News Briefs: Ex-Agusan del Norte mayor charged with malversation

State prosecutors have formally charged the former mayor of Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, before the Sandiganbayan with malversation for misappropriating public funds.

Former Mayor Dale Corvera was accused of claiming P362,154.85 in reimbursements of personal expenses from May 5, 2011 to June 26, 2014.

These expenses were incurred from attending activities of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in Manila, as well as meals, hotel accommodation, airfare and other transportation expenses in another trip to Cebu City.

His actions also allegedly constitute graft as he gave himself and his wife, Nancelie, unwarranted benefits that caused undue injury to the government. Prosecutors recommended a bail of of P70,000 for the two charges. —Vince F. Nonato

Kin of 8 missing seamen get P100,000 from Dole

Each family of the eight seamen on board a tugboat from Korea who went missing on their way to the Philippines in January last year will receive P100,000 in assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole)and other government agencies, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

Dole and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) awarded P100,000 to the families of seamen Alfredo Getigan, Cesar Guadalupe, Canoyos Tandog and Patricio Naciongayo.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) gave out the same amount each to the next of kin of Jerry Cabag, Aaron Solangon, Donimmer Tandog and Roque De Guzman.

The Filipino seamen were on board a tug vessel named M/T Rokku Maru, owned and operated by Tugsystems Marine Corp., when they left the Port of Busan, Korea, and went missing since Jan. 24, 2016 on their way to Iligan City. The tugboat was attached to M/V Kwang Yan by a towing line but was disengaged while cruising near the coast of Kagoshima, Japan. —Tina G. Santos

Tawi-Tawi solon allowed to join Rome peace talks

The Sandiganbayan has allowed Tawi-Tawi Rep. Ruby Sahali-Tan to join the third round of peace talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Rome this week.

In a two-page resolution, the court permitted the lawmaker to leave the country from Jan. 17 to 30 to join members of the House Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, which she chairs.

Prior to her travel, Tan went through conditional arraignment and pleaded not guilty to six counts of violating Section 8 of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for failing to abide by asset disclosure rules.

She also posted a travel bond of P60,000. Tan will be in Rome from Jan. 18 to 25 to attend the peace negotiations with the NDFP.

From Jan. 26 to Jan. 29, she will join her fellow lawmakers in France to meet officials of the Philippine Embassy, as well as the Filipino communities there. —Vince F. Nonato

OFWs have until March 31 to exchange old peso notes

Filipinos living or working overseas who still possess old peso bills will be given more time by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to replace them with new banknotes.

In a Jan. 12 circular, BSP Gov. Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said Filipinos abroad who failed to personally exchange New Design Series (NDS) banknotes with the New Generation Currency (NGC) on Dec. 31 will be still be accommodated until March 31.

Originally, the BSP scheduled demonetization of the NDS banknotes on Jan. 1 this year. By April, only the NGC banknote series launched in 2010, can be used for daily transactions. —Ben O. de Vera