What was the attraction of last Saturday’s election among local lawyers, being fair and free, would have belittled what national political elections have shown, the latter’s ugly face of violence and the cheating.

Known as the icon on the rule of law compliance, the local Intergrated Bar of the Philippines ZAMBASULTA (Zamboanga-Basilan-Sulu-Tawi-Tawi) Chapter, have time and again, focused its peaceful and orderly fashion of democratically selecting a new set of officers for 2007-2009.

Arroyo-backed senatorial candidate Prospero Pichay yesterday denied a published report that he had been asked to apologize former priest Crisanto “Monsi” Dela Cruz for having publicly announced that Mayor Celso L. Lobregat is the official standard bearer of TEAM Unity in Zamboanga City.

“There is nothing to apologize because what I said was the will of the Coalition,” Congressman Pichay, a known close ally of President Arroyo and stalwart of the Lakas party, told reporters over a mobile phone interview during Mayor Celso L. Lobregat’s weekly press briefing at City Hall yesterday.

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University School of Medicine ranks fourth among the 40 Philippine medical schools in the recently concluded Medical Licensure Board Examinations given by the Board of Medicine in the cities of Manila and Cebu last February 11, 12, 18 and 19, 2007.

The university garnered 87% passing rate (13 out of 15 examinees) compared to the national passing rate which is 53.42% (1,193 out of 2,233 examinees).

Nuevo Zamboanga Movement (NZM) leader and mayoralty aspirant Crisanto “Monsi” Dela Cruz yesterday disclosed that no amount of threats could make him stop from running in the May 14 elections.

This after an unidentified man broke into his house in Tetuan at dawn last Sunday .

At least eight persons were injured after the Mitsubishi car they were riding turned turtle along Maria Clara Lobregat Highway in Manicahan last Sunday night.

Injured were Eduardo Abella, 63, married, of San Roque, Estella Abella, Parita Lim, Prince Lim, Juliet Abella, Jhon Ivan Abella, Luciana Pajarito and Rita Flores.

Councilor Luis Climaco has decided to run as independent candidate in the May 14 election

Climaco said he is filing his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) with the City Election Office early next month.

City Police Director Sr. Supt. Manuel Barcena has commended local policemen for a job well done in securing the city during the weeklong celebration of the city’s 70th Charter Day.

Barcena said that during the weeklong , the police had a good working relation and coordination with the Task force Zamboanga under the leadership of Col. Alfredo Peralta in securing the city.

The city government of Zamboanga is once again preparing for the arrival of another European cruise ship in the city on March 5, 2007.

Mayor Celso Lobregat convened yesterday afternoon city government officials and other cooperating agencies to draw up plans and necessary preparations for the arrival of MV Astor with some 400 tourists from various European countries aboard.

Who is responsible for the payment of arrearages and penalty on delinquent loan amortization of teachers and employees of the Department of Education in Region 9?

The principal borrowers are the teachers and employees but payable accounts of loan amortization are deducted through IBM Payroll by the DepEd Accounting Division. In the past payroll deductions are made in IBM Manila. Todate, deduction of all sorts against teachers salary and receivables are made in the IBM regional office under the DepEd’s decentralization program.

I’ve been reading the newspaper everyday, but it seems my interest is being caught at the present controversy between the LDP and the Local Kampi-Lakas, which is actually confusing everybody. Which now? Maybe, our city should be declared an open city.

It just shows we can’t be sure of anything nowadays, and this is true, because even lovers can separate before they reach the altar, and food in the mouth can fall while eating. A twist of fate, as the expression goes. If the declaration of Cong. Pichay is true, the local LDP shouldn’t be blamed for it, because they have to abide with their leader, who is now with the Unity Party of the Administration. We all know that Cong. Villafuerte had anointed Crisanto dela Cruz as Kampi’s official candidate for the mayoralty race, and it was alleged that the local Lakas is affiliated with Kampi. We’re all curious on what the real score is.

Are we really celebrating the wrong day to commemorate the elevation of our city into a charter city?

I could hardly believe this when a good friend, Atty. Abelardo “Tongi” Climaco, Jr., revealed this to me the other night at Barangay Hanazono.

Some years ago, I had an amusing albeit humiliating experience when I gave a meditation to a group I considered to be educated and familiar with religious terms. I was talking about mortification.

With due preparation and using all sorts of arguments, examples, anecdotes, etc., I tried to effect some sound and fury to stir the audience to appreciate the value of mortification.

Never has there been an onus of peace initiatives in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao which, despite the peace pact between the Moro National Libertion Front and the government, still remained to be a veritable land of conflict.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front is one thing, the Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah terrorists band is another, and bitter clans war is yet another headache that refuse to go despite all the peace talks.

City Health Officer Rodel Agbulos has advised residents to practice responsible pet ownership to help minimize, if not eradicate, cases of dog bites in this city.

Agbulos made the call following observation that dog bites are still rampant in this city.

A total of six teams representing the tertiary and secondary levels will vie for the title in the Inter-School Cheer Dance contest set to be held today, at 1 p.m. at the city coliseum in Tetuan.

The cheer dance tilt will be held back to back with the Zamboanga City Dance Academy: The showdown (hip hop competition) which will also have 6 contestants coming from the tertiary and secondary levels.