Puentevella for
P8M in fertilizer
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Bacolod City Legal Officer Allan Zamora filed a complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday against Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella for his alleged failure to account for the purchase of P8 million worth of liquid fertilizer for Bacolod City.

In his affidavit of complaint, Zamora said that Puentevella was among the congressmen who received the fertilizer fund, that was the subject of the Committee Report No. 54 jointly submitted by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and the Senate Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (Blue Ribbon) on March 1, 2006, before the House of the Senate of the Philippines.

City mayor, 15 others
for fund release
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Another charge against Bacolod City officials in connection with the construction of the government center of the city filed on April 2 by retired policeman Victor Eduardo and Sancho Nagar Sr., a former executive assistant of both former mayors Oscar Verdeflor and Luzviminda Valdez, for the release of P59 million paid by the city to Hilmarc's Construction Corp.

The charges for violation of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and administrative charges for grave abuse of authority and grave misconduct were filed before the Ombudsman. The complainants said the case referred to what they called "misappropriation" of public funds by Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor Renecito Novero, Councilors Greg Gasataya, Dindo Ramos, Jocelle Batapa-Sigue, Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Homer Bais, Napoleon Cordova, Arturo Parreño and Marx Louie de la Rosa;

Meloto STAR
silver year speaker

Ramon Magsaysay awardee Antonio Meloto, now known as the Father of the Gawad Kalinga phenomenon, will be the guest of honor and speaker at the 25th or Silver anniversary of the Visayan DAILY STAR today.

Meloto will join Msgr. John Liu and Msgr. Guillermo "GG" Gaston at the groundbreaking rites for the new STAR Building to be erected beside its present one at Araneta Street in Bacolod City.

The Bacolod-born scholar who, as a member of the Couples for Christ, became known for his achievement in increasing its membership, which, in turn, led to the concept of the Gawad Kalinga, a program designed to provide housing for the country's poor and homeless. Through his campaigns all over the country where he was joined by several people he had infected with his zeal, thousands now enjoy living in closely-knit communities, and in houses they can call their own.