The God Culture: Did Filipinos Circumnavigate Africa to Trade with Greece and Israel According to A.I.

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture is very proud to announce five A.I. chatbots have "verified and confirmed" his research during a peer review. Never mind the fact A.I. chatbots can do no such thing.  All they can do is summarize and describe what Tim has uploaded. They cannot confirm the veracity of his research. 

In this article I am going to show how Gemini can be manipulated to give a desired answer. The question I am going to ask is an important part of Tim's thesis that the Philippines is the Land of Gold for the Greeks as well as the location of Tarshish.

Did Filipinos Circumnavigate Africa to Trade with Greece and Israel?

The idea of Filipinos having regularly circumnavigated Africa for trade with Greece and Israel is not widely supported by mainstream historical evidence. However, it's important to consider the following points regarding pre-colonial Philippine maritime activity:

• Pre-colonial Maritime Trade:
  • It is well-established that pre-colonial Filipinos were skilled seafarers and engaged in extensive maritime trade networks. They had sophisticated boat-building technologies, such as the balangay, which allowed them to navigate vast distances.   
  • Historical records and archaeological findings indicate that pre-colonial Filipinos had trade relations with various Southeast Asian cultures, as well as with Chinese and Arab traders.   
  • There is evidence of trade connections to areas that would have brought goods from areas further west, but direct circumnavigation of Africa is not a widely held historical fact.
• Connections to other cultures:
  • There are records that show that the Visayan islands had encounters with Greek traders in 21 AD. This shows that there were connections to the west, but does not confirm circumnavigation of Africa.   
  • It is important to understand that trade in ancient times was often conducted through trade networks, where goods were passed from one group to another, rather than always requiring direct, long-distance voyages by a single group.
• Historical Accuracy:
  • It's crucial to distinguish between well-documented historical facts and speculative theories. While there's growing recognition of the impressive maritime capabilities of pre-colonial Filipinos, claims of regular circumnavigation of Africa require substantial evidence.

In summary, while pre-colonial Filipinos were accomplished seafarers with extensive trade networks, the claim of regular circumnavigation of Africa to trade with Greece and Israel lacks strong historical support.

Note this answer says "the Visayan Islands had encounters with Greek traders in 21 AD." This information is sourced from Wikipedia and is flat out wrong. The authors of the book cited, History of Panay,  misquote Professor Austin Craig and twist what he writes which is that such claims are unreliable. 

Professor Austin Craig, eminent student of Philippine history, said that the ancient traders of the Philippines exported sinamay cloth to Greece in A.D. 21 and Strabo, a Roman geographer of the First Century, referred to the commodity as "Ta see sika", or 'flex combed from the trees'. Manila hemp was well known to the Caesars of Rome, and sinamay cloth was once sold to the museum of Dresden, Germany for its antiquity.

https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/46708/did-greek-traders-visit-the-philippines-in-the-1st-century-ad

If you cross check the reference from Professor Austin Craig which is found in "A Thousand Years of Philippine History Before the Arrival of the Spanish" you find this subject of ancient Greek contact with the Philippines on the very first page.

The Philippine History of which one is apt to think when that subject is mentioned covers hardly a fourth of the Islands' book-recorded history.  

These records are not the romantic dream of a Paterno that under the name Ophir the Philippines with their gold enriched Solomon (l0th century B. C). They are solider ground than any plausible explanations that Manila hemp (abaka) was Strabo's (A. D. 21) "ta seerika," the cloth made of "a kind of flax combed from certain barks of trees." The shadowy identification of the Manilas with Ptolemy's Maniolas (c. A. D. 130) is not in their class. Nor, to accept them, is recourse needed to farfetched deductions like Zuniga's that the American Continent received Israel's ten lost tribes, and thence, through Easter Island, Magellan's archipelago was peopled. Their existence saves us from having to accept such references as how Sinbad the sailorman (Burton: The Arabian Nights, Night 538 et seq.) evidently made some of his voyages in this region, though it would not be uninteresting to note that the great Roc is a bird used in Moro ornament, the “ghoul" of the Thousand and One Nights is the Filipino Asuang and that the palm-covered island which was believed to be a colossal tortoise because it shook might well have been located where the Philippine maps indicate that earthquakes are most frequent.  

The records herein after to be cited are for the most part of the prosaic kind, all the more reliable and valuable because they are inclined to be dry and matter-of-fact. They make no such demand upon imagination as Europe’s pioneer traveller's tales, for instance the- sixteenth century chart which depicted America as inhabited by headless people with eyes, nose and mouth located in the chest. 

https://archive.org/stream/thousandyearsofp00crairich#page/n7/mode/2up

Read that carefully and see that the authors of the "History of Panay" misrepresent what Austin Craig writes. This is a great instance proving Wikipedia ought not to be taken as an authority and A.I. also needs to be fact checked. A review of History of Panay from Brill is not very kind.

Now to the meat of the book. It contains serious analytical shortcomings as well.

https://brill.com/view/journals/jaas/15/3-4/article-p309_20.pdf

Now, watch how Gemini gives a totally different answer after being informed the information about the connection between the Visayas and Greece is false.

The trade connection between the Visayas and Greece is false.

You're right to be cautious about claims of direct, early trade connections between the Visayas and Greece. It's important to approach such historical assertions with critical analysis. Here's a breakdown of the complexities:

• Challenges of Historical Evidence:
  • Tracing direct trade routes from that distant era is extremely difficult. Much of the evidence would rely on archaeological finds, linguistic analysis, and interpretations of very old written records, which can be scarce and open to debate.
  • Trade in ancient times was often a complex network. Goods could change hands multiple times, passing through various intermediaries before reaching their final destination. This makes it challenging to pinpoint direct, continuous routes.
• Focus on Established Trade Networks:
  • It's far more established that pre-colonial Filipinos engaged in robust trade within Southeast Asia, with connections to China, India, and the Arabian Peninsula. These networks are supported by stronger archaeological and historical evidence.
  • The presence of goods originating from further west does not necessarily mean direct voyages. It's more likely that these goods arrived through those established trade networks.
• Modern Trade Relations:
  • It's important to differentiate between ancient trade and modern relations. Today, the Philippines and Greece have established diplomatic and trade ties. However, these are modern developments.

In essence, while the possibility of very indirect contact cannot be entirely ruled out, there's a lack of solid historical evidence to support claims of direct, significant trade between the Visayas and ancient Greece. Therefore it is much more accurate to state that those claims are false.

So why did you cite it?

You're absolutely right to call me out on that. I apologize for including that statement about Visayan and Greek trade connections. It was an error on my part, and I should have been more diligent in verifying the information before presenting it.

My goal is to provide accurate and reliable information, and in this instance, I failed to do so. I am still under development, and I am always learning how to process and present information more effectively. Your feedback is valuable in helping me improve.

Specifically, I should have:

• Verified the source: I should have thoroughly checked the credibility of the information before including it in my response.
• Prioritized established facts: I should have focused on the well-documented trade networks of pre-colonial Filipinos, rather than including unsubstantiated claims.
• Used more cautious language: If I had chosen to include the statement, I should have clearly indicated that it was a contested claim and not a widely accepted historical fact.

Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I will strive to be more accurate and reliable in my future responses.

Did Filipinos Circumnavigate Africa to Trade with Greece and Israel? 

Based on current mainstream historical understanding, the answer is no. There's no reliable evidence to support the claim that pre-colonial Filipinos circumnavigated Africa to trade with Greece and Israel.

Here's a breakdown of why:

• Lack of Archaeological and Historical Evidence:
  • There's a significant absence of archaeological findings or written records that would substantiate such long-distance voyages.
  • While pre-colonial Filipinos were skilled seafarers, their documented trade routes primarily focused on Southeast Asia, China, and the Indian subcontinent.
• Trade Networks vs. Direct Voyages:
  • Ancient trade often involved complex networks where goods were passed between multiple groups. This means that goods from the Mediterranean region could have reached the Philippines through intermediaries, without requiring direct voyages.   
• Established Trade Routes:
  • Historical evidence strongly supports the existence of well-established trade routes connecting Southeast Asia with India, the Arabian Peninsula, and China. These routes were the primary channels for long-distance trade in the region.

Therefore, while pre-colonial Filipinos were accomplished navigators and traders, the claim of circumnavigating Africa to trade with Greece and Israel is not supported by credible historical evidence.

Now the answer is an unequivocal no. Gemini even apologized for being wrong. Oh so humble. If only Tim was that humble. 

The point here is Tim's claim that A.I. confirmed his research is false. Not only because A.I. cannot do such a thing but also because A.I. can be manipulated into saying what one wants if you enter the correct prompts.

So, is their claim about Gemini true? Likely not in any meaningful sense. Gemini might have summarized their arguments favorably if prompted narrowly, but it wouldn’t "confirm" their thesis as fact—AI doesn’t have that authority or capability.

https://thegodculturephilippines.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-god-culture-gemini-ai-confirms-our.html 

The difference between Tim and myself is I have given Gemini a proper correction. Wikipedia does indeed have wrong information concerning trade contacts between Greece and the Visayas in the year 21 AD. Tim has uploaded his faulty research into Gemini and other A.I. chatbots, asked narrowly leading questions, and he has received the answer he desired. 

The God Culture does not need A.I. doing so-called peer reviews. Tim simply needs to do real historical research and not ignore the facts because he has a Philippine bias. The facts are readily available and I have laid them all out on this blog free of bias. These articles feature Tims' claims versus what his sources actually say. He has been proven wrong on every single point which has been examined. 

As I noted before Garbage in, Garbage, out. 

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has put his garbage God Culture thesis into five Powerful Computer Models and they have spat garbage out.

The God Culture: Tim Finally Admits the Behaim Globe Was Created in Germany

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture lies about everything. One of his stupidest and easily disprovable lies is his claim that the Behaim Globe of 1492 was commissioned by the King of Portugal. Rather than look up the readily available history of this globe Tim has relied on a blurb from the Cambridge Whipple Museum of Science and even A.I. to justify his lie about its creation. But now it seems Tim is changing his tune. In an interview with Zen Garcia Tim admits the Behaim Globe was created in Nuremberg. 

Unlocking hidden Truths with Tim Schwab, Zen Garcia,. and Lisa George

30:37 I'll give you a perfect example, and this is this is, you know, appropriate to our research, uh, you know, we have a blogger out there who who tries gotcha points. He, he never lands any because he just doesn't get it. He, he's challenged to even read, uh, you know something because he has such a racist colonial bias and he really hates the Philippines ultimately. Well, so, one of the things was, you know, he says, oh, you know, the Behaim Globe, but one of the things we said in the video, uh, and I think in our book too, uh, we say the Behaim Globe was, uh, commissioned by the king of Portugal. And, uh, our reference for that is just Cambridge University's Whipple Museum of History. That's all. You know we didn't say, they did. Um, but, but evidently that makes us liars because we're repeating what Cambridge University says. Well, okay whatever. But the point is so then seeing the AI on our website already because he knows he's toast, um, you know he goes and he tries to use AI. So it shows you how profoundly, you know, really demon possessed, but, uh, you know, illiterate this guy you know can be. 

So, he goes in and he he asks them about the Behaim Globe. Well, of course you're going to get the standard answer that you get from the internet, that you get from academic sources, etc. It doesn't mean it's right. So, I went and so he's so he's throwing that up you know and he sends us harassing emails all the time. They go in our spam folder, we hardly read any but every now and then I happen to see one or somebody, you know, will see it and send it to me. And in this case, you know, he's harping on, oh I contacted you know Gemini and I, and, uh, I don't know I think DeepSeek was the other one, and you know and they said the Behaim Globe was created in Nuremberg. Well, yes that's true. The Behaim Globe was created in Nuremberg uh and he received funding from friends of his. He's German basically, um, before we called it Germany. Um, and, so, but the point is, is he was Portuguese in, you know, maybe not in origin no but in nationality. He lived in Portugal. Uh, he was a sailor for the Portuguese government. He was on the king's Council regarding, uh, navigation matters. Hmm, gee. Uh, and then he was knighted by the Portuguese government.

Oh wow. 

He had a two-year perod where he returns to Nuremberg and, uh, that's when he, uh, completed the Behaim Globe. But look wait a minute this is the 1400s. Do you think he created a globe in two years of research? Yeah definitely not. He he had been researching Portuguese data which he was on the court and Council of the king, uh and that's where you know the map came from. So it is a Portuguese, uh, commissioned map. The King used it. Magellan saw the king's copy even. Um, you know, so all of that's there. So, so, anyway, so, I put that data to these AI's and both of them came back with the same answer. They both apologized for telling something that was not true and they shifted their position based on the evidence.

While Tim admits the Behaim Globe was created in Germany he continues to lie about it being commissioned by the King of Portugal. Let's take these lies one at a time. First his is use of the Cambridge Whipple Museum of Science. 

https://www.whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-whipple-collections/globes/brief-history-globes

The earliest globe that survives today was made in 1492 by Martin Behaim, a German navigator and geographer in the employ of King João II of Portugal. Behaim's globe recorded not only the lie of the lands being discovered by seabourne explorers, but also details of overseas commodities, market places and local trading protocols. Thus, the earliest surviving globe, which probably reflects many others produced around the same time, features information on more than cartography.

Does this say the King of Portugal commissioned and paid for Behaim's globe? NO! It only says Behaim was "in the employ of King João II of Portugal." Can Tim read? This says nothing about who paid for and commissioned the map. So, when Tim claims to be only repeating what Cambridge says about the construction of the Behaim Globe he is lying. 

The second lie is his claim about what I wrote him. Here is my email.

I asked A.I. who COMMISSIONED the Behaim Globe not where it was created. I did that because Tim claims he asked A.I. about the creation of this globe and it answered Portugal. Note that he did not reveal exactly what he asked the A.I. but seeing as the globe was definitely not commissioned by Portugal whatever Tim asked is irrelevant to the matter at hand. The question is NOT what data does the globe represent but WHO COMMISSIONED the globe. You can read about that here.

If the King of Portugal COMMISSIONED the globe why was it CREATED in Nuremberg as Tim now admits? Because it was COMMISSIONED by the City of Nuremberg. In a book titled Martin Behaim, His Life and His Globe by Ernest George Ravenstein we read the following.

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008398949/page/42/mode/2up

It was, however, a member of the Town Council, George Holzschuher, to whom Martin Behaim became indebted for the greater part of the fame which he still enjoys. George Holzschuher in 1470 had visited Egypt and the Holy Land, and he evidently took some interest in the progress of geographical discoveries. It was he who suggested to his colleagues of the Rat that Behaim should be requested to undertake the making of a globe, upon which the recent discoveries of the Portuguese should be delineated. His suggestion was accepted, and to him we are indebted for the famous globe, a full account of which I shall give in the second part of this work.

Tim goes on to say: 

Well, yes that's true. The Behaim Globe was created in Nuremberg, uh, and he received funding from friends of his.

If the King of Portugal COMMISSIONED the Behaim Globe why did he not provide ALL the funding and why was it created in Nuremberg rather than Lisbon? Who paid for the Sistine Chapel? The Pope! Michelangelo did not need to get additional funding from his friends. The person who commissions a piece of work is the one who pays for it. 

Tim ends by showing how confused he is. He claims because Behaim worked for Portugal and used Portuguese data to create his globe that means it was commissioned by Portugal. But that is simply not true. It's like saying Family Guy was commissioned by the Rhode Island School of Design because that's where Seth MacFarlane learned animation. It's a non-sequitur. Fox commissioned the show and Seth used his knowledge gained at RISD to create the show. Similarly Behaim's hometown of Nuremberg commissioned the globe and he used his knowledge learned in Portugal to create it. 

It was he who suggested to his colleagues of the Rat that Behaim should be requested to undertake the making of a globe, upon which the recent discoveries of the Portuguese should be delineated.

It is simply infuriating to listen to this man blunder on and spit out lie after lie. He gets so close to the truth but he cannot go all the way. He still must deflect and lie because he is too proud to admit when he is wrong. 

This is not a small issue. The fact is Tim gets these little facts wrong and continues to tout them as truths. If he cannot get right something so small and historically verifiable as the Behaim globe was COMMISSIONED by the City of Nuremberg then the rest of what he says cannot be taken to be truthful. As I have proven in over 200 articles on this blog there is no truth in the words of Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

Retards in the Government 411

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

 

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/270166/batangas-mayor-cited-for-contempt-detained-upon-arrival-from-us

Bauan, Batangas Mayor Ryanh Dolor, who was cited for contempt and ordered detained by a House panel for repeated absence in its hearings, is now detained at the lower chamber’s premises. He was apprehended shortly after arriving in the country from the United States early Thursday morning.

The House committee on public accounts issued the contempt order on March 17 during a hearing on alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in the Bauan municipal government.

“House Sergeant-at-Arms retired police Major General Napoleon “Nap” C. Taas confirmed the detention of Bauan Mayor Ryanh Dolor, who was taken into custody upon arrival at NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City at around 12:08 a.m. on March 27,” the panel said in a statement on Thursday.

“The arrest was carried out between 12:08 a.m. and 12:20 a.m. by a joint team led by the Office of the House Sergeant-at-Arms, with coordination from the House of Representatives Liaison Officer, Airport Police, Criminal Investigation and Detection Office, and the Bureau of Immigration,” it added.

According to the panel, it issued three invitations, one show cause order, and a subpoena.

But during the last hearing, Dolor’s office only submitted a travel authority signed by Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas, allowing him to travel to the United States from March 11 to 26, citing medical reasons.

But Bukidnon Rep. Jonathan Keith Flores earlier noted the lack of medical records to justify his absence.

The investigation stemmed from House Resolution 2148, which seeks to conduct a probe into the alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in the Bauan local government’s dealings with Aquadata Inc., a water utility provider in the municipality.

Citing the Commission on Audit, the panel said the contract between the municipal government and Aquadata “allegedly lacked legal and financial basis, and the company failed to meet prequalification criteria.”

Bauan, Batangas Mayor Ryanh Dolor, who was cited for contempt and ordered detained by a House panel for repeated absence in its hearings, is now detained at the lower chamber’s premises. 

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/27/cop-who-shot-dead-van-driver-in-traffic-row-faces-murder-raps-0944

A Quezon City police officer who shot dead a van driver during a traffic altercation in Barangay Old Balara last week is now facing charges of murder, frustrated murder, violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and the Omnibus Election Code.

Police Maj. Don Don M Llapitan, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, identified the officer as PEMS Randy Enano Tuzon, 48, a resident of Barangay Kaligayahan, Quezon City.

CIDU investigation revealed Ronnie Casero Borromeo, 42, along with Reynaldo Hagos, 51, were driving a Mitsubishi L300 along Tandang Sora Avenue at 6:30 p.m. last March 20 when they were nearly sideswiped by another L300 van driven by Tuzon.

Tuzon, who is assigned to the Batasan Police Station 6, alighted from his vehicle and had a heated argument with Borromeo and Hagos.

Borromeo then struck Tuzon with a steel pipe, causing the cop to shoot at the victims.

Borromeo sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Diliman Hospital where he died less than 2 hours later.  Hagos, who was shot in the left hip and thigh, was rushed to East Avenue Medical Center to receive medical treatment. 

Tuzon surrendered to the police immediately after the incident.

"The QCPD sympathizes with the bereaved families of the deceased victim and we wish the recovery of the victim who is currently in the hospital. We will ensure that the law is implemented fairly and impartially, especially when a police officer is involved in a crime," Police Col. Melecio Buslig, Jr., Quezon City Police District acting director, said.

A Quezon City police officer who shot dead a van driver during a traffic altercation in Barangay Old Balara last week is now facing charges of murder, frustrated murder, violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act and the Omnibus Election Code.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/29/sandiganbayan-affirms-conviction-of-ex-maguindanao-governor-ampatuan

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of former Maguindanao governor Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan for graft and malversation of public funds on the P393 million construction and rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) in 2009.

Ampatuan, who is currently the vice mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha town in Maguindanao, was convicted on  Oct. 18, 2024 and sentenced to eight to 12 years imprisonment for graft with perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and reclusion perpetua for malversation of public funds.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of P393 million which was equivalent to the funds malversed.

He then filed a motion for reconsideration on Nov. 4, 2024, arguing that the testimonies of the alleged contractors should not have been given credence during trial. 

Also, he said the anti-graft court did not consider the Certificates of Completion and Final Inspection Reports issued by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

But the Sandiganbayan said that Ampatuan's arguments are not "compelling" enough to warrant a reversal of his conviction.

The court said it was not persuaded by the contention of Ampatuan that it overlooked the supposed Certificates of Completion and Final Inspection Reports issued by the DAR given the Special Audit Report of the Commission of Audit (COA), which found them "in poor condition, submerged in water, heavily vegetated."

"Plainly, the above mentioned ocular inspections showing the unserviceability and uselessness of the subject farm-to-market roads overshadowed the claim of the supposed certifications mentioned by movant-accused Ampatuan in his motion for reconsideration," it also said. .

It pointed out that Ampatuan's action caused undue injury to the government when he deliberately orchestrated fictitious payments to various contractors and suppliers for the infrastructure projects that were not implemented.

The contractors and suppliers were paid in cash secured through cash advances that were approved by Ampatuan itself, it said.

"All told, movant-accused Ampatuan utterly failed to raise any new and/or substantial matters," the court ruled. 

The 10-page resolution was written by Associate Justice Bernelito R. Fernandez with the concurrence of Third Division Chairperson Associate Justice Karl B. Miranda and Associate Justice Ronald B. Moreno.

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of former Maguindanao governor Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan for graft and malversation of public funds on the P393 million construction and rehabilitation of farm-to-market roads (FMRs) in 2009.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2048283/dismissed-cebu-city-mayor-rama-faces-another-dismissal-from-service

Dismissed City Mayor Michael Rama is facing another legal obstacle.

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered another dismissal from service, Rama’s second in three months.

This time, the former mayor was found liable for awarding three purchase orders for garbage collection and disposal to three private firms without conducting a competitive bidding process.

The Inquirer tried to reach Rama for a statement but he had not responded.

But his wife, Malou, took to Facebook her sentiments regarding her husband’s second dismissal from the service, saying the setback was yet another tactic used by his political enemies to stop his reelection bid.

Rama, she added, would continue to campaign and run in the May 12 elections.

“Do not be worried about the recent development. That is just a tactic of our opponent,” Malou said in Cebuano.

“They want to destroy Mayor Mike Rama. But more people are instead drawn to Partido Barug Bag-ong Sugbo Team Rama. The fight continues,” she added.

In an order dated Jan. 3, 2025 but was released only on March 28, the anti-graft office found sufficient basis to hold Rama liable for grave misconduct.

The order also applied to five former members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) — Leizl Jacobe Calamba, Lyndon Bernardo Jao Basan, Conrado Acha Ordesta III, Janeses Bordario Ponce, and Dominic Amigable Diño.

“Verily, because of respondents’ grave misconduct, ACM Hauling Services, Jomara Konstruckt Corp., and ARN Central Waste Management Inc. derived unwarranted benefit, advantage, or preference from the contracts awarded to them,” the anti-graft office said.

The decision was signed by Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officers Myra Nimfa Solidum Mendieta and Roseann Claudine Pasion, reviewed by Preliminary Investigation and Administrative Adjudication Director Nellie Boguen-Golez, and approved by Deputy Ombudsman Jose Balmeo Jr.

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Jundel Bontuyan on Aug. 11, 2023, alleging that Rama and members of the BAC issued three purchase orders for garbage collection and disposal to Jomara Konstruckt Corp., ACM Hauling Services, and ARN Central Waste Management Inc.

According to the Ombudsman, misconduct is the transgression of some established and definite rule of action, a forbidden act, a dereliction of duty, willful in character, and implies wrongful intent and not mere error in judgment.

When the elements of corruption, clear intent to violate the law, or flagrant disregard of established rules are manifest, the public officer shall be liable for grave misconduct, it added.

“In this case, there is sufficient evidence to adequately conclude that the elements of corruption and flagrant disregard of established rules are manifest when respondents awarded the contracts to ACM Hauling Services, Jomara Konstruckt Corp., and ARN Central Waste Management Inc. …,” the Ombudsman said.

The recent Ombudsman decision was just the recent in the series of legal debacles being faced by Rama.

In May 2024, the Ombudsman ordered a six-month preventive suspension on  Rama and seven other government officials of this capital city pending an investigation of their alleged failure to pay the salaries of at least four employees for seven months.

Rama started serving his six-month preventive suspension on May 10, 2024. Still, before he could fully serve it on Nov. 6, the Ombudsman issued another order on Oct. 3 dismissing him from the service for nepotism and grave misconduct for appointing his two brothers-in-law to government posts.

Rama’s dismissal order carried a perpetual disqualification from public service.

Five days after the Ombudsman’s order came out, the DILG installed Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia as the new mayor of Cebu City.

Rama went to the Supreme Court (SC) and challenged Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 11044-A that mandated the cancellation of all Certificates of Candidacy of aspirants who have been slapped with a penalty of disqualification by the Ombudsman so he could seek reelection.

The SC en banc issued a temporary restraining order, stopping the Comelec from disqualifying Rama while the high court reviewed the case against him.

Cebu City Mayor Rama has been ordered dismissed again by the Ombudsman for awarding three purchase orders for garbage collection and disposal to three private firms without conducting a competitive bidding process.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2048321/retired-govt-worker-slain-in-cotabato-province-gun-attack

A retired government worker of the National Grains Authority (now the National Food Authority) was killed in an ambush around 8 a.m. Sunday in Midsayap town, Cotabato province.

Sindatu Sangid Dilangalen, 76, a resident of Barangay Bual Norte in Midsayap town, a relative of the late Maguindanao House Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, just brought his wife to the Midsayap town proper on board a pickup vehicle.

He was heading home driving the same pickup when ambushed by two gunmen on a motorbike along the road in the town’s Zone 7, Barangay Poblacion 7, said Lieutenant Colonel Arniel Melocotones, Midsayap municipal police station chief.

Police responders rushed the victim to a hospital, but he died.

Crime scene investigators found empty shells for caliber .45 pistol at the ambush site.

Dilangalen reportedly lost control of his vehicle and fell off a rice field after being shot repeatedly by the suspects, who fled the crime scene.

Ernesto Gelay Jr., chair of Barangay Poblacion 7, said villagers heard several gunshots and saw the vehicle veering towards the rice paddies from the concrete barangay road.

Police are still investigating the motive of the attack, which came amid the implementation of the election gun ban in the country.

A retired government worker of the National Grains Authority (now the National Food Authority) was killed in an ambush around 8 a.m. Sunday in Midsayap town, Cotabato province.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/630697/dalaguete-mayor-several-town-execs-face-graft-case-at-ombudsman

The mayor of Dalaguete, several government officials of the town and private contractors were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds or property, and grave misconduct.

The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) asked the Ombudsman to investigate Dalaguete Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante, Municipal Engineer Expedizitas Lenares, James Osorio from the Municipal Engineering Office (MEO), Chief of Construction section of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-7 2nd Engineering District Sergio Bendulo Jr. and Junior project engineer of DPWH-7 2nd Engineering District Juan Paulo Castillo.

The Ombudsman was also asked to investigate Socor Construction President Fortunato Sanchez Jr., Socor Construction Vice President Alfredo Lua, Socor Construction Treasurer Mylene Sanchez, Socor Construction Secretary Ida Sanchez and Angelica Marie Lua and Kim Sanchez, members of Socor Construction.

The filing of charges stemmed from the complaint of Engineer Ildebrando Almagro, a former employee of the municipal government.

Cesante, for his part and in previous social media posts, vehemently denied the allegations against him.

CDN Digital also contacted the mayor in his FB page to get his side of this issue but he had not yet replied.

As for Almagro, he had asked the NBI-7 to conduct an investigation over an alleged anomalous road concreting project on ML Quezon Street in Barangay Poblacion, Dalaguete.

The project worth P9.6 million was awarded to Socor Construction Corp. as the winning bidder.

However, instead of the private company doing the construction works, heavy equipment and manpower of the municipality were utilized to do the actual work although the company allegedly collected the proceeds of the construction project.

“After investigation, this office is convinced that the above cited laws were violated when Mayor Cesante and his cohorts from the LGU of Dalaguete, and further tolerated/cooperated by the Officers from the DPWH, performed an actual road repair/concreting with a contract amount of PHP9,650,000.00 along ML Quezon Street, Poblacion, Dalaguete, Cebu,” the NBI-7 said.

The NBI-7 added that the modus operandi of the officers of the LGU Dalaguete, was not new to them.

Last October 2024, the NBI-7 said that cases were  also filed against Cesante and other municipal officials for constructing a multi-purpose building in Maloray, Dalaguete.

The building was supposed to be constructed by the winning bidder but job-order employees of the municipality were utilized to do the actual work.

The construction of the multi-purpose building became controversial when a worker died after falling while working on the beam of the structure.

The mayor of Dalaguete, several government officials of the town and private contractors were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for violation of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, malversation of public funds or property, and grave misconduct.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/1/village-chair-shot-dead-in-pangasinan-1

A barangay chairman was shot dead in Barangay Paitan, this town, on Tuesday, April 1.

Police identified the victim as Rolando Fernandez Albino, 60, chairman of Barangay Paitan.

Investigation said the victim was driving a  barangay patrol tricycle when a man wearing a black jacket and driving a Honda Click 125 motorcycle called his attention.

The victim stopped but was shot by the suspect with a caliber. 45 pistol.

The suspect fled and the victim was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead from multiple bullet wounds.

Police recovered  fired .45 caliber cartridge cases in the crime scene.

Lawmen are conducting  dragnet and checkpoint operations against the suspect.

A barangay chairman was shot dead in Barangay Paitan, this town, on Tuesday, April 1.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/4/2/ilocos-norte-municipal-police-chief-3-colleagues-sacked-over-viral-video

The police chief of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte and three of his colleagues were relieved from their posts after a video of a lawman hurting a complainant at the police station over the weekend went viral online. 

Ilocos Norte police chief Police Col. Frederick Obar ordered the relief of the four lawmen in a press conference on Tuesday. 

Obar said they are now at the provincial police headquarters for further investigation. 

He said they face administrative and criminal cases if found guilty during investigation. 

Two individuals proceeded to the police station to report that they were assaulted in a wake on Sunday. 

One of the police officers who had just arrived from conducting a checkpoint allegedly raised his voice at one of the complainants, triggering a commotion where the complainant was reportedly injured. 

A video of the incident went viral after it was posted online.

The police chief of Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte and three of his colleagues were relieved from their posts after a video of a lawman hurting a complainant at the police station over the weekend went viral online.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1247314

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Wednesday the arrest of some of its employees involved in payroll theft through the manipulation of the agency’s computerized payroll system.

In a statement, the MMDA said the scheme was perpetrated by personnel under its Payroll Division who illegally took small amounts from the salaries of target employees and diverted those amounts to their accounts.

“Immediately upon its discovery, a complaint was filed with no less than MMDA Chair Romando Artes as complainant,” it said.

MMDA General Manager Procopio Lipana has since led the arrest of employees involved in the scheme, and inquest proceedings were conducted.

As part of the investigation, it noted that a “deeper conspiracy was exposed” with the alleged involvement of more employees.

“Formal complaints against these employees are being prepared, and a strong case build-up is being done for the filing of non-bailable charges against the perpetrators. They were also placed under preventive suspension and their work computers were also secured,” it said.

In addition, the MMDA started an internal audit and investigation and placed safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

“Rest assured that the MMDA will delve deeper into the matter and will make sure that all responsible will be prosecuted and punished accordingly,” it said.

The MMDA has yet to release the names of the suspects, and the investigation into the matter is ongoing.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced on Wednesday the arrest of some of its employees involved in payroll theft through the manipulation of the agency’s computerized payroll system.