Thursday, April 06, 2006 (Philippines)

With no right hand and with only two fingers on his left hand, trisikad driver Benedicto Aguilar Lao, 41, of Lapu-Lapu City shot and wounded Nilo Ombad who, Lao alleged, wanted to maul him again. (Sun.star photo/Allan Defensor) Her boss at the Department of Finance (DOF) is letting Ma. Lourdes Mangaoang stay as the Cebu Port’s customs collector, even as the Cebu City mayor questioned “lobbying by non-Cebuano politicians” to replace her. Finance Secretary Margarito Teves yesterday told the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to put off the implementation of two orders that reassigned 20 district collectors nationwide. In his order dated April 4, Teves said the bureau needed to review the reassignments “with the end in view of maximizing collection of customs revenues.” [full story]