It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203171 |
The Sandiganbayan has denied the appeal filed by the former chief of the Register of Deeds in the province of Bukidnon, and affirmed the ruling of the Bukidnon regional trial court (RTC) finding him guilty of graft and sentencing him to up to 10 years imprisonment.
In a decision dated June 6, the anti-graft court's Sixth Division denied the appeal filed by Atty. Manuel C. Felicia, and affirmed the 2020 ruling of the Bukidnon RTC finding him guilty of violation of RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
In affirming the conviction, the Sandiganbayan said that following Felicia's acts, "the registration process was railroaded, so to speak" and the integrity of the system "was subverted in a high-handed manner by the very official who swore to preserve it."
The tribunal said Felicia "arbitrarily bypassed statutory safeguards, and leapfrogged tax collection to make for the illicit conveyance.”
In 2008, the Office of the Ombudsman consolidated complaints against Felicia filed by the local Bureau of Internal Revenue regional director and private individuals following anomalies in the issuance of transfer certificate of titles from deceased registered owners.
In 2020, Felicia was arrested in an entrapment operation led by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) following a complaint by Policarpio Catalan claiming that Felicia asked for cash for the immediate approval and release of a certificate of land title.
The conviction of the former head of the Register of Deeds in Bukidnon for graft has been upheld.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/872445/coa-flags-amlc-s-overspending-on-meals-accommodations/story/ |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has questioned the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) for spending over P7.2 million for the conduct of its training, workshops and planning activities in hotels or resorts.
The COA, in its annual audit report for 2022, said such spending exceeds daily travel expense rates provided under Executive Order 77 by P4.57 million, which resulted in additional expenses by the AMLC.
COA said the actual daily expenses per participant for meals ranged from P1,600.00 to P3,250.00, while those for hotel accommodation ranged from P1,211.54 to P3,075.00.
The allowed expenses for these under order, however, only ranged from P450 to P660 for meals and P750 to P1,100 for lodging, depending on the location of the seminar.
The COA said the meals and accommodation in excess of the allowable rates under EO No. 77 for the conduct of 12 training/workshop/planning activities did not exhibit the economical use of government resources.
“We recommended that Management direct the Deputy Directors to ensure that expenses on training, seminars and planning activities are in accordance with the rates prescribed under EO No. 77 as applicable for prudence and economy in operations,” COA said.
“We also recommend that Management prioritize the lease of publicly-owned real property or venue,” it added.
The COA has accused the ALMC of misusing funds.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/06/11/2273065/cop-held-sexual-harassment |
A policeman was apprehended in Quezon City on Thursday after he was accused by a colleague, who is a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, of sexual harassment.
Executive M/Sgt. Harry Budomo, who is assigned at a police station in Quezon City, is the subject of a complaint from his co-worker, a 36-year-old corporal.
According to investigators, Budomo and the corporal had just completed their annual physical fitness test at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig and were on their way back to their office when Budomo asked about the corporal’s sexual relationship with her girlfriend, a question that she ignored.
The two boarded Budomo’s vehicle for their trip back to the station.
The corporal told investigators that Budomo brought her to the Madonna Lodge in Bagong Barrio West, Caloocan City and invited her to check into a room.
The corporal said when she called her cousin for help, Budomo drove the vehicle back to the station.
She jumped out of the vehicle at a traffic light along Quirino Highway and sought assistance from police officers, who arrested Budomo.
He faces a complaint of unjust vexation.
A cop has been accused of sexual harassment.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/11/barangay-treasurer-nabbed-for-shabu-in-apayao |
A barangay treasurer was arrested after he yielded shabu more than P3,600 during a search warrant operation in his house in Barangay Paddaoan here on Friday, June 9.
Police identified the suspect as Johny Lanna, 38, categorized as a high-value individual.
The Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of the Apayao Provincial Police Office implemented the search warrant issued by Judge Victor Cumigad of Branch 26, Regional Trial Court, Luna, Apayao.
Recovered from the suspect were one heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing suspected shabu weighing 0.29 grams worth P1,972 and one heat-sealed containing suspected shabu weighing 0.26 grams valued at P1,768.
A barangay treasurer has been busted for drugs.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203407 |
Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. on Tuesday said the agency has removed 26 and suspended two employees since last year.
In a statement, the BIR said the reasons for the dismissal of erring employees vary from grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, frequent unauthorized absences, falsification of official documents, gross neglect of duty, insubordination and absence without official leave.
"As we transform the BIR into an institution of integrity and excellence, we have removed 26 and suspended two erring employees. Keep in mind that you have no business working for the BIR if you fail to meet our standards for integrity and professionalism," Lumagui said.
The BIR has sacked 26 officials over various offenses.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203471 |
Criminal cases have been filed against 50 police officers before the Office of the Ombudsman for their involvement in the alleged cover-up in the PHP6.7-billion drug bust in October last year, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said on Tuesday.
The number includes 12 police commissioned officers (PCO) and 38 police non-commissioned officers (PNCO).
“Aside from the criminal charges filed against these police officers, the Napolcom is conducting administrative proceedings. The Napolcom has completed its pre-charge investigation against the 48 PNP officers and members that appeared in the video and expects to issue its resolution after about 15 days," Abalos said in a press briefing at DILG main office in Quezon City.
The DILG chief clarified that these criminal cases were filed before the Office of the Ombudsman and the administrative case proceedings are now ongoing.
50 cops have been criminally charged in connection with a drug bust.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/14/7-ex-pnr-officials-convicted-of-graft-charges-in-p47-m-wood-purchases |
The Sandiganbayan has convicted seven former officials of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) of two graft charges in the purchases of more than P47 million worth of wood in 2013.
Convicted were former division manager Abdul Aziz M. Pangandaman, former department managers Estelito A. Nierva and Ruben Arsenue Besmonte, lawyer Neofito C. Perilla, assistant department manager Gracia D. Dantes, and principal engineers Cesar Lasquite Bocanog and Mario "Marlo" Dator Arias.
They were sentenced to a prison term ranging from six to 10 years for each count of graft and perpetually disqualified to hold public office.
The first graft charge involved the purchase of 9,090 Larch wood bridge ties, 428 pieces Larch wood joint ties, and 25 sets Larch wood switch ties worth P37,747,832.60 from Nikka Trading even if the bidding documents required Yakal wood.
In the second charge, while the documents required Yakal wood, the accused allowed the delivery of 1,040 Larch wood bridge ties, 514 pieces of Larch wood joint ties, and 16 sets of Larch wood switch ties for P9,387,148.23.
In its decision, the anti-graft court said the seven accused acted with gross inexcusable negligence when they allowed the delivery of Larch wood and not Yakal wood despite the specification of Yakal during the award and post-qualification proceedings.
"There was certainly a substantial variance between the terms and conditions under which the bids were invited, conducted, and contracted, with the goods delivered after the award," the court said.
"There was a duty to act, to verify, and to ascertain that the goods subject of the procurement was Yakal. Had Larch wood been intended at the outset, this should have been accurately reflected, at least as compliant, in the technical specification aspect of the evaluation and awarding process," it added.
Seven PNR officials have been convicted of graft.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/09/23/coa-pet-in-unnecessary-indebtedness-of-p5-m-to-marcos-p8-m-to-robredo |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has recommended to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET) to notify President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former Vice President Leni Robredo to withdraw their unused amount of P13.317 million intended for the 2016 vice presidential electoral protest expenditures.
In the 2022 audit report on the PET, state auditors noted that Robredo has an unutilized cash deposit of P8.164 million while Marcos Jr. has a balance of P5.152 million.
The cash deposits were intended to cover expenses such as the delivery of ballot boxes and election paraphernalia to the tribunal and their return after the case is terminated.
“The inability of management to return the unutilized excess cash deposits of protesting parties is not in conformity with Rule 33 of the 2010 Rules of PET, and place PET in unnecessary indebtedness from a private individual and the President of the Philippine Government,” the state auditors said.
The PET owes money to Robredo and Marcos over the 2016 poll protest.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/6/15/retired-paf-officer-dies-in-accidental-shooting-in-batangas |
A retired Philippine Air Force (PAF) officer died after he accidentally shot himself while cleaning his handgun on Wednesday afternoon, June 14, in Barangay Naturuan here.
Victim was identified as Florencio Nitro, 67, a retired second lieutenant.
Investigation said Nitro was cleaning his licensed Armscor caliber .45 pistol in his house when it accidentally went off.
The victim sustained a bullet wound in the chest and died on the spot.
Investigators recovered the gun, an empty magazine, a deformed slug, a fired cartridge of caliber.45, lubricant spray, and a piece of rug from the scene.
A retired PAF officer has accidentally killed himself while cleaning his gun.
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