LAWMAKER ASSAILS LRT1 EXTENSION CONTRACT
BUHAY Partylist Rep. and Senior Deputy Minority Leader Lito Atienza has questioned the contract signed between the government and a private consortium to operate the 11.7-kilometer extension of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 from Baclaran to Bacoor, Cavite. He said that upon signing of the contract for the P65 billion project, the LRT1 daily income from operations of about P9 million is automatically accruing to the concessionaire. “The actual turnover was in September 2015 which means that they have been collecting almost P7 billion for the past two years. We have been asking for a copy of the concession contract since the 16th Congress and until now we have not received it,” Atienza said during the hearing of the Committee on Transportation. Atienza pointed out that the LRT1 is the only money-making rail system right now, adding that the government should not have agreed to these terms which are disadvantageous and would only benefit the winning bidder.
CALL CENTER USED AS FRONT FOR CYBERSEX DEN RAIDED
A JOINT police team raided an online marketing call center used as front for cybersex den in Barangay Old Balara, Quezon City (Metro Manila) on Wednesday night and arrested 30 online agents, including their supervisor, caught processing cybersex transactions. Chief Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, QCPD director, said Kratos Marketing Inc., owned by Allan Ren Sulit, located on the second floor of an apartment at Pablo Compound along Commonwealth Avenue. The place is being rented by Allan Franza, chairman of Barangay Old Balara. Eleazar said the agents used fake identities, including nude pictures and videos, to transact with local and foreign customers who pay through credit cards. He said the 30 computer units seized from the place would be checked if they also engaged in blackmail activities. Sulit, who was not around during the raid, is now the subject of a manhunt. The agents arrested will be charged with violation of Section 4 of Republic Act 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
ARGUMENT LEADS TO MILITIAMAN’S DEATH
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna: A member of Philippine Army’s Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) was shot dead by a fellow militiaman in Pangil, Laguna after a heated argument on Wednesday. Laguna Provincial Director Senior Supt Joel Pernito identified the victim as Gerald Relevante who was shot three times by Eduardo Galay using an M14 firearm while they were at the mess hall of the Cafgu Detachment in Barangay Galalan. Relevante did not reach the hospital alive. Galay voluntarily surrendered with his weapon.
LA UNION POLICE NAB EX-VILLAGE CHIEF FOR RAPE, GUNS
BANGAR, La Union: Police Chief Insp. Rogelio Miedes Jr. said they arrested two most wanted persons, one of them a rape suspect, who were caught with unlicensed firearms and grenade in separate operations on Thursday. Miedes identified the rape suspect as Onofre Sabado, 50, former chairman of Barangay Luzong Sur this town. Also found in his possession were an M16 rifle with magazines and bullets, a caliber 38 revolver, fragmentation grenade and nine bullets for caliber 357. Sabado was the No.2 most wanted persons in Bangar for the rape of his stepdaughter last year. No bail was recommended for his release. Also arrested earlier was Salvador Macuroy, 58, of Barangay Alzate who was facing frustrated murder case. The warrants for the arrest of Sabado and Macuroy were issued by Judge Manuel Aquino of the Regional Trial Court Branch 34, Balaoan, La Union.