MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — Saying she was tired of being beaten up incessantly by her live-in partner, a woman in her early 30s stabbed her lover dead after a heated argument inside their house in Barangay Guizo this city.

Antonietta Alcala, 33, was arrested by policemen from the Mandaue City Police Station 1 after she stabbed dead her 40-year-old live-in partner, Romeo Delima.

Delima, who was said to have been under the influence of liquor, arrived home, with his drunken condition triggering a heated argument between himself and Alcala.

At the height of their argument, Alcala said her partner started beating her up, as he was wont to do in the past. At one point, while they were quarelling, Alcala managed to get hold of a knife and stabbed Delima in the back. The latter died hours later at the Mandaue City Hospital. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)

Negros BEIs to train for polls
BACOLOD CITY (PNA) — The series of training sessions held for Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) who will be serving during the May polls kicked off here recently with an initial 550 BEIs in attendance.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Provincial Election Supervisor, lawyer Jessie Suarez said the training is composed of two components — the lecture for general instructions for the (BEIs) and the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) procedures and operations.

The Comelec also conducted a written examination and practical exercise on precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines at the Bacolod Pavilion Resort, Reclamation Area, which is the venue of the activity.

With 4,100 BEIs needed in the province, Suarez said the activity will last until March 25. Ninety (90) PCOS machines are needed for the activity while the 2,050 PCOS units to be used in Negros Occidental will be delivered at least a week before the May 10 elections.

Meanwhile, 33 computer technicians have already been trained in handling the PCOS machines. Specifically, they will troubleshoot the machines in case any of these malfunction on election day.

RORO gives convenient travel to commuters
ILOILO CITY (PNA) – Commuters are now beginning to find traveling more convenient through the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SRNH), one of the major programs of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Regional Director Mary Ann Armi Arcilla said the use of the roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) system is very competitive and in fact commuters in Western Visayas are finding it as a good substitute for fast craft travel.

Four ports have been identified under the SRNH, that is, Naluoyan Port in Dumangas, Iloilo, Jordan and Bacolod. Among these ports, the one that caters to more passengers is the Naluoyan Port.

Arcilla said passengers who could not catch up with the fast craft often go to Dumangas to take the RoRo. To date, four shipping lines are servicing ports in Western Visayas to include Tri-Star, Montenegro, Jomalia and Lakbayan.

Meantime, she disclosed that the Tabuelan Port in Cebu is one of the busiest ports for those traveling to Escalante and San Carlos in Negros Occidental.