. NEWS ROUNDUP .

OFW sentenced to death in Kuwait

ANOTHER overseas Filipino worker in Kuwait, Bienvenido Espino Jr., was sentenced to death by the Kuwaiti Court of First Instance for allegedly killing fellow OFW Jhias Gumapac, a 30-year-old woman, over an unpaid debt last year.

Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Ricardo Endaya said they will extend to Espino all the legal help he may require.

Investigation reports said Espino pawned his laptop computer to Gumapac who was then working as a coffee shop attendant. On Oct. 30, 2007, he asked to meet with Gumapac to redeem his laptop but did not have any money with him.

Espino told Gumapac he had a buyer for the laptop and would pay her after he got the money. Gumapac refused to turn over the laptop and also demanded interest on her money.

An irked Espino pulled out a knife to scare Gumapac but the latter fought him and got stabbed dead. - Job Realubit

2 cops in Paco slay get posthumous promotion

THE two policemen from the Manila Police District who were shot dead by robbers as they were responding to a heist in Paco received posthumous promotions to the next higher rank upon orders of PNP chief Avelino Razon.

Chief Supt. Nicanor A. Bartolome, PNP spokesman, said PO3 Jose Ysmael Santos and PO2 Francisco Neri were given the promotion for gallantry in the line of duty.

Santos and Neri were at nearby Merced Street when motorcycle-riding robbers shot dead lawyer Alfred Dy in Linao Street, Paco. Dy had just withdrawn P1 million from Banco de Oro which the robbers took after killing him. - Raymond Africa

Frustrated murder raps filed vs ex-mayor

A CRIMINAL complaint for frustrated murder has been filed by a former barangay chairman against former Mayor Nick Felix of Cainta, Rizal.

Gilbert Igtiben of Barangay San Juan, Cainta, alleged that around 8 p.m. last April 28, Felix and his four men boxed him and tried to kill him with a jungle knife while he was celebrating the birthday of his son at De Jardin en Carilles in San Juan.

Igtiben said he was held by Felix's men while the former mayor punched him in the head and the back. He said he managed to slip from men's grip and parried a knife wielded by one of the men.

Witnesses said Felix tried to convince Igtiben to join his political group in preparation for the 2010 local elections, but the latter refused. Igtiben is known as a supporter of Mayor Mon Ilagan who belongs to the National People's Coalition in Rizal.

"Ang ginawa sa akin ni Mayor Felix at kanyang mga tauhan ay napakasakit sapagkat nangyari ito sa harap ng aking asawa at mga anak," Igtiben said. "Kaya gayon na lang nawala ang tiwala ng mga tao sa kanila dahil sa kanilang hindi mabuting pakikutungo sa kapwa."

2 dead in SLEX mishap

TWO passengers were killed and several others hurt when a Manila-bound JAC Liner bus plunged 15 feet into a vacant lot at the South Luzon Expressway shortly past midnight Tuesday.

Chief Supt. Ricardo Padilla, Southern Tagalog police director, identified the fatalities as Asuncion Clemente, 40, a Land Transportation Office clerk detailed at the LTO Imus, Cavite office; and Wilson Tadique Oliveros of Agisto street, San Juan, Metro Manila.

The bus driven by Marasigan Oliveros reportedly hit a trailer truck in front of it and went out of control.

Clemente was pinned inside the bus while Oliveros, who suffered multiple body injuries, was declared dead at the Family Care Hospital in San Pedro, Laguna. - Raymond Africa

Couple with 7 arrest warrants captured

AGENTS of the Criminal Investigation and Detection group arrested husband-and-wife Bernardo and Rachel Mabbagu who have seven pending arrest warrants during a follow-up operation in Quezon City early Tuesday.

CIDG director Chief Supt. Raul Castañeda said the Mabbagus of Blue Ridge B Subdivision, were wanted in San Mateo for grave coercion and malicious mischief.

Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera personally went to see PNP chief Avelino Razon to ask for the arrest of the couple who are reportedly engaged in selling lots they do not own. - Raymond Africa

MMDA-MIAA to launch landmark art competition

THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is looking for artistic and architectural designs that will best showcase Filipino heritage for installation at the two recently completed rotundas at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 along Andrews Avenue in Pasay City.

MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said the NAIA Terminal 3 Landmark Rotundas Nationwide Design Contest, which he will launch Monday with officials of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), would be a perfect opportunity for noted and eminent landscape designers and artists to show what they can do.

Fernando said the entries should embody the Filipinos' rich cultural traditions and profound sense of affinity with the global community, among other things.

Winners will receive P500,000 (first prize), P300,000 (second) and P200,000 (third). Their masterpieces will be installed at the Circulo del Mundo (the big rotunda) and at the Maligayang Pagdating (the smaller rotunda).

MMDA general manager Robert Nacianceno said the competition is open to all Filipino citizens, by individuals or groups, nationwide. Contestants should submit their registration forms by June 30 through the MMDA's e-mail address: mmda_landmarkcompetition@yahoo.com. Walk-ins or mailed applications will not be accepted. Deadline for submission of entries - through airmail packages or personal delivery at the MMDA office in Guadalupe, Makati City - is tentatively set on July 15. Winners will be announced on August 24.

Interested parties may download application forms, vicinity map and the base plan of the rotundas from the MMDA website: mmda.gov.ph. For questions, call the Landmark Design Competition Secretariat at 8824151, locals 258 and 349 and look for Alex Umagat or architect Angeli Remigio. - Ashzel Hachero

Dingalanons press DENR to investigate sacked CENRO's case

DINGALAN, Aurora - The 1,200-strong Ugnayan ng Mamamayan sa Lungsod at Nayon Inc. (Umalun), the Catholic Association of Ibona composed of 525 families, the Dingalan chapter of Task Force Sierra Madre (TFSM) and the Multi-Sectoral Forest Protection Committee (MFPC) appealed to Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to reconsider his order replacing former community environment and natural resources officer Meliton Vicente Jr. in southern Aurora as they belied reports of rampant illegal logging in this town.

In a dialogue with Atienza at the DENR central office last week, leaders of the four groups headed by Roberto Modesto told Atienza that Vicente had in fact been doing a commendable job of containing illegal logging in Dingalan, describing as "brazen lies" reports that logging trucks have been hauling at least 65,000 board feet of wood per week from three lumberyards in Barangay Paltic since March.

Atienza relieved Vicente two weeks ago on the allegations of rampant logging operations by a Peter Montallana who identified himself as the head of the Dingalan chapter of TFSM, a claim belied by Modesto who said he is the head of TFSM and Montallana has no right to speak for the group.

Modesto said Atienza's move would set a "dangerous precedent" and Vicente's ouster would affect many livelihood programs he had started in Dingalan. "It's as if we are already on our way to the stage to receive our diploma when here comes Secretary Atienza who ordered us to go back to grade 1," he said.