DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

The Dumaguete City Public Safety Officers will not be assigned to polling places or given other election duties to avoid accusations of partisanship, Supt. James Goforth, Dumaguete police chief, said yesterday.

He said the DPSOs act as force multipliers to the police, serve as drivers and do office work under the control of the cops, but are being paid by the city government, so they cannot be deployed for poll duties to do away with allegations of bias.

Goforth made the assurance after Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria presented the uniforms of three sports shirts for each of the 32 DPSOs on Tuesday. Two caps each member will be turned over later.

Fire destroys 5 houses,
ruins P1.8M property
BY RENE GENOVE

Fire of unknown origin destroyed four houses and damaged another at around 2 p.m. yesterday at corner Sta. Rosa and Real streets in Dumaguete City.

The fire was declared under control at 2:55 p.m., and estimated damage to property was placed at P1.8 million. No one was reported injured.

The houses were owned by Carmelo Amores, the Tinagan family, Procopio Gonzales, Eddie Pada and the Calinawagan family.*RG

LTO chief vows to strictly
implement Helmet Law
BY JUDY F. PARTLOW

Dumaguete District chief Eugene Gador of the Land Transportation Office vowed to strictly implement the Mandatory Motorcycle Helmet Law, or Republic Act 10054, when more traffic law enforcers are deputized.

He said they have been unable to fully enforce the law due to the lack of deputized agents when their orders expired in December.

At the seminar/refresher course on traffic law enforcement, and the Helmet Law in Bais City, Negros Oriental, Gador said the lack of deputized agents is a pressing problem of the LTO.

Email: visayandailystar@yahoo.com