6 NPA killed in Camarines Sur clash
Six suspected New People’s Army rebels were killed in an encounter with government troops in Tinambac, Camarines Sur Wednesday morning, a report reaching the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City revealed.
The 83rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army was conducting a combat-intelligence operation against communist rebels dubbed “Oplan: Peninsula” in Barangay Lupi at around 6 a.m. when they crossed paths with around 15 NPA rebels, the report stated.
A 20-minute encounter ensued and the report said that the enemies were forced to withdraw when they realized they were at a disadvantage.
The bodies of six NPA rebels were left behind by their colleagues and sent to a morgue by the soldiers for proper disposition. Nobody was killed or wounded on the government side.
Police said a pursuit operation was conducted to capture the remaining NPA rebels who fled towards Barangay Tierra Nevada in Tinambac. (Aaron Recuenco)
Baguio temperature dips to 9
The air temperature in Baguio City further dipped to nine degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning, making it the coldest day so far in the country’s summer capital this “amihan” or northeast monsoon season.
According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration weather specialist Benison Estareja, the temperature was registered at around 6:30 a.m. It is lower than the 9.8 degrees Celsius recorded last Monday.
Estareja also noted that the nine degrees Celsius air temperature is lower than last year’s lowest temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius registered on Jan. 14.
Based on the PAGASA data, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Baguio was 6.3 degrees Celsius on Jan. 18, 1961.
The cold weather in Baguio and other parts of Luzon is attributed to the strong northeast monsoon prevailing in the country. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
22 vie for vacant High Court seat
Twenty-two persons, including Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and Bureau of Internal Revenue Deputy Commissioner Lanee Cui-David, the former lawyer of “pork barrel” fund scam mastermind businesswoman Janet L. Napoles, will vie for the vacant Supreme Court seat left open by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.
Judicial and Bar Council ex-officio member and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra revealed the list applicants after the JBC closed the submission of applications last week.
Guevarra said the JBC will conduct its first deliberation over the list of applicants Thursday.
“After the first deliberation tomorrow, the JBC executive committee will come up with the official list of contenders for the position, which will eventually be the subject of final deliberations by the JBC at its next meeting,” the Justice Secretary said. “Only then will the JBC shortlist be prepared and submitted to the President,” he added.
Most of those who applied are from the Court of Appeals – Justices Oscar Badelles, Nina Antonio-Valenzuela, Ramon Bato Jr., Apolinario Bruselas Jr., Ramon Cruz, Stephen Cruz, Edgardo delos Santos, Japar Dimaampao, Ramon Garcia, Henri Jean Paul Inting, Amy Lazaro-Javier, Jhosep Lopez, Mario Lopez, Eduardo Peralta Jr., and Ricardo Rosario.
The other applicants are Sandiganbayan Justices Amparo Cabotaje-Tang and Efren dela Cruz, Court of Tax Appeals Justice Roman del Rosario, and lawyers Cesar Villanueva and Jeremy Gatdula. (Jeffrey Damicog)
Sotto eyes reenacted nat’l budget
A frustrated Senate President Vicente C. Sotto III on Wednesday proposed the withdrawal of the Senate’s approval of the P3.757-trillion proposed 2019 national budget and opt for a reenacted budget instead to quell allegations of “pork barrel” fund insertions in the government’s spending program.
Sotto floated the possibility that the Senate will retract the third reading approval of its version of the General Appropriations Bills amid the claims from both chambers of Congress that lawmakers pushed for their respective amendments in the budget.
“Considering the numerous allegations being leveled at the 2019 budget both from the House of Representatives and the Senate, I will propose to Sen. Loren Legarda, as chair of the Finance Committee, to withdraw the Senate GAB version and go for a reenacted budget,” Sotto said. “I hope that will erase all doubts and allegations of pork and other so-called insertions in the budget,” he added.
Sotto admitted that he has yet to consult his colleagues about his proposal, even Loren, who is leading the Senate contingent in the ongoing bicameral conference committee meeting on the 2019 budget.
But he said he and Legarda discussed the matter earlier.
“I’m sick and tired of the allegations,” he said, explaining his proposition. (Vanne Terrazola)
Tolentino condemns bombing
Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino has expressed concerns over the bombing of the Jolo Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu Sunday, saying that the peace and security of the citizens are being jeopardized.
Tolentino condemned the incident and called for a prompt investigation to immediately deliver justice to the victims.
“Nakalulungkot na sa gitna ng pagsisikap ng ating pamahalaan sa pangunguna ng Pangulong Duterte na makamit ang tunay at pangmatagalang kapayapaan sa Mindanao, may mga salungat na puwersang pilit na humahadlang sa pagsulong tungo sa pag-unlad,” Tolentino said.
He stressed that peace and order are necessary to realize the development agenda of Mindanao and free the Muslims from poverty and conflict of war.
The former Metropolitan Development Authority chairman added that the success of the plebiscite last Jan. 21 could have been a good start for the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
“Ang Bangsamoro Organic Law ay ang susi na magbubukas sa mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao sa isang bagong rehiyon na mapayapa, maunlad, at nagkakaisa. Sa gitna ng lahat ng kaguluhan at pagkakahati-hati, ang mga inosenteng sibilyan ang naiipit at nalulubog sa kahirapan at panganib. Kapayapaan lamang at mabuting pagbabago sa buhay ang kanilang tanging hinahangad para sa kinabukasan,” Tolentino said.
