ZAMBOANGA CITY—A top police official on Tuesday disclosed that the British businessman who was reported missing by his business partner was already located, brushing aside speculations that he might have been abducted or kidnapped.

The British national, James David Rowe, was reported missing to the police by his Chinese business associate, Fong Kwan Kong, on Friday several weeks after three foreign countries warned their respective nationals against traveling to Mindanao, including in this city.

The first to issue the travel advisory, warning their nationals against terror threats on foreign nationals, is the United States, followed by Australia, and the latest was the Canadian government.

Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) officer in charge Senior Supt. Lurimer Detran disclosed that Rowe was found in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, where the latter is staying, contrary to speculations that he might have been abducted.

Rowe was located by the San Carlos City police, with whom Detran coordinated to help them locate the British businessman, two days after he was reported missing by Kong in this city.

Kong appeared at the ZCPO on Friday, and reported that the British national was missing.

Kong, an auto-machine parts businessman, told the police that he and Rowe were supposed to meet on the evening of Thursday, but his partner failed to show up and cannot be located since then.

“Yes, he [Rowe] is now in Manila,” Detran said in a text message on Tuesday. It was not known as to what Rowe is doing in Manila. 

Detran, however, said that Kong, accompanied by his personnel, has forwarded a complaint of estafa against Rowe on Monday at the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Kong told the police that before Rowe has gone missing, he entrusted his partner the amount of P420,000 to purchase auto-machine parts in Manila but allegedly Rowe failed to delivered to him the goods.

Detran said his office will formally inform the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to place Rowe on the watch list to prevent him from leaving the country without facing the complaint filed against him.

“He (Rowe) was gone because of a transaction that went sour,” Detran said.

Mayor Celso Lobregat has expressed regrets that some foreign countries persist in isolating Mindanao from terror campaign, emphasizing anew that terrorism is a worldwide threat.

Lobregat said the effect is damaging and unfair to the areas cited in the advice-giving document although the travel advisories are meant to keep the citizens of a particular country safe and sound. 

Jelac to prioritize bigger budget for judiciary

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PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija—Defense lawyers prevailed over apparently ill-prepared prosecutors in the second hearing here Monday of the murder charges against four progressive party-list politicians, prompting the lady judge to crack humor unusual in courtroom proceedings. She gave both parties 15 days to determine probable cause to support the charges.

A Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) issued on Monday afternoon a warrant of arrest against Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz in connection with libel charges lodged against the prelate.

WHILE Southeast Asian exports—as a region—to the European Union (EU) continue to mount, the exception is the Philippines, whose own export to the EU has been in steady decline for the last five years.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A top police official on Tuesday disclosed that the British businessman who was reported missing by his business partner was already located, brushing aside speculations that he might have been abducted or kidnapped.

DEFENSE lawyers scored a major victory on Tuesday after they fended off attempts by military prosecutors to arraign the 28 military officers who are their clients on lesser charges of violating three Articles of War.

FORMER justice secretary Silvestre Bello III will replace Ricardo Saludo as secretary of the Cabinet once the latter is confirmed as Civil Service Commission chairman, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Tuesday.