Pinol moves for exclusion of 2 towns in canvassing

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol filed a petition before the Cotabato Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) to exclude in the canvassing the towns of Pikit and Carmen due to alleged "high improbability of the voters' turnout."

Pinol, in a radio interview, said the two towns, based on the latest tally from Commission on Elections (Comelec), have a voters' turnout from 95 to 96 percent, which, according to him, "was highly improbable."

Police hunt 3 men in Toril shooting

POLICE are hunting down three suspects who shot a 19-year-old man at Samantha Homes in Lizada, Toril in Davao City Friday evening.

Chief Inspector Angel Sumagaysay, Toril police chief, identified the victim as Jovele Venoya Aluvalang, resident of Babisa in Lizada.

Shop, office lose P55,000 in robbery

SOME P55,000 worth of valuables were taken in two separate robbery incidents in Davao City on Friday and Saturday morning.

The first incident happened at Holy Infant Jesus of Prague at Shrine Hills in Matina at 3 a.m. where a total of P15,000 valuables were missing after unidentified men broke inside a souvenir shop and an office in the area.

Gloria Arroyo thanks kabalens for another term

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Former President and now re-elected Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (second district, Pampanga) expressed gratitude to Kapampangans for another term.

Arroyo, who will serve the towns of Lubao, Floridablanca, Porac, Sta. Rita, Sasmuan and Guagua, was proclaimed winner by the Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) on Thursday evening, after she garnered 168,718 votes against former Provincial Administrator Vivian Dabu with 18,547.

Re-elected, new BMs eye ‘greater Pampanga’

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Re-elected board members Ric Yabut, Nestor Tolentino, Salvador Dimson Jr., successful comebackers Dinan Labung and Rosve Henson, together with newcomers Cherry Manalo and outgoing Mexico Mayor Teddy Tumang recently professed to “move in unison for a greater Pampanga” and pass more beneficial legislative measures which will benefit Kapampangans.

The local legislators, who expressed excitement over their first session together with Vice Governor-elect Dennis Pineda, said they are optimistic that the “new complexion” of the august body will not, in any way, affect their objectives for the bigger development of the province of Pampanga.

Bondoc calls for unity

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Congressman-elect Juan Pablo Bondoc has called for political unity in his district following his win against congressional rivals here, adding there is much to do in terms of infrastructure, tourism and agricultural development of the district.

Bondoc was proclaimed winner of the congressional race for the fourth district of Pampanga after garnering 105,610 votes or 55.58 percent of the 207,749 of voters.

Butil still Central Luzon’s choice

SANTA RITA — The Butil Farmers Party reigned as the top party-list choice in Central Luzon region after gaining 257,009 votes or 9.03 percent of the total voters who voted in the region, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Butil was followed by Citizens Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) with 162,470 or 5.71 percent at 2nd place in the regional ranking. Buhay Hayaang Yumabong (Buhay) followed close at third place and Binhi at 4th place.

Pimentel wants to have lunch with ‘friend’ Zubiri

REELECTED Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III wants to have lunch with his political nemesis, former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, who failed to make it to the top 12 of the 2013 senatorial race.

"Wala akong problema with Migz Zubiri and after everything has settled, I want to schedule a lunch or dinner with my friend, Migz Zubiri," Pimentel told reporters in an interview.

Team formed for 'harassed' Filipinos in Taiwan

MANILA -- The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) has formed a team that will handle reported cases of harassment against overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan, Malacañang said Saturday.

In an interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte reiterated the call to the Taiwanese people for calm and to spare from any harassment the Filipinos there who have nothing to do with the killing of 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng off Batanes last May 9.

Palace to Comelec: Speed up release of teachers' honoraria

THERE is no reason for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to delay the honoraria of the teachers who served in the midterm elections last Monday as funds are already available, a Palace official said Saturday.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan, said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released early this year P960 million for the poll body.

MMDA chief: Increase on net worth due to new SALN form

METROPOLITAN Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino explained Saturday the significant increase on his net worth in 2012 compared to 2011.

Tolentino was the biggest gainer among the Cabinet members of President Benigno Aquino III whose net worth climbed by over P21 million to P43.77 million last year from P22.54 million in 2011.

An Waray emerge as first in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – The An Waray party-list is number one in Eastern Visayas and 11 other party-list groups turned out to be the top picks in 33 of the 143 cities and municipalities, counting results showed.

An Waray party-list Representative Neil Benedict Montejo said this is inevitable considering that nominees and officials of some existing party-lists hail from the region, too.

Dominic proclaim as new Leyte governor

TACLOBAN CITY– Leopoldo Dominico “Dominic” Petilla was proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers as the new governor of Leyte. He ran unopposed.

The 48-year-old new governor was proclaimed at 10 p.m. Thursday by the board of canvassers, chaired by Leyte elections supervisor Richard Alvin Japzon, after the town of Calubian was able to transmit their result at 8:10 p.m.

Yaokasin as vice mayor, ‘good’ for Romualdez

TACLOBAN CITY - After proclaiming outgoing Councilor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin as the new vice mayor of this city, the information officer of the City Government said she expects a good flow of legislative action at the Sangguniang Panlungsod for the next three years.

City information officer Bernardita “Bering” Valenzuela said that they are happy that Mayor Alfred Romualdez won in the mayoralty race over out-going An Waray Representative Florencio “Bem” Noel, who was endorsed by President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino.

DILG chief to meet members of problematic councils

TACLOBAN CITY – Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Director Pedro Noval Jr. said he would personally talk with newly elected members of the council of this city and that of Samar province.

These two councils were the most “controversial” as most of the members failed to attend their respective regular sessions, Noval said adding that this resulted to the non-passage of important measures like the annual budget of Samar.

Senator-elect Bam promises independence from Aquino

MANILA - Don’t expect Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV to be a blind follower of cousin President Benigno Aquino III in the Senate.

Aquino said he is his own man and that he can take an objective view of Malacañang’s programs.

Montelibano, Golez proclaimed in Silay City

RE-ELECTED Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano and Vice Mayor Mark Andrew Golez were finally proclaimed Thursday night as the winners for mayor and vice-mayor, respectively, of Silay City after the canvassing of votes by the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC).

Montelibano won by a margin of 914 votes, garnering 29,411 votes over Carlo Gamban's 28,497, while Golez garnered an overwhelming 41,296 votes over his opponent July Ledesma.

Prices, prizes up for PCSO’s 6/42, 6/45 draws

EFFECTIVE yesterday, May 17, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) doubled its betting price from P10 to P20 per combination, as well as the jackpot prizes, for the Lotto 6/42 and Megalotto 6/45 games.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II, in a press conference Friday at the PCSO office at the Paglaum Sports Complex, Bacolod City, said that the minimum jackpot prizes also increased effective yesterday from P3 Million to P6 Million for Lotto 6/42 and from P4.5 Million to P9 Million for Megalotto 6/45.

Tubillara seeks recount vs Magno

MAYORAL candidate Jilson Tubillara revealed his plans to file a Protest for Recount against re-elected Mayor Mario Magno.

Magno won against Tubillara by only 20 votes.

Bacolod City councilors-elect thank voters

AS ELECTION is over, many things happened to both winners and losers.

The expression of gratitude from the winners becomes endless, while those who did not make it in the May 13, 2013 polls could hardly be seen or reached even by phone.

Caña: 'Political prostitution' worsened

INDEPENDENT congressional candidate for the lone district of Bacolod lawyer Lyndon Cana could not imagine the apparent political prostitution which has worsened in the city as evident in the recent conduct of the May 13, 2013 polls.

"While I accept the result of the election, it is confirmed to me that money has become the dominant force in Bacolod and even in national politics,” he said.

Orola hopes miracle can make Bart win

LAWYER John N. Orola, City Administrator and brother of Engr. Bart Orola, candidate for councilor hopes that a miracle would happen considering that there are still 3,200 plus votes which were not canvassed by the Board of Canvassers due to defective PCOS machines' memory cards.

He said that since there are still some returns that were not yet counted but he does not know whether it can still offset the votes who got the 12 slot.

BCDA pursues CJHDevCo

JOHN Hay Management Corporation (JHMC), Bases Conversion Development Authority’s (BCDA) estate manager in the former American base, maintained it is submitting to arbitration proceedings.

The management, however, stressed this does not stop them from filing and pursuing criminal cases against its lessee Camp John Hay Development Corporation (CJHDevCo).

Fongwan: Shun dirty politics

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Governor Nestor Fongwan reminded councilmen here of the lessons learned during the recent elections.  

Fongwan said dirty politics has no place in the province, but added “it turns out that we have been infected by dirty tactics here.”

Youth’s role in the arts stressed

CORDILLERA tourism director Purificacion Molintas said technology and culture and the arts could go hand in hand.

She underscored the role of the younger generation in preserving the best cultural practices and traditional art.

Baguilat proclaimed Ifugao representative

PROVINCIAL canvassers proclaimed Ifugao representative-elect Teodoro Baguilat Jr. despite early rumors his proclamation will be halted due to a case filed for his disqualification from a pending Ombudsman decision of his dismissal.

Commission on Elections–Ifugao provincial election supervisor Elenita Tabangin-Capuyan said there is no reason for them to suspend the proclamation of Baguilat as the Comelec En Banc has not barred them and the provincial Board of Canvassers from declaring Baguilat as winner of the congressional race in the province.

Forum set to discuss Chinese culture, globalization

“THE Role of Chinese Culture in a Globalized World” will be discussed by a German authority on the issue in a symposium set on Wednesday (May 23) at 1:00 p.m. at the multi-purpose hall of the City Hall. 

Dr. Peter Kupfer, formerly of the Chinese Language and Culture Department of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany, will be the launching speaker in a series of symposia being organized by the Society of Outstanding Citizens of Baguio, in coordination with the Baguio-Filipino Chinese Community.

Danao policeman shot 7 times, dies

A POLICE officer died after five men repeatedly shot him near an illegal cockfight arena in Barangay Looc, Danao City late yesterday afternoon.

SPO3 Jose Relampagos, who was assigned to the Tuburan Police Station, was shot seven times in his head and body.

Mayoralty candidate in Tuburan won’t face raps

DEFEATED Tuburan, Cebu mayoralty candidate Rose Marie Suezo and her running mate Daphne Lagon will not face trial for allegedly employing six armed men as bodyguards.

Cebu got most poll problems

CEBU Province has the most number of defective Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines in the entire Central Visayas.

Of the total 215 defective PCOS machines in Region 7, Cebu has 134.