Philippines News

A 59-YEAR-OLD man was stabbed by his nephew due to a land dispute.

The incident took place at 2:30 pm. on Tuesday, July 11, 2023 in Barangay Tañañas, San Fernando town, southern Cebu.

Police identified the victim as Jacinto Paradero Taping and the suspect as Danilo Taping Cajes, a 44-year-old farmer.

Taping was rushed to the hospital after sustaining a stab wound in the chest, while Cajes was arrested by the police in a follow-up operation.

Police Major Mark Anthony Villanueva, chief of the San Fernando Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that the nephew was drunk before the crime.

Villanueva pointed out that while the two were arguing over a lot issue, Cajes pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed his uncle. (GPL, TPT)

A 44-year-old man who was accused of beating his wife was arrested in the hospital around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, in Naga City, southern Cebu.

Th suspect was identified as Anselmo Huylar Ong, a resident of the city’s Barangay Langtad.

Ong was detained as a result of the court’s issuance of a warrant dated August 31, 2022 for his arrest for violating Sections 5(a) and (b) of Republic Act 9262, also known as the Violence Against Women's and Children Act.

Lieutenant Colonel William Homoc, the chief of the Naga City Police, served the warrant to the hospital where the suspect was being treated in Barangay South Poblacion, Naga City.

Ong acknowledged that his case began when he attacked his wife last year. (BBT, TPT)

A 22-year-old passenger electric bike (e-bike) driver was arrested during a buy-bust operation carried out by the operatives of Provincial Intelligence Unit (PIU) of the Cebu Police Provincial Office past 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Sitio Gabon, Barangay Lawaan 2, Talisay City.

The operation was directed by PIU head Police Major Antonio Ananayo Jr. that resulted in the arrest of Marlon Alcano Dizon, a resident of Sitio Lawis, Barangay Pasil, Cebu City.

Seized from Dizon were suspected shabu weighing about 110 grams with a standard drug price of more than P700,000.

Ananayo said that before the raid, they monitored Dizon for two weeks after receiving information from other detainees that Dizon was the source of their drug supply.

Dizon said he worked as a passenger e-bike driver and sidelined as a construction worker during an interview, but made no additional comments.

He will be charged with violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, or Republic Act 9165. (BBT, TPT)

The International Criminal Court’s appeals chamber is set to announce next week its decision on the Philippine government's appeal to stop the court's investigation into the Duterte administration's war on drugs.

A 12-year-old boy who was driving a car to buy water was instead brought to the police precinct after he accidentally hit another vehicle ahead of him.

The incident occurred in Uldog Street, Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City on Wednesday afternoon, July 12.

The boy, whose name is withheld, said his parents instructed him to drive the car to buy water but he instead got into an accident, according to City of Talisay-Traffic Operation Development Authority (CT-TODA) head Jonathan Tumulak.

Since the offender is a minor, the CT-TODA has worked with the parents to resolve the situation. (BBT, TPT)

The court unanimously voted to dismiss the petitions during a session Tuesday, two months after the World Health Organization declared an end to the global emergency status for COVID-19. 

THE second batch of Yaw-Yam Summer Clinic will begin on Friday, July 14, at the Yaw-Yan Ardigma Gym, which is located on the fourth floor of Coast Pacific Downtown Center, in front of the University of Cebu main campus on Sanciangko Street, Cebu City.

With the theme "Say to life and say no to drugs," the activity will include arnis/eskrima, boxing/fitness, mixed martial arts, Muay Thai, kickboxing, and Yaw-Yan fighting self-defense.

Master Benigno "Ekin" Caniga Jr., founder and CEO of Yaw-Yan Ardigma and dubbed as the "Father of Cebu MMA," will serve as the mentor.

Caniga urged everyone, especially the youth, to learn martial arts owing to their many benefits, which include stress reduction, muscular gain, improved cardiovascular health, flexibility, greater balance, and agility and reflexes.

In addition, it can help boost confidence/self-esteem, increase in focus, memory improvement, peace/calmness of mind, building character, improve social skills and self-defense, among others.

Yaw-Yan is a native Filipino martial arts introduced by Grand Master Nap Fernandez in 1972 in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Those who are interested to join may call 0992-8111591. (ESL/TPT)

GLOBE reminds its subscribers that fully verified GCash users have the convenience of registering their SIMs directly through the GCash app, with the added incentive of receiving 1GB of data upon successful registration.

Republic Act 11934, also known as the SIM Registration Act, requires all SIMs to be registered with local telecom providers. It aims to bolster consumer security and protection against malicious activities such as mobile scams, smishing, and fraud.

With the July 25, 2023 deadline for SIM registration fast approaching, Globe encourages its fully-verified GCash users to utilize the streamlined registration process available through the GCash app, among other channels.

"As a leading mobile service provider in the nation, Globe is steadfastly dedicated to safeguarding our customers from potential security threats. By opening registration through the GCash app, we hope to facilitate a seamless process that keeps our users protected, connected, and compliant with the law,” said Globe Group president and chief executive officer Ernest Cu.

Upon opening the GCash app, unregistered fully verified users will receive a prompt to register their SIMs. After following and completing the instructions, they can expect a reward of 1GB of free data. Failure to comply with the SIM Registration Act may result in SIM deactivation, leading to disruption of mobile services, including sending and receiving texts, making calls, internet browsing, video streaming, financial transactions and deliveries among others.

In addition to the GCash app, non-verified GCash customers and other Globe subscribers can register via the GlobeOne app or the Globe microsite https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg. In-person assistance is also available at Globe Stores and EasyHubs across the nation.

"To avoid any service disruptions, we urge all our users to register their SIMs at the earliest. This reminder is part of our broader commitment to customer service and cyber security," said Cu. To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/. (SPONSORED CONTENT)

Weather forecaster Patrick Del Mundo said the LPA spotted 295 kilometers east of Infanta in Quezon province is not likely to develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised on June 8 the status of Mayon Volcano in Albay to Alert Level 3 after it showed an “increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

(Nairobi) - Islamist armed groups have carried out widespread killings, rapes, and lootings of villages in northeast Mali since January 2023, Human Rights Watch said today. Thousands of people have been forced to flee Menaka and Gao regions.

Amid the mounting abuses, Mali's transitional military government obtained United Nations Security Council approval for t

(Beirut) - The Egyptian government's decision in June 2023 to require all Sudanese to obtain visas to enter Egypt has reduced access to safety for women, children, and older people fleeing the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Human Rights Watch said t

THE Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged eight infrastructure projects in the municipality of Consolacion worth a total of P17.648 million for the delays in their completion caused by the Municipal Government’s poor planning for their construction.

These projects were considered “non-procurement and implementation-ready” based on Section 3.2 of the Department of Budget and Management-Department of Finance-Department of the Interior and Local Government Joint Memorandum Circular 1 issued on Nov. 4, 2020.

COA reported that the local government unit (LGU) of Consolacion in northern Cebu failed to make these projects that were funded out of the 20 percent Development Funds “well-planned and procurement-and-implementation-ready,” depriving its constituents of the socio-economic, environmental benefits and immediate use of the facilities.

In its Audit Report 2022, COA identified the eight projects as the construction of the two-story evacuation center at Barangay Lapiga, construction/improvement of the potable water system in Barangay Lanipga and Tolotolo, construction of drainage line in Barangay Tugbongan, fencing of the Consolacion Community College in Barangay Nangka, and road opening and concreting at Garing-Polog, Lanipga and Simborio-Tayud.

Right of way

State auditors said the delays and suspensions of these projects were attributed to right-of-way issues due to revision of project specifications, overlapping of work with the other projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (Rai) in December 2021.

The road opening project in Barangay Garing to Polog and road concreting project in Simborio-Tayud have encountered delays due to right-of-way issues that were the result of revisions in the specification in the projects, according to the COA audit report.

The road projects were increased to six meters in width, thus affecting nearby settlements.

The construction of the evacuation center and the rehabilitation of the road leading to it in Barangay Lanipga were suspended due to prioritization on the construction of the DPWH’s multipurpose building project in the area.

On the other hand, the construction or improvement projects of the potable water system, drainage line in Barangay Lanipga, Tolotolo and Tugbongan, as well as the fencing of the community college were interrupted not only by Typhoon Odette, but also by right-of-way issues and claimants of the lot.

However, construction work has resumed on these projects as these issues were resolved.

Failed to plan

COA said the delays in the road opening project in Garing to Polog and road concreting project in Simborio-Tayud resulted from the municipality’s failure to judiciously and meticulously plan the projects during the procurement stage.

Section 7.1 of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (the Government Procurement Reform Act of 2003) provides that during the procurement planning of the project, the detailed engineering such as preparations of the site or the right-of-way plans including the schedule of the acquisition must be done, the state auditor argued.

Section 1 of Annex A of the Revised IRR of RA 9184 also states that the detailed engineering shall only proceed on the availability of the feasibility or the preliminary engineering study. This establishes the technical viability or success of the project and conformance to the land use and zoning guidelines under existing laws.

To prevent or minimize such cases that cause delays or suspension of projects, COA recommended more extensive site investigation during the preparation of the detailed engineering, which the Consolacion LGU, through its municipal engineer, agreed to.

The Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator was also advised to include in the Annual Investment Plan and proposed budget only those projects that are “implementation ready.”

BRANCH 17 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cebu City has dismissed the civil case filed by three former members of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s board of directors (BOD), upholding the late mayor Edgardo Labella’s decision to terminate their services.

Former MCWD BOD members Augustus Pe Jr., Ralph Sevilla and Cecilia Adlawan filed a petition on Nov. 8, 2019, seeking to nullify the decision of then-mayor Edgardo Labella to terminate their services.

They argued that while Labella had the power to appoint BOD members of the water utility, he had no authority to remove them. They also alleged that they were not formally charged and given the opportunity to defend themselves.

The case was filed against Labella and officials of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), including acting administrator Jeci Lapus, and interim MCWD BOD members Roberto Andres, Eileen Vega and Cristina Marcelina.

Labella issued a notice of termination in October 2019, leading LWUA to install an interim board to replace them.

At that time, the MCWD BOD consisted of Joel Mari Yu as chairman, Ralph Sevilla as vice chairman, Cecilia Adlawan as secretary, and Procopio Fernandez and Augustus Pe as members.

Labella said at the time that he terminated their services due to widespread dissatisfaction among consumers of the water utility regarding their performance in the preceding months. Pe, Sevilla and Adlawan were appointees of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Labella further said that his loss of trust and confidence in them constituted a just cause for their removal.

On July 7, 2022, LWUA submitted a manifestation to the court, informing them of the passing of acting administrator Lapus on July 11, 2021.

The Cebu City Attorney’s Office also submitted a manifestation on July 19, 2022, notifying the court of Labella’s death on Nov. 19, 2021, and the assumption of Vice Mayor Michael Rama as the new mayor. Rama decided to withdraw from the ongoing legal battle involving the former executives of MCWD.

In his decision, RTC Branch 17 Judge Anacleto Debalucos affirmed Labella’s power to remove or discipline the members of the MCWD BOD.

“The late defendant Mayor Labella had the power or authority to terminate the services of the plaintiffs as BOD members of MCWD,” read a portion of the decision dated June 30, 2023.

Regarding LWUA’s power to review Labella’s decision, Debalucos ruled that Section 11 of Presidential Decree 198, as amended, clearly grants LWUA the authority to review Labella’s decision in removing the former BOD members of MCWD.

THERE are plans to extend the runway at Bantayan Island Airport in northern Cebu from its current length of 1.2 kilometers to 1.5 kilometers in order to accommodate larger commercial aircraft.

Once implemented, the airport, located in Santa Fe town in the tourist destination of Bantayan, will be capable of handling bigger planes, which will attract more tourists to the island.

Julius Neri Jr., general manager of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), discussed the matter with Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia during a recent meeting.

Neri explained that while the airport’s current runway can accommodate smaller planes, it falls short of the length requirements for larger commercial aircraft operated by airlines like Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines.

Governor Garcia welcomed the plan and expressed the willingness of the Provincial Government to help by acquiring the surrounding properties to extend the airport’s land area. Bantayan Island Airport is situated on a property owned by the Capitol.

During the meeting with the governor, Neri was accompanied by Andrew Harisson, the former chief executive advisor of GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC).

Last March, the airport’s upgraded runway was inaugurated. However, regular commercial flights to Bantayan have not been launched yet. Currently, the airport only caters to chartered flights.

While the airport has been operational since its launch in April, Neri emphasized the need to extend the runway’s length in order to offer regular flights to Bantayan, a popular white sand beach destination for both locals and foreign tourists.

Neri also mentioned plans to establish firefighting facilities, including a fire station and fire trucks, inside the airport to ensure safety, as the airport is expected to become highly commercialized in the future.

The Capitol, MCIAA and GMCAC are scheduled to sign a tripartite agreement next month for the management of the airport. While the Capitol owns the land, MCIAA manages the airport, and GMCAC is responsible for terminal operations.

Bantayan Island Airport is less than 30 minutes away from Mactan-Cebu International Airport by plane.

THE couple who allegedly abandoned more than 100 starving and ailing dogs in the mountain village of Adlaon, Cebu City have been charged before the prosecutor’s office for allegedly committing cruel acts against animals.

Lorna Oberes and her partner Edwin Casas along with unidentified caretakers have been named respondents in the complaints filed against them by the City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) on July 5, 2023.

The respondents were accused of violating Sections 16 and 17 of City Ordinance (CO) 2526, which penalizes individuals who harm animals, and Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

Section 16 of CO 2526 prohibits “any person to torture any animal or neglect to provide adequate care sustenance,” while Section 17 states that “acts of cruelty to animals shall be absolutely prohibited in Cebu City.”

Cruelty to animals refers to acts or omissions towards animals that cause them to suffer from unnecessary pain, suffering and distress, according to the ordinance.

Section 6 of RA 8485 declares torturing, neglecting to provide adequate care, sustenance, or shelter, or maltreating any animal to be an offense.

Report

DVMF head Dr. Jessica Maribojoc said in a sworn judicial affidavit that the DVMF conducted animal health services in Adlaon on May 15.

They later received a report from Barangay Councilor Loedilto Gabud regarding Oberes, who allegedly abandoned the dogs in her residence, risking the safety of other residents.

During the initial inspection on the same day, the DVMF personnel discovered more than 100 malnourished dogs exhibiting cannibalistic behaviors in Oberes’ abandoned residence.

In an earlier report, Maribojoc said she was surprised upon learning about the existence of a dog shelter in the barangay.

She learned that some of the neglected dogs had escaped from the shelter, and attacked and killed animals belonging to Roland and Marivic Tan. The harmed animals included turkeys and sheep, resulting in damage amounting to almost P500,000.

In a press conference on May 31, Oberes said her partner, Casas, allowed her to stay in Adlaon, and promised her that he would provide financial assistance for the dogs.

She initially had 30 dogs, but their number increased to 40 due to the lack of birth control and interventions.

Non-registration of dogs

Oberes admitted that she did not register her dogs because she was unaware of the law requiring their registration.

Oberes further confessed that she had not been living in Adlaon since February 2023, and she had not conducted any monitoring of the dogs she left behind, leaving their care solely to the caretakers.

Maribojoc said from May 17 to 19, the DVMF conducted a rescue operation in coordination with Barangay Adlaon, Cebu City Government, the Philippine National Police, and the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

A total of 101 malnourished dogs were rescued from Oberes’ uninhabited house.

In the last week of May, around 32 dogs were scheduled for euthanasia or mercy killing because of their frail state. But the DVMF postponed it as there were people who promised to adopt some of them.

While waiting for their adoption, nine of the dogs died.

FREE public Wi-Fi has been installed in 50 of the 80 barangays in Cebu City, enabling city residents to access government services and information.

This, after the Cebu City Goverment partnered with private telecommunications company PLDT to roll out free public Wi-Fi services in the 80 barangays across the city.

Such a program is part of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s vision of turning Cebu City into a smart city.

Cebu City Management Information and Computer Services head Dax Arcilla told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, that each barangay will have a connection point which will be installed in strategic locations around the city.

The free public Wi-Fi has been installed in strategic, high foot traffic locations, including barangay halls, barangay gyms, sports complexes and other key areas in 50 barangays.

In a press statement, PLDT said cloud-managed access points will also be in place to enable the monitoring of real-time alerts in case of connectivity issues. The public can access the Wi-Fi through an online portal.

Arcilla said the City’s role is the implementation of the Wi-Fi services and monitoring of the network, while PLDT’s responsibility is to provide the equipment and platform.

Arcilla said the City has no capital expenditures but only operational expenses and is spending around P2,000 a month per barangay.

Work on implementing the service for the 50 barangays started last year and was completed around February this year.

Infrastructure lacking

The City is now working on the remaining 30 barangays which are located in mountain areas that lack existing infrastructure such as fiber connections.

The City is looking at a few options in implementing the services in mountain barangays.

Arcilla said there are proponents who have intentions to set up a fiber connection, while another is interested in point-to-point connections.

Arcilla also said he is working with network providers and cell tower contractors to see if they can expand their coverage and that he will evaluate the proposals to see if these are resilient and reliable.

Over the phone, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he is thankful to PLDT and that digitalization is important in reaching his goal of having the city become a smart city. Rama is hoping that in less than three months’ time all barangays will be provided with the service.

“Connectivity, because that is part of the ingredients of a Singapore-like Cebu City,” said Rama when asked for his comment on the program.

PLDT said its support through the program emphasizes the company’s efforts in powering cities and providing them with platforms in achieving digital transformation through their networks. And this is also part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with SDG No. 9 being Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

“We are fully supportive of the local government of Cebu City’s digital aspirations, and we are happy to be their trusted partner in helping improve the experience of their constituents, especially in maximizing the city’s digitally enabled services,” said Kent de la Calzada, assistant vice president and head of customer relationship management in Visayas and Mindanao.

THE Cebu City Council Committee of Three-South has imposed a two-month suspension against Apas Barangay Captain Virgil Cabigon and officials Allan Ybañez, Elizabeth Maña and Rebecca Flordeliz of Barangay Apas, Cebu City who were found guilty of simple misconduct over the purchase of two trucks whose brands they specified for the bidding.

This came after Mathan Jechoniah Serena filed a complaint on April 27, 2020 against the barangay officials of Apas for an administrative offense. He said they violated Section 18 of Republic Act (RA) 9184 and Section 3(e) of RA 3019 by buying one garbage compactor and one forward dump 1.5 truck for P1.5 million each.

The case report said Serena discovered that the Invitation to Bid on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGeps) had the specific brand name, engine and chassis numbers of the trucks.

Serena claimed that this violated Section 18 of RA 9184, which prohibits reference to brand names in the specifications for the procurement of goods.

Section 18 states that “specifications for the procurement of goods shall be based on relevant characteristics and/or performance requirements. Reference to brand names shall not be allowed.”

He also said the Technical Working Group and Bids and Awards Committee violated Section 3(e) of RA 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, by negotiating and awarding the two units to Nader Ichi Corp.

Section 3(e) constitutes as corrupt and unlawful “causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”

The provision applies to officers and employees of offices or government corporations charged with the grant of licenses or permits or other concessions.

Harmless mistake

The case report stated that the barangay officials said they had made a simple and harmless mistake by including the specific brand name, engine and chassis number of the trucks they bought from Nader Ichi Corp.

The case report said Cabigon asked Eddie Villa Jr., the Barangay Apas secretary, to look for a garbage truck for the bidding.

They first requested to buy a garbage truck for P3 million on Aug. 19, 2019 with purchase request No. 19-08-45.

However, after they posted the Invitation to Bid (ITB) with the help of engineer Mark Anthony Ybañez for the P3 million garbage truck on the PhilGeps website, a supplier called Cabigon and told him that the price was too high and that he could buy two trucks for that amount.

So Cabigon opted to modify the bidding for the garbage truck, justifying that the barangay can purchase two trucks--a dump truck and a compactor--for the same budget of P3 million.

They also claimed that they acted in good faith and did not cause any harm or unfairness because the barangay got two garbage trucks instead of one for the same P3 million budget.

SunStar Cebu reached out to Apas Barangay Captain Cabigon on Wednesday, July 12, 2023; however, Cabigon declined to comment on the matter.

PhilGeps account

Ybañez said in his June 22, 2021 affidavit that the barangay members asked him to help them post their procurement on the PhilGeps website because they did not have a PhilGeps account.

He said Villa told him to cancel the procurement later because they had changed the items they wanted to buy from one garbage truck to two trucks, one compactor and one forward dump 1.5.

He stressed that the information in the ITB was just taken from the purchase request that Barangay Apas made and gave to them, and they gave it back to the barangay after they posted it on the PhilGeps.

Findings

The committee, however, found that the actions of the respondents violated Section 18 of RA 9184, but held them administratively liable only for simple misconduct.

It cited G.R No. 213502 (Miranda vs. the Civil Service Commission and the Department of Health), which states that simple misconduct is a transgression of some established rule of action, an unlawful behavior, or negligence committed by a public officer. To constitute misconduct, the act or acts must have a direct relation to, and be connected with, the performance of one’s official duties.

The committee further found the procedure for the procurement process as not willful, gross and flagrant disregard that showed substantial evidence of corruption.

The committee said the complainant did not show that the respondents broke Section 3(e) of RA 3019, which means they used their positions for their own gain or acted with obvious bad faith.

The committee also said the complainant did not show that the respondents deliberately ignored the legal rules of conduct.

Cabigon told SunStar Cebu in a text message on July 12 that he would still run for barangay captain of Barangay Apas in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections this October, despite the development.

Committee of Three-South

Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday that the three-south committee has two south district councilors and one minority councilor if the case being settled involves an official who is from the north district.

Barangay Apas is in the north district.

Archival, who represents the north district, said he is the minority member, Phillip Zafra is the chairman, and Renato Osmeña Jr. is the other south district member.

Police are continuing to hold retail offenders to account with a multitude of arrests across the country.

Police has continued to focus on retail and youth crime with some encouraging results:

Police's National Retail Investigation Support Unit has laid 1,331 charges against 223 offenders since May 2022.

Between 1 December 2022 and the end of May 2023, there have been approximately 388 ram-raid

Azerbaijan has barred the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from using the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the outside world.

The State Border Service made the announcement on July 11 citing "repeated attempts to smuggle various