Philippinefails

Friday, September 23, 2022

Retards in the Government 276

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

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1665829/barangay-kagawad-nabbed-for-illegal-guns-explosive-in-batangas

Police arrested a barangay kagawad (village councilman) for the illegal possession of firearms and a grenade that were found during a search of his house in Laurel, Batangas on Friday.
Armed with a search warrant, police officers went to the residence of Rennel Canta, 44, an incumbent village councilman, in Barangay (village) Ticub at around 8 a.m., the Batangas police said in a report.
Canta was found in possession of one undocumented and loaded .38 caliber revolver, a .9mm caliber pistol with two magazines and 28 bullets, and one grenade.
The suspect is under police custody and is facing formal complaints for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

A village councilor has been arrested for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition, and explosives.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/17/3-govt-employees-nabbed-in-lanao-del-norte-drug-sting/

Government anti-narcotics operatives arrested three government employees on Friday, Sept. 16, during a raid on a suspected drug den in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said the operation was based on the tip about the existence of a drug den in Purok 5, Barangay Upper Hinaplanon.
Nabbed were Allan Balasabas Bagaipo, drug den maintainer; Joneldan Taganas Salvo and Renato Alivio Osmeña. They yielded some 12 grams of shabu.
Authorities noted that the three drug suspects were government personnel but did not reveal the offices they are connected with.

Three government employees have been arrested on drug charges.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183972

A village councilor and a companion were arrested during a drug buy-bust operation here over the weekend, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Caraga Region (PDEA-13) said Monday.

PDEA-13 identified the arrested suspects as Jeson Valenzuela, 42, a councilor of Barangay Buhangin, and Leemark Joseph Reyes, 32, also of the same place.

The duo yielded seven sachets with a street value of PHP540,000 when collared during Sunday's law enforcement operation in the village.

“The suspects were subjected to drug test after the buy-bust which turned positive for illegal drug use,” PDEA-13 said in a statement.

Charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022 are being prepared against the suspects.

A village councilor and his friend have been busted on drug charges.

https://palawan--news-com.translate.goog/kapitan-ng-brgy-cheey-sa-busuanga-arestado-dahil-sa-illegal-logging/?_x_tr_sl=tl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc

The Barangay captain of Cheey in Busuanga was charged with illegal logging after he was caught with up to 565 board feet of illegal timber in his care on September 18.
Based on the report of the Busuanga municipal police station, captain Gemmuel Fabia and his assistant Allan Arcon were caught loading the wood into the truck.
"Just this morning we had information that there are trees in the area and others are on their way to Coron," said P/Cpt. Ervin Plando of Busuanga.
It is estimated that the total value of the seized wood will reach P28,250 which is said to be brought to the town of Coron to be supplied to some hardware stores in the town.
It can be recalled that Fabia was first arrested on May 24 after a warrant was issued by the Coron Municipal Trial Court for the same violation.
Pabia was temporarily released after posting P30,000 bail.

A barangay captain has been charged with illegal logging again.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1184052

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) on Monday said it has filed criminal and administrative charges against its two officials for alleged “gross inexcusable negligence”.
In a press briefing, NIA Administrator Benny Antiporda said the “negligence, unprofessionalism, and incompetence” of acting manager of Legal Services Atty. Lloyd Cudal and handling lawyer Atty. Mary Annabelle Cruz-Domingo caused the agency to lose a case against Green Asia Construction Development Corporation (GACDC) before the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC). The NIA was also ordered to pay PHP205,958,119.
“This is the Green Asia Case, wherein NIA just lost PHP205 million, natalo po tayo dahil lang sa technicality (we lost due to simple technicality),” Antiporda said.
In a statement, the NIA said this loss could have been prevented if the Cudal and Cruz-Domingo had duly fulfilled their duties.
“Such case could have been avoided if they performed their tasks and duties with devotion, utmost diligence, and good faith. The said damage is unduly suffered by the government and, ultimately, by the taxpayers – an injustice to the Filipino people,” the NIA statement read.
These charges were filed for their alleged “gross ignorance of the law,” including the supposed “insistent refusal” of Cudal to either take the case or testify as a witness.
“Worse, Atty. Cudal advised the filing of a Motion for Reconsideration, which was denied for being a prohibited pleading, leading to the expiration of the period to file an appeal,” the NIA said.
The NIA added that Cruz-Domingo has likewise used the “wrong remedy of filing petition for certiorari instead of a petition for review.”
“They miserably failed to perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence, and skill. They caused to lose the right of NIA to appeal because of their sheer inefficiency, incompetence and lack of devotion and dedication to perform their duties,” the NIA statement read.

Two NIA officials have been charged with gross negligence which resulted in the loss of 205 million pesos.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1184292

Members of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have arrested a dismissed police officer wanted for drug cases in Quezon City.
In a statement Thursday, Brig. Gen. Warren De Leon, chief of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), identified the suspect as Harold Campos, a former staff sergeant.
Campos was arrested by the IMEG's National Capital Region Field Unit during an operation in Barangay Roxas District Tuesday night.
He said the arrest of the suspect was based on the information provided by the community regarding Campos’ presence in the area.
The suspect has a standing arrest warrant issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 84 for violation of Republic Act 6425 (Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972) with a recommended bail of PHP60,000.
De Leon said Campos was known in their locality for his involvement in various illegal activities such as drugs and has been the subject of complaints for violations of local ordinances.
The suspect was subsequently brought to the PNP IMEG headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

An ex-cop wanted for drug offenses has been arrested.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/21/22/traffic-enforcer-tiklo-sa-umanoy-carnapping-sa-tagum

A traffic enforcer was arrested because of the alleged carnapping case he is facing in Tagum City, Davao del Norte.
According to the police this Tuesday, the 36-year-old suspect was caught in a manhunt operation conducted by operatives in Brgy. Magugpo South, Tagum last week.
The suspect involved in many carnapping complaints in the city is a traffic enforcer of the Tagum City Traffic Management Office.
He was also named the top 2 most wanted person of the Regional Highway Patrol Unit XI.
He is facing a charge of violation of Republic Act 10883 or the New Anti-Carnapping Act of 2016, and no bail has been recommended for him.
The suspect is now in the custody of the Davao del Norte Provincial Highway Patrol Team.

A traffic enforcer has been arrested over carnapping charges.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Coronavirus Lockdown: Virus Will Stay, Only 3 Deaths Per Day in September, and More!

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

Not only has the outside face mask mandate been lifted but the plan to change the definition of "vaccinated" has been squashed.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/13/definition-of-fully-vaccinated-vs-covid-19-stays-doh/

The term “fully vaccinated” against Covid-19 still applies to those who got the two-dose primary series of vaccination, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. did not approve to redefine the term or to include the first booster shot in its definition, said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“We have already recommended this to the President. And the President advised us na ‘wag muna (not to do it for now) because it’s going to cause more confusion, especially now that marami na tayong polisiya na pinapalabas (we have several policies being released),” said Vergeire in a press briefing.
“Sabi nya (He said), let’s intensify our efforts to improve vaccination on the ground. Baka mas mahikayat pa natin sila (Maybe we can encourage them more) by doing the incentive and disincentive scheme,” she added.

The DOH wants to change the definition of vaccination not because there is any science to back it up but because they don't want all the booster shots they bought to go to waste.

The DOH and OCTA have both issued fear mongering statements about lifting the face mask mandate for public spaces but now the OCTA says they don't expect a surge in cases.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1663683/no-new-surge-seen-despite-eased-rule-on-face-masks

The easing of face mask rules in uncrowded outdoor spaces will not lead to a resurgence of COVID-19 infections, pandemic monitor OCTA Research predicted on Tuesday, citing case trends in countries with similar masking policies.
“We’re not expecting a major surge with this [Executive Order No. 3],” OCTA fellow Guido David told reporters a day after the new mask mandate took effect.
“With sufficient population protection, we believe that this EO will not significantly harm the population. We have enough vaccines … and what we are seeing in other countries is that they might see an uptick, but it eventually decreased,” he added, citing infection trends seen in Singapore and South Korea, where masking had also become voluntary.
The country may see a rise in cases but it will “not reach the same level” as when daily infections soared to nearly 40,000 cases during the Omicron surge in January, David said at an online briefing.
OCTA urged the government to define a “set of triggers” that would prompt reimposing the wearing of face masks outdoors should a serious surge in cases happen.
“We also believe that local governments, in their attempt to implement this new executive order, will need guidance from the Department of Health as to when to encourage our citizens to wear masks,” another OCTA fellow, Ranjit Rye, said.
But Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the officer in charge of the DOH, said that might be unnecessary, since the government is already regularly monitoring COVID-19 indicators nationwide anyway.
“When we reach the point where indicators have increased, such as admissions in hospitals, severe and critical cases as well as deaths, rightfully, the policy will be revised and discussed within the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) and [that will] be recommended to the President,” she said in her news briefing.

That is quite the about face.

The WHO says the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight. The DOH agrees.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/845051/doh-also-sees-end-of-covid-19-pandemic-but-reiterates-virus-will-stay/story/

Similar to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it also sees the end of the coronavirus pandemic in the Philippines but reiterated that the virus is here to stay.
“If we look at it here in the Philippines, I personally, and even the Department feels that we are seeing that it may be ending,” DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing.
The WHO on Wednesday said the end of the pandemic is in sight and that countries around the globe have never been in a better position to end it as it observed that the number of new cases dropped dramatically.
However, Vergeire reiterated that the country should be prepared even if the pandemic will someday end as the virus is here to stay.
“Expectedly, it will still cause outbreaks every now and then. Expectedly, it will still cause one to two deaths or some deaths every now and then because COVID-19 will not disappear, it will remain,” she said.
“What we need to do, strengthen our system, strengthen the immunity of the population, make our facilities ready so that if we reach that point, we are prepared, we are not worried, we are protected,” she added.

Of course the virus will remain. Everyone has acknowledged that reality by now. The problem is the fear mongering of the DOH and OCTA who act like we have to be locked up forever in masks.

Funny that the DOH Officer-in-Charge is optimistic but Dr. Rontgene M. Solante who also works for the DOH says they death rate is too high right now.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1666740/end-of-pandemic-not-yet-applicable-to-ph-as-expert-notes-high-covid-death-rates

Dr. Rontgene M. Solante said during an interview during the Laging Handa briefing on Monday that he still cannot see the perspective of the pandemic nearing its end when talking about the Philippine setup, due to community transmissions still occurring.
“All of the WHO regions are already reporting a significant decrease in the number of new cases and the number of new deaths. Now, the question is, are the same scenarios happening in the country?” Solante asked in Filipino.
“So now I cannot see the same scenario, right? Because although our COVID-19 cases now are lower compared to last January or September last year, we still have community transmissions, especially with this BA.5 variant,” he added.
He also noted that high death rates, according to data from the WHO where the Philippines ranks fifth in terms of new deaths per week, is an indication that the pandemic is not close to its end in the country — at least not in the next two to three months.
“We also see the data of the WHO, where the Philippines is fifth globally, reporting new deaths on a weekly basis last week. So this means that if we can actually see the end of the pandemic, it would not happen within the next two or three months because our cases are still high,” Solante noted.
“And in fact with our data now, several regions are considered under moderate risk, although health care utilization is not that high, it remains low,” he added.

The good doctor gives no context for what it means that the Philippines is 5th globally in reporting new deaths. Who is dying and from what causes? That is important information the authorities always omit. However the data always comes out and here it is.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1184099

The Philippines has recorded an average of only three Covid-19 deaths per day this month so far, lower than the 17 fatalities daily count in August, a health official said Tuesday.
In a media briefing, Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said current data may still show 200 confirmed deaths per day due to delay in reporting.
“We have been transparent on this, sinasabi namin sa inyo na mayroon tayong (we tell you that there are) delays in our reporting of deaths because deaths are still being validated on the ground,” she said.
“Our case fatality up until now is still 1.6 percent. It never went over 2 percent, we are able to keep the deaths in our country at that minimum,” she added.
While the country’s Covid-19 deaths remain low, Vergeire said the DOH does not want any fatality due to the infection to happen as the agency tries to prevent deaths and severe and critical cases through vaccination.

The death rate never went above 2%. That is a stunning admission but to anyone crunching the numbers that is how it has been from the beginning. So, why is a DOH employee saying the death rate is high?

The state of calamity has been extended until the end of the year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183722

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday welcomed President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.'s move to extend the country's state of calamity due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
In a statement, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said the three-month extension of the state of calamity will give the national government and the local government units (LGUs) more time to carry out economic, social, and health interventions as Filipinos continue to adapt to the new normal and the challenges brought by the pandemic.
“With this extension, we commit to continue to shepherd our local government units (LGUs) to sustain their efforts in mitigating and preventing the spread of Covid-19 in their respective localities and to ensure the safety and protection of their constituents against the virus,” Abalos said in a statement.
He also enjoined LGUs to utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund, to address the immediate needs of their constituents and speed up their Covid-19 vaccination and booster drive to "strengthen our nation’s wall of immunity".
Abalos also said the DILG will remain committed to assisting LGUs in providing efficient, timely, and appropriate Covid-19 response and services to protect the Filipino people during this "critical period".

Will they extend the state of calamity again? More than likely!

Let's end with a story that can be placed in a number of articles on this blog.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/21/22/cops-halt-martial-law-film-showing-cite-social-distancing-violations

Police officers in plainclothes ordered organizers to stop a martial law film exhibition at a barangay in Pasay City on Tuesday.
Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel on Wednesday said the law enforcers went to a covered court in Barangay 178 where the event was being held told them that Malacañang wouldn't like what they were doing.
"The reason why it was halted was that the person at Malacañang would dislike it," Manuel, citing the organizers of the event, said in ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo.
But Pasay Police Chief Byron Tabernilla belied the accusation and said the film showing was stopped because of social distancing violations.
Manuel responded by saying that the police were just looking for reasons.
"Police's claim was false because 5 agents of its intelligence unit came to the venue despite the fact that organizers had secured a permit from the barangay," he said.
"Then they took a video of the event and there was one officer who brandished his gun to intimidate the attendees and other media personnel."
The Pasay police have yet to issue a statement about the brandishing, but Manuel said they secured photos and videos that would prove their claim.

The PNP says they shut down a screening of a martial law film because of social distancing issues and the organizers say the came in with guns blazing because Marcos would not like it! I won't even determine to say who is right and who is wrong but so many birthday parties and other events have happened with prominent officials who have disregarded mask and social distancing rules that it is safe to say the cops are lying. In any case this story falls squarely in the category of how the nation is dealing with COVID-19 so I am relating it here.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Sara Duterte: Get to Da Choppa!

It's amazing how bold Sara Duterte really is and not in a good way either. From punching the court sheriff to influencing who is House Speaker to unashamedly claiming that honesty does not matter Sara has proven herself to be a short fused, dishonest, pompous windbag who ultimately does not care about her constituents (going so far as to mock them by cosplaying as an indigenous person) and, like the President she serves alongside, has as her best and only qualification her surname.

Sara is so bold that now she is bragging on Twitter about using government helicopters to fly home every night in order to tuck her children in bed.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/09/13/2209432/duterte-thanks-marcos-use-paf-aircraft-so-she-can-be-her-kids

Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also education secretary, on Tuesday thanked President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for allowing her the use of Air Force aircraft to ferry her back home so she can be with her kids at night.
In a message for Marcos' birthday, Duterte wished the president God's favor as well as strength and wisdom in "the difficult road ahead" at the helm of the Republic of the Philippines.
"Thank you, [President Bongbong], and your 250th PAW for ensuring that wherever I may be found in the country during the day, I am home in time to tuck my children to bed," she also said.
The 250th Presidential Airlift Wing is tasked with providing the air transportation needs of the president, his Cabinet members and staff. The wing operates both airplanes and helicopters
"Thank you for putting a premium on the desire of a working mother to be present in her children's lives," Duterte, who has three young children, said.
At an inauguration program in Davao City in June, Vice President Duterte stressed the importance of family, saying "[a] strong, loving, happy family sets down all the basic foundations essential in the development and growth of a child."

Here is the tweet in question:

https://twitter.com/indaysara/status/1569488104972763137

Understandably many people balked at the thought of Sara Duterte using taxpayer money to fly to Davao every night just to be with her children. However, that appears to not be the case. It turns out her family has moved to Manila.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183658

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) refuted on Wednesday accusations and remarks circulating online about Vice President Sara Duterte’s alleged daily use of a presidential chopper in Davao City.
In a Viber message, OVP Spokesperson Reynold Munsayac debunked the matter, labeling it as fake news, following Duterte’s posted birthday greeting to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“That’s fake news, the claim saying she’s using a chopper bound to Davao City on a daily basis. VP Sara Duterte now lives in Manila, with her family, even her kids are studying here,” he said.
The allegations surfaced online after Duterte thanked the chief executive for allowing her to fulfill both her official and maternal duties by lending her a 250th Presidential Airlift Wing (PAW).
“Thank you, PBB, and your 250th PAW (presidential airlift wing) for ensuring that wherever I may be found in the country during the day, I am home in time to tuck my children to bed. Thank you for putting a premium on the desire of a working mother to be present in her children’s lives,” she said earlier in her birthday greetings.
Moreover, Munsayac clarified that the said aircraft is only being used for official travels.
“They are using land vehicles daily. The chopper is only used when needed for official work and functions, depending on the place and urgency of schedule,” he added.

That certainly is much needed context but it doesn't really solve the problem here. Sara said

Thank you, PBB, and your 250th PAW (presidential airlift wing) for ensuring that wherever I may be found in the country during the day, I am home in time to tuck my children to bed.

On its face that is saying the PAW flies Sara home every day to be with her children at night. The wording is quite plain. But apparently her words are not to be taken at face value. That is the hot take of one tweeter.

https://twitter.com/ManuelPSev/status/1570395438028845056

Lazy journalism… and you people really took her word literally huh… geez

Imagine scolding someone for taking the words of the Vice President literally. How else are her words to be taken? It says a lot that Sara Duterte's words cannot be trusted on their own.

It also should be noted that Sara's spokesman, Reynold Munsayac, contradicted her claim that the PAW makes sure she is home at night to tuck her children in bed.

The chopper is only used when needed for official work and functions, depending on the place and urgency of schedule.

So, which is it? Does the PAW make sure she is at home every night to be with her children or does she only use the chopper for official functions? They cannot both be true.

Sara issued a statement blaming bad actors for maliciously misinterpreting her tweet.

https://twitter.com/indaysara/status/1570325668445163520

I believe that a person who can conjure a lie from an appreciation post — that a helicopter is being used to go home every day, even giving in to the itch of maliciously suggesting that it is for personal use — should seriously reflect on why he had to lie.

I think that if this person can recognize his anger, he will be able to overcome his bitter and spiteful self. Hopefully, he becomes a better version of himself — despite the cycle of hate that has enslaved him.

This tweet is oozing a lot of needless drama. Instead of issuing an apology for causing confusion and clarifying her previous statement she goes on the attack in the most passive aggressive way. The fact is many people read her tweet and immediately jumped to the conclusion that she is taking daily flights home with the PAW because that is exactly what she indicated. There is not much leeway for interpretation. Sara thanked the PAW and Marcos for ensuring that wherever she is by day she will be with her children at night. End of tweet.

The Office of the Vice President is seriously considering charging with a crime anyone who claims Sara flies daily to Davao.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/15/22/ovp-mulls-charges-over-claims-on-saras-chopper-use

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Thursday it was looking at the possibility of filing charges against those who claimed that Vice President Sara Duterte was using the presidential chopper daily to travel between Manila and Davao City.

(We are studying if that qualifies as a criminal case because a lot of people were fooled or misled by those types of posts.)

(If we allow those to propagate, sometimes the people will believe it.)

Duterte "doesn't use government resources for personal purposes," Munsayac said earlier in the day.

(It's very clear that there's malice on the part of the people who made those claims... That's not true because our Vice President and her family are already based in Manila.)

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

Insurgency: NPA on Definite Stage of Collapse

This is it. This is what we have all been waiting for. It is definite. The NPA is about to collapse.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183632

With the series of surrenders among its ranks, the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Northern Mindanao and Caraga Region is in a “definitive stage” of collapse, the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) reported on Wednesday.

In a statement, Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, the Eastmincom commander, noted that Eastmincom units neutralized 10 high-ranking NPA leaders in Bukidnon and Surigao del Norte on Sept. 8 and 10.

“The recent neutralization of NPA leaders in Bukidnon and Surigao del Norte is the result of our relentless collaboration with intelligence units and engagements with their families who long to see them alive and at peace with the government,” Almerol said.

On Sept. 8, nine NPA personalities of the Sub-Regional Committee 5, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (SRC5, yielded to troopers of the Army’s 403rd Brigade’s 1st Special Forces Battalion in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Two days after, the joint law enforcement operation of the Army’s 401st Brigade, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Coast Guard resulted in the arrest of Nenita Dolera, secretary of the NPA Guerilla Front 19, at the port of Surigao City.

Dolera, who has a warrant of arrest for murder, was monitored by authorities to be returning to Surigao City via a fast craft vessel from Leyte before her arrest.

"Once again, we call other NPA remnants to surrender and live peacefully with their families," Almerol said.

He also urged the remaining NPA members to avail of government livelihood packages through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.

"The government program is here to assist you on your second chance in life,” Almerol added.

It all boils down to surrenders. Not neutralizations or the hard work of the AFP but the government bribery program. There are some who would disagree with that assessment but so be it. Maybe these people will turn a new leaf.

We keep hearing that the NPA is weak and only making a fake show of force. That appears to not be the case in Samar.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183543

The local government unit of Matuguinao, Samar has expressed concern over recent attempts of the New People’s Army (NPA) to recover five previously-influenced villages cleared through the efforts of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).
Matuguinao town Mayor Aran Boller said in a phone interview Tuesday there are recent sightings and recruitment attempts in some remote communities of their town.
The mayor said residents have been reporting to the municipal government about the presence of armed men in the far-flung villages of San Roque, Inubod, Carolina, Ligaya, and Del Rosario.
Village chiefs of these five communities which were earlier cleared from NPA threats opted to stay in the house of their relatives in the town center for fear of rebel attacks.
These five village chiefs are among the 118 former NPA members and staunch supporters who heeded the mayor’s call to surrender and pledged their allegiance to the government on Feb. 19, 2021.
These remote villages are included in the list for implementation of the Barangay Development Program (BDP) this year. In December 2021, the Senate reduced the BDP budget to only PHP4 million from PHP20 million for each village.
“With the BDP budget cut, we can only build some classrooms and set up a water system. Our proposal is to build access roads to speed up the delivery of services that will eventually end insurgency,” Boller added.

Isn't that messed up? They say the NPA is weak and the AFP declared these villages insurgent free only to have the insurgents come back around like a stray dog looking for scraps. Not only that but the Barangay Development Program budget has been cut which means all they can build is "some classrooms and set up a water system." They say they need to build roads "to speed up the delivery of services that will eventually end insurgency" when apparently it had ended in 2021. It's like a bad joke but it's real life.

How many NPA insurgents are left? As of this moment roughly 2,000.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/844943/insurgents-present-manpower-no-more-than-2-000-says-military/story/

The current number of insurgents in the country is only about 2,000, a military official told lawmakers on Thursday, even as he admitted that "social ills" continue to inspire individuals to join armed anti-government struggle.
"Based on our assessment, the manpower is no more than 2,000 insurgents and approximately the same number of firearms," said Vice Admiral Rommel Anthony Reyes, deputy chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, during a budget presentation at the House of Representatives.
Responding to Zamboanga Sibugay Representative Wilter Palma's inquiry on why the insurgency problem persists, Reyes said the military's strategy of fighting insurgents with weapons has not been enough, given that individuals are enticed to join anti-government forces due widespread social ills.
"The root cause [of insurgency] is that there are groups taking advantage of the presence of social ills, social injustices such as poverty and ignorance. For so long a time, the military is just addressing the military aspect of insurgency," Reyes said.

2,000 is the same estimate given back in July. With all the surrenders and killings the number should be lower but people are still joining the insurgency because of "widespread social ills."

The PNP have deployed specially trained officers to prevent the resurgence of the NPA.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183778

Some 291 police personnel who completed special training for the revitalized “Pulis sa Barangay” program will help avert efforts of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels to re-infiltrate communities in the Caraga Region.

Maj. Jennifer Ometer, Police Regional Office-Caraga (PRO-13) information office head, said the graduates will be deployed in different barangays in the region prone to NPA recruitment.

“These police personnel has undergone a 45-day specialized training that culminated Wednesday,” Ometer said in an interview Thursday.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., the PRO-13 director, said the “Pulis sa Barangay” program aims to sustain the gains of the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its community support program and focused military operations.

“Police personnel under the program will also help ensure the safe implementation of Barangay Development Programs (BDPs) in the different villages in the region,” Caramat said.

He said the program seeks to complement the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, especially in the implementation of the BDPs.

“The revitalized Pulis sa Barangay is a well-organized tool that will address insurgency mainly in the grassroots, and is worthy to be duplicated by other places,” Caramat said.

These cops are being sent to Caraga which the AFP hopes to be insurgency-free by the end of the year. But if people are still being recruited into he NPA because of social ills that might not happen.

President Marcos said he vows peace and historical justice in Bangsamoro.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1665177/marcos-vows-peace-historical-justice-for-bangsamoro

President Marcos paid tribute to the sacrifices of Moro revolutionaries that fueled their dream of self-governance during his late father’s regime, while calling on new and old Bangsamoro leaders to unite to bring lasting peace to Mindanao.
“We set our feet before this place and herald the trials that you have won through courage, certainty and noble bravery,” Marcos told the inaugural session of the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here on Thursday.
“The path to lasting peace is always under construction. But we walk this path not because it is an easy one,” the President said.
“We walk this path together because even if it is difficult, we know that at the end of the journey is historical justice, progress, peace, stability and the unity that our peoples and our nation … so rightly deserve,” he said.

It's rather weird that Marcos his haling them as noble and brave when just a few days ago he justified his Father's declaration of martial law because of the NPA and the Islamic insurgencies.

President Marcos is not bothered being called the “son of the dictator” even as he defended his late father and namesake’s imposition of martial law in 1972, saying it was necessary to prevent rising disorder caused by communist and separatist rebellions at the time.
He emphasized that his father declared martial law as his government was simultaneously fighting communist and separatist rebellions and not to stay in power.
“Martial law was declared because of the wars, the two wars we were fighting on two fronts. The CPP-NPA was fomenting revolution. They wanted to bring down the government through violent means. The government had to defend itself,” the President said.
“The second front was the secessionist movement down in the South led by MNLF and chairman Nur Misuari at the time. He started that uprising, the secessionist movement,” he said.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/09/15/2209778/president-marcos-my-father-was-not-dictator

Now these separatists are noble and brave revolutionaries? How does that work? Calling them such only undermines Marcos Sr's declaration of martial law. Perhaps he should have just given in like the recent administrations have done and given the Muslims their own autonomous region.

Victims of the Marawi Siege hope to get a huge payout just like the victims of martial law.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/842035/marawi-victims-shouldn-t-get-less-than-martial-law-claimants-compensation-exec-says/story/

The compensation to be given to the victims of the Marawi City siege should not be less than what was provided to the victims of the Martial Law regime, an official said Thursday.
"The government provided compensation to the victims of the atrocities of the Marcos regime on a point system basis. If you are detained, that is more or less worth P175,000. If the victim died, that is 10 points, roughly P1.7 million for the heirs. This is the precedent," Human Rights Violations Victims' Memorial Commission Executive Director Carmelo Crisanto told GMA News Online in a virtual interview.
"We [in the Memorial Commission] will be part of the implementation of the Marawi compensation law, and such compensation should not be lower than P175,000," he added.
The Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, signed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte in April, aims to compensate those who suffered loss and destruction of property during the Maute terror group's months-long siege on the Islamic City of Marawi in 2017.
"The Marawi compensation bill compensates the victims because the victims were victimized by state forces [during gun battles against the Maute terrorists]; the victims were collateral damage. It is not the victims' fault that they were affected. We proposed the same [payment scheme used for the Martial Law regime victims] kasi iyong damages, binomba iyong lugar, namatayan ang mga tao [the places were bombed, people died]. It should be P1.7 million," Crisanto added.
Crisanto noted that the state's recognition of its liability in hurting its citizens by providing financial remuneration should not discriminate.
"[Yes, P1 million for each death is a big deal, but are other Filipinos' lives worth more than those of Filipino Muslims?] The state should have parity when it enters into a compensation for the acts that the state did to its people," he added.

It is really interesting that the government is accepting liability here when practically the whole of Marawi knew something was up but deigned to say anything for fear and because they thought, being Muslims, they would not be targeted.

"When martial law ... Marawi because many people were shocked, people from Marawi, even the Moro people. They never thought that they themselves wold become victims of violent extremists. They knew that many are members of their own clan. They know them. They knew that they were moving firearms for a long time, they had been stockpiling up firearms. But when I asked the evacuees "Bakit di nyo sinabi yan?" (Why didn't you tell us?) "Sir, akala namin, kapwa Muslim hindi kami bibiktimahin" (We thought they would spare us because we are also Muslims).”

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/05/intelligence-failures-and-prior.html

The citizens of Marawi are not innocent bystanders. It's too bad that a Senate inquiry has not been held so that this information could be ferreted out.

Let's end with some good news from the insurgency.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1183930

After a two-year pandemic pause, the Negros Trade Fair (NTF) returns for its 36th edition and will feature new countryside-based artisans – the “tikog” (reed grass) weavers of the now insurgent-free Sitio (hamlet) Madaja in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
Before it became a conflict-free area, Sitio Madaja was vulnerable to the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
“They rejected the NPA and supported the government. We want them to become a benchmark, a model sitio that will be developed through the engagement,” Capt. Eduardo Rarugal Jr., Philippine Army's 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) civil-military operations officer, said in an interview on Saturday.
Through the engagement of the Association of Negros Producers (ANP), the NTF organizer, with the Provincial Peace and Order Council, residents were empowered in crafting more quality products, which they can sell at better prices.
Weaving traditional patterns unique to Madaja, they make sleeping mats, table runners, coin purses, hats, and fans on display at the ANP Hub here, and will soon be showcased at the Negros Trade Fair in the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City from Sept. 20 to 25.
Sybel Nobleza, ANP external affairs manager, said from only PHP15,000 last month, orders for the Madaja “tikog” woven products have increased by 100 percent to more than PHP30,000.
“Their products will be highlighted during the Negros Trade Fair. I am more than happy for the skills and creativity shown by the ‘tikog’ weavers,” she added.
Since the engagement started two months ago, the weavers have earned about PHP45,000 in gross sales at the ANP Hub alone.
Located in a mountainous area some 15 kilometers from the city proper, and where among the locals are indigenous people (IP), Sitio Madaja was an ideal site for the mass organization activities of the communist-terrorist group.
Since residents of Sitio Madaja just rely on farming and charcoal-making as their main source of livelihood, “tikod” weaving provides them an additional source of income.

This is great. A village rejected the NPA and now they are making good money from their weaving. That's the kind of victory the nation needs.

Monday, September 19, 2022

Sara Duterte Does Not Understand the History of the Philippines

Recently Vice President Sara Duterte celebrated the 124th anniversary of the Malolos Congress and even gave a speech.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/09/15/vp-duterte-hails-malolos-as-bedrock-of-democracy/

Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, Sept. 15, highlighted the importance of democracy and freedom the country enjoys today as she celebrated with Bulakenyos the 124th anniversary of Malolos Congress.
She joined the commemoration of the Malolos Congress at the historical Barasoain Church this morning.
In her 12-minute speech, Duterte noted that the historical opening of the Malolos Congress became the foundation of the country’s democracy.
“This democracy is the most important inheritance from our forefathers—that we freely enjoy until today,” Duterte said.
She greeted the province and people of Malolos in the celebration and emphasized the important chapter of the country’s history that happened in Barasoain.
“This celebration is important to our history because the opening of the Congress of Malolos on Sept. 15, 1898 became the signal that birthed a free republic—the Republic of the Philippines,” Duterte added.
Malolos Constitution was the constitution of the First Philippine Republic which made the country the first-ever free republic in Asia.

This is ALL WRONG. I get it though. Sara Duterte, like every other Filipino, has been fooled into believing June 12th is Independence Day and that everything related to that date, including the Malolos Congress matters. It does not. Hear the words of President Diosdado Macapagal who changed Independence Day from July 4th to June 12th.

It is noteworthy that no one among the half-dozen great heroes of our history, Rizal, Aguinaldo, Bonifacio, Lapu-Lapu, Abad Santos and Quezon, has played a role in the Republic that we administer today. This fact emphasizes the responsibility which devolves upon us to whom they bequeathed the fruits of their heroic labors to fashion this Republic as an instrument for the welfare and happiness of our people.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2018/06/june-12th-as-independence-day-is-lie.html

The current Republic of the Philippines has no relation to the one represented by the Malolos Congress. True independence was not obtained until 1946 and it was brought about by the hard work of Manuel Quezon. The question of independence was put to a vote which means the current Republic of the Philippines is a manifestation of the people's will rather than a Masonic conspiracy such as happened in 1898.

It's really a shame that Macapagal changed the Independence Day because of a $73 million dollar payment that the USA initially declined to give. Now, no Filipino knows their real history. Not even Vice President Sara Duterte.

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Bongbong Marcos Praises Islamic Terrorists as Noble and Brave

President Marcos addressed the opening of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament paying tribute to the sacrifice of Moro revolutionaries and saying he vows peace and historical justice in Bangsamoro.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1665177/marcos-vows-peace-historical-justice-for-bangsamoro

President Marcos paid tribute to the sacrifices of Moro revolutionaries that fueled their dream of self-governance during his late father’s regime, while calling on new and old Bangsamoro leaders to unite to bring lasting peace to Mindanao.
“We set our feet before this place and herald the trials that you have won through courage, certainty and noble bravery,” Marcos told the inaugural session of the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here on Thursday.
“The path to lasting peace is always under construction. But we walk this path not because it is an easy one,” the President said.
“We walk this path together because even if it is difficult, we know that at the end of the journey is historical justice, progress, peace, stability and the unity that our peoples and our nation … so rightly deserve,” he said.

It's rather weird that Marcos is haling them as noble and brave when just a few days ago he justified his Father's declaration of martial law because of both the NPA and Islamic insurgencies.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/09/15/2209778/president-marcos-my-father-was-not-dictator

President Marcos is not bothered being called the “son of the dictator” even as he defended his late father and namesake’s imposition of martial law in 1972, saying it was necessary to prevent rising disorder caused by communist and separatist rebellions at the time.
He emphasized that his father declared martial law as his government was simultaneously fighting communist and separatist rebellions and not to stay in power.
“Martial law was declared because of the wars, the two wars we were fighting on two fronts. The CPP-NPA was fomenting revolution. They wanted to bring down the government through violent means. The government had to defend itself,” the President said.
“The second front was the secessionist movement down in the South led by MNLF and chairman Nur Misuari at the time. He started that uprising, the secessionist movement,” he said.