Manual audit of votes shows 100% accuracy

THE random manual audit (RMA) of the votes cast in the May 13 elections showed nearly 100 percent accuracy compared to the results of the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, said an official of the Commission on Elections in Eastern Visayas (Comelec-8).

Lawyer Veronico Petalcorin, officer-in-charge of Comelec-8, said ballot boxes from nine randomly selected areas in the region have so far been checked to determine the accuracy of the votes counted by the PCOS machines.

4 gang members fall

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – Police authorities have arrested four members of a criminal gang involved in assassinations, armed robberies and working as an armed group of a local politician in Leyte.

Eastern Visayas Police Director Elmer Ragadio Soria said the suspects were identified as Vincent Lonzaga, Aldin Mago, Norman Tojong and Ritchie Bactol were nabbed Tuesday at their hide-out in Sitio Tinago, Barangay Benulho in Albuera town

Myanmar minister visits Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY – A Myanmar deputy minister visited Eastern Visayas to study key features of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

Deputy Minister Zaw Win of Myanmar Ministry of Border Affairs led the delegation from Myanmar and did an on-site visit and observed more about the projects in the municipalities of Paranas in Samar and Hernani in Eastern Samar.

Most wanted drug pusher falls

SHOOTOUT ensued when policemen armed with a warrant raided and arrested an alleged drug pusher listed as the number one most wanted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the province of Zamboanga del Sur.

Sarippudin Taup, who is on top of the list of PDEA and the Provincial Intelligence Branch, was arrested following a brief shootout, the police reported Saturday.

Medical workers needed in Saudi

HERE is a good news for those who wish to go abroad and work.

An official of the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) announced that the Saudi Ministry of Health is in need of more than 3,000 medical workers for Saudi Arabia.

City engineer order drainage cleanup

CITY Engineer Luis Vicente Despalo has appealed to the public to refrain from disposing trash on drainage so as not to clog the waterways of Zamboanga City.

Despalo made the appeal as his office is undertaking cleanup drive to ensure the drainage system, with the onset of the rainy season, works properly.

SSS Dagupan opens every Saturday for registering ‘kasambahay’

DAGUPAN -- The Social Security System here has announced it is open on Saturdays this June to accommodate household employers and domestic workers or "kasambahay" who are registering.

Katarina Basbas, SSS Dagupan assistant branch manager, said the Saturday schedule already started last June 8 when 20 "kasambahay" and their employers already registered.

LTO field offices await IRR vs drunk, drugged drivers

DAGUPAN -- The Land Transportation Office (LTO) here is still awaiting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to fully implement the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013.

Eric Suriben, officer-in-charge of the LTO district office in Dagupan City, admitted that the newly signed law requires a well-studied IRR for the effective implementation of said law.

Acting-mayor orders probe on alleged misuse of funds

DAGUPAN -- Acting Mayor Belen Fernandez was surprised to learn that a city hall-based cooperative is supplying the food intended for malnourished children in a feeding program bankrolled by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The administration of outgoing Mayor Benjamin Lim allegedly allows the city-hall based Asenso cooperative to buy food stuff and also cook these to be served to the malnourished children.

Neophyte senator eyes education committee, among others 

SENATOR-elect Sonny Angara said he won't insist on getting committees considering his neophyte status in the Senate.

Angara, son of former senator Edgardo Angara, ran and won under the administration's Team PNoy coalition in last month's midterm elections.

6 bets didn’t file Soce

SIX bets in the May 13 elections in Negros Occidental province failed to submit their Statement of Contributions and Expenditure (SOCE) before the Commission on Election (Comelec) provincial office.

As per record of the Provincial Comelec Office, those who failed to filed their Soce were Leopoldo Sua who ran for Congressman of the First District; Leonardo Erobas who ran for Congressman of the Fourth District; Ely Joy Barredo, a Board Member aspirant of the Second District; Leonardo Magbanua, Sr., also a Board Member bet for the Second District; Arturo Alvarez as Board Member of the Fourth District and Francis Gerard Tuillara for Board Member of the Fifth District.

Ponsica reports zero election expense

RETURNING Board Member Rolando Ponsica who won in the first district of the province has not spent even a single centavo in the May 13 elections.

This is based on his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (Soce) submitted to the Comelec provincial office.

Baciwa Board no show in dialog with Bishop Navarra

THE five members of the Board of Directors of Bacolod City Water District did not show up in a scheduled dialog with Bacolod Catholic Bishop Vicente Navarra Friday.

Bishop Navarra has invited the management, the Board and the Baciwa Union Employees (BUE) to a dialog to address the issues affecting the water district.

Tourism symposium set June 17

BACOLOD City Administrator and former Tourism attache to Japan and United States Atty. John N. Orola, Jr. said that symposium on tourism will be held on June 17 at the Masskara Hall of the Bacolod City Government Center.

The symposium is part of the weeklong “Ang Mga Adlaw Sang Paghanduraw” from June 12 to 19, he said.

Man injured in road mishap

A MAN was injured in a road mishap around 7:25 a.m. Friday at Felisa Road, Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City.

The injured man was identified by police as Allan E. Odronia, 27, of Purok Sayson Village, Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City, who was immediately brought to a hospital in Bacolod after sustaining injuries from the accident.

Arrest warrant served to detainee

A WARRANT of arrest was served to a detainee in Bacolod City District Jail (BCDJ) Friday by Police Officer 2 (PO2) Mark Lester Cielo of Bacolod City Police Station 5.

The suspect, who was identified as Ryan G. Panuela, was served by an arrest warrant for charges of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide issued by Judge Philadelfa B. Pagapong-Agraviador of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 6th Judicial Region, Branch 43, Bacolod City.

3 nabbed for illegal gambling

THREE suspects for illegal gambling were nabbed last June 13 in separate operations of the Bacolod City Police Stations 6 and 7 and 6 Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (6RCIDU) personnel.

Police identified the suspects as Jeffrey A. Nadato, 35; Ranie A. Nadato, 30, both of Pedrosa Subdivision, Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City; and Jemar G. Boy, 53, of Block 11, Lot 3, Libra St., Suntal Village, Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City.

Police seek 1 more suspect in cop’s shooting

CEBU CITY -- After arresting the suspected gunman and shooting one of his alleged cohorts, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is looking for a third man in the shooting of Police Officer 2 (PO2) Gerlito Estremos.

City Intelligence Branch (CIB) Chief Romeo Santander said the police received a tip there is a third man involved, but this needs to be verified.

Farewell, Lumbia

AS THE last plane took off Friday night, the Kagay-anons bid farewell to Lumbia Airport which served Cagayan de Oro for more than fifty years and stood as the symbol of Cagayan de Oro City’s progress.

It may now become a part of the city’s history as it closed its commercial operations while Laguindingan Airport starts today in Barangay Moog, Laguindinga town in Misamis Oriental.

Group accuses Aquino admin scripts oil price hike

A LOCAL transport group accused the Aquino administration of scripting the sudden increases of the oil price five times in the last two weeks.

Ringo Lago, spokesperson of the Solidarity of Transport Alliance in Region (Starex) noted that right after the elections, the oil price suddenly increased five times within weeks.

Emano washes hands over water row

OUTGOING city councilor Edgardo Cabanlas lashed out at outgoing Mayor Vicente Emano for washing his hands over the water row between the Cagayan de Oro Water District (Cowd) implicating its Board of Trustees and also Rio Verde by pursuing a class suit against both water service providers.

Majority of the members of the City Council consented Emano to pursue the filing of the class suit against the Cowd board of trustees and Rio Verde.

PDEA agents to fight vs drug spread at schools

AS THE proliferation of drugs in the region has become widespread and even blatant inside the schools, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Northern Mindanao region is fielding some of its agents in schools targeted by these illegal drug pushers.

PDEA chief Emerson L. Margate said the regional anti-drug department is monitoring some schools in the region particularly in Cagayan de Oro where they believe huge stocks of illegal drugs are delivered from neighboring cities for distribution in various campuses here.

NDFP accuses Deles of bungling peace nego

THE National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) accused Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp) secretary Teresita Deles for bungling the peace negotiations between the government and the NDFP.

Earlier this week, Deles claimed that the NDFP has designed the peace talks to be unending.

Top vote-getter in PB elections welcomes policy on contracts

1 As of the last posting of election results on GMA News online, you have the biggest margin over the next winning candidate for board member: 83,109. The next biggest lead, that of PB Member Ted Ouano over his rival, is only 32,500. To what do you attribute the big vote: your long service as an elected public official (from bry. councilman of Tabunok, Talisay City in 1982, city councilor in 1987, and board member in 1998, 2001, 2007, and 2010)?

City-port body feud worsens

PORT police yesterday stopped the Cebu City Government’s effort to remove the sign of the Cebu Ports Authority (CPA) claiming ownership of the lot in front of the executive building of Cebu City Hall.

It is the same lot that the CPA fenced last month.

Court prohibits City from collecting real estate tax

THE court issued a writ of preliminary injunction prohibiting the Cebu City Government from collecting real property tax on the building owned by printer manufacturer Lexmark International (Philippines) Inc.

Househelp welcomes Kasambahay Law

MOST people think she grew up in a privileged home because of her family name.

But Rosemarie Salazar had to work as a kasambahay or domestic worker to finish college and become what she is today: a social welfare officer helping abused women and children.

MVP still keen on buying hospital in Cebu

MAKATI City Businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan said yesterday he is still “very keen” on buying a hospital in Cebu and has been sending “feelers” to several groups.

“Hindi pa nila nafi-feel yung feelers,” he said during a press conference with regional journalists held after the annual stockholders’ meeting of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. in Makati City.

New PB to add committees

NEW committees will be assigned to the Provincial Board (PB) members for the new administration of governor-elect Hilario Davide III.

In the initial meeting, third district PB member-elect Grecilda Sanchez- Zaballero will be chairperson of two committees and vice chairperson of three committees.

Rama wants Natuel out, Romana in

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama wants the City Legal Office to look into Camp Crame’s appointment of Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel Jr. as head of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The mayor said Natuel’s appointment, which was reportedly made last May 10, may have violated the ban on movements imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in line with the conduct of the May 13 polls.