Danger zone declared
AMID FEARS OF DEADLY MUDSLIDES
BY CARLA GOMEZ

A 200-hectare area in Sitios Manaol and Tigbuaya in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla town, yesterday was declared a danger zone as the earth continued to move and form cracks, Mayor Francisco Nazareno said.

But the danger zone could expand to another 500 hectares if the earth cracks continue to expand, he said.

The Moises Padilla Municipal Development Council issued the declaration and signs have been placed in the 200-has. area to warn people against entering, he said.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday urged Philippine sugar farmers and millers to take advantage of the increasing demand of sugar supply in the United States as a move that will revitalize the country’s sugar industry.

“American craving for our sugar is good for our sugar industry,” Zubiri said following reports that the food lobby group in the US is appealing to the Obama administration to lift its import quota on the Philippines.

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela, who led a Philippine delegation to Washington in May to push for a higher Philippine share in the US sugar quota, said they were told that the US Department of Agriculture is in a dilemma because, while food producers are lobbying to increase the quota, the American sugar producers are against it.

Ten suspected New People’s Army rebels believed to be behind the ambush-slay of three civilians and the wounding of three others on July 13 in Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, were charged for multiple murder before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Negros Occidental, police said yesterday.

Police Officer 2 Lyndon Tavarez, Toboso PNP investigator, said they expect to file additional multiple frustrated murder charges this week against the rebel ambushers, whose identities were not available as of last night.

The National Democratic Front-Negros and the Roselyn “Jean Pelle” Command had earlier issued statements, asking for forgiveness from the families of the ambushed civilians, claiming that it was a case of mistaken identity.