Cebu City News January 2013

From Philippines
Revision as of 02:35, 19 February 2013 by Jasmine75 (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{zadheader}} {{zheader names1}} {{zheader philippines}} <table width=600 align=center> <tr> <td align=left> <table border=7> <tr> <td align=center> [[:Category:Cebu, Philippi...")
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Cebu City Photo Gallery

Cebu City Realty

Philippine News

Cebu city map locator.png
Cebu City Map Locator
Cebu City001.jpg
View of Cebu City from the bay
Cebucity-aerial view.jpg
Aerial View of Cebu City
Cebu metro.jpg
Aerial View of Metro Cebu

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Cebu-City-cathedral01.jpg
Cebu City Cathedral
Cebu city Magellan cross02.jpg
Magellan's Cross in Cebu City
Cebu city Magellan cross03.jpg

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Mormon temple cebu city 1.jpg
Mormon Temple Lahug cebu city philippines

Search for Outstanding public officials, employees on

By Juju Manubag-Empuerto


CEBU CITY, Jan. 31 (PIA) -- The Civil Service Commission (CSC) announces that the search for the 2013 Outstanding Public Officials and Employees is now open.

CSC is inviting all government agencies and instrumentalities to produce and post the 2013 Search tarpaulins in their offices’ façade to help raise awareness on the search.

Government offices are also encouraged to nominate deserving public officials and employees in their agencies.

There is no limit to the number of nominees.

The government-wide search recognizes civil servants who have given pride and glory to the service and who have continuously shown excellence through innovations, inventions, or valiantly carried their duties despite odds and kept their integrity in the midst of temptations.

The search has three award categories: the Presidential or Lingkod Bayan Award, the Outstanding Public Officials and Employees or the Dangal ng Bayan Award, and the Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award.

Prizes at stake for the three categories are: P200,000 cash for the Presidential or Lingkod Bayad awardees (individual and group) along with a gold-gilded medallion and a plaque containing the citation and signature of the Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III; P200,000 for the Outstanding Public Officials and Employees or the Dangal ng Bayan Awardees along with a trophy of designed and executed by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva; and P100,000 for the CSC Pagasa Awardees including a gold-gilded medallion and a plaque signed by CSC Chairperson Francisco T. Duque III, MD, MSc .

The deadline for submission of nominations is on March 29, 2013.

Nomination form/s brochures and the enhanced program guidelines may be secured at any CSC’s pffices nationwide or downloaded at the CSC website: www.csc.gov.ph.

Nominations for the Search may be submitted to any of the Commission’s Regional & Provincial/Field Offices or to the (HAP) Secretariat, Public Assistance & Information Office, CSC Bldg., Constitution Hills, Diliman, Quezon City.

Inquiries may also be coursed through telephone numbers (032) 414-7676 and 414-7488, TextCSC 0917-8398272 or email hap@webmail.csc.gov.ph, paio@webmail.csc.gov.ph or hapsecretariat@yahoo.com.

The conduct of the annual Search for public service exemplars is mandated under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Executive Order Nos. 292 and 508, and as amended by Executive Order No. 77 and Republic Act No. 6713. (rmn/JSME/PIA-Cebu)





Malacanang approves BOC use of old offices for 111th anniversary

By (PNA)

EB/BH


CEBU CITY, Jan. 30 (PNA) -- The Office of the President has approved the use of the Malacanang sa Sugbo at the Cebu Aduana as venue of the 111th Founding Anniversary of the Bureau of Customs on Feb. 6.

The approval was contained in the Jan. 17 memorandum of Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. to Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon.

Ochoa furnished Undersecretary Lourdes Ong of the Internal House Affairs Office a copy of the memo.

Although Deputy Customs Commissioner Juan Lorenzo Tanada is the over-all chair of the BOC 111th Founding Anniversary, Port of Cebu District Collector Ronnie Silvestre was tasked by Biazon to handle preparations for the celebration.

This was reported as he reason why Biazon deferred the replacement of Silvestre by Collector Edward dela Cuesta. Dela Cuesta was supposed to replace Silvestre on Jan. 25.

Silvestre will take over dela Cuesta’s post at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Silvestre has served as Cebu collector for about four years.

Silvestre, a lawyer, said guest of honor during he BOC anniversary celebration is Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

The BOC along with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Treasury are under the Dept. of Finance.

Silvestre said Rep. Tomas Osmena (Cebu City, south district) will also be guest speaker.

During the anniversary celebration, Biazon will give the BOC’s annual report.

On the same occasion, the BOC will launch its special projects like the BOC Strategic Plan 2013-2016, the primer on Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement Rules of Origin for Stakeholders, the Super Green Lane and Global Positioning System.

Francisco Matugas II, chairman of he venue preparations committee at the Port of Cebu, said they will work on Malacanang sa Sugbo from Feb. 1 to Feb. 5.

Preparations will involve beautifying the interior and surroundings of the building.

The Malacanang sa Sugbo was known as the Customs Building when it was built by the Americans in 1910.

It housed the BOC Cebu offices until 2005, when the President Gloria Arroyo designated it as her Visayas office.

The BOC Cebu has asked President Benigno S. Aquino III for permission to return to the building, but Malacanang has yet to grant the request.





Ombudsman says Cebu solon, 12 others still facing 2 graft cases over lamp posts

By (PNA)

HBC/EB/RE


CEBU CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol said Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza and 12 other government employees accused are still not off-the-hook.

The Sandiganbayan’s fifth division, he said, dismissed only one criminal case against Radaza and his co-accused.

There are still two pending cases in the anti-graft court’s first division, he said.

”We are saddened by the dismissal,” Apostol said.

Radaza and the others were charged for the purchase of allegedly overpriced lamp posts in 2007.

Radaza was the mayor of Lapu-Lapu City then.

The other respondents in the case were Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials Robert Lala, Gloria Dindin, Marlina Alvizo, Pureza Fernandez, Agustinito Hermoso, Luis Galang, Restituto Diano, Buenaventura Pajo;

Julito Cuizon, Fenando Tagaan Jr. andRogelio Veloso of the Lapu-Lapu City Engineer’s Office, and Isabelo Braza, president of Fabmik Construction and Equipment Supply Company Inc.

Radaza, who now represents the lone district of Lapu-Lapu City, said the dismissal of graft charges against him and other city officials proved that local government officials did not have anything to do with the purchase of the lampposts, as it was a project of the National Government.

”At last the court heard us when we questioned the conduct of the probe in 2007, at the height of a midterm election, because we were deprived of our legal rights to answer the complaints,” he said.

But Apostol said the Office of the Special Prosecutor can petition the Supreme Court to reinstate the dismissed the case, if the judges committed abuse of discretion.

The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas filed seven cases against Radaza and the others.

The cases stemmed from an Investigation on the purchase of decorative lampposts that were installed along the streets of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu for the hosting of the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit in January 2007.

Apostol said four of the cases they filed were returned to them by the Sandiganbayan for reinvestigation.

He said nothing was lacking in the cases they filed.

”We don’t file cases without evidence at all. If there was something wrong with them, it was with the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Manila. The filing of cases cannot be rushed,” Apostol said.

”If they committed a mistake, they should be punished,” said Apostol.

In dismissing the case, the Sandiganbayan said the prosecution failed to submit enough evidence to prove that the Asean lampposts were overpriced and that the officials violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Radaza said the refusal of the anti-graft office to provide them with the entire copy of their findings “has exposed the haphazard conduct of the probe.”

”I am very thankful to the Lord for justice has been served. I always believe that, in the end, truth will prevail,” Radaza said.






NEDA exec says Central Visayas economy grew by at least 6% in 2012

By (PNA)

LAP/PTR/EB/GB


CEBU CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- A senior official of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) 7 said past trends can serve as basis to believe the economy of Central Visayas grew by six percent "at the very least" last year.

An economic situation report prepared by NEDA 7 Assistant Regional Director Efren Carreon said past trends show the region's growth is faster than that of the national economy.

According to the report, Central Visayas posted 12.5 percent GRDP (gross regional domestic product) in 2010, the highest growth in the country that year, and 7.5 percent in 2011, second to the Caraga region's 9.6 percent growth.

Carreon pointed out that compared with the Philippine economy, which grew by 7.6 percent in 2010 and 3.9 percent in 2011, Central Visayas has consistently shown stronger growth.

"I am glad to report that preliminary indicators suggest that the Central Visayas economy was able to sustain the economic growth momentum realized in 2010 and 2011," Carreon said.

Carreon said that many leading industries continued to turn in good performances in 2012.

With the Philippine economy growing 6.5 percent for the first nine months of 2012, they are confident that the region posted a high growth for the whole year, citing the last two years showing Central Visayas surpassing the national average.

NEDA 7 said industry and services are the regional economy's main drivers.

Carreon said the sustained expansion of outsourcing and tourism markets fueled the growth of construction, real estate, transportation, retail trade and banking sectors.

The high level of consumption among families of overseas Filipino workers is also seen as benefiting the retail trade real estate sectors.

Citing a report from the Cebu Investment Promotion Center (CIPC), Carreon said 17 new foreign business process outsourcing companies opened in Cebu, majority of which were from the non-voice sector, a sector that requires high value added skills.

Aside from the new locators, existing companies like Accenture Philippines and Stream Global Services expanded, providing more employment opportunities in the region.

The CIPC estimates that the BPO sector in Cebu employs at least 95,000 workers.

In retail, store chains expanded operations while Cebu also saw new players joining the retail industry in Central Visayas.

These included the new operations of SM City Consolacion, Gaisano Grand Mall in Talamban, 7 Eleven, Mini Stop and Wilcon Builders Depot.

Carreon said retailers took advantage of increased consumerism and improved spending capability among residents here, as the purchasing power of consumers has risen due to the availability of well-paying jobs in the BPO sector and the steady remittances of OFWs.

The report also cited real estate and construction as among the sectors that benefitted from the expansion of other industries.

"More and bigger projects were stated in 2012 to support the expansion of the outsourcing, retail trade and tourism industries. The real estate and construction industries benefitted from the steady demand for real property investments from OFWs," the report said.

The report noted data from the National Statistics Office showing an increasing trend in the number and value of construction projects of hotels, office buildings, stores and residential condominiums.

The Board of Investments also indicated 13 out of 24 projects registered with them in 2012 were for mass housing and hotel construction. The total estimated cost of these project reached P4.3 billion, representing nearly 10 percent of total investments registered with the BOI in 2012.

Growth of real estate and construction has remained steady in the past two years as both sectors posted double-digit growth since 2010.

They are also considered among the key contributors to the region's economic growth.

Construction was the highest performing industry in 2011, with a growth rate of 21.5 percent while real estate services were the best performing sector at 10 percent.

The report also showed positive figures in tourism, shipping, aviation and exports, although the data available only covered the first half of 2012.





Autopsy ruled out for Pope

By (DSM/GMD/ Sun.Star Cebu)


CEBU CITY - The body of John Pope was cremated late Friday night upon the request of his family, who also declined an autopsy and had the ashes released to a friend of Pope’s in Negros Occidental.

But even in the absence of an autopsy, the acting chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said there was enough basis to believe the fatal shot was self-inflicted. A strand of the Canadian national’s hair was found in the muzzle of his gun.

“That could only mean he committed suicide,” said Acting CCPO Director Mariano Natu-el Jr.

Two policemen had fired at Pope in a stairwell of the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office, where he went last Tuesday morning after shooting Dr. Reynold Rafols, Atty. Jubian Achas and Assistant Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño.

Instructions

Rafols and Achas died in court, while Casiño remains in a private hospital.

In a one-page letter from the Canadian Embassy, Cindy Taylor wrote that Pope’s next kin had authorized the Embassy of Canada in Manila, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Canada, to facilitate the cremation and cover the costs.

The letter, dated January 25, 2012, was addressed to Mario Esparica, branch manager of the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes on Junquera St., Cebu City.

Taylor further wrote that the family of Pope refused to authorize an autopsy. The letter didn’t say why.

Pope’s body was released from Cebu Doctors’ Hospital last Wednesday and brought to the funeral parlor.

Dr. Nestor Sator of the Police Regional Crime Laboratory-Central Visayas began a post-mortem examination at 1:25 p.m. that ended less than an hour later.

The cremation started at 7:02 p.m. and the ashes were later handed to Ires Adiong of Sagay City, Negros Occidental.

Waiting game

Chief Superintendent Marcelo Garbo Jr., head of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO), said the police also recovered a cellular phone owned by Pope. They hope it could yield leads on how or where Pope got his firearms.

“It’s hard because the firearms were unregistered. It’s like waiting for a breakthrough,” Garbo said.

The phone was sent to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) for forensic examination.

The cremation and absence of an autopsy irked the brother of Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Casiño.

“We can’t go after him or anyone anymore to redress the incident. Ihangad na lang ni nato sa langit (We’ll just leave this to Divine Providence),” said Jojo Cornejo, the prosecutor’s brother.

Cornejo said they are thankful that help keeps on pouring in for his sister, whose bills and other expenses hover at around P50,000 a day.

He also revealed that Casiño was removed from life support on Saturday. “All of her faculties are now functioning well,” Cornejo said.

Ready

Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane said that when he visited the assistant prosecutor on Friday, she expressed willingness to continue with her work, despite the risks she has just faced.

Gubalane said he jokingly asked Casiño to go back to work as soon as she recuperates.

She replied, “Yes, sir.”

Employees of Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6, where Casiño is a resident prosecutor, have said that Pope must have borne a grudge against her, after she appealed to the court to enforce a deportation order against Pope that was issued last October.

In an interview, Prosecutor Gubalane said Casiño’s condition continues to improve and the national prosecution office is still accepting financial assistance to help her family with the medical bills.

Top officials of the Department of Justice, including Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, pledged financial aid to the wounded prosecutor, said Gubalane.

The Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines will also give P100,000 as financial assistance.

Safety

Secretary de Lima, in a statement, extended her sympathy to the families of the victims.

“We are closely following the condition of our prosecutor. There is never a reason for violence or cause for disregard of life. While the shooter reportedly killed himself, a careful investigation is on course to meet the ends of justice and to prevent similar incidents from happening again and again,” de Lima said.

“Immediate action is needed to ensure the safety and security of personnel working in the front lines of the rule of law,” de Lima said.

Dr. Rafols and Pope were neighbors when the Canadian accused an officer of the condominium where he lived, of stealing their association’s funds. Pope later claimed he was harassed on orders of Dr. Rafols, while the doctor filed cases of grave threats and malicious mischief against the ex-journalist.

At one point in May 2011, Pope was arrested in the building where the Rafols couple has a clinic, for alleged illegal possession of a firearm.





Cebu City PNP: Witness saw Canadian shoot self after gunning down targets

By ELR, GMA News


Police are now persuading a court employee to come out and clear the air on how a retired Canadian journalist died after going on a shooting spree inside a courtroom in Cebu City last Tuesday.

Cebu City police described the witness as a court employee who saw Canadian John Pope shoot himself after shooting a lawyer, a doctor and a prosecutor, radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate Orchids Lapincao reported Friday.

Cebu City police chief Senior Superintendent Mariano Natuel described the witness as a court employee who hid in a storage room when Pope went on his shooting spree.

Pope went on the shooting spree in the courtroom, then ran to the lobby where he was shot. He later succumbed to his wounds.

Some reports indicated Pope shot himself, but others said responding police personnel neutralized him.

While police wanted to autopsy Pope's body, the gunman's remains remained in a private hospital morgue as of early Friday.

Meanwhile, the report said Pope's relatives are arriving Saturday afternoon from Canada, including his sister Susan Owen.





Cebu city drugstore owner selling Nubain arrested in buy-bust operation

By Chito O. Aragon


CEBU CITY, Philippines—Anti-narcotics agents arrested on Thursday an owner of a pharmacy for selling nine ampules of Nubain to an undercover policeman in a drug bust operation. Napoleon Ricamora, owner of Nars Pharmacy, tried to escape with his helper Calvin Klyne Cañete but they were finally collared at Cebu Business Park in a hot pursuit operation. Ricamora, 28, a registered nurse, was detained at the office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) to face charges. Levi Ortiz, PDEA-7 deputy regional director, said they conducted a test buy on Jan. 14 and purchased one ampule of Nubain—a prescription painkiller that is often abused by users—from Ricamora. An undercover narcotic agent later ordered 30 more ampules from Ricamora who agreed to deliver them on Thursday near a hospital on Llorente Street, Cebu City. Cañete was first to arrive about 2:40 p.m. Thursday and met with the PDEA agent. Ricamora then arrived on board his Toyota Fortuner. The PDEA agent handed in P5,000 but Ricamora was only able to bring nine of the 30 ampules that were ordered earlier. He, however, sensed a bust. He and Cañete then boarded a sports utility vehicle and sped off. PDEA agents chased the two and tried to shoot the SUV but missed. The PDEA then coordinated with the Mobile Patrol Group, which alerted other police units in the city. Ricamora was finally collared at the Cebu Business Park.





Labella: Running ordinance a boost for Cebu City races

By Cheska D. Geli


THE author of the country’s only running ordinance is satisfied with the turnout of the law , which took effect last year.

Cebu City Councilor Edgar Labella announced that the ordinance has been proven effective and only quality races have been organized since it was implemented.

“The streets were in order, races were well-organized and there were no fly-by-night organizers,” said Labella.

He added that these are among the positive responses he has been hearing from fellow runners.

The councilor, who is a member for the Cebu Executive Runners Club, came up with the ordinance to make fun runs more manageable.

The regulation called for a one race a day policy in Cebu City and also raised the permit fees for organizers depending on the race distance.

“If there is more than one running event on a single day, the police officers will have a difficult time manning the traffic to ensure the safety of runners,” said Labella.

He said that although the number of races had been reduced, that also meant better safety, sanitation and orderliness.

“It’s always a question of quality. The paramount importance should always be to promote health and safety of the participants,” he said.

He emphasized that with only one run on a given day, there will be enough traffic enforcers deployed that will supervise the race efficiently.

Labella expects the orderly conduct of races to continue this year and added he will also work on creating an additional provision that will include upland barangays in Cebu City since trail runs are gaining popularity.

Labella said trail runs could be a good avenue to promote the hidden beauty of Cebu such as caves, falls and springs.

Labella will also encourage the residents in these areas to join fun runs and also to convince organizers to include these scenic views as part of their route.

He said he will also suggest to CERC to include these areas in the next edition of the Cebu Marathon.





Cebu City project funding at P222.6 M

By Doris C. Bongcac

Cebu Daily News


Cebu City will only have P222.6 million in its Local Development Fund (LDF) to finance projects worth P5 million and less in 30 of the city’s 80 barangays. In yesterday’s press conference, Engr. Oscar Abordo of the City Planning and Development Office said P701 million worth of projects proposed by the other 50 barangays may still be implemented this year. The projects can be funded by supplemental appropriations, he said. “The barangays can also use the financial assistance (of at least P6 million that they are getting) from the city to fund their development projects,” Abordo added. A third option, he said, is to include the unfunded development projects in the 2014 Annual Investment Plan (AIP). The CPDO consolidated P923.6 million worth of development projects proposed by different barangays in the 2013 LDF. But these projects weren’t immediately approved by the City Development Council (CDC). The City Council opted to approve a lump sum appropriation of P222.6 million as LDF. The council tapped 20 percent of the city’s P1.2 billion Internal Revenue Share (IRA) for this purpose in order to expedite the approval of the city’s 2013 budget worth P5.2 billion. Councilor Margot Osmeña, the council’s budget committee chairperson, earlier said the council couldn’t include the P923.6 million worth of projects proposed under the 2013 AIP until it’s approved by the CDC chaired by Mayor Michael Rama. Abordo told reporters that as a procedure, barangays are required to submit three priority projects focused on environment, social, and economic developments for inclusion in the AIP of the succeeding year every June 27 of each year. Only upon CDC approval can the council also approve and incorporate in the annual budget the LDF identified to fund the AIP of the succeeding year. But Abordo said majority of the 80 barangays failed to meet the June 27 deadline while the other barangays lacked documentation for their projects. The CDC also failed to meet on time to pass the AIP. Passage of the AIP is scheduled before the October 16 deadline for the submission of the executive department’s budget request for the succeeding year. Abordo said the city’s 2013 AIP will be discussed in the Feb. 1 CDC meeting. Abordo said their venue, the city hall legislative building was used for meetings on last Nov. 30′s Thanksgiving Mass of San Pedro Calungsod. Among those whose projects will be financed were barangays Adlaon, Agsungot, Banilad, Bacayan, Basak San Nicolas, Binaliw, Budlaan, Busay, Capitol Site, Pahina Central, Pahina San Nicolas, Pit-os, Sudlon I and II, Tabunan and Talamban.






Canadian shoots dead 2 inside Cebu City court

By (philstar.com)


MANILA, Philippines - A Canadian national shot dead a pediatrician and a lawyer and injured a prosecutor inside a court at Cebu City's hall of justice on Tuesday morning.

Police identified the shooter as John Pope, 65, who is facing a case of malicious mischief before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6.

Initial reports said that while the hearing on the case was ongoing inside the MTCC Branch 6 on the fourth floor of the Marcelo Fernan Memorial Hall of Justice, Pope pulled out a firearm and shot the complainant, Dr. Rene Rafols, and his lawyer, Giovanni Achas.

Rafols and Achaf died on the spot.

After shooting the two victims, Pope reportedly proceeded to the MTCC Branch 1, also on the fourth floor of the hall of justice building, and shot Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Maria Teresa "Matet" Casiño.

The shooting happened at past 8 a.m.

The Freeman reported on Twitter that Pope was shot and wounded by a responding policeman, Police Officer 1 Oriel Hagupit. The shooter also shot himself in the head. He died while being treated for his gunshot wounds at the Cebu Doctor's Hospital.

The local newspaper also reported that Casiño was already conscious, but was still under observation at the Chong Hua Hospital. It said doctors have removed two slugs from her head.

Reports said that Pope is also facing other criminal charges and was battling a deportation case.

Hearings at the hall of justice have been temporarily suspended due to the shooting.

Investigators have yet to determine how Pope was able to bring the gun inside the court.

The shooting happened even as the Philippine National Police is implementing a nationwide gun ban because of the mid-term elections in May.

Early this year, a drug crazed man killed seven people during a shooting spree in Cavite province.




4M folks join Sinulog festival

By sunstar.com.ph


CEBU CITY -- Although the crowd made him wish for wider sidewalks, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama commended the organizers and volunteers for making the Sinulog parade “awesome, majestic and superb.”

The police estimated the crowds in both the church activities and parade at four million. The weather, sunny all throughout, defied forecasts of cloudy skies.

“This is the first time in the past 10 years, I think, that the Sinulog grand parade did not get rained on at all,” said Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) executive director Ricky Ballesterors, in an interview after the activity.

He agreed with the mayor’s assessment and said their only problem was the strong wind, which made it difficult for many dancing contingents to manage their props.





Another good year for Sinulog

By (Sunnex)


CEBU CITY (6:01 p.m.)-- Blessed with fine weather, the Queen City of the South on Sunday celebrated its 33rd Sinulog Festival in honor of the feast of Sr. Santo Niño.

The Festival started with a pontifical mass held at the Basilica del Santo Niño celebrated by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. In his homily, Palma said: "If we want to journey in faith, Sto. Nino sets an example of obedience. With freedom comes responsibility."

He also said that the coming May 2013 elections will bear good results if each will do their best. He also thanked the lawmakers who voted against the Reproductive Health Law.

Mayor Mike Rama formally opened the Sinulog 2013 Grand Parade at 9 a.m. Different contingents from various parts of the province, including those outside Cebu took part in the Festival.

Forty contingents, which include eight contingents outside Cebu, paraded the city streets before showing off their contest piece in the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

Thirty-two of the contingents have already competed in the event as of this posting.

Colorful and creative floats and mascots also took part in the parade. Artists from ABS-CBN, GMA Network, and ABC5 also graced the grandest festival in Cebu.

As of 11 a.m., the festival drew a crowd of around 1.4 million revelers in the streets of the city to take part in the Festival, the police said.

Generally, there were no major untoward incidents and setbacks in the celebration of the Sinulog. Earlier in the day, there were two reported fires, but were immediately put out without causing major damages.

The dance

Suspended Governor Gwen Garcia, as promised, went to the CCSC around 4 p.m. to attend the Sinulog. This is the first time the governor went out of the Capitol after locking herself inside her office more than a month.

Members of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) lead by Vice President Jejomar Binay were also in the city to support Garcia. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, also a member of UNA, was present in the festival but later flew back to Manila.

It was reported that Garcia will perform in the Sinulog as the lead dancer of the Liloan contingent. However, she entered the CCSC without costume.

As of this posting, it is not clear though if the suspended Governor will dance in the last minute.

The Festival will conclude with a fireworks display later this evening.





Another accident kills 2, hurts 15 in Toledo

By (JKV/FMG/Sun.Star Cebu)


CEBU - Two people were killed while at least 15 were hurt when a public utility jeepney (PUJ) crashed into a parked dump truck in Toledo City last night.

In the second fatal traffic accident this week, the unidentified truck driver was reportedly eating dinner when the accident occurred.

Superintendent Henry Biñas, Toledo City police chief, revealed that the accident in Barangay Juan Climaco Sr. (formerly Magdugo), Toledo City happened at 7 p.m.

Based on their initial investigation, the jeepney was heading for Barangay Don Andres Soriano when it suddenly hit the parked 10-wheeler truck.

Police were still questioning the jeepney driver as of press time. One of the women who died was identified as Mary Rose Bangkok, while the other remained unidentified Friday night.

Earlier this week, 11 people died and 50 others were injured in Sitio Gaway-gaway, Barangay Uling, Naga City when a trailer truck rammed a passenger bus.

Fifteen injured passengers were brought to the Toledo District Hospital, but were later transferred to the Vicente Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC).

The initial report that reached Toledo Vice Mayor Arlene Zambo was that 29 were injured. They were at first brought to the city’s hospital, before being transferred to Cebu City.

The Toledo City Government will extend financial and medical assistance to the victims.

In a text message, Vice Mayor Zambo said the local officials are coordinating with the staff of Representative Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, third district), who were at the VSMMC to attend to the survivors.





Sexagenarian drug pusher nabbed in Cebu City

By Dennis Carcamo


Authorities nabbed a suspected pusher in her sixties believed to be a local drug ring leader in Cebu City during a buy-bust operation, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said on Friday.

PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac Jr. said Pedita Abella, 61, of Magsaysay St., Brgy. Suba, Cebu City was nabbed in a sting operation last Jan. 16.

Cacdac said Abellana is the notorious leader of the Abellana Drug Group responsible for the proliferation of illegal drugs in Barangay Suba and nearby municipalities.

Reports said an undercover agent of the PDEA Regional Office 7 who posed as a buyer was able to transact with Abellana, who agreed to meet him along Barangay Suba, at around 1:30 p.m.

After handing over a sachet of methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu to the poseur-buyer, PDEA operatives pounced on her.

When frisked, she yielded two more sachets of shabu weighing more or less two grams contained inside a blue pouch.

"Even in their 60s, these women are bold enough to head a drug group,” Cacdac said, referring to Abellana and Violeta Vallecer, a 65-year-old leader of the Contreras Drug Group, who was arrested by PDEA agents last Dec. 13, 2012.





P119M enters Capitol’s coffers

By Oscar C. Pineda


CAPITOL yesterday received P119.7 million or 80 percent of its Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for January 2013.

The remaining 20 percent of Cebu Province’s IRA share will be released on Jan. 24, said Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale.

Cebu Province’s monthly IRA is P149,635,672.

Magpale said they deposited the check for P119,708,538 in the bank yesterday.

But even with the entry of fresh funds, Magpale said, casual employees of the Capitol, whose contracts were extended until the end of this month, will have to wait until the 2013 annual budget is approved next week for their salaries.

The Provincial Board session will tackle the 2013 budget proposal on Monday yet.

“Gi-una nato ang mga operating expenses and barangay sand and gravel share (We are using the funds for operating expenses and the barangay sand and gravel share first),” said Magpale.

Capitol gets a share of the revenues from barangay sand and gravel permits.

Magpale said even with the IRA share, Capitol still cannot pay all its payables.

She said earlier that Capitol’s payables reached more than P900 million.

She said Capitol will be paying the payables on a staggered basis, starting with the more immediate ones.

She said Capitol issued a check to pay for Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center patients’ care under its medical assistance program.




Mayor defers action on CCPO chief pick

By Davinci S. Maru and Jujemay G. Awit


CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama said he is satisfied with Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel’s performance, but he is still miffed that the PNP did not heed his choice of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director.

Natuel replaced Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe as CCPO chief but Rama wanted Senior Supt. Noli Romana.

He also pointed out that Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. has yet to answer his Dec. 21, 2012 letter, recommending Romana.

Romana, who was with the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group (CIDG) 12, was recently assigned to head the Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) as part of a reshuffling in the police organization.

Reshuffling

Romana was among the five high-ranking police officials in Central Visayas who were transferred on orders of Camp Crame on Jan. 12, a day before the beginning of the election period.

Others affected by the reshuffling were: Senior Supt. Louie Oppus, PRO 7 deputy director for operations, who was appointed executive officer of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO) in the Visayas; Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, PRO 7 directorial staff chief, replaced Oppus.

Noppo Director Edward Carranza replaced Ualat.

Senior Supt. Primitivo Tabujara was designated officer-in-charge of Siquijor Provincial Police Office.

Garbo said the reshuffling was ordered by the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame and he had no hand in it.

Options

Shortly before elections, the PNP transfers police officials who are related to candidates to ensure impartiality.

Rama, however, said he is keeping his legal options against the PNP’s failure to heed his choice for the CCPO chief.

Under Republic Act 8551 or the Act Establishing the PNP, the mayor has the authority to choose the chief of police from a list of five names submitted by the regional office.

Rama believes his authority has been bypassed.

He is happy with Natuel, though. “He is doing everything he can. There is no problem with Jun (Natuel), we even belong to the same charismatic group,” he said.

But he said the question of who will head the CCPO is not a priority and he would rather focus on the Sinulog.




Kaohsiung invites Cebu to summit

By Jujemay G. Awit


CEBU City is among hundreds of cities invited to the Asia Pacific Cities Summit 2013 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

The City of Kaohsiung sent a representative, Dr. Tim E. M. Wu, to Cebu City to hand the invitation for the summit to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama. Cebu and Kaohsiung are sister cities.

While the agenda yesterday included handing of the invitation and a luncheon, Wu and Rama also shared a song to the members of the media. It was a song that Wu penned impromptu.

“Kaohsiung is not a bus company, Kaohsiung is a beautiful City, just like Cebu City,” thus went part of Wu’s song.

The summit’s theme is “Reshaping Dynamics of the City” with topics such as financial austerity and environmental fragility.

Wu said the cities in the Asia Pacific region will be sharing values, legacies and branding.

Wu said there are three “emerging” countries from Asia—Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines dubbed as VIP.

“You should be using that as an advantage, as well as the land and people, especially since 60 percent of the Philippine’s population is young, unlike in China where 60 percent of the population is the old people,” Wu said.

Kaoshiung is also crafting a special program for Cebu’s youth through a possible partnership with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi).

The plan is a program for young and social entrepreneurs.

Another advantage that Wu found innate in Cebuanos is proficiency in the English language.

About 100 mayors from the cities in the Asia Pacific region and about a thousand participants will be attending the summit on Sept. 9-11 this year.

Kaohsiung will share in the summit its experience in transforming itself from an industrial harbor city to an ecological and liveable cosmopolitan city.





Palma asks politicians to pray for guidance

By Gregg M. Rubio/MIT


CEBU, Philippines - Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma announced yesterday that he welcomes politicians who wish to come during the Sinulog festivities in Cebu City.

Palma who visited suspended Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at the Capitol yesterday said he knows that many politicians are devotees of the Sr. Sto. Nino but they have to abide by the rules and policies governing the festivities.

With the midterm elections on May, organizers of the Sinulog 2013 Festival earlier warned politicians to behave during the Sinulog festivities.

Palma said that in terms of devotion, one may come and enjoy the feast of Sr. Sto. Niño.

He said that these politicians may come not to campaign but to praise the Sto. Niño so they will be guided.

“Most of all, we pray that their coming will really give glory to God and thank the Lord for the gift of the Sto. Nino,” Palma said.

Palma hopes that their coming be also a way of prayer that every desire to enter into politics should always be guided and always be inspired by the desire to serve the people in justice, truth and love.

Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros earlier said that the attendance of politicians in the festivities is understandable since it’s now election season. SFI came up with guidelines for politicians to strictly follow if they attend the celebration.

This includes the prohibition of distributing campaign materials during the activities. Putting up streamers with politicians’ faces printed on them are also banned.

Ballesteros said that they have to make sure to remind them of the do’s and don’ts.Violators will be dealt with accordingly.

He is appealing to them to follow the rules as model politicians.

The Sinulog Festival in Cebu is one of the biggest crowd-drawing events in the country. (FREEMAN)





9 illegal recruiters offering non-existent jobs in U.S. charged in Cebu

By InterAksyon.com


CEBU CITY -- Nine persons who offered non-existent jobs in the United States to eleven people will face trial in court after they were charged with criminal cases by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutor Aida Sanchez found enough evidence to indict Francisco Batongbakal Jr., Fernando Geronimo, Anna Lisa Samson, Cynthia Mateo, Ronualdo Geronimo, Van Liwanag, Alisha Batac, Jess Miniano and Daisy Ibarra with seven counts of estafa and illegal recruitment in large scale.

A total bail of P280,000 was set for the estafa cases, but the illegal recruitment in large scale is non-bailable.

Complainants Nerisa Casona, Donna Jopia, Leilani Marifil, Edelyn Rodriguez, Francis Dee Cagatin, Lolita Papas and Rosalyn Molequin said the accused took P321,970 from them.

Batongbakal, Samson, Mateo and Francisco and Ronualdo Geronimo will also face trial for four counts of estafa and another count of illegal recruitment in large scale filed by another set of complainants.

The bail for the estafa cases are set at P160,000.

Queenie Ursal, Honey Grace Lanuza, Shirley Mendoza and Nikosia Labores alleged that the accused took P145,000 from them.

National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 agents arrested Geronimo Samson and Liwanag last year based on an arrest warrant issued by Judge Simeon Dumdum Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 in Cebu City.

The accused are the operators of Global Alliance Consultancy and Immigration Specialist Inc./United Alliance Consultancy.

Batongbakal, the alleged syndicate leader, is also facing six illegal recruitment cases in two Quezon City courts, according to the NBI 7.

Last Aug. 3, NBI 7 Agent Arnel Pura’s team caught Samson and Romualdo inside a mall in Manila, after both accused have left the premises of the Department of Justice where they attended a hearing on another case of illegal recruitment.

Fourteen days later, the team caught Batongbakal and Liwanag in Manila.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration revealed that Batongbakal and company are not licensed to recruit any person to work abroad.




SM signs deal with Waltermart

By (PNA)

HBC/EB/BH

CEBU CITY, Jan. 12 (PNA) -- The recent joint venture of the SM Investments Corp. and Waltermart Group signifies the Sy family’s vibrant retail industry, a top official said. SM Prime Holding Inc. vice president Marissa Fernan said the collaboration of the two big retail firms showed the confidence and optimism of the Sy family in the growing retail industry. Although, there were no talks of possible investments for Cebu yet, Fernan said the recent developments only meant that the company is serious in expanding and strengthening its retail base in the country. This also presents new opportunities in the industry, given the “aggressive” expansion of he SM Group, particularly in provincial areas. SMIC told the Philippine Stock Exchange in a disclosure Monday it entered into a agreement with Waltermart through subsidiaries SM Retail Inc. and SM Prime Holding Inc. Waltermart, owned by the Lim family, is a shopping mall and supermarket chain. It has 17 malls in Metro Manila, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija. Fernan said they remain confident despite the proliferation of new retail players and have been constantly look9ing for ways to upgrade the products and services offered to give customers a “total shopping experience.”





8 Cebu City policemen caught on video accepting money, relieved

By CORRESPONDENT CHITO O. ARAGON


EIGHT policemen were relieved from their posts after they were caught on video collecting money from a local carnival in barangay Busay, Cebu City. The video, recorded by a civilian using a cellphone camera, was shown to Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, acting chief of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO). Natu-el refused to reveal the names of the policemen pending investigation against them. The eight policemen were transferred from the Mobile Patrol Group to the CCPO. In the video, the policemen were on board a patrol car when they allegedly accepted money from an carnival operator Tuesday night. Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, said he will banish the eight policemen to Siquijor province. Garbo said transferring the eight policemen to Siquijor “would make their lives miserable.” “It doesn’t mean that Siquijor is not a good place but what I mean is the accessibility,” Garbo said. If proven guilty, the policemen could face suspension, demotion or dismissal from service. Chief Insp. David Señor, chief of the MPG, said the eight policemen were directed to submit their explanation to the Investigation and Detection Management Branch for a pre-charge investigation. Señor also encouraged the man who took the video to testify to strengthen the case against the policemen.





Cebu City Council overrides Mayor Rama’s veto on 17 items in P5.2B budget

By Jujemay G. Awit


JUST a day after Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama announced that he vetoed 17 items under the P5.2 billion budget, the Cebu City Council overrode it yesterday during its regular session.

One by one, the 14 councilors, all members of Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan (BOPK), voted against the veto.

Rama’s allies—Councilors Edgardo Labella, Eduardo Rama Jr. and Ronald Cuenco—were not present, while Councilor Jose Daluz III arrived after the regular session.

When Daluz was informed that the session was over, he said it was unfortunate because he would have had several objections to the overriding of the veto.

In an interview with reporters, Councilor Margarita Osmeña, the chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, explained that most of the items that were defunded were travelling and training expenses and office supplies.

Osmeña said that based on the collection of the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) in 2012, it failed to reach the target of P5.2 billion, so for this year, the City Government has to prioritize expenses.

Most defunded offices or regulatory boards do not need to travel while the Human Resources and Development Office (HRDO) has the fund for training expenses. Office supplies will be taken care of by the General Services Office (GSO).

Rama said the same type of budget was prepared during the time of Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district).

“Does it mean they have become more intelligent because this is a repeated process?” said Rama.

Deleted

The Council deleted the P11-million proposal for motor vehicle outlay for the police.

Osmeña said if there is enough money this year, it can pass a supplemental budget for the vehicles.

For the Squatters Prevention, Elimination, Encroachment Division or Speed (renamed Probe), its proposal of P3.2 million was defunded because it failed to appear in the budget hearing to defend the budget.

The P500,000 appropriation for the Task Force for the Protection and Welfare of Persons with Cancer was not approved by the Council because the appropriation for 2012 was left unused.

There is no sense vetoing the P1.6- million proposed budget for sanitation allowance prepared by the Department of Public Services because the Department of Budget Management (DBM) disapproved the appropriation for last year.

Appropriation

As to the P500,000 proposal for closure and rehabilitation of the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill, Osmeña said there is still a capital outlay appropriation of P1.2 million for the same item last year, which can still be used this year.

“That’s better than nothing, but it should be emphasized that they are not after the welfare of the people, but they are after my neck,” said Rama.

When asked for his next move, Rama said, “Abangan (Wait and see).”

He earlier hinted of having City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete look into the legal impediments of the approved budget by the Council, but yesterday, he said he has so many things to look into, such as the upcoming Sinulog festivities.

But Rama said he will continue to perform the duties of the mayor as he was able to beautify Osmeña Blvd. or create the Senior Citizen’s Park without the help of the Council.

As for his Public Information Office (PIO), which was not given a budget for the printing of Barugg, the official newsletter of the Cebu City Government, Rama compared it to an attack to press freedom because “PIO is media.”

Rama will find a way to continue Barugg, banking on people who he believes will help him.





Cebu City mayor approves P5.2-B budget for 2013

By (PNA)

LAP/EB/RE


CEBU CITY, Jan. 9 (PNA) -- Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has approved the P5.2-billion budget this year but with line veto.

Rama vetoed 17 items which were either reduced or with zero appropriation by the Cebu City Council, claiming that preparing the city’s budget is an executive function.

”The provisions are considered beyond the powers of the Sanggunian, and most especially prejudicial to the public welfare,” Rama’s veto letter read.

Offices with zero budget for this year would have been paralyzed with a zero budget.

Rama also vetoed a provision under the ordinance that read, “The amount of P600 million for the Cebu City Senior Citizen’s Program shall be used solely as direct financial assistance to qualified senior citizens, to be released in June and December 2013.”

Rama’s ally Councilor Jose Daluz III questioned why it should be given in June and December when in previous years it was given February and December.

Councilor Margarita Osmena, the chairperson of the committee on budget and finance, said then that the financial aid should be given every six months because the gap between February and December is too long.

”The reduction or putting zero budgets on regulatory bodies which by ordinance were mandated to have their budgetary requirements is an ultra vires act, that is tantamount to failure to comply the provision of the ordinances,” the veto also read.

Rama has ordered City Administrator Jose Mari Poblete to study what they can do about the budget, like checking if the council has not overstepped its legal authority when it reduced several budgetary items.

Despite his questions on the budget, Rama said he approved it because he does not want to give the council a reason to blame him for delaying the budget.





Toddler killed in Cebu fire

By Jhunnex Napallacan


CEBU CITY, Philippines–A three-year-old boy was killed in a fire that engulfed his grandfather’s house late Monday evening in Barangay Bulacao, Talisay City, Cebu. Fire Officer 2 Cesar de la Serna, investigator of the Talisay City Fire Department, identified the fatality as Mark Lester Tisoy, whose burnt remains were found following the 15-minute fire. De la Serna said his twin brother, Mark Anthony, was rescued by a family member before the house was engulfed by the fire. The family of the twins lived at the house of their grandfather, Eliseo Tisoy, with two other families. In an interview, De la Serna said the twins were reportedly playing matches in the room of an aunt, where flammable materials like thinner and paints were stored. The parents of the twins and the other family members were busy finishing the rush orders for icons of the Baby Jesus since the Sto. Niño fiesta is drawing near. At around 11 p.m., the Tisoy couple noticed the fire that broke out in the room of the twins’ aunt. De la Serna said the family members panicked and only Mark Anthony was whisked out of the house. It was too late when the family members realized that Mark Lester was still inside the room where the fire started, he added. The father, Antonio, wanted to return to the house to save his son but the fire had already spread. De la Serna said the fire trucks could not enter the compound so the firemen had to link at least five hoses together in order to put out the fire. Five houses were destroyed owned by the twins’ grandfather Eliseo, Ligaya Ababon, Galo Cabriana, Celso Cabellon and Juleson Daan. The damage to the houses, which were made of light materials, was pegged at P175,000.




Swat units sent to reinforce Cebu city, province jails

By Carmel Loise Matus and Joy Cherry S. Quito, Correspondents with a report from Tweeny Malinao


Police yesterday scrambled to secure the Cebu provincial jail and the adjacent city jail after rumors spread that a riot or a jail break would occur apparently to embarrass acting Cebu Gov. Agnes Magpale who was scheduled to visit the penal facility. About 10 members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) unit of the Cebu City Police Office arrived at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center (BBRC) in barangay Kalunasan at past noon as a precaution. Moments later, a platoon from the Special Reaction Unit of the Cebu provincial police arrived at the adjacent Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC). The sudden police deployment came after Byron Garcia, younger brother of suspended governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who used to oversee the CPDRC, told reporters a jail break would take place. “You might forget, I am the father of the inmates here in Cebu and their sympathies are with me,” he said at the Capitol where he showed up for the first time in over two years since he had falling out with his sister. “The inmates of CPDRC are angry over what happened. I’ll invite (Central Visayas police chief Marcelo) Garbo and dare him to address a jailbreak at the CPDRC,” Byron added. Jail and police officials downplayed Byron’s threat, but said they placed the penal facilities on red alert after a commotion broke out at the yesterday morning at the BBRC where an inmate was stabbed by a fellow inmate. Supt. Johnson Calub, city jail warden, said Alinor Andingan, who was detained for drug abuse, was rushed to Cebu Doctor’s Hospital after he was stabbed by Ariel Degamo at around 12:30 a.m. Andingan survived 10 stab wounds in the body and is in stable condition, said Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel, acting chief of police of Cebu City. Jail officials managed to pacify the inmates after they called cell leaders to a meeting. Degamo, who was a cell leader, was removed from his post. “The situation is already normal,” Calub said. Asked if the Swat team deployment had anything to do with Byron’s statement earlier in the day, Calub said: “No.” The warden said the former Capitol consultant’s statement could be his way of diverting the attention of the police tasked to secure the Capitol compound. Acting Governor Magpale arrived at the CPDRC past 2 p.m. She did not get down from the car and left after five minutes. In a phone interview, Magpale told Cebu Daily News that she was scheduled to visit the jail facility for its Christmas party for inmates and their families yesterday. “It’s a family day,” she explained. Magpale said she greeted inmates a ‘Happy New Year’ since she never got the chance to visit them earlier because of her busy schedule. The acting governor said she was aware of Byron’s pronouncement. “There’s nothing to be alarmed about that,” she said. Broken silence Byron broke his silence on the suspension of his sister as he fired one salvo after another against Gwen’s critics when he faced reporters. He challenged Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo to a fistfight and criticized the police official for “picking on a woman.” Byron showed up at the Capitol past 11 a.m. yesterday and went straight to the Governor’s Office where Gwen has been holed up for 19 days. Byron’s appearance at the Capitol was the first since the siblings had a falling out in 2010, when she cut him off from the CPDRC and didn’t renew his contract as Capitol consultant on security matters. The rift stemmed from unaccounted donations and revenue from commmercial endorsements of “dancing inmates” of CPDRC, whom Byron made world famous by posting their Michael Jackson choreography of “Thriller” on YouTube in 2007. No audit results were publicly disclosed and Byron was never charged. “I am here because I am giving pointers to my sister,” he told reporters yesterday. Byron waved off his previous falling out with his elder sibling. “Wala mi misunderstanding sa akong igsoon. Basin kamo ra wala makasabot (I don’t have any misunderstanding with my sister. You probably misunderstood things), It must have been the media that misunderstood our actions,” he said. Asked what took him so long to come to his sister’s side, he said was commissioned to write a book by a London firm and this was the reason he was delayed. Byron first hit radio commentator and columnist Leo Lastimosa saying it was not his style to spirit away his sister to spare her from trouble. “Dili ko ingon ana ka-binayot molihok. Mosukol baya gyud ko (I don’t act that way. I go down and fight),” he told reporters. Byron next lashed out at Chief Supt. Garbo for throwing a tight security ring around the Capitol and saying the police was ready to remove the suspended governor from the Capitol should they be ordered to do so. “Kini si Garbo, pagka-garboso na lang gyud ning tawhana. Why does he want to pick a fight with my sister? Babaye man ni. Unsa man ang ikasukol ani? Iyang kuko? (Garbo is such a braggart. Why does he want to pick a fight with my sister? She’s a woman, how can she fight back – with her fingernails?)” he said. “Gusto siya ug second star? Paadtoa siya sa Mindanao. Pagubata siya didto. Dad-a iyang mga Swat didto. Dili diri intawon kay ang naa diri babaye (If he wants to earn his second star, let him go to Mindanao. Let him bring along his Swat and fight the rebels there and not here where they’re facing a woman).” Byron also challenged Garbo to a fistfight as he questioned the presence of the Swat team at the Capitol. “Kuhai kuno ko ug armas Garbo. Magsinumbagay na lang kaya ta? Tan-awon ta ug isog ba ka? Ayaw pagbinayot (Disarm him and we’ll just engage in a fistfight and let’s see if he’s really tough. Don’t act like a sissy),” he said. “Mano y mano … Mr. Garbo duna pay Byron Garcia nga dili mahadlok nimo (Fist for fist … Mr. Garbo, there’s a Byron Garcia who is not afraid of you),” he added. Sought for comment, the Central Visayas police director replied: “Pag-aaralan pa natin yan (We’ll study that).” Byron was Governor Garcia’s consultant on security matters during her first term in 2004. After he was cut off from the CPDRC in 2010, brother and sister campaigned for different presidential candidates in Cebu. The governor supported administration candidate Gilbert Teodoro while Byron backed Nacionalista Party candidate Manny Villar.




Bonuses for Cebu Capitol employees ‘out soon’

By (OCP/PDF of Sun.Star Cebu)


CEBU CITY -- Employees’ holiday bonuses and the payments for some Capitol suppliers will be released starting Monday, on orders of Acting Cebu Governor Agnes Magpale.

About P65.35 million worth of checks will be ready for pick-up at the cashier’s office, but not all suppliers and contractors can be paid just yet.

“Some will be paid on installment,” said Provincial Board (PB) Member Miguel Magpale, the acting governor’s son, who made the announcement.

Soon after she assumed office last December 19, Magpale was authorized by the PB to sign checks and other documents for Capitol transactions.

However, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has cautioned the acting governor against suggesting that the Capitol is running out of funds, because it is incorrect and taints the province’s image.

The Magpale camp has said that the Capitol has less than P100 million in its general fund and payables of over P300 million.

Governor Garcia has previously explained that the general fund was used to pay for expenses that could have been charged to the trust fund, because it takes much longer to use the trust fund.

Garcia also instructed last month that the money from the trust fund be reverted to the general fund. But then the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) left a copy of her suspension order for six months on her office door.

The Court of Appeals will hear on January 10 the governor’s petition to restrain the suspension order from Malacañang.

Salaries

PB Member Magpale said Saturday the disbursement of salaries via ATM already started the other day, January 4, and some drew their salaries on Saturday.

He added that by Monday, the Capitol employees’ P30,000 bonus will be ready for disbursement via ATM.

Acting Governor Magpale issued two memos to Provincial Treasurer Roy Salubre.

One authorizes the release of checks as financial assistance to the barangays and payments to small-scale suppliers. These checks add up to P15.68 million.

Of that, P11.06 million comprises financial assistance to 200 town or barangay beneficiaries. Also be released are P4.61 million worth of checks to pay suppliers.

The other memorandum circular orders the release of checks to contractors for P49.66 million worth of infrastructure projects.

PB Member Magpale explained that some of these financial assistance and payments had allocations from July to November last year, and the checks were just waiting to be distributed.

Trust funds

Also on Saturday, an official from another local government unit opined that local government units (LGU) are not allowed to revert or transfer the money placed in a trust fund to the general fund.

Money placed in trust funds are supposed to be used only for what it was intended, said Cebu City Acting City Treasurer Emma Villarete.

Otherwise, transactions will violate Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and commit technical malversation of funds.

Under Section 309 of that law, “Trust funds shall only be used for the specific purpose for which it was created or for which it came into the possession of the LGU.”

Also, Section 305 of the law provides that “Trust funds in the local treasury shall not be paid out except in the fulfillment of the purpose to which the trust fund was created.”

Trust funds consist of private or public money, which has officially been given to the LGU, with the LGU acting as trustee of the fund in the fulfillment of some obligations.

Trust funds include the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of members of Congress, as well as money from the National Government that is intended for specific programs and projects.

Goes back

Villarete, on Sun.Star Cebu’s request, explained that the processing of the funds under the trust fund is the same as the process for using the general fund.

But in the event that the trust fund has an unexpended balance, Villarete said it should be returned to the national treasury or to the senators or congressmen, who gave part of their PDAF.

“It cannot be reverted to the general fund,” she said.

Villarete cited as an example when the City Government was not able to use the P1.9-million financial assistance given by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV in October last year for the purchase an ambulance for the Cebu City Medical Center.

The fund, she said, was not reverted to the City’s general fund but was instead returned to Trillanes.

CCMC had failed to comply with all the documentary requirements to buy an ambulance.

The money was given back to Trillanes as the allocation expired in December 2012. The senator’s office will, instead, purchase the ambulance for the City hospital.




3 councilors can stay, says Comelec lawyer

By Princess Dawn H. Felicitas


CEBU City Councilors Rodrigo Abellanosa, Raul Alcoseba and Augustus Pe Jr. need not resign from their posts even if they are running for another office, an official from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Alcoseba, who has transferred his registration from Cebu City to Carcar City, will be running for a seat in the Provincial Board in May 2013.

Pe will be running for councilor in the south district of Cebu City, despite having served three terms as north district councilor. Abellanosa is seeking a House of Representatives seat in the south district.

Cebu City south district election officer Atty. Edwin Cadungog believes these three members of the city’s legislative body don’t have to resign as city councilors.

In an interview with Sun.Star Cebu yesterday, Cadungog said they are not yet considered candidates even if they have filed their certificates of candidacy (COC).

Cadungog invoked Republic Act (RA) 9369 or the Automated Election Law, which provides that “any person who files his COC shall only be considered as a candidate at the start of the campaign period.”

A Supreme Court decision in the Perena vs. Comelec case, handed down in November 2009, also provides that a person who files his COC is not a candidate until the start of the campaign period.

The campaign period this year is from March 29 to May 11 for those running for the House of Representatives and positions in the regional, provincial, city and municipal levels.

“Tungod ana, di sila kinahanglan mo-resign pa (They don’t need to resign yet),” Cadungog said.

It will be another matter, though, once the campaign period starts, he said.

Alcoseba and Pe said they are ready to resign from their posts if Comelec says so.

Both pointed out there is no jurisprudence that requires them to step down, at least for now.

Team Rama has asked the Department of Interior and Local Government to clarify whether these three councilors should continue sitting as members of the legislative body.

Alcoseba, Pe and Abellanosa are all running with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan headed by Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district), who is facing Mayor Michael Rama in the city’s mayoral elections.





Cebu Capitol standoff affects bonus of firm’s workers

By (PNA)

HBC/EB/RE


CEBU CITY, Jan. 4 (PNA) -- The standoff between suspended Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia, who has refused to step down from her post, and Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale has deprived 417 employees of a human resource services provider of their 13th month pay.

Cesar de Guzman, area coordinator of LBPSC-BSPI Joint Venture Corp., expressed hope that Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale would soon release the payment due to the firm.

”Our outsourced workers failed to receive their 13th month pay as mandated by law because the collection for the remaining balance worth millions of pesos was frozen when Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale took over last Dec. 19,” he said.

De Guzman said Magpale ordered last Wednesday the transmittal of the documents related to LBPSC-BSPI’s notice of collection for review and possible payment.

Aside from the payment to the personnel contractor, Cebu Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy said more expenses are uncovered at the Capitol by the administration of Magpale.

These expenses, Sitoy said, include P9 million for the printing of the bi-monthly Capitol newsletter Sugbu News, from January to June 2012; P4 million being collected by FEP Printing for the paper to be used in the July to December issues of the newsletter; P2 million for a catering company; P67 million for purchase of P24 airconditioned tourist buses; P18 million for seven additional buses; and P57 million for the Capitol’s bulkwater supply joint venture project.

Magpale also said Capitol’s expenses included a total P33 million to the LBP, the janitorial service provider Perfect Clean General Services, and Tactical Security and Detective Agency Inc.

LBPSC-BSPI is funded by retired personnel of the Landbank of the Philippines and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

De Guzman said the firm has a contract with the Cebu Provincial Government for 451 personnel but they only deployed 417 for 2012.

He said they paid the salaries of their personnel from January to December 2012 even though Capitol made payments only for January to July, with a balance of millions of pesos.

He added that LBPSC-BSPI also failed to collect overtime pay for its personnel.

Magpale is looking into expenses incurred during Garcia’s term.

She said Sugbutel is set to collect P37,250 for the food and accommodation of barangay health workers last Dec. 18 and 19.

The BHWs were in Cebu City a day before the Malacanang order suspending Garcia for six months was posted by the Dept. of Interior and Local Government on Dec. 19.

About a thousand BHWs participated in a prayer vigil on Dec. 18 in support of Garcia.

Sitoy said that aside from the expenses incurred in relation to the newsletter, the Capitol reportedly pays USD14,000 for the satellite and P100,000 a month for Sugbu TV.

Sugbo TV was shut down by Magpale but her son, PB Member Miguel Antonio said the satellite dish for the Capitol TV station was not broken contrary to reports.

Acting Cebu City police chief to focus on anti-illegal gambling fight

By Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao

THE fight against illegal gambling will be intensified under the leadership of the new officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO). Senior Supt. Mariano Natuel said yesterday he will focus on the order of Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo, chief of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, to eradicate illegal gambling Natuel said he will implement a one-strike policy where one “mistake” will lead to the relief of a police officer. His other big challenge is to ensure peace and order in the days leading to the Sinulog celebration on Jan. 20. The turnover ceremony at CCPO was held on Jan. 1. Natuel replaced Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, who was transferred to Camp Crame after completing a tour of duty as CCPO chief that exceeded two years. Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has endorsed Senior Supt. Noli Romana as Buenafe’s successor. The endorsement has been forwarded to the Camp Crame. Natuel, a native of Bacolod City, said he was familiar with Cebu City where he has lived for at least 20 years. He said he had no plans to reshuffle staff. Natuel said he will adopt energy conservation at the police headquarters after noticing that the CCPO has been spending a lot for energy consumption in previous years. “I have to lead by example,” said Natuel. For a start, as soon as he assumed his post, Natuel turned off the air-conditioniner in his office./





Cebu City awards most child-friendly barangays

By (PNA)

LDV/EB/GB

CEBU CITY, Jan. 2 (PNA) -- Barangay Kinasang-an emerged number one among Cebu City’s 80 barangays in this year’s search for the top 10 most child-friendly barangays in the city.

Now on its fourth year, the contest’s other top 10 winners are Barangays Sudlon II, Tiango, Sambag II, Pulangbato, Cogon Ramos, Binaliw, Budlaan, Apas and Kasambagan.

Each barangay received a plaque of recognition and P35,000 worth of projects for the children.

Barangays Suba, Adlaon, Bacayan, Bonbon, Bulacao, Ermita, Guba, Pamutan, San Jose and Sta. Cruz also each got P15,000 worth of project for the children for winning the 10 to 20 slots.

Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Cebu City Director Patricio Gabuya said award was aimed at raising awareness and continuing the services and activities for children at the barangay level in providing the four major rights of the child-survival, developmental growth, protection and participation.

”We hope that you will continue to cooperate in taking good care of our children as they are the hope of our nation,” said Suzane Ardosa, executive director of the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children.

Kinasang-an Barangay Captain Susan Enriquez said she tapped everyone’s cooperation in the barangay through proper documentation, an active Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC), and updated reading and day care centers.

”We exceed what is required by law. That is why, since the start of the search for most child-friendly barangay in 2008, we are always in the top 10,” Enriquez said.

Tension grips Cebu City capitol

By tempo.com.ph


CEBU CITY, Philippines – Tension brewed again at the capitol yesterday as supporters and staff of suspended Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia were preparing huge tables and plywoods that they will use to block the main door and windows after receiving reports that police were set to forcibly take the governor out of her office.

Personnel of the Cebu City Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) were also seen at the capitol compound as early as 3 a.m. yesterday, triggering the tension at the camp of Garcia, who earlier received information that Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Marcelo Garbo has issued a statement saying the police will forcibly remove Garcia yesterday. Garcia told reporters she was shocked that Garbo would issue an ultimatum to the police to remove her from her office, where she is holed up since the suspension order was served on December 19. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.) Related Posts: Police ready to take Gwen Mayors’ ‘Freedom March’ for Gwen Over my dead body – Gwen Gwen hits deployment of cops Cebu TV station shut down Incoming search terms: tention cebu city capitol (3) cebu capitol updates (2) Cebu capitol news (1) cebu city governor (1) news in cebu capitol (1) news on cebu city (1) news update of suspended governor gwen garcia (1) Tension (1)

Retrieved from "http://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Cebu_City_News_January_2013&oldid=614937"