Newsbriefs

Full honors for Mendoza

FULL military honors will be given to former executive secretary and PNP director-general Leandro Mendoza who died at his Parañaque City home before dawn yesterday. He was 67 years old.

Mendoza was provincial commander of the defunct Philippine Constabulary in Cebu from 1980 to 1984.

He succeeded Panfilo Lacson as PNP chief following the Edsa Dos uprising in 2001 which toppled President Estrada and installed Gloria Macapagal in power. Arroyo named him transportation secretary following his retirement from the PNP and was later moved to Malacanang as executive secretary.

In a TV interview Mendoza’s son, Batangas Rep. Mark Mendoza, said his father died after suffering from a stroke between 1 and 1:30 a.m.

He said his father had a stroke some years back but had another stroke early Monday. The younger Mendoza said the family is still discussing funeral plans for his father. Inquirer with CDN Research

Acting Cebu CUSTOMS COLLECTOR to settle LEADERSHIP dispute

THE officer-in-charge of the Bureau of Customs in Cebu is optimistic that lawyer Lourdes Mangaoang will respect the order of Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon and won’t insist on assuming the post as district collector.

Mangaoang, the current deputy collector for assessment, is expected to arrive today from Manila. “We need to talk first about the situation now,” said Paul Alcazaren, acting Customs collector of the Port of Cebu.

Biazon designated Alcazaren as acting collector in an order dated Sept. 30.

But on Oct. 1, Mangaoang arrived in Cebu and insisted that she is still the highest ranking official of the office.

Mangaoang was assigned as Port Collector of Cagayan De Oro City but assumed her post as Deputy Collector for Assessment, a regular BOC plantilla position.

She was among the 17 port collectors who sought a temporary restraining order after Biazon ordered them to report to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) in Manila.

Judge Marino Dela Cruz Jr. of Manila granted the 72-hour TRO last October 1 and extended it for 17 days effective October 5. Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag

Tomas: BRT cheaper than third bridge

IF building a third bridge for Cebu proves costly, the national government could instead allocate funding for a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in the province.

Former mayor Tomas Osmeña said Cebuanos would prefer using the two existing bridges for free rather than pay a toll for a third bridge built by a private company.

“We can always use the study (as a guide for planning future development) and I am not trying to discourage that,” said Osmeña of a feasibility study to be done by a firm identified with business tycoon Manny Pangilinan’s consortium.

Osmeña said a third bridge that will connect Cordova town and Cebu City wasn’t feasible because of its short distance. The cost of a bridge, he said, is computed based on its size which is also determined by its height.

Osmeña secured funding from the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to build the Marcelo Fernan bridge.

“The new (Marcelo Fernan) bridge became 50 percent longer even if the clearance water is the same (as the old Mandaue-Mactan bridge),” he said.

Osmena said if a third bridge is built to connect Cordova town and Cebu, Cebu City’s end of the bridge will have to start somewhere in Colon to keep it at a minimal slope. Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac