It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1700468/cop-accidentally-fires-service-rifle-inside-pnp-camp-in-laguna |
A policeman in Calamba City accidentally fired his service firearm on Thursday.
The Region 4A police reported that Staff Sergeant Joel Ramos, assigned to Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba, accidentally discharged his service rifle during the routine inspection of firearms around 8 a.m.
No one was hit by the bullet from the firearm.
The report said Ramos was the outgoing duty guard when the incident happened.
Police confiscated Ramos’ firearm and placed him inside the camp’s barracks while an investigation was underway.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered all police commanders to ensure their men are adept at gun handling.
Azurin also ordered all policemen to undergo more gun safety training
Another cop is being investigated for accidentally discharging his firearm.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1189939 |
The Sandiganbayan has convicted comedian and former Quezon City councilor Roderick Paulate for graft and nine counts of falsification of documents in connection with the hiring of “ghost employees” in 2010.
The 7th Division of the Sandiganbayan sentenced Paulate and his driver Vicente Bajamunde up to 62 years imprisonment for falsifying public records of up to 30 fictitious workers assigned to his office.
“It bears noting that the job order contracts and general payrolls are deemed falsified documents because the job contractors subject therein do not exist. Accused (Paulate) maintained their existence and thus, to overcome the prosecution’s claim, accused only need to prove that they exist. Unfortunately, he failed in this respect,” the decision penned by Associate Justice Zaldy V. Trespeses, said.
The court said Paulate took advantage of his position and used the documents to obligate the funds and disburse them.
“..(I)t can safely be concluded that he was the author of the falsification or asked somebody else to prepare the falsified documents,” the court added.
Paulate was elected as Quezon City councilor in 2010 and was later accused of hiring 30 job order (JO) workers from July to December of the same year. He issued certifications after every 15th and end of the month that the job contractors rendered services for 40 hours a week.
He also designated his then driver, co-accused Bajamunde, as liaison officer and authorized him to receive in bulk the wages of the job contractors.
During those months, Paulate’s office received PHP125,000 every payday, totaling PHP1.109 million.
Verifications made on entries in the personal data sheets of the hired job contractors later revealed that they have no birth records, NBI application, or school records and their addresses could not be located.
Comedian gets elected to office, hires ghost employees, and gets sentenced to 62 years in prison! Send in the clowns!
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1700636/court-convicts-kalayaan-mayor-of-online-sexual-harassment |
A local court here has found Kalayaan town Mayor Roberto del Mundo guilty of gender-based online sexual harassment under Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by a former employee of Kalayaan local government who accused del Mundo of sending her lewd messages, and “making unwelcome advances and sexist remarks through Facebook messenger from February to March 2020.
The victim sought help from the National Bureau of Investigation in May 2021 to file a case before the city prosecutor, which later found probable cause to charge del Mundo.
In the 22-page decision signed by Judge Rohima Sarra of Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 2 dated November 28, del Mundo was found guilty “beyond reasonable doubt” and was sentenced to two years, four months, and one day to three years and six months imprisonment.
Sought for comments, del Mundo’s spokesperson Ariel Carlos said through a text message that the mayor “cannot issue anything yet because we have not yet received a copy (of the decision).”
Del Mundo is currently serving a one-month suspension for “simple misconduct” in relation to a grave abuse of authority and misconduct complaint filed against him and several other local government officials in 2018 before the Office of the Ombudsman. He is set to return to office on Monday, December 5.
A local mayor has been found guilty of sexual harassment.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190064 |
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Monday announced that its operatives in Cagayan de Oro City along with the local police have arrested a Philippine Army (PA) corporal engaged in the illegal selling of high-powered firearms.
CIDG director, Brig. Gen. Ronald O. Lee, identified the suspect as 33-year-old Cpl. Gilbert Roja.
He said Roja was arrested while in the act of selling high-powered weapons to a poseur buyer around 1:15 a.m. Sunday along Masterson Avenue, Upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City.
Seized from Roja’s possession were one modified Troy Carbine M-4 rifle with attached scope; one Rock Island .45-caliber pistol; two fragmentation grenades; one M-16 magazine; three .45-caliber magazines; one hand fragmentation grenade safety case; 411 rounds of assorted ammunition; one backpack; one sling bag; two IDs; three mobile phones; and marked money.
The arrested suspect along with the pieces of evidence are now under the custody of the CIDG Cagayan de Oro.
Roja will face charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Law) and RA 9516 (illegal possession of explosives).
An Army corporal has been arrested for illegally selling firearms.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/05/22/police-officer-who-allegedly-hit-security-guard-in-naia-placed-on-administrative-relief |
A police officer who allegedly hit a security guard in NAIA Terminal 1 has been relieved, the Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group (AVSEGROUP) announced Sunday.
P/Lt. Col. Reynaldo Honrado, Public Information Officer of the AVSEGROUP, said in a phone interview that the said cop was placed on “administrative relief.”
Acting Director of AVSEGROUP P/Col. Anthony Aberin explained in a statement that the move was “to give way to an impartial investigation.”
“It has always been my instruction to our field commanders to coordinate and give full support to our partner agencies involved in the security of our airports,” Aberin said.
A senior officer allegedly hit a security guard last Dec. 1 at around 11:35 p.m. after the former’s group was prevented from entering through the lobby exit area, according to the statement released by the PIO AVSEGROUP.
Aberin said the cop will face the necessary consequences if proven guilty.
"We will not tolerate our staff if it is proven that there was a mistake and something was done contrary to the sworn duty. We will investigate what happened and we will also cooperate with the concerned authorities in the investigation of this incident", he said.
A police officer who hit a security guard at NAIA has been placed on administrative leave.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190178 |
A former town official was killed while her husband was wounded in a predawn drive-by shooting incident in Isabela City of Basilan province on Tuesday.Col. Richard Verceles, operations chief of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, said Melissa Alih, 30, died while her husband, Jack, 30, was hospitalized following the 12:10 a.m. attack.Melissa was the former assistant municipal secretary in the island town of Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan.Verceles said investigation showed the couple was aboard a motorcycle on the way home to Barangay Tabuk, Isabela City, when repeatedly shot at closed range by one of two men riding tandem on another motorcycle that tailed them in Barangay Doña Ramona T. Alano.He said the attending physician declared that Melissa expired around 12:45 a.m.Police investigators recovered four empty shells from a .45-caliber pistol at the crime scene.A thorough probe is underway to determine the motive as well as identities of the perpetrators behind the incident, police said.
A former town official has been assassinated.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1947978/manila/local-news/chief-of-pdea-office-2-agents-arrested-in-drug-sting |
POLICE arrested in a drug bust Tuesday evening, December 6, 2022, the chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Southern District in the National Capital Region along with two of his agents and driver.Southern Police District Director Brigadier General Kirby John Kraft identified the arrested individuals as Enrique Lucero, chief of the PDEA Southern District Office, PDEA agents Anthony Vic Alabastro and Jaireh Llaguno, and driver Mark Warren Mallo.He said the drug bust was conducted at the PDEA South District Office located on A. Bonifacio St., Barangay Upper Bicutan, Taguig City around 9 p.m. Tuesday.Seized during the operation were substance believed to be methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) with an estimated weight of more or less 1,350 grams and worth P9,180,000.PDEA Director retired General Moro Virgilio Lazo expressed dismay over the arrest of his men but he assured that there will be no “sacred cows” under his leadership.The suspects are now under the custody of the National Capital Region Police Office drug unit for proper disposition pending the filing of appropriate charges at the Taguig City Prosecutor's Office.
A local PDEA Chief and two PDEA agents have been busted on drug charges.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1702226/sultan-kudarat-gov-orders-relief-of-lambayong-town-police-chief |
Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu has ordered the relief of the Lambayong police chief and police personnel involved in the operation that killed three youths in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat at the dawn hours of Dec. 2.
Mangudadatu said the relief of the police officers would pave the way for an impartial investigation which was what the family of the slain youths demanded from the government. “We assure the public and the families of the victims that we are exhausting all efforts that there will be justice,” he said. “Wala tayong kinikilingan (We are not siding with anyone),” he added.
Among those ordered relieved was Major Jenahmeel Toñacao, Lambayong town police chief, who admitted having led the operation that killed the three youths, and 14 other policemen under him. They were now restricted inside Sultan Kudarat police provincial office in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Earlier, the victims’ family had disputed the police’ claim that the youths–policeman’s son Horton Ansa Jr., 19; his cousin Anshad Ansa, 18 Samanoden Ali, 19–died in a shootout, saying that the youths were not armed.
Sahaboden Ali, 22, whose younger brother Samanoden, 19, was among those killed, said his brother was only out to road test his motorcycle that night as he planned to join the roadshow in town on Monday, December 5.
Patrolman Horton Ansa Sr., a police officer at Shariff Saydona Mustapha town and father of Ansa Jr., said his son had pleaded for his life in front of the police officers before he was killed.
He said a witness said his son was pleading for his life, telling the Lamabyong police officers “I am the son of a policeman, please spare me.”
Relatives of slain teenagers claimed the pistol, grenade and shabu the Lambayong police claimed to have found in their bodies, “were all planted.” “All the three boys had never been involved in any crime while living in Lambayong,” Ansa Sr. said.
The families of Ansa and Ali will hold Wednesday, Dec. 7, a “caravan for justice” in the town proper and in front of the Lambayong municipal hall to demand justice for the victims.
A town police Chief and 14 other cops have been relieved pending an investigation into a recent operation which ended in the death of 3 youths. Witnesses claim the men, 18 and 19 are not youths, were unarmed and not criminals.
