NEWS BRIEFS
Jailbreak
AUTHORITIES are still searching for a murder suspect who escaped from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) last night.
Renante “Bolatik” de la Rosa, escaped through the provincial jail’s kitchen area. Jail guards discovered he was missing during a head count shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday.
The Cebu City Police Office Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team assisted the jail guards in searching for the prisoner.
Jail Officer Eugenio Abarca said De la Rosa was believed to have removed his orange uniform during the escape.
Armed with a shotgun, Abarca was among those who pursued the escapee toward the shrubs near the cliff and river along the CPDRC. He was not carrying a flashlight.
The jail guards believe De la Rosa could still be hiding near the CPDRC.
De la Rosa, who hails from Sibonga town, was a trustee inmate at brigada 50 , a grouping system inside the CPDRC.
SWAT joined the search at past 8 p.m. SPO2 Renante Noda said they got conflicting accounts from residents near the area.
CPDRC acting warden Algier Comendador refused to comment on the incident while operations are still ongoing.Edison Delos Angeles Correspondent
Landfill closure on November?
THE Inayawan Sanitary landfill will be closed starting Nov. 7, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said.
The mayor said he met with the Cebu City Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) at his home in barangay Basak San Nicolas yesterday to discuss preparations for the landfill closure.
Once their plans are finalized, Rama said he would issue an order to prohibit dumping of garbage in the Inayawan landfill.
However, the city government still could not totally close the Inayawan landfill because of the absence of a closure order from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Councilor Nida Cabrera, the city council’s environment committee chairperson, said they are still preparing the landfill’s closure plan, which is a prerequisite for the issuance of a closure plan.
Rama earlier scheduled an Oct. 1 closure of the landfill and the diversion of the city’s garbage into a privately owned facility in Consolacion.
But the plans were dropped after the Asian Energy Systems Corp. said it was unable to accommodate garbage brought into their facility during the City Hall dry run.
Cabrera said the Consolacion garbage facility was too small that it could only accommodate one garbage truck at a time.
She said the trucks also had difficulty in maneuvering around the area during the dry run because of its loose soil.
Roads in barangay Pit-os in Cebu City and Cabangahan in Consolacion town that lead to the facility are too narrow./DORIS C. BONGCAC chief or reporters
Ombud probe on gym contract
THE Visayas Ombudsman will look into the controversial contract of the Cebu city government with Holiday Gym and Spa that allows city officials unlimited use of the fitness center at the expense of the city government.
Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago said she docketed a complaint regarding the issue based on media reports.
Although Rama wanted his membership with Holiday Gym and Spa withdrawn, Santiago said they will continue with their investigation.
“If he want’s to withdraw his membership, well and good,” Santiago said.
The Cebu City Council passed a resolution that allows the release of P360,000 as payment for the one-year membership fee of the mayor, vice mayor and 18 councilors./ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL reporter
Clearing garbage from roads
The Mandaue city government will be requiring all contractors of private or government projects to clear the roads and building sites of debris and construction materials upon the completion of their projects.
City Councilor Demetrio Cortes Jr., who authored an ordinance for this purpose, said it is the contractors’ responsibility to clear the streets of debris and excess construction materials as these pose danger to those who go near the building.
Violators of the ordinance will face a fine of P3,000 to P5,000 or an imprisonment of not less than 10 days to not more than 30 days./Jucell Marie P. Cuyos Reporter
