18
ZAMBONEWSONLINE
Confiscated
dried seahorse
missing
at customs bodega
By
Letty Militante
The
Bureau of Customs has reported that at least
seven
out of the 15 bales or cartoons equivalent to 152 kilograms of
confiscated dried seahorse are lost or missing while being stored at the
Customs warehouse, Port area this city.
In an
interview, District Customs Collector Atty. Lyceo C. Martinez said that
the office already called for an independent investigation on
the missing items by the National Bureau of Investigation or NBI
last September 6,2018.
“We
are waiting for the NBI to take the necessary actions, “ Martinez
According
to Martinez
The
BOC warehouse is supervised and is under the control and
responsibility of the Custom police – a separate unit which is still
under the supervision of Martinez
The
Philippine Coast Guard under Commander Noriel Ramos formally turned over
the confiscated dried seahorse contained in some 15 bales or cartoon to
the BOC
The
dried seahorse were inside a container van on board a
cargo vessel
As
this developed, Martinez said that initial steps were immediately undertaken at
the BOC while waiting for the NBI reports such as the installation of CCTV
cameras in the BOC warehouse and roof from where the robbers took the dried
seahorse .
This
is to make sure it will not happen again, he said.
In
other related development, Mayor Maria Isabelle C. Climaco Salazar is appealing
to the people to help check the whereabouts of the contraband dried seahorses.
Climaco
Salazar said that the BOC really has to patrol their ranks considering this is
not only the first time that some confiscated items were taken without
permission from inside the BOC warehouse.
Several
bags of recently confiscated sugar were also discovered missing at the
BOC warehouse.
This
loss of confiscated sugar occurred during previous collectors. (Letty M.
Militante)
222
‘TienDA sa BFAR’ benefits thousands
in Zamboanga
Thousands
of residents have benefited on Saturday from the one-day “TienDA sa BFAR”
initiated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in this
southern port city.
Isidro
Velayo Jr., BFAR-9 director, said the conduct of the activity is in line with
the agency’s 55th fish conservation week, which is from September 17 to 21.
Eight
exhibitors, including the National Food Authority (NFA), have joined the
conduct of the TienDA held at the compound of BFAR in this city. Among the
products sold at cheaper prices were fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood and
process foods.
The
NFA sold the government-subsidized rice at PHP27 a kilo. A maximum of five
kilos is sold to an individual.
Velayo
said they invited the NFA to join the TienDA activity to provide an opportunity
to poor families to buy cheaper rice.
Asha
Tasi, a resident of Barangay Sta. Barbara, was elated that BFAR has conducted
the activity since she was able to buy rice and shrimps at cheaper prices.
“It's
cheaper here, I hope they will hold again similar activity since it is of big
help especially to those who have less in life,” Tasi added.
TienDA
is a new marketing scheme which ensures that farmers’ products can be directly
sold to consumers in urban areas without the intervention of middlemen.
It was
initiated by Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol. (PNA)
333
‘Ompong’ displaces 193 families in
the city
A
total of 193 families were displaced by flash floods that inundated three
barangays late Friday in this city due to inclement weather condition enhanced
by Typhoon “Ompong.”
Ma.
Socorro Rojas, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) chief, on
Saturday said the city government immediately provided assistance to the
affected families.
Rojas
said of the total affected families, 110 were from Barangay Tumaga, 75 in Sta.
Maria, and eight in Tugbungan. They were temporarily sheltered at the covered
court of the three barangays.
The
eight affected families from Tugbungan were rescued by the Coastguard personnel
since they were trapped by high waters in their houses.
“We
have to prioritize rescuing the elderly, women and children who were trapped in
their houses. There were also sick people, who cannot walk, which we need to
rescue and turn them over to medical responders in the area to avoid further
casualties,” Lt. Commander Noriel Ramos, Zamboanga Coastguard Station
Commander, said.
The Zamboanga Peninsula ,
Palawan, Northern Mindanao , and Caraga
experienced moderate to occasionally heavy rains coupled with strong winds
brought about by the southwest monsoon that the weather PAGASA said was
enhanced by Typhon “Ompong.”
The
Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (BDRRMCs) have been
directed to continue monitoring the situation and to initiate response if the
need arises. (PNA)
4444
7 ASG bandits killed, 23 others
wounded in clash
Seven
Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits were killed while 23 others wounded, including
17 soldiers, in a fierce firefight in the province of Sulu
Lt.
Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, said the
firefight broke out around 1:30 p.m. Friday in Barangay Bakong, Patikul, Sulu.
Dela
Vega said the troops were on combat operations when they clashed with around
100 ASG bandits led by ASG one-armed leader Radullan Sahiron and sub-leaders
Hatib Hajan Sawadjaan and Idang Susukan in Barangay Bakong.
Sahiron
is the oldest among the leaders of the ASG based in the province of Sulu
Dela
Vega said the firefight resulted to the death of seven ASG bandits whose
remains were recovered while six others were reported to have been wounded.
He
said the troops received reports one of the six injured ASG bandits was
Sawadjaan, who sustained critical injuries. They fled to different directions.
Seventeen
soldiers were injured during the clash, most of them sustained shrapnel wounds.
They were taken to the Camp
General Teodulfo
Bautista Station
Hospital
Dela
Vega said the cadavers of the slain ASG bandits were also taken to the same
hospital for forensic examination and proper disposition.
He
said the troops recovered from the clash site the following: one M-16 Armalite
rifle; four magazines of caliber 5.56-millimeter ammunition; an ammunition
bandolier; one touchscreen cellular phone; and, assorted war materiel and
ammunition.
“I
commend the troops of the Joint Task Force Sulu for this recent
accomplishment,” Dela Vega said.
“All
sorts of assistance will be provided to the battle casualties and our prayers
are with them for their speedy recovery,” he added.
He
said that troops are tracking down the rest of the ASG bandits who fled to
different directions. (PNA)
5555
Zambo police activates 800
-man disaster response group
*
*
The
Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga
Peninsula
Although
it is not within the storm's path, this city has been experiencing moderate to
occasionally heavy rains - coupled with strong winds brought about by the
enhanced southwest monsoon due to “Ompong”.
Chief
Supt. Emmanuel Luis Licup, PRO-9 director, said Friday he disaster response
group will be deployed any time in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay,
Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte, as well in this city, as the need
arises.
Licup
said the group, known as the Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF), will
also provide security, humanitarian, disaster relief assistance to the
residents in areas that will be affected by the typhoon.
“At
the same time, they are the additional manpower during force evacuations and
road clearing operations,” Licup added.
He
said all provincial and city directors have been directed to pre-position
personnel and equipment in different identified risk-prone areas.
Licup
has met with key officers and readied Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan
for “Ompong”.
He
also ordered police officers to properly coordinate with other agencies,
including the local government units (LGUs) and Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Councils (DRRMCs), as well as the military, for the efficient
implementation of the plan.
Aside
from the Zamboanga Peninsula , the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical
and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 a.m. weather
bulletin Friday that the other areas affected by the southwest monsoon enhanced
by “Ompong” are Palawan, Northern Mindanao ,
and Caraga.
PAGASA
said “Ompong” has maintained its strength as it continues to threaten the
Isabela-Cagayan area.
The
weather bureau said the typhoon is expected to make landfall in the
Cagayan-Isabela area on Saturday morning. (PNA)
6666
Military denies 2 abducted Indons
taken to Sulu
*
The
military’s Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) on Friday denied that the two
Indonesian fishermen abducted early this week in Malaysia
are already in the province
of Sulu
Lt.
Col. Gerry Besana, Westmincom information officer, said there is no
confirmation yet on reports that the victims were taken to the area of
responsibility of the command.
Besana’s
statement came after the east Malaysian newspaper, Daily Express, reported on
Friday that the “pirates and their hostages arrived in Talipao at 3 a.m.
Tuesday.”
The
Malaysian authorities identified the kidnapped victims as Samsul Sagunin, 40,
and Usman Yunus, 35, both Indonesians who were abducted on board a fishing boat
shortly after it docked at the Pulau Gaya jetty near Semporna , Malaysia
Two of
their companions managed to escape by hiding in one of the boat’s compartments.
The
newspaper report said the victims were taken to Tawi-Tawi aboard a speedboat
and “believed their final destination is Talipao in Sulu, an area where the Abu
Sayyaf Group has previously based its kidnap-for-ransom operations.”
“We
have no confirmation or validation if the KVs (kidnap victims) and kidnappers
really went inside our AOR (area of responsibility). If ever, we could have
intercepted them immediately," he said.
He
added that considering the information given to them, there's a slim
possibility for them to just cross our border unnoticed because of the reported
watercraft they're using.
“Until
now, wala pa talaga pumasok sa atin (no one has entered our area) based on the
latest report from our forces,” he added.
Nevertheless,
Besana said government troops “have been in a tight lookout” for the two
Indonesians reportedly abducted in Sempornah. (PNA)
777
Abu Sayyaf
surrenderers
climb to 179
The
number of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) surrenderers have climbed to 179 this year as
two more bandits gave themselves up to authorities in the province of Sulu
Lt.
Gen. Arnel dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief, identified
the two as Ranu Jillang and Ben Kirah, both former followers of the late ASG
sub-leader Alhabsy Misaya and sub-leader Salvador Muktadil.
Dela
Vega said Jillang and Kirah surrendered at around 9 a.m. Tuesday to the Marine
Battalion Landing Team-3 (MBLT-3) headed by Lt. Col.
Ramil Holgado in Barangay
Seit Lake
Mayor
Al-Fraizer Abdurajak of Old Panamao town, in coordination with Col. Armel
Tolato, commander of the Philippine Marine Ready Force-Sulu, facilitated the
surrender of the two ASG bandits.
Dela
Vega said the two surrenderers were brought to the Kuta Heneral Teodulfo
Bautista for medical examination and custodial debriefing.
“The
accomplishments of our Joint Task Forces are greatly attributed to the
indefatigable support of the local government units and the populace,” he said.
Of the
179 ASG surrenderers this year, he said, 75 yielded in Basilan, 95 in Sulu, six
in Tawi-Tawi, and three in Zamboanga City.
“Rest
assured all the surrenderers will be catered with the programs launched by the
Philippine government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines
8888
No law vs. premature campaigning:
Comelec
* By
Ferdinand Patinio
The
Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reiterated that they cannot stop
“aspiring candidates” from promoting themselves ahead of the May 2019 midterm
polls as no law prohibits premature campaigning.
“The
Comelec does not make the law, but we’ve been helping legislation get passed to
address this,” Jimenez said on his Twitter account, @jabjimenez, on Saturday.
“The
Comelec has never been silent about this loophole in the law, since at least
2013,” Jimenez added.
His
statement came amid the reaction of netizens questioning the poll body’s supposed
lack of action against possible candidates in the forthcoming polls.
“We
are actively supporting the bills that will help solve this problem,” Jimenez
said.
Under
Republic Act No. 9369, “any person who files his certificate of candidacy
within (the period for filing) shall only be considered as a candidate at the
start of the campaign period for which he filed his certificate of candidacy.”
It
also states that “unlawful acts or omissions applicable to a candidate shall
take effect only upon the start of the aforesaid campaign period.”
Pending
bills filed by senators Leila de Lima and Richard Gordon seek to prohibit any
form of premature campaigning for any prospective candidate ahead of an
electoral exercise. (PNA)
* 'Kalinaw
Kultura Mindanao' comes to Zamboanga
City
*
The
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in partnership with the
Philippine Information Agency (PIA), is launching on Friday the Kalinaw
Kultura Mindanao in this city.
The
Kalinaw Kultura Launching Program will be held at the Zamboanga State College
of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) and will be coupled with Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Cultural Product exhibit.
PIA
Director-General Harold Clavite on Thursday said the primary purpose of the
activity is to raise public awareness about the rich, diverse, dynamic, and
colorful Mindanao cultural heritage.
Clavite
said the program also seeks to develop a deep appreciation for Mindanao culture
through observation, instruction, and experience of local creative content and
talents as well as promote and encourage preservation of Mindanao ’s
crafts and creative arts.
He
said Kalinaw Kultura seeks to share and promote Mindanao ’s
pride among the youth, community leaders and influencers, tourists and
netizens.
confiscat
Dr.
Pilar Banaag, NCCA communication committee vice head, said the program aims to
promote the different cultures “to clear out some wrong notions of which people
from Mindanao have projected pertaining to the
different areas in the region.”
“This
is a way or a means for us in the NCCA to disseminate the different cultures,
the behaviors, the arts, as well as the different people who are involved in
Mindanao, that Mindanao is a peaceful area, Mindanao has its own culture, Mindanao is a nice place to stay,” Banaag said.
The
Kalinaw Kultura is a Mindanao-wide cultural dissemination roadshow to be held
in the cities of Iligan, Butuan, Zamboanga, Davao
The
launching here is the third of a series since the first and second was held in
Iligan and Butuan cities. It will kick-off with a motorcade Friday afternoon
from Mayor Vitaliano Agan Avenue
The
program will be followed by the Kalinaw Kultura Fashion Show at the KCC Mall de
Zamboanga, showcasing culturally-inspired haute couture and hablon collections.
The
viewing of local cultural films at the Centro Latino Theater Room, which was
also scheduled on Thursday, was canceled due to the inclement weather
condition spawned by Typhoon “Mangkhut.” (PNA)
Zamcelco gets 10,000 votes for crown’s hold in IMC
By
Letty Militante
Some
10,000 out of the some 120,000 member consumers approved the Investment
Management Contract or IMC of the Zamboanga City Electric
Cooperative or Zamcelco last Tuesday with winning bider CrownInvestment
Holdings,Inc. or CHI to manged the affairs of the cooperative.
This
approval will be forwarded to the National Electrification Administration or
NEA for confirmation before final implementation of the IMC.
President
Omar Sahi of the Zamboanga CityElectric Cooperative or Zamcelco told Zambopen
Journal that it was a unanimous votes with no abstain nor against in
favor to the CrownInvestment Holdings ,Inc. as the winning
bider among the four other bidders who participated the biding
process but failed to appear during the scheduled opening of bids last August
30, 2018 .
The
Crown Holdings Investment ,Inc. invested P2.5 billions for the Investment
Management Contract or IMC of Zamcelco.
Sahi
who give thanks to member consumers who attended for the support and
cooperation said that right after the conduct of the Special General Membership
Assembly the members of board immediately conduct a session to make another
resolution address to the National Electrification Administration or NEA for
the final approval and confirmation to Crown Holdings Investment Inc. the
winning bider to implement the P2.5 billions IMC.
Sahi
is hopeful that NEA will approve and give the final confirmation for the
IMC and Crown Holdings Investment as the winning bider of P2.5 billion
Investment.
As
this developed, Sahi said that the P1.2 billions debts of Zamcelco will be the
top priority among other concern.
The
debts to be paid are NEA and to the different power providers like Mapalad,
WMPC,, TMI, Infinity,PSALM and San Miguel.
The
remaining investment of the P 2.5 billion of CHII will be used for the working
capital of Zamcelco this are the upgrading of old transformers, old
metering, old or dilapidated electrical posts, lines and among
others.
The
retirement benefits of employees will also be paid from the P2.5 billions
investment .
Sahi
said that with the P2.5 billion investment of CHII for the IMC, Zamcelco who
has been ill for the past ten (10) years on system loss, power trip
offs , blackout and the like. , will soon have a better services and full power
supply with no more power interruptions , trip off and blackouts to
the member consumers. (Letty M.Militante)
The
Mindpro Citimall announces its rebranded name as “SM Mindpro Citimall “on
its temporary closure on October 13,2018 to give way to its full
renovation to become a fully developed SM mall.
Mindpro
Citimall in a joint venture with SM Prime Holdings Inc. last August 2016 will
pave way for a mall development that will bring SM’s awesome shopping
experience in Mindanao by the year 2019 .
It
will be recalled that Mindpro Citimall is the first mall in Zamboanga
City who had opened to the public last December 7,1996 caters not only the city
of Zamboanga but as well as the neighboring provinces and cities in the
Zamboanga Peninsula.
.
Early
this week , Mayor Maria Isabelle C. Climaco Salazar met with the
representatives of SM’s in Cityhall for the final entry and its rebranded name
of Mindpro Citimall to SM Mindpro Citimall on its total renovations.
Recalled
further that Climaco Salazar had announced early last year 2017 the entry of SM
Prime Holdings Inc. who was received a warm appreciations by the Zamboanguenos
.
Climaco
Salazar even declared it as awakening giant in Mindanao’s
economic and further considered as one of the fastest growing economies in Mindanao .
Mindpro
Citimall with a gross floor area of 45,144 square
meters ,located in La Purisima Street,Zone 3 houses a Mindpro
Supermarket, screen cinemas, foodcourts, department store and several
branded stores and boutique.
The SM
Mindpro Citimall will brings a brand new dining options of
Starbucks and Breadtalk together with the affiliate stores of SM Department ,
Uniglo, Ace Hardware and SM Appliance Center.
SM
Mindpro Citimall will have the state of the art cinemas with car park building
that can accommodate up to 400 vehicles.
It
will include a Cyberzone - the largest chain of IT retail stores in
the country .
The SM
Prime Holdings Inc. is staying aggressive on its biggest expansion of over 20
new malls for completion in this current year 2018 and in 2020.
SM
Prime Holdings Inc. remains committed to its role as a catalyst for economic
growth, delivering innovative and sustainable lifestyle cities that
enrich the quality of life to millions..(Letty M.Militante)
DTI to hold off price hikes for
basic goods in next 3 months
By
Azer
*
DTI
Undersecretary Ruth Castelo allayed fears of consumers that rising inflation
and the tax reform for acceleration and inclusion (TRAIN) law would also cause
a spike in the prices of basic goods.
“To
allay the fears of our consumers, kasi maraming nagsasabi tataas ang
presyo bigla or tatalon ‘yan, pag natapos iyong three-month period
(because there are many saying it will suddenly increase or jump after the
three-month period),” Castelo said.
She
said the DTI has convinced manufacturers of Basic Necessities and Prime
Commodities (BNPCs) to hold off price increases for the next three months.
“Na-convince natin
sila at pumayag sila (We were able to convince them and they agreed) –
some committed three months; some committed six months; some committed nine
months,” Castelo said in a Palace briefing.
“Assured ang consumers
(are assured) that for the next three months, hindi gagalaw ang presyo
ng BNPCs nila(the prices of their BNPCs will not change),” she added.
Castelo
said the following BNPCs will have fixed prices: canned sardines, noodles,
milk, bottled water, canned meat, detergent, and bath soaps.
She
noted that all price increases have to be first approved by the DTI.
“They
will have to submit data before they can change the market price or iyong
presyo sa retail – doon sa panibagong SRP
list iyon (the retail--new standard retail price list),” Castelo
said.
Castelo
added that the DTI has also convinced the Department of Agriculture (DA) to
issue SRPs on some agricultural products.
“Ito
iyong agricultural products niya na may (These agricultural
products with) SRP, and hopefully will be enforced. This includes rice,
milkfish, tilapia, galunggong, iyong basic rin (the
basics),” Castelo said.
She
said the DA has jurisdiction over these agricultural products but since July
2018, the DTI had started to assist. (PNA)