Newsbriefs

’Tougher stance against MILF’

THE government should impose a timetable in its peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), San Juan City Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito said.

In yesterday’s 888 forum, Ejercito said while he favors an all-out war against the MILF, he agrees that President Benigno Aquino III should be given time to pursue peace talks with the rebel group.

“He may be right or wrong. The ‘peace talks’ are right, but there has to be a timeframe,” he said.

Ejercito said the MILF are hiding behind the “cloth of cease-fire” and are regrouping to regain their strength.

He said the President’s inaction would only lower the morale of the troops.

“Every time the military wants to go to another area, we have to ask permission from the MILF. They should not give a chance for the MILF to regroup,” Ejercito said. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell

Sheriff dismissed from service

A CEBU City court sheriff was ordered dismissed from service for refusing to enforce an order of demolition against illegal settlers occupying a private lot.

The Supreme Court (SC) found Aniceto Boyles guilty of  gross neglect of duty and gross inefficiency for failing to act on a complaint of Teresita Guerrero-Boylon whose mother  filed a civil suit in court.

Boyles is assigned at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 2 in Cebu City.

After securing a favorable ruling, Boylon petitioned the court to order the immediate implementation of the demolition. The schedule for demolition was set but didn’t push through after Boyles failed to show up.

Boyles said he refused to implement the order because the structures to be demolished were located in a different parcel of land.

He said he could not immediately serve them as he had other court processes to attend to.

Boyles also said the notices to vacate could not be served because the gates of the property were locked and no one answered their calls.  The Office of the Court Administrator considered Boyles’ claims as “hollow and undeserving of merit.” Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol

Additional funding for schools sought

MANILA and Cebu legislators called on the Aquino administration to allocate additional funding for state colleges and universities (SUCs) instead of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) for indigent families.

San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the previous administration allocated P24 billion for SUCs while President Benigno Aquino III’s current budget cut down the funding to P21 billion.

“I find it ironic because the enrollees are increasing every year,” Ejercito said.

Rep. Benhur Salimbangon of Cebu’s 4th district said he proposed P8 million for the Cebu Normal University (CNU) in Medellin town but this was not approved.

He said the P8 million  was an insertion from last year’s budget.  “We have a total of P20 million  insertion for SUC but not one centavo was given to our district,” Salimbangon said.

Ejercito said the government added P500 million for the SUC’s budget next year but its allocation is restricted. Correspondent Rhea Ruth V. Rosell