Robber of Sulu mayor’s
farmhouse killed
A ROBBER was killed and two of his cohorts were arrested
after they barged inside the farmhouse of Jolo, Sulu Mayor Hussin Amin in
Zamboanga City early last Saturday.
A report to Camp Crame identified the fatality as Arnon
Hermegildo and his arrested cohorts as Joelie Evangelio and a certain Badie.
The three reportedly forced their way into Amin’s farmhouse
in Barangay Baluno at around 1 am. Once inside, the three shot Amin’s housemaid
Helen Rebelleza after she screamed in fright. Rebelleza’s 12-year-old son and
husband were also injured by a stray bullet.
The timely arrival of a responding police team resulted in a
brief firefight which led to Hermegildo’s death. – Raymond Africa
Chavit says Erap pardon
‘wrong move’
BACOLOD CITY - Deputy national security adviser Luis "Chavit"
Singson said the presidential pardon given former President Joseph Estrada was a
"wrong move."
Singson, who spoke at the Philippine Councilor’s League’s
national board meeting here, said Estrada should not have been pardoned because
he was proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The former Ilocos Sur governor
made the statement in reaction to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s assigning blame for the
country’s problems on "somebody in Malacañang who tends to create her own
realities, her own enchanted kingdom" at the expense of the Filipino people and
their mental health.
"Look who’s talking," Singson said. "It is expected of
Jinggoy to say such statements against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo since
he is sourgraping because his father was convicted. The same thing happened
during their time. That is why his father was convicted because of graft and
corruption. There was graft and corruption during the Estrada administration and
it will take time for our country to solve the problem because it has been
tolerated. What we need is a ‘benevolent dictator’ because we lack discipline
compared to the developed countries," Singson said. – Gilbert Bayoran
They don’t believe Bayani
KADAMAY, an urban poor group, on Monday expressed doubt that
the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has the guts to go after
rich and influential building owners who violate the National Building Code.
MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando said in a statement last Sunday
that they would intensify the crackdown on violators of the Building Code, sue
violators, and tear down structures illegally built on open spaces reserved for
sidewalks and parking areas.
Kadamay spokesperson Jon Vincent Marin said MMDA should also go after rich
and influential building owners who are the number one violators of the law.
"The campaign is laudable but the main question here is does the MMDA have the
resolve to go after rich and influential violators and those who have backers in
the government?" He said that more often, it is only the poor who bear the brunt
of the agency’s campaign. – Ashzel Hachero
