BI nabs 16 foreigners,
money lenders hiding
BY CARLA GOMEZ

The Alien Mopping Task Force of the Bureau of Immigration has apprehended 16 foreigners in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental since Monday, and is still in search of more undocumented and overstaying aliens.

Nabbed were 10 Indians, including four minors, three Chinese and three Koreans, who will face deportation, lawyer Faizal Hussin, BI special assistant for intelligence, who heads the task force, said yesterday.

Hussin said the arrests in Negros Occidental are the first in a nationwide campaign directed by BI officer-in-charge Siegfried Mison against foreigners who are undocumented, overstaying, have failed to pay required fees, and are violating Philippine laws.

Suspension of
mayor likely: Bayatan
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

Former Bacolod City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan yesterday said it is just a matter of time and procedure before a suspension order will be issued to former Bacolod Rep. and now Mayor Monico Puentevella, once the Sandiganbayan determines that the information filed involving the overpriced purchase of a P25 million Information Technology computer package project, has “enough form and substance”.

Bayatan was reacting to the claims of Bacolod City Administrator Rolando Villamor that, as of Friday, they were told that, there was no pending warrant of arrest and preventive suspension filed in the Sandiganbayan in connection with the case.

Villamor said they believe that if the Ombudsman will consider their motion for reconsideration, Puentevella will “outlive” his first term as Mayor.

Injunction up vs.
raw sugar VAT
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Cadiz Regional Trial Court Branch 60 Judge Renato Muñez has issued a writ of preliminary injunction preventing the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Department of Finance from enforcing Revenue Regulations No. 13-2013 that imposes Value-Added Tax on what sugar stakeholders consider as raw sugar.

Manuel Lamata, president of the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines, said yesterday that the preliminary injunction was issued by the judge Tuesday.

In his order, Muñez, said the respondents, and anyone acting in their behalf, should maintain the status quo ante bellum pending determination of the merits of the main case and after the posting by the petitioners of a P1 million bond.