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4 abducted, then freed, in South
UNIDENTIFIED armed men abducted four Caucasians in Pikit,
North Cotabato, on Thursday morning.
Quoting
witnesses, the military said the four victims were
aboard a Nissan van with license plate number YDN-826
when snatched by the armed men in the vicinity of
barangay Batulawan, Pikit, at around 10:30 a.m.
The
victims were tied and dragged to a “skylab,” a
motorcycle fitted with flat timber that extends beyond
its sides for seating additional passengers. The
“skylab” fled toward barangay Balungis, also in Pikit.
The barangay is on the border of Pagalungan, Maguindanao.
The
kidnappers later released the victims—Consuela San Juan,
Sharon Jackson, Diego Delfin and Thomas Wallrat—to the
separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The
military said the victims were released after four hours
of negotiations. It did not say what group was
responsible in the abduction or if a ransom was paid.
The
victims are expected to be turned over by the MILF to
the military, officials said. The nationalities of the
four were not disclosed. (F. Marasigan, R. Maitem)
CHED launches verification scheme
THE
Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has launched the
National electronic Certification /Authentication/
Verification System (eCAV) program.
Director
Amelia Biglete, CHED-National Capital Region chief, said
the eCAV program will officially start on June 1 and
will cover the commission’s 16 regional offices
nationwide.
To avail
themselves of eCAV, college graduates are advised to go
to CHED regional offices and have their names verified
if they are in the CHED database.
Biglete
said the electronic process only takes 10 to 15 minutes,
compared to manual verification which takes five days at
the same cost of P40 per document. (C. Mocon)
Drive vs power theft stepped up
THE
Manila Electric Company (Meralco) continues to make
advancements in its campaign against electricity
pilferage following the recent conviction and arrest of
power pilferers.
In a
decision handed down by Judge Oscar Pimentel of Branch
148 of the Regional Trial Court in Makati City, Ramon
Tegio was found guilty of violation of Republic Act 7832
or the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Law of 1994, which
prohibits the stealing of electricity and materials used
in its transmission and distribution.
A recent
operation by Meralco and policemen led to the arrest of
three alleged power pilferers in the act of illegally
tapping from Meralco’s wire and supplying the stolen
electricity to approximately 100 families of squatters
living along a railroad track in Santa Mesa, Manila.
‘Fees payment not precondition’
THE
Department of Education (DepEd) reiterated on Thursday
that collection of school fees is not a prerequisite for
enrollment in public schools.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus reiterated this policy
as the department prepares for the opening of classes on
Monday. “Public-school students should be enrolled
without being compelled to pay fees,” Lapus said. (C.
Mocon)
3,000 MMDA staffers deployed
SOME
3,000 traffic enforcers, laborers, street sweepers and
other field personnel of the Metro Manila Development
Authority will be deployed in the vicinities of schools
on Monday’s opening of classes. Angelito Vergel de Dios,
executive director of the
Traffic Operations
Center,
said the deployment is part of the agency’s “Oplan Balik
Eskuwela 2007.’’
He said
some of the field personnel will be assigned to monitor
traffic situations and act, if the need arises, while
the others will clear obstructions on sidewalks and road
right-of-ways, particularly in sections leading to
public elementary and high schools. (C. Mocon) |
