NEWS BRIEFS: Feb. 6, 2019

Former Governor Ampatuan faces new graft case

The Office of the Ombudsman has slapped former Maguindanao Gov. Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan with new graft and malversation charges over an alleged P98.25-million ghost purchase of farm supplies in 2009.

During his term as governor, Ampatuan and his seven coaccused allegedly conspired to make it appear the funds were spent on palay, corn and fertilizers from supplier Tamoni Enterprises “when in truth and in fact no such purchases were made.” —Patricia Denies M. Chiu

Duterte signs new law creating Bataan arts school

President Duterte has signed a law creating a high school for the arts for artistically inclined youths in Bataan province.

On Jan. 10, the President signed Republic Act No. 11190, creating Bataan High School for the Arts, a copy of which was released by Malacañang.

The new school would be administered and supervised by the Department of Education with the help of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. —Julie M. Aurelio

PhilHealth asks members: Keep paying

State-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) reminded its members to continue paying their contributions to the state insurer even after President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law the universal health care (UHC) bill.

Roy Ferrer, PhilHealth acting president, said in a statement that the contributions would ensure funding for the UHC. The UHC bill is awaiting Mr. Duterte’s signature. —Jovic Yee

LTFRB grounds bus firm in deadly ComVal collision

Transport officials in Southern Mindanao on Tuesday suspended for 30 days the license to operate of a bus firm owned by the former mayor of Tagum City for a deadly collision that killed seven people in Nabunturan town, Compostela Valley province.

The regional office of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) faulted Davao Metro Shuttle Corp. for the road crash on Monday. —Frinston Lim