EDITOR

EDITORmarifi
maRIfIs.s.jara
jaRa TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2018
The
Nation TUEsDaY, jaNUaRY 3

#nationataglance
fuel prices continue climb
OIL COMPANIES on Monday maintained the five-week upward price move- fERDI
ment of fuel products, which takes effect at 6 a.m. today, Jan. 30. PTT Phil- 2016 e
ippines Corp., Eastern Petroleum Corp., TOTAL (Philippines) Corp., Pilipinas

R
Shell Petroleum Corp., and Seaoil Philippines, Inc. have the same increases
at P0.45 per liter (/L) for gasoline, and P0.50/L for diesel and kerosene.
Seaoil, in its advisory, cited the movements in the international petroleum
market as the reason for the price adjustments.— anna gabriela a. mogato

DPWH
amONg ThE completed projects in Bulacan
last year was the rehabilitation and
improvement of the 41-kilometer Eastern
Bulacan Road that interconnects the
municipalities of Doña Remedios Trinidad,
san Rafael, san Ildefonso and san miguel.
CENTRAL LUZON: BULACAN
P2.1-B infra projects completed in Bulacan
THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and
Highways (DPWH)-Bulacan 2nd District
Engineering Office has reported the comple-
tion of P2.093 billion worth of national
roads, bridges, flood control structures, and
other infrastructure projects in 2017. District
Engineer Ramiro M. Cruz, in a statement re-
leased by DPWH yesterday, said the projects
include 19.59 kilometers (kms) of national
roads, 88 lineal meters of bridges, and 31
flood control structures, among others. The
DPWH branch also completed the construc-
tion of 88 units of schoolbuildings consisting
of 755 classrooms amounting P1.297 billion
under the Department of Education’s Basic
Education Facilities Fund and 12.24 kms
of farm-to-market roads worth P105 mil-
lion under the Department of Agriculture’s
budget.
KRIZ-JOHN ROSALES/PHILIPPINE STAR
sOmE EVaCUEEs have set up camp outside the
main building of a crowded evacuation center in
Legazpi City, albay in this photo taken on jan. 27.
BICOL: ALBAY
fearless farmers defy mayon Volcano anger
AS BLISTERING lava spews from the seeth-
ing volcano nearby, Philippine farmer Jay
Balindang leads his buffalo through the
ash-strewn paddy fields of the no-go
zone, creeping closer to danger
in a desperate bid to support
his family. Tens of thou-
sands of people have been
evacuated from around the
erupting Mayon Volcano, as a
white-hot cocktail of gas and
volcanic debris streaks down
its flanks, threatening local
communities who rely on the
fertile land at its base. — AFP
>> See full story on
https://goo.gl/C7YfN2
2 new ambassadors,
other appointees named
MALACANÃN PALACE on Monday, Jan. 29, an-
nounced President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s latest set
of appointees, including two ambassadors and 10
directors. The President signed the appointment
papers of the following individuals last Wednes-
day, Jan. 24: Ombra T. Jainal, extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to the Czech Republic, and Manuel
Antonio J. Teehankee, permanent representative
of the Republic of the Philippines to the World
Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, among
others. — arjay L. Balinbin
>> See the full list on https://goo.gl/SgwA1d
more court justices speak up
in sereno impeachment case
THE HOUSE committee on justice resumed its hear-
ings for finding of probable cause on the impeach-
ment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P.A.
Sereno with members of the Supreme Court (SC)
and the Court of Appeals (CA) in attendance. SC
Associate Justice Teresita J. Leonardo-De Castro
said that the members-in-charge were not able to
immediately act on the survivorship claims because
these were not included in the agenda and, there-
fore, they were not informed of their assignments.
SC Associate Justice Mariano C. Del Castillo, on
other hand, said that Administrative Order 233 s.
2008 allows the five highest government officials,
including the chief justice, to avail of luxury vehicles
for security purposes, but noted that Ms. Sereno
was the first magistrate to do so. CA Associate
Justice Jose C. Reyes, Jr., meanwhile, admitted that
m
‘w
Ms. Sereno did suggest that the three CA justices
involved in the case of the “Ilocos 6” file a petition
before the SC, and she told him that the “Supreme
Court na ang bahala.” — minde Nyl R. dela Cruz
3 cops indicted for Kian murder LOSI
THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) found probable candi
cause to indict the three Caloocan City policemen on M
for the murder of 17-year-old Kian Loyd D. delos of Vic
Santos. The prosecution, headed by Senior State robr
Prosecutor Tofel G. Austria, charged Police Officer all th
(PO) 3 Arnel G. Oares, PO1 Jeremias T. Pereda, PO1 presi
Jerwin R. Cruz, and informant Renato Perez Loveras (pEt
with murder and planting of drugs and firearms. of del
Moreover, Messrs. Pereda and Cruz were charged “W
with violation of domicile. Mr. Delos Santos was tion
killed in August 2017 during an anti-drug operation recou
under “Oplan Tokhang.” — minde Nyl R. dela Cruz shou
motio
sandiganbayan cancels bail bond, orders quest
re-arrest of ex-Palawan governor Reyes with
FORMER PALAWAN governor Joel T. Reyes, lenge
whom the Court of Appeals recently released Marc
over the objections of the family of murdered M
broadcaster-environmentalist Gerry Ortega, has in res
been ordered re-arrested — but not over the as- robr
sassination seven years ago. — interaksyon.com Maca
>> See full story on https://goo.gl/Gd58o9 cause
and fl
M
has t
weak
that
many
the ca
M
claim
electi
CENTRAL VISAYAS: CEBU CITY as
AND DAVAO: DAVAO CITY cusin
Davao, Cebu business chambers zero
in on tourism as economic drivers
BUSINESS CHAMBERS in two of the coun-
try’s major cities outside the capital Metro
Manila are putting focus on the promotion
of tourism as a driver for local economic
development. Arturo M. Milan, in his inau-
gural address as president of the Davao City
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.
(DCCCII) last Friday, said they are looking
at the promotion of tourism — alongside
agriculture, manufacturing, and informa-
tion and communications technology — for
investments and job creation in the Davao
Region. In the Visayas, the Cebu Chamber
of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) will be
mounting more projects for tourism and en-
trepreneurship this year, taking advantage
of the promising indicators of these two sec-
tors. — Carmelito Q. francisco and Ehda m.
Dagooc/The Freeman
>> See full story on https://goo.gl/J4xapY

AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO: SULU

wesminCom says Islamic scholars helping
in rehabilitation program for abu sayyaf returnees
WESTERN MINDANAO Command (WesMinCom) chief Lt. Gen. Carlito G. Galver, Jr
has called on the remaining members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) operating in
the hinterlands of Sulu to lay down their firearms following the surrender of several
of their companions over the weekend. “We would like to reiterate our call for the
remaining ASG members, especially those from Sulu province, to surrender the
soonest,” Mr. Galvez said in a statement. On Sunday five members of the ASG, three
from Sulu and two from Tawi-Tawi, surrendered to soldiers of Joint Task Force Sulu
and turned over their firearms. Three of the five were identified as Kadra Arajun
Sawadjaan, Alnajar Arajun Sawadjaan, and Sherul Arad Sahiyul. Mr. Galvez said “the
government, in coordination with the Ulama, has prepared rehabilitation programs
to those who have surrendered and will surrender to ensure that they do not go
back to their ill beliefs and practices.” WesMinCom data shows 164 ASG members
have surrendered since January 2017. Of the total, 72 were from Basilan, 57 from
MIMAROPA.NEDA.GOV.PH
Sulu, 33 from Tawi-Tawi, and two from Zamboanga City. — albert f. arcilla
ThE NEw Puerto Princesa international airport was
inaugurated in may last year.

MIMAROPA: PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN

PaL Xiamen-Puerto Princesa charter flights start in feb.
FLIGHTS BETWEEN Xiamen, China and Puerto Princesa City in
Palawan will be launched on Feb. 10, the Department of Tourism
(DoT) announced yesterday. The new route is handled by C&D
Travel Service China, a charter operator based in Xiamen, with
Philippine Airlines (PAL) as partner carrier. DoT said regular
operations are scheduled on Feb. 14 and 18. “Just for starters,
the new route will produce a total of 480 international air seats
just for that period alone,” DoT Undersecretary Benito C. Beng-
zon, Jr. said in a statement. Mr. Bengzon said the DoT’s Route
Development Team is also working on launching Tiajin-Puerto
Princesa flights “in time for the Chinese New Year.” Earlier this
month, Xiamen Airlines also started its thrice-a-week flights
between Fuzhou and Kalibo, Aklan, one of the gateways to
popular tourist destination Boracay.
WESMINCOM FILE PHOTO