News Briefs
Indonesian-made ship is newest addition to PH Navy
The Philippine Navy yesterday formally welcomed its newest amphibious landing dock as part of the military’s modernization program.
The new ship named BRP Davao del Sur arrived at Manila’s South Harbor on Wednesday to a ceremony led by Rear Adm. Gaudencio Collado Jr., commander of the Philippine Fleet.
Navy spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said the delivery completes a P3.8-billion procurement project.
The ship sailed from Surabaya, Indonesia, with 120 Filipino sailors headed by its first commander, Capt. Richard N. Gonzaga.
It will be commissioned to the Philippine Navy on May 30, the Navy’s 119th anniversary. —PHILIP C. TUBEZA
Polish firms offer to upgrade PNP’s law enforcement
Polish companies are offering to help upgrade the law enforcement and crime-solving capabilities of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
Philippine Ambassador to Poland Patricia Ann Paez said several Polish companies producing equipment and technology for law enforcement and national security services had expressed interest in supplying them to the PNP.
The offers were relayed to Paez during the three-day EuroPolTech 2017 trade show at the AmberExpo Exhibition and Convention Center in Gdansk last month.
Paez said that during the event she met with manufacturers of firearms, military equipment and vehicles, Cenzin Sp z.o.o; Fabryka Broni Licznik Radom Sp. z.o.o; PSO Maskpol SA; PCO Spolka Akcyna; Leonardo Helicopters (PZL-Swidnik), and Multitech Surveillance and Counter-surveillance Systems.—JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE
PNP probes killing of Abu Sayyaf member in Bohol
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service is investigating the policemen who guarded and then killed a suspected Abu Sayyaf bandit in Bohol after he allegedly escaped, a ranking police official said yesterday.
PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said the Internal Affairs Service was investigating the death of Saad Samad Kiram after an initial Commission on Human Rights inquiry showed that his forehead had gunpowder burns, indicating he was shot at close range.
Saad was shot dead after he allegedly tried to grab the gun of one of the policemen who found him as he tried to flee. Saad had three gunshot wounds: on his forehead, chest and thigh.—PHILIP C. TUBEZA
Nomination for LGUs with best practices in education open
Synergeia Foundation, a nongovernment organization advocating quality education, has opened the nominations for local government units (LGUs) that have persistently worked to improve basic education in their communities.
LGUs that have made significant leaps in cohort survival rates and scores in the National Achievement Test, increased their spending on education and reinvented their local school boards and governing councils will be accorded the Seal of Good Education Governance.
The seal will come with incentive packages worth up to P1.5 million, depending on the needs of their communities.
The packages which include the installation and maintenance of public Wi-Fi hotspots and the provision of satellite-based communication solutions will be provided by Smart Communications and PLDT.
The first batch of recipients of the seal will be named in September.—JOCELYN R. UY
