ON ESTATE ‘INVESTMENTS’
Bacoleños seek justice
for multi-million losses
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Several Bacolod residents are calling for justice against persons who allegedly failed to pay them back for millions of pesos they invested for the recovery of “trillions of dollars” from the estate of a deceased   Negrense,  in the United States and China.

At a press conference at the Business Inn in Bacolod City yesterday, Joan Briones furnished the media a copy of a joint complaint affidavit filed before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Bacolod City on Nov. 15, 2003, and the complainants narrated how they were lured into parting with their hard-earned money with the promise that they would earn huge amounts of interests.

Most of the “investors” are retirees in their twilight years, and one lost not only her jewelry but her building in Bacolod and is now very sickly, Briones said.

2 killed, 9 injured in Isabela
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Two women died, and nine others were injured when the vehicle they were riding turned turtle in Brgy. Cabcab, Isabela, Negros Occidental, at about 4 p.m. Saturday.

Senior Inspector Ramil Sarona, Isabela police chief, said the victims were on their way to Bacolod City, on board as Fuso Fighter cargo vehicle, loaded with agricultural products, when the accident took place.

In his report to Isabela Mayor Enrique Montilla, Sarona, said two of the passengers, identified as Hylen Secan, 45, and Evangeline Francisco, 47, died on the spot.

Bayatan questions
Villamor role in case
BY CHRYSEE SAMILLANO

The private complainant in the alleged overpriced Information Technology package case involving Mayor Monico Puentevella is questioning the role of City Administrator Rolando Villamor in the Mayor’s case.

Joselito Bayatan yesterday said he is wondering why Villamor claimed that he is not the lawyer of Puentevella, but he is talking about the merits and procedures of the case. They even announced to the media the procedures in the legal works in the case including the merits, he said.

Villamor, had earlier said, during a press conference, that he is only speaking as the City Administrator and the spokesman of Puentevella, and is not part of the Mayor’s defense panel.