Cebu local news (daily update)

[cobraKing]

LP-Cebu officials to meet P.Noy next week

CEBU, Philippines – The leaders of the Liberal Party in Cebu are set to meet with President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III in Manila next week to discuss with him the political situation in the province.
Vice Governor Gregorio Sanchez Jr. said he will also take the opportunity to discuss with the president his pet project, the Trans-Axial Highway, which was scrapped by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The meeting was allegedly arranged by Provincial Board Member Arleigh Sitoy who will join Sanchez and defeated gubernatorial candidate Hilario "Junjun" Davide III, who chairs LP in Cebu.
Sanchez said they will discuss with the President how to strengthen their party in Cebu and brief him on the political situation in the province.
The meeting will also serve as preparation for the scheduled visit of the President in September for the mass oathtaking of the LP members in Cebu.
Sanchez earlier said they expect more officials from One Cebu Party to join the LP in the coming days.
Aside from politics, Sanchez said he will try to endorse his Trans-Axial Highway project hoping to secure funding for its materialization.
The proposed project will connect the northernmost tip to the southernmost tip of the province traversing the mountains. This will serve as an alternative route to avoid traffic congestion in the national highway.

[cobraKing]

Luigi files bill to postpone SK, barangay polls

CEBU, Philippines – Rep. Gabriel Luis "Luigi" Quisumbing (Cebu, 6th district) has filed a bill to move the elections for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and barangay officials to October next year.
Quisumbing's House Bill 1920 joins all other filed bills for the purpose, which has gotten the support of several legislators including Cebu 4th district Rep. Benhur Salimbangon.
If the proposal of Quisumbing and that of many others will be approved, all incumbent barangay and youth officials will remain in their posts until October next year or unless removed for cause.
"Currently, our country is still suffering from election fatigue, financial uncertainty and political turbulence. Further, the [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]money[/COLOR][/COLOR] intended for the SK and barangay elections can be used in the meantime for basic services like health, education and livelihood," Quisumbing wrote in his explanatory note to his proposed bill.
According to the neophyte congressman, his primary objective is to save government resources and to avoid further aggravating the country's budget deficit.
Salimbangon thinks the same way.
"The expenses in holding a barangay election will be huge. The barangay election must be postponed to give the Aquino administration enough time to adjust the country's finances," Salimbangon was quoted as saying.
Like Quisumbing, Salimbangon believes that the elections should be moved to October 2011.Earlier, Sen. Miguel Zubiri also filed a similar bill, as well as House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman. House Speaker Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte had announced that they will prioritize all bills proposing for the postponement of the barangay elections.


For Lagman, the postponement is necessary not only to save on funds but to avoid the disunity that an election usually brings. A rescheduling of the elections would give the Aquino administration an extra P3 billion that could be used to fund social services or infrastructure projects this year.

[cobraKing]

Rama dared: Show us you are different

CEBU, [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]Philippines[/COLOR][/COLOR] – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is perceived to have won because of the programs of government of the Bando Osmeña Pundok-Kauswagan (BOPK) that has been dominating the city politics for more than a decade now.
But while he is tied to the policies and programs started by his predecessor and while the people have become tired of politicians promising the same things over and over again, the challenge posed by the public to Rama is for the new mayor to show that his will be different from the past administration.
In a forum organized by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. yesterday attended by different sectors in the city, Rama presented once more the list of his priorities during the first 100 days of his term.
The forum sought to inform the public of the significance of the first 100 days of an official which the speaker, Roderick John Abellanosa of the University of San Carlos, said could have give the public a glimpse of the official's term but must not be used as a measure of their accomplishments.
The audience gave Rama's agenda a good reception but there was still the comment that says it is no different from the promises of officials who have held the position in the past.
Every time a term of office refreshes, officials are heard promising to address the same problems that was promised to be address before.
Among these are the problems of garbage, potholes on the city streets, absence of a drainage system and malnutrition. Rama was criticized by his priorities that reactor Juan Mercado, a columnist, said do not address the real problems being faced by the city right now.

[cobraKing]

Vendors to vacate "wobbly": Lapu-Lapu public market

CEBU, Philippines – Over a hundred vendors at the Lapu-Lapu City public market building in barangay Poblacion occupying the wet section in the second floor and the eateries and stalls for vegetables below them in the ground floor will vacate temporarily effective next week for the reason that the structure is at risk of collapsing.
They will be accommodated at the unfinished public market building beside the Muelle Osmeña wharf until repairs, which would cost the city P3 million, are made.
Mayor Paz Radaza said the recommendation of the city engineer's office after it concluded that the old structure has become weak was for those in the second floor, but vendors below and some along the roadside offered to leave and to stay in the temporary relocation site.
They said market goers just the same would refrain from going to the market people while the renovation is on going.
"Ilang kahadlokan ang kompetisyon kay basin og adto ang mga tawo mamalit sa atong relocation site," Radaza said.
The second floor of the old building had undergone renovation during the time of the late Mayor Ernest Weigel, Jr. after a portion of its floor collapsed injuring a laborer.
When Arturo Radaza became mayor in 2001 he was amenable to the study made by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica), which suggested that a new public market be constructed near the shore of barangay Poblacion, and offered to finance it.
Radaza began constructing the building using city's funds, but abandoned it realizing it was disadvantageous to the environment.


Paz Radaza said she had talked with the vendors and everybody agreed to vacate and return later when the renovation is done.
She said she is not also inclined to complete the construction of the unfinished market building citing the traffic congestion it will cause if people packed to the area with no alternative route available for private and passenger vehicles.
She said when the renovation of the old building is done she plans to use the unfinished structure as a barter trade center with the Muslims in the city as priority occupants.
"Dili man gud enough ang space. Mo-create gyod siya og traffic kun anha ang atoang public market," she said.

[cobraKing]

DOLE backs free shuttle service for call center agents

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Labor and Employment supports the city government's call for call center [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]companies[/COLOR][/COLOR]
to provide free transportation to their employees on graveyard shift.
DOLE-7 regional director Elias Cayanong echoes the proposal of former city councilor Arsenio Pacaña for the call centers management to provide shuttle service if not sleeping quarters for their employees who choose to stay in the office until the daybreak.
Both Cayanong and Pacaña agreed that the welfare of call center agents should be considered by their employers because some of them have been fallen victims to robberies on their way home late at night.
Pacaña said it is very difficult for the police to prevent the occurrence of crimes at all times because there are only 1,000 policemen in the city guarding close to 900,000 population.
Cayanong said the call centers that are employing hundreds of workers must provide transportation that will be assigned to pick up their workers in different terminals as one way of protecting their personnel from being victimized by the criminals.
The labor official also supported Pacaña's suggestion to provide sleeping quarters for those employees coming from far flung areas.
It was in last year that Cebu City Council had passed such resolution calling the attention of call center employers to protect their workers.
Cayanong said he already brought the matter to the call center companies wherein the call center managers allegedly supported the suggestions.


However, they still need the approval from the management before this could be implemented.
Former Cebu City mayor and now South District Rep. Tomas R. Osmeña said there are about 50,000 call center employees who are working in at least 50 call centers in the city, most of them are based in IT Park and Cebu Business Park.

[cobraKing]

news on killing

29-anyos gipatay

CEBU, [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]Philippines[/COLOR][/COLOR]
- Patay ang usa ka 29-anyos nga lalaki human kini pusila sa wala mailhing kriminal kagahapon sa kaadlawon diha sa sitio Tunga, barangay Tanke, dakbayan sa Talisay.
Ang biktima giila nila ni PO3 Arnold Damasco ug PO2 Leandro Azarcon nga si Jerome Villoria, taga sitio Proper, barangay San Roque, Talisay kinsa kalit lang gipusil sa mamumuno samtang naglakaw diha sa sudlonong lugar sa sitio Tunga.
Si Villoria nga nakaangkon og [COLOR=blue ! important][COLOR=blue ! important]usa[/COLOR][/COLOR] ka samad pinusilan sa agtang, tuong abaga, tuong paa ug duha sa tuong bahin sa tiyan wala na makaabot nga buhi sa Talisay City District Hospital.
Ang mga polis naka-recover og upat ka kabhang sa bala sa kalibre .45 nga pistola diha sa lugar nga nahitaboan. Si Azarcon nga nahinabi sa Banat News kagahapon nagkanayon nga dunay nakabati nga ang kriminal dunay laing kuyog ug nagkinataw-anay pa nga nagkanayon “patay na to bay, patay na to bay” samtang naglakaw padulong sa sulod.
Si Supt. Henry Biñas nagkanayon nga sagad sa mga pagpamusil sa maong dapit pulos may kalambigitan sa ilegal nga drugas. Niadtong milabay’ng semana ang ig-agaw ni Villoria nga si Winlobe Villoria gipusil diha sa sitio Galaxy.

2 patay nakit-an

CEBU, Philippines - Duha ka mga babaye ang nadakpan sa kapolisan ug lakip sa usa ka 17-anyos nga dalagita nga gituohang maoy gihimong runner sa pagdala og illegal nga drugas.
Ang duha nga nadakpan mao sila si Loida Sabala, 39, taga barangay Banilad sa dakbayan sa Sugbo ug Marissa dela Torre, 28, nga taga barangay Lahug sa dakbayan sa Sugbo.
Si PO3 Raniel Cartin sa Investigation Detection and Management Bureau (IDMB) sa Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) ang nadakpan sa joint operation sa kapolisan ug Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 7.
Matud pa ni Cartin nga ang 17-anyos nga dalagita maoy nagtunol sa gipalit nilang shabu nga nagkantidad og P39,000 ginamit ang police asset diha sa dalan A.S. Fortuna.
Nasakmit usab ang usa ka paketeng shabu gikan sa duha ka babaye nga nadakpan nga gibanabanang mokabat sa P500 ang kantidad niini.
Ang dalagita nga gisukitsukit sa kapolisan mitug-an nga igo lamang siyang gipakuyog sa duha pagbisita sa mga higala apan naapil siya sa pagdakop


Nagpahangin gipatay

CEBU, Philippines - Gibuk-an sa ulo ang usa ka 34-anyos nga lalaki human kini gipusil sa iyang paggawas sa pinuy-anan nga hubog gikan nga nag-inom sa sitio Suba, Poblacion lungsod sa Argao niadtong Miyerkules sa alas 11:10 sa gabii.
Ang biktima mao si Janell Banaay Ceniza, 34, way klarong trabaho, lumad nga taga lungsod sa Moalboal ug kasamtangang nagpuyo sa nahisgutang lugar.
Samtang ang suspek gihulagway nga usa ka hamtong nga lalaki nga sakay og motorsiklo.
Matud ni PO2 Benjamen Gerozaga sa Argao Police Station dihang nahinabi sa Banat News, ang biktima kauban sa iyang barkada nga wala makuha ang pangalan nag-inom sulod sa balay niini apan human sa ilang inom migawas kini aron magpahangin.
Matud pa nga kalit lang nadunggan sa mga kabanay sa biktima ang lanog nga buto sa armas ug dangtan og pipila ka gutlo misunod ang kusog kaayong tingog sa makina sa motorsiklo pahilayo.
Hinungdan nga dali nilang gisusi ang gawas ug diha nila nakit-an ang biktima nga nagbuy-od nga naglunang sa kaugalingong dugo ug may samad pinusilan sa sentro sa ulo nga maoy nakaingon sa hinanali niining kamatayon ug wala na madala pa sa tambalanan.
Ang kapulisan padayon pa sa ilang imbestigasyon ug manhunt operation pagtumbok sa responsable sa krimen.

3 managsuon nabuthan patay

CEBU, Philippines - Tulo ka managsuong menor de edad ang namatay human mabuthi og improvised explosive device (IED) kagahapon sa buntag diha sa sitio Sto. Niño sa barangay Pitogo, lungsod sa La Libertad, Negros Oriental.
Sa gipadalang text message dinhi sa Banat News ni Sr. Supt. Agusto Marquez, director sa Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office ang mga batang nakalas mao sila si Judelyn Binoy, 6, Marvin Binoy Jr., 15, ug Sherlyn Binoy,17.
Sumala pa ni Marquez nga nanglakaw ang mga ginikanan sa mga bata ug nabilin ang mga bata diha sa ilang balay nga nagduwa dihang nahitabo ang pagbuto sa IED.
“(The) Explosion has indicators of an IED as no grenade shrapnel was found,” sumala pa sa text ni Marquez.
Base sa impormasyong gihatag sa tigbalitang si Florence Baisa, ang news director sa DYAM-Energy FM nga gikahinabi sa Banat News ug didto sa lugar adunay usa sa managsuon ang naluwas.
Ang nasalbar mao si Roselyn , 8, human kini miapas sa ilang amahan ug inahan nga sila si Marvin Sr., 40, ug Josie, 38, nga nagtugway sa ilang mga kanding dili layo sa ilang balay.
Matud usab sa taho ni Baisa nga ang kapitan sa maong barangay mao nay mipahibalo ngadto sa kapolisan kabahin sa insidente maong miadto ang kapolisan pinangulohan sa hepe nga si Senior Inspector Errol Besario. Gihulagway nga ang barangay Pitogo bukirang barangay kini sa La Libertad ug duol na sa utlanan sa Negros Occidental ug may gilay-on nga 30 ka kilometro gikan sa lungsod.
Matud usab sa report nga pag-abot sa mga polis limpiyo na ang crime scene ug ang mga nangamatay wala na diha sa ilang balay.


Nakita sa mga polis ang mga buslot sa balay sa kaldero sa pamilyang Binoy nga gituohang agi sa pagbuto sa maong bomba.
Gawas niini ang 8-anyos nga si Roselyn naabtan sa mga polis diha sa ilang balay tungod kay gibilin kini sa iyang mga ginikanan nga nanglakaw maong mao nalang kini ang ilahang gisukit-sukit.
Si Marquez mibutyag nga ang maong lugar usa sa mga lugar nga gihugpaan og maayo sa mga rebeldeng New Peoples Army ug gisusi na nila kun may kalambigitan ba niini ang maong grupo.
Kini samtang ilaha pang gitino kun diin gikan o asa nakuha sa mga bata ang maong bomba.



Pugante sa Lapulapu City Jail napusilan, nadakpan

CEBU, Philippines - Napusilan ug nasikop pagbalik ang usa ka binilanggo nga nakaeskapo sa Lapulapu City Jail atol sa operasyon diha sa sitio Ibabao, barangay Agus dakbayan sa Lapulapu kagahapon sa buntag.
Matud pa ni Bureau of Jail Management and Penology- 7 Regional Director Chief Supt. Norvel Mingoa mga alas 9:00 kagahapon sa buntag nasikop si Ronald Amistad alyas Unat, 27.
Si Amistad miuli sa ilang panimalay sa barangay Agus apan natiktikan kini sa BJMP hinungdan nga giadto kini nila ni Senior Jail Office, One Constancio Pantollano.
Apan human makit-i ni Amistad ang BJMP dali kining midagan hinungdan nga kini gipusil sa tiil ug dihang naigo naapsan kini ug gidala sa tambalanan. Si Amistad gibalik na sa karsel human masutang dili peligroso ang samad pinusilan niini.
Kahinumduman nga si Amistad uban sa iyang kaubang binilango nga si Alfe Lopez mieskapo sa milabay’ng Hunyo 26 ning tuiga sa gabii agi sa usa ka damba nga gigamit sa pagpamintal aron makagawas sa Lapulapu City Jail. Si Lopez nasikop pagbalik sa mga sakop sa BJMP samtang si Amistad nagtagotago kini hangtod sa pagkasikop niini kagahapon. Ang pag-eskapo miresulta sa pagka-relibo kang LCJ Warden Supt. Isabelo Cartin Jr. ug gipulihan ni Supt. Simeon Dolojo.
Si Amistad adunay kasong illegal possession of firearms ug kalapasan sa Comelec gun ban.

[cobraKing]

-----------------------------------AUG. 7,2010-----------------------------

Following series of attacks: Police to focus on bike passengers

CEBU, Philippines – Following the murder of a Department of Public Works and Highways official, the Cebu City Police Office will now start intercepting motorcycle drivers with passengers.
Cebu City Police Office director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said motorcycles are fast becoming the vehicle of choice for hired killers so they will conduct a series of motor stops and checkpoints focusing on motorcycle passengers.
He said that even before this attack, the shooting of a former mayor in Compostela and a businesswoman in Mandaue prompted him to call the attention of the Mobile Patrol Group to go after criminals on motorcycles.
DPWH engineer Ciriaco Salazar, 49, was driving home to Villa del Rio I in Barangay Bacayan when he was ambushed by two men on a motorcycle in sitio Tigbao, Barangay Talamban, past 7 p.m. last Thursday.
Salazar, of the DPWH 4th engineering district based in Argao town, was shot several times in the chest.He was declared dead on arrival upon reaching the North General Hospital.
Comendador said they have not yet identified the assailants but they have already established the possible motive behind the attack. He said they are looking into Salazar's involvement in the Bids and Awards Committee of the DPWH.
"Tan-awon nato ang proyekto na gi-handle sa Bids and Awards Committee," he said.Comendador said they have already coordinated with the DPWH and will invite some of its officials on Monday for questioning.
Salazar was driving a maroon Isuzu Crosswind with license plate numbers YJB-816 with his wife, Dolores, in the front passenger seat when two men on a motorcycle stopped at the driver's side.


The man riding pillion then shot Salazar thrice before the two sped off.
Dolores, also an official of the DPWH, survived.
Three empty shells from a .45 cal. pistol were recovered from the crime scene while a slug of the same caliber was found inside the car.
Last Monday former Compostela mayor Joselito Reynes, 62, was shot dead in front of a store in Barangay Estaca by two men on a motorcycle.
Last Wednesday businesswoman Debbie Yu, 55, survived an attack in Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City, that killed the man driving her car, Sonny Mahilom.
Meanwhile, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia is set to call for a meeting of chiefs of police from Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City and Director of Cebu Provincial Police Office Erson Digal to tackle the recent shooting incidents in Cebu.
Garcia said that as chairwoman of Regional Peace and Order Council she needs to takes these incidents very seriously.
She said that she was told from a reliable source that the assailants were the so-called vigilantes before.
"Kani sila ang mga vigilantes sauna nga nabuak ang ilang grupo tungod kay wala nay nisuporta kanila, unya naging gunman-for-hire karon nga suweldohan lang og tag P200 or P300", Garcia said.

[cobraKing]

Gullas: Smooth sailing for 16 new cities

CEBU, Philippines – With the latest decision of the Supreme Court again favoring the 16 new cities, first district Rep Eduardo Gullas believes that from hereon it's smooth sailing for these new cities.
The Supreme Court en banc recently dismissed the motion for leave to intervene filed by Negros Oriental Rep. Jacinto Paras last June 29.
What is left now for the High Tribunal to decide is the motion for reconsideration filed by the League of Cities of the Philippines asking it to reverse its December 21, 2009 ruling reinstating the cityhood laws of the 16 cities.
But Gullas believes that there is a "big possibility" that the LCP motion will meet the same fate as that of Paras'.He said he finds it "impossible" for the court to go back on its main decision promulgated last November 18, 2008.
Paras authored the Guihulngan Cityhood Law, one of those 16 cities affected by the SC's November 18, 2008 decision.In this decision, the court favored the petitioner LCP, and ruled that the 16 Cityhood Laws unconstitutional.
Paras did not single out Guihulngan City, which is a part of his district and where he lost in the last May 10 elections, but the rest of the 16 cities.He said the move to convert them to cities was "premature". He also contended that the conversion did not improve the living conditions of the people of Guihulngan but instead makes more officials corrupt because of the increasing internal revenue allotment.
Meanwhile, Gullas said they are now writing a letter to the Department of Budget and Management asking it to restore the IRA of the 16 cities.It was May last year when DBM started slashing the IRA of these cities despite the motion for reconsideration they filed before the Supreme Court.
Gullas said that although they understand that the national government around the time was out of funds, the DBM should have also considered that the decision was not yet final and executory.


"A bill passed by the House of Representatives and Senate and signed by president or made to lapse into law is constitutional until and unless there is a declaration of the Surpreme Court of its unconstitutionality and there's finality in the judgment," he said.
But while the motion for reconsideration was still pending, the DBM had started reducing the IRAs of the affected cities, he said.Considering the billions of deficit the country is experiencing, Gullas said he cannot be sure if the DBM will give them back the IRA they should have been enjoying for the last one year and three months.
As of now, the 16 cities are enjoying "a bit above" their IRAs they used to receive as towns.Naga City for one is getting P94 million for this year.As a town, Naga received P60 million as its share of the national income annually.However, it was a far cry from its P224 million it last received before DBM went into a slashing spree

[cobraKing]

Vehicle clamping to resume Monday

CEBU, Philippines – Following a break that enabled the City Traffic Operations Management to assess the implementation of the city's clamping ordinance, CITOM will resume its campaign against illegally parked vehicles on Monday.
CITOM Chairman and former city councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said he is also scheduled to meet with traffic personnel to ensure that the resumption of the campaign will not be met with complaints like before.
The clamping ordinance drew flack after many motorists complained that the towing companies have been clamping vehicles unreasonably.
Jakosalem has instructed David Señor, the newly-installed traffic police chief, to intensify the enforcement of the clamping ordinance in major thoroughfares and jeepney stops.
Jakosalem emphasizedonly those vehicles found to be parking illegally in narrow roads and cause actual obstruction will have to be towed.
CITOM also decided earlier it will exercise maximum tolerance especially on weekends and holidays, just like yesterday when the province celebrated its 441st founding anniversary.
Traffic personnel have reportedly become more disciplined since Jakosalem assumed leadership in the CITOM Board. Traffic enforcers have also become more visible in intersections with no traffic lights to give directional assistance.
No less than Mayor Michael Rama warned traffic personnel that the city government will not hesitate to kick out those found lazy on the job.

[cobraKing]

After Zamboanga bombing: Mactan International Airport tightens security

CEBU, Philippines – The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) is beefing up its security measures in the wake up of the bombing at the Zamboanga Airport Thursday night.
Police Senior Supt. Joselito Salido, chief of the 7th Philippine Civil Aviation Security, said that enhancements of their security measures are being put in place such as a stringent checkpoints and police visibility.
Aside from this, Salido said that they are also implementing a stricter baggage and passengers check at the airport.
"We also implement strictly the 'No I.D., No Entry' policy inside the airport," Salido added.
Alvaro Derramas, officer-in-charge of the MCIA emergency services and security department, said that immediately after hearing the bombing incident at the Zamboanga airport, they raised their security alert.
They have intensified foot patrol by airport police and blue guards around the airport terminal and are giving more focus at the arrival and pre-departure area.
"We also conduct profiling, with the strict enforcement of 'No I.D., no ticket, no entry' in coordination of PCAS and the Philippine National Police," Derramas said.
The US Embassy, in a press statement to The FREEMAN, condemns the bombing that took place in Zamboanga International Airport.


"I deplore this heinous crime that victimized ordinary travelers. Our condolences to the innocent deceased and wounded victims of this brutal attack," said US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas, Jr.
Thomas added that the US stands united in bringing those responsible for the attacks to justice. Thomas further stated that the US stands beside every Filipino people who work everyday to enhance peace and security.
Two people were killed and 20 were wounded in the blast outside the Zamboanga City airport the other night.
Among those wounded was the governor of Sulu, who suspects political rivalry behind the explosion. Gov. Sakur Tan was earlier quoted as saying he could not believe it was pure coincidence that the bomb exploded next to him. There was also another attempt on his life last year.
Tan's son was reportedly hit by the severed head of the man who was carrying the bomb.