by anyajulia | Sep 19, 2008 | Headlines, National News
Government forces got boost from local executives in Lanao who vowed all out support on the ongoing police operations aimed at capturing the rogue band of Moro rebel leader Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo.
Lanao del Norte governor Khalid Dimaporo said authorities must not stop in their efforts to capture Macapaar and his group of about 300 rebels who burned houses, killed civilians, raped women and looted stores in several towns of the province.
Police authorities have already filed some 49 criminal cases against Macapaar, practically making them the most wanted criminals in the country.
Dimaporo, himself a Muslim, said it is not only the Christians that were victims of the atrocities of Bravo’s group, but, also Muslim residents who were displaced from their abodes, fearing they will be caught in a crossfire between the rebels and pursuing soldiers.
He said several municipal mayors in the province have put up monetary rewards for those who can lead authorities to the neutralization of Bravo and his followers. (PIA/Bohol)
by anyajulia | Sep 19, 2008 | Headlines, National News
Local officials has denied that a mosque was shot at or burned during a clash with rogue MILF groups in Daliao village, Maasim town, Sarangani.
A report from the Sarangani Provincial Information Office cited Daliao barangay captain Abdulrajes Pangolima as having said that the mosque referred to in reports was far from the encounter site.
Pangolima narrated that, after coming from the mosque, residents told him about the presence of the military heading to sitio Macao. After 20 minutes, gunfire were heard.
The village chief said residents who witnessed the incident told him that it was a group of armed men who first fired shots at the military. “Reports that the mosque was hit are mere speculations,” he said.
He, however, urged the military and rebels to stay away from communities and bring their clashes to remote areas. “It would be best if civilians are not affected,” he said in the vernacular. (PIA/Bohol)
by anyajulia | Sep 19, 2008 | Headlines, National News
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap lamented about the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) on the field implementation of the GMA program.
According to Yap, the report was centered only on the alleged anomalies by local-government employees, instead of giving a full picture by also including the GMA’s successes.
The “scam” reports focused on fake farmers’ signatures and discrepancies in the amount of fertilizer released to beneficiaries, with the implementers not strictly adhering to the one bag per hectare scheme for the seed subsidy.
Yap revealed that some of the GMA successes include the following: 95 percent of farmer-beneficiaries said the new technology had increased their rice production; 95 percent of farmers who adopted the new farming technology said the rice seeds they received were of good quality; and that 59 percent of beneficiaries reported that agricultural technicians did come to visit them during the crop season.
Yap said such successes should also be reported; and that performing local-level workers should also be recognized for their dedication to duty. (PIA/Bohol)
by anyajulia | Sep 19, 2008 | Headlines, National News
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is concerned over the alleged scam committed in the long-devolved municipal level in the distribution of subsidies to farmers under the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani (GMA) program of her administration.
According to Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza, the President is very concerned about all this because she has been releasing a lot of funds as part of economic agenda.
The funds came from the VAT excesses, although she went into a process of being unpopular but had to do it to make a good fiscal situation, Dureza pointed out.
The Press Secretary said it should be easy to pinpoint the culprits “when the full force of the law is applied,” especially that the distribution has been devolved to the local government units concerned. (PIA/Bohol)
by anyajulia | Sep 19, 2008 | Headlines, National News
To avoid the possible closure of small companies, a lawmaker has filed a bill that seeks to lessen the penalty being imposed on employers or companies that fail to pay the social security remittance of their employees on time.
According to Rep. Nicanor Briones (AGAP Party-list) House Bill 4976 amends provisions of the Social Security Law on remittances and contributions.
Republic Act 8282, mandates employers to remit to the SSS its contribution within the first 20 days of each month for which remittances are applicable. If the contributions are not remitted to the SSS on time, employers shall pay a penalty of one-half percent per month or six percent per annum.
Every employer who fails to deduct and to remit contributions shall also pay a penalty of three percent per month compounded from the date the contribution falls due until it is paid.
“The penalty could be onerous and burdensome to the companies specially experiencing heavy financial losses due to the peso devaluation, oil price hike, and the pervading clouds of fiscal crisis, ” Briones said. (PIA/Bohol)
