Kyle Jennermann aka Becoming Filipino Is Now A Tourism Ambassador

As you may know Kyle Jennermann of Becoming Filipino fame was recently selected by the Department of Tourism to be a Tourism Ambassador. With his many documented adventures across the nation on Youtube and his thousands of followers on social media and his unbounded love for the country one wonders why the DOT took so long to choose him. From his Facebook page we read the following.

https://www.facebook.com/becomingfilipino/posts/2360572780874580

What you are looking at in the photos below is me at the Tourism Promotions Board main office in Manila. If you didn’t know, this is the implementing agency for the marketing and promotions of the Department of Tourism here in the Philippines. I am in the office of TPB COO Ms. Venus Tan with DCOO Arnold Gonzales. We just finalized... 

AN AMAZING PARTNERSHIP!! 

Why do I say amazing? Because not only is #BecomingFilipino linking up to help promote national tourism advocacies here in the Philippines... I AM BEING GIVEN BIG PLATFORMS TO SHARE! 

Ms. Venus Tan wants me to give talks at national and regional tourism conferences in the Philippines. For example, I am being given a slot to do a public talk at the Philippines Travel Mart at SMX Convention Center in Pasay this August 31st! 

The Tourism Promotions Board believes that my experiences are important to share... DO YOU KNOW HOW INSPIRING THAT IS! 🙂 

And it gets even better... 

Both Kumar and myself aren't just being asked to help promote tourism advocacies... we are being asked to help ASSESS! This year, besides doing as we usually do with #BecomingFilipino (spontaneously adventure, learn, and share positive education), we will be visiting local communities around the Philippines. But, we will be with a national tourism team, who will help assess sustainable community-based tourism practices. The TPB would like our insights, feedback, and ideas! I am deputized as a national tourism assessor here in the Philippines!  

OH, AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY OVERWHELMS ME? I realized that YOU, yes YOU reading this... you can be a part of this! I told the TPB I would like to openly share everything here online, ask for ideas, help, and education from YOU.  

I always say it... WE CAN ALL BE TOURISM AMBASSADORS! And now I truly feel like we, as a online community have all become one! 

I have so much to share, but I'd like to finish this announcement off by sharing something Ms. Venus Tan said to me: 

"Kulas. We just want you to... be you. I don't want you to post about me or my office. I don't want you to have to say specific things, or do specific things. I just want you to continue doing exactly what you are doing." 

Do you know how refreshing it is to hear that? From someone who is a tourism head in the country!  

After five and a half years... #BecomingFilipino is partnering with the Tourism Promotions Board! Oh, and sorry Venus, but I am so inspired and proud to post you on my Facebook Page! You just uplifted this community so much! Thank You for believing in me! 

POWER ON!

If anyone can promote the Philippines to foreigners surely it must be a foreigner who has lived in the country for 5 years. And mind you he has been living in Mindanao, the most dangerous province, in Cagayan de Oro for most of that time. His sense of adventure and exploration and enthusiasm for the Philippines is infectious. Take this article about his recent motorcycle trip around the Cordilleras.

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2019/07/25/kulas-conquers-the-cordilleras-on-a-scooter/

KYLE “Kulas” Jennermann has been traveling around the Philippines for quite some time already. 

Currently based in Cagayan de Oro City, the Canadian has a firm, genuine belief that he could introduce the country to the rest of the world in a positive light. 

As a resident for five-and-a-half years, immersed well into the “Pinoy” way of life and already fluent speaking in Filipino, Jennermann now considers himself a local.  

Everywhere I went, there were these incredible mountain roads, gardens of valleys and amazing sunrises. Environmentally, you could never be bored, as you can simply stare at the scenery as you drive. 

I found out that several people in the mountains would actually open up to me about their feeling of discrimination by people in the lowlands. They felt that people there thought they were uncivilized. But actually, the locals were undoubtedly so friendly. It was interesting listening to them. Thus, it came as a shock that so many Filipinos would just say they felt discriminated. 

The experience was also inspiring. The residents spoke about how they should not be discriminated against. They are a bit saddened of the view that mountain people are not friendly, yet they continued to open up their homes, while they continued to offer me coffee. 

I was very impressed, especially when I visited Apayao. I went to the capital where they have these two incredible underground rivers with massive caves, remarkably clean water, and some incredible rock formations just within the same municipality.  

The locals cooked trout in bamboo with no seasoning, but it tasted like some master chef prepared it. 

At one point, I ended up in a random village in Kalinga, way-off in the mountains. A man invited me into his home with open arms. When I left his home, he sent local kids from the village to follow me everywhere I went, to ensure I would not get lost until I safely returned. 

My message to my fellow voyagers, and even for Filipinos who have yet to explore their country: Always travel with an open mind, and respect the locals. As long as travelers have that mindset, they will have many enlightening experiences—whether as expats or simply as visitors of this country.  

I hope that the posts that I share online would lead to a “transformation of sorts,” not only in the lives of the locals in the uplands, but also to a positive shift on the way the entire world views them.

The man simply oozes positivity. He is the kind of guy you could punch in the face knocking out a tooth and he would thank you for it because that tooth was giving him some pain. Kyle is like a wide-eyed child who has no idea what the real world is like despite living in it. Or rather because he has been living in a bubble.

Kyle is not at all like other ex-pats or tourists. He is not here for a quick holiday in Boracay. He is not here for a quick fling with the whores in Angeles. He is not seeking to establish a business utilising cheap labor. He is not seeking to retire here and live off his pension drinking Red Horse every night and doing nothing all day. He is not here seeking for love. His love is the nation. Kyle has married the Philippines. 

Kyle Jennermann is a flash in the pan, a one of a kind. Who the heck has the time to explore all the backroads areas of this nation on a motorcycle or to immerse themselves in the culture? I dare say many Westerners would be put off by the excessive "friendliness" of the locals.

Often times the friendliness is only a mask hiding deadly motives. Of course not everyone who visits the Philippines ends up murdered. I guess one could and should say your experience in the Philippines will vary based on your personality, expectations, and goals. 

Both Kyle and the DOT have the same goal of presenting the Philippines as a safe place to visit. Even Mindanao. Here is a recent open letter to the Canadian embassy from Kyle.

"If you are already in the country, territory or region, you should consider leaving if it is safe to do so." 

- Canadian Travel Advisory For Mindanao 

Yes, when you click the word "Avoid all Travel". That is the direct quote you will see on our governments website in relation to Mindanao. Basically what that tells me is I need to look outside, make sure it is safe, and then pick the right time to evacuate Mindanao and leave.  

I believe that your quote is misrepresenting, and misleading for anyone seeking information in regards to travel and Mindanao.  

Mindanao is home to 6 Regions, 27 Provinces, and 24 million people, that make up the 2nd largest island in the Philippines. Over the past four years of living here, I have found myself extensively traveling through 20 of those Provinces by scooter. Yes, openly on a scooter. And when I say "traveling", I mean fully immersing and interacting locally. When I say "openly", I really mean it... I have been live posting about it all over social media. It has all been documented and can visually be seen in video, picture and writing in various social media channels across the internet. In fact, the past three weeks I just took four foreign national friends of mine on a big road-trip 1800km's all across Northern Mindanao (see photo below). Where we experienced nothing but happiness, beauty, fun, and kind friendly people.  

Now saying all of this, I am not ignorant. There have been some very very negative things that have happened here in Mindanao. Things that I have personally laid witness to, and completely understand are most concerning and disgustingly sad. But those things, they are not wide spread across the entire 97,500 square kilometres of the island of Mindanao. They don't represent the majority of this island and its people. There are many areas of Mindanao that are peaceful, beautiful, and very much capable of traveling and living in. In fact, as I type this, I am in one of those place... My home, Cagayan de Oro.  

To keep this letter short, I think the quote "If you are already in the country, territory or region, you should consider leaving if it is safe to do so."

Is inappropriate and misguiding.  

If you know nothing about Mindanao and are looking to research it for travel, that very well could lead people to believe the whole island is at war. Literally, it is telling someone to evacuate "if it is safe to do so." 

I write this in hopes that maybe you would consider removing, or changing that part of your advisory... to something that is more appropriate and educational.

https://www.facebook.com/becomingfilipino/posts/an-open-letter-to-the-embassy-of-canada-in-the-philippinesto-whom-it-may-concern/2074847816113746/

"I am not ignorant." "There have been some very, very negative things that have happened here in Mindanao." Understatement of the year! This post is from June 26, 2018 so the suicide bombings had not yet happened. But martial law had been in effect for a year and was extended at the end of 2018 because the exact opposite of what Kyle writes is true. At least the AFP, PNP, and Duterte think so. The DOT is doing this exact same thing, trying to paint Mindanao as safe. One DOT representative even advised tourists to go to Zamboanga for bird watching despite that being a place where Abu Sayyaf has kidnapped foreigners before. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1140038/dot-says-mindanao-still-safe-tourist-destination

“If you go to Zamboanga, I don’t think that it’s a troubled area. I go there for bird watching. If we have the Intramuros here, you should see the old forts that they have in Zamboanga. It’s a city where you would see the interplay of Muslim culture, the American heritage (and) the Spanish heritage,” Alabado told reporters 

“I would encourage our Filipino tourists to visit Zamboanga and you would be pleasantly surprised at how nice the pink beaches of Santa Cruz Island,” he added. 

Late last month, Duterte admitted that Mindanao remains “a dangerous place” to go around as he acknowledged that there was still “lawless violence” in the region, which has been placed under martial law since the deadly terror siege in Marawi City in 2017.

“Mindanao really seems to be a dangerous place still to go around. That is why it could not be…in terms of truth to say that everything is all right there and you can go around and will not be waylaid along the way. Delikado ang Mindanao,” Duterte said.

It is totally mind blowing that Kyle and the DOT would encourage people to visit the most dangerous province in the Philippines yet the DOT has actually issued a warning to tourists about avoiding dengue hot spots.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1153522/avoid-dengue-hot-spots-in-bicol-tourists-warned

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol has issued a travel advisory for local and foreign tourists to temporarily avoid areas in the region identified as dengue hot spots by health authorities. 

Benjamin Santiago, DOT director in Bicol, said the advisory was issued after the Department of Health (DOH) declared a national dengue epidemic because of the rising cases of the mosquito-borne disease. 

“We strongly enjoin tourists to temporarily avoid visiting areas identified by DOH as hot spots as a health preventive measure,” he said. 

In Camarines Sur, 45 villages were listed as dengue hot spots, followed by Albay with 22; Sorsogon, 17; Catanduanes, 15; and Masbate, five. 

Santiago, however, declined to name the tourist attractions in villages considered as hot spots but asked visitors to protect themselves and avoid areas where disease-carrying mosquitoes breed. Among the popular sites in the region are beach resorts and lakes.

Incredible! How are tourists supposed to avoid those hot spots if the DOT will not name them? It's just so half-assed what is the point?

I wrote above that Kyle has been living in a bubble. Let me explain what I mean. Kyle is not a Filipino. He is a white man, a Canadian specifically. He has money and time to travel all around the country doing things most Filipinos have not even done nor could they afford if they wished to do them. He is surrounded by or surrounded himself with many people who are friendly to him, are interested in his adventures, and love that he loves them. He is only able to do so much because he has lots of money. You can't do what he does and be poor. That is just a fact. He is living a travel lifestyle that is not conventional by any means unless he is being funded.

Does he think he is the first foreigner to visit Mindanao? He is not. There are foreigners living there now. Do you think those people are writing open letters to their embassies asking them to amend their travel warnings? Doubtful! Foreigners have also been kidnapped in Mindanao. They were having the time of their life until Abu Sayyaf showed up. 

What is going to happen to Kyle? I don't know but he is not the only person in the world doing this ridiculous stunt of attempting to portray a dangerous country as totally awesome. Meet Hodan Nalayeh.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48975875

While most coverage of Somalia focused on civil war, militancy and famine, Hodan Nalayeh made it her mission to show another side to the country - its beauty and that of its people. 

Her desire to focus on the positive and ultimately inspire young Somalis around the world to help rebuild the country made her famous - and her death in Friday's attack on a hotel in the southern city of Kismayo has prompted an outpouring of grief. 

She and her husband Farid Juma Suleiman were among the 26 people killed as gunmen stormed the Asasey Hotel, where regional politicians and clan elders were discussing a forthcoming regional election. 

"If we don't become the creators of our own content, we are going to be at the mercy of other people telling the stories of Africa," she said, according to CBC. 

In 2018 Nalayeh moved to Somalia where she continued her reporting. Recent episodes had focused on Somalia's female entrepreneurs and things to do in the city of Las Anod and she also used her social media accounts to highlight local life and culture. 

BBC Somali's Farhan Jimale, a friend of Nalayeh's, described her as a "bright star and a beautiful soul who represented the best of her people and homeland". 

"She always looked for the beauty in things, whether the people or the landscape, and wanted to tell a different Somalia, not the one we see on the media," he said.

This lady was doing the same thing Kyle has been doing for the past five years and now she is dead. The only difference is that she was actually a Somalian while "Kuya" will never be a Filipino. Will Kyle share her fate? Possibly. It would not be unexpected if he did. 

It's a fitting partnership between the clueless DOT and the equally clueless Kyle Jennermann. Much like Bato being a Senator I can't wait to see what folly lies ahead.

An American and His Pinay Girlfriend: A Love Story

Filipina love scams are not uncommon but this one really takes the cake. It has to be the most pathetic, I mean the most wonderful, love story I have ever read.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/11/american-lover-sticks-with-filipina-girlfriend-despite-kidnap-me-hoax-missing-money/

Once upon a time in 2015 in the mystical, magical land of the Arabian Nights an American and a Filipina met and fell in love.

Based on the background investigation, Estomo said the American and the Filipina met in Kuwait in 2015 and immediately fell in love.

Like many lovers these two planned out their future together. When the Filipina returned to the Philippines it was decided the American (names have been withheld in this story) would send money to be placed into a savings account. She would use some of the money to build a house and the rest would be savings to live on when he finally arrived.

When the Filipina went back home, the American started sending her money for their savings. Police found out that since 2015, the American was able to send the Filipina a total of $300,000, or approximately P15 million.

And since the money includes daily expenses and the construction of their house, the American thought that they have at least P5 million savings in the bank.

Finally in May 2019 the American decided to visit the Philippines and his lover so they could begin living their lives together. 

“It all started when her American boyfriend went to the Philippines in May this year and discovered that their savings in the bank was already emptied,” said Estomo.

Estomo said that when the American asked the Filipina victim to show him the bankbook, the latter refused and went ballistics. It was then that the American found out that what was left in their savings is P300.

From P15 million to just P300.  What a shock that must have been. But it was only the Filipina who "went ballistics." The American kept his cool and like any good Christian turned his cheek and forgave her.

But despite the incident, the American reportedly forgave his live-in partner and decided to forget everything by asking her to come with him to the United States.

The United States! It is literally the dream of the whole world to come to America. "On the boats and on the planes, they're coming to America." But this Filipina did not want to go to America.

The Filipino girlfriend refused and instead burned their house in Caba town in La Union. On Saturday, she went missing.

She did not simply not want to go to America, she didn't want anything more to do with her American boyfriend so she burned down the house they were building or had built together and disappeared. A little while later her daughter received a text message.

He said that it was the victim’s daughter from his previous relationship who received a text message that her mother was taken by two armed men and was taken to Dagupan City.

Kidnapped! By armed men!  What price for her release?

“They were also told to prepare P5 million in exchange for her release,” said Cereno.

But it was all another scam!

But when the victim was rescued in a budget hotel in Dagupan City, the AKG operatives immediately sensed that there was something wrong. It was during the strategic interrogation that the supposed kidnap victim squealed that it was all a hoax.

The Filipina was found at a budget hotel and it seems she emptied the savings account she had with her American boyfriend just prior to his arrival.

During the rescue operation, AKG operatives found several withdrawal slips indicating that the victim emptied their bank account with her American boyfriend.

She withdrew and squandered all that money on who knows what leaving a measly P300. Then she burned down the house and faked a kidnapping to earn back the P5 million her boyfriend expected to find. Did she really think she could fake a kidnapping and replace the money she stole with the ransom? Yes. She did.

Despite all this her boyfriend still loves her.

The American, despite the incident, would not press charges and was already reunited with his ‘abducted’ Filipino girlfriend.

What can you say to a story like this? It really warms the cockles of your heart doesn't it? Here is true love in action. Though this woman stole all his money and burned down the house he is still committed to her. Truly the love story of the year! I'm sure the song of his heart is "Keep on using me until you use me up."

Martial Law: Alert Memo

Last week's martial law update ended with Duterte wishing the Philippines would be spared from being attacked by ISIS. As ignorant as that wish is since ISIS has been in the Philippines for years and has already attacked several times most notably the Marawi siege his statement was based on a leaked AFP memo warning of ISIS attacks in Luzon. But now the AFP denies the veracity of that memo's contents.

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2019/8/6/ISIS-northern-Luzon-threat-AFP.html

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) poses no threat to northern Luzon, the Armed Forces said, contrary to a leaked alert memo warning of possible attacks on churches and establishments in certain areas in the region carried out by the radical Islamist terror group. 

“So far sa mga nakita na natin [with what we’ve seen,] it’s negative. But again … we should never let our guards down,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Tuesday. 

Arevalo said the AFP is continuing its monitoring and surveillance activities to verify possible attacks in areas under the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom). 

“Alam po ninyo hindi po ito isang snapshot lang that stands still over time. Nage-evolve ang situation, nagde-develop ang situations around the country so kailangang bantayan natin,” he said. 

[Translation: You know this is not just a snapshot that stands still over time. The situation evolved and develops around the country so we need to keep an eye on it.] 

A leaked alert memo ordered Nolcom’s intelligence units to intensify its operations as “crusader cities” and “crusader churches” in Laoag City, Vigan City, Manaoag in Pangasinan, and Tuguegarao City might come under attack from ISIS militants. 

While the military is continuing to validate these possible attacks, Arevalo said residents in those areas have nothing to fear and should continue with their day-to-day activities. 

He added that the military is trying to contain ISIS militants in Mindanao, particularly in Jolo, Sulu. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana previously said that they plan to eliminate them within the year. 

But he said it is possible that members of the terror group have spilled over to other areas. 

“Maybe, yes. Maybe a no. It could be their means of diverting our attention ... para sa ganun ‘yung focus natin ma-diffuse nila, dito naman lumipat [so that they can diffuse our focus to a different area,]” Arevalo said.

The contradictions here are numerous. There is no threat but the AFP is still validating the threat. The leaked memo is authentic but its contents are false. Why would they write such an alarmingly specific memo if that information had no basis?  Read it for yourself.

Of course it is possible that there are ISIS elements in every single province in the nation and that attacks are being planned. That is why the AFP and PNP are on alert. Anything is possible but this memo is giving out specific information about locations as well as types of landmarks which would be targeted which lifts attacks in Luzon out of the realm of mere possibility. Likely they are denying this information so as to not scare the public. What should scare the public more than information like this is how the AFP routinely handles such information. If the Marawi siege has taught the public anything it should be that the AFP does not know how to effectively utilise intelligence.

Tuguegarao City is listed on the target list in the memo and they are not taking any chances. In an effort to preteen terorrism they have rescinded motorcycle helmet laws and forbidden backpacks to be taken in the AFI festival.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1231296757049064&set=a.144358975742853&type=3&theater

This memo also mentions chatter on social media regarding ISIS. It would seem that the AFP are most certainly being too quick to dismiss the information in their memo in order to not panic the public.

No doubt the AFP would rather focus on more positive stories like the defeat of BIFF in Mguindanao and the dwindling influence of ISIS affiliated Maute group.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1077230

The military here announced Wednesday the termination of surgical operations against the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Maguindanao, paving the way for the return of internally-displaced persons back to their homes. 

Lt. Colonel Roberto Breboneria, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6th ID), said Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon, 6th ID chief and head of Joint Task Force Central (JTFC), has ordered the cessation of operations starting Sunday, Aug. 4. 

“The BIFF is already out of the area,” Breboneria said, referring to the “SPMS box” where the BIFF were reported massing up before the military offensive that commenced last July 25. 

In a radio interview, Breboneria appealed to residents to alert the military if they notice lawless elements roaming in their communities. 

He also urged the public to remain vigilant and be watchful of possible retaliatory attacks by the BIFF through roadside bombings and other terror acts.

The BIFF is "out of the area" but not yet defeated.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1077418

The capability of the Dawlah Islamiya, formerly known as the Islamic State-inspired Maute group, is dwindling because of the neutralization and surrender of its leaders, the chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said Thursday . 

Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana issued the statement after a former sub-leader of the Maute group and a follower surrendered to troops in Lanao del Sur on Tuesday. 

Hadji Omar Olama, alias Omar and Ivan, a former sub-leader of the Maute Group, and his follower, Ibrahim Abbas Olama, surrendered to the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Bayabao Poblacion, Butig, Lanao del Sur. 

“With the neutralization of their potential leaders, the capability of local terrorist groups in Lanao area is now dwindling,” he said. 

“While we continuously conduct our focused military operations, we encourage all the remaining bandits to submit themselves to the government forces and take advantage of the livelihood programs and other services offered by the national government and its stakeholders,” Sobejana added.

Pretty amazing that these two men who likely participated in the Marawi siege will now be eligible to receive large sums of cash as well as a house and schooling rather then be tried and sentenced for their crimes.  Members of terrorist organisation BIFF who surrendered are also receiving such benefits.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1077182

Twenty-nine former combatants of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) were chosen as beneficiaries of a livelihood package extended on Tuesday by the Maguindanao provincial government. 

Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu led Tuesday's distribution of livelihood assistance at the satellite Provincial Capitol grounds in Buluan town with actor Robin Padilla. 

Mangudadatu expressed confidence that the assistance to the 29 beneficiaries would dissuade them from rejoining their comrades still in the jungles fighting a lost cause. 

The former BIFF rebels, who formed an association, were given 20 units of hand tractors with carts, bags of rice seedlings, 13 fishing boats, fishnets, and 60 packs of assorted groceries. 

The governor encouraged the former rebels to convince their friends and relatives not to join extremist groups for the sake of their families. 

“There is no more need to take up arms against the government because I promise to provide you with basic government services that would be brought to your communities,” she said during the turnover ceremony on Tuesday.

Did these former BIFF rebels also receive large tracts of land to farm? It simply boggles the mind that with all the poor farmers out there these terrorists are receiving such equipment. Were they farmers before they were fighters? At any rate at least they aren't working at the Provincial Capitol.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1077089

Some 38 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) received food and non-food aid, as well as cash assistance, in a turnover ceremony held at the Army's 60th Infantry Battalion (60IB) here on Tuesday. 

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) provided the assistance, and the provincial government of Davao del Norte gave the former rebels PHP2,000 each. 

“The assistance will not only be limited here, as we also provided medical assistance to their families,” Binancilan said. 

Binancilan said OPPAP is currently embarking on a program that would provide the FR community a comprehensive and integrated program that is sustainable and that provides durable solutions for them to start a new life. 

“We are also considering the need for a water system, schools, health centers, day care centers and hospitals on the planned community,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib vowed to support the former NPA members, saying some of them can find work at the Capitol.

There certainly is a lot of trust being placed in all these surrendering Muslim terrorists and NPA rebels. Trust they will use the tools and money given to them for legal purposes. Trust that they won't return to the fight. Why trust them so much? Why spend so much money on these people who are rebels and terrorists while many law abiding citizens languish in abject poverty? While actual farmers continue to get gunned down by government forces! At least the turnover of the following equipment was not to NPA surrenderees but to law abiding citizens in order to prevent them from joining the NPA.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/local-government-unit-29th-infantry-battalion-turn-over-of-new-livelihood-equipment-in-agusan-del-norte/

Hon. Dale B. Corvera, Governor of Agusan del Norte and Hon. Maria Angelica Rosedell Amante-Matba, 2nd District Representative led the turn-over for the Integrated Abaca Enhancement Enterprises for Agusan del Norte and Enterprise Development Subproject. The equipment included 2 hauling trucks, 10 push carts, 15 stripping machines, 10 stripping machines shed, 1 forklift (3 toner) and 2 units of moisture meter. 

Cong. Angel made a strong appeal to the people with her message, “Magtinabangay ta sa pagpalambo sa atong proyekto kay walay NPA kung naa nay saktong panginabuin ang mga tao. Ayaw mo’g hatag suporta sa NPA kay walay gyu’y kapaingnan ang usa ka lugar nga naa sa kagubot. Let us work together towards the success of this project, because there would be no NPA if the people have enough income from their livelihood. Do not provide support to the NPA because it will not bring any good to a conflict affected area.)”

The message here is the as long as the people have jobs and a full stomach they will not want to rebel. True enough but there are others who join the CPP-NPA for much more idealistic reasons. Those would be students many of whom are minors.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/09/dilg-vows-to-recover-minors-recruited-by-leftist-groups/

In a recent Senate hearing, DILG Secretary Eduardo M. Año warned parents of the active recruitment of leftist organizations in schools and universities nationwide. 

He asked the parents to be vigilant and be “involved in guarding their children since these Communist-Terrorist Groups (CTGs) have little to no regard for the lives of the youth.” 

The DILG chief these organizations were masquerading as “progressive pro-poor organizations” when, in fact, they were front organizations or recruitment centers of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA). 

“These organizations are brainwashing the children and destroying the youth of our country,” he said. 

Año disclosed the recruited minors were usually deployed to the mountains and they “eventually end up as casualties in the firefight between Government forces and the Communist rebels.” 

“There is a violation of the law in these recruitments. Those mothers in the Senate hearing mirror the sentiments of many families who have lost sons and daughters to the bankrupt ideology of these terrorists and leftist groups,” he added. 

In the recent Senate hearing, a group of mothers emotionally conveyed stories of how their children abandoned their families “for the chance to fight for the country” after being brainwashed by Leftist groups. 

According to Año, there are 500 to 1000 youths being indoctrinated by the CPP-NPA every year who either become a member of the NPA or return to their respective schools as militant student leaders. 

“They are using their alleged nationalism to teach children to kill and take up arms against the government,” he said. 

Año said the DILG was keen on revisiting and reviewing the memorandum of agreement it has with State Universities and Colleges regarding police visibility in infiltrated schools and universities. 

He insisted that, in line with the government’s “whole-of-nation-approach” in eliminating local armed conflicts as stated in Executive Order No. 70, police presence in infiltrated schools and universities could be increased to deter the recruitment program of Leftist groups.

How would increased police presence on campus prevent recruitment? Bato thinks the NPA and PNP should play the same game and indoctrinate students with pro-government sentiments in a race for recruits. Not only that but the thinks there should be a law to allow this.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/08/11/schools-should-allow-pnp-afp-to-indoctrinate-students-dela-rosa/

“They are using government resources and yet they are producing enemies of the state so dapat macorrect ito (so this must be corrected),” he pointed out. 

In particular, Dela Rosa said members of the police community relations group or the military’s civilian-military unit, should be given access to the campuses and be allowed to also talk to students. 

(Our government instrumentalities are more legal, so we should give our soldiers and our policemen some liberty to engage, to provide insights to our students inside),” he said. 

“At magkakaroon tayo ng race: kung sinong mas maraming makumbinsi mas maraming ma-recruit na kabataan papunta ba sa NPA o sa militar o pulis? (and this will become a race: who can recruit and convince the most of our youth to join the NPA or the military and police?),” Dela Rosa said. 

(How can you force, or even engage these members of the left who are part of the school administration if there is no law? Many of the school administration are being obstinate because most of them are leftist),” Dela Rosa pointed out. 

(So we should craft a law that states if they refuse to follow the law, they will be penalized, especially these teachers whom we believe are just fooling our students, and threatening them that they won’t graduate or they refuse to let them pass a certain subject if they refuse to join immersion activities),” he explained.

What such a law would like who can say. "There ought to be a law" is the cry of many but it's not that easy. Perhaps the PNP and AFP would set up large booths and tables with pamphlets and other literature maybe even have speeches and talks.

Do the communist groups have large tables and booths out in the open? Do they have public talks? Or are they recruiting secretly behind closed doors? It is undeniable that communism in its most idealistic and utopian form is a tempting philosophy to young people. Promises to end poverty, to rid the nation of corruption in the form of foreign influence, to nationalise industries so that they belong to the people these are all very alluring. In the past two decades at least 513 minors have been neutralised in the war against the NPA.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/703778/513-minors-recruited-by-npa-have-been-neutralized-bato-dela-rosa/story/

A total of 513 minors recruited by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army have been neutralized in the past two decades, Senator Ronald dela Rosa said Wednesday.

Dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, presided over the hearing on the missing senior high school students who were allegedly recruited by leftist group Anakbayan.

Dela Rosa said the figure accounts for those who surrendered, captured, and killed based on data from the Armed Forces of the Philippines 

A breakdown provided by his office showed that of the number, 362 minors have surrendered, 134 have been captured, and 17 have been killed. 

Dela Rosa believes the number would be bigger if those still in the mountains will be included.

If they know who this group is why wouldn't they attempt to infiltrate it? Such an operation would take a long time but could prove fruitful. Never forget that the DND had men inside Maute who were providing the government with their every move until they were found out and killed. 

While the NPA have admitted their guilt in the abduction and killing of four PNP officers in Negros Occidental they have denied being behind a string of assassinations in the same region. The many recent killings had some calling for martial law but Duterte has finally decided against it.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1151063/duterte-no-martial-law-in-negros-oriental

“You have a ruckus there in Negros. The ‘drastic’ I was talking about was that I would fill it up with soldiers, just like Jolo. I have one division and I will send another,” Mr. Duterte said on Tuesday. 

He added: “Let us make it clear: I will never declare martial law. Except in Mindanao, where it’s needed, because there was already a rebellion.” 

The President made the remarks after leading the oathtaking rites of newly elected officers of the League of Cities of the Philippines and the Liga ng mga Barangay in Malacañang. 

“Look, there will never be a time that I will declare martial law. What I said was that I would take drastic actions,” he said. 

The President added: “Martial law, if you just add more troops there, it’s the same. It has nothing to do with … You do not go after innocent people. Martial law, you go after the lawless elements.” 

“So why do you have to declare it? Why do I have to tell Congress?” he said. 

However, the President hinted at “declaring” something else but declined to tell his audience what was precisely on his mind. 

“If it is really something which bothers the country, well I might declare another thing. And that is for you to guess what would it be,” he said.

Nobody has time to guess what this man will do next. Better to just go with his flow.

Chop-Chop Murders in the Philippines

The Philippines is a bloody nation. Bloody drug war. Bloody motorcycle assassins.  Bloody chop-chop murders. Chop-chop murders? Yes that is what a murder/dismemberment case is called in the Philippines. One wonders why victims of motorcycle assassins aren't called bang-bang murders but, never mind. Despite the childish name chop-chop murders are nothing new nor are they rare. These cases, when they do occur, are always striking and bizarrely horrific.

In the annals of Philippine crimes, the list of cases of women murdered and their bodies chopped up into pieces and eviscerated is expanding. Since 1967, when the famous Lucila Lalu case hogged the headlines, close to a dozen similar incidents have already been recorded in blotters, nearly all of them post-millennial and most of these classified as a ‘crime of passion.’

https://edgedavao.net/vantage-points/2019/05/12/fast-backward-the-chop-chop-women-of-davao/

Are most of these chop-chop murders crimes of passion involving women? Let's take a look at chop-chop murders in the Philippines.

https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/lifestyle/chop-chop-ladies-a1729-20180830-lfrm4

By all accounts the first recorded chop-chop murder victim is Lucila Tolentino Lalu in 1967.

On May 28, police officers found human body parts: a woman’s pair of legs, cleanly cut in four pieces, wrapped with a newspaper dated May 14th. The legs were found in a garbage can along Malabon St. not far from Pagoda. The garbage collector who found the parts said that they were cold to the touch, as if they had come from the freezer. He also noted that the toes were well-pedicured, like they belonged to someone well-to-do. 

At first, police officers and the media thought they may match the badly decomposed, severed hand that had been found just a few days earlier in front of a barber shop along Recto Avenue. However, this theory was discarded after checking the decomposition rates on both body parts.

https://www.esquiremag.ph/culture/lifestyle/chop-chop-ladies-a1729-20180830-lfrm4

That last paragraph would seem to belie any assertion that Lucila was the first chop-chop victim. Who did the severed hand belong to?

Homicide investigators noted that whoever killed Lucila was someone skilled with the knife, or have some sort of medical knowledge since the parts were expertly cut. In initial reports, they also mentioned that, since the body parts were frozen and scattered in different parts of the city, they were looking for someone with an access to a huge freezer and an automobile.

That sounds like a Pinoy Jack the Ripper. Eventually the police focused on one suspect, Jose Luis Santiano, a dentistry student.

The last suspect was someone who came forward due to his “guilty conscience”: a 28-year-old dentistry student, Jose Luis Santiano. It was June 15, 1967 when news broke out that a “handsome young man” son of a retired PC colonel, married and father of five, confessed in his own handwritten statement that he experienced a “mental blackout” but remember strangling Lucila to her death. Jose Luis was also one of Lucila’s lovers and was one of the boarders of the spare rooms in her parlor.  

Three days later, Jose Luis was singing a different tune. He retracted his earlier statement, saying he wasn’t the murderer but just an “unwilling witness” to the murder which was in fact committed by three men. While the murder did happen in the mezzanine of the parlor where Jose Luis’ room was, he said that two men killed Lucila while another man held him hostage while pointing a gun at him. A fourth man appeared the following morning and planted evidence, the blood, in his room. Over the next few days, he allegedly also received notes, reminding him to keep silent. 

The police insisted that Jose Luis did it, especially since they found a hammer with bloodstains in the mezzanine, as well as the knife and razors in his initial testimony. They claimed that he was merely following his lawyer’s suggestion of retracting his statement. When Jose Luis was being held by the NBI, they also received bomb threats to let the murder suspect go. He was released later on and some even say that Jose Luis is still alive and living abroad.

With no one charged the case remains open and speculation as to the identity of the killer has veered into unexpected directions.

Without any new leads, the investigators reached a dead end. The public, on the other hand, continued to speculate on the mystery. In 2003, a former Los Angeles police detective named Steve Hodel published a book Black Dahlia Avenger: The True Story, about a similar case that took place in the US in 1947. In the book, Hodel details his 15-year investigation after his father's death into the Black Dahlia murderer, whom he suspected to be his father, Dr. George Hill Hodel.  

During his investigation, Steve Hodel found out that his father had been in Manila in the ‘60s, leading the younger Hodel believe that George was also behind Lucila's murder. There were some inaccuracies in his book, however: that Lucila’s torso was found along Zodiac Street in Makati, when news reports stated it was found along EDSA, near Guadalupe. Some followers of the mystery accept this explanation for Lucila’s murder, but the case officially remains open.

An interesting connection linking a murder in the Philippines to the infamous and unsolved Black Dhalia murder. George Hodel lived in the Philippines for 40 years from 1950 - 1990.  If he was the killer of Lucia Lalu perhaps he killed more women. At any rate this man, who was also accused of being the Zodiac Killer, married and divorced future Congresswoman Hortensia Starke and became a successful businessman in Manila. This would not be the last chop-chop murder in the Philippines.

Next comes the murder of Lesa Castillo in 1993. Understandably it is a long stretch between 1967 and 1993. Were there any chop-chop murders in that timeframe of 26 years? It would seem not.

Like many a murdered lady Lesa was involved in a torrid love affair and paid the price with her life. Her killer, Stephen Wisehunt, is an American from San Fransisco. Remarkably while being sentenced to reclusion perpetua (perpetual reclusion i.e. life in prison) he only served 19 years before he was freed and deported.

https://web.archive.org/web/20130723001851/http://immigration.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1972&Itemid=78

Whisenhunt’s lawyers have long sought his release from detention, citing alleged errors committed by the Board of Pardons and Parole in computing the exact time he served in prison.  

The law allows prisoners sentenced to reclusion perpetua to be eligible for commutation of sentence and their release from detention is computed using a formula called good conduct time allowance 

Next on the list of chop-chop ladies are Eva Mae Peligro and Gwendolyn Balasta. These two young ladies were viciously murdered on July 24th, 2008 in Talisay City, Cebu. This was not a crime of passion.  This was a planned murder and the reason is pretty stupid. Richard Gudelosao was the murderer and his brother was engaged to his victim.

Richard narrated that it was Mae who always told his mother about what he was doing and he often got scolded because of this. He also felt slighted because of an incident where Mae’s cousin hurt his daughter but he had to apologize for it.  

Richard, his live-in partner Jean Antonette Medalla and their four-year-old daughter occupied the second floor while Mae and her helper Gwendolyn Balaste occupied a room in the first floor.  

He admitted planning the killing with his friend and neighbor Jojo delos Reyes two weeks before.  

He said that before the actual killing on Thursday afternoon, there were two previous attempts last Wednesday.  

At dawn of Wednesday, he was ready to push the key to Mae’s room to open it but they decided against it in case she would try to fight back.  

That night, after reportedly smoking marijuana cigarettes, they waited until Mae went out of her room to use the bathroom. But because delos Reyes fell asleep, Richard said they did not push through with it.  

But at 3 p.m. Thursday, as Mae was online in her room with music blaring, Richard disconnected the modem to make Mae come out to check what was wrong with her Internet connection.  

As soon as she came out, Richard claimed delos Reyes clamped her neck between his arms. However, delos Reyes said it was Richard who first attacked Mae.  

“Jesus, help me!,” were reportedly Mae’s last words.  

“Nasuko pa ko niya pero naluoy na gani ko. Di na unta nako ipadayon pero kamatyonon na man siya (Even in my anger, I felt sorry for her. I wanted to call it off, but she was already dying),” Richard said.  

They went on and beat her up to weaken her.  

When she stopped moving, they took her to an empty bedroom on the second floor. Since she was still breathing, they covered her mouth and nose with packaging tape.  

Minutes later, Balasta emerged from their room looking for Mae. She noticed that Mae’s slippers were outside the door to the bathroom and thought that she merely went out to use it.  

But when Mae did not come out, Balasta knocked on the door, only to find that the bathroom was empty.  

“Luoy man ang katabang. Dili na unta ko ganahan iapil pero gusto man sad gud mi nga limpyo ang trabaho (We didn’t want to hurt the maid, but we also wanted to leave no trace of what we had done),” Richard explained.  

When Balasta kept looking for Mae, Richard said he also went for her and strangled her. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20100119062635/http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/07/27/news/a.brother.s.revenge.html

He killed Mae because she kept tattling on him to his mother who was an OFW and she would in turn chew him out over the phone. He killed the helper to dispose of any witnesses. The ladies were chopped up and placed in 13 garbage bags which were dumped at various locations. He received a sentence of 80 years. 

In July 2010 Rubie Jane Abalde was raped and cut in two pieces in a fit of jealousy.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/regions/07/31/10/jealous-farmer-allegedly-chops-woman-2-pieces

Jealousy may have driven a farmer to rape and hack a woman into two pieces in Pagalungan, Cagayan de Oro on Wednesday. 

Reynante Luminda, who was killed in a shoot out with arresting officers, reportedly killed 20-year-old Rubie Jane Abalde, whose chopped up body was found on the fields of Sitio Inayao in this city on Friday. 

Luminda allegedly confessed to killing Abalde to his live-in partner, Violeta Abrangan.

Abrangan said Luminda believed she was having an affair with the victim's father. 

Abalde was found on Friday after a massive search. Her naked body was hacked at the waist and cut into two.

2010 also saw the chop-chop murder of 39 year old Maritess Hao. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/regions/12/27/10/woman-chopped-davao-city

The victim, 39-year-old Maritess Hao, was hit on the head before her body was carved up, according to investigators.

The attacker decapitated Hao, cut off her legs, and sliced her breasts, police said.

This was another crime of passion. The killer, Hao's boyfriend Arvin Casanova, was found guilty and sentenced to 19 years in prison.  However his original charges were reduced from murder to homicide because he crime was committed without treachery.

Casanova was charged with murder last January 2011, but Tanjili reduced the case to homicide since he found no concrete evidence that the crime was committed with treachery. 

Tanjili, in his eight-page decision, said: "The court can't presume a conclusion that there was treachery as it should be proven clearly and indubitably." 

The accused, in his affidavit, claimed that Hao tried to stab him with a kitchen knife and he tried to defend himself. He then repeatedly banged the head of Hao against the floor in an attempt to subdue her.  

Casanova said he had no intention of killing Hao, yet Tanjili did not reduce the sentence. Hao was found dead in her house on Christmas Day of 2010. Her dismembered body parts were found in a plastic bag inside the restroom of her house at Solariega Subdivision. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/302098/Man-gets-19-year-jail-term-for-killing-GF

Even if she was killed in an act of self-defence that does not explain the dismemberment of her corpse. Casanova did not even attempt to dispose of the body. He simply chopped it up and placed it in a plastic bag in the bathroom.

On April 11 2011 in Laguna Camille Ann Mamaclay, a guest relations officer at a local bar, disappeared only to be found chopped up.

Camille was a guest relations officer in Laguna. Describe by her friends and family as genuinely a good person, Camille was the person to run to when anyone had a problem. In fact she was too nice that even her club Korean customers easily fell in love with her. One day, Camille disappeared and only to be found days later with her body parts severed.

https://youtu.be/w7C4hW1lh4E

No one was ever charged and the case remains unsolved.

A street sweeper found a bag of body parts near the Senate building in June 2016.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/metro-manila/06/08/16/chop-chop-body-parts-dumped-in-front-of-senate

A sack filled with human body parts was discovered in front of the Senate building in Pasay City Wednesday morning. 

Vendor Miniano Samarra was sweeping the streets when he noticed a white sack beside the center island past 5 a.m. 

Samarra opened the sack and was shocked to find chopped up arms and legs. 

Responding policemen suspect that the victim was killed in a different area and the body parts were only dumped there. 

Police, however, are having a difficulty identifying the victim since the other body parts were missing. 

Authorities are also not discounting the possibility that the arms and legs they recovered were from different individuals.

Here is a photo of the sack in question:

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/photo/183771/sack-containing-body-parts-found-near-senate/photo/

There are no updates on this case available and it likely remains unsolved.

In 2017 Mitzi Joy Balunsay was chopped up by er ex-boyfriend because she broke up with him.

https://coconuts.co/manila/news/obsessed-lover-kills-rapes-and-dismembers-scholar-cavite/

On Sat morning, Jan 7, Balunsay’s dismembered remains were found inside a box left along the road in Barangay (Village) Deocampo in Trece Martires, Cavite. 

After the investigation, authorities found 20-year-old De Los Angeles — Balunsay’s theater groupmate — as the suspect. He claims to be the victim’s former lover. 

He said he borrowed the keys to a friend’s apartment, so he was able to execute his plan. He admitted he strangled and killed Balunsay before raping her. 

(She doesn’t want to get back together with me, so I dismembered her body. I didn’t know where to put it.)

Heidi Estera was brutally murdered and eaten by her husband in March 2018.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/03/12/a-couples-16-year-marriage-ends-up-tragic-as-husband-kills-mutilates-wife/

The sixteen-year marriage of a couple in Quezon City ended up tragic after the husband killed and mutilated his wife in an apparent “crime of passion.” 

Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, QCPD director, told reporters in a press conference that the victim was asking her husband for a massage when Orlando suddenly saw his wife as an animal and strangled her. 

Eleazar said the suspect opened his wife’s belly using a 30-centimeter-long kitchen knife, to check if there is a fetus, then chopped her neck, and mutilated her breasts, arms and legs. 

Meanwhile, Orlando, who was presented today at the QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal, narrated how he “slaughtered” his wife, whom he saw as Satan. 

According to Orlando, he just came out from their comfort room when he saw his wife lying face down. 

“I realized that the person I am living with is Satan. So, I checked who is  that person under the mask,” Orlando told reporters. 

He said he stepped on his wife’s neck, chopped it off, pierced her eyes, and started peeling the skin of her face to see “who was hiding under the mask.” 

The suspect also stepped on the victim’s womb and cut it to check if there is a fetus inside. It appears that the two do not have any children. 

Barangay officials said Hiede has myoma which police have yet to be checked pending autopsy results. 

Orlando also said he chopped his wife’s head and sucked her brain “so she cannot harm other people.” 

When the authorities arrived, they chanced upon Orlando inside the house who still has flesh all over his face. 

Orlando said he killed his wife “to save us from the wrath of the devil,” and said he do not regret killing her. 

He also told reporters that he now feels free that the “devil” is gone.

Tragic and very gruesome.

On March 29, 2019 the body of Lindsey Avelino was found chopped up and stuffed in various spots.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2019/03/27/1904786/woman-chopped-pieces-pampanga-cops-kill-suspect

The body parts of Lindsey Avelino, 28, a sales agent, were found in a washing machine, a trolley bag and the toilet of an apartment on Monday, Chief Superintendent Joel Napoloen Coronel, Central Luzon police director, said. 

Police said a 9mm pistol and the victim’s head, arms, a leg and feet were found stuffed in the trolley bag. 

The neighbors of the couple said they saw Avelino’s partner Eduardo Pasion, 40, hurriedly leaving their apartment carrying the trolley bag. 

Pasion reportedly resisted arrest and shot it out with police officers who conducted a follow-up operation at his workplace in Barangay Pampang at around 7 p.m.

Her murder is only the latest in a long line of chop-chop murders but we can all rest assured it is not the last.  There will be more. From the above though it would seem that any future victims will all be female and their killers either current or former lovers.

Picture of the Week: Bamboo Truck

Need some bamboo?  We deliver to you!

Does that look secure to you?  Be honest now. Does it? Of course not and yet there are trucks like this driving all over the country. This is actually worse than one of those overloaded sugarcane trucks. At least those truck have the bulk of the product protected by the walls of the truck bed. This? This is literally a whole lot of bamboo poles of various sizes loaded on a truck and tied together with that ubiquitous string that everyone uses to tie packages. 

Totally dangerous. Totally Philippines.