Isle donations go to medical mission in Philippines

By Mary Vorsino
mvorsino@starbulletin.com

About $20,000 in donations collected through the Filipino Community Center for victims of the landslide in the Philippines will go to the Aloha Medical Mission, which is planning to leave for Leyte province on March 13.

Money collected through two fundraisers today will also be handed over to the Hawaii nonprofit group whose volunteer doctors provide medicine and health care to disaster victims.

"That's the most immediate need at this time," said Fil-Com Center President Geminiano Arre Jr.

More than 1,000 people died when an avalanche of mud buried the village of Guinsaugon in Leyte on Feb. 17.

Arre said a group of Filipino leaders in Hawaii who gathered at the Philippine Consulate General on Pali Highway yesterday voted to send donations to the Aloha Medical Mission.

The fundraisers today are at:

» Loulen Restaurant on North King Street from noon to 3 p.m. Arre said a portion of all food sales will go to victims.

» Rumours nightclub in the Ala Moana Hotel, starting at 6 p.m. Arre said tickets are being sold for $25, a portion of which will go to the relief efforts. Heavy pupus will be offered.

TO DONATE

The Fil-Com Center is still accepting donations for victims of the disaster at its center in Waipahu. Donations can be mailed to 94-428 Mokuola St., Suite 302; Waipahu, Hawaii 96797.

Checks should be made out to the Aloha Medical Mission, the American Red Cross or the Fil-Com Center, with a memo that the money go to landslide relief efforts.

Police, Fire, Courts

Star-Bulletin staff

LEEWARD OAHU

Pedestrian dies after being hit by car

A pedestrian in his 60s was killed while trying to cross Fort Weaver Road near Renton Road early yesterday, police said.

Police said the accident happened about 5:39 a.m. when a 32-year-old Waipahu man driving a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier struck the pedestrian as he was crossing outside of a crosswalk.

Speed is a likely factor in the crash, but alcohol and drugs were not involved.

The victim, whose name was not released yesterday, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the car was uninjured.

The traffic-related fatality is the 12th of the year for Oahu, compared to 11 at the same in 2005.

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Search to continue for Big Isle man, 79

At first light, Big Island firefighters were expected to resume their search for a 79-year-old man who was reported missing Thursday in Pahoa.

Hawaii County Fire Department Capt. Christopher Mantz said in a news release that the man was last seen about 11 a.m. Thursday.

A friend searched a nearby shoreline for him at the end of Highway 130 before calling authorities.

About 14 firefighters searched by air and on foot Friday and yesterday with no results.

They were expected to decide today whether to extend the search into the workweek.

Kauai crash victim ID'd as Lawai man

MOLOAA, Kauai » Kauai Police Department officials released the name of the victim who died in a Feb. 17 crash.

George Ewaliko Jr., 48, of Lawai, formerly of the Big Island, was driving northbound on Kuhio Highway near Moloaa bridge when he lost control of the vehicle, crossed the center line and collided with a truck, police said.

Ewaliko died at the scene, while the driver of the truck sustained minor injuries. Ewaliko is the third traffic fatality on Kauai this year.

HONOLULU

Confrontation leads to attack with scissors

A 48-year-old man was seriously injured yesterday after being stabbed in the abdomen with scissors, police and an Emergency Medical Services supervisor said.

The victim was apparently stabbed after a confrontation in Kakaako, near the Office Max store on Ala Moana Boulevard. Police arrested another man in his 40s.

An EMS supervisor said the victim was taken in serious but stable condition to the Queen's Medical Center.