May 12, 2009 Major News Stories

Chevron to hike pump prices, too

Major oil player Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex) will hike the prices of its petroleum products on Tuesday.  Chevron corporate communications manager Antonio Nebrida said they would increase their gasoline (Gold, Silver, E10, Regular), diesel and kerosene prices by P1 per liter starting 6 p.m., Tuesday.

Firms raise gasoline, diesel prices

INDEPENDENT OIL companies PTT Philippines Corp., Seaoil Philippines, Inc., Petron Corp. and Total Philippines Corp. yesterday announced oil price increases in separate text messages.  Seaoil increased at 12:01 a.m. today its gasoline, diesel and kerosene prices by P1.50 per liter, while PTT, Petron and Total similarly adjusted diesel and gasoline prices effective 6 a.m. today.

Chevron wants to keep books closed

Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex Philippines Inc.) yesterday asked the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) to issue a new order, one that would reverse an April 27 ruling ordering the country's three largest oil firms to open their books of account.

SC allows importation of patented drug

THE SUPREME Court (SC) has applied the cheaper medicines law to favor a local firm importing drugs patented by a large pharmaceutical company with local operations.

Fil-Brit and cousin now at VSMMC 

The Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) reported two new cases of people under observation for possible infection of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Only four flu cases monitored

ONLY FOUR out of 23 suspected cases of the lethal influenza A (H1N1) are being monitored as majority of the cases have tested negative, the Department of Health (DoH) said.

Meet over class opening safeguards

Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has called for a command conference with all police chiefs in Cebu City together with the City Hall department heads to discuss their preparations for the opening of classes next month.

5-year nursing not implemented this June

The proposal to add one more year to nursing and other four-year college courses will not yet be implemented during the opening of the new school year this June.

Capitol to meet with mayors of 3 cities

CEBU Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia will meet with the mayors of Bogo, Carcar and Naga tomorrow to discuss the impact of the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that voided their cityhood.

Leader sa 'kulto' gipasakaan og kaso

Gipasakaan og kaso ang leader sa usa ka kulto sa dakbayan sa Lapulapu human gitumbok nga nakighilawas sa mga minor de edad bugti sa ilang kaluwasan sa Diyos.  Duna nay mga pamahayag nga giluwatan ang mga kihante batok ni Sulpicio Daño alyas Noy Pisyong nga gitawag nilang "Daddy Divine."

Murder vs. Dumpit now with family court

The murder case against controversial policeman SPO1 Adonis Dumpit was re-raffled yesterday to a family court following Regional Trial Court judge Generosa Labra's begging off from trying the case after she discovered that the victim was a minor.

Comelec nangayo'g computer

Ang duha ka buhatan sa Comelec sa siyudad sa Sugbu mangayo sa kagamhanan sa dakbayan og tabang alang sa gikinahanglan nilang dugang nga "data capturing machine".  Nagkanayon silang Atty. Marchel Sarno ug Atty. Edwin Cadungog nga kun mahimo nang unom ang data capturing machine sa duha ka buhatan sa Comelec sa dakbayan, tataw kaayo nga dili malangay ang rehistrasyon sa mga bag-ong botante.

Hinuon sa bahin ni acting mayor Michael Rama sa dakbayan sa Sugbo nagkanayon kini nga suwat- hangyo nalay gipaabot niya gikan sa Comelec alang niining mga butanga.

Rama urges public to help protect votes

Believing that next year's polls will have a huge voter turnout, Acting Mayor Michael Rama yesterday urged the private sector to support campaigns to protect ballots, as he commended ABS-CBN yesterday for the television station's "Boto Mo, Ipatrol Mo," election campaign.

Speaker hands off on partial automation 

House Speaker Prospero Nograles on Monday said he will not sign the letter being drafted by another House leader, Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia, that will call on the Commission Elections (Comelec) to abandon its plan to fully automate the elections.

Aspirants hit Arroyo's record in ANC forum

"Transactional politics" and political insecurity bogged down President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's attempts to inject real changes in the country, her ally Sen. Richard Gordon said in an ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) leadership forum held at the Ateneo de Manila University on Monday.

Senate to proceed with probe of Villar case

THE SENATE committee of the whole would proceed on Thursday with the preliminary investigation on the ethics complaint against Senator Manuel B. Villar, Jr. after yesterday's approval of probe rules.

Arroyo in Cebu for five events at Imperial

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be in Cebu today for five hours to grace five different events at the Imperial Palace Waterpark Resort Hotel and Spa in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

Tomas set to come home this month

CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña canceled his trip to Bogota, Colombia due to the influenza A H1N1 virus, which has already affected the South American country that the mayor had planned to visit next week and will be in Cebu on May 19.

LTO clerk jailed for falsifying receipt

The Regional Trial Court yesterday sentenced a clerk of the Land Transportation Office in Carcar to eight years imprisonment after finding him guilty of falsifying a receipt of the LTO.  RTC Branch 6 Judge Ester Veloso found Democrito Castañares guilty of violating Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code after he falsified an official receipt issued to an applicant for a driver's license 12 years ago.

Sulu encounter: 20 Abu tumba

Matapos mapatay ang apat na pulis kabilang na ang Sulu police director na si P/Senior Supt. Julasirim Kasim at utol nitong lalaki, gumanti naman ang tropa ng militar at pulisya kung saan aabot sa 20 bandidong Abu Sayyaf ang nasawi habang aabot naman sa sampung iba pa ang grabeng  nasugatan sa umaatikabong sagupaan kamakalawa sa bayan ng Maimbung, Sulu.

MILF tags Cebu cop owner of mansion

THE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is claiming that a Cebuano police officer owned a mansion that the military has captured and identified as the property of wanted MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato.  According to www.luwaran.com, "Kato never owned or occupied the mansion but a Cebuano policeman who turned drug dealer and now a multi-millionaire reportedly owned it."

Military rescue for Vagni OK'd

THE LOCAL crisis management committee has authorized the military to rescue Red Cross hostage Eugenio Vagni from one of the Abu Sayyaf splinter groups, a top military spokesman revealed yesterday.

Unemployment hits record high

THE NUMBER of adult Filipinos not working and at the same time looking for a job rose to a record-high 34.2%, or about 14 million, in the first three months of 2009, from 27.9%, or 11 million, the previous quarter, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said yesterday.

PDIC hires experts to boost case v Legacy 

The Philippines" deposit insurer will hire more experts in its fraud investigation against the Legacy Group, a move that will boost its criminal cases against Celso de los Angeles.

Pirates release Greek ship with 18 Filipinos

Somali pirates have released a Greek-owned chemical tanker that was seized on March 25 along with its 19 crew members, including 18 Filipinos, the Associated Press reported late Monday night.

Pope confronts dark history of Germany

Pope Benedict XVI confronted the dark history of his native Germany on the first day of his visit to Israel yesterday, shaking the hands of six Holocaust survivors and saying victims of the genocide "lost their lives but they will never lose their names."

Mar denies using Korina for his politics

Whether he likes it or not, the question whether he is marrying for love or politics will haunt his presidential campaign.

Pacman camp wants Cotto next

It's a choice between Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. as Manny Pacquiao's next opponent.

'The nation's punch'

DESPITE gaining five boxing titles, Manny Pacquiao yesterday said he is hungry for more victories. Pacquiao made the declaration during a one-on-one interview with President Gloria Arroyo before the luncheon tendered in his honor in Malacañang.

3 charged for bikini show deny porno raps

The promoters and choreographer of the controversial bikini show in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, held during the Holy Week who were among the seven respondents of the criminal complaint filed by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia for alleged pornographic and indecent shows have formally denied the accusations.

Pacquiao intelligence agent na ng DOJ

Bilang pagkilala sa tagumpay ni People's Champ Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao sa kanyang laban kay Ricky Hatton sa Las Vegas, dalawang posisyon ang ipinagkaloob sa kanya ng pamahalaan.  Nauna rito, itinalaga ni Pangulong Gloria Maca pagal-Arroyo si Pacquiao bilang ambassador for peace and understanding.

Kasunod nito, itinalaga si Pacquiao bilang special intelligence agent ni Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez.

Atienza to Pacquiao: Away from politics

No less than Manny Pacquiao's mentor and father figure, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, has advised the five-time boxing champion to stay away from politics.

Reklamong receptionist v Pacman basura

Dinismis kahapon ng Quezon City Prosecu tor's Office ang rekla mong iniharap ng isang dating receptionist laban kay People's Champ Manny Pacquiao na na karelas yon umano ng babae.  Sinabi ni Assistant City Prosecutor Maria Gracia Cadis Casaclang na hindi sapat na ebi den sya ang litratong nagpa­pakita kay Pac quiao na kasama ang nagrekla mong si Joan na Bacusa at ang isang anak umano rito ng bok singero.

P1.1M b'day gift kay Bayani mula sa MMFF

Ibinunyag kahapon ni Senator Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada na umabot sa P1.1 milyon ang natang gap na birthday gift ni Metro Manila Development Authority Chairman Bayani Fernando mula sa pondo ng Metro Manila Film Festival na unti-unti na umanong nawawal das. 

MMDA chief: I don't remember

Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Bayani Fernando claimed Monday that he did not remember receiving any cash gifts for his birthday, which supposedly came from the funds of the Metro Manila Film Festival.

Reeve's son to run in NYC Marathon

Matthew Reeve plans to run the New York City Marathon to raise funds for his father's foundation, which helps people with spinal cord injuries.

Tornado hits Koronadal City

A strong tornado, popularly known in Hiligaynon dialect as "buhawi," battered Barangay Concepcion in Koronadal City, destroying several houses, a barangay official said.

"Emong" death toll now at 47 - NDCC

The death toll from tropical cyclone "Emong" continued to rise, reaching 47 as of Monday night, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.

DoH offers free cervical cancer screening

The Department of Health (DoH) will conduct free cervical cancer screening on May 22 for women aged 15-45 years in VSMMC.  Those who wish to avail of the free screening should register from May 12 to 15 in the said hospitals, he said.

Those who will be found positive in the screening will be referred for treatment, he said.

Cervical cancer develops from human papilloma viral infection. Those who have multiple sexual partners, those who smoke, those who have been pregnant several times, and those who have a family history of cancer are at risk.

Symptoms include pain during intercourse, abnormal vaginal bleeding such as bleeding after intercourse and menopause, bleeding and spotting between long and heavy menstrual periods, unusual discharge from the vagina which may contain blood and occur between menstrual periods or after menopause.