Cebu local news (daily update)

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Mga colorum nga sakyanan likayan

NAGPASIDAAN ang Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sa mga biyahero ug bakasyonista nga maglikay sa mga “fly-by-night” o colorum nga mga inter-island vessel o motor banca sa ilang pagpamauli o pagbakasyon sa tagsa-tagsa ka destinasyon sa sunod semana panahon sa Adlaw sa mga Santos ug mga Minatay.

Si Cebu Coast Guard Station Commander Capt. Rolando Punzalan nipahimangno sa publiko labi na sa langyaw ug lokal nga mga turista nga mamakasyon sa long weekend sa mga probinsya ug beach resort sa kapeligro pagsakay sa colorum nga mga sakyanan sa kadagatan labi na kon daghan ang mga pasahero.

Subay kini sa kamanduan nga giluwatan ni Rear Admiral Luis Tuason Jr., vice-commandant for operations sa PCG alang sa mas luwas nga biyahe sa mga pasahero nga maoy gitinguha sa Oplan Ligtas Undas 2012 sa Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

Si Punzalan nagkanayon gawas nga way permit o expired ang permit gikan sa Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), ang mga fly-by-night nga vessels o motor banca way insurance alang sa ilang mga pasahero sa higayon nga makasugat og aksidente sa kadagatan.

Ang maong mga klase sa sakyanan sa kadagatan wa usay mga life raft o life vest, kon aduna man gani, kini depektuso.

“We would like to advise the public not to patronize colorum vessels and motor bancas which do not have appropriate Marina documents...they don’t have insurance for their passengers.” matod sa maong opisyal dihang nahinabi sa Sun.Star Superbalita.

Sa buwag nga pamahayag ni Tuason, siya niingon ang illegal nga aktibidad sa pipila ka oportunista nga mga operator angay nga sumpuon kay magbutang lang kini sa karisgo sa kinabuhi sa ilang mga pasahero.

Base sa obserbasyon ni Punzalan, anam-anam na nga ningdagsa ang mga pasahero sa mga pantalan sa Sugbo paingon sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka destinasyon labi na ang mga estudyante sanglit semestral break na.

Gipatik sa mantalaang SuperBalita Cebu Oktubre 28, 2012.

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7 killed as Jegans bus slams fence in ‘accident prone’ road in Toledo

A bus slammed a concrete fence in Toledo city last night killing at least seven passengers and wounding more than 20 others.

The Jegans bus was on its way to Toledo and turning a curve when it hit the fence near a chapel and the Don Andres Soriano High School before falling on its side.

A radio dySS report said witnesses described the 60-person capacity bus as overloaded with passengers standing in the corridor.

Heavy commuter traffic is expected to build up as families head to hometowns in the province for the long weekend and cemetery visits for All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day.

Pinamungahan Mayor Geraldine Yapha, whose family owns the Jegans bus line, said she would go to the hospital immediately to check on passengers and offer help.

The accident took place on Don Andres Soriano Street near the same spot where a Corominas-owned VJ & A bus sped downhill and slammed a concrete fence, killing 15 passengers and wounding 65 others in July 4, 2010.

Donna Faye Loayon, who lives 30 meters from the site, said the area which has a blind curve was “accident prone”.

“Many road accidents have happened there – motorcycle crashes, trucks that overshoot the road. Many people have died,” she said.

Especially now with the days leading to All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day, she said local residents have come to see the area as more dangerous than usual.

“Hilan gyud daw na,” she said.

In the 2010 Toledo city road accident, the entire bus fleet of VJ & A owned by the Corominas family was grounded for a month pending inspection for roadworthiness by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

All bus drivers were made to undergo a seminar and take drug tests. The bus in the mishap was also found to be overloaded.

A concrete perimeter fence was later built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

In last night’s accident, radio reports said the remains of three women and one man were brought to the Carmen Copper Hospital. Their names were not immediately avaiable. Three other bodies were brought to the Toledo City District Hospital.

At least 21 injured passengers were brought to the Carmen Copper Hospital for first aid treatment before they were transferred to hospitals in Cebu City.

Among them were Jose Canencia, Glenda Canencia, Giovanni Libres, Joel Piolo, Nimfa Barabat, Dante Lucing, Simfroso Canada, Nilmida Allando, Jordan Enriquez, Andrian Gomez, Artemio Pason, Alejandra Pason, John RJ Pason, Justin Pason Danilo Sipada, Joan Rocacorba, Ryan Sorita, Rudy Mapa, Crispin Nilyama, Rodrigo Barabat and Luciano Alcos.

Rescue worekrs from Naga and Toledo cities, as well as Atlas Mining and Development Corp. helped transport victims to the hospital./With Chief of Reporters Doris Bongcac By Carmel Loise Matus
Cebu Daily News

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Loans for gambling behind Korean manager’s kidnapping

Money loans for gambling and unpaid debts were behind the conflict between two Koreans involved in a kidnapping scheme in Cebu City that broke open Thursday.

The alleged mastermind and victim were former friends who frequented the Pagcor casino, according to the victim’s driver.

Police prepared kidnap-for-ransom charges againt 33-year-old Song Sunghen and his three local bodyguards but since the prosecutor’s office was closed for the holiday, the case will be filed on Monday.

Jun Hyung Chung, the Korean who was rescued by police on Thursday was described as a middle man of Korean casino players who need capital for placing bets, acording to Chung’s local driver of two years.

He said Sunghen was a frequent gambler while Chung was manager of the company engaged in money lending to Korean bettors.

The driver, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said both Koreans were friends and that Sunghen had lost millions in the casino using money borrowed from Chung.

Police arrested the suspects who were withdrawing part of a P600,000 ransom demand from a Citibank ATM account of Chung, who was handcuffed in a car with his girlfriend.

Chung’s girlfirend Charice Santiago denied an earlier police report that Chung owed P4 milliion to Sunghen. She told reporters that it was Sunghen who owed money to Chung.

Police earlier said Sunghen had ordered the kidnapping of the other Korean businessman and his live-in partner because he was trying to collect an unpaid P4 million debt.

The three arrested cohorts pointed to their Korean boss as the mastermind.

Sunghen was arrested on Thursday night by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and Ctiy Intelligence Branch (CIB) in the Mactan airport when he arrived from Korea.

A day earlier, Chung and his girlfriend were taken from their apartment in Lahug and made to ride a car for several hours through southern Cebu towns by three men acting on order of Sunghen.

Two of the three alleged abductors, cousins Richard and Gregorio Dealagdon, were identified as former bodyguards of retired Major Rico Palcuto.

Chung’s driver said he earlier noticed Richard in recent evenings roaming outside Chung’s residence as if he was conducting surveillance in recent days.

The driver said he remembered seeing the three Filipino suspects before at the casino because they previously worked with Palcuto who would lend money to casino players.

The three men were later fired the police offical and went to work as Sunghen’s bodyguards.

“Pirme man na sila sa casino kay body man na sila sa retired police official”, said Chung’s driver.

Chief Inspector Romeo Santander would not comment on the information from Chung’s driver and girlfriend. The chief of the City Intelligence Branch said only PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome or his spokesman could do so.

Sunghen is being held in the detention cell of the Tourist Police near Cebu City Hall.

His alleged cohorts Gregorio and Richard Dealagdon, and Leonard Bolalon were detained in the Cebu City Police Office stockade.

A fourth suspect, Wilfrefo Naval, reportedly an ex-military soldier remains at large. He was supposed to fetch Sunghen at the airport Thursday dawn but slipped away when he noticed the presence of the police.

An amount of P600,000 was demanded for Chung’s release.

Relatives in Korea were called to deposit money in Chung’s bank account for the payoff.

The three cohorts picked up the couple in their apartment before noon of Wednesday after pretending to be agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7).

The victims were made to ride a Toyota Vios sedan with the men. They were brought to barangay Busay, Balamban, Toledo City, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan, Carcar and back to Cebu City.

When they returned to the city in the evening, the suspects were withdrawing P200,000 from a Citibank ATM dollar account of Chung. The couple remained handcuffed in the car.

Police traced the victims after Chung’s relatives asked the help of other Koreans in Cebu who turned to the police. Chung’s abductors earlier let him use his cellular phone to call relatives in Korea to deposit money for his release.

The alleged mastermind and victim were former friends who frequented the Pagcor casino, according to the victim’s driver.

Police prepared kidnap-for-ransom charges againt 33-year-old Song Sunghen and his three local bodyguards but since the prosecutor’s office was closed for the holiday, the case will be filed on Monday.

Jun Hyung Chung, the Korean who was rescued by police on Thursday was described as a middle man of Korean casino players who need capital for placing bets, acording to Chung’s local driver of two years.

He said Sunghen was a frequent gambler while Chung was manager of the company engaged in money lending to Korean bettors.

The driver, who asked not to be named for security reasons, said both Koreans were friends and that Sunghen had lost millions in the casino using money borrowed from Chung.

Police arrested the suspects who were withdrawing part of a P600,000 ransom demand from a Citibank ATM account of Chung, who was handcuffed in a car with his girlfriend.

Chung’s girlfirend Charice Santiago denied an earlier police report that Chung owed P4 milliion to Sunghen. She told reporters that it was Sunghen who owed money to Chung.

Police earlier said Sunghen had ordered the kidnapping of the other Korean businessman and his live-in partner because he was trying to collect an unpaid P4 million debt.

The three arrested cohorts pointed to their Korean boss as the mastermind.

Sunghen was arrested on Thursday night by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Task Force and Ctiy Intelligence Branch (CIB) in the Mactan airport when he arrived from Korea.

A day earlier, Chung and his girlfriend were taken from their apartment in Lahug and made to ride a car for several hours through southern Cebu towns by three men acting on order of Sunghen.

Two of the three alleged abductors, cousins Richard and Gregorio Dealagdon, were identified as former bodyguards of retired Major Rico Palcuto.

Chung’s driver said he earlier noticed Richard in recent evenings roaming outside Chung’s residence as if he was conducting surveillance in recent days.

The driver said he remembered seeing the three Filipino suspects before at the casino because they previously worked with Palcuto who would lend money to casino players.

The three men were later fired the police offical and went to work as Sunghen’s bodyguards.

“Pirme man na sila sa casino kay body man na sila sa retired police official”, said Chung’s driver.

Chief Inspector Romeo Santander would not comment on the information from Chung’s driver and girlfriend. The chief of the City Intelligence Branch said only PNP chief Nicanor Bartolome or his spokesman could do so.

Sunghen is being held in the detention cell of the Tourist Police near Cebu City Hall.

His alleged cohorts Gregorio and Richard Dealagdon, and Leonard Bolalon were detained in the Cebu City Police Office stockade.

A fourth suspect, Wilfrefo Naval, reportedly an ex-military soldier remains at large. He was supposed to fetch Sunghen at the airport Thursday dawn but slipped away when he noticed the presence of the police.

An amount of P600,000 was demanded for Chung’s release.

Relatives in Korea were called to deposit money in Chung’s bank account for the payoff.

The three cohorts picked up the couple in their apartment before noon of Wednesday after pretending to be agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7).

The victims were made to ride a Toyota Vios sedan with the men. They were brought to barangay Busay, Balamban, Toledo City, Pinamungahan, Aloguinsan, Carcar and back to Cebu City.

When they returned to the city in the evening, the suspects were withdrawing P200,000 from a Citibank ATM dollar account of Chung. The couple remained handcuffed in the car.

Police traced the victims after Chung’s relatives asked the help of other Koreans in Cebu who turned to the police. Chung’s abductors earlier let him use his cellular phone to call relatives in Korea to deposit money for his release. By Chito O. Aragon
Cebu Daily News

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Rama’s b’day gift: Resume Carbon Unit II reconstruction work

CEBUCity Mayor Michael Rama yesterday gave the contractor of the Carbon Market Unit II reconstruction project the go-signal to proceed with the project, which was ordered stopped 10 years ago.

Rama led the groundbreaking ceremony signaling the start of the reconstruction a day before his 58th birthday.

Rama said this was his gift to the vendors.

Young Builders Corp., which suspended work on the project 10 years ago, was asked yesterday to resume work on Unit II.

The contractor, which won the bidding during the administration of former mayor Alvin Garcia, stopped the project after the next mayor Tomas Osmeña changed the project’s design

Young Builders Corp. sued the city government to demand payment for initial work done. The legal battle continues to date.

Raquel Arce, market administrator, said that Young Builders would follow the old market design, which provides a ramp.

Because of limited funds, she said the project would be limited to a two-story structure where vendors use the ground floor and the upper floor would be a parking area.

A P170 million budget was appropriated for the project.

Arce said another P100 million would be included in the 2013 budget to complete the reconstruction. Before work starts, the city has to relocate 500 vendors operating around the fenced Unit II construction area to the nearby M.L. Quezon Street.

Vendors will have to occupy 24 meters of the 27 meter road while the remaining 3 meters will be used for vehicles until construction is completed in one year.

Arce said she has been meeting different vendors’ associations to plan their temporary transfer to M.L. Quezon Street.

Mayor Rama’s order to evict illegal occupants at the Citi Center Complex in barangay Kamagayan before his return from Rome, went unheeded.

City administrator Jose Marie Poblete issued the order on Oct. 18 and posted copies on site.

The next day, acting mayor Joy Augustus Young issued a hold order to suspend the clearing operations, saying consultations have to be done first with affected traders and about 50 families there.

“I can’t blame him (Young) for issuing the hold order. I don’t know if he has visited the area and he knows the facts,” Rama said.

Now that he’s back from his Rome trip, Rama said he would pursue clearing operatinos. But first, Rama said, he will check if an order was made revoking Poblete’s earlier order for the clearing of the area. /Correspondent Edison A. delos Angeles with a report from Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac Cebu Daily News

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Organic farming meet in Cebu to tackle new trends, practices

Farmers, producers, suppliers of organic produce, and representatives from the agriculture sector across the country will gather to learn new trends in organic farming next month.

The 2012 National Organic Agriculture Convention in Mandaue City “is an opportunity to find out about global trends,”said Asst. Secretary Salvador Salacup of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“We have to show to the international community our standards and readiness to supply the growing but very discriminating international market,” he said during a visit last week to Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

Andre Leu, president of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM), will be the keynote speaker of the convention to be held from Nov. 6 to 8 at the J Center Mall in Mandaue City.

IFOAM is the worldwide umbrella organization of organic agriculture movement and has 750 member-organizations.

Salacup said that Cebu is considered one of the emerging organic farming centers in the country.

Governor Garcia suggested that participants visit organic farms in Aloguinsan town in western Cebu, which has been part of the itinerary of recent Suroy-Suroy midwest caravans.

She also suggested a sidetrip for delegates to to try the Bojo River Cruise in the town.

Salacup said he is expecting about 1,500 participants to attend the convention.

The convention will also discuss topics about standards, food safety, and proper accreditation practices.

There will also be a chef’s parade, where chefs will prepare dishes made of organic ingredients.

Salacup commended the Cebu provincial government’s thrust in fully implementing the “Organic Agriculture Act of 2010” in the province./Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus Cebu Daily News

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The scent of light

As soon as the clock radio went off, I was up and about. The music playing was bossa nova, but in my head I was humming “Morning Has Broken,” an old Gaelic melody used as hymn in the Morning Prayer for Wednesday, Week 1, of the Liturgy of the Hours.

Soft light filtered through the Roman blind. I could hear the crowing of the neighbors’ roosters and the call of the little birds that had packed the trees in the garden. I said a prayer – the Morning Offering – put on togs and left the bedroom for a walk.

The help who arrived earlier had left the backdoor ajar, allowing a sliver of light to enter and clip a part of the kitchen floor. I stepped outside.

The rose bushes below the patio greeted me with their white flowers. On closer look, I noticed that they were actually pale yellow with a pink tinge. They could be tea roses, I thought, vowing to smell them in a while to check if their scent resembled that of tea.

But it was the light that claimed my attention. It seemed to have the same color as the roses, which, despite their being in a secluded corner, had the clarity they would have under the noonday sun. This despite the fact that it was not yet an hour after darkness. Still there was a softness to the light, an other-worldly glow.

In fact, when I scanned the east, the sun was not yet out. I knew, however, that it was even now climbing towards the line between the earth and sky.

“Let there be light,” God said, and there was light on the first day. Genesis tells us that it was on the fourth day when God created the sun, moon and stars. What then was the light that came before that, in the very beginning?

There is a reference to something like it in Isaiah 30:26 – “The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days…”

The phrase “the light of seven days” suggests the primordial light, the light that poured into the world on the first day, the light of Paradise that Adam and Eve lost when they savored the forbidden fruit.

Isaiah is describing the world in the messianic era “when Yahweh binds up the wounds of his people…” (This would come about through the sufferings of the Christ – “By his wounds we are healed,” Isaiah says.)

In the prologue to his Gospel, John identifies the light that was coming into the world – “the true Light that enlightens everyone” – with Christ.

If already there were the sun, moon and stars, the light that John says was coming into the world must have been of the same kind as, if not itself, the primordial light, the light that came on the first day, before God created the sun, moon and stars. Matthew says that on the high mountain to which Jesus took Peter, James and John, Jesus’ face shone like the sun and his clothes became bright as light. I could take a cue from Isaiah, and add that the light of Jesus was seven times greater than the light of the sun.

Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, must have had an inkling of this. When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he began shouting – “Son of David, Jesus, have mercy on me!” – yelling all the more when people told him to shut up.

Jesus called for Bartimaeus and asked what he wanted Jesus to do for him. Bartimaeus said, “Master, let me see again!”

We know that, after gaining back his sight, Bartimaeus followed Jesus. He could just have stayed in Jericho, and with his new eyes know the place as though for the first time. But Jericho offered only the sights presented by the sun or moon. And Bartimaeus had set eyes on the primordial light, and in his heart it was seven times greater than the sun.

Bartimaeus might as well have said, “Jesus, let me see you!” I should have said this, too, when I held my face next to a white rose, hoping to get a whiff of the scent of light. By Simeon Dumdum Jr.
Cebu Daily News

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Present

Twenty-six years ago, when my eldest son was born, I couldn’t resist picking him up right away when he would cry. Friends had advised I shouldn’t always be at the beck and call of my baby but I couldn’t resist the urge to pick him up right away.

Months after, it became a battle of nerves at night (mostly at the hours of dawn) because when I put him back in his crib, he would cry and so I had to pick him up right away. My friends were right. I would end up leaning against the wall, my son sleeping in my arms but I would fight sleep standing up.

To keep me awake, I would put the cassette tape (yes, that long ago!) of Gary Valenciano’s song “Di Bale Na” and when the song played, I would be able to put my son down and get my sleep. But when the music stopped, my son would wake up and cry again! And the whole drama would unfold until morning.

I learned my lesson. When my next two children were born, I resisted picking them up immediately every time they whimpered as long as I knew they were dry, not hungry and not hurt by anything around them. True enough, they would just stop crying and fall asleep. Such a relief!

Back to my eldest son. When he went to school for the first time at 5 years old, I accompanied him to the door of his classroom and left. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw tears welling up in his eyes when he saw me walk away. Many times he would look at the door and search for me. I actually hid myself and just watched him from a corner window. I had to stop myself from going to the classroom and sit with him. He couldn’t see me but I was actually there making sure he was all right.

If you’re a parent, you know what I’m talking about. Why do we put ourselves through such sacrifices?

One reason is that we want our children to realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them. We want to help them be resilient on their own when they move through difficult situations as they grow up. But since we never really get out of their sight but just let them be independent adults, they know we will always be there to be a shoulder to lean on or a person they can embrace through all the sobs and tears in their life.

Parents’ love should always be unconditional. No matter if our children live up to our expectations or not, we must know how to be present for them especially when no one else will.

I can imagine how God does it also for us. We are a hardened and stubborn lot and I hope His white hair is not a product of His misery understanding us, His children (lol).

We seem not to feel God’s presence especially in the midst of our difficult times. But He is actually there watching us, working behind the scenes, designing the right moves for us.

He alone knows the perfect time to answer our prayers. His answer can be “yes” to what we want to have in life and hurray for this!

But it can also be “later” because He knows giving in to our requests right away would not be good for us.

Or He may decide “no, we can’t have what we want” because our purpose is wrong or our motivations will hurt other people or ourselves.

Whatever the answer is, one thing is sure. God is there, even when we don’t immediately feel His presence.

A quote on Facebook states: “It’s not that I feel alone because I have no friends. I have lots of friends. I know that I have people who can hold me and reassure me and talk to me and care for me and think of me. But they can’t be inside my head with me all the time—for all time.”

God is in our hearts. His Son Jesus knew what this was all about. He ended up alone on the cross, deserted by His disciples. Alone, He cried out to His Father, “Why have you abandoned me?”

But He knew that his isolation was not loneliness. His cry was not one of frustration, but more of surrender to His Father’s will. He knew that God was with Him all the way.

We have the abiding presence of God with us. He is eternal, omniscient and omnipresent. Only He could be with us all the time, for all time.

So when difficult moments come and there seems to be no one who can help us, just look up to the cross. Jesus’ death made it possible for you and me to have a restored relationship with God and to be a member of His family.

And as heirs to His Kingdom, we should believe that our Father is actually out there—present and watching over us. It was love for us that made God give us His Son and it is the same love that we should put in our hearts and keep on all the time.

I may no longer be picking up crying babies or sending a little child to school, but I know that even if my sons are far away and my daughter will one day have her own family, they will still be safe under the ever watchful eyes of God.

One day I may forever be absent from their lives but God will remain present in their hearts. I will not be a lonely widow but a child of God enjoying His glorious presence. By loreen sarmiento
Cebu Daily News

[weapons]

kapalaran na niya...

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Palace lauds Obama, vows cooperation




MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang welcomed the second term of American President Barack Obama, expressing a renewal of relations with the United States.

“The Philippines looks forward to deepening the cooperation between the United States in Mr. Obama’s second term,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

Upon the concession of Republican challenger Mitt Romney, President Benigno Aquino III sent a congratulatory letter to Obama, Lacierda added.

“The President also wrote that in their encounters, it has been easy for the presidents of both nations to understand each other given the common set of aspirations they have for their respective peoples — inclusive growth and renewed prosperity,” he said.

Aquino also reaffirmed that Obama’s new mandate means that Americans “trusted him to stay the course” and “move them forward,” Lacierda said, mentioning the US president’s campaign slogan “Forward!”

In a press briefing earlier on Wednesday, Lacierda mentioned that the Palace had been ready to work with either a Republican or a Democrat as they have been in contact with officials of both parties “somewhat regularly.”

The spokesperson also said that Aquino drafted two letters for each presidential candidate, ready to be sent once a victor is proclaimed.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, in a statement sent to The FREEMAN, said that he is fully confident that the warm and productive relations between the Philippines and the United States will continue, and matters of mutual interest will be pursued under the same atmosphere of trust and friendship that has characterized our relations for decades.

Phl senators welcome Obama re-election

Senators welcomed the re-election of Obama.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Ralph Recto, Lito Lapid and Panfilo Lacson expressed confidence that the US’ relationship with the Philippines will remain strong as Obama serves his second term.

Enrile said the victory of Obama nor Romney will not affect the relations between the two countries.

Recto also shared the view that “whoever wins, the US will only look after its own interests.” Recto, former chairman of the Senate committee on ways and means, noted that an improvement in the US economy would also spell out improvements for the Philippine economy.

Recto pointed out the importance of US, which comprises five percent of the world population yet their wealth is pegged at 30 percent of the world. “That’s the reason why we (the world) are using the dollar (as the internationally accepted currency),” Recto said.

On the impact of Obama’s victory to the Filipino immigrants, Recto noted that the US is “an aging society that needs the infusion of young workers.”

“The workers would be able to pay taxes for the retirement benefits of the old people… whoever won, they will have to open up and allow more immigrants,” he added.

Lapid was also in a festive mood upon learning of Obama’s victory. “Congratulations,” he told reporters at the session hall.

Lapid said many Filipinos living in the US were in favor of Obama’s re-election because of his support for immigrants. He added that the number of Filipino-Americans running for local posts in the US may have also helped Obama in attaining victory.

For his part, Lacson agreed that the Democrats are kinder to immigrants. “So that’s why our fellow countrymen in America are rejoicing,” Lacson said.

Lacson admitted he was rooting for Romney, who is a Republican, because he knows that Republicans are more concerned on the implementation of security measures in the US and the entire world.

“Ang Republican kasi, mas ano sila sa security ng mga American at ng world, mas proactive ang Republicans. If you recall, George Bush. Ang Democrat, concentration ang economy ng America. Pag economy ng America ang focus that will be most likely to the detriment ng ibang bansa tulad ng Pilipinas,” Lacson said.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. led congressmen in congratulating Obama for his reelection saying Obama’s victory was “good for us.”

Mock polls in Cebu

Here in Cebu City, Brian Goldbeck, U.S. Embassy deputy chief of mission announced at SM City Cebu where over a thousand Cebuanos witnessed the live U.S. election coverage over CNN, that the American people is giving Obama another four years in office.

The US Embassy conducted this mock election in selected parts of the country to bring the US election experience here.

Majority of Cebuanos who visited the event voted for Obama through on-line voting. It was not provided, however, as to how many voted for Obama and Romney.

“This is a great privilege that we share with the Philippines, a privilege that many people in the world do not have-the right to freely choose our leaders,” said Goldbeck in his speech.

Goldbeck said that the right to vote is not only a privilege but an obligation for every responsible citizen.

“A vote is precious thing. Sometimes we don’t always appreciate how precious. But it is the lifeblood of democracy,” he added.

Goldbeck further said that Obama’s win would mean stronger ties between the two countries. — Philippine STAR News Service with Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP

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Fiscal junks perjury case vs Salud


CEBU, Philippines - For lack of jurisdiction, the Lapu-lapu City Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the complaints of perjury filed by Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy against mayoral candidate Rex “Wakee” Salud.

Deputy City Prosecutor Jesus Rodrigo Taga-an recommended to file the case at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Cebu for preliminary investigation and prosecution.

The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office is the proper forum for the case as the alleged offense was committed in Cordova and not in Lapu-Lapu City.

“It appears, however, that while the certificate of candidacy was notarized in Lapu-lapu City, the same was submitted and presented before the Office of the Election Officer of Cordova, Cebu. Hence, the alleged offense was committed in Cordova,” the resolution stated.

Sitoy filed a complaint of two counts of perjury against boxing promoter Salud for allegedly making a “false statement on material matters contained in his certificate of candidacy.”

He said Salud filed his COC despite the ruling of the Regional Trial Court upholding the decision of the Municipal Trial Court that he is not a registered voter of Cordova.

Salud filed his COC on October 4, 2012. Two days after he filed his COC, the RTC denied his appeal on his residency issue and upheld the decision of the MTC.

Salud claimed he has been residing in Cogon, Cordova for one year and 11 months and added he was a registered voter of Cogon. — (FREEMAN)