News Briefs: Ex-Sultan Kudarat mayor charged with malversation

A former Sultan Kudarat mayor and his municipal treasurer have been charged before the Sandiganbayan for alleged malversation of P7.57 million.

Former Palimbang Mayor Labualas Mamansual and municipal treasurer Francis Nader were accused of issuing four checks to the latter from April to June 2010 without supporting documents.

This allegedly allowed “the encashment of said check[s] and using the proceeds thereof for their personal use and benefit,” according to the charge sheets. Prosecutors recommended that bail be fixed at P160,000 for the four counts of violation of Article 217 of the Revised Penal Code. —VINCE F. NONATO

DENR reassigns new regional chiefs

New regional chiefs have been assigned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), primarily to become the “managers” for environmental sites the department plans to transform into “mini-economic zones.”

Of the 17 regional directors, nine are new to the posts.

Environment Secretary Gina Lopez plans to designate the DENR field officials as “site managers” for the DENR’s area development management program (ADMP) sites.

The program seeks to transform 29 environmental communities into “mini-economic zones” with social enterprises based on the area’s available natural resources.

“In area development, the key thing here is people’s access to environment, and if you want to develop an area, you have to develop the people,” Lopez said in a statement.

Of the 29 areas to be developed, 13 are located in Luzon, six in the Visayas and 10 sites in Mindanao. —JAYMEE GAMIL

Media task force probes broadcaster’s harassment

The Presidential Task Force on Media Safety (PTFMS) on Monday said policemen who allegedly joined Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas in threatening a hard-hitting radio anchor would be held responsible for their actions.

Joel Sy Egco, PTFMS executive director, also ordered the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management and Task Force Usig of the Philippine National Police to look into the reported harassment of radio broadcaster Jun Paneiro.

“If the PNP personnel who joined the group that harassed [Paneiro] will fail to justify their action, we will recommend sanctions,” Egco said in a statement.

“However, we’re giving them the benefit of the doubt that they could have acted on good faith thinking a warrant would be served. If not, they will be held liable,” he warned. —MARLON RAMOS

Dole sets up web-based job matching facility

The Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) urged jobseekers to visit the government’s web-based job matching facility which offers over 50,000 local vacancies.

“Our local job market offers plenty of vacancies and opportunities,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

The PhilJobNet is the government’s web-based job matching facility and labor market information portal.

Bureau of Local Employment director Dominique Tutay said the top 10 vacancies at the PhilJobNet are for the positions of call center agent with 822; staff nurse with 402; housekeeper, 198; private tutor, 180; quality analyst with 180; production worker, 180; cashier, 140; salesperson, 135; drivers, 125; and accounting officer with 100. —Tina G. Santos