MANILA, Philippines—Vowing to defend the country “up to the last soldier standing,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Thursday said China had clearly intruded into Philippine territory when it sent a frigate to escort its fishing vessels in Ayungin Shoal.   In a press conference, Gazmin was asked whether he thought China was scaring the Philippines into giving up Ayungin Shoal in the disputed Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).   “That could be their message. But we will fight for what is ours up to the last soldier standing,” Gazmin said.   Gazmin said that clearly China had intruded into Philippine territory ...

Keep on reading: Gazmin: We’ll defend the shoal to the last soldier

ILOILO CITY, Philippines—The Department of Tourism (DOT) is turning to other markets to fill hotel rooms on Boracay Island that have been left empty by cancellations of Taiwanese bookings, coming as fallout from a diplomatic row between Taiwan and the Philippines over the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Filipino coast guards two weeks ago.   Budget airline Zest Airways (Zest Air) also needs to look for other markets, as the cancellations from Taiwan have forced it to suspend its daily charter flights between Kalibo town in Aklan province and Taipei.   Butch Rodriguez, Zest Air senior vice president for commercial and external affairs, said in a stat...

Keep on reading: Philippines turns to other tourist markets after Taiwan row

TAIPEI—Taiwan on Wednesday set aside a Philippine request for legal assistance, delaying the completion of Manila’s investigation of the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Filipino coast guards two weeks ago.   The Taiwanese Ministry of Justice said it declined the Philippine request for the time being because Manila continued to refuse to provide a video of the May 9 encounter between a Philippine coastal patrol vessel and a Taiwanese fishing boat that led to the shooting death of fisherman Hung Shih-chen, 65.   An investigative team from the National Bureau of Investigation was due in Taipei on Thursday to conduct a probe into the shooting, but a s...

Keep on reading: Taipei rebuffs Manila anew

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ACTING Governor Agnes Magpale said Joavan Fernandez will not be harmed inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), but he won’t get any special treatment.

Joavan was transferred to the CPDRC last Wednesday after he and two other companions were arrested in the southwestern town of Moalboal last Monday. They were preparing to board two pump boats for Negros Oriental.

“I read that the other inmates teased and bullied him. I just said that I wanted to make sure nothing untoward (will) happen to him,” Magpale told reporters in Cebuano.

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KATMANDU, Nepal—An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer on Thursday became the oldest person to reach the top of Mount Everest—although his record may last only a few days. An 81-year-old Nepalese man, who held the previous record, plans his own ascent next week.   Yuichiro Miura, who also conquered the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) peak when he was 70 and 75, reached the summit at 9:05 a.m. local time Thursday, according to a Nepalese mountaineering official and Miura's Tokyo-based support team.   Miura and his son Gota called them from the summit, prompting his daughter Emili to smile broadly and clap her hands in footage on public broadcaster NHK.   "I...

Keep on reading: Japanese, 80, is oldest to scale Everest

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TWO more complainants surfaced yesterday as police continue to search for the swindlers who issued bouncing checks to several stores in Metro Cebu last week.

Businessman Mark Loreto, 28, of Liloan, Cebu, said he lost five coffee vending machines worth P76,000 after the buyer who ordered the items over the phone issued a check that turned out to be of no value.

The buyer introduced himself as Aljhon Abrenica, whom police believe to be the leader of the swindling syndicate.

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IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.

City Treasurer Emma Villarete said the monthly release of the allowances and financial aid can be done if made through the distribution of cash cards.

Villarete said the City Government has been planning to implement the system and will soon meet with the Land Bank of the Philippines, one of banks where City Hall maintains accounts, to discuss the issue.

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IF THE City Council will have its way, the Cebu City Government will have to set aside at least P70 million every month for the allowances of barangay officials and workers, and the financial assistance for senior citizens.

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MORE than a week after the elections, supporters of opposing political parties in Tuburan, Cebu were shot in separate occasions this week.

The incidents — the first occurred last Tuesday and the second on Wednesday — prompted Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Patrocinio Comendador to order police station chiefs of areas where there was intense political rivalry during the elections to hold a dialogue between opposing politicians.

Comendador said the two shootings in Tuburan can be considered a “hangover” from the elections on May 13.

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AS the management of Capitol’s funds is the responsibility of the head of the Provincial Government, the Commission on Audit (COA) said that it is up to the acting governor to decide whether to pay the supplier of the Suroy-suroy buses given to the towns.

In a May 21 letter to acting Gov. Agnes Magpale, COA state auditor 5 Eva Cabrera said
fiscal responsibility “resides with management” as provided under COA Circular 2011-002.

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DUMANJUG Liberal party mayoralty candidate Cesar Baricuatro filed a disqualification case against newly-elected Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia before the Cebu Provincial Comelec office on the day of the election on the grounds of vote-buying.

Baricuatro, in a phone interview, said Garcia gave the policemen of Dumanjug Police Station P10,000 each sometime before May 13.

He said giving of any amount to policemen is a violation of Comelec rules.

Baricuatro said these policemen were relieved a few days after.

“Policemen are supposed to be neutral,” said Baricuatro.

Relieved

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DEFEATED mayoral candidate Ephraim Pelaez Jr. will file today a petition before the Comelec in Manila for the nullification of the proclamation Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and her entire slate as winners in the May 13 election.

In a press conference at his mansion in Rahman St., Cebu City, Pelaez said Radaza and her camp engaged in terrorism, threats and intimidation against his supporters, and many of them failed to vote.

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A KNIFE-WIELDING man used a nine-year-old girl in Barangay Suba, Cebu City at 8 p.m. last Wednesday, to shield himself from pursuers.

Joy (real name withheld) was rescued unscathed, but hostage-taker Polinario Nanoy, who is allegedly a drug addict, suffered injuries after he was beaten up by the angry residents.

Suba barangay tanod Armando Cabugason said the barangay hall received reports about a man, who was armed with a knife and reportedly went wild, inside a complex in Sitio Missionaries.

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TWO brothers, who were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 for their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade, will face trial after they were charged by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

Associate Prosecution Attorney Van Russel Inopiquez found enough evidence to indict Michael Cavan with violations of Sections 11 (illegal possession of dangerous drugs) and 12 (possession of paraphernalia), Article 2 of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

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CEBU City Acting Mayor Joy Augustus Young issued a cease and desist order on the alleged demolition of a stage in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Apas.

But if one had to ask Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman, there was no demolition, and Young and his supporters are just politicking.

In a press conference, Young said he received reports about the demolition of a stage, which is owned by Marai, the homeowners association in Sitio Mahayahay.

When inquiry was made, the demolition order was purportedly signed by Acting Governor Agnes Magpale.

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AMIGA, a two-year-old asong pinoy or aspin, will be one of three aspins that will compete in the First Philippine Dog Agility Championships this weekend.

Aspins are not known to compete in agility contests but officials of the Philippine Dog Agility Association (PDAA) said this was only because of the lack of time that people spend on their pets for training and brain stimulation.

Amiga was found by owner Ryan Caesar Ong Cabahug on a street in Mandaue about two years ago.

Cabahug said he was challenged by insinuations that only full-bred dogs are agile enough to compete.

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THE Cebu Landmasters proved its elimination round win over the Gaisano Capital South was not a fluke after scoring another rout, 116-84, in their semifinal encounter of the Enervon-Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. Partners Cup 2013 at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.

The Cebu Landmasters-University of San Carlos banked on a strong first quarter en route to its 32-point winning margin.

Chinese-American Stephen Que was all business from the start as he led a torrid first quarter to build a quick 28-16 lead.

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MANILA—Athletes from 17 regions throughout the country will pit skills against members of the national pool as the 2013 Philippine Olympic Committee-Philippine Sports Commission (POC-PSC) National Games kicks off today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

A total of 6,000 including 600 elite athletes have so far registered to see action in 41 sports disciplines of the 10-day competition held here for the last time in 1994.

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ACCORDING to Wikipedia ,Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao is the first eight-division world champion in boxing. He is also one of the richest men in the Philippines and the second highest paid athlete in the world with earnings of $63 million in 2012.

He was named “Fighter of the Decade” by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).

Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording and various sports such as darts, bowling, basketball, billiards and chess.

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AS I am writing this column, the Philippine Women’s National Team, or the Malditas, are squaring off with erstwhile tormentors Thailand for a berth in the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualification.

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