CARP no longer legal: Kako
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law expired on Dec. 31 so there can be no legal movement of the CARP, Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said yesterday.

That is because the president has not signed the joint resolution passed by the Senate and House extending the program for six months, minus the compulsory acquisition of land, he said.

Implementation of CARP from here on will only have a legal effect  if the president signs the joint resolution, or when it lapses into force of law on Jan. 22, he said.

The amendment of the Revenue Code of Bacolod City is a significant factor that will help increase the budget of the city, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday said.

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved last month an ordinance revising the Local Revenue Code of Bacolod City.

Leonardia said this is long overdue as this is the first time in 15 years that Bacolod City has revised its local revenue code.

Brig. Gen. Josue Gaverza, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday pushed for infusion of troops and Special Operations Team operators in some areas of northern Negros, as the holiday truce being observed by government forces and the New People’s Army ended Jan. 1.

Gaverza said he expects to confer soon with his field commanders, review their anti-insurgency campaign plan for 2009, and make necessary adjustments, to meet the deadline set for them by the Philippine Army headquarters.

Gaverza said there may be some re-alignment of forces in Negros, following the redeployment of 15th Infantry Battalion to Mindanao. He, however, said this is not a reaction to claims of priest-turned-rebel Frank Fernandez that the military is now panicking because of the tactical offensives the New People’s Army launched last year.