NEWS BRIEFS | 16 August 2024

Cebu Pacific to open Davao-Tacloban flight in October

Cebu Pacific will open a new route connecting Mindanao to Eastern Visayas through the Davao-Tacloban-Davao flight three times a week starting in October.

Tourism and business stakeholders welcomed the announcement, saying it will bolster their sectors.

Karina Rosa Tiopes, Department of Tourism Region 8 Director said the new route will promote the region to the Mindanao market and as a MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events/exhibitions) destination. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)

Iligan City sets up checkpoints vs ASF

The local government of Iligan City has heightened its biosecurity measures to prevent the entry of pigs infected with the African Swine Fever (ASF).

Iligan veterinary officer Dr. Dahlia Valera said anti-ASF checkpoints have been established at the city borders to monitor trucks and vehicles carrying swine and pork products.

Valera said they are concerned with shipments trying to evade the checkpoints  to bypass the inspections.

She said Iligan remains in the “yellow zone” under the Department of Agriculture classification and is not considered “high risk.” (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)

5 suspects yield shabu worth P1M

Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operatives arrested five drug peddlers and seized P1 million worth of shabu and firearms in separate operations in the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao.

PDEA agents arrested three of the five suspects and seized 50 grams of shabu and a caliber .45 pistol in Purok Doña Aurora, Poblacion Village, Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur last Wednesday.

Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region said police arrested the two other suspects identified only as Nenita and Sam in Tubig Mampallam, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi and Kaungan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, respectively, last August 12. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)