Council bares stand on segregation of Camp
>> Sunday, December 24, 2023
John Hay barangays
BAGUIO CITY -- City officials recently submitted their position paper on House Bill 9428 declaring as alienable and disposable certain parcels of land of the public domain located in this city for disposition to actual and qualified occupants, excluding the said lands from the coverage of Republic Act 7227 known as Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) law and Proclamation No. 420, series of 1994 that transferred the John Hay air station to BCDA.
Under Resolution No. 762, series of 2023, local legislators said with the proposed segregation, it is expected that BCDA will have no control and may not interfere with governance of the segregated areas.
Further, some of the affected areas are ancestral domains and there are also areas where there are ancestral claims which should be addressed in the proposed consultations on this bill.
During the hearing of the House committee on natural resources held last November 29, 2023 on this bill, Rep. Mark Go, who is the bill’s principal author, manifested to conduct public consultations on the bill with stakeholders.
The body stipulated that the segregation of affected barangays from CJH is a condition imposed by the city government in the formulation by the BCDA of the master development for Camp John Hay. It is provided as Condition No. 14 in Resolution No. 362, series of 1994.
Moreover, the formulation of the CJH master development plan incorporated the 19 conditions provided in the resolution.
Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 and the conditionalities that have been set were recognized by the Supreme Court.
With the incorporation of the 19 conditionalities in the CJH master development plan, the city government adapted Resolution No. 349, series of 1996 approving the provisions of the CJH master development plan prepared for the BCDA by the Planning Resources and Operation System (PROS) as contained in its final order dated October 1996 which conforms with the 19 conditionalities set forth in the earlier resolution.
The council emphasized that the city government has been seeking the implementation of the segregation or exclusion of the affected barangays through numerous resolutions that had been passed for the said purpose.
HB 9427 which intends to declare as alienable and disposable certain parcels of land of the public domain located in Baguio city for disposition to actual and qualified occupants, excluding the said lands from the coverage of RA 7227 and Proclamation No. 420, series of 1994 which transferred John Hay air station to BCDA will need further study and proper consultations because the areas in the different barangays to be segregated from CJH will required identification, verification and validation for the proper application; the system of segregation as provided in the bill that will appear to be like the Scout Barrio model may not be appropriate for application for the covered areas, besides, the proceeds of the sales of the lots should not only be for BCD; the bill should consider total segregation of the barangays as requested to be done in accordance to Resolution NO. 152, series of 2013, taking one of the fact that the segregation undertaken for Scout Barrio was not complete as generated lots covering unoccupied areas and institutional areas that included roads and areas occupied by a school, church, police outpost, public structures and others are yet to be transferred and the area transferred to BCDA by virtue of RA 7227 will not further verification, validation and acceptance.
No. 2, 2 cols, half box
BOC warns
public vs parcel,
love scams
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday cautioned the public against parcel or love scams amid the holiday season.
“Be careful of calls, messages, or emails saying you have a package or parcel pending with BOC and that you need to pay thru personal bank account or money remittance for it to be released,” it said in a social media post.
It added that scammers pretend to be either foreigners or BOC personnel.
It reminded the public that payments of duties and taxes are required to be paid at the BOC cashier or accredited banks.
“Payment of customs duties and taxes can only be done at the BOC cashier or through Authorized Agent Banks (AAB),” the Bureau said.
It noted the public may also check the website of the Department of Trade and Industry to verify if the courier or forwarder is authorized.
“In case you become a victim of this kind of fraud, check first the website if the said courier or forwarder is accredited. You may also contact BOC to verify if the receipt, tracking number, and other documents you received are genuine or fake information only,” it added.
The public may contact the BOC via landline 8705-6000 via email at boc.cares@customs.gov.ph and http://customs.gov.ph.
No.3, 4 cols
Family shaken, probe on-- kicker
Armed men barge in LTFRB
chief’s house looking for him
DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan -- Armed men barged into the house of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III here on Wednesday.
Police said the unidentified men, who arrived in a white van, black sport utility vehicle and another vehicle, managed to enter after offering a bag of groceries to the person manning the gate.
Once the gate was opened, the suspects searched for Guadiz in every room.
The incident was witnessed by Guadiz’s mother and their housemaid.
The gunmen took two cell phones and P1,000 in cash and fled toward Calasiao town.
An investigation is ongoing.
The incident occurred a day before the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide held a two-day transport strike in protest against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program.
The LTFRB chair said later Thursday said the intrusion of at least 10 armed men at his family’s home has left them “deeply unsettled.”
In a statement, Guadiz said the intrusion on Wednesday involved over 10 armed assailants and three cars.
He said it “appears to be more than a routine robbery -- it seems personal and the motive remains unclear.”
“In my role as chairman of the LTFRB, I am fully cooperating with authorities to investigate the matter,” he said.
While the incident has left his family “shaken,” he committed to his responsibilities at the LTFRB.
“I am confident that justice will be served. Updates on the investigation will be provided as they become available,” he said.
The incident was witnessed by Guadiz’s 91-year-old mother, Reveriana Guadiz; housekeeper Maria Divina, 25; Arbias; and neighbor Carlito de Guzman, 65.
According to a blotter filed at the Dagupan City Police Station, De Guzman was offered a bag of groceries by a group of men on Wednesday.
As he opened the gate of their apartment to receive the gift, the group entered and rushed into the building’s service door that allowed access to the Guadiz residence.
Once inside, Mrs. Guadiz and Arbias said the men asked for her son, went inside their home, and checked every room.
“Fortunately, the male suspects were only intimidating, tied the arms and feet of the house maid, but did not harm them,” the blotter read.
The intruders stole two mobile phones and around P1,000 in cash before they fled. -- PNA
No. 4, 3 cols
120 illegal Gibraltar
stalls demolished to
start satellite market
By Aileen P. Refuerzo
BAGUIO CITY -- The city government last Dec. 4-7 demolished 120 illegal stalls occupying a lot intended for the barangay satellite market project at Gibraltar barangay.
The move was by virtue of demolition order 49 series of 2023 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Engineer Donald Gas-ib, head of the City Buildings and Architectures Office (CBAO) Investigation and Demolition Division said that apart from the 120 structures, there were five others dismantled voluntarily by their owners.
The demolition was executed to pave the way for the construction of a four-storey upgraded satellite market building which will serve Gibraltar and other barangays in the vicinity.
In his report, Gas-ib said they were first met with resistance by the stall owners but this was quelled subsequently.
The operation was carried out with the assistance of a composite team composed of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) which provided security, Emergency Medical Service which provided stand by medical service and the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office which provided relief assistance to the affected families.
The Commission on Human Rights representatives and barangay officials were also present to observe the proceedings.
Gas-ib said investigation revealed that the vendors have been occupying and leasing out the stalls without authority.
The vendors opposed the satellite market project and refused to vacate the premises resulting in the delay in the implementation of the project.
With the area now cleared, the contractor can take over the area to start the project, Gas-ib said.
No. 5, 3 cols
Woman ‘alive’ after
plane crash but did
not survive jungle
By Vince Jacob Visaya
TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The lone passenger of the ill-fated Piper plane with tail number RP-C1234 was probably alive when it crashed in the Sierra Madre forest in Isabela on Nov. 30.
This was the assessment of the rescuers who found her remains 200 meters away from the plane's wreckage in San Mariano, Isabela.
The passenger was identified as Erna Escalante, a 43-year-old barangay health worker in Dimapnat, Divilacan, Isabela.
"She had her personal belongings with her and with some food when found. She was alive after the crash but was unable to survive the Sierra Madre," AK9 Mandog Sniffer Volunteers head Red Oliva Lim told reporters here.
The rescue team arrived at the crash site on December 7 and found the remains of the pilot, Capt. Levy Abul 2nd, among the wreckage.
The team, however, did not find the woman in the wreckage but saw a makeshift shelter nearby and traces of snack foods in the area, hinting that the passenger was probably alive after the plane crashed. With the help of scent-tracking dogs, her remains were located in a slopy part of the forest on December 10.
The rescuers hinted that her wounds, previous illnesses and days of no food or water intake may have had an adverse effect on her.
As this developed, scent-tracking dogs have been met with accolades at the command site for the successful retrieval of the body.
The smallest among the three rescuer dogs, an eight-year-old beagle named Wheel, was the one who helped the team find Escalante's body.
"Wheel has a great smell and tracking instincts," Lim said, adding that the two other dogs, Drake and Bekong, also helped in retrieval operations.
The Piper PA-32-300 plane owned by the Fliteline Airways and operated by Cyclone Airways, departed Cauayan Airport at 9:39 a.m. on Nov. 30 and was supposed to arrive at Palanan Airport at 10:23 a.m. on the same day of the crash.
No. 6, 3 cols
Baguio Mayor pushes
Kennon Road opening
BAGUIO CITY -- The City Peace and Order Council and the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) Development Authority, both chaired by the Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong reiterated their request for the reopening of Kennon Road to the public this yuletide season.
The two councils recently passed a resolution requesting the Kennon Road Task Force and the Department of Public Works and Highways Cordillera (DPWH-CAR) to open Kennon immediately.
The mayor asked the agencies supervising the maintenance of the national road to address safety concerns as well as fast track repair and rehabilitation activities as well as clear all illegally parked vehicles thereat.
The following observations were noted by the councils along Kennon Road, potentially endangering the safety of motorists and detracting from the route's aesthetic scenery: presence of obstructions due to road repair and rehabilitation activities; uncleared debris from landslides; illegally parked vehicles; and, lack of early warning signs to inform motorists of obstructions ahead.
Kennon Road is one of the major access roads leading to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet and is the shortest route to Rosario, La Union to Baguio City with a total length of 33.7 kilometers but it was closed to the riding public due to its unsafe state especially aggravated by recent typhoons and earthquakes.
As a result of the closure of Kennon Road, alternate routes to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet have been experiencing heavy traffic at the inconvenience of residents and tourists alike.
“Traffic in the alternate routes is only expected to worsen in December, when travel and tourist arrivals are at its peak,” the MBLISSTDA resolution pointed out.
The mayor believes that full reopening of Kennon Road at the soonest possible time, provided that all the foregoing concerns are addressed, will result to multiple benefits that include comfort and convenience of motorists, cost and time savings, decongestion of alternate roads, and reinvigorated economic activity along the route. - JMPS
No. 7, 3 cols
SC cites need to prove
criminal intent in cases
By Benjamin Pulta
The prosecution must still prove that an accused intentionally committed a prohibited act even if the offenses involved do not require criminal intent as an element.
The Supreme Court (SC) stressed this in reversing a Court of Appeals (CA) decision and acquitting a man convicted for violation of the law protecting buyers of subdivision and condominiums.
In a statement Thursday, the court said “dispensing with proof of criminal intent for crimes mala prohibita, where criminal intent is not an element, does not discharge the prosecution’s burden of proving, beyond reasonable doubt, that the prohibited act was done by the accused intentionally.”
The SC ruling granted the petition for review filed by Felix Valenzona challenging the CA which had affirmed the Regional Trial Court’s conviction for violation of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 957 or the Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree (PD 957).
Valenzona was the president of ALSGRO Industrial and Development Corporation, a real estate company.
In 2003, ALSGRO entered into two contracts to sell with Ricardo Porteo two lots in ALSGRO’s Bayfair of Margana Subdivision (subject contracts) in Laguna.
However, upon verification with the Registry of Deeds of Muntinlupa City in 2006, Porteo discovered that the subject contracts were not registered in accordance with Section 17 of PD 957.
In reversing the conviction of the accused, the Court distinguished between "intent to commit the crime" and "intent to perpetrate the act."
“To hold Valenzona criminally liable, it must also be established that he had the volition or intent to not register or [to] cause the non-registration of the subject contracts, which the prosecution failed to do," the SC ruled.
The SC added that it cannot simply rely on the bare findings of a violation of PD 957 committed by ALSGRO, and that Valenzona was the corporation’s president.
“The Court must be satisfied that the nexus between Valenzona’s position in the corporation, and the commission of the offense with which he was charged, has been shown. If such nexus is not required for purposes of conviction, and the mere pretext that a violation of PD 957 is malum prohibitum is deemed sufficient, then the President (or Manager or Administrator) of every corporation engaged in the real estate business covered by the law automatically becomes criminally liable for every violation of PD 957 committed by such corporation,” the Court ruled, stressing that such is an absurd interpretation of the law. -- PNA
Dagupan offers cash
prizes to villages with
zero ‘cracker incidents
By Hilda Austria
DAGUPAN CITY – The city government of Dagupan is offering cash prizes from P5,000 to P10,000 to villages that will record zero firecracker incidents during the holidays.
In an interview on Thursday, Mayor Belen Fernandez said they target zero incidents this year, especially among children and young people.
“We are trying our best to go to the grassroots especially the children to avoid firecrackers. We are offering P5,000 for small barangays that would incur zero firecracker incidents and PHP10,000 for bigger barangays,” she said.
Fernandez urged the residents to instead buy torotot (party horns) for children or use other noisemakers for the celebration of the New Year revelry and use the money for buying food instead of firecrackers.
“Sa lahat ng kabataan at mga magulang, kailangan magtulungan tayo para maiwasan na maging victim ng paputok (To the young people and the parents, let us help one another so we could prevent being a victim of firecrackers),” she added.
Relatively, the Department of Health - Center of Health Development in the Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) on Thursday held the regional launching of the fight against firecracker use in Dagupan City, dubbed “Iwas Paputok.”
DOH-CHD-1 director Paula Paz Sydiongco said in her speech that victims of firecracker-related accidents are getting younger, with some 5 to 9 years old, thus she urged parents to really look after their kids.
Total firecracker-related incidents in Pangasinan from Dec. 21, 2021 to Jan. 6, 2023 reached 74 cases, she said.
Sydiongco also called for a well-balanced diet during the holiday celebrations and for people who have cough or colds to use face masks. -- PNA
Scientist raises concerns about
unverified probiotic products
By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY - A scientist from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños has cautioned consumers on the proliferation of health and wellness products that allegedly promote health benefits despite the lack of scientific evidence.
Dr. Rodney H. Perez, in a presentation at the start of the three-day Asian summit on probiotics and functional foods in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Monday, said there is danger in consuming these products as these may do the opposite.
Probiotics is a widely misused term and some manufacturers are exploiting it without meeting the required criteria, the expert from UP’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB), said.
Perez enjoined members of the academe and institutional partners to push for a harmonized guideline on the establishment of minimum requirements for a microorganism to be qualified as a probiotic for its efficacy as well as the safety of the consuming public.
The multi-awarded biotechnologist said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have prescribed guidelines on probiotics in the Philippines but he raised the need for these to be updated, with the help of the academe and the Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods, Inc. (PhilProFF).
Perez is a recipient of the Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize from the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ) in 2021 for his exemplary research in the fields of Food Microbiology, Microbial Technology, and Biotechnology, particularly on bacteriocins. He is the first-ever Filipino to receive this title. -- PNA
Government completes
road project in Cagayan
APARR, Cagayan -- A road project connecting the villages of Navagan and Binalan here has been completed by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways.
The 517.97-lineal-meter concrete road will benefit farmers in the villages, according to Oscar Gumiran of the engineering office in the first district of Cagayan.
Gumiran said the project cost P9.78 million and was funded under the 2023 General Appropriations Act.
“With the construction of a two-lane road, local farmers can now transport their goods more efficiently and quickly. The reduced travel time ensures that agricultural products arrive fresh in markets,” Gumiran said.
He said the completion of the project underscored the commitment of the DPWH to improve the economy and well-being of the people in rural communities
Read more...
During the hearing of the House committee on natural resources held last November 29, 2023 on this bill, Rep. Mark Go, who is the bill’s principal author, manifested to conduct public consultations on the bill with stakeholders.
The body stipulated that the segregation of affected barangays from CJH is a condition imposed by the city government in the formulation by the BCDA of the master development for Camp John Hay. It is provided as Condition No. 14 in Resolution No. 362, series of 1994.
Moreover, the formulation of the CJH master development plan incorporated the 19 conditions provided in the resolution.
Resolution No. 362, series of 1994 and the conditionalities that have been set were recognized by the Supreme Court.
With the incorporation of the 19 conditionalities in the CJH master development plan, the city government adapted Resolution No. 349, series of 1996 approving the provisions of the CJH master development plan prepared for the BCDA by the Planning Resources and Operation System (PROS) as contained in its final order dated October 1996 which conforms with the 19 conditionalities set forth in the earlier resolution.
The council emphasized that the city government has been seeking the implementation of the segregation or exclusion of the affected barangays through numerous resolutions that had been passed for the said purpose.
HB 9427 which intends to declare as alienable and disposable certain parcels of land of the public domain located in Baguio city for disposition to actual and qualified occupants, excluding the said lands from the coverage of RA 7227 and Proclamation No. 420, series of 1994 which transferred John Hay air station to BCDA will need further study and proper consultations because the areas in the different barangays to be segregated from CJH will required identification, verification and validation for the proper application; the system of segregation as provided in the bill that will appear to be like the Scout Barrio model may not be appropriate for application for the covered areas, besides, the proceeds of the sales of the lots should not only be for BCD; the bill should consider total segregation of the barangays as requested to be done in accordance to Resolution NO. 152, series of 2013, taking one of the fact that the segregation undertaken for Scout Barrio was not complete as generated lots covering unoccupied areas and institutional areas that included roads and areas occupied by a school, church, police outpost, public structures and others are yet to be transferred and the area transferred to BCDA by virtue of RA 7227 will not further verification, validation and acceptance.
No. 2, 2 cols, half box
BOC warns
public vs parcel,
love scams
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday cautioned the public against parcel or love scams amid the holiday season.
“Be careful of calls, messages, or emails saying you have a package or parcel pending with BOC and that you need to pay thru personal bank account or money remittance for it to be released,” it said in a social media post.
It added that scammers pretend to be either foreigners or BOC personnel.
It reminded the public that payments of duties and taxes are required to be paid at the BOC cashier or accredited banks.
“Payment of customs duties and taxes can only be done at the BOC cashier or through Authorized Agent Banks (AAB),” the Bureau said.
It noted the public may also check the website of the Department of Trade and Industry to verify if the courier or forwarder is authorized.
“In case you become a victim of this kind of fraud, check first the website if the said courier or forwarder is accredited. You may also contact BOC to verify if the receipt, tracking number, and other documents you received are genuine or fake information only,” it added.
The public may contact the BOC via landline 8705-6000 via email at boc.cares@customs.gov.ph and http://customs.gov.ph.
No.3, 4 cols
Family shaken, probe on-- kicker
Armed men barge in LTFRB
chief’s house looking for him
DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan -- Armed men barged into the house of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Teofilo Guadiz III here on Wednesday.
Police said the unidentified men, who arrived in a white van, black sport utility vehicle and another vehicle, managed to enter after offering a bag of groceries to the person manning the gate.
Once the gate was opened, the suspects searched for Guadiz in every room.
The incident was witnessed by Guadiz’s mother and their housemaid.
The gunmen took two cell phones and P1,000 in cash and fled toward Calasiao town.
An investigation is ongoing.
The incident occurred a day before the Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator Nationwide held a two-day transport strike in protest against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program.
The LTFRB chair said later Thursday said the intrusion of at least 10 armed men at his family’s home has left them “deeply unsettled.”
In a statement, Guadiz said the intrusion on Wednesday involved over 10 armed assailants and three cars.
He said it “appears to be more than a routine robbery -- it seems personal and the motive remains unclear.”
“In my role as chairman of the LTFRB, I am fully cooperating with authorities to investigate the matter,” he said.
While the incident has left his family “shaken,” he committed to his responsibilities at the LTFRB.
“I am confident that justice will be served. Updates on the investigation will be provided as they become available,” he said.
The incident was witnessed by Guadiz’s 91-year-old mother, Reveriana Guadiz; housekeeper Maria Divina, 25; Arbias; and neighbor Carlito de Guzman, 65.
According to a blotter filed at the Dagupan City Police Station, De Guzman was offered a bag of groceries by a group of men on Wednesday.
As he opened the gate of their apartment to receive the gift, the group entered and rushed into the building’s service door that allowed access to the Guadiz residence.
Once inside, Mrs. Guadiz and Arbias said the men asked for her son, went inside their home, and checked every room.
“Fortunately, the male suspects were only intimidating, tied the arms and feet of the house maid, but did not harm them,” the blotter read.
The intruders stole two mobile phones and around P1,000 in cash before they fled. -- PNA
No. 4, 3 cols
120 illegal Gibraltar
stalls demolished to
start satellite market
By Aileen P. Refuerzo
BAGUIO CITY -- The city government last Dec. 4-7 demolished 120 illegal stalls occupying a lot intended for the barangay satellite market project at Gibraltar barangay.
The move was by virtue of demolition order 49 series of 2023 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong.
Engineer Donald Gas-ib, head of the City Buildings and Architectures Office (CBAO) Investigation and Demolition Division said that apart from the 120 structures, there were five others dismantled voluntarily by their owners.
The demolition was executed to pave the way for the construction of a four-storey upgraded satellite market building which will serve Gibraltar and other barangays in the vicinity.
In his report, Gas-ib said they were first met with resistance by the stall owners but this was quelled subsequently.
The operation was carried out with the assistance of a composite team composed of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) and the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) which provided security, Emergency Medical Service which provided stand by medical service and the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development Office which provided relief assistance to the affected families.
The Commission on Human Rights representatives and barangay officials were also present to observe the proceedings.
Gas-ib said investigation revealed that the vendors have been occupying and leasing out the stalls without authority.
The vendors opposed the satellite market project and refused to vacate the premises resulting in the delay in the implementation of the project.
With the area now cleared, the contractor can take over the area to start the project, Gas-ib said.
No. 5, 3 cols
Woman ‘alive’ after
plane crash but did
not survive jungle
By Vince Jacob Visaya
TUGUEGARAO CITY -- The lone passenger of the ill-fated Piper plane with tail number RP-C1234 was probably alive when it crashed in the Sierra Madre forest in Isabela on Nov. 30.
This was the assessment of the rescuers who found her remains 200 meters away from the plane's wreckage in San Mariano, Isabela.
The passenger was identified as Erna Escalante, a 43-year-old barangay health worker in Dimapnat, Divilacan, Isabela.
"She had her personal belongings with her and with some food when found. She was alive after the crash but was unable to survive the Sierra Madre," AK9 Mandog Sniffer Volunteers head Red Oliva Lim told reporters here.
The rescue team arrived at the crash site on December 7 and found the remains of the pilot, Capt. Levy Abul 2nd, among the wreckage.
The team, however, did not find the woman in the wreckage but saw a makeshift shelter nearby and traces of snack foods in the area, hinting that the passenger was probably alive after the plane crashed. With the help of scent-tracking dogs, her remains were located in a slopy part of the forest on December 10.
The rescuers hinted that her wounds, previous illnesses and days of no food or water intake may have had an adverse effect on her.
As this developed, scent-tracking dogs have been met with accolades at the command site for the successful retrieval of the body.
The smallest among the three rescuer dogs, an eight-year-old beagle named Wheel, was the one who helped the team find Escalante's body.
"Wheel has a great smell and tracking instincts," Lim said, adding that the two other dogs, Drake and Bekong, also helped in retrieval operations.
The Piper PA-32-300 plane owned by the Fliteline Airways and operated by Cyclone Airways, departed Cauayan Airport at 9:39 a.m. on Nov. 30 and was supposed to arrive at Palanan Airport at 10:23 a.m. on the same day of the crash.
No. 6, 3 cols
Baguio Mayor pushes
Kennon Road opening
BAGUIO CITY -- The City Peace and Order Council and the Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) Development Authority, both chaired by the Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong reiterated their request for the reopening of Kennon Road to the public this yuletide season.
The two councils recently passed a resolution requesting the Kennon Road Task Force and the Department of Public Works and Highways Cordillera (DPWH-CAR) to open Kennon immediately.
The mayor asked the agencies supervising the maintenance of the national road to address safety concerns as well as fast track repair and rehabilitation activities as well as clear all illegally parked vehicles thereat.
The following observations were noted by the councils along Kennon Road, potentially endangering the safety of motorists and detracting from the route's aesthetic scenery: presence of obstructions due to road repair and rehabilitation activities; uncleared debris from landslides; illegally parked vehicles; and, lack of early warning signs to inform motorists of obstructions ahead.
Kennon Road is one of the major access roads leading to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet and is the shortest route to Rosario, La Union to Baguio City with a total length of 33.7 kilometers but it was closed to the riding public due to its unsafe state especially aggravated by recent typhoons and earthquakes.
As a result of the closure of Kennon Road, alternate routes to Baguio City and the Province of Benguet have been experiencing heavy traffic at the inconvenience of residents and tourists alike.
“Traffic in the alternate routes is only expected to worsen in December, when travel and tourist arrivals are at its peak,” the MBLISSTDA resolution pointed out.
The mayor believes that full reopening of Kennon Road at the soonest possible time, provided that all the foregoing concerns are addressed, will result to multiple benefits that include comfort and convenience of motorists, cost and time savings, decongestion of alternate roads, and reinvigorated economic activity along the route. - JMPS
No. 7, 3 cols
SC cites need to prove
criminal intent in cases
By Benjamin Pulta
The prosecution must still prove that an accused intentionally committed a prohibited act even if the offenses involved do not require criminal intent as an element.
The Supreme Court (SC) stressed this in reversing a Court of Appeals (CA) decision and acquitting a man convicted for violation of the law protecting buyers of subdivision and condominiums.
In a statement Thursday, the court said “dispensing with proof of criminal intent for crimes mala prohibita, where criminal intent is not an element, does not discharge the prosecution’s burden of proving, beyond reasonable doubt, that the prohibited act was done by the accused intentionally.”
The SC ruling granted the petition for review filed by Felix Valenzona challenging the CA which had affirmed the Regional Trial Court’s conviction for violation of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 957 or the Subdivision and Condominium Buyers’ Protective Decree (PD 957).
Valenzona was the president of ALSGRO Industrial and Development Corporation, a real estate company.
In 2003, ALSGRO entered into two contracts to sell with Ricardo Porteo two lots in ALSGRO’s Bayfair of Margana Subdivision (subject contracts) in Laguna.
However, upon verification with the Registry of Deeds of Muntinlupa City in 2006, Porteo discovered that the subject contracts were not registered in accordance with Section 17 of PD 957.
In reversing the conviction of the accused, the Court distinguished between "intent to commit the crime" and "intent to perpetrate the act."
“To hold Valenzona criminally liable, it must also be established that he had the volition or intent to not register or [to] cause the non-registration of the subject contracts, which the prosecution failed to do," the SC ruled.
The SC added that it cannot simply rely on the bare findings of a violation of PD 957 committed by ALSGRO, and that Valenzona was the corporation’s president.
“The Court must be satisfied that the nexus between Valenzona’s position in the corporation, and the commission of the offense with which he was charged, has been shown. If such nexus is not required for purposes of conviction, and the mere pretext that a violation of PD 957 is malum prohibitum is deemed sufficient, then the President (or Manager or Administrator) of every corporation engaged in the real estate business covered by the law automatically becomes criminally liable for every violation of PD 957 committed by such corporation,” the Court ruled, stressing that such is an absurd interpretation of the law. -- PNA
Dagupan offers cash
prizes to villages with
zero ‘cracker incidents
By Hilda Austria
DAGUPAN CITY – The city government of Dagupan is offering cash prizes from P5,000 to P10,000 to villages that will record zero firecracker incidents during the holidays.
In an interview on Thursday, Mayor Belen Fernandez said they target zero incidents this year, especially among children and young people.
“We are trying our best to go to the grassroots especially the children to avoid firecrackers. We are offering P5,000 for small barangays that would incur zero firecracker incidents and PHP10,000 for bigger barangays,” she said.
Fernandez urged the residents to instead buy torotot (party horns) for children or use other noisemakers for the celebration of the New Year revelry and use the money for buying food instead of firecrackers.
“Sa lahat ng kabataan at mga magulang, kailangan magtulungan tayo para maiwasan na maging victim ng paputok (To the young people and the parents, let us help one another so we could prevent being a victim of firecrackers),” she added.
Relatively, the Department of Health - Center of Health Development in the Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) on Thursday held the regional launching of the fight against firecracker use in Dagupan City, dubbed “Iwas Paputok.”
DOH-CHD-1 director Paula Paz Sydiongco said in her speech that victims of firecracker-related accidents are getting younger, with some 5 to 9 years old, thus she urged parents to really look after their kids.
Total firecracker-related incidents in Pangasinan from Dec. 21, 2021 to Jan. 6, 2023 reached 74 cases, she said.
Sydiongco also called for a well-balanced diet during the holiday celebrations and for people who have cough or colds to use face masks. -- PNA
Scientist raises concerns about
unverified probiotic products
By Leilanie Adriano
LAOAG CITY - A scientist from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños has cautioned consumers on the proliferation of health and wellness products that allegedly promote health benefits despite the lack of scientific evidence.
Dr. Rodney H. Perez, in a presentation at the start of the three-day Asian summit on probiotics and functional foods in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Monday, said there is danger in consuming these products as these may do the opposite.
Probiotics is a widely misused term and some manufacturers are exploiting it without meeting the required criteria, the expert from UP’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB), said.
Perez enjoined members of the academe and institutional partners to push for a harmonized guideline on the establishment of minimum requirements for a microorganism to be qualified as a probiotic for its efficacy as well as the safety of the consuming public.
The multi-awarded biotechnologist said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have prescribed guidelines on probiotics in the Philippines but he raised the need for these to be updated, with the help of the academe and the Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods, Inc. (PhilProFF).
Perez is a recipient of the Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize from the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ) in 2021 for his exemplary research in the fields of Food Microbiology, Microbial Technology, and Biotechnology, particularly on bacteriocins. He is the first-ever Filipino to receive this title. -- PNA
Government completes
road project in Cagayan
APARR, Cagayan -- A road project connecting the villages of Navagan and Binalan here has been completed by the Dept. of Public Works and Highways.
The 517.97-lineal-meter concrete road will benefit farmers in the villages, according to Oscar Gumiran of the engineering office in the first district of Cagayan.
Gumiran said the project cost P9.78 million and was funded under the 2023 General Appropriations Act.
“With the construction of a two-lane road, local farmers can now transport their goods more efficiently and quickly. The reduced travel time ensures that agricultural products arrive fresh in markets,” Gumiran said.
He said the completion of the project underscored the commitment of the DPWH to improve the economy and well-being of the people in rural communities
