SthD, vice president of the Vatican-based John Paul II Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family.
Fr. Granados issued the statement during a press conference to usher in the Totus Tuus Week celebration, which runs from Monday until February 20.
Almost 90,000 join Jam Step
ALMOST 90,000 participants braved Sunday’s early morning rain and simultaneously danced at the old Bacolod airport in the first 2.12.12 Jam Step event.
The event was organized by Ang Batang Pinoy, Bacolod City lone district Representative Anthony Golez and Jewel Mae Lobaton-Pimentel, wife of Senator Koko Pimentel.
Organizers reported an attendance of 87,700 students and physical fitness advocates who danced for 30 minutes, occupying almost entire the 1,300-meter runway of the old airport.
Education office clarifies role in Jam Step
DEPARTMENT of Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the central office neither issued nor endorsed any memorandum, circular or order requiring students to participate in the February 12 activity dubbed as “Jam Step.”
“I understand the confusion and concern this activity has brought about and appreciate your initiative in communicating with us to address these concerns,” he said in his letter to the City Council.
Luistro stressed that DepEd welcomes all activities that are in line with its thrust of developing students who are not only academically competent but physically fit as well.
Police to put up detachment in reforestation project
NEGROS Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) chief Allan Guisihan said Noppo will establish a detachment in the reforestation project of the Provincial Government in the upper portion of Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, which had been reportedly intentionally burnt twice already.
“It is underway,” Guisihan said.
He said he has already discussed the matter with 303rd Brigade commander Colonel Oscar Lactao.
Guisihan said they are just waiting for the go signal from the Provincial Government for the putting up of the detachment.
COA puzzled on delay of Capitol-Ayala deal ruling
PROVINCIAL auditor Ernie Villa confirmed that his office has not yet received any decision or any communication from its national office regarding the contract between the Provincial Government and Ayala Land Inc. on the lease and purchase of the 7.7-hectare prime Capitol property.
“It is still a wait and see situation,” Villa said.
He added that if ever a decision has been made, it will be coursed through the regional auditor’s office.
He said he is also wondering why it has been talking quite a long period for the Commission on Audit (COA) central office to decide.
Aftershocks scare survivors from returning to homes
SURVIVORS of the 6.9-magnitude earthquake in Negros Oriental refused to go back to their homes because of the continued aftershocks, which can be felt not only in the area but also in neighboring provinces of Negros Occidental and Cebu.
According to Undersecretary Benito Ramos of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center (NDRRMC), the survivors opted to stay in the open field rather than go back to their homes for fear that the aftershocks would cause their houses to collapse on them.
2 nabbed for illegal drugs
TWO drug suspects were nabbed in stakeout operation by operatives of Station 2 at 27th Lacson Streets, Bacolod City Friday evening.
Station 2 commander Police Senior Inspector Robert Dejucos identified the suspects as Joefric Omega, 21 and Romeo Monteflor, Jr., 27, both residents of Silay, City Negros Occidental.
Dejucos said the suspects were arrested in stakeout operation at 27th Lacson Streets at about 8:30 p.m.
Police recovered from them one improvised tooter and a motorcycle with plate number YI 1128.
7 arrested for illegal gambling
SEVEN were arrested in separate operations by Regional Special Operations Group, Stations 8 and 9 for illegal gambling in Bacolod City Friday.
The suspects were identified as Roperto Carlon, 67, of Purok San Roque, Barangay Tangub; Moises Gallinero, 24 and Almar Lariosa, 25, both residents of Barangay Pahanocoy, Vicente Arnado, 27, Peter Pasilan, 27, Ranny Lariosa, 34 and Leo Lariosa, 36, all residents of Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City.
200 avail of medical mission in La Castellana
TWO hundred adult and children availed themselves of the medical and dental mission organized by the Katilingban sang Naghiliusa (Kasanag) Inc. and Kasanag Youth League Pilipinas.
This was in cooperation with the Office of Vice President Jejomar Binay and the local government of La Castellana headed by Mayor Alberto Nicor Jr.
The medical mission was conducted last Saturday at Bipoy Hall, Barangay Robles, La Castellana.
SDL seeks ‘win-win solution’ over La Carlota tension
AMID the escalating exchanges of heated words and accusations between the members of the small bus SDL lines and its splinter group La Carlota City (LCC) Express, the former aired that they are for win-win solution.
But it quickly clarified that it is possible only when parties concerned listen to each other, deal openly not discreetly and treacherously, and come to the negotiating table and present their respective cards with sincerity and transparency.
BPO company to help City set up crisis center
CEBU City will have its own 911 or rescue hotline soon, Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.
The mayor recently met with representatives from a business process outsourcing company, which will provide the centralized command center at no cost to the City Government.
Some residents in Ronda barangay refuse to leave danger area
CAPITOL’s Engineering Office has yet to check the reported cracks in the mountains of Ronda, saying the issue is not their concern yet.
Provincial Engineer Eulogio Pelayre said the matter is the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Cebu to have rainy days ahead: Pagasa
A LOW-pressure area in Mindanao will bring rains in Cebu in the next few days, the weather bureau said yesterday.
Quiley Torregoza, weather observer at Pagasa’s Mactan, Cebu station, advised residents in Cebu to stay alert against floods and landslides. He also advised fishermen not to venture into the rough seas.
Rama opposes undersea tunnel idea
ASIDE from businessmen and technical experts, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is also opposing the undersea tunnel proposed by Rep. Cutie del Mar (Cebu City, north district) through House Bill 192.
The proposal, which is now pending before the committee on public works and highways, provides for the construction of an undersea tunnel from Cebu City to Cordova and a coastal road to Lapu-Lapu City.
City invites Honolulu to invest
“IT is a great idea.”
This is what Mayor Peter Carlisle of Honolulu Hawaii said on the possibility for their city and county, as well as their businessmen, to invest in Cebu City.
Carlisle was in the city yesterday and led the delegation of the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii (FCCH) for its five-day 22nd Trade Mission in the country.
The trade mission seeks to explore business opportunities in Cebu City as well as in Baguio, Clark, Manila and Subic. Their first stop was Cebu City.
PB to create disaster body for province
THE Cebu Provincial Board will discuss in its regular session next week the creation of a Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC), as the need to have one is required by law and was pointed out in their Dec. 19, 2011 out-of-town session in Medellin.
But even without a PDRRMC, the Capitol handled well the safety of constituents during the typhoons that battered the province, and provided millions of pesos in financial and relief assistance to provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao that were badly hit.
‘Gang shootings’ injure 3 teens
THREE teenagers were wounded in a suspected gang war in separate incidents yesterday dawn.
Another teenager was shot dead Saturday dawn.
Operatives believe that two of these incidents were done by the same group.
At 12:50 a.m. yesterday, “Rex,” 14, and “Anthony,” 14, were shot on V. Rama St., Cebu City by unidentified suspects in a gray sedan with an undetermined plate.
Initial investigation by the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office said the victims were about to board a jeepney for Banawa when the assailants fired at them.
Guv invited to leaders’ eco-forum
A JAPANESE official has invited Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia to attend a convention on environmental issues in their country.
Naotoshi Sugawara, a member of Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly, paid a courtesy visit on the governor last Friday.
Sitoy denies making mangrove a dumpsite
CORDOVA Mayor Adelino Sitoy denied reports that a mangrove area in Sitio Camonilas, Barangay Poblacion was made as a garbage dumping site.
Sitio Camonilas is where the town’s P80-million port is situated. It also has a complementary project of reclamation, which environmentalists threatened to oppose in court.
Sitoy brushed off the report, describing it as the imagination of people who have nothing better to do.
He wondered why their town has been the center of attention lately.
‘Let’s discuss guidelines first’
THE Naga City Government will allow the Cebu City Government to dispose of and process solid waste at its privately-run integrated solid waste disposal system provided its equipment in Barangay Pangdan can handle it.
Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong said this in reaction to reports that the Cebu City Government is planning to tap his city’s integrated solid waste system.
4 men survive banca mishap
CEBU CITY – A motorbanca carrying four crew members and a batch of newspapers capsized between Toledo City, Cebu and San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Sunday, after big waves cracked its bow.
The accident happened at 2 a.m., less than 24 hours after rough waves broke the outriggers of another motorbanca crossing Tañon Strait from Cebu to Negros Oriental.
Aquino tagged in Baguio lot sale
BAGUIO CITY -- A tax informer has implicated President Benigno Aquino III in the alleged sale of a government lot in Baguio City to a giant mall developer.
In a letter to House Minority Floor Leader Danilo Suarez, the president of the Philippine Association of Revenue Informers Danilo Lihaylihay alleged the President committed "massive tax evasion, fraud and graft and corrupt practices, through conspiracy and connivance" for the sale of a 3.4-hectare property to SM Investments Corporation.
