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KIDAPAWAN CITY -A former budget officer of a local government unit in a town in North Cotabato was terminated from public service for her alleged poor performance and failure to submit performance evaluation sheets for two years, starting July 2013. The order to drop from rolls former Magpet municipal government budget officer Erly Roque-Baudi came from Magpet Mayor Florenito Gonzaga. Gonzaga, in his Office Order Number 002 dated July 7, cited three reasons for doing such.

KORONADAL CITY - Fifteen persons, 13 students and two teachers, were hospitalized after eating the famous pastil, aMaguindanaoan Muslim dish made of steamed rice topped with shredded chicken adobo flakes.All the victims are now confined at theSouth Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH), hours after eating Pastil sold to them by a student of Sultan Kudarat State University-Lutayan campus in Barangay Blingkong, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat.Victims told DXOM-AM Radyo Bida in Koronadal City that the pastil was their lunch sold to them by a classmate who was also hospitalized.PO2 Romulo Lorania,

KORONADAL CITY -- Two teachers and 13 students of Sultan Kudarat State University - Lutayan campus were hospitalized after eating Pastil, a Muslim food Wednesday afternoon.The students and teachers who complained of severe stomach pain and dizziness were rushed to the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital at past 5 p.m.They said the pastil were bought from a side walk vendor outside the school campus.Medical officials are still determining if it was a case of food poisoning.

KORONADAL CITY - Two children, aged 5 and 1, were charred to deathwhen afire of still unknown origin razed a residential house in Purok Libertad,Barangay Top Land, Koronadal City Wednesday morning, officials said.Trapped and charredinside the house made of concrete andlight materials were 5-year-oldJohn Fritz Atubang and his younger sister, known as IC, one year old.

ESPERANZA, Sultan Kudarat - Two women, including a minor, who wereallegedly used as sex slaves by a man in Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat managed toescape Tuesday, police said.Police Senior Inspector Esbon Llamasares, Esperanza police chief, said the suspect who was later arrested befriended the two girls and extended help.But they were brought to the suspect's house and tied after allegedly molesting them.The survivors told police the suspect untied them one day.

KORONADAL CITY - Health officials in Surallah, South Cotabato are investigating whether a table salt triggered poisoning of about six persons Monday, officials said today.The six persons, whose identities were withheld by authorities, arenow under medication at a local health facility in town. Dr. Niel Crespo, Surallah health officer, said no conclusion yet as to what triggered nausea and dizziness of patients. All the victims belonged to one family living in the village of Dajay, Surallan. After we examined them, we advised them to go home,” Dr. Crespo told Radyo Bida dxOM-AM here.

MANILA (PNA) -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Mar Roxas II on Tuesday announced that President Aquino namedPolice Director Ricardo Marquez as the new chief of the 155,000-strong Philippine National Police (PNP), replacing officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina who is set to retire on Thursday.Marquez, was PNP director for operations where he oversaw the implementation of security preparations for Pope Francis' visit last January and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2015 meetings.Marquez, member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of

MANILA (PNA) -- Oil firms will cut prices of diesel by Php 1.50 per liter and gasoline by Php 0.55 per liter effective Tuesday morning.In an advisory, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC), Seaoil Philippines Inc. (SPI), and Petron Corp weill enforce the price cut by 12:01 a.m. Tuesday while PTT Philippines and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines by 6 a.m., also on Tuesday.Shell, Seaoil and Petron will also cut kerosene prices by Php 1.60/liter.Phoenix said the price reductions resulted from the continuous downward trend of petroleum prices in the international market.

MANILA (PNA) -- Malacanang said on Sunday it hopes that the initial talk with the communist party leaders in the Netherlands will lead to reopening of dialogue with the rebels. Sana po mula doon sa inisyal na pakikipag-usap ni (House) Speaker (Feliciano) Belmonte sa mga lider ng CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front) sa Netherlands ay magkaroon po ng progreso hinggil sa muling pagbubukas ng diyalogo o usapan sa pagitan ng dalawang panig,” said Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.

KORONADAL CITY - Extortion ang motibo na tinukoy ng militar sa pagsabog ng landmine sa Sitio Lamsugi, Upper Sepaka, Surallah, South Cotabato. Ayon kay Lt.Col. Ronald Jess Alcudia, ang Commanding Officer ng 27thInfantry Battalion ngmilitar naganap ang insidente dakong ala syete ng umaga kahapon. Ang landmine, ayon kay Alcudia, ay sumabog sa road construction project sa lugar. Pagsabog ng landmine agad namang gumanti ng putok ang CAFGU sa mga umanoy kasapi ng Front 73 ng New Peoples Army. Ang palitan ng putok sa pagitan ng mga CAFGUat mga rebelde ay tumagal ng halos 30 minuto.