Newsbriefs

‘DURANO FEUD WILL END’

FORMER tourism secretary Ace Durano said he is optimistic that the relationship of his father Danao City Vice Mayor Ramon “Nito” Durano III and Mayor Ramon “Boy” Durano Jr. will return to normal.

“We have seen in several elections that they who are siblings opposed each other but afterwards their relationship returns to normal… I am very confident that it will go back to normal,” he said.

The City Council led by Vice Mayor Nito filed a complaint against Mayor Boy before the Office of the Ombudsman last month for alleged delays in the release of disbursement vouchers to refund their money claims.

Mayor Boy filed a countercharge asking the Ombudsman to investigate Vice Mayor Nito and the councilors for passing an ordinance that ordered the reorganization of some offices under the executive department.

Last Monday, Mayor Boy filed a complaint against Vice Mayor Nito for usurpation of official functions before the Danao City Prosecutor’s Office.

Boy filed 111 counts of usurpation of official functions against Nito for allegedly issuing disbursement vouchers and another 91 counts for the issuance of several checks.
“At least they are following the rule of law,” Ace said.

“Hopefully that will be decided soon so that services in Danao won’t be affected.”

Vice Mayor Nito, on the other hand, said he had finished routing the 42 barangays in the city for his signature campaign on the recall petition against Mayor Boy. /Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus

JUDGE COLLAPSES

REGIONAL Trial Court Judge Douglas Marigomen of Branch 5 collapsed while taking a breather in his chamber past noon yesterday.

Medical attendants from the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (ERUF) rushed into Marigomen’s chamber but the judge refused to be brought to the hospital due to financial constraints. Marigomen reportedly felt chest pains. His staff believes the judge suffered a heart attack.

Late in the afternoon, Marigomen was transported to the hospital. His uncle managed to convince him to receive medical assistance.

The incident revived concerns about the lack of medical attendants in the Palace of Justice building, including a standing request to install an elevator.

Cebu City Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes earlier said they have yet to secure medical staff to man their clinic.

The Supreme Court has yet to act on Paredes’ request to set up a clinic and an elevator in the government building for judges, lawyers, court employees, litigants and anybody who needs medical assistance within the court’s premises./Reporter ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL

RAMA REGIONAL DEV’T HEAD

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama was elected head of the Regional Development Committee (RDCOM) in the Visayas yesterday at the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel in a meeting attended by heads of the Regional Development Councils in the VIsayas.
They approved a resolution naming Rama chairman and Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla assistant chairman.

“It is an additional responsibility but it shows that (they) trust us,” Rama said, adding that they have discussed peace and order especially in Region 8, where the mayor of Catbalogan, Samar, was shot dead last month./correspondent fatrick r. tabada

POLL LOSERS AS CONSULTANTS
SOME candidates who lost in the May 2010 elections under Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s One Cebu party may be appointed Capitol consultants when the one year ban on appointment of losing candidates expires, the governor said in an interview.

Garcia, however, refused to give names of party mates.

What is certain is that she is seriously thinking of appointing persons to do jobs that match their fields of expertise, she said.

The appointments will be made in June if not this month, she said.

She also clarified there will be no reshuffling or firing of department heads since the persons coming in will have the position of consultants./Correspondent Fe Marie D. Dumaboc