Cebu Daily News Rewind 2015 (Part 2)

A malfunctioning water sprinkler system brought the house down — or rather the ceiling — of a movie theater rented for a corporate event   at Ayala Center  in June last year.

Panic also broke out among inmates at the Cebu provincial Jail that same month  in a case of case of mass hysteria which was blamed on  cramped conditions inside.

Manila comedian Vice Ganda made the news with his  provocative billboards that were taken down by orders of Cebu City Hall.

2015 also saw domestic violence cases that resulted in deaths — Agnaleen Uy, wife of Chinese businessman Wayne Christopher Uy was found tied up with a gunshot wound in the nape  last October, two months after  lady lawyer Amelie Alegre, was killed in a car ambush in Mandaue City.

One other case of domestic violence  in February last year  thankfully didn’t end in death.  Pearl Ungab, wife of Ronda Vice Mayor Jonah John Ungab and his  female law firm partner Jiecel Tiu whom the wife  accused of being his mistress were part of love triangle that prompted Mrs. Ungab to chase Tiu  with a baseball bat.

A Scene of the Crime (SOCO) investigator examines the car where the remains of Agnelen E. Uy was found at Almendras Street in barangay Mabolo.

Businessman Jaime Blas Villaceran was shot in broad daylight in Colon street, Cebu City in July. Two months later in September,  college student Karen Montebon was strangled  at home in a Lapu-Lapu City subdivision. The  search for her killer  ended with the suspect identified as Ruben Fernandez being shot dead in a village in Bohol province.

Business last year saw Cebu City reaping the  fruits of its investment, the South Road Properties when a partnership between SM and Ayala paid more than P8 billion as downpayment to City Hall for two prime lots in July.

The downpayment which was included in Supplemental Budget 1 got entangled up in a court case filed by a former prosecutor. SM also encountered a  hiccup when its fleet of MyBus liners was opposed by  transport groups fearful of competition.

Sea transport took a beating when 35 passengers headed to Pilar town in Bantayan Island died after the boat they rode on, the MB Kim Nirvana, overturned off the waters of Ormoc City pier in July last year.

The headline event as far as the economy goes was  the series of meetings  in Metro Cebu for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) from August to September. Like Manila where the culminating event was held, Metro Cebu experienced heavy traffic congestion due to partial road closures imposed by traffic authorities for the APEC delegates.

APEC delegates enjoy a ride in the tartanilla while touring around Cebu City.

But the year wasn’t all that good for foreign visitors in Cebu as two Korean divers  Baek Seung Kyoon and Kim Eun barely survived while their fellow Korean diver Heo Seung Yung died when they proceeded with a diving trip despite a gale warning.

And while some tourism officials took issue with higher hotel rates for APEC delegates, the Chinese embassy in Cebu  was rocked with the bizarre shooting spree of  a the spouse of a female consul. The Chinese couple was arrested and  whisked off to China on a chartered flight days after the incident.

Cebu police and a SWAT team reenact a bizarre shooting by the retired spouse of a Chinese diplomat. The new Chinese consul was injured and two other diplomats were killed at the LightHouse restaurant.

October was the last month for the filing of candidacies. Among the significant development was the confirmed defection of Cebu City Councilor Mary Ann de los Santos to the Osmeña camp and Winston Garcia’s announcement to run for governor against incumbent Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III.