QC RESIDENTS WARNED VS ILLEGAL USE OF FIRECRACKERS

THE head of the Quezon City Public Order and Safety Department has warned residents of Quezon City against the illegal use of firecrackers this Christmas season. According to Elmo San Diego, selling and using banned firecrackers like Judas belt, whistle bomb, bawang, pla-pla and super lolo are prohibited under Republic Act 7183. The Quezon City government has provided a checklist of requirements for issuance of authority to display/sell for the retailer of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices that will be coming from the Department of Public Order and Safety. Among the requirements for the issuance to sell are mayor’s clearance, barangay (village) clearance, police clearance, RTC/MTC [Regional Trial Court/Metropolitan Trial Court] clearance, authorization of dealership and fire safety inspection certificate. City Ordinance 2618-2017 imposes a total ban on the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in all public places of Quezon City during festivities or any occasion, providing penalties for violation. The ordinance was signed by Mayor Herbert Bautista on October 13, 2017 but its Implementing Rules and Regulations is still being crafted. The city government has placed more stringent requirements to avoid incidence of fire. The Market Development and Administration Department has defined a vending zone for firecrackers and pyrotechnics. President Rodrigo Duterte has issued Executive Order 28 authorizing local chief executives to promulgate rules and regulations on firecrackers and pyrotechnics devices.

HOUSE DECLARES LIMAHONG CHANNEL A TOURIST SPOT

THE HOUSE of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill declaring the historic Limahong Channel in Lingayen, Pangasinan, a tourist spot. About 192 lawmakers unanimously voted for the approval of House Bill 6682, whose principal author is Pangasinan Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil. The channel is where Chinese pirate Limahong -- who invaded the northern part of the Philippine islands in 1574 -- sought refuge when his army was repulsed by defenders of Pangasinan, then a royal encomienda. Limahong Channel is located along the Agno River at the mouth of the Lingayen Gulf. Bataoil, also chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Welfare, said declaring the Limahong Channel as a tourist spot could entice local and foreign travelers, especially the Chinese, to visit the place. This would generate employment opportunities for residents of the municipality and nearby communities.

3 MEN ARRESTED FOR PHYSICAL INJURIES, DIRECT ASSAULT

POLICE arrested three suspects for injuring two civilians and the arresting officers on Christmas morning in Valdez Compound, Paso de Blas, Valenzuela City. A victim, Rodolfo Basoco Guzman, was taking a coffee break in the area when a suspect, Allan Magunda, aka “Urak,” approached him and punched Guzman in the chest. The victim attempted to pacify Magunda but he was already surrounded by two of the latter’s companions, Samsondin Mamintal and Ega Banto. Guzman ran toward the other victim, Arman Baquiran Guzman, but the suspects threw bottles and stones at them, causing them injuries in the chest and body. Police Officer 3 Antonio Apis and PO1 Isagani Manait from Police Community Precinct 1 arrived at the scene to arrest the suspects. But Magunda and the two other suspects resisted and inflicted injuries on the police officers. They, however, were subdued and apprehended. Charges of physical injuries (two counts) and direct assault upon agent of persons in authority (two counts) have been filed against suspects before the Valenzuela City Prosecutor’s Office.

CHINESE PASSENGER HELD OVER ATM SCHEMING DEVICE

AIRPORT authorities held a Chinese passenger who was caught with a scheming device at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Sunday, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) said on Monday. Customs District III Collector Ramon Anquilan identified the Chinese as Wen Sheng Zeng, 36, who brought hundreds of assorted credit cards and the ATM scheming device that apparently will be used for illegal online transactions. The passenger who came from Guandong, China, on board a China Southern Airline Flight CZ3091 was questioned by Customs examiners on his overweight check-in luggage. Zeng’s luggage was subjected to X-ray scanners where Customs officials spotted the illegal device. When confronted by authritoies, Zeng immediately admitted that he is aware of the contents of his luggage and that a syndicate from China asked him to bring the illegal device to Manila for a fee.Tthe suspect will be facing criminal charges before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.

GROUPS WELCOME ERC OFFICIALS’ SUSPENSION

PEOPLE’S organizations and environmental groups have lauded the Office of the Ombudsman for the suspension of Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) executives over “unwarranted benefit” they gave to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and its sister companieswhom they exempted from the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in 2016. The CSP is a power supply procurement scheme requiring a public bidding instead of a negotiated procurement. Ordered suspended for one year without pay, after they were found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, were ERC officials Jose Vicente Salazar, chairman and chief executive officer; and Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Alfredo Non, Josefina Patricia Magpale-Asirit and Geronimo Santa Ana, commissioners. Aaron Pedrosa, Sanlakas secretary-general, said the order validates the claim of people’s groups and environmental advocates of “sweetheart deals” entered into by ERC officials and certain electric service providers. He added that the suspension bolsters their claim that only a collusion between the government and private corporations could have allowed such anti-consumer and anti-environment agreements to prevail. “This suspension order should serve as a warning to the ERC to seriously review the petition against the deal that was filed in intervention by concerned community leaders and people’s groups only to be junked by ERC chambers,” Pedrosa said. The Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) has described Meralco’s “collusion” with the ERC as conclusive proof of the growing obsolescence of “dirty, deadly and costly” coal-sourced energy in the country. Gerry Arances, CEED executive director, said all the contested public service agreements have compelled the expansion of coal-fired power plants and have resulted in “locking in” of the country to coal.