A hour-long gunfight broke out between two feuding armed groups in barangay Sambulawan, Dinas, Zamboanga del Sur last Monday afternoon.

A police report disclosed that two men were killed while a third was wounded when the Norman Amil alias Commander Ramsey faction clashed with the group of Camel Lao alias Commander Ruben.

Five men were arrested for allegedly raping a 27-year-old woman in Barangay Zambowood last Monday night.

Police identified the suspects as Ahmad Sittin, 18, Yazdi Askali, 25, Nurmisuari Ahmad, 18, Sanny Mihan, 17, of Zambowood and Yashin Yacob, 22, of Mariki.

Jomar L. Lobregat, younger brother of Mayor Celso L. Lobregat, is pressing on his bid for the congressional seat in the city''s first district, contrary to speculations that he would give up in favor of another Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) stalwart.

"I am not backing out of the race and I will respect to whatever selection process the party (LDP) will apply (for its congressional bet in the first district)..." Jomar Lobregat told newsmen in a press conference yesterday.

The city will once again unfold its colorful culture and unique tradition on Sunday in Dipolog City in what promises to be a grand Wow, Philippines! presentation initiated yearly by the Department of Tourism. Yesterday was the opening of this annual festival of songs and dances with no less than Mayor Celso L. Lobregat and some city officials leading our delegation and full-toned float, zestfully and distinctively designed by the people from the city''s General Services Office. We''re going to put a memorable show on Sunday as equally impressive as last year''s when we first hosted this Wow, Philippines, Biyahe, Na!" tourism program conceived to draw tourists from all over the country and the world.

Zamboanga is an indivisible city. We are exceptionally blessed with good fortunes. Our soil can grow anything. We have an abundance of mineral resources, although the Catholic Church opposes their extraction, afraid that it might destroy the environment and the perceived devastation it may create on our ecosystems. Wealth is well apportioned in a sense that there is a small percentage of people (and they''re not even from this place) who we consider poor, but who can eat three times daily and send their kids to school. We call them the urban poor. But they, like the middle class, the upper middle class and the rich know what a city should be. It becomes now our task -- those who were born here and have lived here -- to end this Integrated Bar of the Philippines-instigated creation of a Zamboanga Hermosa Province for this is treachery to our genesis as a people and as a city. Is it not our duty (definitely not the IBP''s) to give our people a taste of metropolitan authenticity and a sense of cityhood by preserving what we have fought for through our former gatekeepers, starting from Nicasio Valderrosa down to our incumbent mayor?

The city government took upon its shoulders the function of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in raising the issue of an expired foreshore lease and has set its priority into looking deeper on the issue. What is really the reason behind this brouhaha?

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That is the question now often asked by curious political observers. Definitely, the answer will be forthcoming. It may be very soon or a little later.

Various factors such as the endorsement of the united local opposition and the pledges of full support coming from the various groups in the city urging him to run for Mayor in the coming 2007 mid-year election, coupled with the numerous and unresolved social and economic problems besetting the city, Monsignor Cris de la Cruz might answer the clamor for a new leadership.

A man was stabbed to death by two unidentified men who robbed the motorcycle he was driving in Barangay Malagutay last Saturday night.

A police report identified the fatality as Arnulfo Maghinay, a resident of Recodo.

The city will not be as tough in opposing Charter Change.

This after a party decision of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino during its recent national convention ruled in favor of constitutional change.

Mayor Celso L. Lobregat yesterday announced that he is activating the incentive board to lure businessmen to invest in the city.

The board will be composed of Vice Mayor Beng Climaco, the chairman of the City Council''s Committee on Trade, and representatives from the business and other sectors with the mayor as board chairman.

Two unidentified men stole a Kawasaki Nexus motorcycle owned by the father of a patient confined at the Zamboanga City Medical Center last Sunday morning.

A police report disclosed that Carlos Apolinario, 23, married of Cabaluay discovered his motorcycle missing around 6 a.m.

A simple misunderstanding between friends ended up in a violence in which a man was beaten up to death by two brothers in Barangay Sitog, Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte last Sunday.

The suspects were arrested and were detained at the Katipunan Municipal Police Station.

In a world where hunger and joblessness are growing threats, the agricultural profession offers a challenging and highly-rewarding career to young Filipinos.

The number of jobs available in industries and even service professions are at this time shrinking throughout the world, mainly because mechanization from technological innovations. Even highly industrialized countries are facing increasing unemployment in white collar sectors, Public Affairs Office (PAO) Director Prof. Ali Yacub noted. But jobs and career opportunities in agriculture will grow and become more rewarding especially if government will come up with better policies and programs, he said.

Sangguniang Kabataan National Vice President for Mindanao and Mindanao Federation President Councilor John Dalipe has expressed gratitude to Mayor Celso L. Lobregat for his support and warm welcome afforded the youth leaders of Mindanao during the successful 1st Sangguniang Kabataan Mindanao Congress held last May 26-28 at the Garden Orchid Hotel.

The theme of the SK Congress was "Kabataan Magkaisa at Magsama-sama Tungo sa Kaunlaran ng Mindanao". It was attended by youth leaders from all over Mindanao. Delegates were from Region 11, South Cotabato Sarangani Gen. Santos City, Davao City, CARAGA Region, Northern Mindanao, Cagayan De Oro City, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula.

The Sta. Maria Police Station won the championship round in the two-day 1st Zamboanga City Police Office Director''s Cup shooting competition held the Execom shooting range in Boalan last Saturday and Sunday.

The Zamboanga City Police Office Team 1 emerged as 1st runner up while Team 2 landed as 2nd runner up.

Monsignor Cris dela Cruz is a dear friend. The congregation wouldn''t want to lose him to the "dirtiest game in town" -- politics. He is better off as a priest, a person called to the immediate service of the Deity, a mediator between God and man and a teacher of religious truths. To relate the word priest to politics is just like linking it to the magicians, the medicine men of the religions of the primitive people. I almost made it to the priesthood, but my wife and I beat the Jesuits to the altar. I was then taught by Fr. Juan Sanz (the last I heard, he was very sick) that the essential correlative of priesthood is sacrifice. Yes. SACRIFICE. Priests are not mere leaders of public prayers. Anyone who comes in their way of preaching the words of God and performing their apostolic mission is a devil. This is my belief.

Last week, Atty. Manny Luna divulged what would have been a secret caucus of some of the stalwarts of the Lakas, a party linked to Malacañang and managed locally by ex-politicians. In that caucus, as the story goes, it was urged that Lakas would initiate a signature campaign to egg Msgr. Cris to run for mayor in next year''s election. Not that he isn''t qualified to run for public office (remember the late Mayor Cesar C. Climaco fielding Patarasa as the opposition''s candidate in the regional assembly election in the 80s?), for the chief activity of a priest is his education in Theology, math, business and other secular disciplines. I wouldn''t want to see Msgr. Cris leave the priesthood because some ineffectual, misguided and aging politicians are pushing him to give up his religious vows and run for public office. "Youth is nimble, age is lame," wrote William Shakespeare.