Legal office: P8 trike fare too much

AN OFFICIAL of the City Legal Office (CLO) said Friday that the proposed P8 flat rate fare for tricycles is too much.

"As a transport officer, medyo taas ra ang P8 na pamasahi sa tricycle kay tag P8 ra baya ang minimum sa jeep (it seems that the proposed increase is just too high, which is just the same with that of the minimum fare in a jeepney)," said Chona N. Advincula, CLO senior transportation and regulation officer.

City to hire 100 workers

THE City Engineer's Office (CEO) is set to hire more than a hundred personnel to fill in positions vacated by terminated contractual workers.

Moro group: 1 year target to ink pact possible

THE government peace panel's target to strike a comprehensive agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) within one year "is very possible," the group's top negotiator said Friday.

More groups junk P13 wage hike offer

MANILA -- Militant labor groups on Friday assailed what they saw as connivance of the government and the business sector against a "fair" wage increase.

"They harp the same old classic blackmail against wage increase; that it is inflationary, that it will cause retrenchments, and that it will spell apocalypse," Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP) president Leody de Guzman said.

Probe awaits Labor officer

CEBU CITY (Updated) – Police filed on Friday the anti-graft case against the labor department official they entrapped Thursday while receiving money he allegedly demanded from a businessman.

Wilfredo Wagas was charged with violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and, with his arresting officers, faced Graft Investigator Ma. Regina Fernandez in an inquest proceeding.

Rape suspect pleads not guilty

A POLICEMAN who is facing rape charges for allegedly abusing four minors pleaded innocent Friday before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 37.

PO3 Lonie Rementizo, who was accompanied by personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and his legal counsel, lawyer Jose Alejandro Pallugna, appeared before Judge Jose Escobido and entered a "not guilty" plea to the rape case.

Nestle recalls Maggi beef, chicken noodles in Oro

NESTLE Philippines recalled Friday its Maggi instant noodles in grocery stores in Cagayan de Oro City reportedly due to possible Salmonella contamination.

Recalled were Maggi beef and chicken noodles with batch number/lot codes 11020598A2 and 11030598A111 found at the back of the package in between the "best before" date. The ingredient of these products was found positive of salmonella.

Police nab cable wire thieves

OPERATIVES of the Bulua Police Station collared on Friday four suspected cable wire thieves during an operation in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro City.

Senior Inspector Romulo Paza, station chief of Bulua Police Station, said the four suspects were widely known as cable copper wire thieves under their area of responsibility, particularly in Barangay Canitoan.

Lawyer assumes Customs bureau top post

LAWYER Anju Nereo Castigador assumed the top post at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Northern Mindanao effective March 10, replacing Cagayan de Oro customs district collector Roberto Sacramento.

Troops locate communist rebels' camp

GOVERNMENT troops running after communist rebels who raided the municipal police station of Malitbog, Bukidnon successfully located a camp believed to have been occupied by the rebels Friday.

Acting on information from local officials, Lieutenant Colonel Jose Maria Cuerpo of the 8th Infantry "Dependable" Battalion and his men located the camp site in Barangay Larapan, Malitbog.

Mindanao power crisis 'worsening'

DAVAO CITY -- AboitizPower Corp., the proponent of a P25-billion coal-fired power plant here, warned anew of the worsening power situation in Mindanao even as environmental groups questioned the shortage's validity.

In Friday's final hearing of the City Council on the proposed 300-megawatt (MW) power plant, Aboitiz first vice president for Mindanao Manuel Orig said that since 2009, power shortage had increased significantly.

Ex-First Gentleman's ancestor up for sainthood

AN ANCESTOR of former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo is now set to undergo the long and painstaking process toward sainthood after the completion of the diocesan process by Archdiocese of Jaro last January 3.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said the process for the cause of canonization of Mo. Rosario Arroyo has now reached Rome after having completed the diocesan inquiry. It is now in the hands of the CBCP postulator Fr. Samson Silloriquez, OAR in Rome.

Hong Kong graftbuster: Ombudsman needs more powers

THE government gives the ombudsman the job of fighting corruption but not the tools to so, an anti-corruption expert from Hong Kong said Friday.

Speaking at a forum at Ateneo de Manila University, former Independent Commission on Anti-Corruption Tony Kwok Man-wai said the Office of the Ombudsman has too little power, too few investigators, and not enough money.

Transparency in oil industry sought anew

A RESEARCH group on Friday called on the government to require oil companies to open their financial accounts as it noted big profits raked in by these firms in the last decade.

In a report sent to Sun.Star, Ibon Foundation said the combined profits of so-called "Big Three" oil firms Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Chevron Philippines Inc. hit a record P141.7 billion from 2001 to 2009.

Palace wishes Gutierrez good luck

MALACAÑANG wished former ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez "good fortune" to her private life as she officially stepped down from office Friday.

Government assures Aquino's security in Indonesia

MALACAÑANG said Friday that President Benigno Aquino III will be given enough security when he attends the 18th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit on Saturday and Sunday.

"We have an ongoing intelligence sharing with the Asean nations," Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

Abu Sayyaf bandit falls

SECURITY forces have arrested a member of terrorist group Abu Sayyaf who is now working as a security guard at a hotel in Global City, Taguig, police officials reported Friday.

Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, said the suspect, Arabani Jakiran alias Abdurahim Gustaham Arabani, 39, was involved in the siege of Lamitan City in June 2001.

Creation of anti-human trafficking body in Zambo lauded

MALACAÑANG on Friday welcomed the creation of an inter-agency task force to monitor and combat human trafficking crimes in the Zamboanga peninsula.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said the establishment of the Zamboanga Sea-Based Anti-Trafficking Task Force (ZSBATTF) provides a major boost in the government's fight against the illegal trade of human beings.

Smuggled goods seized in Manila port

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated 18 containers loaded with assorted smuggled goods worth P31 million in the Port of Manila.

Customs Commissioner Angelito Alavarez said the illegal items include used Kia Carnival and a Hyundai Starex, musical instruments, ceramic tiles and high-velocity electric fans, among others.

Japanese kills self

A JAPANESE tourist jumped to his death at a beach resort in Baras, Catanduanes, a police official said Friday.

Inspector Ayn Natuel, spokesman of the Bicol police, said Shanichi Imamura, 38, died at a hospital where he was rushed after the incident.

Recount on Manila mayoral race set

AFTER almost a month of suspension, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will resume on May 13 its landmark recount proceedings on the protest filed by former mayor Lito Atienza against incumbent Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, head of the Comelec First Division, said they have already been given a go-signal by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) to conduct their recount proceedings in their premises.

Porac pig farms to get permits

THE Porac Municipal Government is set to issue permits to 10 piggery farms in the town.

Regional Health Unit physician Edgar Lacanlale, during Friday's committee hearing presided by Board Member Nestor Tolentino, said the quarterly monitoring has yielded the necessary reports for four piggeries in Barangay Sta. Cruz and six farms in Barangay Paralaya.

Police trace getaway car in dealer killing

CITY of San Fernando Police Chief Luisito Magnaye said Thursday that investigators were able to trace the license plates of the getaway vehicle used by suspects in killing a car dealer to an old man from Nueva Ecija.

The license plate -- RGB 461 -- was attached to the white FB van used by the suspects who shot to death on Tuesday morning pre-owned car dealer Raul Mallari of K2M Auto Sales along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in the city.

3 kids drown in Angeles

ANGELES CITY -- The bodies of three children who reportedly drowned at an alleged quarry site in Barangay Margot here were retrieved on Thursday, according to reports.

Police identified the victims as Mary Grace Salado, 11; her brother Ruzzel John, 9; and Adrian Jerome Suba, 10.

Guv, Butil pledge support for farmers in agri-town

STA. ANA -- Governor Lilia Pineda and Butil party-list Representative Agapito Guanlao on Friday expressed support for farmers of this town.

Lawmaker wants cell phone number permanent

MACABEBE -- Pampanga Representative Anna York Bondoc-Sagum filed House Bill 4380, which will give cell phone users the option to retain their numbers should they switch network providers.

The bill, to be known as the "Mobile Telephone Number Portability Act of 2011," tasks the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to require all mobile telephone service providers to afford consumers or mobile telephone subscribers the option to retain their numbers in the event of switching from one service provider to another.

Urban greening project launched

CITY of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez led Friday the formal inauguration of the Urban Greening Program along Jose Abad Santos Avenue (Jasa).

Rodriguez led officials of the El Circulo Fernandino Foundation, city executives, village chiefs, and environmentalists in unveiling the project marker at Jasa.

Ex-councilor, partner arrested for illegal drugs

PHILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) backed by policemen arrested a former city councilor and his live-in partner in a buy-bust operation in Zamboanga del Norte province.

Arrested were Joseph Herrera, a former Dipolog City Councilor, now employed at the Zamboanga del Norte Assessor's Office, and his live-in partner, Mary Jane Gomez.

3 fishermen arrested in anti-piracy operation

POLICE arrested on Wednesday three fishermen in an anti-piracy operation off the shore of Zamboanga del Norte province, a police official said Thursday.

Zamboanga Peninsula Police Office (ZPPO) spokesman Nelson Eucogco identified the suspects as Suwaib Hamid, 21; Kabunsuan Mantawangan, 19; and Melkari Jawahani, 50; all residents of Barangay Arena Blanco in Zamboanga City.

‘Colorum’ tricycles not included in fuel subsidy

ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Celso Lobregat said only motorized-tricycle holders with renewed franchises will be included in the list of recipients of the government’s fuel subsidy dubbed “Pantawid Pasada” program.

Based on the records of the Tricycle Adjudication Board (TAB), there are 7,144 tricycle franchise holders in Zamboanga City but only 4,604 have complied with the requirements provided for in City Ordinance 185 otherwise known as “An Ordinance prescribing the operation of Tricycles and Granting Franchise for the Operation Thereof within the Territorial Jurisdiction of the City of Zamboanga.”