News Briefs: April 7, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Former Optical Media Board (OMB) chair Ronald Naldo “Ronnie” Ricketts has appealed to the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division to reverse his conviction and declare him innocent in his graft case involving confiscated VCDs and DVD.

In a 45-page motion for reconsideration, Ricketts said that prosecution’s evidence did not support how he acted with evident bad faith and manifest partiality.

In March, the Sandiganbayan found Ricketts guilty of graft. He was sentenced to up to eight years imprisonment and perpetually barred from public office.

Ricketts’ case stemmed from his decision to release the DVDs and VCDs earlier confiscated from Sky High Marketing Corp. in 2010.

The OMB also did not file charges against Sky High. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu

2 NPA leaders killed in Davao del Sur clash

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Two ranking members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA)  were killed in a 45-minute battle with government troops on Friday in Sitio Lanan, Barangay Goma, in Digos City, Davao del Sur, about 50 kilometers away from here.

Lt. Col. Rhojun Rosales, 39th Infantry Battalion commander, said troops from 39th  IB were patrolling in the area when they clashed with more or less 30 communist rebels early Friday morning.

The troops have been pursuing members of the NPA’s Front Committee 51 since 1 pm., Thursday, following reports that the rebels had been recruiting members in the area.

Rosales identified one of the dead as Commander Camille, 35, the wife of the brother of a certain Commander Jasmin, former leader of Front 51, who hailed from Magpet, North Cotabato.

“Based on the pictures of the rebels in our files, we believe that the body was that of Commander Camille, and the male one was another leader whose identity we are still validating,” Rosales said. —Orlando B. Dinoy

Bello orders probe of 2 recruitment agencies

MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has ordered a probe of two recruitment agencies after one of the five workers it deployed in Saudi Arabia was allegedly raped.

Bello said on Saturday that he had tasked the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to look into the operations of Madar Al Kharj Recruitment Agency and Iemploy Manpower Services Inc. after the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (Polo) recommended the suspension and cancellation of their licenses to operate.

In a report to Bello, Polo Jeddah Labor Attache Nasser Munder said a 22-year-old household service worker sought refuge after she was allegedly raped by her agency representative in December last year.

Munder added that four other workers ran away and complained that they were forced to work for more than 10 hours in different households and another two hours in their employer’s house. —Jovic Yee

Teen killed in Isabela road collision

CITY OF ILAGAN, Philippines — A 17-year-old student was killed after the tricycle he was driving collided with a trailer truck here on Friday, police said.

Capt. Frances Littaua, Isabela police spokesperson, identified the victim as Philip Luis Jr., a resident of Rang-ayan village here.

Investigators said Luis overtook another car before crashing head-on into the approaching trailer truck driven by Victorio Ortiz Jr. of Barangay Malalam here.

The victim’s father said his son was on his way home after dropping by their banana stall in Baligatan when the accident happened. —Villamor Visaya Jr.