NFA fines rice retailers

SANTIAGO CITY -- The National Food Authority fined three rice retailers in Tabuk City in Kalinga for P4,000 each and suspended their supply of NFA rice for selling their stocks wholesale to a merchant.

Reymund Tafalla, NFA-Cagayan Valley regional spokesperson, said Cecilia Dumallig, Romana Caguay and Venus Cabigas, all licensed retailers at Tindahan Natin outlets in Barangay Bulanao in Tabuk City, violated the law against rice diversion. Villamor Visaya Jr., Inquirer Northern Luzon

Quake strikes Davao Oriental

DAVAO CITY -- A magnitude 5 quake struck off the Gulf of Mati in Davao Oriental yesterday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

No casualty or damage to property was reported. Dennis Santos and Frinston Lim, Inquirer Mindanao

ASEAN armies rifles meet

The 18th ASEAN Armies Rifle Meet (AARM) will be held Nov. 28-Dec. 10 at Camp O’Donnel in Sta. Lucia in Capas, Tarlac.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Philippine Army spokesperson, said about 500 delegates, with ranks of private to colonel, were expected to participate in the seven-day competition.

Brawner said military rifle teams from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma (Myanmar), Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam would compete in five different categories.

The Philippines was third overall champion in last year’s event held in Thailand. Joselle R. Badilla, Inquirer Mindanao

Bomb explodes in public market

COTABATO CITY -- A bomb went off inside the public market of Pikit, North Cotabato Wednesday dawn, police said.

The explosion, which damaged the stall owned by Jose Roy Mangunay, occurred at 4:15 a.m., according to Senior Insp. Elias Dandan, Pikit police chief. Nobody was injured but it sent market-goers and vendors to panic, he said.

Dandan said the bombing could be the work of an extortion gang possibly with links to al-Khobar.

“Extortion and robbery are expected to rise as Christmas is fast approaching,” Dandan told reporters. Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao

Capiz hosts peace fest

ROXAS CITY -- The province of Capiz will host for the first time the Global Peace Festival for the Visayas Nov. 17-19 at the Villareal Stadium here.

The festival is being organized by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a global alliance of individuals and groups dedicated to promoting world peace.

Organizers said they expect at least 100,000 people to take part. Felipe V. Celino, Inquirer Visayas

Anti-smoke campaign launched

LUCENA CITY -- At least 200 cyclists, wearing shirts with antismoking messages, pedaled around the city Friday to launch the local government’s revitalized campaign against air pollution.

The campaign, dubbed “Padyakan Para sa Malinis na Hangin,” was sponsored by the city’s General Services Office-Task Force 9003, the local government’s environmental protection arm.

City Ordinance No. 1838 prohibits smoking in public utility jeeps, buses and tricycles. Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon