The Mindanao Daily Mirror

THE NATION MDM

P6 TUESday | MARCH 12, 2019

7 Filipino seafarers detainedin Libya now homeward boundMANILA -- The seven crew members of the M/T Levante, who were detained for almost two years on charges of alleged oil smuggling in Libya, were released and are now en route to Manila, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

The seven, who were acquitted by the Libyan High Court in February, were accompanied by Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs Abdullah Mamao, who personally flew to Libya upon the instructions of President Rodrigo Duterte to thank the Libyan government and bring the Filipino workers home.

Last year, Libya released 13 of the vessel’s 20 crew

members, who were taken into custody after the Libyan Coast Guard boarded and seized their Liberian-flagged tanker while anchored in international waters.

The remaining seven officers were charged and sentenced to four years in prison in November for allegedly attempting to smuggle 16 million liters of fuel.

Upon receiving information about their release on March 5, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. thanked the Libyan government, as well as to the agency’s Assistance to Nationals Fund that got the seven acquitted. PNA

Water elevation at La Mesa Dam has reached critical level on Monday. PHOTO GRAB FROM PTV4 VIDEO

HOMEWARD BOUND. The seven crewmembers of M/T Levante who were detained for almost two years in Libya are now on their way home to Manila. They are accompanied by Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs Abdullah Mamao. PHOTO COURTESY OF DFA-OPD

MANILA -- Water at the La Mesa Dam has dipped to a critical level as El Niño or the dry spell, triggered by the warming of the ocean, continues to intensify.

Manila Water, which gets its supply from La Mesa Dam, on Monday said the water elevation of the dam has dropped to 68.93 as of 6 a.m. on Monday. This is lower than the recorded 69.02 meter level on Sunday.

It added that the figure is at a critical level as most businesses and households in Metro Manila depend on the dam’s water supply.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hydrologist Richard Orendain said the normal water level at La Mesa Dam is 79.30 to 79.60 meters while its

normal high level is at 80.50 meters.

“If nothing’s done to conserve La Mesa’s reserve, water level there can dip to about 65 meters or 66 meters by April 2019’s end,” he said, adding that the projection is below La Mesa’s lowest 2018 water level of 70.16 meters on June 6 last year.

He also advised the public to conserve water to ensure that the dam’s water would be available for a longer period of time.

Jeric Sevilla, Manila Water head for corporate communications, said normal flow of water supply may be felt by residents beginning Tuesday as the agency’s technical teams continue to work on the improvement of its water supply system.

“Ang mangyari po noon

hindi lang sa Mandaluyong, kung hindi para po sa lahat ng lugar. Gusto nating ibalanse ‘yung tubig po (This will be in all areas, not only in Mandaluyong. We want to balance the water supply),” he said.

On Sunday, Manila Water released an updated list of areas that will have little to no water supply in the coming days.

The agency said the water supply interruptions are caused by the operational adjustments they have been conducting to address the continuous decline in the dam’s water level.

La Mesa Dam is part of the Angat-Ipo La Mesa System, which is the leading source of water supply in Metro Manila. PNA

CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP. Talaandig dancers lead the crowd in celebrating the seventh anniversary of the affirmation of friendship among the Lumads, Moro people, and settlers in a celebration at the Talaandig community center in Lantapan, Bukidnon. MINDANEWS PHOTO BY FROILAN GALLARDO

MANILA -- The Sandi-ganbayan has exonerated a former municipal mayor of a town in Cavite province in connection with the issuance of an executive order for a business permit to operate a bazaar in 2012.

In a 17-page decision dated March 8, 2019, the Sandiganbayan Seventh Division acquitted former General Mariano Alvarez Mayor Leonisa Virata of the crime of violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

“The prosecution’s claim that the accused used the subject executive order to disguise the intent to put up a bazaar based on its fanciful reading of its text and the sketch plan fails in light of the fact that it was not the accused but the Municipal Traffic Management Office (MTMO) which drafted the sketch plan and that the same was based on the re-routing proposals suggested by the stakeholders and considered by the MTMO,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Without a doubt, the prosecution failed to demonstrate that there was bias, fraud, or neglect on the part of the accused when she issued the assailed executive order,” it added.

“Accused is entitled to acquittal for failure of the prosecution to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt,” the Sandiganbayan said.

The Sandiganbayan also lifted the hold departure order (HDO) issued against her in March 21, 2017 and the P30,000 bail she posted for her temporary liberty was released.

The Office of the Ombudsman charged the former mayor for allegedly violating Section 3(e) of RA 3019 when she issued Executive Order 23 on October 29, 2012 and for granting one Rasul Ambol a temporary business permit to operate a bazaar on November 14, 2012, in the guise of a rerouting scheme that supposedly gave unwarranted benefit, advantage, or preference to Ambol. PNA

La Mesa Dam goes below critical level

Ex-Cavite mayorcleared of graft

HERMOSA, Bataan — Police arrested a couple and confiscated from them illegal drugs worth P500,000 and two pistols in a raid here early Sunday morning.

Major Madtaib Jalman, Hermosa police chief, identified the suspects as Henry Layug, 22, and his live-in partner, Jinky Villareal, 19, both residents of Barangay Balsik, Hermosa.

Layug was the subject of the search warrant for alleged illegal possession of firearms but it turned out they also have shabu and drug paraphernalia in their possession.

“This is the result of the surveillance conducted by the police and simultaneous operation on the implementation of search warrant,” Jalman said.

Seized were two .45-caliber pistols with magazines and ammunition, 13 sachets of shabu, burners, weighing scales, glass tubes, and pouches.

The couple is facing cases for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Omnibus Election Code and RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the police chief said. PNA

Couple yields P500Kshabu in Bataan raid