The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Friday ordered the relief of a policeman from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) who allegedly got involved in a road rage incident along Commonwealth Avenue.
NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar also ordered the reassignment of Police Master Sergeant (PMSg) Wilson Q. Aquino from QCPD’s Police Station-3 Tactical Motorcycle Reaction Unit to the NCRPO Regional Headquarters Support Unit.
In a statement, Eleazar said a complainant only identified as “Robert” personally appeared before him at NCRPO on Thursday and reported to him the incident that took place last July 26.
“This will serve as a lesson for everybody at nagpapasalamat ako dahil na-expose ang mga pulis na abusadong ito,” Eleazar said in a statement.
Another bad egg gone. Again. I'm sure this will "serve as a lesson for everybody."
Speaking at the 118th Police Service anniversary in Camp Crame, Duterte argued that receiving gifts out of “gratitude” cannot be considered a violation of the law.
“It is not bribery because it is allowed by the law. What I mean is if there is generosity and then sabi ng anti-graft you cannot accept gifts, kalokohan ‘yan,” Duterte said.
“If you’re able to solve a crime and the family would like to be generous to you or nurture a feeling of gratitude for what you accomplished then you accept wala akong…but to us that is something,” he added.
The President also claimed that he doesn’t mind that some policemen are earning extra money from “video-karera” (a betting game using video machine playing horse racing).
“‘Yung machine diba ‘yung karera…inyo naman ‘yan. Wala man akong pakialam. Eh hindi mo rin naman talaga mapigilan,” he said.
“Alam mo ang pulis even sa pamilya niyan hirap ‘yan. I know because I have been mayor (of Davao City) for 23 years and I’m a prosecutor for 8 years,” he added.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) will not hesitate to investigate and file cases against police officers guilty of accepting gifts that involved corruption.
“Our intensified campaign on internal cleansing is ongoing and we will never hesitate to investigate and charge PNP personnel found doing illegal acts,” PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement on Saturday.
“At any rate, the PNP remains to be bound by rules that govern our conduct under any given situation,” he added.
PNP noted that it strictly complies with Republic Act 6723 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for government officials and employees.
The PNP also reiterated its message to the public that there is no need for people to render gifts to law enforcers “who are just doing their job.”
“We always explain to the public that there is no need for them to give gifts as we are just doing our job and we get paid by the Filipino people through our salaries,” Banac said.
The PNP, likewise, affirmed Duterte’s statement, saying it is “harmless” to accept gifts if there is no corruption or abuse of authority involved.
Duterte says its ok for cops to accept gifts and the PNP says that is true and that they strictly comply with RA 6713 (6723 is a typo) which says gifts of any kind cannot be accepted by government officials. The act of accepting a gift IS corruption in and of itself. Duterte and the PNP are both sanctioning corruption.
A barangay chairwoman in Manila died after being gunned down by two unidentified motorcycle-riding men on Friday night.
The Homicide Section of the Manila Police District (MPD) identified the victim as Aileen Guidotong, 47, chairwoman of Barangay 314 Zone 31 District 3 in Santa Cruz District.
The woman’s secretary, Maricel Rubio, 35, told police that they were seated in front of the barangay hall, which is at the corner of Lope De Vega and T. Alonzo Streets, when the two assailants got off their motorcycle and shot Guidotong.
The assailants then fled through Lope De Vega Street while the woman was rushed to the nearest hospital where she later died.
According to Lt. Paul Dennis Javier, deputy chief of MPD Homicide Division, Guidotong was included in the government’s drugs watchlist.
“Before the barangay elections, the President mentioned here as being listed as a narco-politicians,” Javier, speaking in Filipino, said in an interview with AM radio station dzMM on Saturday.
Another political tagged on Duterte's narco-politician list assassinated by motorcycle assassins.
Three policemen are facing complaints for allegedly torturing two suspected robbers in Manila on Saturday.
Manila Police District Station 5 commander Lt. Colonel Igmedio Bernaldez relieved S/Sgt. Ariel Papa and Cpls. Joshua Salazar and Raymond James Magdangal after complaints were filed by the relatives of Rowell Manlapig, 22, and Emil Joseph Dianela, 27.
Bernaldez also ordered Paz police community precinct chief Capt. Joseph Bocalbos to explain the incident that allegedly happened at the precinct.
In her affidavit, Norelyn Manlapig, sister of Manlapig and Dianela’s former partner, said police officers from the precinct arrested the two men along Pedro Gil street at around 8 p.m. Saturday while they were on their way home.
Manlapig and Dianela were taken to the precinct, reportedly on charges of robbery.
Their relatives, however, alleged that they saw the two men swathed in bandages, their faces and bodies apparently scalded and bearing marks of torture, at a hospital when they were taken for physical examination following their arrest.
“You’re lucky to have seen them alive. Tomorrow they will be inside a box,” Dianela’s mother quoted a certain Corporal Catacutan as saying in Filipino.
Messed up if true and why wouldn't it be true? It's not as if it hasn't happened before.
Dela Rosa, who served as Davao City Police chief during the time of Duterte as mayor, said it was normal for him to receive gifts, especially during Christmas season.
(I admit that every Christmas I receive so many gifts, including Lacoste T-shirts. How do I stop them? I could not stop people from bringing gifts to my office. There were fruits, queso de bola, ham.)
Dela Rosa said there were also instances where people gave gifts to policemen to thank them for their service. He cited an incident where a family of a rescued kidnap victim sent lechon (roasted pig) to the police station to thank the cops.
“It does not constitute bribery because you were not influenced to do something in his favor. The gift was given to you in the form of goodwill, through gratitude or generosity,” he said.
Dela Rosa emphasized that accepting gifts from people with questionable characters and motives was however prohibited.
(It’s a different thing if you will accept gifts from a drug lord or a gambling lord. That’s not good. But if you will accept gifts from a credible person who was just appreciating your service, what’s wrong with that?)
“The spirit of the law is to avoid bribery from taking place. Anong bribery dyan? (Where’s bribery there?)”
The letter of the law is just as important as the spirit of the law. He knew people would bring gifts. He could have put up a sign saying "No Gifts." He could have taken gifts given to him and his office and donated them to charity. There are many ways to stop the reception of gifts which are prohibited in toto under the law.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said he also accepted gifts but only limited to food items during special occasions.
“Pagkain? Of course, I am not a hypocrite. Hindi ako ipokrito kumain din ako ng lechon,” Albayalde told reporters after the 118th National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) police service in Taguig City on Tuesday when asked if he accepts gifts from the public.
Albayalde said the PNP also receives food from the public during anniversaries.
“Pagkain, yes of course during anniversaries we accept food… These things are consumable,” Albayalde said.
The Philippines' top cop admits he too has taken gifts. How does the gift being food on a special occasion make the law against taking gifts void? It doesn't!
Three policemen assigned at the police stations in Catmon and Sogod towns in northern Cebu may be ordered relieved from their post after they were found sleeping and not wearing the prescribed PNP uniform while on duty on Sunday, August 11.
The violation was discovered after he sent Police Lieutenant Colonel Melbert Esguerra, deputy provincial director for administration, to conduct a random inspection of the different police stations in northern Cebu, Sunday dawn.
Sleeping on the job. Maybe someone gifted them pillows?
The Commission on Audit has flagged 299 irrigation contracts worth P20.70 billion that have been delayed for up to 2,287 calendar days due to poor performance of contractors and other factors.
COA’s audit report of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for 2018 released this August 9 also revealed that liquidation damages were not imposed against contractors who defaulted in 44 contracts amounting to P12.24 billion.
This is aside from NIA’s decision not to terminate or rescind 20 additional contracts which have incurred negative slippages. These were worth P9.039 billion.
One reason, according to COA, why the projects incurred significant delays is the performance of contractors and NIA’s “inadequate planning, inefficient execution of surveys and investigations and the recurring issues on the acquisition of Right of Way (ROW)”.
“Review disclosed that Management had not been able to fully address the recurring issue on considerable delays in the implementation of NIA projects,” COA said.
As the country’s official irrigation authority, NIA is mandated to help the country’s program on rice self-sufficiency by infrastructure projects in line with irrigation and agricultural development.
However, with the delays, farmers relying on water from irrigation projects would have to find other ways to nurture their crops.
Farmers depend on this agency and they have been let down. In turn the nations rice self-sufficiency goals are not reached. It's all connected.
A police corporal who went on AWOL last year was killed after allegedly robbing a security guard, who was also wounded in the same incident, at Teresita Village, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, at around 2:30 p.m. today, August 13, 2019.
Police Major Henrix Bancoleta, Labangon Police Station chief, identified the slain policeman as Jobie Libradilla Antipolo, based on the identification card found in his pocket.
Initial police investigation showed that Antipolo, along with a cohort, fired a shot at Edwin Velos, a security officer of the Sarsalejo Security Agency who was passing in the area driving a motorcycle and carrying with him P500,000 intended for the salary of the agency’s security guards.
This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that an AWOL cop has gone off the rails into criminality. The PNP ought to do a better job checking up on AWOL cops.
"We're only human," a Department of Education official said Tuesday when asked about the hundreds of errors found in P254 million worth of Grade 3 textbooks and learning materials flagged by the Commission on Audit in its audit report for the department.
In a report by Cecille Villarosa on 24 Oras on Tuesday, Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla went on to say that teachers can spot and correct any "typographical" errors they might find in the books as they are used.
The COA report had observed that the errors were spotted in the learning materials "despite [their] undergoing the three-step review process of the Department."
The teachers are, indeed, having to make up for the textbooks' shortcomings.
Another Education Undersecretary, Nepo Malaluan, said in a separate 24 Oras report that some of these "errors" were just a matter of semantics.
"Some of these are not really downright errors, but sometimes semantics and editorial...you have a Commission on Audit that would now wish to substitute its editorial preferences to that of the Department of Education," he said.
ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro decried the errors that escaped the DepEd's notice.
"Teachers have been repeatedly told to learn financial literacy whenever they demand a substantial increase in their meager salaries, only to find out that the education agency itself has been inefficient and delinquent with the use of its funds," Castro said in a statement.
"We will investigate this matter and call for accountability to look into the delinquencies and the misuse of education funds."
The COA report also noted that over 3.4 million books and other learning materials worth over P113 million had been left unused in DepEd warehouses that were "in very poor condition"—left idle for so long that they may already fall under the Irregular, Unnecessary, Excesive, Extravagant and Unconscionable expenditures.
The DepEd orders books filled with typographical errors which the teachers have to correct and they have 3.4 million books sitting idle in warehouses. What a waste of funds. There's being human and then there is being negligent.
Intelligence Officer 1 Monakiram Currie Batabor, 39, reportedly tried to intimidate Makati cops after his uncle was collared in a drug raid inside a house on Sgt. Fabian Yabut St. in Barangay Guadalupe, Makati on Monday around 7 p.m.
Major Gideon Ines Jr., Makati City police Investigation Unit chief, said the NBI agent suddenly appeared at their headquarters an hour after his uncle and seven other men were reportedly caught having a shabu session.
“When he appeared, he told us that he is an agent of NBI. He asked us to free his uncle, Manjahe Currie. He was was really intimidating us,” Ines said.
“What he did was in violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. He could be jailed for six to twelve years,” he further said.
The whole intimidation done by Batabor, according to Ines, was caught on video, saying he cannot deny what he did.
Apparently, Batabor was bringing his firearm, a caliber .40 pistol with serial no. AAFS026.
Sounds like he had his weapon and threatened to harm them but the writing is so bad in the article that one can only make an educated guess. Whatever he did it's certainly a an abuse of authority.
The Presidential Anti-CorruptionCommission (PACC) revealed Wednesday that it has been conducting a lifestyle check to at least 200 government officials due to alleged corruption.
PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica said the officials were from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Bureau of Customs (BOC).
“My estimate is at least 200,” Belgica said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
“DOTr. The whole department has asked to be investigated voluntarily,” he added. “We will start with the higher officials.”
What real power and authority does this extra constitutional body have? There is of course the Ombudsman and the COA to whom these cases should be referred if any wrong doing has been committed. And why even mention these investigations when they should be secret so as not to compromise them? Likely it's all for show.
Incumbent Mayor Valdemar Chiong of Naga town in Cebu has been ordered suspended for 90 days by Sandiganbayan for graft charges.
According to a resolution from the Sixth Division dated July 25, Chiong’s suspension is mandated for government officials accused of graft, in accordance with Republic Act 3019 or the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Chiong is accused of giving unwarranted benefits to gas company Petronas Energy Philippines Inc. when he allegedly issued a business permit in April 2014 even if the said establishment has not secured a Fire Safety Inspection Certification from the Bureau of Fire Protection.
In the last 2019 midterm elections, Chiong ran under the Nacionalista Party and edged out his opponent Delfin Señor by over 24,500 votes. His daughter, former mayor Kristine Vanessa Chiong, meanwhile secured the vice mayoral post.
The article does not say what position he held in 2014. Mayor perhaps? It is a very tame charge in comparison to so many others. Also note that his daughter is the Vice Mayor. Another town run by a family dynasty.
Lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) have asked the Ombudsman to suspend the agency’s head, Persida Acosta, and forensics chief Erwin Erfe for alleged corruption.
In a statement submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer, the lawyers — PAO employees with Salary Grade 26 and higher — claimed that Acosta and her allies in the financial and management service had a “systematic scheme” for defrauding the government by doctoring purchase orders to make agency funds available to Acosta.
Acosta denied the lawyers’ accusations. She told the Inquirer by phone that she had not received a copy of the statement, but she believed it was part of a smear campaign.
“They are just trying to destroy my reputation. And if it is anonymous, if there is no signature, that is just a malicious scrap of paper,” she said.
In his complaint filed in May, Garrido said Acosta and Erfe created the PAO forensic laboratory without authorization from Congress.
Garrido accused Acosta and Erfe of graft, falsification of public documents, malversation of public funds, illegal use of public funds or property, as well as grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, grave abuse of authority and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of public service.
But in the statement filed in intervention, the PAO lawyers alleged that Acosta and Erfe just established the forensic laboratory without authorization from Congress.
They accused Acosta of “entrenched” corruption at the agency, since she had allegedly placed loyal staffers in the finance service.
They also said Acosta “ambulance chases” families of children who had died after receiving the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, coercing them to seek the PAO’s help in pursuing their cases.
The lawyers said Acosta went as far as giving the families a sample letter soliciting PAO services, which they were then instructed to copy on pad paper for “authenticity.”
Acosta and Erfe also used PAO funds to purchase tarpaulin, T-shirts and coffins that the parents used in rallies, the lawyers said.
Interesting charges and a standard response from Acosta. If the charges are true then the veracity of the PAO's dengevaxia investigations would be thrown into doubt. Not that they aren't already.
A former board member of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) on Wednesday identified 8 people who are part of the alleged "mafia" within the state health insurance agency.
Former PhilHealth board member Roberto Salvador said the group wields great influence over state health insurance agency.
He said its members, who have been with the agency for around two decades, have managed to avoid being assigned to other jurisdictions.
Salvador identified the "mafia" members as PhilHealth regional vice-presidents Paolo Johan Perez (Region IV-B), Khaliquzzaman Macabato (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), William Chavez (Region VII), Dennis Adre (Region XI), and Masidling Alonto Jr. (Region X).
He also tagged PhilHealth Assistant Corporate Secretary Valerie Anne Hollero, PhilHealth Caraga legal officer Jelbert Galicto, and former Region XII vice-president Miriam Grace Pamonag as members of the group.
Salvador clarified that he was not accusing members of the group of criminal activities, but said they are known to wield great influence within PhilHealth.
Salvador names names, unlike many accusers, and then goes on to say he is not accusing them of criminal activities despite the whole controversy being about those in power at PhilHealth misusing funds.
After Sen. Risa Hontiveros delivered her privilege speech pressing for the passage of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Equality bill, Sotto asked how the initialism LGBTQI came to be.
“Why that lengthy letters? Why not just ‘homo sapiens?’ ” Sotto asked Hontiveros.
“Why do we have to segregate the gays from the lesbians, the straight guys?”
Hontiveros responded by saying: “Totoo po. We are all homo sapiens, we are all human beings, we are all one species.”
“There would not have been a need to segregate, I agree with you, if human civilizations and societies evolved to a point where there is no discrimination, and there’s equality among all, regardless of identity, regardless of expression. But that’s not what’s happening.”
It's hard to believe the Sotto is not up to date with modern sexual politics. These things are happening in all countries not just the West.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo is proposing a 24-hour workday, saying it can help ease traffic woes because it will reduce the number of vehicles on the road.
“Personally, I think we should have a 24-hour activity, there will be night (shift), there will be day (shift) so it will be divided,” Panelo said in a press briefing yesterday. “Is there a system like that around the world? I think there is none. What if we give it a try?”
Panelo claimed a 24-hour workday would improve the traffic situation because only half of the vehicles are on the road during the day while the rest would go out at night.
“You will lessen (traffic) because there would be different schedules for work and school,” he said.
A stupid proposal. Isn't Manila a 24-hour city? Isn't there activity at every hour of the day and night?
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.
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.
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.
"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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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."
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.
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 efforttopreteen terorrism they have rescinded motorcycle helmet laws and forbidden backpacks to be taken in the AFI festival.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
“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.
