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By DYBORRHAE JEWEL M. REYES
ABS-CBN Zamboanga City Zamboanga City -The city government is in the process of preparing the payroll for cash assistance to be provided to the two persons killed and 21 others wounded in a blast in front of the Edwin Andrews Air Base Thursday morning.
City Social Welfare Officer Francisco Barredo said the city government has initially released funds to cover expenses for the funeral and for immediate assistance to the families of the two who were killed in the incident.
The families of Emedito Tality of Barangay Cabatangan, and Theodora Ayessa Busmia of Margos sa Tubig, Zamboanga del Sur have received at least P20,000 cash assistance.
Barredo also said they are set to form a group of social workers to concentrate on "stress debriefing" for the victims, who obviously suffered trauma because of the incident.
Amy Ahmad, 20-years old of Barangay San Roque said she still cries whenever she is asked of the incident. She claimed that horrific pictures of the blast still visit her in her dreams.
Amy was still confined at the Burn Unit of Zamboanga City Medical Center. Doctors said she could be released the day after tomorrow after treatment of minor shrapnel injuries in her legs and arms.
Mayor Celso Lobregat and other local officials paid a visit to the six blast victims who were still confined in different hospitals in Zamboanga City.
Meanwhile, offices of the US-funded Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy , Zamboanga City 1sst District Rep. Maria Isabel Climaco and the Air Materiel Wing Savings and Loan Association Inc. are in the process of cleaning up the mess brought by the explosion and were said to reopen their offices on Monday.

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Two more independent players announced a reduction of pump prices of petroleum following the softening of world crude oil prices.

Unioil Petroleum Philippines said it will implement a P0.50 per liter cut in the prices of diesel and kerosene starting 12:01 Thursday. It added gasoline prices will also be reduced by P1 per liter

Total Philippines, on the other hand, said a similar price cut on petroleum products will take effect beginning 6 a.m. Friday.

Total attributed the price reductions to current market forces.

SeaOil earlier announced that it will cut by P1.00 per liter its gasoline prices starting 2 p.m. Thursday.

Eastern Petroleum Corp. followed with a similar announcement.

Fernando Martinez, Eastern Petroleum president, said the prices of the company's gasoline products will be slashed by P1.00 per liter at 6 a.m. Friday.

We have decided that by tomorrow Eastern Petroleum will rollback gasoline prices at 6 a.m., Martinez told ABS-CBN News earlier in the day.

Martinez said the latest price cut is a result of the decreasing prices of crude oil in the world market. World crude oil prices dropped to $118 per barrel on Tuesday, the lowest since May 5 this year.

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Reuters

HARARE - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Thursday rejected African calls to postpone a presidential election on Friday, saying there could be no interference in his country even from the African Union.

Mugabe, 84, who is bound to extend his 28-year-rule in the one candidate election, said he was open to discussions with the opposition MDC. Its leader Morgan Tsvangirai has withdrawn from the election after a wave of deadly attacks on his supporters.

Addressing a campaign rally in Chitungwiza, south of Harare, Mugabe said: "We have some of our brothers in Africa making that call , pushing us to violate our own law and we have refused to do so, we are sticking to our law."

Mugabe said he would attend an African Union summit in Egypt next week but no solutions could be imposed on Zimbabwe from outside. He said he was ready to answer any challenge from within the AU to the elections.

"I know some people are gearing themselves for an attack on Zimbabwe. I want to see any country which will raise its finger in the AU, our elections have been free."

A security committee of the Southern African Development Community on Wednesday called for the vote to be postponed, saying Mugabe's re-election as the only candidate could lack legitimacy because of chronic political violence.

The committee includes AU chairman Tanzania.

Nigeria, an African heavyweight, backed the SADC's call, saying it was doubtful a credible poll could be held under the current circumstances.

"Nigeria joins the Southern African Development Community and well meaning friends of Zimbabwe in calling for postponement of the run-off elections," the Foreign Ministry said late on Thursday.

Opposition leader Tsvangirai last Sunday pulled out of the vote because of violence that he says has killed almost 90 of his Movement of Democratic Change supporters. He has taken refuge in the Dutch embassy ever since.

Tsvangirai said earlier there could be no negotiations with Mugabe if he went ahead with Friday's election. He said that if Mugabe declared himself president he would be shunned as an illegitimate leader who killed his own people.

But he said people would be forced to vote in the election. "What will happen tomorrow is that people will be forced to vote ... because the military were mobilized to accompany this process," Tsvangirai said in an interview with Portuguese radio station Renascenca, which gave Reuters a transcript.

Mandela joins condemnation

Africa's most iconic figure, Nelson Mandela, added his voice to a storm of African and international condemnation of the violence and chaos in Zimbabwe.

He told a speech at a dinner for his 90th birthday in London that there had been a "tragic failure of leadership in our neighboring Zimbabwe."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated that violence and intimidation must be ended and that the election should be postponed.

"The situation seems to be evolving, but I am still concerned that if the election is held under these circumstances, there will be serious questions and controversies about the legitimacy," he told reporters in New York.

Diplomats at the UN in New York said the Security Council might call an emergency meeting over the weekend if the election goes ahead and Mugabe declares himself the winner.

Mugabe, president since independence from Britain, has presided over Zimbabwe's slide from one of the region's most prosperous nations to a basket case with inflation estimated to have hit at least 2 million percent.

A loaf of bread now costs 6 billion Zimbabwe dollars, or 150 times more than at the time of the first round of elections on March 29 when Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe but fell short of the absolute majority needed for an outright victory.

Mugabe blames the crisis on sanctions by former colonial ruler Britain and other Western countries.

Zimbabwean police said Britain and the United States were backing plans by Tsvangirai's MDC and some NGOs to disrupt the vote with violence, including burning down voting tents.

Tsvangirai tried to step up the pressure by telling Mugabe that his chances of negotiating an end to Zimbabwe's catastrophic collapse would end on Friday.

Mugabe said he was open to discussions with other parties but stressed that any solution to the crisis in the country needed to come from Zimbabweans.

In a later interview with Sky News, Tsvangirai challenged South African President Thabo Mbeki, the designated regional mediator in Zimbabwe, to take urgent action to end the crisis.

Mbeki, leader of Africa's biggest economic power, has been widely criticized for being soft on Mugabe despite a crisis that has flooded his country with millions of refugees.

Tsvangirai's lieutenant Tendai Biti was released on bail on Thursday after being held for two weeks on treason charges. Bail was set at 1 trillion Zimbabwean dollars -- about $90, his lawyer said.

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President Arroyo's order to dissolve the government's peace panel negotiating with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is part of the peace procedure, the separatist group's chief peace negotiator said Wednesday.

This is normal in a negotiation. Each side can dissolve or replace its panel anytime it wishes. That is normal and that is a prerogative of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines as wells as the prerogative of the MILF..., MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal told ABS-CBN News Channel.

Iqbal said the MILF leadership has yet to receive an official declaration from the Government of the republic of the Philippines panel through the Malaysian peace facilitator.

He said the leadership will decide on the latest development only after an official communication from the GRP panel is delivered.

Iqbal, meanwhile, assured that MILF commanders monitoring the developments in the peace negotiations with the government will not react violently on the dissolution of the peace panel headed by Secretary Rodolfo Garcia.

He said MILF commanders Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Bravo have been restrained by the leadership. The two commanders launched attacks on communities after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain. He said other commanders will not move unless provoked on the ground.

Dureza: Fresh start

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza earlier confirmed to ABS-CBN News that Mrs. Arroyo has dissolved the peace panel with the MILF.

Dureza said the termination of the peace panel will pave the way for a fresh start to the peace process for Mindanao.

He said Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita will make an official announcement about Mrs. Arroyos decision Wednesday afternoon.

Zamboanga City 1st District Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco earlier said Mrs. Arroyo announced during a recent meeting with Mindanao congressmen that she has dissolved the peace panel.

Actually we should wait for the official pronouncement of the Palace, but what I heard was the peace panel has been dissolved, Climaco told ABS-CBN's morning show, Umagang Kay Ganda.

The congresswoman said there will still be peace talks for Mindanao, but she was not privy to the details. However, she said ground works for talks with multi-sectoral groups, including the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippine and the Bishop Ulama Conference have started.

Climaco said the dissolution of the government's peace panel for the MILF is a welcome development.

This kind of announcement would signal the start of a true peace process and negotiations with the people who are really affected in the areas, to really go down to the stakeholders. This would give us an opportunity to really get down to listening and consulting the people, she said.

On Tuesday, National Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said the MILF is slowly becoming irrelevant in the government's peace effort for Mindanao with its continued refusal to surrender Umbra Kato and Bravo.

The two commanders are being pursued by military and police forces in North Cotabato, Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte provinces. Both commanders have been charged with arson, murder and robbery for the civilian attacks in Central Mindanao and ve been tagged lawless elements by Philippine government authorities.

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FUNFARE UPDATE By RICKY LO Now that Camille Prats is a mother in real life, is she ready to play mother roles?
The Philippine Star
Now that Camille Prats is a mother in real life, is she ready to play mother roles?
"Hmmmm. I guess okay lang kung mother to a baby as little as my son, Nathaniel Ceasar Linsangan ," said Camille who got married to her boyfriend Anthony Linsangan, 28, last Jan. 5 in the same city. "Huwag naman po nanay ng grown-up child na," added Camille with a laugh.
Motherhood has changed Camille, 22, who admitted that she has now become less adventurous and more careful.
"Before, I thought only of myself. Now, my priority is Nathaniel, how to prepare and plan for his future."
Camille is ready to return to work by May. In June, she will open a pre-school, with her as head. While in the States, she finished a course in Montessori Method. Shell call her school Divine Angels Montessori.
Nathaniel was baptized last Saturday, March 29, at the Christ The King Chapel, White Plains, Quezon City. The reception was held at The Blue Leaf, The Fort, Taguig City.
The ninongs were: Luis Manzano, John Prats, Ryan Yllana, Paolo Contis, Mike Tuviera, Marco Alcaraz, Dennis Lee, JR Verde, Bryan Revilla, Ardee Quiambao, Kim Bagabaldo, Erick Lorica, Chris Samonte, Chris Moises, Ed del Mundo, Mike Pizaro and Patrick Ting.
And the ninangs: Katrina Raymundo, Ginger Serranilla, Berry Tenchavez, Janette Linsangan-Lee, Jamie Linsangan, Jasmin Linsangan, Anne Curtis, Shaina Magdayao, Helen Sese, Bubbles Paraiso, Crissy dela Cruz, Trixie Saguilon, Kat Corpuz and Nikki Orial.

Project 1 singers identities revealed
These past few weeks, the Funfare "musical" DPA has been dishing out by installment juicy items about members of different bands bonding together to try out something new which turned out to be a song called Ang Sarap Dito which is about happiness and positive values, now heard in Metro Manilas top radio stations. The singers recorded the song as a group called Project 1.
But no, the Project 1 members are not staying together for long and will soon return to their respective home bands.
According to Raimund Marasigan, lead vocalist of Sandwich and one of the Project 1 members, "We never really left our bands. We all just worked on this song for the youth. The song invites young people to live in the happy, positive side of life. Public response to the song is overwhelming."
The other members of Project 1 are Katwo Puertollano of Narda, Carlos Calderon of Chicosci, Francis Reyes of The Dawn, Clem Castro of Camera Walls, Uela Basco of Chillitees and Jazz Nicolas of Itchyworms.
Said Katwo, "Ang Sarap Dito is actually saying, ‘Let us go do something about our lives!"
Said Carlos, "Just be happy because you can be young only once."
Added Raimund, "As musicians, I believe that we have the best job in the world. Not everybody has the chance to do the thing he loves best and at the same time inspire kids everywhere."
So when can we hear the Project 1 guys sing Ang Sarap Dito "live"?
"Soon, very soon," assured the Funfare DPA, hinting that the song is a promo for a popular drink.
"You will know which one also soon."
* * *

Amizth

At least 100, 000 jeepney and tricycle drivers are expected to participate in the 14-hour region-wide strike in Southern Tagalog Thursday, a transportation group leader said.

Rolando Mingo, president of Southern Tagalog Transport Sector Organization -Pinagkaisang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operators Nationwide , said an estimated 50,000 jeepney drivers and 100,000 tricycle drivers from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon are expected to join the transport strike.

The transport strike in Calamba, Laguna began as early as 4 a.m. It will end at 6 p.m. Protestors are calling for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law, removal of the 12 percent value-added tax on oil and the resignation of President Arroyo.

“Our agenda is clear so we are expecting the drivers, as well as the public, to unite and join this protest action,” Mingo said.

Reports said the number of protestors is expected to swell by Thursday noon as other drivers opted to ply their route in the morning before joining the transport strike.

The main rally is being held in Calamba but protest actions will also be staged in Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, reports said.

Aside from STARTER-PISTON, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog , workers and students' groups will also join the strike.

George San Mateo, PISTONs secretary general, earlier said that the demonstration is the run up to Mrs. Arroyos State of the Nation Address on July 28.

He warned that the protest action in Southern Tagalog could lead into a nationwide strike if Mrs. Arroyo failed to heed the groups call.

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LOS ANGELES - Actress Lindsay Lohan, working to rebuild her acting career after a year of personal turmoil, will appear as a guest star on the ABC television comedy "Ugly Betty," the network said on Monday.
Lohan, who has not starred in a feature film since last year's flop "I Know Who Killed Me," will join the popular sitcom's cast for six episodes, playing a mean former classmate of title character Betty, who suddenly resurfaces in her life.
The 21-year-old actress, who won critical praise and international stardom before lurid stories in the tabloid press began to overshadow her career, will make her first appearance on "Ugly Betty" on the May 22 season finale.
She will return to the Emmy-winning show, which stars America Ferrera as a smart and sweet but not-so-glamorous fashion magazine employee, for five episodes next season.
Lohan's turn on the small screen closely follows a similar move by another troubled young performer, Britney Spears, who surprised critics and delighted fans with a sassy guest appearance on the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother."
Spears' well-received acting role was taken as a sign that she had begun to recover from the personal problems that have dogged her in recent years, and Lohan's could be seen in the same light.
Lohan began her acting career at a young age and first won attention playing twins -- one of them with a dead-on British accent -- in the 1998 remake "The Parent Trap."
She became a Hollywood "it-girl" and major international presence after starring in such films as "Freaky Friday," "Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen" and "Mean Girls" before giving way to struggles with alcohol and drug abuse.
She spent much of 2007 out of the Hollywood limelight and in rehab and has in recent months has been spotted less in nightclubs and in the gossip pages.
Lohan's 14-year-old sister, Ali, meanwhile, is preparing to shoot her big-screen debut in a film based on R.L. Stine's pre-teen book series "Mostly Ghostly."

Mqoiwk

Agence France-Presse
LONDON - Heavy storms were expected to cause more travel chaos in Britain Tuesday, with France also preparing for more bad weather, after three vessels ran into problems in the Channel a day earlier.
Five French fishermen were rescued from a trawler which sank late Monday in gale-force winds off the Channel island of Guernsey, maritime officials said, while a body was separately recovered off the coast of Brittany in northwest France, feared to be that of a man missing since Sunday.
A woman also died in Normandy after she was hit by a branch.
In Britain, more than a hundred flights were cancelled at airports including London's Heathrow and the port of Dover was temporarily closed due to the storms, described by experts as possibly the biggest of the winter that could cause hundreds of millions of pounds in damage.
Amid gale-force winds of up to 80 miles per hour and driving rain, airports were among the worst hit with cancellations and delays brought on by precautionary measures taken by air traffic controllers.
A spokesman for airports operator BAA said that 115 flights from Heathrow had been cancelled by Monday evening, but could not give details on the number of cancellations from London's Gatwick airport.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown had to cancel a planned meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico after his flight from Bratislava was cancelled due to the bad weather.
Sweeping in from the Atlantic, the storm hit first in Cornwall and Devon in the southwest of the country, before moving east across England and Wales.
There was widespread disruption on trains in southern England, including London where underground train services were also hit by flooding, while speed restrictions were imposed on trains because of heavy rain and high winds.
About 30 people were rescued when a beachfront caravan park was flooded by seawater, which breached defenses near Chichester, on the English south coast, a coastguard spokesman said.
Further west a Swedish tanker with 13 crew on board got into difficulties off the Isle of Wight, coastguards said. Two coastguard tugs were sent to help the stricken 11,000-tonne vessel, the Astral.
Association of British Insurers Director of General Insurance and Health Nick Starling said that while it was too early to say how much the damage caused by the storms could cost, "events like this can cost hundreds of millions of pounds".
In France an 88-metre long cargo vessel, the Artemis, ran aground on a beach at Sables-d'Olonne, on the Atlantic coast, according to the local government office.
Later in the day a French trawler, the Marie Louise Bert, sank: the vessel, based in Saint-Brieuc with five crew, went down 41 nautical miles west of Guernsey in winds of up to 110 kmh.
All those on board were rescued by nearby vessels, according to the local French government office, after a French helicopter and a Channel Islands rescue airplane were dispatched to the scene.
Meanwhile a body was found off the Brittany coast, feared to be that of a 26-year-old man missing since falling into the sea at Relecq-Kerhuon, near the port city of Brest.
The distribution arm of energy group EDF also said in a statement that about 60,000 French households were without electricity on Monday because of the storms, with a company spokeswoman telling AFP that the situation could get worse as the evening progressed.
At one point the wind was gusting up to 155 kph , according to French weather experts.
"We haven't had one this strong this year," said Emmanuel Bocri, a forecaster for Meteo France, adding: "In general there are one or two of this strength each winter."

Hucbgz

Day Three of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Monday saw two endings for the entire Team Philippines: good and bad.

It was good since Filipino American JB Walsh emerged winner in Heat 2 of the men's 200-meter butterfly swimming event at the National Aquatics.

Bad in a way since 17-year-old Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines' lone weightlifter, crashed out after landing 11th among 12 contenders in the 58-kilogram event.

Walsh finished with 1:59.39 in Lane 5, ahead of Spain's Javier Nuñez in Lane 1. The Spaniard clocked 2:00.24.

Argentina's Andres Jose Gonzalez, meanwhile, landed third place with 2:00.36.

Walsh's record was still way off the Olympic mark set by Michael Phelps of the United States during the Athens Games in 2004 when the American notched 1:54.04 Phelps also clinched the World Record during the World Swimming Championships in Melbourne, Australia in 2007 with 1:52.09.

It was, however, an improvement of his record of 2:00.42 made in the 2007 ConocoPhilips USA Swimming Championships on July 31 last year in qualifying for the Olympics. The Olympic qualifying time in the 200m butterfly is 2:01.94.

Monday's finish saw Walsh making it to the 29th spot among 44 swimmers in the event that was led by Team USA's Michael Phelps.

Though he did not make to the 16-man semis, Walsh made it anyway to the Philippine record books as the first Filipino to swim his way through 200m under two minutes.

Walshs 2:00.94 before Monday's heats was 103rd fastest in the world. His new record placed him within the top 30. In addition, he could get closer to the top 10 of the world under long-time US coach Anthony Nestey, the 1988 Seoul Olympics gold medalist.

Aside from Heat 2, five other heats in the men's 200m butterfly event were scheduled at the aquatics center, more popularly known as the Water Cube, on Monday.

Diaz vows to return

Diaz finished 11th in the 58-kg of the snatch, clean and jerk event held at the BUAA Gymnasium Monday as Chinas defending champion retained the top spot.

She ended second to the last among the 12 competitors of the category, garnering a total 192 kg.

Only Wendy Hale from the Solomon Islands trailed Diaz with 173 kg.

Chinas Chen Yanquin won the gold medal in the event with 244 kg. Marina Shainova of Russia won silver followed by North Koreas O Ae Jong who settled for bronze .

Chen, meanwhile, established two new Olympic records for the clean and jerk for lifting 138 and 132 kgs. O likewise etched her name in the Olympic roster for a record lift of 131 kg.

Diaz was the second Filipino to bow out of the Olympics. The first one was shooter Eric Ang on Saturday.

The girl admitted sadness over her loss.

My performance is okay but I am sad because I did not reach my target – 110 in the clean and jerk – which could have improved my score to 200, she said.

She, however, vowed to return.

Theyre so strong but Ill beat all of them someday, she said.

Chef de mission Monico Puentevella, who, incidentally, is also the Philippines' amateur weightlifting head, said he is proud of Diaz. He also said that the girl has a good future ahead of her.

Im proud of her for breaking the record. I believe she is good for another three Olympics – huwag lang siyang mag-asawa kaagad, he said.

She is the future of weightlifting. She did not win a medal but she deserves to be in the Olympics, he added.

It was Diazs first foray to the worlds biggest sporting event. Local analysts believe the 17-year-old Filipino will do better should she compete in the 2012 Olympics in London. With Gerry Carpio, The Philippine Star in Beijing

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The military on Friday reportedly said that ten members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has died in recent fighting between the armed separatists and military units in Maguindanao province.
Clashes killed 10 people in Maguindanao overnight just hours after the government scrapped a controversial peace deal with Muslim rebels, the military said Friday.
MILF fighters ambushed government troops late Thursday in Guindulungan town on strife-torn Mindanao island, local military spokesman Col. Julieto Ando said.
During the firefight, five soldiers were wounded and 10 MILF rebels killed, he told international wires agency, Agence France Presse, adding that two civilians were also injured by stray bullets in the gunbattle.
Government troopers on Friday closed the boundary of Cotabato City and General Santos City as the military tries to capture a MILF commander in Maguindanao province accused of perpetrating attacks on communities.
On Thursday night, a military tank was ambushed by MILF fighters in Guindulungan town. No one was reported hurt in the incident.
Meanwhile, the military claimed it has already isolated Umbra Kato's group in Guindulungan town. The military has also deployed blocking forces at the boundary of Guindulungan and Talayan towns.
Reports said the military is getting near an MILF camp used by Umbra Kato's 105th Base Command.
As a result of the fighting, reports said thousands of people living in the areas affected by the fighting has left their homes.
Rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu said Friday that fighting continued today with the military using air and ground assets, apparently to get Commander Kato.
Commander Umbra Kato is a rebel MILF commander who launched a series of attacks on villages and towns two weeks ago that have killed scores and displaced thousands of people.
The attacks came after the Philippine Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order against signing the peace agreement, known as the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain .
The limited autonomy pact between the government of the mainly Christian nation and the 12,000-strong rebel group aimed to end a 40-year-old conflict that has left more than 120,000 dead and tens of thousands displaced.
President Arroyo scrapped the deal Thursday after Christians and politicians in Mindanao objected to what they saw as an unconstitutional move to create an independent Muslim state.
The government has put a bounty of P10 million on the heads of Kato and another MILF commander, Abdurahman Macapaar, also known as Commander Bravo, for recent attacks on civilians.
Radio dzMM reported that the military closed the Cotabato-General Santos City road around 6 a.m. on Friday. Road blocks were set up at the boundary to prevent MILF commander Umbra Kato's forces from running out of Maguindanao.
Army commander Col. Marlou Salazar said parts of the highway linking Davao and Cotabato cities were closed to traffic Friday because MILF fighters were occupying some of the bridges.
We are still clearing the highway and I am confident it will be open soon, he said.
At least 100,000 civilians have fled their homes in the south since the military stepped up their offensive against the rebels, who have defied the MILF leadership's orders to stand down. With a report from Agence France-Presse

Pnlozm

The Bureau of Fire Protection found a number of fire code violations in some malls and business establishments in Pasay City after launching a surprise inspection Friday.

BFP inspectors said they found several violations ranging from lack of smoke detectors and sprinklers to insufficient fire exit signs.

The BFP conducted a surprise inspection after six fires hit malls in the city during the past months. The incidents disrupted the operations of the Light Rail Transit.

At the Metro Point Mall, BFP inspectors found defective emergency lights, missing fire escape signs and padlocked fire pumps. They also found defective fire hoses at the Liana's supermarket.

BFP Director Enrique Linsangan scored owners and managers of the establishments, saying the agency already issued repeated warnings for their failure to follow the fire code.

Linsangan also warned vendors against clogged the streets since they make it difficult for firetrucks to enter the area whenever a fire occurs.

The business establishments were given 60 days to correct their violations.

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The police chief of Dagupan City has been sacked after being linked to a narcotics laboratory in Naguilian, La Union, the Philippine National Police said Tuesday.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said PNP chief Avelino Razon Jr. ordered the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to investigate Dagupan police chief Dionisio Borromeo for allegedly protecting the shabu laboratory.

He said Borromeo is currently detained at the police holding and accounting unit office of the PNP Directorate for Personnel.

Elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency discovered the shabu laboratory at the farming village of Binmotobot in Naguilian last July 9. Police said chemicals and equipment seized in the 11-hectare property could produce up to 180,000 kilograms of methamphetamine hydrochloride worth more than a billion pesos.

Two caretakers, Andy Paneglina and Dante Palaganas, were arrested in the operation.

Police have formed a task force to investigate why the shabu laboratory was able to operate without being noticed by residents.

Cjnzak

Geothermal firm PNOC Energy Development Corporation said Tuesday its earnings for the first half of the year fell 38.6 percent due to lower revenues and foreign exchange losses.
Net profit in January to June amounted to P2.46 billion, compared to P4.0 billion in the same months in 2007.
PNOC-EDC said it booked P3.21 billion in losses from currency swings. The company has P25.3 billion in long-term loans, bulk of which is yen-denominated.
The company said its revenues also fell by 6.5 percent to P8.81 billion from P9.42 billion as operating expenses of its power plants in Leyte province and the Northern Negros Geothermal Production Field project increased.
For the second quarter alone, the company registered a 54-percent drop in net income to P1.26 billion from P2.75 billion in the year-ago period.
PNOC-EDC is 60-percent owned by Red Vulcan Holdings Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of power producer First Gen Corp.
On Tuesday, PNOC-EDC shares closed down P0.05 or 1.1 percent at P4.55 each.

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Reuters
MONTREAL - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said on Friday that he does not expect another "bubble" in world markets for a long time, and that central banks at any rate do not control the long-term interest rates that can be related to bubbles.
Speaking in Montreal, Greenspan said bubbles do not form when inflation pressures begin to emerge.

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Agence France-Presse

NEW ORLEANS - David West scored 32 points and Chris Paul added 22 and 12 assists to power the New Orleans Hornets to a 114-92 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.

The victory not only gave Byron Scott his 300th career win as a coach, but it also clinched the Hornets first division title.

"I think Byron had done a great job all the way across," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said.

"He's been to two NBA Finals and he works hard nobody can work through injuries.

Last year, he had a ton of injuries. got his guys' back and now we see what it's really about for him."

It also places New Orleans into a temporary first-place tie atop the Western Conference with the Los Angeles Lakers , who host the Sacramento Kings later on Tuesday.

West kept the Hornets in the game over the first 24 minutes, as he scored the team's first 14 points of the game and 20 of the their 26 first-quarter points. In fact, he was the only New Orleans player with more than seven points at intermission.

"David West killed us," Maggette said. "He was hot. I thought he was going to have 100 points tonight."

Despite West's scoring explosion, the Clippers held a surprising 51-49 lead at halftime and opened up a 56-51 lead early in the quarter before the Hornets blew the game open with a 23-6 run.

"At halftime, I was not very happy," Scott said. "We were allowing them to get pretty much everything that they wanted ... dunking, easy swing baskets open jump shots."

Rookie Al Thornton scored 26 points to paced the Clippers, who have lost six straight.

Sphnds

Reuters KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will restrict sales of petrol and diesel to foreign motorists from May 31 to prevent abuse of fuel subsidies, news agency Bernama reported late on Monday, in a move that could anger its neighbors. It quoted Domestic Trade Minister Shahrir Samad as saying that some 200 to 300 filling stations in the Malaysian towns bordering Singapore and Thailand will be barred from selling fuel to non-Malaysian-registered vehicles. Malaysia, a non-OPEC oil producer, has some of Asia's lowest diesel and petrol prices due to high government subsidies. It shares land or sea borders with Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand. In the case with Thailand, the ban will apply to petrol stations located within the 30-50 km from the Malaysian border with its northern neighbor, Shahrir said after attending a meeting to combat inflation. "This move is a stern action by the government to reduce the leak in subsidies that involved high cost and which should actually be enjoyed by the lower-income group in the country," he said. Malaysia has said its subsidy bill could hit record 50 billion ringgit this year as crude oil prices high record highs. Hundreds of Thai and Singapore motorists cross into Malaysia daily to seek cheaper diesel and petrol. Shahrir said the ban will be in force until the government introduces a new subsidy scheme to prevent such leakages. He said petrol kiosk operators who flouted the ban could face a fine of 250,000 ringgit or three years' in jail, or both.

Wpmpbz

Nine people were reported injured when a liquefied petroleum gas tank exploded inside a house at a squatter's area in Cubao, Quezon City on Friday.

Inspector Arnulfo Franco, chief of the Quezon City Police District's Explosives and Ordnance Division, said a small LPG cylinder exploded inside a home located along Ermin Garcia Street in Barangay E. Rodriguez shortly before noon.

Franco said the injured people were inside the shanty when the gas cylinder exploded. He said the victims suffered from minor injuries and have been brought to Quirino Memorial Hospital and East Avenue Medical Center.

He said the blast was too minor to cause fire and related damage.

He said they probers are still determining why the gas tank exploded. With a report from Angelo Gutierrez,

Xvzcyu

Listed Fil-Estate Land Inc. has signed an agreement with its unit Fil-Estate Urban Development Corp. and Camp John Hay Development Corp. for the completion of a project in Baguio City that is estimated to cost P230 million.
Under the agreement, Camp John Hay will contribute its leaseahold rights to the property that will be developed, FEUDC will finance the completion of the project and Fil-Estate Land guaranteed FEUDC's obligations under the project.
The project consists of the five-story condominium-hotel called Camp John Hay Suites and a detached duplex, townhouse development named Forest Cabins.
Fil-Estate Land said funds for the project would be sourced from the $12.5-million loan it earlier obtained from Lim Asia Arbitrage Fund.
FEUDC is expected to realize a net income of P50 million from the project, the parent firm added.
Meanwhile, in exchange for extending its guaranty, Fil-Estate Land said it would acquire five lot pads at Scout Hill in Camp John Hay that can be sold outright or developed into mid-rise leisure homes. Camp John Hay is a former US communications station north of Manila.
In addition, the company would acquire the development rights over a 12,534-square meter lot within the area.
Fil-Estate Land said it expects to generate a net income of P745 million from the projects, which would cost P1.9 billion in development.

Jkandm

BEIJING - Angelo Taylor won the men's Olympic 400 meters hurdles gold medal with a time of 47.25 seconds to lead a United States sweep of the podium on Monday.

Kerron Clement took silver in 47.98 and compatriot Bershawn Jackson bronze in 48.06.

Taylor won the event in Sydney eight years ago but failed to make it past the semi-finals in Athens in 2004.

Npazgi

Overseas Filipino workers and other travelers, beware.

To avoid being suspected as terrorist, the Department of Labor and Employment yesterday cautioned OFWs and other travelers from Saudi Arabia against bringing too much money and jewelry.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said OFWs and other Filipino travelers are now required to declare precious metals such as jewelry and money worth $16,000 upon arrival in and departure from Saudi Arabia.

Roque issued the advisory immediately after receiving a formal communication from the Embassy of Saudi Arabia concerning the new policy of the Kingdom.

Saudi government had enjoined all travelers to their country, including foreign workers, to strictly follow the Custom departments new rule on the declaration of cash and precious metals, Roque said.

Based on the official communication, Roque said the Saudi government is implementing the new policy to prevent money laundering and some forms of terrorist funding.

According to Roque, the Saudi government has intensified its efforts to control money laundering at the national, regional and international levels.

The Kingdom is among the first few countries which gave special attention to counter money laundering by complying with many rules and international convention, Roque added.

According to Roque, under the new regulation, those who fail to declare precious metals and money in their possession while leaving the Kingdom shall pay customs duty on their return.

Travelers to Saudi must state in the declaration form the value of precious metals and money in their possession, country of origin and destination and other necessary information to avoid confiscation or other legal penalties, Roque pointed out.

The labor chief said DOLE issued the advisory because OFWs in Saudi are fond of buying precious metals for investment purposes and as pasalubong when returning home.

Meantime, the local recruitment industry yesterday threatened to cease deploying skilled workers to Saudi Arabia to dramatize their protest against the Kingdoms new visa issuance policy.

Victor Fernandez of the Philippine Association of Service Exporters said all their 750 member agencies nationwide would rather stop deploying workers to Saudi than comply with the new regulation.

The proposed policy to be implemented by the Saudi Embassy soon is anomalous and totally unfair to the Filipino workers, Fernandez said.

According to Fernandez, with the new policy, overseas Filipino workers in Saudi can no longer seek the help of the Philippine labor representative in settling disputes or disagreements with their employers.

The same policy requires OFWs to seek the services of the Saudi National Recruitment Committee prior to the issuance of visa.

Recruitment industry leader Lito Soriano said the new regulation is clearly meant to allow Arab-owned local recruitment agencies to grab the Saudi labor market from local agencies.