By: Tara Yap

THE GOVERNMENT Association of Certified Public Accountants (GACPA) assured it will implement the government integrated financial management information systems (GIFMIS).

“We have to see to it that this program is being implemented,” said GACPA president Lourdes Castillo during its 34th Annual National Convention in Iloilo City that last May 16-18.

The GIFMIS is designed to automate and integrate all government transactions of national government agencies as a means of ensuring transparency in the appropriation and disbursement of public funds.

The Bureau on Treasury (BOT), Commission on Audit (COA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and Department of Finance (DOF) are the four government agencies tasked to implement the Public Financial Management Reforms Roadmap.

TWO TOWNS added to the list of municipalities in Northern Iloilo whose fisherfolks have committed to stop “hulbot-hulbot” (fishing vessel using Danish Seine fishing gear) operations.

Fisherfolks in the municipalities of Banate and Batad have also signed separate manifestos signifying their full support to the provincial government’s campaign against illegal fishing activities, acknowledging that “hulbot-hulbot” is environmentally destructive.

They were also supported by Mayors Renerose Caborubias of Banate and Pedro Alarcon of Batad.

Fisherfolks from the towns of San Dionisio, Ajuy, and Concepcion were the first to issue manifestos stopping “hulbot-hulbot” operations in their area.

MANILA – Court Administrator and Supreme Court spokesman Jose Midas Marquez on Friday said there will be no "court holiday" when Chief Justice Renato Corona takes the witness stand in his impeachment trial on May 22, Tuesday.

Marquez, however, said court employees are more than welcome to show their support for the embattled chief magistrate.

"[But] They [will have to] file for leave," he told GMA News Online.

As court administrator, Marquez has supervision over 27,000 court personnel and 2,000 justices of the 3rd level courts and judges.

Mar Aguilar, president of the Sandiganbayan Employees Association and ad-hoc president of the Judiciary Employees Association, said they have no plans of collectively skipping work on Tuesday.

THE KILLING of the a seaman at Smallville Complex Thursday last week prompted the region's top cop to call for an investigation on the liability of the duty guards and the security agency, which they represent.

C/Supt. Cipriano E. Querol, Jr., director of Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), said he directed the Security Agencies and Guards Unit (SAGU) to investigate the guards on duty at Aura Chillout Lounge during the shooting incident at about 1:35pm of May 10, 2012 that resulted to the death of Glenn Lasafin, 29, married, seaman, of Brgy. Quintin Salas, Jaro, Iloilo City and wounding of Sante Norman Pampliega, 24, single, of Aurora Subdivision, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.

The police identified the suspect as Julian Silvederio III, 22, single of Brgy. Tabuc Suba, Jaro, Iloilo City. He was immediately arrested by security guards Leopoldo Vasquez, Abelardo Quirino, and John Horario of Grand Royale Security Agency.