Rape raps
filed vs. foreigner

Rape charges were filed yesterday before the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office against an alleged Peruvian-American national who reportedly raped his 28-year-old Bacoleña chatmate in a hotel in Bacolod City recently.

Insp. Sara Jean Recla, chief of the Bacolod Women and Children's Concern Desk, yesterday told the DAILY STAR, the charges were filed against George Telmo Seminario, alias "Jeorge Seminario", 41, an alleged Peruvian-American national, not Puerto Rican-American as earlier reported, after the medical examination on the complainant showed a positive laceration in her private parts.

Recla said the police, in coordination with the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation office, are still looking for Seminario.

Meanwhile, Mita Chuvy Arguelles, BID-Bacolod alien control officer yesterday said her narrative report recommending the inclusion of Seminario in the BID watchlist was submitted Tuesday to the offices of Edgardo Mendoza, chief of the Immigration Regulation Division, and Faiza Hussin of the BID-Manila Intelligence Division, and BID Associate Commissioner Teodore Delarmente.

Arguelles said Seminario, an immigrant, arrived in the Philippines on Nov. 17 and was allowed to stay in the country for 21 days under Executive Order 408. His visa is still valid until Dec. 8, 2005, Arguelles said.

She said she advised the WCCD to ask the court for an order addressed to the BID for the inclusion of Seminario in the BID's Hold Departure Order.

Initial reports said the complainant, a physical therapist, told the WCCD that Seminario arrived in Bacolod recently and invited her to a hotel where the alleged rape happened. Police reports said the complainant and the suspect who had met by chatting through the Internet, saw each other through a web camera, and later became friends.*DMG

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Illegal charcoal-making continues,
board member takes steps to curb it

The provincial council of Negros Occidental yesterday approved a resolution aimed at encouraging all local government units to enact an ordinance to address illegal charcoal-making that seems to be unstoppable in the province, Board Member Reynaldo Depasucat, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, said yesterday.

The Task Force Ilahas noted rampant illegal charcoal production in the forestal and Integrated Social Forestry areas of the Negros hinterlands.

Records of the Provincial Environment and Management Office show an estimated 1,1176,000 sacks of charcoal with a market value of P94 million, have been delivered to various "bagsakan (drop-off) centers" in Negros Occidental, with Bacolod City as the major dropping point.

The 1.1 million sacks of charcoal is equivalent to four million trees, a study made by the PEMO showed.

However, it has not been determined yet what percentage of the P94 million worth of charcoal sold in the market yearly, had been derived from illegal activities.

Depasucat said Negros Occidental has been trying its best to stop illegal charcoal making but it is apparently unstoppable.

Vice-Governor Isidro Zayco yesterday encouraged Depasucat to draft a "model ordinance", to serve as a guide for LGUs in regulating the entrance of charcoal in their areas, and discuss it the concerned local government executives, non-government organizations actively involved in the preservation of the environment, the Provincial Environment and Management Office, Task Force Ilahas and DENR

A six-month study of the charcoal production in Negros by the Task Force Ilahas showed that charcoal originates from the upland areas of San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Toboso, Calatrava, Escalante City, Cadiz, Talisay, Victorias, E.B. Magalona, Cauayan, Murcia, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan, Sipalay, Candoni, Hinobaan and even Guimaras.*GPB

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SEA Games peaceful,
Bacolod police says

Supt. Pedro Merced, Bacolod City police-officer-in-charge, yesterday assessed the fourth day of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games as peaceful, saying he has not received reports of untoward incidents related to the activity.

Merced said he is thankful that everything seems to be manageable. So far, he said, the BCPO has not monitored presence of the New People's Army liquidation squad in Bacolod City that could threaten the ongoing biennial meet. However, the police security force is not taking for granted reports of the alleged presence of NPA hitmen.

He said BCPO bomb experts have been deployed to check hotels and billeting areas and sport venues, where the games are being played, to ensure the safety of athletes and spectators.

Meanwhile, Merced yesterday reminded tricycle drivers that they are not allowed to enter Lopez Jaena and San Juan streets and downtown Bacolod while the SEAG is going on, or else they will be intercepted and penalized. He said tricycle drivers can only travel until Alijis Road in Brgy. Alijis in the south and Circumferential Road in Brgy. Bata in the north.*DMG

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