News Briefs

BALAMBAN CITYHOOD

PROVINCIAL Board Member Alex Binghay sponsored two resolutions in yesterday’s Provincial Board session  in line with  Balamban municipality’s desire to become a city.

The first resolution manifested support for the town’s bid for cityhood while the second urged Cebu 3rd District Rep. Pablo John Garcia to sponsor the cityhood bill in the House of Representatives.

Binghay, in an interview, said Balamban, west of Cebu City,  is “more than qualified” to be a city.

He said the town has met at least two requirements for cityhood. It has more than P120 million in annual income as certified by the  Department of Finance and  a contiguous territory of more than 100 square kilometers as certified by the Land Management Bureau.

Binghay said cityhood status would mean more investments for Balamban  and a greater internal revenue allotment (IRA) to fund more projects.

The IRA is a local government’s share of revenues from the national government. It is largely based on land area and population. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

‘INHIBIT, YOUR HONOR’

WILL Judge Ester Veloso inhibit herself from hearing the murder  case against SPO1 Adonis Dumpit?

Dumpit’s counsel yesterday asked the court to resolve their pleading asking the judge to let go of the case.

Without a resolution, defense lawyers said they would oppose the conduct of further proceedings against the policeman.

The  judge decided to defer yesterday’s proceedings. She  said she will resolve the motion for reconsideration filed by the defense lawyers.

Lawyer Pedro Leslie Salva, the lead counsel for Dumpit, didn’t attend the hearing yesterday.

The prosecution was supposed to cross-examine Supt. Pablo Labra, one of the witnesses for the defense. Trial is scheduled on Aug. 23.

In an interview, Militar said they might seek the intervention of the Court of Appeals in case Veloso won’t inhibit from the case.

Defense lawyers earlier asked Veloso to let go of the case after the judge didn’t grant their request to transfer Dumpit from the Cebu Citiy Jail to another detention facility.

They said Dumpit won’t be secure at the Cebu City Jail because there are prisoners who want to kill the policeman.

Dumpit used to be detained at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas but was transferred to the Cebu City Jail upon the order of Veloso.

The judge acted upon the complaint of the victim’s mother who personally saw Dumpit outside the detention cell of the CIDG-7.

Dumpit was allegedly allowed to go out of the jail without any authorization. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol