News briefs
Smuggled items for auction
THE rifle parts and accessories along with hundreds of bullets that the Bureau of Customs seized early this month from a 40-foot container van from California will be auctioned off in the second week of December.
Ronnie Silvestre, Bureau of Customs-7 district collector, signed the warrant of seizure and detention for the cargo on Nov. 17 after nobody came forward to claim the items.
The consignee of the van, a certain “Renato Ramos,” turned out to be a fictitious name.
The van, which was declared as personal effects, was shipped from Oakland, California.
It passed through Hong Kong and arrived in Cebu last Nov. 3.
It was opened for full inspection last Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Silvestre will hold a staff meeting today to get updates on the investigation.
The BOC will call the customs broker of the cargo, Rafael Rubio, and lawyer Domingo Celis Jr. who subscribed Ramos’ affidavit.
BOC Police Administrative Officer Boy Reyoso said the investigation would take time.
“Hindi madali-an yan eh. We need to find out the truth. Nobody came forward to claim the seized items,” Reyoso told Cebu Daily News. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell
Fortuna welcomed as advisor
MANDAUE City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede welcomed former political rival lawyer Carlo Fortuna as City Hall consultant on assets and properties.
“Right after the 2010 elections, we chose to forget our political rivalry. I even see Carlo in some activities,” Bercede said.
Fortuna ran and lost against Bercede in the vice mayoralty race.
Fortuna was the running mate of former mayor Amadeo Seno who also lost to Mayor Jonas Cortes.
Bercede said the mayor consulted the City Council on Fortuna’s contract.
Cebu Daily News earlier obtained a copy of Fortuna’s still-unsigned one-year consultancy contract.
Mayor Cortes confirmed he was recruiting the lawyer.
Under the draft contract, Fortuna will collect, study and assess data on the assets and properties of Mandaue City and prepare reports on the use and management of such properties. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
Luigi to extend seniors aid
SENIOR citizens of the 6th district of Cebu have something to look forward to next year.
Rep. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing of Cebu’s 6th District said he plans to give the indigent senior citizens of his district a monthly medical checkup starting next year under his Senior Citizen Wellness Program.
Quisumbing asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) offices of the towns of Cordova and Consolacion and Mandaue City to identify the poorest senior citizens in their areas.
In Consolacion, there were about 700 senior citizens while Cordova has 130 and Mandaue City has 1,000 patients.
Last Saturday, about 130 senior citizens were the beneficiaries of a medical mission that Quisumbing initiated in Cordova town.
Next year, each barangay of the 6th district will receive their own medical equipment like nebulizers, weighing scales and blood pressure apparatus aside from medicine kits. Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
