It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics.
Three unidentified gunmen on Friday killed the president of the farmers’ group Alyansa ng Magsasaka sa Bataan (Almaba) in the backyard of his house, police said.
Police Maj. Jeffrey Onde, Hermosa police chief, said Honorio Samaniego, 56, of Barangay Almacen was washing his hands when he was shot by one of the assailants about 8 a.m.
Samaniego joined the mayoral race in 2016 but lost.
He had also served as a barangay chairman of Almacen for two consecutive terms.
According to his relatives, Samaniego had no known enemy in the community.
Most certainly this was a political killing. But why kill farmers? They put food on the table?
A former village councilman and a businesswoman were separately killed in the towns of Matalam and Antipas in North Cotabato on Wednesday, the police said.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, speaking for Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen), said retired village councilman Nemesio Castor, 65, of Barangay Malangag, Antipas, North Cotabato, was resting in front of his home at past 4 p.m. when a man on a motorbike arrived and fired at him.
Castor was rushed by relatives to the Antipas Medical Specialist Hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival.
Meanwhile, businesswoman Marissa Bautista, 46, of Barangay Poblacion, Matalam, was tending her variety store when a still-unidentified gunman shot him without any provocation.
“The man posed as one of the customers at 6 a.m. when he pulled a gun and fired at the unsuspecting lady trader,” Capellan said, quoting a report from the Matalam police office.
A politician and a businesswoman dead by unidentified gunmen.
A former Lapu-Lapu City Councilor has accused Mayor Junard Chan and acting City Legal Officer James Allan Sayson of usurpation of authority and official function.
Leo Mercado, who served as Pajo barangay captain ahead of Chan before he run and won a seat in the Lapu-Lapu City Council in 2016, wants Chan held criminally liable for the violation of provisions of the Republic Act 7160, or the Local Government Code of the Philippines; R.A. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and R. A. 6713, or An Act Establishing Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees for appointing Sayson as the City Legal Officer upon his assumption to office on July 1, 2019.
Mercado also wants Chan and Sayson held administratively liable for grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service.
“Pending the resolution of this case, respondents Chan and Sayson should be placed under preventive suspension,” Mercado said in his 17-page complaint.
Mercado filed his complaint before the office of the Ombudsman Visayas last September 27, 2019, in his capacity as a private citizen.
Mercado questioned Chan’s appointment of Sayson as City Legal Officer, pointing out that he isn’t even a resident of Lapu-Lapu City, where he now serves.
“Sayson told a blatant lie during one of his interviews and admittedly told them (reporters) that he is a resident of Lapu-Lapu City, where in truth and in fact, he is not. It is a public knowledge that Sayson has been a resident of Cebu City and was not even a resident of Mandaue City when he served the said Local Government Unit,” said Mercado’s complaint.
The substance of his complaint may be true but what about standing? That is always important. But in the Philippines anyone and everyone can file a complaint against any public official.
It took presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo four jeepney rides and almost four hours from Marikina City to Malacañang in Manila to finish his commute challenge early Friday morning.
Panelo started his journey at 5:15 a.m. in Marikina City and reached a gate of the Malacañang complex at 8:46 a.m.
A stunt? A real challenge taker? What I wonder is how this man makes his way to work every other day? If the traffic is really that bad shouldn't he be caught in it every day? It's not like he has a flying car! Despite his long commute time he still says there is no traffic crisis!
He also expressed his qualms over Pacquiao's casting. "My fear is that he is larger than life and his character cannot be separated from Manny Pacquiao the person. If he plays lolo Miguel, the viewers will not be able to see and appreciate my grandfather. Senator Pacquiao’s personality will dominate. That is not a knock on the senator. It is the truth. He is too big to be contained in any role for that matter. His essence will eventually prevail. And it would be disrespectful and a disservice to my great-grandfather if even in the movie about his life, he is not the center of the attention and is merely an afterthought with all the distractions," he said.
In the Philippines you are supposed to be an actor BEFORE you become a Senator! Manny's got it all backwards!
A finance manager of Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative -Cooperative Development Authority (DANECO-CDA) was killed while biking in Maco, Compostela Valley Province early Sunday morning.
Capt. Woody Sabdani, officer-in-charge of Maco Municipal Police Station, identified the victim as Glenn Maico Ordoño, 46, a resident of Purok 3, Poblacion Maco.
According to Sabdani, information was received from a traffic enforcer informing him through a radio call that a shooting incident had transpired in Sitio Lupon-lupon, Barangay Hijo in Maco town.
Police personnel immediately went to the said area for investigation and found the lifeless body of Ordoño bathed in his own blood beside his mountain bike.
According to a witness who refused to be named, she and her daughter were about to go jogging when saw two male persons riding on a single motorcycle and following the victim.
She said that the back rider shot Ordoño while riding his mountain bike. After hearing the gun burst, the said witness immediately turned back and ran towards their house fearing for their lives.
I really wish the media would refrain from showing corpses and writing lines like "bathed in his own blood." This is not a novel. Another official killed. Not an LGU but it still fits with this series.
Amid a damaging controversy, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde stepped down as police chief on Monday, October 14.
He announced this in an early morning address to cops in Camp Crame.
"After careful deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as Chief, PNP, effective today," he said in a press statement.
After saying he had no plans on resigning and that it was time to move on and that all the allegations were a smear campaign he finally decides to step down to save face. The heat became to hot but he is not out of trouble yet. Meanwhile DILG Secretary Año had only praise for this "selfless act."
“I commend Albayalde for his selfless act in order to spare the PNP organization of the on-going controversy. This will allow the PNP to move on and continue exercising its mandate of protecting and serving the people. I thank him for his dedicated and distinguished service as head of the PNP,” Año said in a statement.
No it won't. The issue still remains and is prevalent throughout the PNP. They are a very corrupt institution.
The House of Representatives has processed a total of 220 measures in 20 session days, thus delivering its commitment to pursue the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In a statement on Monday, House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez reported that the House processed an average of 11 measures per session day from July 22 to October 8.
Romualdez vowed that the House leadership will continue to perform better to pass key legislative measures aimed at uplifting the lives of Filipinos.
“The House as an institution performed its tasks commendably and with distinction to deliver the legislative agenda of the President. We answered the challenges and demands of our duties and responsibilities,” he said.
“This will usher us to a good start. Through the collective hard work and determination of House members under the leadership of Speaker Cayetano, we are always focused and committed to pass quality legislation at all times to make better the life of Filipinos,” he added.
As the nation's top executive President Duterte should have no legislative agenda. These people have no idea what the separation of powers is.
Magalong, who investigated the irregularity when he was chief of police for criminal investigation, said in a television interview that the policemen could all be killed like the civilian agents involved in the antinarcotics operation.
“I hope that those involved in the 2013 drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga, will finally realize that they are on their own,” Magalong said.
“And I hope that some of them start talking unless they end up dead like the civilian agents who [were] involved in that drug operation,” he added.
Magalong noted that of the 13, only Lt. Col. Rodney Baloyo is in jail. Baloyo is being held at New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City after being cited for contempt by the Senate blue ribbon committee for lying in the inquiry into the drug operation.
The rest of the officers, Magalong said, are still in the service either as active policemen or “[on] floating status.”
“Anything can happen,” Magalong said.
If these men were assassinated by motorcycle gunmen it would not be any big loss but it would be simply a continuation of the way the PNP has been operating since it's inception.
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. , talking to reporters after the Supreme Court approved the release of initial recount results in Marcos’ election protest against Robredo, said he was a victim of massive cheating.
Marcos said by cheating him in the elections, “they robbed the proper Vice President, myself, of three years of service.”
Robredo countered by saying she was not the one suffering from a reputation of fraud.
“It’s funny that he is the one saying it,” the Vice President said at a press briefing in her office in Quezon City.
“Between the two of us, it’s not me who has the habit of robbing,” Robredo said.
Taking a swipe at the Marcoses without naming any of them, Robredo said she became Vice President because of “hard work.” “I do not have fake diplomas,” she said, apparently referring to accusations that Sen. Imee Marcos falsely claimed to be a graduate of Harvard.
Marcos, Robredo said, “should not say those things because between the two of us, I know that I’m not the thief.”
Marcos expressed frustration at being made to wait for too long to take over as Vice President. “Of course, it’s frustrating but what are you going to do?” he said.
The SC en banc, according to Marcos, had rejected adopting a draft decision penned by Associate Justice Benjamin Caguioa, recommending a dismissal of Marcos’ election protest. “I am happy that the case continues,” said Marcos. “So the case lives and it continues,” he said.
The Supreme Court, instead of issuing a ruling on the recount, has asked both parties to comment on the results of the initial recount. According to reports Leni earned 15,000 more votes which her camp says means the recount should be dismissed. But Marcos is spinning this gain as proof that there was massive fraud and that the protest should be continued. Barbs back and forth between both parties hitting at each other's credibility continue in the grand tradition of corrupt politics. Now the country has to wait at least an additional 20 days to get a ruling on the case and with the holidays right around the corner it could be until next year that a decision is reached!
An election official of MacArthur town in Leyte province was shot dead by two unidentified assailants on Tuesday afternoon.
Maureen Palejaro, 42, was on board a motorcycle driven by her co-worker when the suspects blocked their way in Barangay Pongon.
Election related violence and it's not even election season!
A non-commissioned officer, who police believed had accidentally shot himself, was found dead at the back of the police station in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur on Tuesday. He had a gunshot wound in his forehead.
Police Master Sgt. Brigham Wayne Pascual, the police on duty, still appeared sleeping on a hammock when his fellow police officer found him dead Tuesday morning, Kiblawan police chief PCAT Robert James Carumba said.
Carumba said Pascual’s issued M-16 Armalite rifle was on the ground along with a spent bullet shell casing nearby.
Initial post mortem investigation disclosed that Pascual had accidentally shot himself, causing his untimely death.
Lying in a hammock with a single shot to the forehead from his M-16. Sounds rather suspicious.
Police officers and officials are now barred from playing golf on weekdays since it may interfere with their duties and responsibilities.
Philippine National Police (PNP) declared on Wednesday that it will ban playing golf of police officers during weekdays as it may interfere with their public service.
Sinas noted that playing golf alone is very expensive from the entrance fee to equipment.Sinas said he does not want police officers to focus on playing golf and become escorts for businessmen and prominent individuals in the golf course.
“I don’t want the police na nagfofocus dun. I will not tolerate it. Ang effect is ang mga tao hindi magescort escort ng sino sinong businessman na naglaro ng golf ( I don’t want police officers to focus on playing golf. I will not tolerate it. The effect is police officers will not escort businessmen who are also playing golf).” he said.
Sinas said the weekday golf ban was already in effect when he was director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas.
He added that the order was already existing in the PNP Headquarters but was just “forgotten.”
“It started in Camp Crame, I just implemented it. It was announced so many times that policemen should not play golf but it was forgotten. But I, from the very start to the end, I implemented it,” Sinas said in English and Filipino.
Hard to believe that PNP offices playing golf is such a problem. But it turns out a ban on golf was already issue but just "forgotten." How many other orders have been issued and conveniently "forgotten?"
The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is set to file a case against a provincial governor for holding the release of permits without any valid reason.
ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica made the statement as his agency enters its 100th day Thursday.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Belgica refused to name the said governor but said the official held permits without a valid reason. He said they will be filing the case before the Office of the Ombudsman.
“In a general sense, mga permit po na inipit na hilig na hilig po ng mga ibang government agencies po na may mga personal na layunin na hindi natin alam. Bawal na bawal po yun. Iipitin mo ang papel na wala namang dahilan (In a general sense, it’s about withholding permits. Government officials like to do this for personal reasons and we do not know why. Withholding documents without any reason is prohibited),” he said.
“Ang masasabi ko po itong governor na ito ay nag-violate po na ‘yan sa processing times po natin, pati na rin po sa zero-contact policy (What I can say is this governor violated the prescribed processing time and the zero-contact policy),” he added.
Too bad he does not name names. Perhaps it is the Governor of CamNorte?
According to the report submitted by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to the Ombudsman, Tallado is accused of violating Section 21 of Republic Act No. 11032 which amended the original Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007 when he allegedly failed to render government services to the complainant, identified as a certain Henry Zabala.
But then again it could be someone else!
An explosion rocked the New Bilibid Prison while corrections personnel were conducting clearing operations at the NBP compound in Muntinlupa City yesterday.
Initial reports said an improvised explosive device went off while NBP personnel were demolishing some of the illegally constructed “kubols” or huts previously occupied by members of Islamic extremist groups in Quadrant IV.
Eleazar said bomb squad personnel of the NCRPO recovered two grenades and two blasting caps at the site.
No one has claimed responsibility for the explosion, but investigators said it could be a tactic to put off the demolition of kubols and other illegal structures inside the NBP compound.
When pressed on how some inmates managed to sneak in explosives, Eleazar said anything is possible since inmates bring in contraband, including home appliances, furniture, freezers and other items by paying off corrupt BuCor officials.
The explosion broke out in one of the kubols previously occupied by convicted hardcore terrorists belonging to the Abu Sayyaf, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Maute group and Jemaah Islamiyah.
With the ongoing demolition of illegal structures in the NBP, an inmate said this would make their harsh life even harder.
Some of the inmates occupying the kubols were forced to sleep outside.
They cannot be accommodated in other detention cells because these are already overcrowded.
The same inmate claimed they have no place to sleep, no food to eat and no water to drink. Adding to their misery is the lack of electricity, which makes the heat unbearable. The inmate said Bantag should have thought of the welfare of the prisoners who are affected by the demolition.“He did not plan it well. If they demolished the (kubols) then they should have placed them in a better place. They are already sleeping outside with cartons as beds,” he said.
An IED exploded while illegal structures previously occupied by terrorists were being torn down and when asked how bombs could have been snuck into the prison the answer is a shrug of the shoulders and "Anything can happen." Further more those illegal structures were actually housing inmates because the prison is overcrowded! How did New Bilibid get to this point?
The City Legal Office has begun the probe of some City Hall employees who allegedly are involved in a scheme of asking money from people in exchange for jobs at the city government.
Lawyer Rey Gealon, the city legal officer, said this is in response to the directive of Mayor Edgardo Labella to investigate the reported incidents of City Hall employees who are selling jobs to the public.
Gealon said the investigating team is hopeful to receive a verified complaint in order to “join the issues of the contesting parties and resolve this matter once and for all.”
Gealon urged the employees to come forward to either clear their names or admit their involvement.
No proof. No complaints. Nothing except allegations. For now anyway.
“I wanted to delay the vote because I did not like to take part in it, because I did not like the public, like the media, speculating that I cooked or orchestrated the result,” he said. “But I always told you: Hindi pwedeng magluto dito sa Supreme Court dahil ang daming involved.”
[You cannot cook things up here inside the Supreme Court because there are too many people involved.]
“But the en banc prevailed on me to take the vote yesterday, and after some deliberations, we were able to conclude that it is time indeed for the parties to be asked to comment on the report generated by Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa, who was the justice in charge,” he added.
While it is understandable Bersamin would not want to face the heat from this very hot case it is inexcusable that he wanted to delay the vote because he could not face the heat. It only makes the court less trustworthy and the casts doubt on the decision.
Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag’s tough anticorruption stance has not deterred some rich and influential inmates at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) from offering money to errant personnel in exchange for some liberties.
“[Bribery attempts] are still very rampant,” Bantag told reporters last week. “[I have not gotten an offer yet] but they will definitely try it.”
“History repeats itself, right? Are we expecting good deeds from these drug lords? They will buy even the souls of people here [just to get by],” he added.
Shortly after he assumed the bureau’s leadership, Bantag relieved over 300 correction officers and ordered them to undergo retraining.
This was not the first time BuCor personnel were sacked en masse. In July 2016, more than 300 Special Action Force troopers took charge of security at the NBP after over 200 BuCor officers had to undergo retraining for failing to stop the drug trade in the prison.
History sure does repeat itself! More than tough talk and mass firings are needed to fix the problems at New Bilibid.
