2 POLICE OFFICERS IN TROUBLE OVER UNLAWFUL ARREST
Two police officers who unlawfully arrested a man are facing multiple cases, including grave misconduct, before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office on Monday. Senior Police Officer 1 Jay Jay Jacob of Manila Police District-General Assignments Investigation Section identified the policemen as Police Officer 1 Abraham Manlongat Ventura and PO2 Sonny Genleto, who arrested complainant Michael Centeno for unspecified violations last week. The two police officers failed to show up despite an order for them to report to office after the incident. Jacob said the two officers allegedly took Genleto’s watch, cellphone and mountain bike during the reported “arrest” and later received P15,000 for the “suspect’s” release.
VENDOR, SWEEPERS AWARDED FOR ABORTED BOMBING IN MANILA
MAYOR Joseph Estrada on Monday gave cash rewards to individuals who discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) planted near the US Embassy on Roxas Boulevard in Manila and the street vendor who identified one of the arrested suspects in a foiled terrorist attack last November 28. Estrada gave P100,000 to Eli Balabagan, street sweeper employed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, and P50,00 each to Wenifreda Francisco and Maria Dolores Ostolano, both of the city’s Department of Public Services. Street vendor Josie Camacho also received P50,000 cash for providing an eyewitness’ description of one of the arrested suspects. The mayor also honored Senior Police Officer 4 Emmanuel Fallaria of Manila Police District-Explosive Ordnance Division and Chief Insp. Jay Dimaandal, chief of the Special Operations Unit, for swiftly responding to the scene and quickly defusing the IED. Both were given P50,000 each.
COLORS FILL CHARITY WORKSHOP EVENT
A group of five beautiful lady friends made the "Fly with flying colors!" charity workshop a huge success that left people talking about it even days after the recent event. The event achieved its goal of raising P100,000 from ticket sales that was donated to MovEd, a local non-government organization that provides early childhood care and education development programs to underprivileged communities in the Philippines. Hasbro also joined the efforts and donated 118 sets of Play-Doh worth P12,000 to the delight of Ma. Theresa "Bukay" Urra-Lagman, executive director of MovEd. It was attended by close to 70 guests including diplomats' families, local celebrities and the Taiwanese community in Pacific Plaza Condominium, Makati City (Metro Manila). Guests learned how to make a birds-of-paradise bracelet with Chinese knotting cords and replica of ancient Chinese coins from designer Cheryl Yee who shared her passion for DIY jewelry making. Yee initiated the charity workshop with a group of her four local friend-partners--Angela Hsu, Chim Namjildorj, Andrea Wei and Yvonne Yu.
CAAP SURVEILLANCE PROJECT READY BY 2017
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) on Monday said the P9.8- billion Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) facilities will be operational next year. With the CNS/ATM, the billing for overflights would be done automatically by computers to eliminate lapses or or to have flights properly billed. The system development project was conceptualized in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization Global Air Navigation Plan. Its turnover from the Sumitomo-Thales Joint Project is expected to be in January 2017.
INTER-AGENCY TASK FORCE ON DRUG REHAB CENTERS OPEN FOR DONATIONS
AN inter-agency task force on the establishment and support of drug abuse treatment and rehabilitation centers is still open for donations from individuals, corporations and foreign agencies. Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Operations John Castriciones, designated focal person for the inter-agency task force and chairman of Task Force Agila, said since Day 1, donations are pouring in from local and international donors. The recent benefactor is a beer company, which turned over P1 billion to help in building more rehabilitation centers nationwide, while businessman Enrique Razon of the International Container Terminal Services has committed P6.1 million for the construction of a new building within an existing drug rehabilitation center in Pilar, Bataan. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is set to sign an agreement with the Friends of Filipinos Foundation that will shoulder the construction of a 25-hectare drug rehabilitation facility in a still unidentified location. Similarly, the China Safety Information Protection Company promised to give P212 million to the inter-agency task force. The Chinese Embassy in Manila will sponsor construction of a drug rehabilitation center that the DILG will later oversee.