The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has sent donations to Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, for the victims of the destructive earthquake that killed hundreds last January.

“We have already sent the funds amounting to $48,809 to Archbishop Auza with the request to hand-over the cash to the Episcopal Conference of Haiti. The donations came from the Catholic faithful who responded to the CBCP president Nereo P. Odchimar's appeal to the 86 ecclesial provinces in the country,” said Msgr. Joselito C. Asis, CBCP assistant secretary-general and assistant treasurer.

Msgr. Asis said the donations came from the second collection in all Sunday masses last January in the archdioceses of Caceres and Jaro; and the dioceses of Cubao, Daet, Tagum, Legazpi, Boac, Bangued, Novaliches, and Alaminos. He expects more dioceses to send their donations in time. (Christina I. Hermoso)

PNP Chief Versoza lauded
Malacañang lauded Thursday Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Jesus Versoza for giving the public an assurance that he will not support any illegal actions or decisions in the government, saying that it is the “proper attitude” that should be followed by all men in uniform.

Versoza was quoted as saying that he will not support newly installed military chief Lt. Gen. Delfin Bangit if ever there are plans to install President Arroyo as a holdover president should there be failure of elections on May 10.

“I think the context was that [PNP Director General] Versoza would not support any illegal action or decision by his counterpart in the Armed Forces and I submit that this is the proper attitude anyway that should be followed by everyone in the Armed Forces [and] in the Police: not to follow illegal orders or commit illegal actions,” deputy presidential spokesman Gary Olivar said yesterday.

“Gen. Bangit himself promised
to do that as required by his own oath as a soldier and an officer so it is I think gratifying to note that PNP chief Versoza has once again given his assurance
that he will abide by his duties as a uniformed officer,” Olivar said. (Madel R. Sabater)

MECO lauds Taiwan Air Force
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) has lauded the efforts of the Taiwan Air Force for saving the life of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who suffered from a heart attack onboard a Hong Kong–registered vessel off Southern Taiwan.

MECO resident representative Antonio Basilio, in a letter dated March 8 to Gen. Lei, Yu-Chi, commanding general of the Taiwan Air Force Command Headquarters, cited the Chiayi Airbase Seagull Rescue Team for conducting the night operation that saved the life of Filipino seaman Rolet Formacil.

"Your immediate response to send a helicopter to airlift Mr. Formacil from the vessel saved his life and prevented further damage to his back,” Basilio said in his letter to Gen. Lei.

Formacil, 49, is employed as a 2nd engineer at Hong Kong-registered freighter MV Harotamou, which was travelling near Hengchun in the southern part of Taiwan.

According to MECO, Formacil collapsed and complained of severe back-pain and paralysis, prompting the ship’s captain to radio Taiwan authorities for emergency medical assistance. The Chiayi Airbase Seagull Rescue Team immediately responded and airlifted Formacil from the deck of the vessel, bringing him to the Kaohsiung City Veterans. (Madel R. Sabater)