NEWSBRIEFS

BAGO CITY

<strong>‘No takers’ for 9MW of power</strong>

THE NORTHERN Negros Geothermal Power Plant of the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) here has been producing 9 megawatts of power, but there have been no “takers,” according to officials of the power firm.

“We sent it to the Visayas grid but I think it still has no takers,” said Noel Salonga, EDC assistant vice president for resource management.

The geothermal plant was initially envisioned to produce 49 megawatts.

In a disclosure at the Philippine Stock Exchange, EDC said it completed studies on 61 percent of geophysical stations at the Northern Negros area at the end of March. <strong><em>Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas</em></strong>

CABANATUAN CITY

<strong>Cop in hot water for beating</strong>

AN INTELLIGENCE officer of the regional police is under fire for allegedly beating up a government employee who tried to seize suspected illegal lumber from his son’s yard on Thursday.

Arnold Bengson, an employee of the community environment and natural resources office (Cenro), said SPO4 Napoleon Fulgencio punched him twice in the stomach and kicked him.

Fulgencio, who declined to issue any statement, is assigned to the Central Luzon regional intelligence office and detailed to Nueva Ecija. Bengson said he was in the area to help Cenro Joselito Blanco seize 238 board feet of lumber at the yard of Fulgencio’s son, Alvin, in Barangay (village)Daang Sarile here.

Fulgencio allegedly attacked Bengson when Department of Environment and Natural Resources officials insisted on seizing the lumber. <strong><em>Armand Galang, Inquirer Central Luzon</em></strong>

CAMARINES SUR

<strong>Ex-village chief executed</strong>

A FORMER village chieftain was executed Thursday by suspected rebels in front of his family in a remote village in Pasacao, Camarines Sur, according to an Army spokesperson on Friday.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, public information officer of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said Vicente Banta, 57, was shot dead inside the victim’s house in the far-flung village of Tilnac in Pasacao past 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Guzman said Banta was preparing to leave for his farm when six unidentified gunmen barged into his house and shot him.

Banta, Guzman said, had refused to pay taxes to the rebels. <strong><em>Shiena M. Barrameda, Inquirer Southern Luzon</em></strong>

STA. CRUZ, LAGUNA

<strong>Ex-US Navy man held for 2 rapes</strong>

POLICE have arrested a retired member of the US Navy here for allegedly raping his Filipina wife’s two young nieces, the police on Friday said.

Alexander Maurice Holt, 40, was arrested around 8 p.m. on Thursday based on a complaint filed against him by his 16-year-old victim, said Sta. Cruz police director Supt. Marvin Saro in a phone interview.

Saro said the girl, accompanied by her parents, reported to police that Holt asked to meet her at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The foreigner took her to a motel in the town and raped her.

Saro said another girl, a cousin of the victim and also a minor, also went to the police to claim that Holt had repeatedly raped her as well.

Holt has been living in Laguna for nine years, Saro said. <strong><em>Maricar Cinco, Inquirer Southern Luzon</em></strong>

EVENTS

<strong>‘Ditas’ Pinoy; 53</strong>

BERNARDITA “Ditas” Pinoy, a native of Cebu City, died last April 5. She was 53. Her family and friends thanked people who sent condolences and messages of sympathy. Her remains lie at  MIP Chapel at  Mary Immaculate Church in Moonwalk, Las Piñas City. Burial will be at Golden Haven also in Las Piñas City after a 2:30 p.m. Mass today. She was survived by husband Tony, children Rap and Ricky, daughter-in-law Maui and grandson Ryss.

<strong>Calapan to host Ms. Earth segment</strong>

CALAPAN, tagged discipline city, will host the long gown competition of the 2011 Ms Earth Philippines Beauty Pageant on May 6.

Calapan Mayor Paulino Salvador Leachon, in a statement, said the Ms Earth candidates will hold a motorcade, plant trees and visit the city’s tourist spots during their tour.

He said hosting the Ms Earth segment would help his city promote tourism.

The city’s culture and tourism office, with help from Hotel and Restaurant Association of Calapan, will be spearheading the Ms Earth beauty pageant preparations.

Leachon said he is optimistic that the event would boost local tourism and the city’s economy and offer a good opportunity to showcase its capability to host similar events in the future.

“We are a very safe place called discipline city, a proper venue to hold big events,” said the mayor’s statement.

The last event staged by the city was the annual banca marathon at Anahaw Island Beach Resort.