Wednesday, November 17, 2010

SC dismisses from the service clerk of court of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija

MANILA-- The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed from the service the clerk of court of the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) of San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija for dishonesty, grave misconduct and contempt of court.

In a per curiam decision of the SC en banc, respondent Marcela V. Santos was also fined in the amount of P5,000, aside from forfeiture of retirement benefits.

Records of the case show that Santos could not explain where the amount of P326,000 in fiduciary fund, sheriff trust fund and process servers fee go.

Santos failed to submit the proper documents before the Fiscal Monitoring Division (FMD) of the Court Management Office (CMO) in connection with the loss of the said amount, as well as the loss of three booklets of official receipts (ORs).

The respondent also failed to submit monthly reports of collections and deposits as required by SC Circular No. 32-93.

The SC magistrates also ordered the Fiscal Management Office (FMO) to make a computation of the remaining accountabilities of the respondent and submit a report in 30 days.

Santos was also directed to return the said remaining amount.

The SC en banc also ordered Court Administrator Atty. Jose Midas Marquez to file criminal charges against Santos based on the findings of the Court. (PNA)

Village heads in Nueva Ecija urged to put gun possession in order

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- Barangay officials were urged on Monday to properly turn over possession of guns to their respective successors or have their registration renewed to avoid "police actions."

Sr. Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), said incumbent barangay heads who are leaving positions after the barangay elections should have the short certificate of registration duly accomplished in favor of their successors while reelected ones must renew their licenses.

This, as police reported that at least 29 assorted firearms formerly registered under the names of barangay officials in Nueva Ecija are "unaccounted for" and are "subject to police operation," ranking police officials said over the weekend.

Aliggayu said the figure was part of the 131 firearms purchased by the various local government units in the province and covered by the short certificate of registration being issued to barangay captains.

Of the unaccounted firearms, police said, 10 each from the towns of San Antonio and Gen. Tinio; Science City of Munoz, 5; and Sto. Domingo,5.

Aliggayu said police conducted an audit of firearms issued to local officials, including barangay captains prior to the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and urged them to come up with a report on their status.

"Failure to account these guns will mean we will subject them to police operations," the police chief said, explaining this would mean application for court warrants and searches.

"They cannot deny ownership of these firearms since they have been registered under their names.

Police records showed that among the municipalities that procured guns for their security units and barangay officials were Quezon, Talugtog, Cuyapo, Sto. Domingo, San Antonio, Carranglan, the city of Gapan and the provincial government of Nueva Ecija with ten units each; Science City of Munoz,20; and Gen. Tinio town, 15.

This was disclosed even as Aliggayu reported that 23 assorted firearms were confiscated in the implementation of gun ban for the village and youth polls which run from Sept. 25 to Nov. 10, 2010.

The guns were mostly recovered in checkpoints and inspections on various establishments, Aliggyu said.

But he warned gun holders that despite the lapse of the gun ban on Nov. 10, police will continue running after loose firearms.

"Some of them are in the hands of criminal elements, some are of those who failed to renew their licenses," he added. (PNA)

Nueva Ecija hospitals’ annual budget for 2011 slashed by P20-M

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija -- The budgets of 10 provincial government-run hospitals in Nueva Ecija were slashed by some P20 million in the proposed 2011 annual budget submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

The proposed budget showed that the cuts will be implemented on Eduardo L. Joson Memorial Hospital (ELJMH), San Jose City General Hospital (SJCGH), Bongabon District Hospital (BDH), Gapan District Hospital (GDH), Guimba District Hospital (Guimba DH), San Antonio District Hospital (SADH) and the Sto. Domingo District Hospital (SDDH) and the Carranglan Medicare Community Hospital (CMCH), Gabaldon Medicare Community Hospital (GMCH) and the Gen. Tinio Medicare and Community Hospital (GTMCH).

The overall budget of the ELJMH was reduced to P69.3 million from the 2010 budget of P69.79 million. Benefits for its health workers were also reduced from P4 million in 2010 to only P2 million in 2011.

The SJCGH was allocated P44.37 million as its 2011 budget, up from P43.1 million for 2010. However, its benefits for health workers were reduced by P1.3 million from P2.68 million in 2010 to P1.38 million next year.

The budget of the BDH, on the other hand, dipped to P27.04 million, some P808,114 less than the 2010 budget of P27.85 million. Benefits of health workers were also reduced by P1 million.

The GDH, Guimba DH and SADH all were allocated higher overall budgets but benefits for health workers and hazard pay were pruned down from a minimum of P500,000 to P2 million.

The SDDH’s overall budget was also brought down to P5.67 million some P433,000 less than the current operating budget of P5.36 million.

The aggregate overall budgets of the CMCH, the GMCH and the GTCH shrunk by P985,227. Their respective allocations for health worker benefits and hazard pay also went down by an identical P300,000 each and P700,000 each, respectively.

Governor Eduardo Umali, in his budget message to the SP, earlier said the proposed 2011 budget will be highlighted by the “substantial commitment” of funds for programs, projects and activities of the various sectors in the province.

He said this is line with the e provincial government’s desire to make the budget an “instrument for the economic and social upliftment” of the province. (PNA)

Two killed, 30 others hurt in Aurora road mishap

DINGALAN, Aurora, Nov. 10 (PNA) -- Two persons died while some 30 others were hurt when a six-wheeler truck from Nueva Ecija bound for a beach party here overturned along the national road in Barangay Caragsacan here Tuesday morning.

Inspector Dexter Thompson, town police chief, identified the fatalities as Leah Lino, 52, and Marcelo Vasquez, both of Barangay Diversion, San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija.

Thompson said the truck with license plate WGR-360 and driven by Fernando Milla, 33, also of Barangay Diversion, San Leonardo, was loaded with some 40 people, including children, and negotiating a curve portion of the road when the accident happened at about 10:30 a.m.

He said the victims were to celebrate at the beach the victory of Jess Alcantara, who won as councilman of Barangay Diversion in the Oct. 25 election.

Aside from Alcantara, also with the group were newly-elected councilman Francisco Flores and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman-elect Ardy Gamboa, 17. They all survived.

Barangay Captain Ferdinand Gamboa, who was in a separate car, immediately came to the rescue and sought help of the townsfolk, police said.

The victims were rushed to the Dingalan Community Hospital (DCH) which recommended immediate transfer to Cabanatuan City hospitals for patients with serious injuries.

Nymfa Bautista, DCM chief nurse, said Lino was dead on arrival at DCH.

Other patients, she said, have severe injuries. (PNA)

Nueva Ecija top cop vows continued drive vs loose guns

CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija - The election gun ban has lapsed but the intensified drive against loose firearms will continue in the province.

Senior Supt. Roberto Aliggayu, director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO) issued this warning following the arrest of a businessman who was found possessing a .45 cal. pistol with several rounds of live ammunition, magazines and silencers and bullets for M-16 Armalite rifle Thursday morning.

Aliggayu identified the suspect as Danilo Bautista, 54, a resident of Barangay Luna, Santa Rose town.

"We will continue to operate against loose firearms, some of them are in the hands of criminal elements, some are in the hands of people who failed to renew their licenses," he said.

The Commission on Election's (Comelec) gun ban which was imposed since September 25 for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, lapsed on November 10.

Aliggayu said elements of the Provincial Peace and Security Company (PPSC) and Santa Rosa police swooped down on the residences of Bautista simultaneously in Barangays Luna and Gomez at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Ramon Pamular of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 of Guimba, Nueva Ecija.

Supt. Edgar Alan Okubo, PPSC head, said they have also recovered from Bautista's residence 14 fruit game machines.

The searches were witnessed by Barangay officials and Bautista himself, Okubo said.

Aliggayu said charges of illegal possession of firearms and illegal gambling are being readied against the suspect. (PNA)