Independence Day

Manila veep fumes over rites

MANILA Vice Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso lamented that the observance of Independence Day in the city yesterday “was not spared from politics.” Moreno, who attended the flag-raising and wreath-laying ceremony at the Rizal Monument yesterday morning, expressed surprise why the supposed program was changed without notifying the city government. Environment Secretary and former Manila Mayor Lito Atienza led the Independence Day ceremony in Luneta. Moreno attended the event to represent Mayor Alfredo Lim who, in turn, was at the North Cemetery to lead other city officials in paying tribute to the revolutionaries and veterans who fought for the country’s independence. The vice mayor also claimed that even Manila Representative Amado Bagatsing was denied any participation in the program which, he learned, was prepared by the “Lupon ng Araw ng Kalayaan 2009.” Tina G. Santos

Theft charge vs ex-househelp

AN ELDERLY psychologist living in Quezon City has accused her former househelp of stealing half a million pesos from her bank account and jewelry amounting to more than P2 million. In a complaint at the Quezon City prosecutors office, Concepcion Diy, 78, of Cubao, claimed that her househelp, Darvie Jean Ebreo, drained her ATM of more than half a million pesos last year. Diy filed the qualified theft complaint after seeking the help of the National Bureau of Investigation, which summoned the respondent to give her side but to no avail. Julie M. Aurelio

UE classes reopening moved

AS PRECAUTIONARY measures against Influenza A(H1N1), the University of the East (UE) announced that the opening of Elementary and High School classes in both UE Manila and UE Caloocan has been moved to June 15. The UE Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center Inc. (UERMMMCI) also said the opening exercises and recognition day of the College of Medicine has been moved to June 15.