MERS cases declining before haj – Saudi minister

By: Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Reuters, Interaksyon
MECCA — A recent surge in cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, a sometimes deadly virus, in Saudi Arabia has ebbed in the run-up to Islam’s annual haj pilgrimage, Health Minister Khaled al-Falih said on Thursday.

As pilgrims poured into Mecca from around the world, the Health Ministry said it had confirmed two more cases of the disease in Riyadh on Thursday, but the number of cases has declined since last month, Falih said.

Most medical staffers touring hospitals and medical centers around Mecca on Wednesday covered their noses and mouths with masks, as did traffic policemen and army personnel deployed to secure the flow of busses carrying pilgrims into the holy city.

“With the help of God and then with the measures taken by the ministry of health we hope to prevent the virus from getting to the pilgrims,” said Falih in a news conference.

So far around 1.2 million Muslims have arrived in the kingdom for haj.

In past years it has drawn up to 3 million pilgrims, but authorities have limited numbers in the past two years because of construction work around the Grand Mosque.

Saudi Arabia has banned the slaughter of camels around the holy cities during the pilgrimage. The animals have been found to carry the virus and scientists say they are the most likely source of primary infections of people.

Seven people in the city of Medina who have been infected by MERS have been moved to Riyadh as a precaution to avoid any spread of the disease near the pilgrimage sites, Falih said.

“The spread has begun to shrink and we are optimistic the days of spreading are gone and are behind us,” said Falih.

The kingdom has mobilized 25,000 medical staff from different cities into Mecca for the haj season.

2 hired killers shot dead in N. Ecija

Two suspected hired killers were shot dead in Nueva Ecija Tuesday night.

Muñoz Police Chief Superintendent Pedro Soliva said police noticed two armed men sitting on a parked motorcycle along Muñoz-Lupao road. The police approached the suspects, identified as John Parica and Ruben Baldovino, but they suddenly fled the scene.

The police chased the suspects, and were killed in a brief exchange of fire.

Police recovered 2 caliber .45 pistols from the two and a sketch showing the direction to a barangay captain’s house. This led them to suspect that the barangay captain was the target of the slain suspects.

Initial police investigation revealed that Parica was a leader of a group of hired killers. He is also included in the list of most wanted criminals in the province. – reports from Edwin Sevidal, dzMM; Nica Tomines, ABS-CBN News Pangasinan

Pinoy abducted in Afghanistan ‘tortured’

Nanginginig sa takot ang pamilya ni Mark Ramos nang dumulog sa ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC) office sa Dubai.

Pakiramdam nila ay halos ubos na ang pasensya ng mga kidnapper na dumukot sa 27 taong gulang na si Mark, isang procurement logistics worker sa Copenhagen Construction Company sa Kandahar.

Dinukot si Mark noong January 7 nitong taon, isang araw bago sana ang kanyang bakasyon sa Dubai kung saan naroon ang kanyang magulang.

Madalas tumatawag ang kidnapper pero ayaw magpakilala at kung anong grupo sila.

Nasa $50,000 ang ransom na hinihingi ng mga kidnapper.

Gusto nila may paunang $10,000 para sa proof of life o pagpapatunay na buhay ang biktima sa pamamagitan ng pag-uusap sa telepono ng pamilya.

“Kailangan daw bayaran namin ‘yung mga naging nagastos nila sa anak ko, malaki ang nagastos nila,” sabi ng tatay ni Mark na si Eduard Ramos.

Isang video ang ipinakita sa amin ng kapatid ni Mark na ipinadala sa kanila ng mga kidnapper.

Tingin ni April Kay ay sinabuyan ng asido ang mukha ng kanyang kapatid at pinagaling muna bago kinunan ng video.

“I am Mark working for Copenhagen. Michael, please help me,” sabi ni Mark sa video.

“Pinutol daw po ‘yung isang daliri [ni Mark] dahil tumatakas daw po,” sabi ng kapatid ni Mark na si April Kay.

Kinuwestiyon ni Mang Eduard ang management ng kumpanya kung bakit pinalabas ng compound si Mark ng walang kaukulang military escort.

Sagot lamang ng kumpanya ay hanggang $15,000 para sa pagpapalaya ng biktima.

Umapila ang pamilya kay Vice President Jejomar Binay para tumulong man lamang sa negosasyon sa pagpapalaya ni Mark. Para sa Middle East News Bureau, Danny Buenafe, Patrol ng Pilipino, Dubai

Illegally-cut Narra logs seized in Agusan

Authorities seized 141 pieces of illegally-cut Narra logs in Agusan del Norte.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) seized the logs in a checkpoint in Nasipit town.

The 141 pieces of logs, with a volume of 2,700 board feet, were being transported on a tire truck owned by a bus company.

The truck came from Butuan City and was bound for Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental.

Cenro officer Vicente Cembrano said the truck driver was not able to show proper documentation for the Narra logs.

The bus company’s owners are facing a charge of violating Section 68 of the Presidential Decree Number 705, or the the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines. – report from Richmond Hinayon, ABS-CBN News Caraga

Passenger vessel hits barge in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) – A passenger vessel rammed a barge in Cebu province Wednesday morning, a coast guard official said.

Cebu Coast Guard Commander Rolando Punzalan said MV Light Ferry 8 hit barge Ironman which was docked in Bantolinao Point in Lapu-Lapu City at 4:05 a.m.

No one was hurt among the vessel’s 221 passengers and 44 crew members.

The vessel came from Ormoc City in Leyte and was bound for Cebu City.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how the sea collision happened. – report from June Perez, dzMM

Magnitude 4 quake hits Biliran

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Earthquake information map courtesy of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

MANILA, Philippines – A magnitude 4 earthquake struck off Biliran province in southern Philippines before dawn Wednesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The earthquake, which was tectonic in origin, occurred just 3 kilometers (kms) southeast of the province’s capital of Naval at 3:31 a.m. It struck at a depth of 8 kms.

Intensity IV was felt in Naval.

No damage or aftershocks were reported.

A separate report from the US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude of the earthquake at 4.7.

Fire razes 15 houses in Cagayan de Oro

A fire hit a residential area in Cagayan de Oro City before dawn Wednesday, affecting at least 15 houses.

The fire broke out in Block 3 Piang Puti, Barangay Macabalan at 3:15 a.m. It reportedly started at the house of a certain Felimon Datiel, whose house had no power supply and was only using a lamp.

The fire spread quickly, since the houses were mostly made of light materials.

Firefighters also had a hard time extinguishing the blaze because the area was cramped.

The fire was declared under control at 4:08 a.m. No one was reported hurt in the incident.

The damage from the fire was estimated at P1.7 million. – reports from Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News Northern Mindanao; and Fred Dellava, dzMM

Pampanga drugstores raided for selling unregistered medicines

Authorities have raided 3 drugstores in Pampanga province for selling unregistered medical products of a large pharmaceutical company.

Officials of the National Bureau of Investigation-Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD) swooped down on 2 Edes Drugstores in San Roque, Lubao and Farmacia Calaguas in Maharlika Road, Angeles City for selling unregistered products of United Laboratories, Inc. (UNILAB).

According to Joel Tovera, executive officer of NBI-IPRD, UNILAB filed a complaint against the drugstores for selling unregistered over-the-counter drugs such as Biogesic, Aspilets, Diatabs, Bioflu, and Neozep, among others.

The owners of the drugstores will face charges for violating Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. — Report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News

MILF peace panel appoints 2 consultants

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has added 2 members to its peace panel, an official announced Tuesday.

MILF Vice Chair for Political Affairs Ghazali Jaafar said the additions, both women, are experts in their respective fields of interest.

Jaafar said the MILF leadership has appointed Atty. Raiza Jajurie, a Tausug from Sulu province and an active member of a non-government organization (NGO), as one of the consultants of the MILF peace panel together with Bai Cabaybay Abubakar, an academician who owns and manages a school in Cotabato City.

Jaafar clarified that Jajurie and Abubakar will not be regular members of the MILF peace panel because only 5 members are allowed to negotiate with the government’s peace panel.

“Meron kaming itinalaga, appointed by the central committee pero as consultants sila, at not regular members,” Jaafar said.

Jajurie joined the MILF peace panel in the 23rd round of exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which re-opened Monday and will end on Wednesday.

Jajurie was welcomed by the government’s peace panel and was cordially acknowledged by Chief Negotiator Professor Marvic Leonen in his opening statement, according to www.opapp.gov.

Mindanao State University students walk out of classes due to budget cuts

Some students of the Mindanao State University in General Santos City walked out of their classes on Tuesday to protest budget cuts in the education sector in 2012.

The students walked around the campus and urged other students to join the demonstration.

They believe that the budget for education should be increased rather than cut down.

Meanwhile, youth activists in Manila also held a rally to protest budget cuts.

However, the activists were dispersed by police before they reached Mendiola. — Report from Jay Dayupay, ABS-CBN News SOKSARGEN