Retards in the Government 160

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

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/06/20/2022199/caloocan-barangay-chair-gunned-down

A barangay chairman in Caloocan City was shot dead by still unidentified masked, motorcycle-riding men early morning Saturday, Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan confirmed in a statement. 

The victim was identified as Barangay 151 Chairman Gally Dilao of the city's first district and Zone 13. 

Based on initial police findings, Dilao had been walking home along Progreso Street around midnight when he was shot and killed by men aboard three motorcycles.

Another LGU shot dead.  This one by three motorcyclists as he was walking alone home at midnight.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106410

Almost 300 elected local officials are now under probe for alleged anomalies in the distribution of the first tranche of the social amelioration program (SAP), the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Friday. 

Brig. Gen. Rhoderick Armamento, CIDG Deputy Director for Administration, said as of Thursday, a total of 283 elected officials, ranging from the mayor down to Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman, while 445 other individuals including barangay secretaries, treasurers, purok leaders, liaison officers are under investigation. 

Among those being investigated is a municipal mayor in Eastern Visayas who allegedly did not transmit cash aid worth over PHP300,000 to a barangay captain, who is the complainant.

More LGU officials being investigated over SAP anomalies.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/743596/cop-nabbed-over-illegal-cockfighting-in-cebu-city/story/

A policeman allegedly involved in cockfighting was arrested by operatives of the Philippine National Police - Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP - IMEG) in Barangay Lahug in Cebu City on Sunday. 

The police officer was identified as Police Staff Sergeant Charlito Sanchez Tinoy, who is assigned at the Regional Personnel Holding Accounting Section. 

Three civilians, who were not named, were also nabbed for supposedly being involved in other illegal gambling operations amid the community quarantine in Barangay Sudlon.

Another cop nabbed for illegal cockfighting.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/06/22/2022744/barangay-captain-2-others-killed-island-basilan

The chairman of an island barangay and two other residents were killed in an attack by unknown gunmen in Tabuan Lasa municipality off Basilan last week, police reported Monday. 

Tabuan Lasa police under Police Lt. Jakaria Muin, acting chief of police, reported the gunmen arrived in a motorized banca last Wednesday afternoon and opened fire on the house of Barangay Tong Umus chairman Muksalin Ibrahim Umbong. 

Police said the armed group escaped in the same motorized banca after the attack. 

The police disclosed that it was the second attempt on Umbong's life. He had also previously been shot at the port of Basilan.

Another LGU assassinated but this time by armed gunmen in a boat. This was also the second attempt on his life.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1295701/maguindanao-town-mayor-unscathed-in-bomb-attack-says-he-was-target

The mayor of a town in violence-wracked Maguindanao province survived a bombing carried out by still unidentified assailants on Monday (June 22). 

South Upi Mayor Reynalbert Insular said his black Mitsubishi pickup truck was damaged by an improvised bomb that exploded past 3 p.m. at the back of the town hall. 

Insular just arrived in South Upi from Cotabato City. His driver was about to park the pickup at the back of the town hall when the bomb went off. 

The driver escaped unhurt. 

Insular said he believed he was the target of the bomb attack, the second since he was elected town mayor in 2016.

The second bombing attempt against the Mayor of South Upi. This time's the charm?

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/320613/coa-flags-delayed-remittance-of-contributions-for-daanbantayan-employees

State auditors have flagged down a supposed “non-prompt and inaccurate” remittance of statutory benefits for employees of the municipality of Daanbantayan for the year 2019. 

In its 2019 audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the town failed to promptly remit its employees premiums for the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), resulting to under remittance of P5,503, P2,034.26, and P3,008.24, respectively. 

The under remittance, according to COA, exposed the municipal government for possible penalties that the three agencies may impose. 

The municipal government, for its part, said it has been remitting timely and accurately the premiums, contributions and loan amortizations of its employees. 

COA says the town is not paying the proper premiums but the town says they are and that the proper adjustments in the books will be made.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296040/solons-seek-probe-into-das-alleged-overpriced-procurement-of-fertilizer

The Makabayan bloc has filed a resolution seeking an investigation on the alleged overpriced fertilizer procured by the Department of Agriculture (DA). 

House Resolution No. 992 — a copy of which was provided to the media on Tuesday — directs the House committee on agriculture and food, and the committee on good government and public accountability to conduct the probe in aid of legislation. 

Under the resolution, lawmakers said the agriculture department conducted bidding for over 1.8 million bags of urea fertilizers for P1.8 billion or P1,000 per bag. 

The fertilizers are for DA’s Rice Resiliency Program which seeks to increase the country’s rice production from 87 percent to 93 percent by the end of 2020. 

However, the lawmakers said this could be overpriced by at least P271.66 million, citing farmers from Tarlac and Nueva Ecija who said that the prevailing average price of urea is only at around P850 per bag. 

“Farmers said recent purchases of urea fertilizer showed a bag could fetch for P830 in Tarlac, P810 in Pangasinan, and P840 in Nueva Ecija,” the lawmakers said.

Farmers allege the DA sold them overpriced bags of fertilizer. Some House members want to investigate.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106712

Authorities said they are investigating the identities of the two men who shot dead an irrigation official on Monday afternoon as he arrived home in Barangay Rosary Heights Mother. 

Maj. Rustom Pastolero, city police station 2 chief, said investigators already have vital leads that could identify the attackers of Engr. Nestor Espenilla, 62, the acting division chief of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Maguindanao office. 

“He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds from .45-caliber pistol,” Pastolero said of the 5 p.m. ambush of Espenilla. 

Espenilla, a widower, just arrived at his home after work when two men riding tandem on a motorbike showed up and opened fire on him at close range. 

Pastolero said responding policemen rushed him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. 

Espenilla survived an ambush on February 27, 2020, also in Cotabato City, according to Pastolero.

Two assassination attempts of which the second was successful. But why would someone from the National Irrigation Administration be ambushed? Was it farmers who did it?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296344/lanao-norte-village-chief-charged-with-selling-meth

Police filed charges on Monday (June 22) against a village chief in Lanao del Norte province for allegedly selling shabu, or crystal meth. 

Maj. Rodolfo Dongiapon, police chief of Kapatagan town, said George Paul Go, 41, chief of Lapinig village, was on a list of what police said high-value targets of the northern Mindanao police. 

Go, according to Dongiapon, had been under surveillance for several months.

Another LGU official busted for selling drugs.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296734/15-qc-cops-axed-for-negligence-after-6-chinese-inmates-escape-from-jail

Fifteen police officers of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) were relieved after six Chinese detainees escaped from a detention facility while under their watch,  the QCPD said Wednesday. 

A statement from QCPD Public Information Office said QCPD chief Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo ordered the relief of the policemen assigned at the District’s Mobile Force Battalion for violation of Article 224 of the Revised Penal Code or evasion through negligence. 

The six detainees were later immediately rearrested near a creek in Mapagkumbaba Street corner Fugencio Street in Barangay Krus na Ligas at 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

At least they were rearrested. But how exactly did they get out?

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/06/24/20/charges-readied-vs-police-official-who-skipped-covid-checkpoint-in-borongan

The local government of Borongan is hoping to file charges next week against a police official who bypassed a checkpoint meant to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).  

“Yesterday I was briefed by the legal office ng siyudad. Matatapos na sila sa pag-consolidate ng mga affidavit ng mga witnesses, hoping by next week we can file the cases in court,” said Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda.  

(I was briefed by the city’s legal office yesterday. They are about to finish consolidating the affidavit of witnesses, hoping by next week we can file the cases in court.)  

Lt. Col. Joel Ana, a resident of the city and assigned at the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) headquarters, was onboard a white van accompanied by 2 police motorcycles when he “bypassed” border control on the night of June 13.  

“It is an insult to our efforts kapag may ganung mga pangyayari lalo na if you are a public official,” said Agda, in an interview on Teleradyo’s Kabayan program.  

(It is an insult to our efforts when things like that happen especially if you are a public official.) 

Cop bypasses checkpoint. Now he will be charged.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/06/25/2023525/lawmakers-want-rename-naia-paliparang-pandaigdig-ng-pilipinas

On Thursday, Reps. Paolo Duterte (Davao 1st District) Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque) and Eric Yap (ACT-CIS Party-list) filed House Bill No. 7031, renaming the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas. 

In a joint statement issued Thursday, the presidential son said: “We need a more representative branding for the international gateway of our country, thus our proposal renaming NAIA to the Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas."  

"Aside from it bearing our country's name, it is in our national language. We want it to reflect the legacy of the Filipino people, our everyday heroes. The name bears no color, no political agenda. It only signifies our warmth as Filipinos in welcoming our own kababayans and foreign visitors," he added.  

For his part, Yap said: “We want for the name of our country to be the first thing welcoming the return to our countrymen as well as tourists from abroad when their planes land. We want to make them feel like they are home. There are many personalities who also deserve their name, institution, and so on. But when it comes to our airport, it should reflect the country and the Filipino people."

This is a really dumb idea.  First of all "Paliparang Pandaigdig ng Pilipinas" means Philippine International Airport and there several of those already like in Davao and Cebu. Secondly foreigners will not be able to pronounce it.  Thirdly it will be reduced to initials like NAIA is right now.  So tourists will land in Manila at PPP which will inevitably be shortened to PP because it is always listed as an awful airport.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Digital Cockfighting, Full Cemeteries, and More!

COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. The number of cases continues to rise and the Palace has even threatened to tighten restrictions once again if the numbers get too high. 

The lockdown forced thousands of workers to stay in Manila. Many of them are still there.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/17/20/over-13000-from-central-southern-ph-still-stranded-in-luzon-official

Over 13,000 remain stranded in Luzon and are still awaiting transportation assistance to return to their home provinces in Visayas and Mindanao, a government official said Wednesday. 

Transportation of the stranded individuals are already being arranged under the government's "Hatid Tulong" program, its head Joseph Encabo said. 

(They are here in Luzon and they want to return to their provinces in Visayas and Mindanao) 

The government last week suspended its "Balik Probinsya" program, President Rodrigo Duterte's push for Metro Manila workers to return to their home provinces, to give way to the homecoming of individuals stranded because of coronavirus lockdowns. 

Some local government officials have expressed worries over the homecoming of stranded individuals due to the threat of COVID-19, as most cases have been reported in Metro Manila and other hotspots in Luzon. 

Encabo, however, assured local government units that those under the "Hatid Tulong" program are subject to rapid antibody testing, and only those with negative results are allowed to go home. 

(Everyone undergoes rapid test...This is so that the receiving LGU can feel assured when they receive constituents.)

These people face two problems.  First is they are stranded of course. Secondly LGU's don't necessarily want them to return because they fear they might bring the virus with them. 

The lockdown has hurt the economy in many ways. OFWs have lost their jobs which some estimate will mean $6 billion less in remittances.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296425/ph-feared-to-lose-6-b-remittances

The Philippines stands to lose up to $6 billion in remittances this year as the COVID-19 pandemic that walloped the global economy might render about 400,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) jobless, Sen. Joel Villanueva said on Tuesday. 

Villanueva, Senate labor committee chair, said the government should immediately intervene and come up with a comprehensive plan to help nearly 50,000 displaced OFWs who had already been repatriated.

It could be that the OFWs will be helped by the P400B the government hopes to raise to fix the economy.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/16/20/philippines-hopes-to-raise-p400b-to-fund-pandemic-recovery

The Philippines plans to raise up to P400 billion in borrowings to help fund its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, a finance official said Tuesday. 

Financing will be sourced from lenders such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Lambino said. 

The country can secure low interest loans at longer terms due to its credit rating, he said. The Japan Credit Rating Agency recently upgraded the country's score to A- from BBB+ rating, he said. 

(When it comes to loans, our target is P400 billion, target and pipeline. We are building a fund to finance our economic recovery plan)

They are going to borrow P400 billion! P58 million will be allocated to the tourism sector.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/06/17/2021483/house-eyes-p58-billion-tourism-sector-recovery

The House of Representatives is eyeing a P58-billion fund for recovery of the country’s tourism industry from recession caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano revealed this yesterday as he urged the Department of Tourism (DOT) to prepare a recovery program while Congress works on providing needed infrastructure. 

“There are challenges, but we can really see opportunities here in the tourism industry if we can put a big sum of money on tourism-related infrastructure,” he explained. 

“There are systems that can be put in place, so that in one year – or one year and a half when COVID is gone, every corner of our country with a tourism industry will be ready to get back on track,” Cayetano stressed.

Interesting that Cayetano thinks the COVID-19 crisis might last a year and a half longer.  How many  more people will die? There won't be any room from them in Mandate City's public cemetery.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/743265/no-more-room-for-covid-19-fatalities-in-mandaue-city-s-public-cemetery/story/

The local government of Mandaue City said its public cemetery is already full and has no more space for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) fatalities, according to Lou-anne Mae Rondina's report on "24 Oras" on Thursday. 

City councilor Nerissa Soon Ruiz, chair of the committee on health, said the Mandaue Municipal Cemetery was already full even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

The LGU said the Mandaue Municipal Cemetery will only open room for more cadavers in August, the reason the city council passed a resolution to find a lot to build another public cemetery. 

Based on the resolution, the mayor will be granted authority to negotiate with individuals or companies to buy a lot for the proposed public cemetery. 

Ruiz added that part of the resolution is the council's call for a mortuary freezer which will be used as a morgue in the city hospital. She said the mortuary freezer will be used temporarily for COVID-19 fatalities. 

So far, Mandaue City has recorded a total of 491 cases of COVID-19, including 12 deaths.

If there has only been 12 deaths so far then it does not seem to be much of a problem. But overfilled cemeteries are definitely a problem in the Philippines.

The distribution of the SAP has hit many snags as was expected.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/06/19/2021962/22000-duplicate-sap-beneficiaries-found

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said its ongoing validation of the distribution of the first tranche of P5,000 to P8,000 emergency cash subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) has uncovered around 22,000 duplicate beneficiaries from the aid programs being undertaken by the different agencies. 

Social Welfare Undersecretary Rene Glen Paje, at a virtual press briefing, said the discovery has prompted the agency to intensify validation of the beneficiaries and liquidation reports submitted by local government units (LGUs) that distributed the first SAP tranche in April.

Are they going to try to get the money back?

During the pandemic cockfighting has been shut down. Or has it?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1294692/the-proliferation-of-illegal-online-sabong-amid-quarantine

But hey, where have all the rowdy gamblers gone? Not anymore in cockpit arenas. They have gone online. 

Electronic sabong or cockfighting is actually not new but the coronavirus pandemic has simply pushed this centuries-old Filipino pastime to fully embrace the cyberspace. 

Cockpit arenas have been shut down as social distancing is enforced across the country. An INQUIRER.net source bared that cock derby is now being held in private farms. 

Inside these private farms, laptops and cameras are set up for the live streaming of the bloody fight between two gamecocks. These hosts have to continuously monitor the quality of their streaming as well as ensure that the event is recorded live to avoid delayed telecast which could result in bettors knowing which cock to bet on. 

The person who is hosting the live streaming earns by selling the streaming rights to various websites where people can place their bets. Based on the screenshots provided by our source, mirror fee—or the fee to gain rights to stream the video—usually costs from P12,500 to P15,000.

Meanwhile on Facebook, there are “customer service representatives” (CSR), usually using photos of “beautiful women” to lure male clients, our source said. 

These CSR are the ones directly transacting with possible bettors, instructing them of the steps to gain access to watch the sabong games online through the websites who were granted the rights to stream them. 

Bettors are instructed to first create an account to gain access to the websites. Previously, the mere creation of an account would cost a bettor P2,000 to P5,000 but due to tightening competition in the online sabong industry, some operators have waived this fee to gain more bettors.

Cockfighting online. Filipinos sure do love cockfighting.

Many OFW's who have lost their jobs and are stuck in foreign lands have had to resort to scavenging through the garbage for food.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106524

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Riyadh is in talks with the employer of Filipino workers in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) who reportedly resorted to “scavenging” for food from the garbage. 

"Patuloy pong nakikipag-ugnayan ang POLO sa Team Time Company at sa Saudi Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development upang maisakatuparan ang pagpapauwi ng mga nasabing manggagawa (POLO is coordinating with the Team Time Company and the Saudi Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development to bring home our workers)," the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia said in a statement on June 19. 

The embassy said POLO has also provided food assistance to the displaced workers. 

In a previous tweet, Philippine Ambassador Adnan Alonto noted that the embassy is continuously working with relevant offices to repatriate the nationals as soon as possible. 

"Repatriation is the goal. Well, exit visas need to be granted and more flights (are) needed. That's the truth. We are on it," he said. 

In a video circulating online, several Filipino workers are seen scouring trash for food to survive after being displaced due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. 

Another clip also surfaced online, featuring a different group picking garbage and food after their contract was terminated during the health crisis.

Sad that people have to resort to such measures just to feed themselves. 

More Chinese are in the COVID-19 business.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106538

Authorities have arrested two Chinese nationals and seized PHP21 million worth of face masks during entrapment operation in Taguig City, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Sunday. 

The CIDG identified the Chinese nationals as James Zhu and Charles Lee, both were arrested on Friday night (June 19) at AKH Construction Plant, Lusacan, Barangay Wawa, Taguig City for selling large quantities of KN95 disposable face masks through phone call and text transactions. 

The confiscated face masks have a market value of PHP105 each. However, the arrested Chinese nationals sell it at a cheaper price of PHP45 each.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1294895/cops-nab-foreigner-for-selling-illegal-covid-19-medicine-in-paranaque

Police officers arrested a Chinese man in Parañaque City on Saturday afternoon for allegedly selling unregistered medicine that allegedly treats the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 

The suspect was identified as Yongchun Cai, 51, a resident of Multinational Village in Barangay Moonwalk in Parañaque. 

Members of Parañaque City Police Station raided the suspect’s house after receiving complaints from residents that foreigners were selling and distributing Chinese medicine for COVID-19 even as there were still no vaccines available yet for the respiratory disease. 

City officials also joined police officers in the operation to verify the report. 

Seized were 64 boxes and 40 plastic bags containing medicines and other health supplies with Chinese characters. Police said the suspect failed to show a valid permit for possession of the medical supplies.

Fake medicine and cheap masks. Probably still more Chinese out there with illegal clinics too.

The number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Now the Senate is under lockdown.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1295996/senate-under-semi-lockdown-2-employees-covid-positive

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday announced that the Senate is under “semi lockdown” after two employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

“We are already in semi lockdown. I was just briefed by the Senate Secretary of the request of some employees,” Sotto told reporters in a Viber message. 

Due to hearings and work to be conducted in the offices of the senators, Sotto said they “cannot declare a total lockdown.” 

“Therefore, my suggestion to the Senate Secretary is to inform those who want a lockdown to do so if they prefer, but we cannot declare so for the entire Senate,” Sotto said. 

“Also, the persons exposed to the two employees have already passed their 14 days self-quarantine,” he added. 

I thought they were doing hearings through zoom.

It's not just the Senate which is facing a semi-lockdown and quarantine. The whole nations remain in a state of quarantine and that will not be changing anytime soon.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/23/20/virus-quarantines-in-philippines-to-remain-for-now-says-palace

The Philippines will keep virus quarantines in place "for now" after the country's pandemic task force temporarily removed the "new normal" classification. 

The Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people observes a 4-step quarantine system, before the "new normal" with just the minimum health standards observed. Metro Manila is under the third strictest called GCQ or general community quarantine. 

"Sa ngayon po wala munang new normal. Ibig sabihin lahat ng lugar po sa Pilipinas meron pa rin community quarantine," Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said Tuesday. 

(There will be no new normal for now. This means that all areas in the Philippines will stay under community quarantine)

No new normal for now? But the quarantines ARE the new normal! 

It seems Cebu is now the epicenter of the of the epidemic which is why they are now on a hard lockdown.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296357/cebu-city-goes-on-hard-lockdown-all-quarantine-passes-cancelled

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has cancelled all quarantine passes issued to at least 250,000 city residents starting 10 p.m. on June 23. 

Brig. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, Central Visayas police chief, was ordered to enforce Labella’s directive to stop the rise in COVID-19 cases in the city, which is now considered as a coronavirus hot spot. 

“We noticed that a lot of people are on the streets even if the city is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ),” said Ferro in an interview on June 23. 

“So the mayor ordered to cancel all quarantine passes until further notice,” he said.
People, who have to buy food, can do so only inside their villages. 

Exempted from the full lockdown are health care workers, call center agents and bank employees, said Ferro.

Such a lockdown will be hard on everyone which is why the Mayor is applying for calm and more cops and soldiers are being sent to Cebu city to enforce the lockdown.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/743937/cebu-city-mayor-appeals-for-calm-understanding-amid-lockdown/story/

"I am sure many questions arise as to what this means. I ask for your calm and understanding as we work out the details in coordination with the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and national agencies," Labella said. 

"I know this is a difficult time for everyone. What we can do at this time is stay calm and informed. I urge everyone to work with us so that we can win this war against COVID-19 immediately," he added.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1296530/more-cops-soldiers-health-workers-to-enforce-cebu-city-lockdown-ano

(Cebu City is under ECQ and we will provide more police officers and members of armed forces because we see a need for residents to observe home quarantine in their houses because the number of cases there is already huge with 4,000 active cases and it is already increasing.)

Hopefully they get it under control.

Construction Zone Crosswalk

Construction sites in the Philippines are not the safest in the world.  Just look at this one:

Actually they look pretty normal and safe by Philippine standards. Large gaping holes in the ground with hardly any protection to prevent accidents. But how are people supposed to cross the street?  Like this of course:

One lady walked right through the ditch! She could have really injured herself. Two others walked through the construction area around the hole. But there is always the danger of falling in. 

Why aren't these construction zones completely fenced off!?  This is insane!  This is the Philippines!

Insurgency: World Class

The Anti-Terror Bill of 2020 has yet to be passed but LGUs continue to hail it has a law which will provide for everything.  Even protecting the economy.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106193

(Many are aware that the threats of terrorism can affect the progress of our economy in the form of loss of tourists, foreign investors, among others. If we want a prosperous country, it is time to have an effective shield against criminality, terrorism, drugs, and corruption),” part of the manifesto said. 

The council also encouraged everyone to “embrace and support" the bill for the good of the Filipinos and the generations to come. 

The MPOC said that the bill will promote the aspired peace for the Filipinos and the society.

What they are saying is that if terrorism was completely wiped out everyone would be safer, more tourists would come visit, more foreigners would invest, and the economy would be booming. No kidding! There's no guarantee this bill will do all that. Listen to what President Arroyo said at the signing of the Human Security Act of 2007:

Today we raise the bar on our campaign against terrorists who kill, bomb and maim to enforce an ideology of evil. 

We have the legal muscle to help end the paralysis of fear, empowered with a law that identifies terrorism and penalizes it, a law that preserves and protects freedom. 

Crime is down in the nation because we have made investments to put more police on the street. Our military must continue on its path to reform, becoming even more professional every day at the same time they fight to eliminate the armed terrorist threats to the nation from religious extremists or communist terrorists. Whatever ideology is being pursued that undermines our stability must be defeated. 

If you are armed and kill innocent civilians, you will be tracked down and prosecuted. If you are a communist terrorist, we will stop you. If you are a religious terrorist, we will stop you. If you are a rogue element of your own police or military, we will stop you. 

Economic and social development is still the best guarantee of achieving human security. Only equitable and sustainable growth can free us from want and fear. Poverty, though not the cause, abets terrorism. 

Talk is cheap. It is action that counts. I ask the public to give the Human Security Act a chance.

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2007/07/20/speech-of-president-arroyo-at-the-launching-of-the-human-security-act-of-2007/

This speech was given on July 20th, 2007 almost 13 years ago. What has changed? Nothing! A decade after her speech the Marawi siege happened. Why?  It wasn't because of the law. It was because the government ignored intelligence they had about the forthcoming attack! It is not "the law" which identifies terrorism and penalizes it nor is it "the law" which preserves and protects freedom. It is a competent military which does that. Arroyo was right. Talk is cheap. It is action that counts. The AFP and the PNP failed to act on the emerging threat of ISIS between 2014 and 2017. In fact they ignored it! Listen to Arroyo again:

"Our military must continue on its path to reform, becoming even more professional every day..."

The military has been stuck in a reform trip since the 90's. Modernization they call it. Obtaining modern weapons and better training. The AFP is STILL modernizing. For nigh on 30 years the Philippines has been attempting to purchase the weapons it needs. Remember when the AFP plated their vehicles with wood during the Marawi siege to stop the RPG's ISIS was firing at them?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/907313/wood-reinforced-vehicles-foil-maute-antitank-weapons

Remember when DND Secretary Lorenzana admitted that the AFP had to relearn urban warfare combat because they stopped such training exercises?

"It's a skill we used to have but we lost along the way because we didn't use it. We keep training our people in what we call the military operations in urban terrain, MOUT.  But we seldom use it, we never use it, so we stopped teaching our people at the Marawi camp. So now we have to reacquire that skill plus the necessary equipment that goes with it.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/06/martial-law-no-ready-reserve-ammunition.html

The AFP stopped training in urban warfare because they never use it? Outstanding! What kind of military stops training for war just because there is no war? But in the Philippines war has never ended. So why did they stop training? 

Neither the lack of weapons nor the lack of skills has stopped their leaders from calling the AFP world class.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106260

(Even if our equipment has yet to arrive, Gen. Año said we have already won the battle. That is the spirit being demonstrated by our artillerymen)," Army commander, Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, said in his speech during the 13th anniversary of the Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. 

Gapay said that while it has yet to get more modern equipment, the AAR has been effective in carrying out its mandate and assisting the government in ongoing efforts to contain the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. 

Meanwhile, he urged all AAR personnel to continue honing their skills and maintain their professionalism.

Basically he is saying the AFP has heart and that is what matters. What a crock! Wars are not won with heart.  They are won with equipment and training.

What a joke. Just as unfunny a joke as Sara Duterte talking about cultivating a "culture of security."

https://twitter.com/SunStarDavao/status/1272553573268643841

"We call on everyone to continue to be vigilant and do their part in establishing and nurturing a Culture of Security here in our city and our country."

You know what would cultivate a culture of security is taking intel seriously. Taking the threat of ISIS seriously. Not calling the NPA irrelevant. That AFP has done all of that. Their laxity has made the Philippines unsafe. Seven years ago the AFP declared Antique insurgent free and the NPA insignificant.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2013/03/19/news/regions/rebels-in-antique-rendered-useless/643219/

“The CNN [CPP-NPA-NDF] here in Antique is already insignificant,” Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta, Third Infantry Division commander, said after he and Gov. Exequiel Javier of Antique signed a joint declaration proclaiming Antique as “manageable conflict-affected and development-ready.” 

“The joint declaration of Antique as manageable conflict-affected and development-ready means that the province is an insurgency-free province and at this time, we were able to overcome the so called fear of communist affectation. We are now moving out of that and ready to accept investment,” he added.

Now the AFP says there is massive recruitment in Antique!

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106195

“We have monitored massive recruitment, especially of minors, in Antique province,” Batara said, adding that this is intended to reclaim some areas in the province that were declared as insurgent-free in 2015. 

“Massive recruitment is particularly happening in the municipalities of Sibalom, San Remigio and Hamtic,” he said, adding that CNTs’ extortion activities are also being done simultaneously to beef up their logistical strength.

They declared the province insurgent free in 2015? Funny cause the first article is from 2013. Is that a typo or did the NPA flare up in the region after 2013? In any case they declared parts of both Northern and Eastern Samar insurgent free in 2013 and 2015.

https://manilastandard.net/news/-main-stories/193027/42-visayas-towns-rebel-free.html

In the past two years, the Philippine Army has declared 42 towns in Eastern Visayas as insurgency-free, raising military’s confidence that the region will attain the rebel-free status by next year. 

In a report to the Regional Development Council, Lt. Col. Ferdinand Bajarin, assistant chief of staff for intelligence of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said that of the 42 areas, nine are in Northern Samar, four in Samar, four in Eastern Samar and 25 in Leyte. 

“This is in line with our effort to declare Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Leyte as insurgency-free by 2016,” Bajarin said. 

Since October 2013, declared as insurgent-free are the towns of Allen, Biri, Capul, San Antonio, San Vicente, Rosario, Lavezares, San Jose, and San Roque in Northern Samar; Alamagro, Tagapul-an, Sto. Nino, and Daram in Samar; Guiuan, Mercedes, Lawaan, and Salcedo in Eastern Samar. 

In Leyte, listed as rebel-free are Palompon, Bato, Matalom, Inopacan, Tabon-tabon, Dulag, Julita, Babatngon, Tabango, Abuyog, Mahaplag, Hindang, Barugo, San Miguel, Leyte, Pastrana, Hilongos, Tolosa, Mayorga, Matag-ob, Merida, Dagami, Calubian, Sta. Fe, and Alangalang. 

These areas have been jointly declared as free from threats of New People’s Army by local government units and Army battalions in the region.

Well Samar was not insurgency free by 2016 as the AFP continues to fight the NPA in the region.

http://archive.is/x2aq7

The New People’s Army (NPA) continues to weaken following intensified military operations this year, the Philippine Army operating in some parts of rebel-infested Northern Samar province said on Friday. 

Lt. Col. Juan Gullem, commander of the Philippine Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion (IB), said a rebel lair overran by government troops and seizure of firearms in Palapag, Northern Samar will paralyze the activities of the communist terrorist group. 

Seized after the clash were two homemade shotguns, empty shells, mobile phone, flash drive, transistor radio, gasoline, four civilian bags, food supply, flashlights with batteries, assorted medicines, school identification cards, and subversive documents. 

The discovery of school IDs proves that NPAs have been recruiting students to join in the armed struggle, Gullem said. 

“The lair’s discovery will weaken the organization since they’re driven away from their comfort zone. The overwhelming support of the local populace to the government makes the NPA vulnerable. It will take time for them to establish another haven unless they surrender,” Gullem said in a phone interview. 

Northern Samar is considered to be the NPA’s stronghold in Eastern Visayas due to poor road network, thick forest, high poverty incidence, and low level of education in upland communities.

Maybe the AFP will meet their new target date of of an insurgency free Samar by 2022. But probably not. Let's not be duplicitous here. There are good numbers from this month and other months too as NPA members and supporters continue to surrender.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1045164

The Communist Terrorists Group in Northern Samar further weakens with the mass surrender of 71 CTG members and supporters to the 43rd Infantry Battalion on June 15 in Northern Samar. 

Reports coming from the 43rd IB stated that the surrenderees included 45 Yunit Militia, 13 Batahang Organisasyon sa Partido (BOP) and 13 Communist Terrorist Group supporters, at Barangay E Durian, Bobon, Northern Samar.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1105880

Intensified operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has resulted in the voluntary surrender of 313 New People's Army (NPA) members and supporters from June 6 to 12.

High value targets continue to be neutralized by the AFP.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1045394

A notorious Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) who was responsible in various extortion activities targeting the government infrastructure projects and business establishments in the pacific towns of Northern Samar, and his aide, were neutralized by the combined elements of Team Peacemaker and the Northern Samar Police Mobile Force Company while conducting an inter-agency law enforcement operation on Saturday, June 20, at vicinity of Brgy. Bagacay, Palapag, Northern Samar.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106423

An alleged bomb expert of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) involved in the 2007 Batasan bombing was arrested in an intelligence-driven law enforcement operation in this southern port city, a police official said Friday. 

Lt. Col. Roland Barraquio, Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company commander, identified the arrested individual as Kahar Indama, cousin of Basilan-based ASG leader Furuji Indama. 

Indama was involved in the November 13, 2007 bombing that killed then Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar and injured seven others, two of whom are legislators, at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City, he said. 

He said the arrested ASG "bomb expert" was also involved in the ambush of government troops sometime in 2007 that resulted in the death of seven militiamen and one member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) and injured three soldiers and a militiaman.

But if gains cannot be sustained then it's all for nothing. The government seems to not understand that.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1106478

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday urged the officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ensure that there will be zero abuses of any provision in the proposed anti-terrorism measure once it is enacted into law. 

“It is a reminder to the Executive Department, the Secretaries, who will form the Task Force Committee, it is a reminder to the Chief-of-Staff, it is a reminder to the Senate and Congress, and it is a reminder to the Chief PNP that the law will be judged not by all its successes, but by one abuse,” he said. 

“Maybe not now, maybe not next week, maybe not in one year, we may prove that the critics [are] wrong,” he said.

The problem with the new anti-terror bill is not that abuses may happen but that NOTHING will happen. That everything will remain the same. That the insurgency will continue to plod along just as it has for the past 50 years because of the incompetence of the AFP and the PNP. The Philippines does not need a new anti-terrorism law.  It needs an effective military who can defeat these threats. Heart is not enough.

Hospital Emergency Room

Hospitals in the Philippines are wretched places. Even the private hospitals are awful. I had to visit an emergency room recently at The Doctor's Hospital. It looked like this:

What you should keep in mind is that this is a brand new emergency room. An addition to an already existing hospital. This place is where the ambulances will be dropping off people in need. Now why would they construct this new wing and leave a telephone pole stump in the road!! Can you see it in the picture?  Here it is up close!!!

Here it is even up closer!

It looks like a carabao patty but is a lot more dangerous. I watched at least two vehicles run over this obstacle. Imagine an ambulance running over it!  Imagine an ambulance coming there at all. Now I did ask about this stump and was told it was PLDT's responsibility because they own the telephone poles. I did go to PLDT to ask about it but was greeted with a very long line and told come back tomorrow.

You know what? It's not my job and if no one else cares why should I?  This is the Philippines!

Look at the first picture again. See that white thing in the middle of the driveway where the ambulances are supposed to offload?  Here is what the other side looks like.

Is this COVID-19 related!? Is this part of social distancing? You have to be dropped off and signed in at this station!? While all the traffic is driving by? RIDICULOUS!! I went by two days later and they moved this sign-in station from the center of the ramp to the side.

It's not any less stupid but at least the doors aren't blocked off anymore.

But I am not finished.  Look at this. 

This poor man is being pushed in his wheelchair IN THE BUSY STREET IN THE RAIN around the corner from the emergency room to I don't know where probably to some evaluation place. Do I need to point out how dangerous this is? Why does The Doctor's Hospital allow their staff to do this? They could have pushed him through the building but they didn't!! Why not? A few days later I saw the same scenario being played out.

Why are they pushing wheelchair bound patients through the busy street!? The answer I received was basically, "Well they are just going over there." That is not an excuse because when I was there the guy I was with was wheeled through the building to the emergency room area. It almost makes you wish a car would smash right into these people just so they can learn a lesson about how stupid this all is.