. NEWS ROUNDUP .

CHED works with PNP, NBI on crackdown vs 'Recto U'

THE Commission on Higher Education has joined the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police in a coordinated crackdown against fake diploma syndicates.

Acting CHED chair Romulo Neri said they "have budgeted P30 million to upgrade our information system which will include college students' graduation data, among others," to ensure that fake diplomas will be a thing of the past.

"However, program implementation has been slow due to difficulties in finding qualified contractors," he added.

Most of the manufacturers of fake documents are based at the so-called "Recto University," a cluster of establishments on C.M. Recto Avenue and adjoining streets in Quiapo and Sta. Cruz. Printing shops, second-hand bookstores, art and cross-stitch supply shops, locksmiths and watch repair stalls act as fronts for counterfeiting work stations that can churn out fake college diplomas, transcript of records and other school credentials, government documents including NBI and PNP clearances, and Land Transportation Office registration certificates.- Ashzel Hachero

Navy ferries stranded Palaro participants

PHILIPPINE Navy ship BRP Bacolod City arrived Wednesday morning at its Navy headquarters in Manila with more than 700 passengers on board.

The 719 passengers included athletes, coaches, regional DepEd officials, most of whom were from Cagayan and who had just attended the Palarong Pambansa held in Palawan.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said the passengers were supposed to take commercial ships bound for Manila on May 3 and 4 but due to lack of passenger vessels and financial problems, they asked the Navy for help.

Caculitan said Navy approved the request and tapped BRP Bacolod for the mission. "The ferry mission.was made to aid the delegates from being further stranded in Palawan," he said. - Richmond Mercurio

2 NPAs arrested for alleged extortion

TWO communist rebels were arrested Tuesday morning by Army and police agents while allegedly engaged in extortion in Barangay Bancasi, Butuan City.

Lt. Col. Leonel Santos, commanding officer of the 30th Infantry Battalion, identified the arrested rebels as Lionides Cotamora Mata alias Jigger, a rebel team leader; and Narciso Mata Maunis Jr. alias Johnny/Nubai, a rebel sniper. Seized from the two were ammunition for an M14 rifle, cellphone, personal effects and subversive documents.

A follow-up operation resulted in a clash between the troops and undetermined number of rebels, said to be companions of the arrested extortionists, in Sitio Balete, Barangay Bit-os, also in Butuan City. Santos said they did not sustain any casualties but the NPAs did.

The encounter enabled the government men to recover more personal belongings, ammunition and documents of high intelligence value from the insurgents. - Richmond Mercurio

Calayans deny wrongdoing in penis suit

COSMETIC surgeons Dr. Manny and Pie Calayan yesterday denied the charges filed against them before the Makati prosecutors office by a naturalized American citizen regarding a bungled penis enlargement operation.

Manny denied any wrongdoing and negligence on the operation he conducted on 34-year-old businessman Louem Martinez on Sept. 25, 2007. "I did not, during the consultation, guarantee to the complainant the success of the penile enlargement procedure nor the results thereof. Instead, I carefully explained to the complainant the nature and effects of the operation as well as the risks, ramifications and complications involved in the surgical procedure, including the possibility of penile deformity in the event that the instructions of the surgeon are not carefully followed," Calayan said.

Pie, on the other hand, said she could not be held liable because she did not participate in the operation.

Reggie Ukol, the Calayans' legal counsel, said they would file counter-charges of perjury and unjust vexation against Martinez for filing the "malicious" criminal complaint.

A businessman based in New York, Martinez sued the Calayans for P26 million in damages. He said he paid nearly P170,000 for the operation, including laboratory and consultation fees and medicines. But a few months after the operation, he claimed the pain in his penis did not subside until it became disfigured.