ROXAS CITY, Capiz - The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is disappointed over the  preferential treatment given by the Capiz Provincial Jail to a top drug personality prior to his escape from the facility last weekend.

PDEA Director General Dionisio Santiago learned that the jail facility had been giving such treatment to Sulpicio Marcelino Sr. who took advantage of such privilege to bolt from jail last Sunday.

“We are alarmed over the fact that Marcelino is the top drug personality in the province, yet he was still accorded preferential treatment in the provincial jail,” Santiago lamented.

Marcelino was last arrested by PDEA Agents during a counter-narcotics operation on September 26, 2008.  “His escape raises several questions as to whether there was due diligence on the part of the guards to prevent his escape,” he added.

Citing an official report from Capiz Acting Provincial Warden Arjuna  Yngcong, Marcelino was a “trustee prisoner” which meant he could move around inside the jail compound with minimal restriction. (Jeffrey G. Damicog)

SMPHI Bares P21-B Masterplan

CEBU CITY – SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SMPHI) is set to unveil next month its master plan for the P21 billion development project at the Cebu City-owned 300-hectare lot, South Road Properties (SRP), which would jumpstart the construction of its major investment.

 In his visit to Cebu for the soft opening of Radisson Blu Hotel, SMPHI President Hans Sy, bared the master plan for the 30-hectare prime lot at the SRP, which the company purchased from the Cebu City Government, has already been completed.

“Everything is ready. We hope to even ground break the first building earlier than the formal launching date of the entire project,” Sy told reporters. Sy said the company is set to develop first the shopping mall, with an investment of R1 billion, and which has been allocated 250,000 square meters.

The mall, once completed, is seen to be one of the 10 largest malls in the world.  One of the mall’s features, he said will include a huge skating rink. The mall is slated for completion in the next two years. (Malou M. Mozo)

No Value Vehicles Resolution Filed

Bacolod City – Bacolod City Councilor Catalino Alisbo has authored a resolution urging the Commission on Audit to recommend to Mayor Evelio Leonardia to condemn the City-owned non-functioning vehicles.

Alisbo said that “these vehicles are just stocked and occupying space at the old City Engineer’s Office compound.”

He cited Rule 26, Section 187 of the Rules and Regulations on Supply and Property Management in the local government code where, the COA states that “valueless property shall be condemned either by burning, pounding, throwing beyond recovery and the like.”

Thus, Alisbo resolved to request the City Auditor to recommend to Mayor Evelio Leonardia to condemn all government motor vehicles which are considered beyond economical repair, are valueless property or junk and to be disposed in a manner prescribed by law.

Presently, he said, there are “numerous valueless motor vehicles owned by the city government mounting in number in the stockyard of the city, which are considered health hazards.” ( Edith B. Colmo)