NEW CLARK CITY TO BOOST PH ECONOMY – SENATOR

TARLAC: Senate committee on economic affairs chairman Sherwin Gatchalian said the New Clark City (NCC) in Capas, Tarlac, will boost the country’s economy. The NCC, which is being built within the much bigger national government administrative center (NGAC), symbolizes the continuing growth of Central Luzon and will serve as the alternative economic hub of the National Capital Region (Metro Manila). “This will help decongest Metro Manila. Manila is already too crowded so we need an alternative. I believe the New Clark City will provide this,” Gatchalian said during his visit here on Saturday for the week-long 145th founding anniversary of Tarlac and the 2nd Kanlahi Festival. The P13.16-billion NGAC Phase 1A 200-hectare project is located within the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) in Capas and Bamban towns inTarlac. Once completed, Phase 1B will follow with the building of additional government office buildings and housing units with support service facilities on a 20-hectare land, including small-scale retail facilities like banks, health centers and hotels.

SUSPECT LINKED TO ESPINOSA CLAN CAUGHT IN BACOLOD

BACOLOD CITY: A suspect linked to the Espinosa clan in Albuera, Leyte, hid as a subcontractor in Bacolod City in Negros Occidental before the long arm of the law finally caught up with him. Senior Supt. Roldan Luna, head of the Anti- Kidnapping GroupVisayas, said Victor Espina Jr., 54, chose the city because “it was generally peaceful and kidnapping-free.” Luna said they have been monitoring the presence of Espina in Bacolod since February and discovered that he was a sub- contractor of some projects in the province. The suspect is originally from Sitio Kamipuan, Barangay Tambulod, Ormoc City, Leyte, but temporarily resides on LT Vista Street, Purok Hollow Blocks, Barangay Singcang Airport, Bacolod City. He was arrested in a joint operation on Tuesday by the Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company and the Philippine National Police AntiKidnapping Group Visayas, which served a court-issued warrant on charges of kidnapping for ransom. He is wanted for the alleged kidnapping of South Koreans Hyun Seok Cho, Kang Dae Jin, Kim Minsung and Kim Kyung Ju on January 22, 2015 in Barangay Maytunas, San Juan City, Metro Manila. Espina is said to be a brother-in-law of Gen. Leonardo Espina, former deputy director general and also PNP officer in charge who earlier revelaed that his brother-in-law would link him to the deaths of former Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his son Kerwin.