NEWSBRIEFS

ILOILO CITY

Overpricing case

The Office of the Ombudsman has directed Iloilo Representative Jerry Treñas to respond to a complaint of an alleged P50-million overprice in the purchase of a relocation lot for settlers.

Saying there was enough basis to proceed with the criminal investigation of the case, the antigraft agency ordered Treñas and five other city government officials to submit their counteraffidavits within 10 days after receipt of the order.

Treñas said the order was a “normal procedure” in legal cases and remained confident that the complaint would be dismissed eventually. Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Inquirer Visayas

BACOLOD CITY

Mall holdup

A man was killed and his wife was wounded by a suspected holdup man as they were leaving Gaisano City Supermall at about 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, police said.

Napoleon Alvarado Perez Sr., 56, of Barangay (village)Crossing Magallon in Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental, was stabbed in the chest and declared dead at Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.

Madeline Perez, 53, had a stab wound in the left arm and was undergoing treatment at Bacolod Adventist Medical Center. Carla Gomez, Inquirer Visayas

ORMOC CITY

Coconuts seized

Customs agents on Wednesday seized two truckloads of about 140,000 partially dehusked coconuts at the port for lack of transport documents from the Philippine Coconut Authority as required under Executive Order No. 664.

The law contains emergency measures to control the spread of brontispa, a disease plaguing coconut trees.

The drivers of the two trucks were identified as Julimar Geroquia, 27, of Dumaguete City; and Alejandro Geslaga, 50, of Mandaue City. They said the coconuts were to be delivered to a warehouse in Cebu City. Joey Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas