MAKATI CITY TO LAUNCH DOG MICRO- CHIPPING

MAKATI CITY is gearing up for a citywide micro- chipping program for about 32,000 dogs as part of its animal identification program, which will make the city the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to implement the use of PET iCHIP technology in a large-scale setting. A dog lover herself, Mayor Abby Binay instructed City Veterinary Services Office ( VSO) officer-in- charge Jing Mangahas to implement the program in all 27 (villages) and six private subdivisions. The microchips are free of charge and will be implanted by licensed veterinarians from the VSO. The bio-thermal microchips, as big as a grain of rice, will contain information about the dog and its owner as well as data on the dog’s anti-rabies vaccine. These details will be uploaded to the city’s database, which will allow the VSO to closely monitor and check the number of dogs given anti-rabies shots. Mangahas said they already have 7,000 PET iCHIPs to launch the project by middle of October. She added they will be using the passive-type microchip,which works without batteries.

CUSTOMS SEIZES SMUGGLED GLUTINOUS RICE

THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) has seized a 20-footer container van with sacks of glutinous rice worth at least P2 million. The shipment, which had been declared as polyster knitted breast cups, lacked an importation permit. The contraband was consigned to Worldwide Apparel Manufacturing Inc. Customs Commissioner Isidro Lapeña said the shipment will undergo forfeiture proceedings for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016. X-ray Inspection Project head Maj. Jaybee Raul Cometa said the shipment arrived early this month but was not yet physically examined in the absence of the representative from Worldwide Apparel. The presence of rice instead of the declared items is a prima facie evidence of smuggling, he added.

BUSINESSMAN KILLED IN MINDORO AMBUSH

SAN JOSE, Occidental Mindoro: A businessman was killed in an ambush by unidentified gunmen riding a motorcycle along Ubas Road here on Tuesday afternoon. Senior Insp. Juan Aguacito of San Jose Police Office said the victim, Jean Paul Encina, 33, of Ubas Road Barangay Pag-asa, owner of Jaypee Agri Machineries, was riding his car on his way to his business establishment when he was shot dead. A caliber .45 pistol bullet hit him below the shoulder. He was declared dead at a hospital where he had been brought by responding policemen. Aguacito said they were securing footage from a closed-circuit television camera near the scene of the crime to help in the investigation. He added that they are determining the motive for the ambush.

MIMAROPA’S 2ND MOST WANTED FALLS

THE second most wanted person of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), who is facing murder and frustrated murder charges, was arrested by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Occidental Mindoro in a recent operation in Negros Occidental. Danilo Tarun, head of CIDG-Occidental Mindoro, said Marcelo Sumaoang, 34, of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, was arrested in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday after his presence there was tipped off to the police. Sumaoang is detained at the provincial jail in San Jose town.

NEGROS MILITANT GROUPS SET RALLIES

BACOLOD CITY: Militant groups in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental will hold a two- day rally to marked the declaration of martial law in 1972 in three key cities in the province. Bayan-Negros secretary- general Christian Tuayon said his group and other organizations started the protest on Wednesday on the streets of Kabankalan and Escalante cities. Tuayon slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for declaring September 21 as national day of protest, calling it as “divisive” and designed to antagonize the masses who are against then-President Ferdinand Marcos’ imposition of military rule. He said Malacañang is trying to “condition the minds” of Filipinos to expect the possibility of the entire country being under martial law again, citing growing criticisms over alleged extrajudicial killings. Rolando Rillo, chairman of the National Federation of Sugarcane Workers, said they will also hold a rally in front of the Fountain of Justice at Araneta Street here to oppose plans of implementing martial law nationwide. He added that human rights violations under the Duterte administration ave exceeded those committed under the Marcos regime.

6 NPA REBELS SURRENDER IN SAMAR

CATARMAN, Northern Samar: Six members of the New People’s Army (NPA) based in Northern Samar have surrendered with their firearms to live a normal life, ending their armed struggle for years. Army Capt. Federico Morales, Philippine Army civil military operations chief and spokesman for the 803rd Infantry Brigade, based in Camp Somoroy here told that they withheld the identities of the six who surrendered from different municipalities here because the surrenderers fear for their lives. “Their comrades in the mountains might look for them and kill them, you know surrendering is considered a mortal sin by the NPA,” Rosales said. The six rebels personally appeared at the headquarters of the 20th and 43rd Infantry Battalions based in Las Navas and Palapag towns with their firearms. Valente Bajet, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, said the former rebels will receive a corresponding amount for every firearm surrendered as well as P50,000 for livelihood assistance and P7,000 as aid while under custody in the camp.