JAPANESE NABBED FOR CHILD ABUSE
A JAPANESE was arrested for kicking a 12-year- old boy, reportedly a nephew of House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, during a flight from Cagayan de Oro to Manila. Shinomiya Kosuke, 40, was accused for violation of Republic Act 9262, known as Violence Against Women and Children Act, before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office after the boy identified as Bruce Gabriel Chan and his uncle, Joel Tan Chan, sought the help of Airport Police upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday. Police reports said the boy was fixing his plane seat prior to their departure for Manila when, with no apparent reason, Kosuke got annoyed and kicked the boy in the left hand. The flight cabin crew intervened and pacified Kosuke and the boy’s uncle who was about to confront the foreigner. Flight attendant Jesus Starte later endorsed the case to the PNP-Aviation Security Group for the filing of the case.
POLICEMAN IN ACCIDENTAL FIRING SURRENDERS
A QUEZON CITY policeman who accidentally pulled the trigger of his M-16 assault rifle on Friday night grazing a detainee of the nearby Quezon City Female Dormitory has surrendered to his superior. Quezon City Police District Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar said Police Officer ( PO) I Ericson Eslao of the District Public Safety Battalion Special Reaction Unit was cleaning his rifle at the 2nd floor of their barracks in Camp Karingal when he inadvertently pulled the trigger. The bullet grazed detainee Mary Grace Lasin in her left temple. She was treated for abrasion at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center and returned to the jail facility on the same night. Eslao immediately surrendered to PO3 Roberto Telan Jr., SRU team leader.
CA JUNKS LIBEL CASE VS QUEZON MAYOR
THE Court of Appeals (CA) has upheld the ruling of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Quezon City (Metro Manila) dismissing the libel case filed by Rep. Danilo Suarez against Mayor Joselito Ojeda of Mulanay town in Quezon province. The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Suarez against Ojeda for allegedly uttering libelous statements such as “illegal activities” and “extortion,” which were aired live on television over Channel 8 and DWTI radio, both local stations in Quezon province. On May 26, 2015 RTC Judge Cleto Villacorta 3rd acquitted Ojeda of libel as well as of civil damages, prompting Suarez to seek redress with the appellate court. On January 23, 2017 verdict that was released only recently, Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting of the CA’s 17th Division affirmed the RTC decision, adding that what Suarez was questioning were really errors of judgment. Concurring with the ruling were Associate Justices Marlene Gonzales-Sison and Ramon Cruz.
30% OF BACOLOD STRUCTURES AT RISK TO MAGNITUDE- 6 QUAKE
BACOLOD CITY: Thirty percent of private buildings in this capital city of Negros Occidental, aged more than 15 years old, are vulnerable to a magnitude-6 earthquake. However, city executive assistant Jose Maria Vargas, Cluster head on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, assured the public that “Bacolod City is one of the safest areas in the Negros Island because it is not located within the fault line.”Vargas pointed out that new buildings like the Bacolod City Government Center can stand up to a magnitude-7 up to magnitude-7.5 quake because it is designed for earthquake preparedness and has passed the Building Code requirement. There are three fault line areas in Negros island which starts from Guihulngan in Negros Oriental to Kabankalan City; Hinoba-an and Sipalay City in Negros Occidental; and La Libertad in Negros Oriental. He said their office conducts quarterly earthquake drills in public and private schools and private companies that want to undergo earthquake drills can inform them for schedule.