Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Insurgency: No Reason to Rebel

Remember a few weeks ago when the AFP sponsored a peace rally against the NPA? It seems the AFP has done it again this time in Iloilo.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/iloilo-villages-hold-peace-rally-condemn-npa/

Participants marched together and loudly voiced-out their sentiments on how the CPP-NPA made their lives miserable by hampering the existence of peace and development. They also expressed that these communist terrorists are no longer welcome and are banned from entering their barangays. Their goal is to have a peaceful community and be free from violence and abuses from these lawless elements. Present in the occasion are the Local Government Unit of Miagao headed by the honorable Mayor. Macario N. Napulan, M.D. and the Army’s 61st Infantry (Hunter) Battalion under LTC Joel Benedict G Batara, its Commanding Officer.

Furthermore, the highlight of the activity was the Signing of the Oath of Allegiance by the formerly influenced residents by the communist terrorist. This was followed by the burning of CPP-NPA Flag to strongly condemn and withdraw their support to achieve inclusive peace and development in their barangay. The last part of the program is the Release of Doves as a symbol of peace and unity to reign in the people’s hearts. Meanwhile, Mayor Napulan stated that “To the people of Miagao, to those who are here today, who have been a victim of the CPP-NPA, do not be hesitant, do not have doubts, our Philippine Army is here, the local government officials of our town is here, and they are showing their full support so that we can achieve what we aim for. Ang akon lang ginapangayo kaninyo, parapet kamo, indi naton masarangan kung mga barangay officials lang, parapet kamo sa banwa kay para manginmarapit man kami sa inyo, ginatinguwaan ko nga magparapit kaninyo. Kay wala nani sang katapusan ang ila nga systema gani tyempo ron dya kag tapuson naton. Mabuhay ang banwa kang Miagao! Mabuhay ang kalinong kag katawhay kang banwa naton! Ibagsak ang CPP-NPA.”

This article does not explicitly say the AFP sponsored this rally but with their presence what can one concede otherwise? It's right in line with their psyop efforts on social media and their attempt to bribe rebels to surrender.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055329

(What else are they going to reason to rebel when they have already been given everything. From TESDA, DOLE, DTI, DSWD, and other agencies, everything has been given to them so they can sustain their livelihood),” he said.

Libayao especially cited the farm-to-market road project given by the government as “the most important thing” to the communities’ livelihood because without the road, it was too difficult for people to move and get access.

As well, one of the many programs of the government for Talaingod is the housing project, which Libayao confidently believes will make the IPs in Haran come back to Talaingod.

([For those in Haran] Of course they will come back because they now have houses to live in, they will be envious of their fellows who have received their own decent house to live in),” he explained.

He explained that the reason why some of the IPs moved to Haran is because of their lack of homes.

(Our IP brothers, they just go from place to place to live because they never had a concrete house to live in, they always just had temporary houses…That’s why they moved to Haran because they didn’t have a place to stay),” he said.

But now that there is the government’s housing project for the IPs, Libayao believes this will encourage the communities to stay in one place and work hard towards their livelihood.

(So now that the government gave them a decent housing, that’s where they will work hard towards their livelihood),” he said.

He added that these houses are a complete package, since there will be water system, and electricity  for the housing sites.

(So what reason do they have to rebel? They have the complete package, there is water system, there is a program by the province to bring electricity there),” Libayao added.

Everything has been give to them.  They have the complete package. Why should they rebel?  Why indeed? Why are they relying on the Philippine government for anything when they, as indigenous people, have been living just fine for centuries. What changed? 

The number of terrorist the government has successfully bribed into laying down their arms continues to multiply.

 https://www.kalinawnews.com/271-sulu-asg-returnees-avail-social-integration-benefits/

Heeding to the Localized Social Integration Program (LSIP) of Joint Task Force Sulu, at 2:00 o’clock PM today, the Minister of MSSD, BARMM, Atty Raisa Jajurie, extended financial assistance in the amount of Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php 15, 000.00) to the 144 qualified ASG returnees of Sulu. The cash assistance is a seed money intended for the livelihood projects of the surrenderees such as farming, fishing, aquaculture, poultry, and livestock raising. Also present during the activity to extend their organization’s services are WESTMINCOM Commander Lt Gen Corleto Vinluan Jr, JTF Sulu Commander BGen William Gonzales, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP) Representative Mr Ariel Hernandez, United Nation Development Program (UNDP) Representative Mr Chetan Kumar, and Balay Mindanao Foundation Inc (BMFI) Representative Mr Richard Rejas.

The LSIP is a joint program of Sulu LGU and JTF Sulu through its Provincial and Municipal Task Force ELAC. It encompasses three stages: RETURN, REFORM, and REINTEGRATE. The first stage is the formal surrender of the ASG to the military, police, or LGU where he will be undergoing medical check-up and profiling; the second is the reformation stage where he will undertake psychosocial intervention, non-formal education and trainings, and introduction to livelihood opportunities; and the third stage is the integration process where he will be granted with a livelihood assistance, enrolment to housing programs, and an active partner in advocating peace initiatives.

It appears this headline is incorrect as only 144 ASG returnees have received bribe money from the government just as it says in the body. It is not clear what psychosocial intervention is. Sounds like reeducation or brainwashing. When did these people surrender? There are only an estimated 500 or so members of Abu Sayyf. This amount of surrenderees would cut the group nearly in half.  Maybe some of these are supporters only and not actual terrorists.

The AFP also says 55 ASG members have been killed since the beginning of the year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1117675

A total of 55 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorists were killed during intense military operations from January 1 to September 30 this year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Tuesday.

In a press statement, AFP public affairs office chief Navy Capt. Jonathan Zata said 78 ASG members also surrendered in Eastern and Western Mindanao.

During the same period, the AFP also arrested six terrorists and seized 97 high and low-powered firearms, seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and nine encampments.

55 killed, 6 arrested, and 78 surrendered. So where do the 144 come from? Is the rehabilitation program longer than 9 months? 

The week the AFP caught 3 Indonesians with links to Abu Sayyf who are allegedly responsible for the 2019 Jolo bombing. This incident has pumped them up and excited them about ending the terror threat.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1118108

The arrest of a female Indonesian suicide bomber and two other persons with reported links with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in Barangay San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu Saturday highlights the resolve of the Philippine Army (PA) and other security troops to eliminate the terrorist threat.

The arrest of these individuals is a manifestation that the Army and its subordinate units are now more capacitated to find, fix, fight, and finish the enemy. We will continue to support our troops on the ground as they go after these threats and keep our communities safe,” PA chief Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said in a media statement.

Meanwhile, Arevalo said focused military operations ordered by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay on the Dawlah Islamiya-inspired terrorist group, following the August 24 suicide bombing in Jolo which killed 14 people and wounded 75 others, has seriously degraded the capabilities of the terror organization.

He was referring to military operations that neutralized notable ASG sub-leaders which include Samir Nani, a bomb-maker who was killed last August 29; Rullie's husband Baso, who was also killed August 29; and Arsibar Sawadjaan, another bomb-maker, and cousin of Mundi Sawadjaan, who was killed last September 28.

Another factor in the decline of the ASG is the series of surrenders from the terror group due to intense pressure from the AFP.

"Gen. Gapay commends the operating units under Brig. Gen. William Gonzales, the Commander of 11th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Sulu for this string of successes. To decisively defeat the ASG by December 2020 and relegate them to criminality problem was Gen. Gapay’s specific orders for Western Mindanao Command under Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan," Arevalo said.

What does it mean that the Army is now "more capacitated?" If you remember from my review of the book "The Battle of Marawi" recall that the AFP regularly ignored intel, falsified reports, and failed to learn any lessons from previous battles with terrorists. What exactly has changed to render them more capable to "finish the enemy? Will enough ASG members surrender or be caught to declare them decisively defeated in two months? We'll see.

NPA surrenderees are also going through rehabilitation programs in order to avail of the government's bribery programs.

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1055402

“They voluntarily surrendered and underwent a ‘de-radicalization’ program. The STT was organized by the Army's 3ID with the support of People's Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment (PeACE), an FR organization,” Pancito said in a press release.

STT aims to educate FR's on the fundamentals of public speaking and encourage them to assist the government in its peace and development initiatives; to capacitate the FRs in their role as third party advocate of the government through training; and contribute in the de-radicalization of FRs and discuss ideological corrections on issues concerning peace.

The training also aims to realign the experience and knowledge of the FRs towards peace and development efforts of the government and enlighten students/youth and other target audience on communist terrorist groups' infiltration through their actual accounts, narrative, and testimonies; and to strengthen the partnership between the PeACE.

On the other hand, Major General Eric Vinoya, 3ID Commander, said that the De-Radicalization Training will prevent the FRs from being lured by communist ideologies again to NPA recruitment.

Vinoya stressed that the training will also help the FRs embrace new lives and succeed in life after choosing the right path of returning to their families and communities.

"Your Army in Western and Central Visayas is here to help and support you as you return to the folds of the law. Start a peaceful life by moving on and embracing what you've learned, he said.

Are we to assume that all surrenderees went through this same program or only a select few? No matter because this is 100% propaganda. The government is turning NPA surrederees into spokesman for government propaganda. It's no wonder the AFP is sponsoring anti-CPP-NPA peace rallies held by former NPA members.

Just because many NPA members have surrendered is no guarantee that an area is insurgency free even though the AFP declares it to be so.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/344519/ferro-bohol-still-insurgency-free

Bohol is still insurgency-free despite having indicators of the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA) after a series of alleged surrender of its members lately 

This was what Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro told reporters in a call conference on Thursday, October 8, 2020. 

Ferro said despite being declared insurgency-free last 2010, they have spotted several “indicators” of NPA presence but these were immediately addressed through military and police operations.  

“In 2010, ang Bohol man gud gi declare na insurgency-free. So because of that pronouncement 10 years ago, there are indications last year that naay na discover na training camp, naay encounter, naay napatay na believed and suspected to be government informant na gipatay sa CTG (Communist-Terrorist Groups),” said Ferro.  

Just last October 6, Tuesday, another individual who claimed to be a member of the NPA surrendered to the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO).  

According to Ferro, they are on the lookout for possible remaining members of the NPA in the province.

But Ferro put an emphasis on those who have surrendered, saying it is an indication of the “dwindling” force of the NPA in Bohol. He said that the police will still not be complacent as they want Bohol to remain insurgency-free. 

If there are still NPA in the area and if the AFP discovered a training camp last year then how can they possibly say that Bohol is insurgency free? It makes no sense even with the AFP's own definition of insurgency-free.

“Insurgency-free”, according to Luga, means that they have received no more reports of armed men in the province. 

Insignificant level. Wala na rito ang mga armed groups,” Luga said during the recent meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council held at the Capitol Social Hall.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2019/09/martial-law-insurgent-free.html

How is a training camp insignificant? It's not. If the NPA is dwindling then how is Bohol insurgency free?  It's not! It's a total contradiction. These terms and phrases as used buy the AFP are certainly all part of their psychological operations. Facebook is just the tip of an immense iceberg.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Picture of the Week: A Filipino Biergarten

They do things different in the Philippines.  Here we have a Filipino biergarten.


Surely these plants will grow up "extra strong."

Friday, October 9, 2020

Retards in the Government 175

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


https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1342891/3-employees-of-negros-occidental-office-axed-from-work-for-falsification-of-daily-time-records
Three employees of the Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office were terminated from work for falsification of official document and serious dishonesty. 
Lawyers Ernie Magaspag and Roxenne Sumanting, and bookbinder Warlito Butalon, however, can challenge the decision before the Civil Service Commission. 
Magaspag said he and Butalon are filing motions for reconsideration.
Three government lawyers accused of falsifying their daily time records.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1342765/house-drama-slammed-a-waste-of-time
In a television interview, Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Rep. Jericho Nograles blasted the “absurd” proceedings in the House, which saw Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano offering to resign and his allies voting to reject his resignation. 
“This was a waste of legislative time. We have so much to battle in the budget. We don’t have time in our hands and the Republic of the Philippines cannot wait,” Nograles said. 
The deliberations on the 2021 budget were interrupted on Wednesday when Cayetano took the floor and delivered a 40-minute speech, narrating details of a meeting he and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco had with President Duterte in Malacañang on Tuesday night, then offered to resign.
All this pointless drama because Speaker Cayetano is not gentlemanly enough to honor a gentleman's agreement to share the speakership.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1117337
Four village chiefs here and one each in the towns of Sta. Barbara, San Jacinto, and Rosales are facing a six-month preventive suspension over alleged anomalies in the social amelioration program (SAP). 
In an interview on Friday, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Pangasinan provincial director Paul Lalata Jr. said most of the complaints against them were due to alleged grave misconduct prejudicial to the best interest of their service, abuse of authority, and oppression. 
“These are in relation to the implementation, specifically in identifying the beneficiaries for the first tranche of SAP,” he said. 
Lalata said the Office of the Ombudsman ordered the preventive suspension of the officials from Oct. 1, 2020 to March 30, 2021, to give way to the investigation against them. 
“This does not mean they are already guilty. The Ombudsman said that their stay in their post might prejudice the case against them as they have access to the evidence and they might influence the evidence and the witnesses,” he said.
7 LGU officials preventively suspended over SAP anomalies.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/343533/retired-police-officer-killed-in-shootout-p1-4m-shabu-seized
A retired police officer was killed in a shootout with law enforcers who visited his home in Sitio Hoyong-Hoyong, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City on Friday, October 2, 2020, to serve a search warrant. 
In a report, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA – 7) said that Alexander Dalion, 58, was accused of being a drug peddler who had links with prominent drug personalities here. 
PDEA-7 said that Dalion attempted to scare away law enforcers from the anti-narcotics agency, the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), and the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), who were headed for his home to serve the search warrant.
The PDEA-7 report said that the former policeman opened fire prompting law enforcers to fire back at him which resulted in his death. 
Seized from the suspect’s residence were 22 pieces of sealed transparent plastic sachets believed to contain shabu with a total street value of approximately P1.4 million. 
Dalion allegedly had connections with slain drug lord Jeffrey ‘Jaguar’ Diaz and had the capacity to dispose of around one kilogram of shabu per week. 
PDEA-7 said they received information from concerned citizens in the area on the former police officer’s illegal activities. Informants also claimed that Dalion had murdered his sibling and that he would indiscriminately fire a gun scaring neighbors.
This former cop sounds like bad news.  With his connections to a slain drug lord he should have been on the PNP's radar but it seems they knew nothing until they were tipped off by his neighbors.


https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/343454/lto7-worker-allegedly-involved-in-talisay-shooting-incident
 mediation hearing over a noise complaint ended into an alleged shooting incident on Friday, October 2, 2020, in Barangay Tabunok, Talisay City. 
The Talisay City Police Station confirmed to reporters on Friday, October 2, that they received a shooting alarm involving Vince Santiago, 36, and a certain Bryan Montefalcon, 35. 
Pelare said that the two men argued after the mediation hearing outside the barangay hall which allegedly ended in a shot fired.
In the initial investigation, Santiago, who is an employee of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7), and his neighbor, Montefalcon, attended the mediation hearing at the Tabunok Barangay Hall over a noise complaint filed by Santiago’s mother against Montefalcon.
Apparently, the mediation hearing did not go well because both men ended up arguing outside the barangay hall after the hearing. 
Santiago claimed that he challenged Montefalcon to a fistfight but instead the latter allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at Santiago. 
Santiago claimed that the gun fired after they grappled for possession of the gun. 
Montefalcon, for his part, denied Santiago’s claims and instead accused Santiago as the one who pointed a gun at him. 
But responding policemen noted that there were no firearms recovered from the scene where the alleged disagreement happened.
LTO officer gets into an argument with his neighbor in front of the barangay hall. He challenges the man to a fistfight but alleges a gun was pulled out a fired after they both wrestled for it. But no gun is found in the area. What a mystery.


https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1117391
The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Friday formally endorsed to the Office of the Ombudsman the complaint against senior officials including the chief of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth). 
In his letter to Ombudsman Samuel Martires, Justice Undersecretary Adrian Ferdinand Sugay said the complaint of the National Bureau of Investigation on irregularities in the state insurer involved the questionable grant of cash advances to health care institutions in the National Capital Region under its interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM). 
The said mechanism is provided for under PhilHealth Circular No. 2020-0007 and allowed the release of funds during natural disasters and armed conflicts. Up to 33 percent or PHP5 billion of the PHP14.9 billion released through IRM has been liquidated. 
Named in the complaint were former president and chief executive officer (PCEO) Ricardo Morales, executive vice president Arnel de Jesus, senior vice president Renato Limsiaco, senior vice president Israel Francis Pargas and vice presidents Gregorio Rulloda, Imelda Trinidad de Vera, Lolita Tuliao, Gemma Sibucao and Lailani Padua. 
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, in a message to newsmen, said the charges are for violation of Sections 3(e) and 3 (i) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices act, malversation of public funds or property, violation of Sections 251, 255, and 272 of the National Internal Revenue Code, and Section 4 of Republic Act 1051, which requires government agencies to deduct and withhold taxes in payments made to private institutions and individuals. 
"More complaints will be filed in the next few days and weeks against erring PhilHealth personnel and their cohorts," Guevarra said.
More complaints to be filed but given the track record of the courts it could take a few decades before any verdict is given.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1343617/binan-council-secretary-companion-shot-dead-in-ambush
The secretary of the Biñan City Council in Laguna, Edward “Edu” Alonte Reyes, and his companion were gunned down in an ambush Sunday evening, according to the Laguna Police Provincial Office. 
The attack took place at around 7:30 p.m. in Barangay San Antonio in Biñan. 
Reyes, a cousin of Biñan Rep. Marlyn Alonte, was a member of the dominant political clan in the city. 
Also killed was his companion, Don Deocaris, who was identified in a police report as a doctor. 
Reyes and Deocaris were ambushed in a car by an undetermined number of assailants near a convenience store on Jubilation Road near the city government building. 
They were rushed to the University of Perpetual Help Hospital in the city where they were declared dead on arrival. 
On the same day in 2017, Reyes was wounded a similar ambush shortly after he left the government building.
Another LGU assassinated.  But in an eerie twist he was assassinate don the same day he survived an ambush three years ago!

Police are investigating the two separate shooting incidents on Sunday that led to death of a barangay official and the wounding of a volunteer fireman, an official said Monday. 
Capt. Edwin Duco, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, identified the fatality as Joseph Tejero, the barangay chairperson of Poblacion in Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte. 
The wounded volunteer fireman is identified as Alfredo Gomez Jr., 40, of Midsalip Fire Station, Zamboanga del Sur. 
Duco said Tejero was inside his residence when three unidentified gunmen, armed with .45-caliber pistols, appeared and repeatedly shot the barangay official around 2:43 p.m. Sunday in Barangay Poblacion, Baliguian. 
Tejero, who sustained multiple gunshot wounds, died instantly. 
Duco said the suspects fled on board two motorcycles towards the town of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. 
Gomez, on the other hand, was repeatedly shot by two men riding tandem in a motorcycle while the victim was about to park his motorcycle around 9 p.m. Sunday near a hospital in Barangay Bacahan in Midsalip, Zamboanga del Sur.
A barnagay councilor was assassinated inside his house and a firemen was wounded by unknown would-be assassins.

The Commission on Audit has told the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to "act as a role model" and register its 399 vehicles that failed to comply with inspection requirements in 2019. 
Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code mandates that all vehicles must be registered, COA noted in its 2019 audit report on the MMDA. 
The Transport Division (TD) of the MMDA disclosed to the audit team that only 132 vehicles, including motorcycles, service vehicles and trucks, had been registered in 2019 out of a total of 531 vehicles. 
The head of the TD unit said that the non-registration of vehicles was due to several reasons, including defective lights, faulty electrical wirings, unsightly body, failed smoke emission, among others. 
Plate numbers from previously purchased vehicles as well as necessary documents were also unavailable and some users were not prioritizing the registration of their vehicles as they were more focused on operations. 
“As one of the Implementing Agencies for Traffic Enforcement, MMDA should act as a role model for the public and to follow strictly the rules and regulations prescribed by LTO (Land Transportation Office) for motor vehicle renewal/registration,” the audit team said.
In their defense the MMDA said:
The vehicles cited in the report included some that were "for repair" pending the delivery of parts, other were auctioned off but were not crossed off in records, and some are "in the process of disposal" and no longer needed to be registered, said MMDA Spokesperson Celine Pialago.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/20/mmda-denies-commission-on-audit-report-on-unregistered-vehicles
So 399 vehicles are out for repair, auctioned off, or in the process of disposal and this excuses the lack of registration? Not for the vehicles under repair.  But int he other circumstances it seems to be a case of bad record keeping.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1342970/woman-identifies-severed-head-of-abducted-navy-reservist-in-manila
A woman positively identified the severed head discovered a day ago in Manila as her cousin, a navy reservist, who was believed to be abducted in Navotas, police said Friday. 
In a progress report from the Manila Police District Homicide Section, police said Marie Ann Esguerra received a call from her niece about the abduction of Oliver Ignacio last Thursday afternoon. 
The 37-year-old Ignacio was last seen at an impounding area in Navotas City, Esguerra said. 
Days after Ignacio’s abduction, Esguerra said she received a photo of the decapitated head via her social media account leading her to report the incident to Navotas police, who brought her to Funeraria Cruz where the severed head was placed.
A navy reservist who was also a city traffic enforcer was abducted and beheaded. 

The Department of Health (DOH) has accumulated P2.2 billion worth of expired, overstocked or nearly expired medicines as well as medical and dental supplies, a Commission on Audit (COA) report showed. 
Of the P2.2 billion, P29 million were expired, P1.14 billion were overstocked and P1 billion were  near expiry. 
“The occurrence of these expired, overstocked and nearly expired inventory items is a manifestation of an excessive expenditure since items were procured more than what is needed. It is a result of poor inventory/supply management system covering procurement planning, monitoring, storage and acceptance/issuance/transfer/distribution of goods,” COA said.
This is a perennial problem which is not going away anytime soon apparently.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1344013/cops-arrest-philhealth-spokesperson-over-cyber-libel-charges
An official of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) was arrested on Monday night in Pasig City over a supposed cyber libel case filed against him. 
Information from the Pasig City Police Station said that the arrest order against PhilHealth spokesperson Rey Balena was served by its warrant and subpoena section at his residence near Shaw Boulevard. 
According to Pasig City Police, the warrant was released by Cebu Metropolitan Trial Court Presiding Judge Ramon Daomilas Jr. It is unclear, however, what specific incident this cyber libel charge stemmed from. 
As of now, Balena remains under the Pasig City Police’s custody while awaiting orders from the court.
A very vague report about which we will surely hear more of later.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1344589/brother-of-journey-frontman-arnel-pineda-nabbed-in-qc-drug-bust

A younger brother of Journey frontman Arnel Pineda and a barangay tanod (watchman) were arrested for the alleged possession of over 20 grams of shabu (crystal meth) during a buy-bust in Quezon City on Tuesday night.

A report from Lt. Col. Bernouli Abalos, station commander of the Kamuning police in Quezon City identified the suspects as Rusmon Pineda, 51, and Rojimar Frilles, 30, a barangay tanod of Barangay Sacred Heart.

Abalos confirmed that Pineda is the brother of the Filipino singer-songwriter.

Police said Pineda and Frilles were nabbed after selling P23,000 worth of shabu to an undercover policeman who posed as the buyer during the bust along Scout Santiago corner Marathon Street, Barangay Obrero at 11 p.m.

Seized from the suspects were shabu with a street value of P136,000, two cellphones, the P23,000 marked buy-bust, and a black motorcycle.

This story belongs here only because a tanod was caught along with the other man. Won't be the last village watchman caught selling drugs.

The Sandiganbayan has fined a former executive director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) for his alleged involvement in drafting an ill-advised car plan for employees.

Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez of the anti-graft court's Sixth Division, in a decision dated Oct. 2 and released Tuesday, found Ronilo Beronio guilty of violation of RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) and was sentenced to pay a fine of PHP15,000.

Beronio had originally been charged along with former agriculture secretary Arthur Yap of conspiring to draft the PhilRice Car Plan amounting to PHP15.8 million that allowed beneficiary-employees to obtain personal loans from the Philippine National Bank (PNB) for the purchase of their private cars.

The loans were secured by PhilRice funds through Hold Out Agreements (HOA) with the PNB. Under the agreement, PhilRice's deposit with the PNB will not be withdrawn until the car loans are paid in full.

The purchased cars were bought without the benefit of public bidding with beneficiary employees still entitled to transportation allowance despite the use of an official vehicle.

Beronio, along with his co-accused, were charged with graft under RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act but subsequently withdrew his "not guilty" plea and agreed to enter "guilty" plea, the lesser grave charge of violation of RA 6713.

Last year, the Supreme Court issued a resolution stopping the charges against Yap in the controversy after the latter sought an injunction.

Citing grave abuse of discretion, amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction, Yap questioned before the SC the Sandiganbayan’s decision in pursuing the case against him.

Ronilo Beronio drafted a plan to give PhilRice beneficiary-employees loans so they can buy cars. But the cars were bought without public bidding. The Supreme Court tossed the case last year but the Sandiganbayan has decided to pursue the matter.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the Department of Health (DOH) over the rejection of P111.1 million in reimbursement claims filed by public hospitals at the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

“Owing to the Hospitals’ inability to address the recurring challenges and non-compliance with applicable regulations, claims for reimbursement to the PHIC [PhilHealth] in the aggregate amount of ₱111.150 million were denied,” COA said in its report.

“This condition has resulted in the Hospitals’ loss of income which could have been used to augment their operating requirements,” it added.

More PhilHealth problems.

A ruling by the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court has found three coast guard personnel and two others liable for failing to seize a cargo vessel suspected of smuggling more than 15,000 sacks of imported rice in Butuan City in 2002.
Eighteen years to get a verdict!

The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former official of a state university in Mindanao for malversation of public funds over the improper use of training expenses in 2010.

Ten years to get a verdict!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1345132/woman-sex-trafficker-nabbed-in-aklan-police-eyes-involvement-of-a-mayor

A woman allegedly involved in trafficking women from Metro Manila to become sex slaves in Aklan and other provinces finally fell into the police dragnet in Navotas City on Wednesday morning.

Lumactod also disclosed that police is investigating the possible involvement of a provincial mayor in Tandas’ human trafficking operations, and was in fact the “boss” in the nefarious activities.

“Mayroong isang boss na mayor pero hindi lang ididivulge ang pangalan kasi nag-co-conduct ng simultaneous operation sa Visayas para ma-rescue yung mga babae, at the same time mahuli ang mayor,” he said.

(There is a boss mayor but we can’t divulge his name as simultaneous operations are being conducted in Visayas to rescue the victims and at the same time arrest the mayor.)

Surely we will be hearing more about this mayor.


And now for the biggest Retard in the Government this week if not all year: Speaker of the House Peter Cayetano. What a reprehensible, dishonorable, petty politician who does not care at all about serving the nation but only wants to hold onto power.

Last year he and Rep. Lord Velasco entered into a gentleman's agreement to share the Speakership. Cayetano would serve for 14 months resigning on October 14th. But instead of sticking to his word Cayetano has been employing a lot of dirty tricks to keep his position. This week he suspended the House sessions for a whole month to avoid voting on who would be Speaker. This has put the national budget at risk because now the Senate will not have time to pour over it and make corrections and for things out by the end of the year, December 19th. 

Senate President Sotto even castigated Cayetano for this move. Probably the worst reaction is from the Palace.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Wednesday described the suspension of House session until November 16 an “astute political move” as it prevents anyone from questioning the Speakership during the break.

“It’s not illegal. But I would think it’s a very astute political move. Because it avoided intramurals that could have possibly happened on October 14,” Roque, a lawyer and former lawmaker, said in an interview over CNN Philippines when asked about the legality of the session suspension.

“So, for what it’s worth, I think you need to have the experience of Speaker Alan Cayetano because he has dealt with the same rules, not only for three terms as congressman, this is already his fourth term as congressman, but also as a two termer senator,” he added.

Yeah sure. Dirty political tricks that are a detriment to the whole nation are an astute political move.

Proceedings for the country's 2021 pandemic budget have been "delayed" as members of the House of Representatives feud over its top post, Malacañang said Thursday, adding that President Rodrigo Duterte could call for a special session if needed.  

The House approved Tuesday on second reading the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget upon Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano's motion. His allies also moved to suspend session until Nov. 16, pre-empting the supposed takeover of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco by Oct. 14, per a term-sharing agreement. 

The Senate can continue its own budget deliberations even during the Oct. 17 to Nov. 16 Congress break. However, the "gray area" is whether or not senators can hold a plenary on the budget without receipt of the House version approved on third and final reading, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.  

Asked to clarify if the third House final reading would come around Nov. 16, Roque said yes. Pressed to say if the budget is delayed, he said, "Delayed po."  

The current national budget expires on Dec. 31. If Congress fails to pass the 2021 spending budget before this, the government will have to operate under a reenacted budget that does not have allocations for the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

The printing and transmission of the House’s version of the budget to the Senate alone could take a week, said Senate President Vicente Sotto III. 

Roque said he did not want to comment when he was asked if Cayetano was holding the budget hostage.

The House and the Senate adjourn on December 19th for the holidays. If the budget is not passed it will be solely because of this "astute political move" by Cayetano to hold on to the Speakership.