Insurgency: In service of Truth

Duterte is gone and Marcos has now been sworn in as President of the Philippines. In some weird way that resets the clock to zero which means now the AFP has until the end of Marcos' term to end the insurgency. That has not been said out loud by either Marcos or the AFP but judging from past presidential statements we can infer that as a truism. He has said he will sustain the gains of the NTF-ELCAC.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170407

Presidential aspirant Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. said he will “definitely” continue the anti-insurgency programs of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

“How can you object the program that brings peace.  (Those rebels are being helped by the government. The reason for their rebellion is because they didn't feel any help, services from the government. No job, no future like that),” Marcos said in an interview during the March 19 episode of “The Chatroom” aired in PTV-4 news channel.

The former senator highly regarded the NTF-ELCAC as an expanded civil-military action program—injected with a whole-of-nation approach—where all national government agencies are working together to develop and bring peace to rebel-infiltrated communities.

Through the anti-insurgency program of the NTF-ELCAC, Marcos said people in the far-flung areas were given hopes and opportunities such as the provision of decent housing units, livelihood programs, and investments to start fresh.

“Talagang andaming nagbalik-loob ng dahil dyan. Para sakin ‘pag kausap ko lalo na yung AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), mga pulis—effective talaga (There’s a lot of rebel returnees because of that. For me, when I talk to AFP, with policemen, it’s really effective),” Marcos said.

“I think it's definitely. That’s another program that we have to continue,” he added.

Here's what some of those gains look like.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1178026

The Marcos administration will inherit a highly successful anti-insurgency effort pushed by the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict for Central Luzon (RTF-ELCAC 3).

Presidential Adviser for Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., who also heads the Regional Development and Security in the region, said the task force provided government services to communities.

“Nakita natin for a long long time, relatively peaceful ang areas at nakita natin itong continuing na ang (We have seen for a long time, the areas are relatively peaceful and we see that there’s a continuing) development,” he said in a statement on Friday.

Citing data from the military, none among the 9,854 within the Northern Luzon Command’s (Nolcom) area of responsibility “are under the influence of the Northern Luzon Command since the RTF was operationalized.

Lt. Gen Ernesto Torres, Nolcom commander, had previously reported “zero influence” of communist groups in the region.

Nolcom is in charge of peace and security in Central Luzon, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley, including the Scarborough Shoal and Benham Rise.

Those are good gains. However, along with the NTF-ELCAC comes the antics of its leadership of the likes of Lorraine Badoy and her co-workers. Here are two recent examples. This first one is a statement from the AFP which works in tandem with the NTF-ELCAC.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177950

The conviction of a high-ranking Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) official for murder shows the "true color" of its leaders, the military said on Thursday.

A Taguig City Court sentenced Concha Araneta alias Maria Concepcion Araneta/Chacon/Jojo/Etang to reclusion perpetua for the death of Metodio Inisa on the night of September 18, 1975 in Sitio Agbanuod, Barangay Panipiason, Madalag, Aklan.

The victim was killed for providing temporary shelter to a member of the Philippine Constabulary.

Araneta is the deputy secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon Panay of CPP-NPA-NDF) based on the military's records, Capt. Kim Apitong, officer-in-charge of the 3rd Division Public Affairs Office of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said in an interview.

“The judgment for her criminal case 3035, which is murder, by the National Capital Judicial Region Taguig City Branch 266 has a huge impact on the communist terrorist group. This is a big development, we welcome this because this shows their true color, especially of their leadership,” he added.

The 16-page court decision dated June 21, 2022 and promulgated on June 28 also ordered the accused to pay the heirs of the victim a total of PHP300,000 as civil indemnity, moral and exemplary damages.

Since Araneta serves as the second secretary that leads the operation of the terrorist group in Panay, the military spokesperson said there could still be other cases with all the killings committed by her group within their area of operation.

Apitong added that she should be held accountable for all their operations to include recruitment and killing.

The last time Araneta was seen was between 2016 and 2017 when she was part of the terminated peace talks.

Now, it is a good thing that this person has been convicted of murder. But this is not going to have a huge impact on the CPP-NPA because this lady is free and on the run so her conviction is pointless. Guess who set her free? Duterte!!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/807258/panay-cpp-leader-freed-says-peace-prospect-good

Prospects for peace between the government and communist insurgents are brighter than ever before, according to Ma. Concepcion “Concha” Araneta-Bocala, alleged secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines on Panay Island, who was released from detention yesterday after courts granted her petition for bail.

Bocala, 65, is one of at least 10 communist rebel leaders temporarily freed to be able to join the resumption of formal peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway, set on Aug. 20 to 27. Bocala will join the reciprocal panel on socioeconomic issues.

Letting these high ranking communist leaders free to participate in peace talks was one of the stupidest things Duterte did during his term. The talks broke down and now these dangerous people are free. The CPP has not given up on peace talks though.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2022/6/30/CPP-not-closing-doors-peace-talks-Marcos-admin.html

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is open to holding peace talks with the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) is always open to peace negotiations with the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) whoever is president. It was (former Pres. Rodrigo) Duterte who terminated the peace negotiations in 2017. But if the incoming Marcos administration is willing to talk, why not?” CPP founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison said during the launch of his new book on Tuesday.

Sison, however, noted the peace talks cannot resume as the national government is still implementing an “all-out war” policy against the communist group.

“Right now, there are no indications that Marcos would like peace talks. Resuming peace negotiations is quite easy by simply reaffirming the agreements that were previously agreed upon and signed by the two parties in the negotiations,” Sison added.

The peace talks are unlikely to revive and with Marcos at the helm at least one analyst believes the CPP-NPA will only double down and increase in strength. 

The second example of antics from the NTF-ELCAC this week is telling the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines how to do their job.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177953

The mission of journalism is to always seek the truth and to report it, without any biases, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) reminded the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

“Journalism must always remain in the service of the truth, it should not be subservient to the vested interests of any person or group. Otherwise, it is not journalism in the truest sense of the word. It is already engaging in the realm of propaganda,” NTF-ELCAC spokesperson for Legal Affairs Flosemer Chris Gonzales said in a statement on Wednesday.

The NTF ELCAC said the NUJP is again accusing the government of harassment, restricting press freedom and silencing journalism.

On Wednesday, the NUJP said it stands together against all attempts to allegedly silence journalists.

The NUJP also said the shutdown order came following the National Telecommunications Commissions’ order to internet service providers to block news organizations Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly, and regulate blocktime broadcasting arrangements.

Gonzales said the NUJP's statement is a discordant response to the issues it raised.

This is in response too the NUJP criticizing the government's decision to shut down several news websites as well as Rappler.  The never of these people. What they are implying is that everyone who has been shut down is not seeking to report unbiased truth. The NUJP says they adhere to the Journalists Code of Ethics which can be read here. To imply that the NUJP has no idea what journalism entails is ridiculous. But the fact remains that yes the government is silencing dissenting voices. At least they think they are. Mirror sites and proxies as well as social media means these pages are still alive and well. With no follow up declaring them to be terrorist organizations the blocking of their websites is an exercise in futility.

Human rights workers also remain under attack. Recently a man wrongfully jailed for 16 months was released.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1619256/after-16-months-of-detention-62-year-old-human-rights-worker-walks-free

A 62-year-old human rights worker, Nimfa Lanzanas, finally walked free after 16 months in detention on charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed at the Calamba City Regional Trial Court.

Lanzanas was among the six people arrested on March 7, 2021, in the so-called Bloody Sunday operation of the police and the army in the Calabarzon Region, which led to the deaths of nine activists.

In an 18-page ruling, Presiding Judge Caesar Buenagua of Calamba RTC Branch 37 granted the Lanzanas demurrer, effectively junking the case against her, and ordered her immediate release from detention.

A demurrer to evidence is a motion to dismiss anchored on the ground that the evidence presented is insufficient.

Lanzanas, through her lawyers from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), questioned the circumstances surrounding her arrest.

She said the place searched by the raiding team was not covered by the search warrant issued by Manila  Executive Judge Jason Zapanta.

She added that the raiding team also planted guns and explosives that were presented as seized during the operation.

In its ruling, the court said that the “police conducting the search failed to observe the strict procedures laid down by the rules in the implementation of the search warrant.”

The court explained that, under the Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure, “the service and implementation of search warrants does not give the authorities limitless discretion in implementing the same as the same Rules provides parameter in the proper conduct of a search.”

The court took note of the testimonies of the raiding team, two of whom were conducting simultaneous searches in the different portions of Lanzanas’ house. Both police officers maintained that they had complied with the rules and insisted that Lanzanas was with them during the search.

“The court finds it precarious to say that the accused was with both of them when they are conducting the search simultaneously,” the court.

The court also noted that the police failed to ask Lanzanas to designate her representative for the simultaneous search — a violation of the rules.

Lanzanas’ lawyers, led by Josa Deinla, alleged that there was a “deliberate falsehood” made during the application of the search warrant.

The court said it expected the prosecution to present a witness to rebut the allegation, but no witness or evidence was presented to contradict the allegation.

“The unavailability and or the apparent reluctance of these witnesses to appear and testify damages the case sufficient to create reasonable doubt for the acquittal of the accused,” the court said.

“Consequently, these irregularities attending implementation tainted the search of the house of accused with the vice unreasonableness, thereby constraining this court to apply the exclusionary rule and declare the inadmissibility in evidence of the seized items,” the court said.

The court said the exclusion of the seized items as evidence was the “only practical means of enforcing the constitutional injunction against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

“Verily, they are the ‘fruits of the poisonous tree.’ Without this exclusionary rule, the constitutional right would be so ephemeral and so neatly severed from its conceptual nexus with the freedom from all brutish means of coercing evidence,” the court explained.

Another wonky warrant improperly served. We will see more of that in the future for sure. 

So, the insurgency continues and the first casualty under the new Marcos regime happened on his inauguration day.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1620232/govt-soldier-slain-in-clash-with-npa-rebels-in-apayao

A 24-year-old Army soldier was killed in a firefight on Thursday, June 30, between New People’s Army rebels and government soldiers in Apayao province, the military said Friday.

Killed was Army Private Kobee Wackisan, a member of the 52nd Division Reconnaissance Company and a native of Tanudan town in Kalinga province, Army Capt. Rigor Pamittan, 5th Infantry Division spokesperson, told the Inquirer.

The gun battle took place in the mountains of Conner town and lasted for 30 minutes. The 14-member communist rebels later withdrew.

Pamittan said the rebels were believed to be members of the NPA guerrilla front operating in the Apayao-Abra areas.

Maybe the insurgency which began during the reign of his father will finally end during Bongbong's term as president. Maybe not. We shall see.

The God Culture: Big Mistakes: Where Do We Go When We Die Part 4

Having examined Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture's doctrine of the afterlife I want to end on a lighter note and examine a few of his many errors. Along the way Tim has dropped quite a lot of boners. These run the gamut from linguistic flubs to geological blunders. 

Let's start with one of the stupidest errors of all. 

What Is Hell? Is It Real? Part 9 Answers In 2nd Esdras 23I

1:22:36 No men enter the lowest hell which is Taratrus or in Greek Gehenna or Tartaroo.

This is wrong. Tartaroo is a verb. It means to be cast into Tartartus. It appears one time in the entire Bible and that is in 2 Peter 2:4. Is this an oversight? Tim says Tartaroo is a place several times in this video. At Tim's favorite website for learning Greek and Hebrew you can look up that verse and find that the Greek word tartaroo is a verb.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5020/kjv/tr/0-1/

A verb is not a noun and therefore Tartaroo is not a place. How he missed this is beyond me. Perhaps he is intentionally lying to his audience. 

But it's not only Greek that Tim has a problem with. He also is not familiar with English. 

Where Do We Go When We Die? Part 1. Answers In 2nd Esdras 23A

9:46 That which are alive and remain until the coming of Yahusha shall not prevent them which are asleep. No, we covered this before uh in this series. Uh, basically the rapture segment. I think part one. This word prevent is actually precede or go before in Hebrew. It's not prevent, never means prevent not even one single time. It is called fraud and they do that in the Bible. That's why we got to check the Hebrew and the Greek. So, otherwise it would make no sense. You can't prevent those which are dead and asleep, you can't prevent their spirits from from rising. You can't do that. That's ridiculous. So, it's not even, it just doesn't even make any sense.

There are actually two bloopers in this section. First of all 1 Thessalonians, from which Tim is quoting, was written in Greek and not Hebrew. Second of all the word prevent does mean to precede. 

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/prevent

Did Tim forget that the KJV was written in the early 1600's? Is he really so dumb as not to know that more than a few of the words in the KJV are archaic or their meaning in common usage has changed? Prevent is used 7 times in the KJV and it never means to hinder or stop but to go before or precede.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?hs=1&q=prevent

There is no fraud here from the translators of the King James Bible. The only fraud is from Timothy Jay Schwab. One wonders why he is reading from the KJV but the text onscreen is the NIV. It does not make any sense.

Now, I understand Tim is a modern man and is by all accounts not a man of culture in the least. So, it's no surprise that he has never read Dante's Divine Comedy and has no idea what it's all about.

What Is Hell? Is It Real? Part 9 Answers In 2nd Esdras 23I

34:08 So, "One important late medieval figure who played a key role in shaping the cultural concepts of life and death," this is, this is important to understand, "even to the present day," this is, this is a key to how this got in, uh, in, in such a large way, uh, in society and in churches, "is Dante Aligheri the Florentine poet who was born in the 1260s and died in 1321. In his epic poem known as the Divine Comedy." Hmm, comedy? Hell part of a comedy? Imagine that. This guy is an occultist loser, let's be clear. He is not looking to educate people and he doesn't represent the Bible at all in any of his poem. 

"And Dante creates a fictional version of himself." Who, who's he copying here? Think about it."Who travels through the furthest reaches of hell ,inferno, purgatory, purgatorio and paradise, paradiso. Uh, what is Dante doing? Well he's replacing and mocking Enoch's journey with his own. What an idiot. And the church bought it because they prefer the occult view over that of the Bible. That's fact. Dante did not make up anything really though. He just replaced Enoch with an occult view of himself of course, uh, and that's really it. I mean the guy's an idiot. He, he didn't do anything, okay? Maybe his poem, you know, maybe it rhymes well. I don't know but whatever it does or doesn't do, whether it is a masterpiece of sort, what makes it of such importance is it's a linchpin in time in infusing the occult into the church. Oh, good job there buddy.

To be fair it is a rather lame joke to say, "I read Dante's Divine Comedy but it wasn't very funny." It's lame and stale because Comedy here does not mean a Marx Brothers routine. Dante titled his poem Comedia not because it is funny but because he wrote it in the vulgar tongue.

Dante called the poem "Comedy" (the adjective "Divine" was added later, in the 16th century) because poems in the ancient world were classified as High ("Tragedy") or Low ("Comedy"). Low poems had happy endings and were written in everyday language, whereas High poems treated more serious matters and were written in an elevated style. Dante was one of the first in the Middle Ages to write of a serious subject, the Redemption of humanity, in the low and "vulgar" Italian language and not the Latin one might expect for such a serious topic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Comedy

Let's throw Tim a bone here and acknowledge that Dante was indeed a loser. He was exiled from his hometown of Florence. The reason was totally political and serves as one of many inspirations for the Divine Comedy. Tim is wrong here again in so many places. Dante did not infuse the occult into the Church. His poem reflects medieval Christian beliefs about the afterlife. How would Dante be mocking Enoch and his journey when Enoch was a hidden book until long after Dante was dead!? 

There is a lot that can be said about The Divine Comedy and the rest of Dante's works but I won't say them here. They are worthy to be read. I found a one volume copy of the Divine Comedy at Booksale in the mall a few years ago for real cheap. It's a wonder Tim did not mention Paradise Lost which has had just as much if not more impact on Christian beliefs especially about hell, demons, and Satan.

Tim is reading an article from the Khan Academy about Dante and he screws up its provenance.

29:34 Let's go to an article from a Jewish organization. Uh, in an article from Khan Academy we find a reasonable explanation that makes sense as to what is happening with the church's screwed up view on heaven and hell.

Again, this is a very simple error that stems from not doing any research. A quick search will turn up this:

Salman Amin Khan (born 11 October 1976), known as Sal Khan, is an American educator and the founder of Khan Academy, a free online education platform and an organization with which he has produced over 6,500 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of academic subjects, originally focusing on mathematics and sciences.  He is also the founder of Khan Lab School, a brick-and-mortar school associated with Khan Academy.

Salman Amin Khan was born in Metairie, Louisiana, to a Bengali Muslim family. His father is from Barisal, Bangladesh, and his mother is from Murshidabad in West Bengal, India.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sal_Khan

Is it too hard to ask Tim to get things right?

Several times in this series Tim says there is no magma deep in the earth. In video 2 he even says the deepest borehole did not strike magma. This is all wrong.

16:17 So, even from the beginning Yahuah created these places within the earth. I know, it's all magma. No it's not. That's not scientific at all. It's a stupid theory never proven and actually easily proven false especially from the deepest boreholes ever. We've never found magma in any of them. We've found water flowing through rock. We know that there's oil within the earth. We know that there's pockets of water within the earth. We know that there's hollow pockets within the earth. It's not all magma, that's stupid. That's not science.

Lazarus Come Forth... Where Do We Go When We Die? Part 2. Answers In 2nd Esdras 23B

Science says, wrong!

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/scientists-drill-hits-magma-only-third-time-record

Scientists drilling a borehole deep into Iceland’s rocky crust to explore new methods of using geothermal energy hit a major roadblock on Thursday: Their drill ran into molten rock at a depth of 6,900 feet.

“This is only the third time that magma has ever flowed into a geothermal drill hole, as far as we know,” said Peter Schiffman, a geology professor at UC Davis and member of the international team conducting the study. “A research project in Hawaii hit magma in 2005, and in 1977 magma erupted out the top of a producing geothermal well not far from our site in Krafla, Iceland.”

How could Tim get this so wrong? Magma has been hit three times! Why not more? Because not even the deepest borehole on record has cracked through to the mantle. I am sure Tim will say these people are lying but that would be more of his ad hoc method. Timothy Jay Schwab the singer and magazine publisher knows more about science than actual scientists.

Isaiah 14 is one of the more famous chapters in all of scripture. It's the chapter that says, "O Lucifer how art thou fallen from heaven." Traditionally Isaiah 14 along with Ezekiel 28 have been interpreted as relating the fall of the angel Lucifer. Of course Tim profoundly mucks it up and says King David is the subject.

Answering Challenges. Where Do We Go When We Die? Part 4. Answers In 2nd Esdras 23D

29:28 Isaiah 14:9-11. And then we'll take you back a couple of verses to see the context because he doesn't get this at all. "Hell," now, that's sheol in Hebrew, uh which simply means, uh you know within the earth essentially, not a burning hell. Uh, though there is one included for, again, angels. The watcher fallen angels are there but not men. "From beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming." Meet what? Our spirit. Not your body. We know that. That's very clear in scripture. You know the body is to return to dust that's what scripture says it's very clear.

Uh, by the way someone asked, you know, what about cremation? How does that affect, uh, us on the day of judgment? And the reality is it doesn't affect you at all. Because to have your body cremated it turns to to dust, uh, in the earth or if you cremate it you're just speeding up the process really. Um, the reality is Yahuaha is going to give you or Yahusha is going to give you a new body, uh, on the day of judgment so it really matters not if someone's been cremated. So, I, don't worry about the ramifications of that. Just want to bring that up because we have had some people ask it.

"It stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations." This is interesting. I'm going to finish reading and I'll explain. "All they shall speak and say unto thee." Wait a minute. They're speaking? They're saying? When does that happen? Ah! Not while they're asleep in the chambers. Hello? "Art thou also become weak as we?" This is what they're saying when? On the day of judgment. "Art thou." They're saying this to David. David was a great king so now there's oh dude David what you know you're just as weak as we are. Your body went into the, into you know, dust just like ours did. "Art thou become like unto us." I mean we're the same you're no better than us. "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave." Right? "And the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee and the worms cover thee." Now notice who's speaking here. They're only focusing on physical terms because well these are pagan rulers. 

Once again here's the problem: what is the context of this passage? We'll go back and read but even here this is the day of judgment as these kings of the nations are being raised and speaking at the end on the day of judgment. Again this will be clear when go backwards and see the context so let's do so. Now let's go back to verse five in, uh, Isaiah here and he will tell you that this is the day of judgment. So it's really not even questionable.

This is incredible. Tim is reading from Isaiah 14 and to get the context he goes to verse five. Why? The context begins in verse 4!

4 That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

And not only that but Tim neglects to fill out the context by discussing the concluding verses of this proverb against the king of Babylon.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

No one with a modicum of sense could read this passage and claim it has anything to do with King David or that the events it describes takes place on the final day of judgement. Read one way it is very much a warning to the king of Babylon that he will be destroyed. Read another way this passage tells us about the fall of Lucifer, Satan. How did Timothy Jay Schwab mess it up so bad? And he expects us to accept him as an astute Bible researcher who is telling it as it really is? What an idiot!

And now let's end with perhaps the most glaring boner of them all. In this series Tim claims that Enoch, who never died, will die when Christ appears because the Bible says all men die.  

18:43 "And we shall be changed." Now, those still alive will still be changed and yes, even Enoch and  Elijah. This is the explanation for all die. All men will die, it's appointed for all men to die, right? See, they didn't die yet however they will but they'll experience a very quick physical death and resurrection receiving their new bodies and they will be changed. They must be, they have to be.

"For this corruptable must put on incorruption." This corruptible body your body is corrupt  and born into sin essentially thanks to Adam. So it's corruptible. We must put on a new body that is incorruption. Again, even Enoch. So all men will die, period, even those alive in the end. Which is the same boat as Enoch because they'll still be alive in the end. hat's not a mystery and it's no surprise the Bible deals with that. 

Where Do We Go When We Die? Part 1. Answers In 2nd Esdras 23A

Ok. It's stupid but understandable. However Tim contradicts this statement in the comments to his new 1 Enoch series.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtS6yWyF36I&lc=UgwJm-QMr9B9FdYgx_h4AaABAg

Dave Lopez: Is Enoch eating from the Tree of Life to stay alive?

The God Culture: He must be. Yah Bless.

So, Enoch is eating from the Tree of Life and yet he is still going to die? It's total madness. It's not coherent and it's not consistent. When one eats from the Tree of Life he will never die. That's why it's called the Tree of Life! 

Well, that's enough for this series. Tim did promise a video about the descent of Jesus into Hell and his raising up 500 souls to minister with him but it's been weeks and he seems to have moved on from that. If he does discuss that matter I will probably continue with part 5.

Retards in the Government 265

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

  

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177486

The Sandiganbayan has convicted four Guiuan, Eastern Samar municipal officials to up to 8 years imprisonment for graft but cleared the mayor in connection with irregularities in the purchase of a fire truck worth PHP2.1 million without public bidding.

The June 22 decision convicted municipal budget officer Esperanza Cotin, planning development officer Ma. Nenita Ecleo, and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Felipe Padual and Danilo Colandog for their failure to comply with procurement laws which constitutes gross inexcusable negligence and resulted in unwarranted advantage to the private supplier.

Then-mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan was acquitted for the prosecution’s failure to prove her guilt, along with the cases against BAC chair and municipal engineer Arsenio Salamida and member Gilberto Labicane, who had died.

The charges arose from the contract entered into by the municipality in 2007 for the purchase of a remanufactured fire truck without public bidding as required by Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act.

Among other things, the court said there had been no proof of an “emergency” which would have justified the negotiated procurement  of the fire truck without bidding, adding that “the possible occurrence of fire does not constitute a calamity that presents an imminent danger to the local government unit’s constituents.”

Four town executives have been convicted for irregularities in the purchase of a fire truck without public bidding. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177521

Three days after the slaying of a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chair here, another village official was killed by still unidentified assailants on Friday night.

Police said Florencio Cagas, the incumbent chief of Barangay Sto. Niño, was gunned down at around 7:10 p.m. in Purok 7 of the said village.

The victim succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on arrival at a private hospital here.

In a statement Saturday, the Liga ng mga Barangay (League of Villages) Butuan described the victim as good-natured.

“Hopefully, justice will be served soon,” the group said, while calling on authorities to fast-track the investigation.

A barangay captain has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/26/village-dad-in-quezon-carrying-out-civic-duty-shot-dead/

Police have launched a hot pursuit operation against a man who shot and killed a barangay councilor and wounded a barangay tanod (watchman) in Sitio Tangke, Barangay Masalukot III here Saturday, June 25.

Police Lt. Col. Arnulfo Silencio, Candelaria police chief, identified the fatality as Mario Mendoza, 59, a councilor of Barangay Masalukot III, and the wounded as Danilo Evangelista, 57, barangay tanod, of Sitio Ibaba, Barangay Masalukot III.

Investigation showed that the victims and residents of the barangay were conducting a cleanup activity in Sitio Tangke at around 9 a.m. when the unidentified suspect arrived.

He drew a handgun and shot Mendoza several times in the body while Evangelista was hit by stray bullets in both legs.

Another barnagay councilor assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/27/davao-de-oro-barangay-chairman-shot-dead/

Authorities have formed a special task force to look into the killing of a barangay chairman in Monkayo, Davao de Oro Sunday, June 26.

In a statement Monday, June 27, the Police Regional Office in Davao Region (PRO-11) said two unidentified gunmen attacked Barangay Mount Diwata chairman Pedro Samillano Jr. outside his home in Barangay Poblacion.

Samillano, 62, was about to get out of his car when two men on a motorcycle shot him at around 8:32 p.m.

“(The attackers) came riding a motorcycle and parked meters away from the victim’s vehicle and one of them got off the motorcycle, approached the victim, and shot him several times,” police said.

Samillano was brought to the Davao De Oro Provincial Hospital in Montevista but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

A barangay chairman was assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1617086/masbate-barangay-kagawad-shot-dead

A barangay kagawad or village councilor was shot and killed in Milagros, Masbate on Sunday night, authorities said.

The Masbate police said Edison Rosero, 55, a resident of Barangay (village) Capaculan, was shot by two assailants in the said area at around 8:30 p.m.

Based on the initial investigation, the victim was watching a basketball tournament at the village plaza when the suspects appeared from behind and shot the victim on the head. 

Rosero died on the spot.

Another barangay councilor has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177690

Law enforcers here have launched a manhunt against two men who shot dead a councilor of Barangay Labungan Monday afternoon.

Lt. Guiseppe Tamayo, municipal deputy police chief, said Tuesday local authorities are pursuing a lead that will hopefully result in the arrest of the perpetrators.

“The pursuit is ongoing,” Tamayo said, as he declined to comment further so as not to jeopardize their operation.  

Reports said Councilor Macmod Masiangal was walking toward the village hall when two men riding in tandem on a motorbike appeared from behind and shot him.

The crime scene is about two kilometers away from the Army’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

Masiangal was the first village official killed this year, and the second since October last year when a councilor of Pandag, Maguindanao was also killed in an ambush in this town.

Another village councilor assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/27/22/customs-da-officials-mayors-tagged-in-agri-smuggling

At least three ranking officials of the Department of Agriculture, five from the Bureau of Customs, and two local officials were among those named in a Senate report as the "alleged protectors and smugglers of agricultural products in the country."

The supposed report was forwarded to Senate President Vicente Sotto III on May 17, 2022, or more than a month after the Senate Committee of the Whole ended its investigation on the non-stop entry of smuggled agricultural products in the country.

The list also tagged a certain Toby Tiangco as "BFAR products, smuggling protector."

There was also one "Mayor Jun Diamante" followed by the words “all agri products playing in port of Davao, CDO, Cebu, Subic."

Ten government officials of varying levels have been accused of smuggling agricultural products in the country.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177620

The Sandiganbayan cleared former Bacolod City mayor Luzviminda Valdez of malversation, falsification and graft but was ordered to return excess reimbursement of expenses.

Court records showed that Valdez cases’ stemmed from alleged overpayments covered by alterations in disbursement vouchers (DVs) in 2004.

Sheila Portal and Mylene Romero of the Commission on Audit Region VI in Iloilo testified that the cash slips were altered/falsified to enable Valdez to claim/receive reimbursement from the government amounting to PHP279,150 instead of only PHP4,843, or an aggregate overclaim of PHP274,306.

In a decision dated June 24, the court noted that “there was no evidence presented by the prosecution to prove that the accused Valdez is the actual author of the falsification alleged, or that other persons altered or falsified the supporting documents under her instructions, to corroborate her claims for reimbursement”.

It said “even if Valdez is to be acquitted for failure of the prosecution to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt, the court deems it proper to order her to reimburse the local government unit of Bacolod City of the amounts she secured as reimbursement in the DVs”.

The court said the prosecution failed to identify the actual forger and merely identified Valdez as the presumptive author simply because she benefitted from the reimbursements

The former mayor of Bacolod has been cleared of graft charges but is ordered to return the excessive reimbursements she received.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177926

The Sandiganbayan meted a fine to a former Abra town mayor over the unauthorized use of the town’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) meant for development projects to rehabilitate its municipal hall in 2011.

In a 31-page decision dated June 28 and written by Associate Justice Kevin Narce Vivero, the anti-graft court held former mayor Christopher Mallari Sr. of Licuan-Baay municipality liable for two counts of technical malversation and sentenced him to pay a fine of PHP160,000 in total for both charges.

“Everything considered, the Court finds that the prosecution sufficiently established all the elements of the crime charged. However, there being no proof of damage or embarrassment to the public service as a result of the misapplication of the subject funds, the Court rules that the accused should be sentenced to pay a fine equivalent to up to fifty percent of the sum misapplied,” the court ruled.

Under the Local Government Code, each local government unit (LGU) shall appropriate in its annual budget no less than 20 percent of its IRA for development projects “for desirable social, economic and environmental outcomes essential to the attainment of the constitutional objective of a quality of life for all.”

The court noted the accused’s decision to use the municipality’s development funds amounting to PHP1.2 million and PHP2 million for the years 2011 and 2012, respectively, to rehabilitate the town’s municipal hall is generally considered an administrative expense and not a development project.

In 2010, the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a memorandum reiterating that the development fund under the IRA should not be instead used for other non-developmental expenses such as “to construct, repair and refinish” administrative offices of LGUs

An ex-mayor has been fined for misusing funds.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Road Map, Not Worrisome, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.

The face mask mandate is set to end along with Duterte's term on June 30th. That's likely not going to happen.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/835807/duque-recommends-extension-of-mandatory-mask-mandate/story/

Outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said he would recommend the extension of the mandatory face mask mandate as the country records a notable increase in COVID-19 cases.

"Well, kung ako tatanungin mo [if you ask me], I will recommend that it should be extended because there's already an increasing number of cases," Duque said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

Duque said aside from COVID-19, face masks can help prevent other illnesses such as influenza, bacterial pneumonia, monkeypox, and asthma.

(So we should continue wearing face masks for their added values. It's not just only against COVID-19 but also against influenza, bacterial pneumonia, and others.)

Despite the increase in COVID-19 cases in the past few days, the country remains at low-risk classification with an average daily attack rate of less than 1 per 100,000 population, the Department of Health earlier said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has said that the mandatory wearing of face masks will not be lifted until the end of his term on June 30.

Meanwhile, Duque, in the same interview, said he is hoping that the next administration will be more open to a policy mandating COVID-19 vaccination but with exceptions.

"Ang problema natin talaga is wala tayong [The problem is we don't have a] vaccine mandate. I broached that idea but that was thumbed down by Congress," Duque said.

"So we'll see if next Congress might be more receptive to a possible policy… mandating vaccination but with clear exceptions. Hindi naman lahat talaga pwedeng bakunahan [not all people could be vaccinated]," he added

Face masks were originally meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 but now the government wants to expand that coverage. Wear a face mask because it prevents the spread of viruses in general. Note also that Duque is hoping the next Congress passes a vaccine mandate, with exceptions of course. Never mind the fact that such a mandate would be unconstitutional.

The face mask stand off between the DILG and Cebu Province has come to an end. Cebu won.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/06/26/dilg-blinks-yields-to-cebu-policy-vs-mandatory-use-of-face-masks-in-public-places/

After several days of “word war” over the mandatory use of face masks, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año and Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia have already settled their differences on the enforcement of the policy.

With the issue settled, Año will no longer stop the provincial government from implementing the optional face mask rule in open spaces and well-ventilated areas according to Provincial Board Member John Ismael Borgonia.

This was the first conversation of the two officials through a telephone call following the issuance of the controversial ordinance.

“(He had already accepted the validity of our ordinance and there will no longer be show cause orders and the directive compelling the police to arrest those who do not wear face masks in the province even if they are outdoors or spacious locations),’’ Borgonia said.

Borgonia added that Año will no longer question the legality of Cebu’s ordinances, adding that the DILG chief did not share his reason for changing his position on the face mask policy controversy.

Garcia welcomed the decision of the DILG chief and even invited him to attend the oath taking ceremony of winning One Cebu poll candidates on June 28.

“As far as I know, walang hinihiling o ipinakiusap ang (did not ask for concessions or request) DILG secretary in return, requests or whatever na baguhin sa ordinansa (to change the ordinance),” Borgonia said.

That's great news for local autonomy. Will any other provinces or LGUs follow suit?

The DOH says cases are up! 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/27/22/covid-19-cases-up-by-53-pct-health-dept

The Philippines' COVID-19 cases rose by more than half in the last 7 days, while the number of patients with serious conditions also increased, the Department of Health said Monday.

From June 20 to 26, the country recorded 4,634 new COVID-19 cases or an average of 662 per day, the DOH said in its latest bulletin. The agency said this was 53 percent higher than the 3,051 infections logged from June 13 to 19. 

Out of the latest weekly tally of infections, 14 were severe and critical.

As of Sunday, a total of 591 or 10.7 percent of COVID-19 patients in hospitals were in severe and critical condition. The figure is higher than the previous week's 554 severe and critical patients, who comprised 10.2 percent of COVID-19 hospital admissions at the time.

Some 391 or 14.9 percent of 2,628 intensive care unit (ICU) beds for COVID-19 patients were occupied as of Sunday, according to the DOH.

Infections are going up but only 14.9% of those cases are occupying ICU beds. And are those people vaccinated, unvaccinated, with co-morbidities? What age group are they in? Without that information these numbers really mean nothing. But rest assured they will beat us over the head with them.

If you want to know where you are going you will probably need a map.  Thank goodness the experts have created a COVID map for the Philippines. Let's see, over there is the Wuahn lab and over here is Manila and...how do we get out of this mess??

https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/06/27/news/experts-help-create-covid-19-road-map/1848852

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria "Joey" Concepcion 3rd and a group of experts have analyzed the continued wearing of masks, hospitalization as a gauge for determining alert levels, and vaccination policies in assembling a road map for the country's post-Covid pandemic recovery.

Concepcion, who was joined by the Advisory Council of Experts (ACE) — composed of some of the country's foremost authorities on medicine, public health, economics, and research and data analytics — said the aim was to come up with guidelines for the private sector regarding matters of public health and the economy. "The country is faced with urgent problems on the economic front, but the fact is, Covid is still very much around," he said. "We need to find ways so that we save our livelihoods without unnecessarily losing our hard-won victories against the virus." The Philippines has recorded 3,700,000 Covid cases since the pandemic started in 2020. About 60,500 deaths have been attributed to the disease.

The ACE panelists said that while face coverings have been proven to reduce transmission, opinions clashed on whether it is time for the country to relax the mask mandate, especially in outdoor settings.

"It was recommended that the most prudent way forward is to keep wearing face masks for now," Concepcion said, stressing that the country has managed to keep critical indicators low because Filipinos have generally accepted the wearing of masks.

It was agreed, however, that the issue over mask wearing will be reviewed as the situation changes.

There is also the consensus that the government must at some point shift the responsibility of vaccinating the population to pharmaceutical companies, and that there should be a deadline to make the shift, preferably within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

The experts also agreed that hospitalization rates be made the primary criteria for setting alert levels. The metric was considered more accurate than the number of infections, and it also factors in how mobility restrictions affect the economy.

What kind of road map is this? Wear face masks and we will check on it later? Alert levels should be based on hospitalizations? But those who are hospitalized are old, infirm, or have comorbidities! The hospitalization rate does not reflect the population most of whom have recovered from COVID. This is a road map to disaster. 

If you live in an area under alert level 2 you will need to either get vaccinated or regularly take a swab test. So decrees the government. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1618012/govt-now-requires-unvaxxed-workers-in-alert-level-2-areas-to-get-tested-twice-monthly

Onsite employees in the public and private sector in areas under Alert Level 2 and higher who remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 will have to undergo RT-PCR tests once every two weeks or antigen tests weekly, Malacañang announced Tuesday.

This came as a result of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF) decision to update the testing requirements for unvaccinated employees.

Acting presidential spokesperson and Palace Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said all establishments in areas where there is sufficient COVID-19 vaccine supply must require their employees, who are tasked to do on-site work, to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Those who are unvaccinated, however, must undergo RT-PCR tests once every two weeks or antigen tests weekly.

This is not law. It was not debated up on by the legislature and signed by the President. This is a decree by the IATF and it is only because the state of emergency is in place that this nonsense is allowed to happen. At least the IATF threw the public a bone and redetermined the criteria for alert levels.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1618001/iatf-will-no-longer-factor-in-covid-growth-rate-in-determining-alert-levels-risk-classification

The government’s pandemic policy-making body will no longer take into account the COVID-19 two-week growth rate in determining the alert level and risk classification of an area, Malacañang said Tuesday.

This as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases approved the recommendations of the sub-Technical Working Group for Data Analytics the new matrices to be used for the alert level system, acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said in a statement.

The new matrices removed the COVID-19 two-week growth rate in determining case risk classification. It will now be based on average daily attack rates and its current thresholds.

Meanwhile, the total hospital bed utilization rate and its  current thresholds will be retained as the main metric for health system capacity, Andanar said.

With the new matrices, the assignment of alert levels will be based on the revised cross tabulation of total beds utilization rate and average daily attack rate, Andanar said.

The previous criteria for the alert level system considered the two-week growth rate, the average daily attack rate, and the hospital utilization rate in determining the case risk classification of an area.

This decree conflicts with the road map given above which said hospitalizations should be the metric for determining alert levels. These people are not even on the same page!

Now for some advice from a rival body of the IATF.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177723

National Capital Region (NCR)’s Covid-19 cases may increase up to 500 this week but there is no need to panic.

Dr. Guido David, OCTA Research fellow, said Tuesday the rise cannot be considered a surge yet.

“(The Covid-19 cases are increasing in NCR, with a 52 percent one-week growth rate. Our seven-day average is 342. We expect the cases to rise), may be between 400 to 500 this week,” David said during the Laging Handa public briefing.

A total of 434 new cases were recorded in the NCR on Monday while the positivity rate climbed to 5.9 percent on June 25 from 3.9 percent on June 18.

“(But this is not worrisome. It's much lower compared to those recorded in previous surges),” he said.

David reminded adherence to minimum health protocols, especially wearing of masks, and the need to complete the primary Covid-19 series and booster shots.

I bet no one is worrying except these worrywarts and fear mongers. The only thing anyone should be worried about is the government shutting down everything at the drop of a hat. 

Across the country new LGU officials are being sworn into office. One mayor says she wants to help people's mental health recover from the effects of the pandemic. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1177738

Newly-elected Mayor Mary Clare Judith Phyllis “Niña” Jose-Quiambao has vowed to also put a focus on the mental health of his constituents amid the effects of the pandemic.

 

In her speech during her inauguration on Tuesday here, Quiambao said she is alarmed at the rise in suicide cases in this town hence, her plan to address mental health concerns.

 

“We cannot and must not ignore the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on our mental health. And as an elected official, I want you to feel the love and care of a mother. I want you to feel that you are not alone,” she said in addressing her constituents.

 

Quiambao said a 24/7 hotline and Facebook page catering to those who are in need of help in battling mental health problems will soon be launched.

It's true the suicide rate is up and it is directly related to the pandemic. Not because of the virus itself but because of the unnecessary restrictions the government has imposed and continues to impose on the public. Now put on the face mask and keep 6 feet away from your loved ones and everyone else. 

New Law Says Filipinos Are Legally Children Until They Turn 24 Years Old

Laws can be rather tricky. Everything has to be precisely defined otherwise the law cannot be properly enforced. Take the anti-child marriage law recently passed in the Philippines. It's about time say some. Others, Muslims especially, fear it will encroach on their way of life. What is crucial in this law is the definition of a child. 

https://pcw.gov.ph/republic-act-11596-an-act-prohibiting-the-practice-of-child-marriage-and-imposing-penalties-for-violations-thereof/

(a) Child refers to any human being under eighteen (18) years of age, or any person eighteen (18) years of age or over but who is unable to fully take care and protect oneself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition;

According to this law a child is anyone under 18 or over 18 who is unable to take care of themselves such as the mentally handicapped. This law then applies to that category of persons. 

But let's take a look at another law which was recently passed. This is a law geared toward strengthening policies against human trafficking. 

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2022/06jun/20220604-RA-11862-RRD.pdf

The passage in question comes from section 4 sub paragraph m.

(m) To recruit, transport, obtain, transfer, harbor, maintain, offer, hire, provide, receive, or adopt a child for deployment abroad as migrant worker. 

Provided, That when the victim is a child, the means to commit these unlawful acts as enumerated in the first paragraph of this section shall not be necessary: Provided, further, That in the case of overseas domestic work, a 'child' means a person below twenty-four (24) years old." 

This law is an amendment of RA 9208 which defines a child the same as the anti-child marriage law. It is in section 3.

(b) Child - refers to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or one who is over eighteen (18) but is unable to fully take care of or protect himself/herself from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation, or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition.

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2003/ra_9208_2003.html

The definition from RA 9028 has not been changed in any way. That means there are three definitions of a child in RA 11826. The first being anyone below 18, the second anyone above 18 who cannot take care of themselves, and the third is anyone below the age of 24 when being recruited as an overseas domestic worker. But does that mean would-be OFWs who are not being recruited as domestics but under 18 can still be recruited? Or are they too considered children?

I am no lawyer but reading this prima facie it appears rather convoluted and unnecessary. Surely the government has specific reasons for adding the clause in sec 4 sub m but did they consider that now in the same law they have three definitions of what it means to be a child? Is there any other law like this in the Philippines or elsewhere where the law uses the same word with more than one definition?