Manila firm execs sued over smuggled China steel
The Bureau of Customs on Thursday filed smuggling charges in the Department of Justice against a Manila-based firm for illegally importing P14.3-million worth of steel products from China. The bureau named six top executives of Smellent Corp. in Tondo as respondents in the criminal case: company chair Rico Rigor Cinco and board members Charmayne Angeles, Asuncion Angeles, Ma. Rhezy Ilada, Ruge Robert Ilada and John Philip Malinao. They were charged with violation of the Products Standards Law (Republic Act No. 4109) and the Tariff and Customs Code. According to the complaint, the respondents brought into the country 15 20-foot freight containers of steel angle bars without the necessary import commodity clearance from the Bureau of Product Standards, an agency attached to the Department of Trade and Industry. The shipment arrived at the Port of Manila in July 2014. Jerry E. Esplanada
QC, Mandaluyong roads up for weekend repairs
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will conduct road repairs on seven major thoroughfares in Quezon City and one in Mandaluyong City this weekend. In an advisory issued Thursday, DPWH-National Capital Region Director Reynaldo Tagudando said the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority had given them the go-ahead to do repairs on the following: In Quezon City, Mindanao Avenue from Road 20 to Congressional Avenue (third lane, southbound); Carlos P. Garcia Avenue from Emilio Jacinto Street to Pook Aguinaldo (third lane, southbound); Quirino Highway from Service Road to Balon Bato (fourth inner lane, northbound); Batasan Road from the Department of Social Welfare and Development complex to Payatas Road (first inner lane, eastbound); Congressional Avenue from Edsa to Hereford Street (second lane, eastbound); Fairview Avenue from Regalado North Avenue to Yakal Street (third lane, eastbound); and Congressional Avenue Extension from Our Lady Court Subdivision to Mira Nila Subdivision (third lane, eastbound and westbound). In Mandaluyong City, the DPWH will repair a portion of Edsa from the corner of Ortigas Avenue (southbound) to Rochester Street (southbound). Jerry E. Esplanada