LEGARDA TRANSFERS P29-M PROJECTS TO LGUS
LEGAZPI CITY: Sen. Loren Legarda has pulled out in a last-minute effort from the Department of Agriculture (DA), her two farm-to-market road projects in Bicol Region, with urgent order to have it transferred instead to local government units (LGUs) for implementation.

But local contractors who already complied with the procurement requirements cried foul assailing the Agriculture department for suspending the scheduled bidding on November 28 saying that they had already spent much time and money. They said that the suspension order without any legal basis was highly immoral and illegal. lawyer Florante Nakor, DA Region 5 chief legal officer, confirmed the sudden transfer of the two projects to LGUs in Bacacay, Albay province costing P14 million and in Baras, Catanduanes for P15 million. The contracts had a work-duration of 120 days. Nakor explained that his office was merely following the letter of Senator Legarda to transfer the funds. Contractors quoted Nakor as saying that “we do not want to offend or antagonize the senator citing the contents of the letter.” MANNY T. UGALDE

BENGUET AIMS FOR HIGH-END AGRI-MARKET
BAGUIO CITY: The provincial government of Benguet has been bringing in new programs and measures to ensure that the agricultural produce of the province especially the semi-temperate or highland vegetables and strawberry, sustain production the whole year round, so that it can also access the high-end market aside from providing the usual need of wet markets in various parts of the country. Gov. Nestor Fongwan of Benguet said during the recent opening program of the Department of Agriculture-led briefing and project site visits on Benguet coffee, upland vegetables and other High Value Crop Development Program projects under the Agri-Pinoy Food Self Sufficiency Program. He said that in pushing for a year round production of their vegetables produce, they are now grouping their farmers into one through the Benguet Farmers Cooperative and pushing for a crop production programming scheme among the farmers so that they can have production of what the market demands even during the off-season. Fongwan also bared for their potato production, aside from the table type that they are now pushing for capturing the supply requirements of food chains through the importation of planting materials from New Brunswick, Canada, which are bigger in size, lesser in moisture and sugary types that are more preferred in making potato chips and French fries. GABY B. KEITH

DYNASTIES RULE CAVITE POLITICS
Dynasties will dominate the political arena in Cavite City in the 2013 mid-term elections. This was revealed to The Manila Times by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) of Cavite. “Our records show that for the last 40 years, the same faces, with the same familiar surnames have been the ones running for elective positions in Cavite and they will make their presence felt again in 2013.” The poll body then elaborated that it is referring to political clans here bearing such familiar surnames as Revilla, Abaya, Remulla and Maliksi that will field candidates for various positions in 2013. Sen. Panfilo “ Ping” Lacson is yet to start building his political dynasty. His eldest son Ronald Jay will run as next year’s Liberal Party candidate for vice-governor, while his nephew Dennis will run again as re-electionist councilor in Imus City. ROGELIO LIMPIN

EX-PBA STAR NABBED FOR ILLEGAL DETENTION
FORMER Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player, Dennis Espino, was arrested over the weekend by the police for illegal detention charges, following an eight-month long manhunt operation. Operatives of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested the 38-year-old former basketball stalwart on Thursday last week at the office of his brother in Mabalacat, Pampanga province. Director Samuel Pagdilao Jr., CIDG chief, said that Espino was arrested based on a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 46 of San Fernando City for serious illegal detention charges. Pagdilao said that the arrest warrant was issued base from a complaint filed by Espino’s former secretary, Mildred Eiman, 20, that the former PBA star locked her up for over a month for her failure to pay her P5, 000-debt. ANTHONY VARGAS

DOST-BENGUET TRAINS COORDINATORS
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet: The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be working closely with the local governments through coordinators to link up its programs and projects to maximize utilization of available technologies. Science and Technology Director Arnold Inumpa in Benguet province said that their office recently conducted an orientation training among municipal and Baguio City coordinators who will act as focal persons on DOST programs. DOST is mandated to provide central direction, leadership and coordination of scientific and technological efforts and ensure that the results are geared and utilized in areas of maximum economic and social benefits for the people. DOST offices, however, are only until the provincial level, hence the need to partner with municipal and city offices. He said that this is the first time that they are doing this strategy at the regional level to be able to directly link with municipal and city governments to effectively carry out their programs and other related activities and maximize the utilization of available technologies. GABY B. KEITH

SULU HOSTS MINDANAO LEADERS’ SUMMIT
SULU: Sulu province is hosting the first-ever Mindanao Leaders’ Summit and will tackle the Mindanao peace process and the Framework Agreement signed by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Thousands of Muslims are expected to attend the summit, which would be held today in Patikul town. The Framework Agreement, which was signed in October, would pave the way for the creation of Bangsamoro region. The new political entity would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which comprises the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan. A referendum would also be held in other provinces where there are large Muslim communities to ask if residents wanted to be part of the Bangsamoro region. “Sinusuportahan natin ang peace process ng ating Pangulo kaya nga may summit tayo dito sa Sulu upang ipaalam sa publiko ang kahalagahan nitong peace talks at ng Framework Agreement. Sinusuportahan naming mga governors sa ARMM ang kapayapaan,” [We are supporting the peace process and that’s why we are holding this summit so our people will know more about the government peace talks with the MILF and the importance of the Framework Agreement.],” said Gov. Sakur Tan of Sulu. The ARMM governors and top government officials, including members of the civil society groups and non-governmental organizations and peace advocates are expected to attend the summit, according to Dr. Amildasa Annil of the Movement for Sustainable Good Governance. AL JACINTO

BRITISH FACES LIFE SENTENCE FOR KILLING WIFE
A British man faces life in prison for hitting his wife on the head and strangling her during a trip to Boracay in 2007. In a 25-page decision promulgated on October 24, 2012, Judge Jemena L. Abellar-Arbis of Kalibo Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 found Carl Andrew Foster, guilty of parricide for the murder of his Taiwanese wife, Chia-Ning-Fu. Foster turned himself in to the police after the killing and pleaded not guilty to crime claiming temporary insanity. But in convicting Foster, Judge Arbis junked accused’s claim of insanity. The ruling stated that the burden of proof lay on Foster to overcome the presumption of sanity since he admitted to the killing of Fu. The judge said that the evidence of alcoholism and bi-polar disorder was insufficient to prove his legal insanity and that he was not deprived of his mental faculties. JOMAR CANLAS