LEGAZPI CITY, June 30 (PNA) -- The sudden surrender of Florencio "Jun" Fernandez, the convicted killer of former Congressman Moises Espinosa, Sr., caught law enforcement authorities by surprise as they were still on heightened manhunt operation in Masbate. Sketchy reports said the convict, after eight days in hiding since he bolted jail in Masbate on June 22, surrendered to lawyer Rainer Butalid, a former Vice Governor of Masbate and one Police Chief Supt. Lasaris from Camp Crame at around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday at undisclosed hideout in Masbate City.

NAGA CITY July 27, 2009 - Induction of charter officers at the Naga City Civic Center today ushers in the blooming of a new lawn tennis club in Naga City--officially called the Naga City Peñafrancia Tennis Club, Inc. With over 50 members, the new club will have the 3-court-clubhouse facility of the Naga City Civic Center Complex, owned by the Naga City government, as its home base.

LAST WEEK, THIS PAPER featured four articles on the Church’s rejection of the secular celebrations, military parade, and other civic activities during the Peñafrancia week. Take note that I used ‘week’ instead of the ecclesiastical term ‘novena’ which is a little more than a week.

What's not wrong with street parties during the Novena week again? After all the denials and the protestations of Mayor Jesse Robredo and his administration, the recently released joint statement of the Naga City government with the Archdiocese of Caceres has proven that street parties not only have nothing to do with the celebration of the Peñafrancia Fiesta. They also serve as undue distractions to pilgrims and devotees.

MANILA, June 26 -- Prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will increase by P3 per kilogram tomorrow. Arnel Ty, president of LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) said effective tomorrow morning they will implement a P3 per kilogram or P33 adjustment in the 11 kg LPG cylinder. "We will implement P3 increase per kg [increase] tomorrow morning" Ty said.

NAGA CITY-Now, Malacañang can rest assured that Gibo would not bolt out. Despite recent surveys showing rival Vice-President Noli De Castro way ahead, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Friday said he would vigorously seek the nomination to be the standard bearer of the administration party. "It's still the Presidency or nothing. I would not seek to be vice president or senator. If I would not get the nomination of Lakas Kampi CMD, I would not run for President," Teodoro told the Inquirer.

MANILA - The Philippines is still Asia's most dangerous place for workers. In a survey by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Philippines ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 3 in the world in the number of trade unionists killed in the past year. The Philippines has been on top of the list of most dangerous countries for workers for several years now.

If our politicians can misunderstand the "aswang", then they cannot lead us at all into progress or any form of light at the end of the long dark night. Senator Mar Roxas, a few weeks back, surprised the hallowed halls of the Philippine Senate by giving each of the senators a wreath or necklace of garlic. The message being given was that there was a witch in the Palace and the bunch of garlic was the only way to ward off that "Aswang."

MANILA, June 26, 2009-If A(H1N1) cases in the country turn worse, church authorities are bent on taking "drastic" measures to thwart its further spread. The flu pandemic has tapped the country's deep religious sentiment, but to avoid spreading infection some dioceses had to ban close contacts among churchgoers. At least four archdioceses-Manila, Jaro, Lingayen-Dagupan and Cebu-have already asked their priests to give communion hosts by hand to parishioners. The restrictions are to stay in force until local church authorities advise otherwise.

The passage of House Resolution 1109 gave the 14th Congress of the Philippines the authority to convene a constituent assembly and solely by itself amend our constitution. Claims of corruption have been hurled against this same Congress. On top of the list was the controversy that lawmakers were bribed by Gloria Arroyo to block series of impeachment bids against her. There were probes into the claim that more than P120 million was given to about 190 legislators. It cannot be disputed that majority in Congress can, in all probability, be bought. This makes it easier for powerful and wealthy stakeholders to push forward their interests to this lawmaking body.