EX-VICE MAYOR CLEARED
THE Office of the Ombudsman in the Visayas dismissed criminal charges filed against former vice mayor Carlo Fortuna of Mandaue City for allegedly jeopardizing his responsibilities in the City Council by representing his father in a case.
The anti-graft office didn’t find Fortuna liable for violating Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standrads of Public Officials and Employees.
The issue stemmed from a complaint filed Ariston Cortes and company who accused Fortuna of actively participating in the case of his father Pontico before the Sandiganbayan.
The complainants said Fortuna went to Manila using public funds every time his father’s case was heard.
The vice-mayor allegedly represented his father who was criminally charged over a transaction when he was a member of the City Council.
Fortuna said representing his father in a criminal case didn’t affect his respnsibilities as vice mayor.
Under the law, public officials are prohibited from engaging in the private practice of their profession unless “authorized by the law, provided that such practice will not conflict or tend to conflict with their official functions.” REPORTER ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL
CITY OF CULTURE REROUTING
TRAFFIC around the Rizal Library and Museum in Cebu City will be rerouted tonight to give guests at the celebration of the Asean City of Culture in the library’s Sinulog Hall ample parking space.
From 7 p.m. until 10 p.m., the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) will close M. Yap and J. Llorente Streets to vehicles.
Vehicles coming from the Capitol area would be diverted to M. Yap St. near Joven’s Grill and to Garcia St. before heading to their destinations. Chief of reporters Doris C. Bongcac
DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES
AT least 300 fishermen yesterday said they would welcome the creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
The creation of the department and amendments to the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 were discussed in the public hearing at the Capitol’s social hall called by the Lower House committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources headed by Rep. Benhur Salimbangon of Cebu’s fourth district.
The creation of an independent department has an estimated budget of P10 billion, a fraction of the P270-billion income the government generates from fisheries.
Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district recommended the inclusion of coastal engineering in the code. He also called for the study of extracted minerals and of reclamation projects.
Leonida Jusay submitted on behalf of a group called Bisayas Alliance of Fisherfolks and Operators for Reform Inc. (Bafor) a proposal to redefine commercial and illegal fishing and amend rules governing the use of active gear in municipal waters.
“Once we define these clearly, the marginal fisher folk and commercial fisher folk will be given leeway,” Salimbangon said. Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus
FAKE FRANCHISES
MANDAUE City Legal Officer Giovanni Tianero recommended the filing of administrative charges against a city employee who allegedly faked tricycle franchises.
Charges of grave misconduct and serious dishonesty will be filed against a female employee of 17 years of the city’s administrative office, Tianero said.
The employee will remain unnamed until charges are formally filed, Tianero said.
Tianero presented six tricycle franchises with the same official receipt numbers.
The fake franchises were signed by former assistant city administrator Eutiquio Sanchez using a rubber stamp. All were countersigned by the employee.
Sanchez, however, issued a certification that he never granted her authorization to sign.
The city administrator’s employee has access to official receipt numbers since all City Hall transactions gothrough their office.
Owners who were issued fake franchises will pay penalties since they paid an unauthorized person, Tianero said.
Edwin Ermac, head of Traffic Enforcement Agency on Mandaue (TEAM) said that they are inspecting all tricycle franchises. There are 5,000 to 7,000 tricycles in the city but only 2,688 were listed in the master list of franchises in 2008. REPORTER JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS