Philippines News

SIX most wanted persons were among the people arrested by personnel of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) in operations conducted from July 10 to 16, 2023, an official said Wednesday, July 19.

In a press briefing Wednesday, City Director Police Colonel Elmer Lim said they arrested on July 11 the eighth most wanted person in the city, Ramon Ignacio Tampus Jr., 25, a resident of Barangay Pajac, for illegal drugs charges.

Gilbert Berdon Jumao-as, 48, from Babag II, Lapu-Lapu City, was also nabbed on the same day. He was considered the ninth most wanted person in Lapu-Lapu.

The third most wanted, Arnel Relativo Sumayang, 36, a resident of Barangay Basak, was also nabbed on July 11 and charged with two counts of rape.

Ronilo Labra Pulvera, alias "Longlong," the fourth most wanted person, was arrested in Barangay Mactan for selling and obtaining illegal drugs also on July 11.

Another wanted person, Lucrisio Tumanan Ruiz Jr., 22, a resident of Barangay Marigondon, was nabbed in Barangay Agus also on July 11.

Ruiz was identified as the fifth most wanted person.

Meanwhile, Maria Carmel Ybañez Alison, 53, of Barangay Pajo, surrendered to the police headquarters in Barangay Pusok, Lapu-Lapu City on July 12.

Alison was charged with two counts of sexual assault and two counts of acts of lasciviousness. Her victims were also women.

Other arrests

Lim said that the LLCPO has charged a total of 2,999 persons for violating local ordinances from July 10-16, 2023.

He said that 1,619 people were also charged for violating traffic ordinances, adding that there were 30 people who were issued Temporary Operator's Permit.

A total of 148 minors were found violating curfew.

The LLCPO also recorded 316 persons who were caught dressing half naked in streets, while there 18 cases for urinating, littering, dumping garbage and spitting in public places.

Drinking and smoking in prohibited and public places, and using karaoke beyond allowed time recorded 861 counts, while seven cases were marked unclassified.

Lim said that around 1,723 cases were fined accordingly, allowing the LLCPO to collect P993,500 in fee charges.

Anti-illegal drug operations

Also from July 10 to 16, the Lapu-Lapu City police conducted a total of 12 anti-illegal drug operations.

Sixteen persons tagged as street level individuals (SLI) were arrested and a total of 81.32 grams of shabu were seized.

As for the anti-illegal gambling operations, the LLCPO has so far conducted eight operations that resulted in the arrest of eight people.

Two persons were also arrested for illegal possession of firearms, while two have surrendered.

Lim said they will continue to intensify their operations to reduce crime and eliminate disorder in Lapu-Lapu.

He said they have coordinated with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), local officials and other law enforcement units and partner agencies to ensure a relentless campaign against all forms of criminality.

“Nanawagan ko pa balik-balik nga tabangan nato ang atong mga kapulisan ug gobyerno, nga atong mga turista o foreigner’s na ma biktima sa krimen, kay tungod sila ang nakatabang og dako sa atoang economiya,” said Lim. (CNU intern Judie Liza Alantoson and UP intern Chrys Chelsea Bernales)

It is defined as good sense and sound judgment in practical matters. It is the ability to view reality. I wish all local government leaders have the same common-sense approach as Parian, Cebu City Barangay Captain Lucita Lazarte and her officials to the problem of flooding in their barangay, particularly on Bonifacio St., which I presumed was named after our hero Andres Bonifacio.

On many occasions I pass by Bonifacio St. on my way to the city from Mandaue. I simply cannot believe that the street is inundated with water after every downpour. This place reminds me of my early years in college when I once lived in a boarding house, which was just walking distance from my cherished University of the Visayas.

According to Barangay Captain Lazarte, apart from Bonifacio St., Sikatuna and Ibarra Streets also experience flooding, especially after heavy downpours. To mitigate the problem of flooding in their barangay, the officials installed a biofence on the Parian creek, trapping garbage that was indiscriminately dumped in the waterway.

The flooding on Bonifacio, Sikatuna and Ibarra Streets during heavy rains is aggravated by all types of garbage that are washed down from the upper part of the city. Lazarte said the other factor that contributes to the flooding problem in their barangay is the accumulation of mud after a rainfall.

Lazarte said dredging of the river and clearing of clogged drainage in the area are ongoing. “Amo na pirmi nga gitrabaho (We have been working on it),” she told SunStar Cebu. However, Lazarte acknowledged that Bonifacio St. is prone to flooding because it is located on the lower part of the city and acts like a “catch basin” for water and waste from higher ground.

Lazarte said they regularly dredge the creek along Bonifacio St. The recent dredging was on July 15. But Lazarte admitted that their flood mitigation efforts do not guarantee the complete prevention of flooding in the area.

She said they clean every day the biofence installed on the Parian creek as it traps garbage like plastic, logs, clothes and other debris daily. The barangay also holds a weekly clean-up, Lazarte said. The village chief said educating the people on proper waste disposal is important to address the issue.

“I hope people will be taught not to throw garbage in canals and rivers,” she said.

Barangay Parian’s installation of a biofence is one solution to address the clogging of the waterway that other barangays should emulate. While the biofence does not guarantee the complete prevention of flooding in the barangay, it helps tidy the waterway that has been used as a dumpsite by senseless residents.

Madam Barangay Captain Lazarte, your barangay and the City Government should not only educate the people not to throw garbage in canals and creeks, but you, as officials vested with the authority under our laws, should apprehend residents and transients that litter our streets and use the canals and creeks as their dumpsite.

Literally throwing the book at the violators is the best way to educate these mindless and selfish people. Our city can never achieve the Singapore-like dream of Mayor Mike Rama if environment and sanitation laws are not enforced to the letter.

The way I see it the problem is that we are too politicized. With the forthcoming elections for barangay officials and the next midterm polls, I doubt if current elected officials, who can still seek reelection, have the willpower to strictly implement our laws.

As one of the authors of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) in the House of Representatives, I express my utmost gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for recognizing the significance of this transformative legislation.

Ang MIF ay hahawi ng landas tungo sa masagana at matatag na kinabukasan para sa Bagong Pilipinas, at magbubukas ng mga bagong oportunidad para sa paglago at pag-unlad ng iba’t ibang sektor ng ating ekonomiya, lalo pa sa aming mga taga-kanayunan.

(The MIF will pave the way to a prosperous and stable future for the New Philippines, and will open new opportunities for the growth and development of different sectors of our economy, especially for our rural people.)

The newly signed law gives foreign and local investors an added option on how to make their investible funds earn. This becomes one among many options and caters to specific types of clientele or kinds of investors, depending on the appetite for earnings and risks.

MIF will be a great addition to foreign direct investments (FDIs). FDIs are investments that actually happen on the ground, build businesses, grow the environment for other businesses, whether downstream, upstream, and lateral enterprises, and most importantly, create jobs.

FDIs come with an intense commitment to the country’s and host communities’ future.

The Maharlika Fund, combined with attracting foreign direct investments, is potent. Bringing in FDI means ease of doing business, infrastructure, transparency, integrity in business, and economic policies that make workers, investors, and host communities welcome and interact harmoniously.

Today is a sad day in the history of our country, as the State through the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) will be engaging, unjustifiably, in an economic activity (risky investing) which is best left to the private sector.

This is madness for the following reasons, among others:

(1) The Maharlika Fund concept was developed on the fly. If it were an airplane, then it was built while flying it. Thus, the law has inherent contradictions because it was rushed. Nobody knows what creature we have created. It could turn out to be a monster, as it has been designed to be a super-GOCC (government-owned and –controlled corporation).

(2) The Philippines has no surplus either from the budget or from trade. We have not hit any jackpot windfall profit like a cash flow from a new discovery of oil or gas reserves. In short, we have no underlying asset to continuously back up and fund this MIF to ensure its long-term existence.

(3) The funds to be initially used are already existing funds under the care of conservatively run government banks. We are disturbing the status quo because the Government wants to take more risks with the money and gamble it, under their mantra of “more risks, more returns.”

Because of the unclear origin of the seed idea of this particular MIF, the speed at which the law was enacted which involved unconstitutional shortcuts, and the inherent contradictions and clear confusion in the law itself, the MIF will definitely be questioned before the Supreme Court (SC), basically under the following grounds:

1. Defective Presidential Certification

a. No public emergency or calamity being addressed

b. Hence, no three readings on three separate days

2. No showing of Economic Viability

3. Undue Delegation of Legislative Power

a. Surrender of the Budget Process by Congress

b. Leaving to the IRR (implementing rules and regulations) the determination of many important matters

4. Violation of Substantive Due Process

a. Insists on being a Sovereign Wealth Fund when it is not

b. Inherent contradictions and confusion

5. Violation of BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) Independence

6. The Bill signed by the President was not the version passed by Congress (this we will call the “altered bill doctrine”)

The MIF is a bad idea, a bad decision, a bad act.

Without the required surplus, in the face of our current P14.1 trillion outstanding debt, the signing into law of the MIF Act could significantly exacerbate our national debt.

Hindi pa ba tayo napapagod sa kakaisip ng mga paraan kung papaano pa natin papalakihin ang utang natin (Aren’t we tired of thinking of ways to increase our debt)?

A recent survey revealed that 80 percent of Filipinos admit to having little to no knowledge about the proposed measure. Moreover, when asked about the potential benefits from the newly established Maharlika fund, over half (51 percent) anticipate little to no advantage from it.

In light of these findings, a more considerate and beneficial course of action for the Filipino people would have been for the President to veto this measure. This would have paved the way for a more meaningful and comprehensive discussion about the MIF among our people and not just among legislators.

Hence, to put a stop to this madness, the Maharlika Investment Fund Act must be challenged before the SC. Let us remind the powers that be that “MIF” can also mean “Madness Isn’t Forever.”

THE countdown for Cebu Marathon 2024 started Wednesday, July 19, 2023, as representatives from the Cebu Executive Runners Club (CERC) unveiled the many firsts’ athletes and participants will experience on January 14, 2024.

John Owen Zaldarriaga Pages, CERC representative and Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) chairman, announced during the launching Wednesday, July 19, the new race distances and surprises they have prepared exclusively for the runners participating in Cebu Marathon 2024.

“Let’s start with our distances, we are making it different. We are going to have four distances starting, of course, with 42K and instead with the 21K, since it’s 2024, we are going to have a 24K,” said Pages.

He added that to pose an extra challenge to the runners, the events’ organizers have changed the usual 10K and 5K to 12K and 6K, accordingly, to complete the new four offered race distances.

Among the many firsts, Pages also mentioned their partnership with Salt Plus Fin, a local sportswear brand in Cebu, where all registered participants will receive jerseys.

Also, finishers of the 42K and 24K races will get a towel and medal at the finish line, a similar gesture to Ironman events where towels are handed out after the race.

Registration and rates

Online registration will start on July 22, 2023 at their official website: cebumarathon.com.ph.

Meyrick Jacalan, a CERC representative, said an early bird rate will be granted until September 30, 2023. It will be open to all race distances.

Jacalan added that the early bird rates will start at P1,999 for 42K, P1,799 for 24K, and P799 for both 12K and 6K.

On October 1, regular charges will start at P2,499 for 42K, P2,299 for 24K, and P999 for both 12K and 6K.

Special freebies will also be given to runners, such as medals, towels, and t-shirts, while the first 1,024 registrants of the 42K and 24K category will be given free premium visors.

Routes

Familiar but this time a brand-new series of routes will serve the marathoners, said Pages.

For the 42K distance, runners will be treated to a combination of iconic spots in Cebu, from Plaza Independencia, Colon Streets, Magellan's Cross, Fuente Osmeña, the Capitol and Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX).

The CERC board also decided to unfold the routes as early as possible to give a head start for attendees to train in advance.

They will start the marathon at 12:24 a.m. to avoid the traffic congestion and to allow marathoners to begin their race in comfortable weather.

The organizers chose to launch the event six months prior to allow the participants to have a longer time to prepare themselves for the competition.

‘Easy in mind, hard in reality’

Jesse Taborada, president of CERC, said many marathoners underestimate the demand of joining a marathon -- it costs long training, discipline, and diet check.

“If you cut corners, you may have problems and difficulties along the way, not to mention the accidents that can come along the way,” said Taborada.

Kats Cajucom of AIA Vitality, a major partner of the Cebu Marathon organizer, also shared her advice to the participants with regards to an athlete's food intake.

“It takes longer to prepare and it really requires discipline to run a marathon, not only physically but mentally and even the food that you eat,” said Cajucom.

“I think in the training you really learn how to be disciplined,” she added.

In the same way they are preparing for the event, she urged the participants to have month-long preparation to at least train their body to become accustomed to longer distances. (Denise Mae Codis and Claudine Flores, CNU interns)

THE police are investigating if personal grudge or illegal drugs may have been involved in the killing of a man and his son in Sitio Bokyol, Barangay Poblacion 3, Carcar City, southern Cebu on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

The victims were identified as Junie Barcenilla and his son Randel, both residents of Barangay Sacsac, Aloguinsan town, midwest Cebu.

They were returning home on a motorcycle after delivering their supply of eggplants to the Carcar City Public Market, when the two gunmen riding in tandem shot them repeatedly, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Gifter Sucalit, the head of the Carcar City Police Station.

They each bore eight gunshot wounds.

The authorities recovered several bullet casings of an unknown caliber from the crime scene.

The empty bullet shells will be subjected to a ballistic examination.

Junie was arrested last year for illegal drugs but was later released, thus the police are now looking into his involvement in illegal drug activity.

Sucalit revealed that because Junie was growing vegetables to sell in the Carcar market, they were unable to monitor him if he resumed using illegal drugs.

The CCTV cameras in the area are now being checked by the police to provide leads in the investigation.

Sucalit called on those who witnessed the crime to come to their office.(AYB, TPT)

MOTORCYCLES traversing the South Coastal Road will have a designated lane -- outermost right lane -- at the South Road Properties (SRP) beginning July 19, 2023, as mandated by the Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO).

A document forwarded to SunStar Cebu by CCTO legal officer Kent Frasco Jongoy showed that the Cebu City Traffic Management Committee (TMC-Com) has approved the TMC Resolution 0–005-2022, which establishes the motorcycle lane pilot testing areas at the SRP and N. Bacalso Avenue for one month upon the completion of the installation of signages in the areas.

Majority of the committee members also approved to move forward with establishing motorcycle lanes in all outer rightmost lanes from SRP Talisay City border until S. Osmeña Boulevard in the North Reclamation Area of Cebu City-Mandaue City.

The mandate was made under the grounds of safety for the motorcycle riders and to minimize road accidents that involve motorcycles in the South Coastal Road.

Early this year, several motorcycle accidents were recorded, resulting in serious injury and even death.

On April 28, 2023, a motorcycle rider died on the spot after he was pinned down by a tanker truck while traveling at the viaduct of the SRP.

To avoid these unfortunate accidents in the future, the CCTO saw the motorcycle lane as the immediate solution, saying it prevents the “weaving in and out of lanes” of vehicles on the road, which is the common reason for road mishaps.

In the pilot implementation of the mandate, the CCTO Education Sector conducted an information drive to the motorists traversing the coastal road to heightened awareness on Wednesday, July 19. (Erica Abella, CNU intern)

THE police will file a lawsuit against the man who went wild inside the chapel in Barangay Luz, Cebu City, while a wake was being held.

Bryan Tarucan, 41, a construction worker who lives in the area but is a native of Borbon town, northern Cebu, showed up at the wake held for a 62-year-old woman inside a chapel in Sitio San Roque, Barangay Luz, on Monday night, July 17, 2023 and broke the coffin’s glass and assaulted the dead.

His older brother, Rex, said the suspect was not in the right state of mind as he was intoxicated.

The deceased’s relatives retaliated by mauling Tarucan, whose face was swollen with bruises and cuts.

According to Police Major Eraño Regidor, chief of the Mabolo Police Station, they will file a case of malicious mischief against the suspect.

Rex revealed that his younger brother apologized for what he did.

When his younger brother gets out, Rex said they will bring him to Borbon to do farming there.

"Daku kaayo ang iyang pagbasol sir, nagpatabang siya kay kung makagawas siya mag bag-o na daw siya sa iyang kinabuhi, mouli na lang daw siya sa Borbon adto na lang daw siya manimuyo didto," according to Rex.

(He is really sorry, sir, he is asking for help because if he gets out (of prison), he plans to reform his life and return to Borbon and settle there).

In a media interview, Bryan admitted his crime.

Additionally, he admitted that he was taking liquor and illegal drugs at the time he tried to get custody of his oldest child.

"Ako unta kuhaon ang akong anak ang kamagwangan nako, nasuko ang mga igsuon sa akong asawa unya gitabangan ko nila mao to nidagan ko mao ning bogbog ni ang akung nawong maong didto ko napunta. Motug-an gyud ko sir sa tinuod wala gyud ko mag lipud-lipud. Naa ang Ginoo dili ko mamakak sir naka-droga ko ato," according to Bryan.

(I was about to take my oldest child, but my wife’s brothers attacked me, so I fled and ended up there (in the chapel). Sir, I'm being honest. God knows I’m not lying, sir; I was just drugged up).

Bryan was captured on camera punching the deceased person's coffin as it lay inside the chapel of Sitio San Roque on Cabantan Street.

The video quickly went viral on social media.

The defendant admitted that while he was unable to remember what he had done, he could remember being pulled by the barangay tanods and being mauled by the people around him.

The suspect, who sustained bruises in his face, is willing to make amends with the deceased's family.(AYB, TPT)

What are the powers of an “ex officio” chairperson, and to what extent can they call the shots on the Maharlika Investment Fund?

The Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed the decision of the Sandiganbayan to junk a P1.052-billion civil forfeiture case against the family of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and their alleged associates due to lack of evidence.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) released their traffic management plan for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) — a day filled with protests coupled with a nationwide transport strike.

Executive Order 34, which was signed Monday, declared the “Pambansang Pabahay Para sa Pilipino” a flagship program of the government.

The Commission on Human Rights said that it is “willing, ready, and able to assist the government so it may better comply with its obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill the human rights of all.”

(Bangkok) - The Cambodian government has stepped up harassment and arbitrary arrests of members and activists from the opposition Candlelight Party (CLP) ahead of national elections slated for July 23, 2023, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities should stop targeting the opposition, immediately drop all baseless charges, and release all those

THE extension granted to register SIM cards will already expire on July 25, 2023.

Cellphone owners are advised by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to register their SIM cards.

According to the most recent NTC data, 103,670,164 people, or 61.70 percent, have registered their SIM cards as of July 17, 2023.

The NTC revealed that 7,359,116 of them have signed up with Dito Telecommunications, 47,267,960 have signed up with Globe, and 49,043,068 have signed up with Smart.

According to the data of NTC in December 2022, there are a total of 168,016,400 subscribers.

Those who have not registered may follow the said procedures:

First, check the SIM registration website of the service provider such as Globe, Smart and Dito.

Second, provide your 10-digit mobile number and click the “Register” button.

You will receive a text message containing a One Time Pin (OTP), which you must immediately input on the registration website.

Once your OTP has been validated, you can proceed with the registration.

Among its requests are complete name, birthday, gender, address, and nationality.

To validate your information, a selfie and ID are also required.

You can take a photo and submit government-issued IDs such as passport, national ID and SSS ID, among others.

Once done, you can click the "Submit" button to complete the process.

After the process, a reference number will appear on your screen confirming that your SIM card has been registered. (ANV, TPT)

Human rights organizations, including the UN human rights office and the Commission on Human Rights, have warned that the practice of equating dissent with rebellion and terrorism puts targets at risk of harassment and violence.

THE cost of damage to properties caused by fires in Central Visayas from January to June 2023 has increased by 624 percent from the same period last year, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) reported.

Supt. Joel R. Abarquez, head of the BFP 7’s operations division, said the region logged P4.7 billion in properties either destroyed or damaged due to fires in the first six months of the year, compared to P649 million from January to June 2022.

“There really is a prominent rise in the numbers compared to last year,” he told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 19, adding that contributing the highest in the figures was the fire that engulfed a condominium building early this year.

Last April 14, a fire hit a 37-story building under construction at the Grand Residences condominium development on Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City, causing P3.9 billion in damage after the flames raged for nine hours.

Fire incidents

Abarquez also noted that the region saw a 20.9 percent increase in fire incidents in the first six months of 2023 (964) from the same period last year (797).

Of the 964 fire incidents, 302 incidents happened in structural fires in residential areas, while 444 were structural fires in non-residential areas, meaning establishments other than residential spaces.

The BFP 7 also recorded 157 non-structural miscellaneous fire incidents, such as fires in open spaces, garbage piles and lamp posts, while 61 were transport or vehicular fires, which include aircraft and seacraft.

During the same period last year, Central Visayas had 283 fire incidents in residential areas and 430 in non-residential areas, while 33 were miscellaneous fires and 51 were transport fires.

Last March, the BFP 7 said that 974 fire incidents were reported in the region for the whole of 2022, a 7.5 percent increase from the reported 906 incidents in 2021.

Vigilance

Although Fire Prevention Month, observed every March, is over, Abarquez urged the public to continue being vigilant about following fire safety precautions.

He said fire prevention practices must be observed all year round.

Less restrictions

The fire official also noted that the opening up of borders and lifting of quarantine restrictions also contributed to the rise in the recorded fire incidents.

He said while there are more activities, events and gatherings being held, people tend to leave their homes unchecked if wires are unplugged from the socket.

Abarquez said electrical ignition remains the top cause of fire incidents in Central Visayas. It is the process of starting or initiating a fire or combustion through the use of electricity. It can occur when an electrical circuit malfunctions, causing sparks, overheating, or short circuits that ignite flammable materials, leading to a fire.

“People should always check every electrical outlet in their house before leaving. They should not be complacent about it,” he said.

Abarquez also said many people are still practicing the octopus wiring or the jam-packing of wires on an outlet.

He highly discouraged practicing this since it can overheat receptacles and cords, which can result in fire.

A FIRE bureau official said that the cost of damage resulting from fire incidents that occurred in the Central Visayas from January to June 2023 has increased by 624 percent as compared to the same period last year.

Superintendent Joel Abarquez, head of the regional operations division of the Bureau of Fire of Protection in Central Visayas (BFP 7), said that the region logged P4.7 billion worth of damaged properties due to fire on the first six months of 2023, compared to the P649 million that was recorded for the first semester in 2022.

"There really is a prominent rise in the numbers compared to last year," told SunStar Cebu on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, adding that contributing the highest in the figures was the fire that engulfed a condominium building few months back.

Last April 14, a fire started inside a 37-story condominium complex of the Grand Residences that was under construction along Gov. M. Cuenco Avenue, Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City.

The fire lasted for nine hours and caused around P3.9 billion in damages.

Abarquez further pointed out that the number of fire events in the area during the aforementioned years increased by 28.7 percent.

He claimed that whereas BFP 7 had 964 fire incidences in the same period of this year, Central Visayas recorded 797 fire events in the first half of the year.

Abarquez noted that the region also logged a 28.7 percent increase in the number of fire incidents from January to June this year.

He said that the BFP 7 had recorded 797 fire incidents in the first six months of 2022, while 964 fire incidents in the same period of 2023.(KJF, BBT)

The University of the Philippines on Tuesday laid down a set of principles on the “responsible” use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in an academic setting, becoming among the first major Philippine universities to work towards a policy governing AI use in classrooms.

Affected communities and advocates said in a press briefing that the impacts of the oil spill on the livelihood and welfare of communities as well as the environment are far from being addressed four months after MT Princess Empress sank off Oriental Mindoro.