TURF WAR EYED IN VENDOR LEADER SLAYING
Police are eyeing a turf war between two groups of Muslim vendors as one of its leader and his assistant was gunned down by lone assassin in Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City Sunday night.

The victims were identified as Umbra Talif, 56, and Hamaludin Camilaw, 19, both of Alley 6 in Batasan Hills. Investigators are having a hard time to catch the suspect as no one among the residents in the area would talk to them about the incident that happened at around 8 p.m. but the two led a group of Muslim vendors who wanted to take over a flea market along IBP Road. SPO1 Crestituto Zaldiriaga of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) said the victims were walking at the said alley when the lone gun man wearing a bonnet suddenly appeared before them and opened fire killing the duo instantly, then walked casually after the slaying. The victims were even rushed to the nearby Fairview General Hospital but relatives and their friends also rushed to the hospital to get the cadavers owing to Muslim belief that a dead body must be laid to rest and be buried right away and autopsy is not needed. JING VILLAMENTE

WEBSITE GIVES FULL DISCLOSURE OF GOVernmenT DEALS
In keeping with the “Daang Matuwid” pronouncement of the administration, the Department of Interior and Local Government developed a website where the public can readily see the finances and other transaction of local government units. By logging on to the Full Disclosure Policy Portal (FDPP) thru fdpp.dilg.gov.ph , the public can view important LGU documents such as annual budget reports, statements of debt service, statements of receipts and expenditures; quarterly statements of cash flow, annual procurement plans or procurement lists, items to bid and bid results, abstracts of bids as calculated, and supplemental procurement plans. Also available in the FDPP are Special Education Fund (SEF) income and expenditure estimates; reports of SEF utilization; annual Gender and Development accomplishment reports; Trust Fund (PDAF) utilization; 20 percent component of the Internal Revenue Allotment utilization; and reports of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund utilization. Designed by the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS) with the help of World Bank, Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID), and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the website also aims to assist local government units in complying with the requirements of the Full Disclosure Policy of the department. JING VILLAMENTE

ABALOS ALLOWED TO GO TO TAIWAN
FINALLY, former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Benjamin Abalos may now proceed with his “fishing expedition” as he was allowed by a lower court to purchase fingerlings to Taiwan. In its order handed Monday, the Pasay City Regional Trial Court (RTC) finally allowed Abalos to temporarily leave the country to explore business opportunities in Taiwan and purchase fingerlings for his fishpond business. In granting Abalos’ motion for reconsideration, Pasay City RTC Branch 112 Judge Jesus Mupas agreed that the former Comelec chairman could proceed with his travel to Taiwan from November 27 to 30 provided he post a cash bond of P200,000. Felda Domingo, spokesman of the Pasay City RTC Branch 112 said Mupas granted Abalos’ motion for reconsideration because he had shown his “sincerity” in complying with the orders of the court. RITCHIE A. HORARIO

GROUPS OUT TO SUE OVER DOLPHIN’S DEATH
With the death of one of the 25 dolphins recently exported to Singapore from the Ocean Adventure in Subic, Zambales, several environment and animal rights groups are contemplating on filing charges against agencies and firms which their battery of lawyers see as having liability in the cruel incident. “We are studying possible violations of the Animal Welfare Act following the death of one of the dolphins,” said lawyer Mel Velasco, counsel of petitioners Earth Island Institute (EII), Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), and CARA Welfare Philippines which earlier tried to block the re-export of the dolphins. During yesterday’s a press conference in Quezon City, representatives of the groups were angered over the death of one of the dolphins as they were being transported to Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) in Singapore despite their repeated protestations. “Wen-Wen, a ten-year old male dolphin, died en route to Singapore despite their assurances that there were experts on the plane,” EII regional director Trixie Conception said. JING VILLAMENTE