Retards in the Government 223

 It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1482505/lacson-bares-p1m-overprice-in-govt-purchase-of-ambulances

Ambulances purchased by the national government were “overpriced” by P1 million per unit, Senator Panfilo Lacson bared Thursday.

In an interview with INQside Look, Lacson said that under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health, ambulances with equipment were procured at P2.5 million per unit.

However, upon checking with local government units (LGUs) that purchased the same unit of ambulance with the same equipment, the cost only amounted to P1.5 million.

Lacson said he is “personally upset” by the overpriced purchases especially when he was the one who realigned the 2021 budget to provide additional funding for HFEP.

More irregular purchases by the government. This time overpriced ambulances.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152575

A village councilman from San Carlos City and a driver from Antipolo City were arrested on Saturday morning for facilitating the illegal entry of persons from Metro Manila to Pangasinan. 

In an interview, Pangasinan Police information officer, Maj. Arturo Melchor Jr. identified the suspects as Jayrald Gutierrez, 32, of Barangay Balococ, San Carlos City and Ernanie Rasalan, 38, a driver of a transport network vehicle service (TNVS) firm. They were apprehended at about 8:30 a.m.

“Personnel of (the) Rosales Police Station chance(d) upon the suspects’ vehicles during their patrolling. The suspects were transporting five unauthorized persons outside of residence (UPOR) in a van and another six UPOR in a Toyota Innova,” Melchor said. 

Upon verification, the police found out that the passengers do not have the necessary documents for them to be allowed entry into the province as travel restrictions remain in place, he added.

A village councilman has been arrested for helping facilitate the entry of people into travel restricted zones.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152577

Government troops here intercepted live ammunition, grenades, and food supplies belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) on Friday night.

In a statement on Saturday, Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., Director of the Police Regional Office-13 (Caraga), said they arrested the couriers who were transporting the contrabands in Purok 1B, Barangay Pianing, Butuan City.

Caramat identified the couriers as Ferdinand Dagium, 27, and his brother Rolando, 34; and Marvin Pepito Merencillo, 26.

Ferdinand is a councilor of Barangay Magsaysay in Sibagat, Agusan del Sur, while Merencillo, is a resident of Purok 1, Barangay Mount Ararat, Bayugan City.

They belong to the Regional Sentro de Grabidad of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the NPA.

A courier for the NPA is also a barangay councilor.

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2021/09/07/199608/malabon-execs-called-out-for-mama-mary-birthday-greeting-tarp-with-their-faces-names/

A tarpaulin that was a supposed greeting for the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary displayed glaring images of some local politicians in Malabon City.

Priest and TikTok creator Fr. Fiel Pareja posted a photo of it and called it out online.

“I am speechless!” Pareja wrote with a zipped-up emoji.

The photo showed the tarpaulin with the greeting: “The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

It also has a message printed in smaller font that reads: “Ipagdasal po natin ang patuloy na pag-asenso ng bawat pamilyang Malabonian.”

However, images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose birthday is being celebrated only became the backdrop of the material.

Instead, larger photos and names of government officials were given the spotlight on the tarpaulin.

LGU officials hung a tarp celebrating the nativity of the Virgin Mary but their faces "were given the spotlight."

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/398889/love-interest-personal-grudge-eyed-in-killing-of-brgy-councilor-in-danao-city

Love interest and personal grudge are being eyed by authorities as possible motives behind the killing of a barangay councilor in Danao City past 10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 7. 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, Danao City Police Station commander, said that they already have two persons of interest who can help them in finding the killer of Pedrito Manco, 64, the first councilor of Barangay Cahumayan. 

These were based on the information they gathered from the relatives and neighbors of the victim. 

(Accordingly, the councilor has a lover who is said to be married and whose husband works as a firearm manufacturer, He is one of our Person of Interest (POI). The other POI is somebody whom the councilor had a conflict before about a contested boundary of a lot in their barangay.) 

Initial police investigation revealed that while Manco and his wife Rosita were sitting on a bench inside their house on Tuesday morning, the suspect suddenly appeared and asked if Manco was the first councilor of the barangay. 

When Manco reportedly affirmed that he was, the suspect immediately drew his firearm and shoot the victim several times resulting in his untimely death. 

Police said the wife, who was not hurt, failed to recognize the suspect who was wearing a mask and who immediately fled onboard his getaway motorcycle after the attack.

A councilor who was having an affair with a lady married to a firearm manufacturer who is now a person of interest in the assassination of the councilor.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1153032

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday ordered the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) to expedite summary dismissal proceedings against a policeman who was arrested for gunrunning and illegal sale of motor vehicles.

In a statement, Eleazar identified the erring cop as Staff Sgt. Michael Salinas, assigned at the Manila Police District, who was among the eight people arrested in separate operations on Sept. 3 and 4.

“I have already directed the Internal Affairs Service to initiate summary dismissal proceedings against him,” Eleazar said.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. earlier said Salinas could be the leader of the group.

On Sept. 3, authorities recovered a Mitsubishi Expander without a plate number and fake documents from suspects Arman Estanol and Jon Marvin Toledo in an operation in Bacoor City, Cavite at around 5 p.m.

A few hours later, Salinas and suspects Edwin Justo, Bern Bryan Pingol, and Arnold Aron Miranda were arrested in an operation at a gasoline station in Parañaque City. Recovered from them were various firearms such as a sub machinegun, a Glock 19 9-mm pistol, a Glock 17 9-mm pistol, and various ammunition.

A cop was arrested for gunrunning and illegal sale of motor vehicles. They say he might be the leader of the group.