The Commission on Audit has recommended the relief of the Murcia municipal treasurer and assistant municipal treasurer after it found them short of about P8.6 million in government funds.

Murcia Mayor Andrew Montelibano yesterday would not comment on COA findings on town treasurer Inocentes Conte and Saturnina de Isidro, saying he will discuss the matter today.

It is not known if the mayor or some other agency will file administrative cases against the two.

TOKYO – Alarm over Japan's nuclear disaster grew yesterday with more foreign governments advising citizens to flee Tokyo as army helicopters dumped water on the overheating plant at the centre of the crisis.

Six days after a massive earthquake and tsunami plunged Japan into its worst crisis since World War II, the US and Britain chartered flights for nationals trying to leave and China moved thousands of citizens to Tokyo for evacuation.

Commercial airline tickets were scarce and some companies hired private jets to evacuate staff. In Tokyo the streets were quiet but calm as the Japanese people, though deeply concerned, mostly remained stoic over the emergency.

Negrense in Bahrain
seeking help, too
BY CARLA GOMEZ

A 28-year-old Negrense photographer in strife-torn Bahrain yesterday appealed for help from the Philippine government to get home.

Karen Arevalo.*

Karen Arevalo of Central Ma-ao, Bago City, issued the call for help when her mother Desiree Arevalo called her from the help desk set up by the Office of the Governor at the Negros Occidental Capitol in Bacolod City.

Benja Lucasan, Public Affairs Division head at the Capitol, yesterday said their help desk allows families of OFWs to call relatives in Libya, Bahrain, New Zealand  and Japan for free.