April 2, 2009 Major News Stories

US Pistachio nuts pinababawi ng BFAD

Inutos na ng Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) ang pagbawi sa lahat ng pistachio based product na gawa sa Amerika sa pangamba na kontami nado rin ang mga ito ng salmonella bacteria gaya ng natagpuan sa ilang peanut butter products sa bansa.

Karne ng Taiwan, Lebanon bawal sa Pinas

Pansamantalang inihinto ng Department of Agriculture (DA) ang importasyon ng karne ng baka at iba pang katulad na hayop na pinaniniwalaang may foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) mula Taiwan at Lebanon.

Ban ng OFWs sa Lebanon, Jordan inalis na

Inalis na ng Malaca ñang kahapon ang deployment ban ng mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sa bansang Lebanon at Jordan.

Cebu power lack rears its head; firms asked to 'de-load' from grid

Power shortage fears came true for Metro Cebu on Tuesday, with large power users asked to voluntarily stop taking from the Visayas grid for about an hour following problems at a coal-fired plant.  After Global Business Power Corp.'s facility in Sangi, Toledo City experienced technical problems, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) declared a supply deficiency and asked Visayan Electric Co., Inc. (VECO) to shave power from the grid.

VECO subsequently implemented its interruptible load program for the first time and asked its biggest customers to "de-load" and generate their own power for about an hour.

Waterfront Philippines, Inc. and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. volunteered and switched on their generators. Regular power was subsequently interrupted at the Cebu City Waterfront Hotel and SM City Cebu mall for about an hour, between 1:25 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. at the hotel and between 1:40 p.m to 2:44 p.m. at the mall.

This allowed VECO to take a total of seven megawatts — five from SM and two from Waterfront — off the system. An additional 2.5 MW had to be interrupted, which affected one feeder in uptown Cebu City, a VECO statement said.

The Sangi plant remained offline yesterday but VECO was not asked anew to de-load, company officials said. Based on the National Transmission Corp. website, the Visayas grid still had a deficit of 15 MW yesterday, with peak load reaching 1,144 MW and capacity amounting to only 1,129 MW.

Mosyon sa 16 ka siyudad gibasura

Mga dakbayan sa Naga, Bogo ug Carcar hingpit nang mabalik sa pagkalungsod human ang Supreme Court en banc mibasura sa milabay'ng adlaw sa motion for reconsideration nga giduso sa 16 ka siyudad.  Si Atty. Midas Marquez ang tigpamaba sa korte nagkanayon nga bisan og wala pa ma-release ang desisyon sa taas nga hukmanan miluwat na kini og pinal nga hukom niadto pang Martes nga nagbasura sa motion for reconsideration sa 16 ka siyudad niadtong buwan sa Disyembre sa milabay'ng tuig.

Niadtong Nobiyembre 18, napilde sa 6-5 nga botasyon sa Korte s Suprema ang 16 cityhood laws nga naglakip sa Naga, Carcar ug Bogo tungod kay wala makatuman sa P100 milyones nga income requirement una pa himuong siyudad subay sa Akta Republika 9009.

Ordinance to bar province lots legal

The Cebu City Council yesterday was informed yesterday that the city has the power to prohibit the Cebu Provincial Government and the other government agencies and instrumentalities from developing for commercial purposes their lots along the Banilad-Talamban corridor.

Capitol finds more loopholes in deal 

PROVINCIAL officials found another loophole in the deal between Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) and the Cebu City Government to develop part of the South Road Properties (SRP).

City, FLI to blame if inquiry spoils deal

Should the controversial Joint Venture Agreement between the city and Filinvest Land Incorporated for development of some portions of the South Road Properties be terminated as a result of a House inquiry, Third District Rep. Pablo John Garcia said the city and FLI only have themselves to blame.

2 reps support House inquiry

TWO Cebuano congressmen are supporting a colleague in his proposal for a House inquiry to look into the allegedly irregular deal the Cebu City Government entered into with Filinvest Land Inc. for the development of South Road Properties (SRP) lots.  Reps. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south district) and Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu Province, 6th district), said last night they found merit in the proposal of Rep. Pablo John Garcia (Cebu Province, 3rd district) to hold the inquiry. Garcia will make the proposal through a privilege speech instead, not through a resolution as earlier announced.

Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia gathered the Cebuano lawmakers last night over dinner for a presentation titled "What's In It For Cebu City?" on the supposed irregularities that they found in the contract between Filinvest Land Inc. (FLI) and the Cebu City Government.

Ombuds files perjury case v. Castro

The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas yesterday filed a case for perjury before the Municipal Trial Court in Barili against controversial prosecutor Mary Ann Castro after the anti-graft office denied her motion for reconsideration of her earlier indictment of the crime.  The case stemmed from Castro's filing of two petitions for annulment of marriage before the Regional Trial Courts in Mandaue City and Barili, respectively.

SC: Limkaichong stays

 The High Court has spoken: Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong keeps her seat. 

SC slammed for ruling on Limkaichong 

Former Rep. Jacinto Paras has accused the Supreme Court of "evading" the citizenship case against Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong for ruling that the issue should be handled by the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

Joavan mi-plead not guilty

Anak ni Mayor Socrates Fernandez nga si Joavan Fernandez mi-plead not guilty sa gipahigayong arraignment niadtong Martes sa buntag diha sa Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) sa dakbayan sa Talisay sa kasong kalapasan sa Akta Republika 8294 nga gipasaka batok kaniya sa mga ahente sa National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).  Kahinumduman nga gidakop sa mga ahente sa NBI pinanguluhan ni Arnel Pura pinasikad sa warrant of arrest nga giluwatan ni Regional Trial Court Judge Manuel Patalinghug sa Branch 22 niadtong Oktobre 6, 2008.

Ang NBI gikatahong nakakuha og usa ka walay sulod nga magazine sa .9mm caliber KG-9 submachine pistol ug laing magazine sa kalibre .45 nga may walo ka buhing bala ingon man mga shabu paraphernalia.

Nasuta usab nga positibo kining migamit og ginadiling drugas human ipailawom sa drug screening ang iyang ihi, butang nga gihimakak ni Joavan human sa iyang pagkasikop sulod sa usa ka massage parlor sa barangay Tabunok.

Managsuong opisyal nakuha'ag armas

Managsuong barangay kapitan ug kagawad lakip na uban pang mga igsuon nadakpan sa joint operation sa Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB); 78th Infantry Battalion (IB) ug kapulisan sa Barili tungod sa paghupot og mga high powered firearms nga walay mga lisensya.  Gidakop ang barangay kapitan sa Paril sa lungsod sa Barili nga si Nestor Presbetiro mga igsuon niining sila si kagawad Romulo Presbetiro sa silingang barangay nga Giloctog ug igsoong si Jose Presbetiro.

Ang maong pagpan-ronda gipanguluhan ni Insp. Wilfredo Pulvera sa PIB ug 1st Lt. Roy Dalumpines ug mga sakop sa Barili Police Station dala nga search warrant nga giisyu ni executive judge Meindrado Paredes sa Regional Trial Court (RTC-13) nga kalapasan R.A 8294 kun illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.

Atol sa pagpang-ronda si kapitan Presbetiro, nakuhaan kini og usa ka 'frontier' nga tayaon nga walay bala; usa .45 caliber 1911M1A1 pistol nga may lima ka buhing bala; samtang ang igsoon niining kagawad nakuhaan usab og usa ka caliber .30 carbine uban sa 12 ka mga buhing bala ug usa usab ka .45 caliber pistol nga may 69 ka buhing bala ug upat ka magazines ang nakuha kang Jose.

Rama orders lighting of North Reclamation 

Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday ordered the chief of the Department of Public Services to make sure that the North Reclamation Area, where robberies victimizing taxicab drivers always occur, should be properly lighted as one way to prevent crimes.

Couple sue 2 doctors and hospital

A simple medical procedure that has allegedly gone awry has led a couple to file a multi-million damage suit against two doctors and the hospital where the patient was confined.  An executive of Globe Telecom and her husband have filed a damage suit against Cebu Doctors University Hospital and two doctors, who allegedly performed a wrong operation June last year.

Katrina Lilia Morada-Poca, her husband Roberto Rama Poca and Katrina's Mother Alice Canonoy Morada filed charges of medical malpractice, tort and damages against Cebu Doctors University Hospital, Inc., obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Marivic Tan and surgeon Dr. Manuel Villamor before the Regional Trial Court yesterday after having been confined for over a month last year.

Katrina, in her complaint said that in their desire to have a baby, in May 2008, she and her husband Roberto had eggs from Katrina's ovary fertilized with the sperms of her husband to be later implanted in her womb, a medical procedure known as in-vitro fertilization.

When the embryos were ready for implantation, Dr. Tan, whom Katrina had known since her college years, told Katrina that a mass containing water called 'hydrosalpinx' was found in the patient's left fallopian tube.

Tan apparently told her that the mass should be removed as it might adversely affect the implantation of the fertilized embryos.

Dr. Tan ordered for a video-laparascopy which is said to be a minor operation.

Katrina said that she was assured that the operation will only take 45 minutes to one hour. The procedure was done on June 12 of last year at Dr. Tan's clinic.

The complainant alleged that the procedure led to several complications and Dr. Tan asked Dr. Villamor to help her as she reportedly claimed that it was beyond her competence.

Katrina had to undergo another operation two days later by another doctor due to complications and another ten days after the first.

She underwent a fourth operation to repair the damage in her body and when she finally was discharged from the hospital on July 9, her bill reached P2 million.

After leaving the hospital the victim still had to undergo therapy sessions.

The complainants are asking for P2.1 million in actual damages and P400,000 for expenses incurred.

They are also asking P5 million for moral damages and P500,000 each for Roberto and Katrina's mother.

Another P1 million has been asked for exemplary damages and P300,000 for attorney's fees.

Drivers 'on drugs'

THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) confiscated the licenses of three bus drivers who tested positive during the random drug tests conducted yesterday.

Oil price hike 'a cruel joke'

The militant transport group Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) condemned yesterday the latest increase in the prices of diesel and unleaded gasoline, branding it as a cruel "April Fools Day joke" played by oil firms on motorists and consumers.

Reyes pro-active sa oil price hike

Pinagsabihan kahapon ng Malacañang si Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes na dapat maging pro-active at agad ipaalam sa publiko kung magkakaroon ng oil price hike upang hindi ito nabibigla.

Cebu drivers may join nationwide strike

THE decision of public utility vehicle drivers in Cebu to join tomorrow's reported nationwide transport strike hinges on the outcome of their dialogue today with Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief Arturo Lomibao.

LTO: There's need to amend traffic code

The officials of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas have requested the Cebu City Council to ask the Congress to amend the specific provision of the Transportation and Traffic Code if it wishes to regulate the operations of the motorcycles-for-hire or "habal-habal" in the city.

Arroyo signs law for benefit of students

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday announced legislative measures and programs that would mostly benefit the children of the low income families that are expected to help augment the country's present economic status.

CA upholds firing of school principal

The Court of Appeals upheld an Ombudsman decision dismissing from service a public school principal in Lilo-an who was found guilty of administrative case for grave misconduct.  The 18th division of the appellate court affirmed the July 28, 2004 decision of the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas that dismissed from service Dr. Epitacio Mendoza of the Lilo-an Central Elementary.

Boljoon dig yields gold

People seem to be finding valuables in the most inlikely places lately. First it was money in a dumpsite. Now it is gold in church grounds.

Gubat sa Tres de Abril handumon

Gihagit ni Cebu City Councilor Arsenio Pacaña ang mga Sugbuanon nga ipadayon ang gubat diha sa Tres de Abril, 111 ka tuig na ang nakalabay.  Usa ka programa ang ipahigayon diha sa eskina sa dalan Tres de Abril ug V. Rama Avenue ugma sa buntag nga sugdan pinaagi sa usa ka Santos nga Misa.

Human niini makigpulong ang pipila ka opisyal sa siyudad pinanguluhan ni acting mayor Michael Rama ug ubang mga dinapit sa maong kalihukan.

Tapuson ang programa pinaagi sa pagpahigayon og floral offering sa marker sa gubat sa Tres de Abril diha sa nahisgutang dapit.

Matud ni Pacaña nga angayan lang handumon ang gubat sa Tres de Abril aron malab-as sa mga Sugbuanon ang gipakigbisugan sa mga katipunero kaniadto.

Nangulo sa mga Sugbuanong katipunero sa pagpakiggubat sa mga katsila niadtong Abril 3, 1898 mao si Pantalleon Villegas nga mas naila nga Leon Kilat.

Delay in probe annoys Edago wives

Next month would be the first anniversary of the sinking of M/V Edago Expedition off the province of Antique, yet no clear answers to date are given to the families of the victims as to what actually happened to the cargo vessel on May 15, 2008.

Military shuts down cellsites in Sulu 

 Government authorities and negotiators could not contact the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) regarding the status of three kidnapped Red Cross workers after the military temporarily shut down cellular phone communications in some areas of Sulu on Wednesday during 'state of emergency' operations in the province.

Abus confused on hostages 

 Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said on Tuesday there seems to be confusion among Abu Sayyaf leaders over what to do with their three hostages from the Red Cross.

'Singaporean' linked to kidnapping: Puno

 An international terrorist from Singapore was acting on behalf of Islamic militants in the Philippines' 76-day Red Cross hostage crisis, a senior Philippine official said. 

Swiss govt appeals to Abu Sayyaf 

 The Swiss government on Wednesday appealed to Islamic militants on the Philippines island of Jolo to spare the lives of three international Red Cross workers kidnapped in January. 

Kidnappers free 9-year-old boy in Basilan

Jocelyn Gruta thought somebody was pulling an April Fool's prank on her when she got word that her 9-year-old son, who was kidnapped on Feb. 1, had been freed by his abductors.

11 MILF todas sa militar

Uma abot sa labing-isang rebeldeng Moro Islamic Liberation Front ang iniulat na napaslang sa panibagong sagupaan laban sa tropa ng militar sa Sitio Pelobdan, Brgy. Upper Dado sa bayan ng Alamada, North Cotabato kamakalawa ng madaling-araw.

Resulta ng 2008 Bar exams ilalabas bukas

Ilalabas na ng Korte Suprema bukas Abil 3, 2009 ang resulta ng 2008 Bar exams.  Ayon kay Atty. Midas Marquez, tagapagsalita ng Korte Suprema, si  nabi nito na alas-9 ng umaga sa Biyernes ay tatala kayin ang percentage ng pumasa sa bar exam.

Ayon kay Associate Justice Dante Tinga, na siya ring chairperson ng 2008 Committee on Bar examinations, Idi-display umano sa isang LCD projectors sa harap ng Korte Suprema sa Padre, Faura Maynila ang mga pa ngalan ng mga pumasa kung saan sabay din itong matutunghayan sa web site ng SC na www.sc. judiciary.gov.ph.

Lumalabas sa record ng Office of the Bar Confidant na may kabuuang 6,364 law graduates mula sa 109 law schools sa buong bansa ang ku muha ng pagsusulit nong September 7,14,21 at 28,2008 sa Dela Salle University sa Taft Ave., Manila.

Kabuuang 6,550 law graduates ang naghain ng kanilang petition upang makakuha ng bar exam at 6,533 ang na­kakuha nito at tanging 6,364 ang nakatapos ng pagsusulit sa ika-apat na linggo ng exam.

ECE examinees call for retake due to leak

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) faces another leakage complaint, this time coming from some examinees of this year's Electronic and Communications Engineering (ECE) Board Licensure Exam, the results of which are set to be released Thursday.

PRC: 598 new Electronics Engineers 

 The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Wednesday that 598 out of 2,472 examines passed the Professional Electronics Engineer and Electronics Engineer Licensure Examination.

Vince Perez heads renewable energy body

Former Energy Secretary Vicente Perez Jr. has been tapped by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to chair the National Renewable Energy Board, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said.

10 dead in Helicopter crash in North Sea

Ten people are feared dead after a helicopter with 16 people on board ditched in the sea off the north east Scottish coast on yesterday.

Iraq blames neighbors for water shortage

Iraq's Cabinet minister in charge of managing water resources says Iraq is suffering from a water shortage because of the policies of neighboring countries and insufficient winter rainfall.

UN condemns attacks in Afghanistan

UN chief Ban Ki-moon yesterday strongly condemns the suicide attacks on a government provincial office in Kandahar which claiming at least 11 lives and injured many others, voicing his deep concern at the escalation of violence in Afghanistan.

Obama rallies world to cope with downturn

As President Barack Obama sought to rally the world's powers to fix a lifeless global economy, the White House announced Wednesday that Obama and Russia's president were ready to negotiate on reducing both nations' nuclear arsenals.

32 arrested during London protests ahead 

A total of 32 people were arrested on yesterday during protests across the London on the eve of the G20 summit.

IOC decision on women"s boxing for 2012 

Women boxers should find out in August if they will be allowed to compete at the 2012 London Games.

Hong Kong writer nag-sorry na

Humingi na ng pa uman hin ang kontro bersyal na Hong Kong columnist na si Chip Tsao matapos nitong tawaging "nation of servants" ang Pilipinas sa kanyang artikulo sa isang HK ma gazine na may pamagat na "The War at Home."

Joyce Jimenez confirms pregnancy

Excited si Joyce Jimenez na ikinuwento ang kanyang pagbubuntis. Kagagaling lang daw niya sa Los Angeles nang malaman na siya pala ay nagdadalang-tao.

Gene linked to deadly disorder tots

After 12 years of searching, University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists have tracked down the first known gene mutation responsible for a heartbreaking disorder that kills newborn babies.