A partylist congressman yesterday warned that the Commission on Elections will face a deluge of suits for its validation of the signatures of registered voters supporting the people's initiative for charter change, which starts in Negros Occidental today.

Partido ng Manggagawa Rep. Renato Magtubo, who spoke at a labor forum in Bacolod City Saturday, told the DAILY STAR there is no enabling law that would allow government to entertain a people's initiative on charter change.

But Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos said the poll body is not violating anything since it is merely verifying signatures, it has not taken cognizance of the petition for Charter change yet.

Mayor lauds SP move
on P400M loan
BY CEDELF TUPAS

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday lauded the move of the Sangguniang Panglungsod, for unanimously passing a resolution authorizing him to negotiate a loan of P400 million from any government bank for the construction of a new government center for Bacolod City.

Leonardia called the SP's authorization a major step in the right direction for the development of the city. "I am thankful that the SP approved the authorization although I was confident that it could not thumb down a proposal that is meritorious and irresistible," the mayor, who issued Executive Order No. 6 on March 14, ordering the construction of a city government center in Brgy. Taculing, said.

IN SILAY
Elusive 'pusher' nabbed
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

An allegedly elusive and notorious suspected drug pusher whose family is behind the filing of administrative charges against Senior Inspector Santiago Rapiz before the Office of the Visayas Ombudsman, was arrested by the police on Saturday in Brgy. Capitan Ramon, Silay City.

Rocky Belonio who topped the list of 10 most-wanted drug personalities in E.B. Magalona, was arrested by a team of policemen led by Rapz after more than eight months of manhunt operations. Belonio has pending arrest warrants for violation of RA 9165, and illegal possession of firearms on two counts.

Police investigations show that Belonio eluded captivity when the police raided his residence in E.B. Magalona last year. However, a .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver and four sachets of suspected shabu were recovered from his house, the police said. Rapiz said the nephew of Belonio who is a minor and a third year high school student of E.B. Magalona High School, is also facing similar drug-related charges in court.