The God Culture: Did the Ancient Greeks Circumnavigate Africa to Trade With the Philippines?

One of the most outrageous and ridiculous claims made by Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture is that there was a regular and robust trade between the Philippines with Greece and Israel via circumnavigating Africa from the time of David to just after the time Jesus Christ was born. When asked for proof of this claim Tim was unable to give any yet he still included it in his book The Search For Solomon's Treasure. Fast forward two years and now Tim has produced a 6 part video series offering "proof" that ancient mariners did indeed circumnavigate Africa. Will this information be incorporated into any future editions of his book?

Let's take a look at all six videos and see if Tim accomplishes the impossible and proves that ancient Greeks, Israelites, and Filipinos were engaged in a network of trade by circumnavigating Africa.

The first video is evidence from the Bible. 

Did The Ancients Sail Around Africa? Bible Evidence. Solomon's Gold Series 16A

If you are expecting Tim to produce a Bible passage describing a journey around Africa you will be forgiven for being mistaken. This video presumes two things. First of all it presumes that the Biblical location of Tarshish is the Philippines. Tim thinks he has proven this but he has not and I have a three part series of articles breaking down his alleged proofs which do not add up. See parts 1, 2, and 3 for detailed information refuting that claim. Everything the Bible says indicates Tarshish must have been located in the Mediterranean basin. The existence of ancient tin ingots dating to the 13th-12th centuries BC, tin was said to have been brought back from Tarshish, being found in Israel which can be traced to Britain and not the Philippines is just one proof among many that Tarshish is not the Philippines.

The second thing this video presumes is that there was a robust trade between Israel and the Philippines (Tarshish) by the long way around Africa. Tim begins by affirming the conclusion before he has even proven it! His reasoning is that the Philippines is Tarshish, the port on the Red Sea at Eziongeber was busted, therefore the only way to Tarshish/Philippines by ship was to circumnavigate Africa.

2:52 This first video well set foundations specifically regarding biblical accounts where the Bible says ancients circumnavigated, they sailed around Africa as fact. The Bible is fact you know. If you don't believe that, well, don't call yourself a Bible scholar, uh, you know or a believer of the Bible. And yes it most definitely does no doubt say that. Uh, that will be our foundation.

Tim will go on to admit that the Bible does not specifically say that anyone circumnavigated Africa. His claim is based wholly on inference and not direct evidence. 

17:58 Does the Bible come out and say it? You know the Bible doesn't come out and say a lot of things but when you see the beginning of the narrative and the end of the narrative it's obvious what happened.

Based on the fact that the Red Sea port was destroyed Tim infers that the only way to Tarshish was by circumnavigating Africa.

30:23 Jonah tells us the ships of Tarshish from the land of Tarshish, not the ones from Israel, some get confused there, the original ones, the land itself in the Far East were still running. And guess what? They were circumnavigating Africa which his narrative is extremely clear leaving no room for anything else. Hmm. This is interesting. And again Tarshish was Greek and his descendants would be of Greek descent whether they lived in Greece or not.

In part three we restore Jonah's actual Journey according to the Bible account which almost every scholar and even pastor at that level has wrong. They just teach it wrong because they don't know and they're taught inaccurate geography. They just don't know what they're talking about.

First, they forgot the Red Sea port was toast and that's a huge forget. It's gone and all the ships as well so the only option was to circumnavigate Africa into the Atlantic into the Mediterranean and then Jonah says, this is history and geography right there in the Bible, says the ships going to Tarshish were right there in Joppa Israel. That's on the coast of Israel on the Mediterranean not on the Red Sea. Somehow they got around there but Jonah says the ship was in 800 BC so it was. And how exactly can we miss nor dismiss that? Willing ignorance of course. 

So, here we have history, yes history, that in 800 BC the ships of Tarshish, the Greek ships yes from the Greek colony over in the Philippines, were able to show up in Joppa Israel on the Mediterranean. How about that? There was no Suez Canal yet and the Red Sea port was out of commission. They circumnavigated Africa it was the only option and it's documented right here in 800 BC.

The Greek colony in the Philippines?? Don't expect to hear any more about that in this video or in any other video. Suffice to say there is no evidence of an Ancient Greek presence in the Philippines. Some armor alleged to be Ancient Greek was found in Mindanao but that claim does not hold up. I have written about that elsewhere.

One of Tim's main sources for all his claims about the Philippines being Ophir is the Periplus of the Erythean Sea which details ports of call and shipping routes going towards India. Is there such a source for the southern route around Africa? Of course not and Tim is at least honest enough to admit that but hardheaded enough to say "we don't need it" and asking for such a thing is illiterate.

38:39 Now, do we have the details where it says we went to this coordinate and we passed this coordinate and we passed that coordinate? Well, no we don't but we don't need it. This is ancient history folks. I mean it is absolutely illiterate for Academia to place such constraints on ancient history. Yes, today we'd have CCTV footage, right? Uh, we have lots of ways that we could prove things out and, uh, you know there may be even GPS data, uh, you know. We have lots of ways we didn't have any of that back then so to try to take that Paradigm and put it on these ancient factual historic accounts is stupidity.

According to Tim the Periplus of the Erythean is a great resource about the ancient world but asking for the same thing concerning the circumnavigating of Africa, a guide to ports of call and trade routes, is stupid and illiterate and he does not need it. All he needs is the Bible.

40:31 And also let us not forget circumnavigating Africa, again, is no impediment to the Bible paradigm whatsoever. It's only Academia that made up such a thinking, right? I mean it's, you talk about scoffing. The very nonsensical thought that "well man couldn't circumnavigate Africa."

Which academics say ancient sailors could absolutely NOT circumnavigate Africa? Tim cites no one to back up this claim. It's just another opportunity for him to dump on scholars while puffing up himself. Tim does not cite a single academic or scholar in any of these videos yet he rails on them as if he knows what their opinions are. This is the height of hubris and ignorance. Once again magazine publisher and Christian rock singer Timothy Jay Schwab knows more than those who have devoted their lives to studying the ancient world. This schtick is getting old.

This so-called Biblical evidence is really of no weight here because it is reliant on Tim's faulty interpretation of the location of Tarshish being the Philippines. It also assumes the conclusion without actually proving it. What we are looking for here is proof of a robust and regular trade route between the Philippines and Greece and Israel. If it existed then there should be evidence of it and not just scraps found here and there in the Bible or elsewhere which need to be glued together to see the whole picture. It is simply inconceivable that the Greeks had trade route maps of India and none of Africa if they did indeed circumnavigate Africa. Asking for that kind of evidence is not illiterate seeing as such evidence exists for the trade routes to India. 

The second video deals mostly with the writings of Herodotus and Strabo which contain the limit of our knowledge concerning ancient trips around Africa.

Did The Ancient Greeks Sail Around Africa? To Ophir, Philippines? Solomon's Gold Series 16B

Right off the bat Tim lowers the bar. Now instead of seeking to prove that ancient mariners sailed around Africa and engaged in a robust trade with the Philippines Tim is only seeking to prove whether circumnavigating Africa was POSSIBLE.

0:55 Did the ancient Greeks and others circumnavigate sail around the continent of Africa from the Mediterranean Sea into the Atlantic and Around the Horn of Africa all the way into the Indian Ocean? Was that possible?

But that is not the question. Contrary to what Tim says the testimony of Herodotus that the Phoenicians circumnavigated Africa is not contested by modern academics. However, while Herodotus says he did not believe the story Tim says that Herodotus only did not believe the part concerning the sun and that the story's inclusion is proof that Herodotus believed the story was true in toto. 

14:56 "There they said what some may believe though I do not." What doesn't he believe? Well, he's about to tell you but he didn't say he didn't believe the rest of what he said, did he? No that is illiterate to read it that way. "That in sailing around Libya they had the sun on their right hand." Well where were they? Well, they're down at the tip of Africa something he knows nothing about.

Hold the phone! If there was regular commerce between Greece and the Philippines by circumnavigating Africa then why would Herodotus know NOTHING about the tip of South Africa or that the sun changes positions when one sails around it? By the time he is writing these should be common facts if the trade route between Greece and the Philippines actually existed. This testimony undercuts Tim's claims and he does not even realize it. Herodotus did not just disbelieve what the Phoenicians said about the sun, he did not believe their journey was even possible because the Greeks did not believe the Indian and Atlantic Oceans merged! This is clearly seen in Ptolemy's world map which shows a landlocked Indian Ocean. 

Tim goes on to say that Herodotus would not have included this story if it were not actual history. 

23:08 Herodotus would not have included this in his history which is massive and very extensive, uh, if it wasn't history.

Has Tim even read Herodotus? Are there really fox-sized ants in India which mine gold? 

Here, in this desert, there live amid the sand great ants, in size somewhat less than dogs, but bigger than foxes. The Persian king has a number of them, which have been caught by the hunters in the land whereof we are speaking. Those ants make their dwellings under ground, and like the Greek ants, which they very much resemble in shape, throw up sand heaps as they burrow. Now the sand which they throw up is full of gold.

https://www.livius.org/sources/content/herodotus/the-gold-digging-ants/

The point is not everything Herodotus includes in his History is actually true or was believed by him to be true. In fact there are several times when he relates a story and says he does not believe it. That Tim could say something so stupid as Herodotus would not have included this story if it were not actual history or was believed by him to be true just goes to show he has not actually read Herodotus. But Tim does not actually care what Herodotus has to say because the alleged proofs from the Bible, which Herodotus ignores, are more than sufficient.

6:02 However, let's be clear Herodotus was the opposite of a Bible believer and the Bible already told us Tarshish the Greek circumnavigated Africa carrying Ophir and brothers to the Philippines. It also tells us Jonah hopped on a ship making the same Journey and circumnavigated Africa into the Indian Ocean as Tarshish is east of the Persian Gulf.

The possibility of the Phoenicians circumnavigating Africa is not debated by anyone these days. That singular journey is also not proof of a robust trade route between the Philippines and Greece and Israel. That is what needs proving. It cannot be proved and that is why Tim has lowered the bar to proving the trip was merely possible. Tim even admits that Herodotus knew nothing of the tip of South Africa which is patently ludicrous if there was a robust trade route that way concerning Greece. 

Tim's second witness is Strabo but Strabo's testimony proves beyond a doubt that if circumnavigating Africa  happened at all it was a rare event. Strabo tells us about Eudoxus who found part of a Phoenician ship in Ethiopia.

38:39 From this Eudoxus drew the conclusion that it was possible to circumnavigate Libya which is Africa, right? Uh, and that's what matters here.

He drew the conclusion that the circumnavigating Africa was possible? If there was robust trade between the Philippines and Greece and Israel by sailing around Africa then the route would be well known and there would be concrete proof of its existence of which Eudoxus would have been well aware. Remarkably in his quest to prove that Greeks were sailing around Africa to the Philippines Tim only gives his audience hints the the Greeks thought doing so was POSSIBLE but was actually done by others long before them not that they did so on a regular basis. 

This video ends with an appeal to Sinbad the Sailor. 

46:03 Oh, Sinbad the famous sailor was in the Philippines likely. Who would have known?

Indeed who would have known? Sinbad the Sailor never existed! He is a made up figure in the 1,001 Arabian Nights. Appealing to fictional characters is part of Tim's proof that ancient mariners were circumnavigating Africa on a regular basis to trade with the Philippines. How ludicrous is that?

It's not surprising that in this second video Tim lowered the bar to only proving the POSSIBILITY that ancient mariners circumnavigated Africa. The fact is none of the stories he cites, including that of Herodotus, can actually be proven to have ever taken place.

Up to today the historicity of none of these reported circumnavigations has ever been proved, and it probably never will. If they took place they certainly did not result in any understanding about the extent and course of Africa's coasts. None of these sailors left a route description such as the (sketchy) one of Hanno. Of the circumnavigation by Necho's Phoenicians we only know what Herodotus tells us (4.42): that the Phoenicians entered the ocean from the Red Sea, put in every autumn on the African coast to sow and harvest, reached the Pillars of Hercules in the third year and, what Herodotus does not believe, that they had the sun on their right—in the north—when they sailed around the southern end of Africa. The reason why Herodotus could not accept this statement about the position of the sun at midday was not because he thought it impossible that the sun could ever be seen in the north anywhere in the world. In Herodotus' time the changes in the position of the sun when one travelled south were well known. Herodotus had visited Elephantine (2.29) near the tropic of Cancer, where the sun is almost overhead during the summer solstice and south of which the shadows sometimes fall 'the wrong way'. His disbelief of the Phoenicians' statement is therefore not a result of primitive incredulity, but stems from the fact that he, like Strabo, could not believe that Africa stretched over the equator into the southern hemisphere.

https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA03031896_926

Trotting out the same old stories everyone knows about alleged circumnavigations of Africa does not prove they happened nor does anything in this video prove that a robust trade via Africa between Greece and the Philippines existed. Quite frankly this video is a total failure.

Having given all the extant historical testimony to ancient voyages circumnavigating Africa and failing to prove there was a robust trade between the Philippines and Greece and Israel by circumnavigating Africa Tim moves on in the next two videos to discussing Greek and Roman maps.

The 1st Century Mapping Mindset. Greece to Ophir, Philippines? Solomon's Gold Series 16C

I have written elsewhere at length about these maps showing how Tim misuses them and does not understand them rightly. There is absolutely nothing new here but there are a few things Tim says which pertain to the alleged circumnavigation of Africa by the Greeks to trade with the Philippines which must be noted.

36:55 Now we have the end point and we have the full mapping. Uh, can we not draw the lines ourselves or did they have to do that for us too to show that they circumnavigated Africa in order to get from Greece to the Philippines? Duh. I mean do you really need to do that?

52:44 So Mela's talking about a route that the Greeks navigated. Yes, circumnavigating Africa for certain. That's what this is showing. This map documents that the Greeks circumnavigated Africa. Period. Even if you don't agree that those islands are the Philippines, which you really can't disagree with it, but even if you do you still have to conclude that the Greeks circumnavigated Africa. Done. I mean there wasn't even a canal built until 200 BC. Hello!? They were running this route from 800 to 150 BC. So duh. Now imagine that uh the 43 A.D mapping covers that whole era in fact. Now, that's evidence and it's indisputable evidence and again it proves that they circumnavigated Africa indeed successfully they brought back gold from Chryse. 

The map in question which Tim claims proves the Greeks circumnavigated Africa is that of Pomponius Mela. Notice how all of Sub-Saharan Africa is missing yet according to Tim this proves the Greeks were circumnavigating Africa. Apparently they forgot to make notes about the southern part of Africa.

What is of particular interest here is that Tim claims the Greeks "were running this route from 800 to 150 BC." That is an astounding claim seeing as there is abosolutley no evidence such is the case. Not in maps, not in histories, not in anything. Tim's reason for this lack of evidence is a simple ad hoc solution. The route around Africa was super-duper top secret and the Greeks told no one about it. 

29:45 The Greeks knew, uh, they knew how to sail to Chryse Ophir. They knew exactly where it was but why would the Greeks share their location for their land of gold so publicly while they're still going there? Hmm?? Think about that. The answer is easy. They wouldn't broadcast that. Oh, hello world here's where we go to get our gold. Oh, wait a minute you're all going there too? Oh I, I didn't mean for you to go I was just letting you know because I didn't think anybody would follow the route. Duh!

Except in the second video Tim gave testimony that this route was taken by the Phoenicians among others. But even if this were the case, that the Greeks refused to share their top secret trade route, surely there would be physical evidence that this route took place. There would be Ancient Greek artifacts up and down the West African coast. There might even be a reference to the route in a document kept hidden  which has been preserved to our times much like the Dead Sea Scrolls. 

Tim claimed in the first video that Philippine (Tarshish) ships were regularly sailing around Africa to Israel and Greece so surely there would be evidence of Philippine artifacts in West Africa as well as North Africa, Greece and Israel. And with the route being sailed by Filipinos, Greeks, and Phoenicians surely someone wrote it down or made note of it somewhere. After all this is 700 years of alleged history according to Tim. It would be rather unusual that there would be no evidence at all of its existence after 700 years and Tim claims the route was being plied as late as 4 BC when the three Magi set sail from the Philippines to visit Jesus. But there is no such evidence of any kind that the Greeks or anyone else was circumnavigating Africa on a regular basis to trade with the Philippines for 700 years or more. It's all based on an argument from silence and from a wrong interpretation of Greek and Roman maps. 

Video E deals with maps used by Magellan and Columbus and is loaded with more of the same errors I have refuted elsewhere. Read my article, The God Culture: The Philippines is the Land Before Time, for a rebuttal of Tim's claim that the Cattigara of Ptolemy is in Samar in the Philippines and is attested so by Antonio Pigafetta as well as his interpretation of Martin Behaim's map. See my article The God Culture: Lequios and Lucoes Are Not the Same People Group for a rebuttal to his claims that Fernando Pinto was shipwrecked in the Lequois islands and gave coordinates that place it in Luzon. For a rebuttal to his ignorant remarks about Samuel Purchas read my article The God Culture: Samuel Purchas On Ophir, Tarshish, and The Philippines.  Take note that at no time has Tim ever dealt with the facts I present in those articles but he persists in his ignorance. 

All of these videos dealing with maps are more of the same nonsense showcasing Tim has no idea what he is talking about. There is nothing new here and there is certainly nothing proving that there was a robust trade between the Philippines and Greece which lasted between 800 and 150 BC and even as late as 4 BC according to Tim's claims about the Filipino Magi visiting Baby Jesus. Remember, that the Greeks circumnavigated with Africa to trade with the Philippines on a regular basis for 700 years is what Tim is attempting to prove here. Yet for three videos he has gone wildly off course to discuss wholly irrelevant matters about maps which he has already addressed at length elsewhere. 

In the sixth and final video in this series Tim takes his audience back to the past once more to offer up proof that the Greeks circumnavigated Africa on a regular basis to trade with the Philippines in 800 BC. His proof consists not of history but of myth. 

Greek Oceanus World River and Rivers From Eden lead to the Philippines? Solomon's Gold Series 16F

This video is astounding in it s ridiculousness. The gist of it is Tim claims the Greek myth of a river encircling the world, Oceanus, proves both that his bonkers Rivers From Eden theory is correct and that the Greeks circumnavigated Africa. He concludes this preposterous presentation with the following comments:

1:01:30 "At the edge of Oceanus Where God like Jason went." So, Jason and the Argonauts is a story that goes geographically at some point as far as the Philippines which means they circumnavigated Africa because they left from Greece and they didn't fly helicopters. Yes, the Greeks knew where it was and they traveled circumnavigating Africa to get there from very ancient times. And what it was indeed. I mean they knew. The Greeks knew where it was and what it was. Jason went to the land of gold in the Philippines where the sun rises and Oceanus ends. Boom! This is clear.

1:13:30 Titans/Giants destroyed by the great Deluge of Oceanus when The Fountains of the great deep from within it exploded, the origin of the flood. It is just as the rivers from Eden. It's associated with a snake. You mean the Garden of Eden? Yeah that one. It's known for the White Rock or Lukas, uh, Ilocanos anyone? Maybe. Even the Atis mentioned could be very well the tribe from the Philippines likely. Ends in the land of gold and Garden of Eden Philippines firmly. From Africa goes to the Far East where Prometheus, Gadreel, stole knowledge of Good and Evil giving it to the man while that happened in the Garden of Eden. 

It all fits. It all ties and they had to circumnavigate Africa all these many times, okay? These characters, especially in the Odyssey and The Iliad, they're going there for physically in their ships even Jason and the Argonauts went to the Philippines. That's what it says.

Got it? Tim's proof that the Greeks were circumnavigating Africa is his interpretation of Greek mythology through the lens of his erroneous teaching of Biblical and Philippine history and the Book of Enoch. Jason and the Argonauts sailed to the Philippines therefore there was a robust trade between the Philippines and Greece and Israel for 800 or more years. That is ridiculous and is no proof at all. 

Tim's Rivers from Eden theory is that the world was created without an ocean and what we now know as ocean trenches are the Rivers From Eden. The flood came and buried them along with the Garden of Eden which is now situated under miles of mud beneath the Sulu Sea with Enoch and Elijah as its lone inhabitants. I have dismantled this silly theory elsewhere in my article The God Culture: The Rivers From Eden Are Not Ocean Trenches or watch my video The God Culture's Rivers From Eden Theory Proven to be False.

This video is too chock full of nonsense to deal with in-depth here and there is no need to trudge through it. The bottom line is that neither in this video nor in any of the previous 5 videos does Tim offer any evidence that there was a robust trade between the Philippines and Greece and Israel for well over 800 years by circumnavigating Africa. The only real historical proofs he offers are in video 2 and boil down to a few historical instances where the voyage was made by a few men and everyone telling the tale thought it either not believable or quite remarkable but certainly not something ordinary. But the singular journey of the Phoenicians does not equate to a robust trade between the Philippines and Greece and Israel by  circumnavigating Africa lasting over 800 years. That 800 year history of trade is what Tim needs to prove. He has failed miserably in that endeavor.

Tim offers ZERO archeological evidence for his claims but instead goes off on wild and obfuscating tangets about maps and myths. But who needs archaeology? Ignorant agitators. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52c7XnuHDLQ&lc=Ugz_krXUKIbjerTxqc94AaABAg

Rich G****n: These agitators are looking archeology evidence simply ignoramus. All videos in TGCs research are super easy to learn. Yah bless!

The God Culture: Yah Bless. 

If you are interested in the real history of the circumnavigation of Africa by ancient explorers read the following:

The Ancient Explorers, pgs 86-106

One final thing here and that is Tim's dismissal of my work. I am mentioned several times in this series. Here is one glaring instance.

47:28 If an academic wants to come at us you better do much more than ridicule because we prove your paradigm stupid on this topic many times over even in this video. When you learn how to read a map, and how to read period, then try to come at us. Go ahead. But if you haven't reviewed our position you will be muted every time. Our channel our rules. No debate in ignorance. We're not wasting our time with such. Otherwise every single enemy, especially the racist blogger who hates everything Filipino and should be in jail, though likely still will, looks like a fool here, especially his 60 plus illiterate blogs all proven stupid.

https://youtu.be/ujhoOzu88cY?t=2848

That is all a lie. Tim has not proven any of what I have written to be wrong or stupid. In fact he never deals with the issues I bring up except to dismiss me with ridicule and threaten me with jail time. He does to me exactly what he accuses his detractors of doing to him. But I say unto Timothy Jay Schwab if you want to come at me you better do much more than ridicule because I have proven your paradigm stupid on this topic many times over even in these videos.

Insurgency: CPP-NPA Suffers Major Setbacks in 2023

As I have noted before the war against the insurgency resets every six years when a new president takes office. After inauguration the insurgency becomes the matter of the new president. This includes its failures and successes. Every win and every loss for the next six years becomes part and parcel of the new exectuives legacy.  The Marcos presidency is not any different.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192359

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday said it performed well in the campaign against communist insurgency during the first six months of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s administration.

"Our campaign against insurgency went well. A lot of their guerrilla fronts have melted and their active strength is down to more or less 2,000 fighters," AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in a Laging Handa briefing, when asked for an assessment of the military's internal security campaign.

The AFP earlier said that out of the 89 guerrilla fronts recorded in 2016, only 24 or 23 are left with only five remaining active or capable of conducting any actions.

As for the mass organizations set up by the New People's Army (NPA) and its allies, Aguilar said a lot of its members are being recovered and have returned to the fold of the law.

"This means we are gaining headway in our campaign against communist insurgency," he added.

Medel said they are hoping to conduct more aggressive conduct of localized peace initiatives as NPA ranks continue to crumble following the death of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria "Joma" Sison and the neutralization of its key leaders.

In operations against so-called local terrorist groups, Aguilar said the AFP has so far neutralized 50 personalities and seized more than 50 high-powered firearms.

He attributed this to the success of their security "template" which was further highlighted by the surrender of local terrorist group members in Mindanao.

The AFP claims there are about 24 or 23 NPA fronts left but only 5 are "active or capable of conducting any actions." National Security Advisor Clarita Carlos says those fronts are on schedule to be defeated within the first quarter of 2023.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/857141/nsa-carlos-5-remaining-guerrilla-fronts-to-be-decimated-by-1st-quarter-of-2023/story/

National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos has said the remaining five guerrilla fronts in the country are expected to be decimated by the first quarter of 2023, according to the National Security Council (NSC).

In a statement Thursday, the NSC said Carlos made the pronouncement during the presentation of the year-end accomplishment reports by the National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in Malacañang.

“She said despite various logistical challenges, only five guerrilla fronts remain and are expected to be decimated by the first quarter of 2023,” it said.

Carlos pointed out the importance of continuing the momentum of the NTF-ELCAC to end the insurgency.

According to NSC, Carlos ordered the NTF-ELCAC to complement its Road Map with an implementation plan to dismantle all guerilla fronts within 2023.

It appears Carlos is saying the NTF-ELCAC will be the ones to dismantle these guerrilla fronts. Even if they get all the credit it will undoubtedly be the AFP which does all the work. That includes fighting any remaining NPA units and even killing their members.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192478

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebel who was killed in an encounter with government troops in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental was identified as a guerrilla front leader, Army and police sources said Wednesday.

Orlando Fat, alias Banban, was the lone casualty during a five-minute firefight between his group of five NPA rebels and soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) early Tuesday in Sitio Banderahan, Barangay Trinidad, Guihulngan City.

Fat, who hails from the sub-village of Banderahan, is the political instructor of Section Guerrilla Unit 3 of the NPA’s Central Negros Front 1, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (KR-NCBS), that operates in the tri-boundaries of Guihulngan City, Canlaon City, both of Negros Oriental and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, the 62IB said.

Lt. Col. Romeo Cubo, Guihulngan City police chief, told the Philippine News Agency that they have informed the barangay captain of Trinidad to locate Fat’s next of kin so they can claim his body.

“After the retrieval operations yesterday afternoon, the body of Orlando Fat was brought to the funeral parlor where he will lie in wake for three days. We hope that the family will claim the body, otherwise, he will have to be buried based on a local policy here,” Cubo said in mixed English and Cebuano.

Government troops also recovered from the encounter site one .45-caliber pistol with two magazines and five live rounds of ammunition; one 40mm grenade launcher; three empty steel magazines (short) for M16 Rifle; one empty plastic magazine (short) for M16 Rifle; one magazine pouch and one holster for .45-caliber pistol; personal belongings; and “subversive documents”.

Lt. Col. William Pesase, 62IB commanding officer, in an interview said the death of Fat is a "huge blow to the NPA considering that he is a political figure".

The death of this one man is a "huge blow" to the NPA? How many huge blows does the NPA have to take before it crumbles? Perhaps this is one of the major setbacks the AFP claims the NPA has already faced this year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192381

The Visayas Command (Viscom) on Tuesday said the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the Visayas has suffered a series of setbacks at the start of this year owing to the neutralization of five members and confiscation of 13 firearms in 10-day military operations.

Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Viscom acting commander, urged the few remaining fighters who are still in the mountains to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law.

“These series of debacles suffered by the CPP-NPA manifest your soldier’s utmost dedication and steadfast commitment to defeat the CPP-NPA and swiftly serve justice to those whom they terrorized,” Arevalo said in a statement.

He said the "long arms of justice will eventually catch up with you. We will never stop, and we will never falter in our commitment to win the peace for the people in the Visayas. Lay down your arms now and return to the folds of the law while you still can.”

According to Viscom, the military and law enforcement operations from Jan. 1-10 resulted in the death of two CPP-NPA members.

On Tuesday, another fighter died in a five-minute shootout between members of the Philippine Army's 62nd Infantry Battalion and NPA terrorists under Central Negros 1 (CN1) of the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (KR NCBS) in Sitio Banderahan, Barangay Trinidad in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental province.

A .45-caliber pistol was recovered in the possession of the neutralized rebel.

On Monday, another NPA member died in an encounter with the members of the 94th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (NOCPMFC) in Sitio Maliko-liko, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental.

He was a member of Central Negros 2 (CN2) of the KR NCBS.

Government troops recovered several war materiel during the said encounter including an M14, an M79 grenade launcher and two M16 rifles, among others, along with an NPA flag, personal belongings, and several subversive documents.

Meanwhile, three other NPA members were neutralized through a joint law enforcement operation launched by the 79th Infantry Battalion, Special Action Battalion-6, and Regional Mobile Force Battalion-6 at Barangay Cambayobo, Calatrava in Negros Occidental on Jan. 6.

Viscom said they are remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front (NNF) under Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (KR NCBS).

Isn't interesting that remnants of a dismantled NPA front engaged the NPA in a firefight regrouped under another front? What good is it to declare a front dismantled if its members are still active albeit under a different name? 

Arms were recovered after these fights as is typical. Last week arms were recovered from an abandoned cache in Leyte.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192290

“The NPA buried the firearms because of their inability to recruit and recover former mass bases to fill in their ranks,” Dela Rosa said in a statement on Monday.

This story had already been reported on and the reason given why these weapon were stashed was:

“I think the firearms have been buried for about two years. The rebels have been hiding from government forces and they left these firearms since they could not carry it anymore,” Vestuir said in a phone interview.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2023/01/insurgency-dying-movement.html 

See how the story changes so dramatically? One week the weapons are buried for two years because the rebels could not carry them and the next week the weapons are buried because they can't recruit. This new story is clearly propaganda. Or maybe their knowledge is evolving? Whatever the case this new story did not issue a correction.

Another arms cache was discovered in Nueva Ecija after an NPA fighter surrendered.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192603

A former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) has surrendered to authorities here on Wednesday.

In his report on Thursday, Col. Richard V. Caballero, acting provincial director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), said alias "Ka Nestor/Noli," who was a former member of the CPP-NPA under Komiteng Larangang Gerilya Sierra Madre, submitted himself to the authorities and yielded one homemade .22-caliber Magnum, with magazine and ammunition.

Caballero said personnel of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC-NEPPO), in collaboration with other government troops in the province, facilitated the former rebel's return to the fold of the law.

He said "Ka Nestor", together with the surrendered items, is now under the custody of 1st PMFC-NEPPO for documentation and proper disposition.

The article says he yielded a home made 22 magnum while the caption to the article calls it a homemade submachine gun. 

The 9ID is being reminded by its leader to sustain the gains against the insurgency.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192252

Philippine Army (PA) commander Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. ordered newly-appointed 9th Infantry Division (9ID) chief Maj. Gen. Adonis Bajao to sustain the unit's operations and gains against the communist insurgents in its areas of operation.

On Sunday, Bajao formally assumed command of the Camarines Sur-based 9th Infantry Division.

"Lt. Gen. Brawner, in his keynote speech, called on Spear troopers (nickname of the 9th Infantry Division) now led by Maj. Gen. Bajao, to sustain their gains against the communist terrorist group (New People's Army insurgents) in the 9ID area of operations in the Bicol region and parts of Mindanao" PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement Monday.

The PA chief also said that by acting cohesively and as one, the military could better serve the country.

"Together, when we act as one, we can better serve our country,” said Brawner during the ceremony," he added.

"Sustain the gains" is the mantra of practically every new appointee. Sustaining the gains, especially in Mindanao,  is not going to be easy when there are groups who insist on continuing their fight. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1716322/cops-probing-possible-links-of-arrested-indonesian-2-pinoys-to-mindanao-terror-groups

The police in the Soccsksargen region are investigating the possible links of an Indonesian and two Filipinos who were arrested last week in Sarangani province and now face criminal charges for trying to smuggle high-powered firearms.

Police Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, Police Regional Office -12 director, said the police would be looking into the possible involvement of the foreign national in smuggling firearms into the region.

The three suspects were identified as 29-year-old Anton Gobay, an Indonesian, and his Filipino companions Michael Tino, 25, of Barangay Malalag in Maitum, Sarangani, and Jimmy Abolde, 52, of Purok Zoneza Saway, Barangay Labangal in General Santos City.

They were arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Nalus of Kiamba town on Jan. 7.

Macaraeg said they are also looking into a possible link between Gobay and his two companions with three allied terrorist groups in Central Mindanao, the Al-Khobar, the Dawlah Islamiya and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), all known to have links with foreign terror groups.

Operatives led by Captain Ralph Marvin Rivera of the first platoon, 1204th Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) in Region 12, flagged down a tricycle with three men on board and saw suspicious trolley bags aboard.

Upon questioning, the police team observed that Gobay became uneasy. The team discovered they were transporting 10 units of Colt AR-19 9mm para rifle, 20 pieces of steel magazines and 10 pieces of detachable rifle butts, Macaraeg said.

It is no secret that Indonesian terror groups do have links with groups in the Philippines. Hopefully these links will be severed and bloodshed averted. 

Mass Resignations of the PNP Top Brass Is the New Way to Fight Drug Trafficking

In the Philippines nobody has workable solutions to the problems plaguing the nation. There are band-aid solutions and magical solutions (astronaut food pills for the poor??) but no one wants to stick to the solutions that are provided for within the confines of the law. Remember when the PNP Chief thought cleaning up their stations would instill discipline and weed out corruption? How about Duterte's pay raise? That was also supposed to put an end to corruption within the PNP. The PNP even resorted to using a Scientology course to stamp out corruption.

Now comes another brain-dead idea on how to weed out corruption in the PNP: mass resignations.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/07/23/marcos-jr-pnp-mass-resignations-new-tack-vs-drug-trafficking

That's right. The idea of asking the PNP's entire top brass to offer courtesy resignations was not a whim of DILG Secretary Abalos but was the plan of Marcos Jr. all along. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1713392/weeding-out-ninja-cops-part-of-new-drug-war-approach

Marcos was first asked if he had greenlighted the appeal of Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. for all police colonels and generals to tender their courtesy resignation in a bid to purge the Philippine National Police (PNP) of any link to the illegal drug syndicates.

“We have been planning this for a while. Let me be very clear. Remember, during the campaign, when I was being asked about what I will do for the drug war or the drug problem. This is it. We approach it in an entirely different way,” he told reporters.

Marcos said this was part of their efforts to cleanse the police ranks and ensure that the officers who remain in service are not involved with criminal drug syndicates.

"We know that the drugs will not be a problem if syndicates are not allied with some people in the police force. That’s why we must thoroughly look into who is good and involved. Who are really involved? And who will no longer be allowed to return to the service because of their association with drug lords?" he added.

Marcos reiterated that a committee will be formed to review the records of the police officers, and those cleared will be “slowly reinstated.”

“And maybe, we’ll have to decide: What do we do with those implicated to be involved in the drug trade? So we’ll see first. Maybe we’ll file cases against those with severe cases. We’re not yet there,” he added.

Marcos underscored the need to mount sufficient evidence against drug-involved PNP officers before filing a case before the court.

"Speculations and gossip about who is involved here and who is involved there, we’ve gone through that. It didn’t work, so we need to make sure that if we’re going to be filing cases, we’ll win them and really put those proven to be involved in the drug trade behind bars."

While an investigation is underway into whether police personnel have ties with illegal drug syndicates, Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. and PNP director General Abalos have said that all PNP colonels and generals are expected to perform their duties and responsibilities as usual.

Duterte's way of dealing with the drug problem was killing everyone and Marcos Jr's way is to ask the top PNP brass to resign so they can be investigated for ties to the drug trade. But what is stopping anyone from investigating these men sans a resignation? And its not even a real resignation as everyone is still expected to continue doing their duties. This is nothing less than a total farce. 

What about all the officers in the lower ranks who are involved in the drug trade? Why not have the entire force tender courtesy resignations? Or better yet why not investigate every single PNP officer? The amazing thing is that everyone is eating up and praising this scheme as if it will actually put an end to corruption. The Commission on Human Rights says this is just the first step in the pursuit of justice.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1713491/chr-says-asking-pnp-officials-to-resign-only-the-first-step

“While we acknowledge Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.’s expeditious approach, it must be stressed that accountability must be carried out to its fullest extent,” CHR said.

“A resignation or removal from office may only be the first step in the pursuit of justice, and not an omission of liability. In this case, if allegations are proven to be true, criminal and administrative charges should be filed against erring police officers of the [PNP],” it added.

Last Wednesday, Abalos made a surprise announcement, saying that a five-person committee would be tasked to review the profiles of police colonels and generals.  The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief said that they arrived at the decision because they fear high-ranking officials may be involved in the drug trade already.

Then on Thursday, PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. announced that he and his command group have submitted their courtesy resignations, urging other officials to do the same.

CHR noted that they acknowledge the changes that the current administration is trying to implement regarding the drug war — which is a shift from being merely a police matter to demand reduction and rehabilitation.

Despite this, CHR said that they would still like to emphasize that due process must always prevail.

How does asking the entire top brass of the PNP, none of who have been accused of drug trafficking, fall under due process? It doesn't. 

Oddly enough these mass resignations are being touted as a way for the PNP to restore trust with the public. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192054

Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. on Thursday said the call of Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. for senior officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) will be good for confidence-building between the organization and the public.

In a statement, Revilla said this will show that everyone is accountable and no one is untouchable in the government.

"Even the Chief PNP and chaplains are not spared. This shows that everyone is united in restoring public trust in the police especially the highest-ranking officers," he said.

He said there is nothing wrong with Abalos' call, saying the courtesy resignations will not be an indictment against the PNP, but a measure that shows the police organization serves at the pleasure and the best interest of the public.

"The PNP holds its personnel to the highest standards especially those who are in the lower ranks that we see everyday. It's good to show that the organization also holds those in the highest ranks to at least the same standards," Revilla said.

What is the standard that the top brass is being held to exactly? None of them have been accused of a crime yet they have all been asked to resign in order to be investigated for perhaps having committed a crime! Of course they will still have to remain on the job which is not much of a resignation. Furthermore those who do not offer their resignation will be considered questionable!

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/05/23/pnp-chief-azurin-submits-courtesy-resignation

"I heed the call of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and the concurrent chairman of NAPOLCOM (National Police Commission). Thus, I am submitting my resignation from the police service voluntarily," Azurin wrote in a letter addressed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Azurin also wrote that he would allow himself to be evaluated and assessed by a committee created by Marcos to determine if he was in any way involved in the narcotics trade, or if he had been tolerating police officers who were.

He also noted that his resignation would also be considered an application for his retirement, adding that he supports Abalos' call to "rid the PNP of misfits and scalawags." 

 

Abalos earlier said those who offer courtesy resignations could continue working while their records were assessed by a 5-member committee. Those found guilty would have their resignations accepted, he said. 

"If you're not involved, there's nothing to worry about," he said in a press conference, noting that anyone who did not tender their resignation would be "questionable."

"This is the only way to cleanse the ranks in a fast manner," Abalos said. "It's difficult to fight a war when it's your ally that will shoot you in the back."

Abalos said that Azurin himself had recommended the move.

It is not the first time such drastic measures have been used to clean up the Philippine police force.

Former president Fidel Ramos cracked down on police in the early 1990s, ordering all officers over 56 years of age or with more than 30 years of service to resign. The chief of the national police and 9 other senior officers resigned as a result. 

So far there has been no explanation as to exactly how asking every member of the top PNP brass to resign will cleanse the ranks. And what about those in the lower ranks? Corruption happens down there too. It is not limited to the top brass.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192405

Brigadier Gen. Pablo Labra II, the director of the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13), has welcomed the promotions of 1,379 police personnel in the region and told them to refrain from "any forms of corruption and malice."

Labra led Tuesday the mass oath-taking, and the donning and pinning of ranks to the newly-promoted Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) and Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs) in the region.

“Continue doing what is right and never get discouraged by any circumstances that may try to challenge a person’s faith in himself, his job, and his organization,” Labra told the newly-promoted officers.

He also encouraged them to continue to "live for the purpose of serving and protecting the country and people."

At least 93 PCOs in PRO-13 got their promotions this year that included three majors, 80 captains, and 10 lieutenants.

Likewise, 1,286 PNCOs were also promoted comprising 66 executive master sergeants, 105 chief master sergeants, 126 staff master sergeants, 119 master sergeants, 229 staff sergeants, and 641 corporals.

“To everyone, do not engage in any illegal activities. Refrain from doing any forms of corruption and malice that may tarnish the uniform we wear,” Labra said.

Why not have every single PNP officer tender a courtesy resignation?

To show just how stupid this whole charade is and how the call for the top brass to resign is nothing but a deceitful piece of theater just take a peek at the following.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192480

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said police officials who have submitted their courtesy resignations will undergo a lifestyle check.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Azurin said the measure is part of the investigation to be conducted by the five-man committee tasked to assess their courtesy resignations and will issue a recommendation to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on whether to reject or accept the same.

“As of now we need to ask the members of the committee about the other procedures to be undertaken, but definitely that would be part of the investigation or inquiry that will be conducted by the committee to assess and evaluate all third-level officers,” Azurin said.

The PNP personnel undergo yearly lifestyle checks in accordance with Republic Act 3019 or the "Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices",and Republic Act 6713 or the "Act Establishing a Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

Meanwhile, PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said around 70 percent of all police generals and colonels have already submitted their courtesy resignations.

Fajardo said they are still checking if the 10 police officials purportedly involved in the illegal drug trade have already submitted their courtesy resignations.

“Right now we don't have information on what the Chief PNP mentioned earlier that less than 10 are being targeted by the investigation if they are included in more or less 70 percent and we will find out and give an update when we get the data,” Fajardo said.

The PNP Chief has said there are LESS THAN 10 top officials who are allegedly involved in the drug trade and yet the entirety of the top brass, which is about 950 men, are being forced to hand in their resignations. Why not just go after the less than 10 officials who are known to be involved in the drug trade?? And what is the good of doing lifestyle checks when these are done EVERY SINGLE YEAR!? Did the results from last year turn up anything damning? 

Thankfully at least a few cops are questioning this order.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1715522/resignation-call-divides-pnp

Some top Philippine National Police officials are having second thoughts about heeding Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos’ appeal to voluntarily step down to pave the way for the government’s campaign to rid the organization of policemen with links to illegal drugs.

In a phone interview with reporters on Wednesday, PNP spokesperson Police Col. Jean Fajardo said that out of the 956 police generals and colonels who were expected to submit courtesy resignations, around 70 percent or more than 600 had already complied as of Tuesday evening. According to Fajardo, they were hoping that the rest would follow suit by the end of the month.

“We cannot deny that there are some senior officers who have reservations [about] submitting their courtesy resignation,” she said, adding that some had questioned the need for it when those with possible links to the illegal drug trade had already been identified.

“We cannot deny that if one or two PNP personnel are identified and [discovered to be] involved in illegal drugs, [they are not the only ones] being implicated in illegal drug activities, but it is the whole organization,” Fajardo said.

“Once and for all, we need to step up and take the lead of making the supreme sacrifice of submitting our courtesy resignation,” she stressed.

"The supreme sacrifice of submitting our courtesy resignation?" How is that "the supreme sacrifice?"

The fact of the matter is that this new way of weeding out corruption is already a failure as the DILG has admitted that cops found to be involved in drugs but for whom there is not a strong enough case will be allowed to retire in peace.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1716382/abalos-if-case-weak-vs-narco-cops-let-them-retire-peacefully

Senior police officers who are found to be involved in illegal drugs but the evidence against them isn’t “that strong” will be allowed to retire in peace and will not be subjected to public shaming, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said on Friday.

Abalos said there was no need to publicize the names of the police officials whose courtesy resignations would be accepted by President Marcos due to their involvement in the illegal drug trade.

“This is a radical move. Like what I have said, extraordinary times call for radical and bold actions. This is out of the box. In the same token let’s say if you receive a resignation, let them retire silently,” he said during a press conference at Camp Crame.

“Now, if we have enough evidence that would build up criminal cases, pursue them in court as mandated by law. If not, if you do not have that strong evidence but it was seen that they had involvement, let them retire peacefully,” he added.

Abalos clarified that even with the quiet exit of these police officials, “the monitoring and investigation on them must continue” to gather evidence that would lead to their eventual prosecution “because what is important is to eradicate the problem of drugs once and for all.”

Letting known corrupt cops off the hook to retire quietly while still tracking them to build a case is not a radical and bold action. That is a flagrant neglect of the rule of law which contradicts the alleged purpose of requesting the top brass to resign. And who knows but the entire scheme is really a targeted purge that does not require the filing of formal charges and has nothing to do with weeding out corruption.

This pointless exercise is akin to killing a fly with a hammer. It makes no sense, it is redundant, and the intended goal of weeding out corruption will not be met in this manner. If the law were followed and executed properly on a regular basis there would be a lot less problems. If corrupt politicians and bureaucrats knew they would be held accountable for any crimes they commit perhaps they would think twice about stepping out of line. As it is the PNP admits they know exactly who might be involved in the drug trade but instead of going after them by quietly building a case through investigative police work the government chooses this route. It is a farce on a grand scale and the fact that everyone is going along with it is quite maddening. 

Retards in the Government 292

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

  

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1713478/navy-man-nabbed-after-allegedly-shooting-tricycle-driver-in-cavite

Police arrested a Philippine Navy officer after he reportedly shot a tricycle driver over an argument on transportation fare  in Trece Martires City, Cavite province, on Thursday, Jan. 5.

In a report Friday, the Cavite police said authorities collared Mark Kevin Francisco, a resident of Paragon Village in Barangay Cabuco, after he allegedly shot Ravi Tizon around 8:30 p.m.

According to the report, Francisco and Tizon had a heated argument over the tricycle fare, which provoked the former to shoot the latter once with his caliber.9mm pistol.

Responding policemen immediately arrested Francisco, who did not resist arrest and seized the firearm.

The victim was brought to the De La Salle University Medical Center in Dasmariñas City for treatment and is now in stable condition.

Police said the suspect was detained at the local police jail and is facing criminal charges.

A naval officer has been arrested for shooting a tricycle driver. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/856550/sandiganbayan-upholds-conviction-of-ex-navy-officer-over-undelivered-medical-dental-supplies/story/

For lack of merit, the Sandiganbayan has junked the appeal of retired Navy Captain Gilmer Batestil in connection with his conviction on multiple counts of malversation of public funds and graft charges over the anomalous procurement of medicines and other medical and dental supplies in 1990-1991.

In a 10-page decision dated January 4, the anti-graft court junked Batestil’s motion for reconsideration where he argued that the prosecution did not present an incontrovertible proof that would warrant his conviction for malversation of public funds through falsification of documents because he would not have signed the subject purchase orders (POs) and disbursement vouchers (DVs) with ‘snopake’ entries or entries with erasures done using paper correction fluid.

Batestil also reasoned out that he is not in authority to disapprove or approve POs that makes the documents he signed doubtful, but the Sandiganbayan was not convinced.

“Accused Batestil's argument that the entries with ‘snopake’ necessarily discredit the prosecution's evidence deserves scant consideration. It must be pointed out that accused Batestil confirmed that he signed the subject documents and affirmed that it was his signature appearing on the subject DVs,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“He testified that when he signed the said DVs, the 'snopake' entries were not there. While there were 'snopake' entries in the same DVs, this will not change the fact that he signed those documents which were made as bases in paying the alleged suppliers but the  items were never delivered,” the Sandiganbayan added.

In addition, the anti-graft court said that Batestil did not categorically deny the signatures appearing on the subject POs and DVs as his and merely testified that when he signed the subject documents, the ‘snopake’ entries were  not  yet there.

“More importantly, the documents  with  ‘snopake’ entries, as testified to by accused Batestil, did not refer to all of the documents subject of the cases for  malversation  of public funds. Only nine out of 20 DVs and POs in the malversation of public funds cases have the ‘snopake’ entries. The other documents accompanying the aforesaid documents like the Requisition and Issue Vouchers, Sales Invoice, TIRCAS and Certificates of Acceptance have no ‘snopake’ entries,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“Accused Batestil likewise admitted that the subject documents were all prepared during his incumbency and he signed the subject DVs and POs. Accused Batestil's active participation in the signing of the important documents, like the DVs and POs, made possible for his co-accused [Edna] Gianan to take huge amount from the coffers of the government without any valid basis,” it added.

Gianan is the owner and operator of the firm that was supposed to supply the above mentioned supplies to the Navy.

“We need not belabor on the elements of malversation of public funds in these cases as the same were exhaustively passed upon by the Court in its assailed Decision. To repeat, the prosecution was able to prove accused Batestil's guilt beyond reasonable for malversation of public funds,” the Sandiganbayan said.

“In sum, the testimonial and documentary evidence of the prosecution clearly proved that the accused-movant is guilty of the crimes. Thus, there is no tenable ground to warrant a reconsideration of the subject Decision,” the anti-graft court added.

Batestil has been sentenced to 12 to 18 years of jail time for the malversation and six to 10 years imprisonment for graft involving at least P24 million of public funds.  

The conviction of an ex-naval officer for graft has been upheld.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/09/23/sandiganbayan-convicts-2-ex-officials-for-pdaf-misuse

The Sandiganbayan First Division on Monday convicted two former public officials over graft and malversation charges.

Former Leyte 3rd District Rep. Eduardo Veloso and defunct Technology and Resource Center (TRC) legislative liaison officer Rosalinda Lacsamana were found guilty by the Sandiganbayan 1st Division on Monday for 2 counts of graft and 2 counts of malversation.

Veloso and Lacsamana were sentenced to be imprisoned for 6 to 10 years for each of the graft cases, with another jail sentence of 12 to 18 years for each of the malversation cases.

The raps stemmed from the misuse of Veloso’s P24.2 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) in 2007.

In a 2017 indictment of the Ombudsman, Veloso specifically requested the TRC as the implementing agency with Aaron Foundation as a partner non-government organization for programs which turned out to be ghost projects.

The Ombudsman noted that Aaron Foundation, according to a Commission on Audit observation, had no financial capability to undertake the projects with a capital stock contribution of only P68,000.

Aside from imprisonment, the court also ordered Veloso and Lacsamana to return to the government, jointly or separately, the total amount of the misused PDAF worth P24.2 million.

Two former public officials have been convicted for misusing PDAF funds. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192289

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) has endorsed the filing of criminal and administrative charges before the Ombudsman against South Cotabato officials who appointed an IP representative to the local legislature.

NCIP chair Allen Capuyan endorsed the complaint against Tampakan Mayor Leonard Escobillo, Vice Mayor Anadel Magbanua and other local officials who removed IP representatives in the municipal council and approved the appointment of a replacement, Jimmy Malayon, without undergoing the legal process.

The complaint was filed on Jan. 6 by Tampakan IPs, led by IP Mandatory Representative Domingo Collado Jr. and Municipal Indigenous Peoples Structure convenor Bae Dalena Samling.

They claimed Escobillo and the other officials violated the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices, Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and Indigenous Peoples Rights Act in disregarding the authority of their community leaders.

Under the law, particularly the IP Rights Act, indigenous cultural communities (ICC) and IPs are entitled to representation before local legislative bodies.

There are local processes and guidelines in selecting the representatives, guided and validated by the NCIP, the lead government agency tasked to protect and uphold the rights and welfare of IPs.

The law prohibits non-members of the IP community, including public officials, to meddle in the affairs of ICC and IP communities.

A South Cotabato Mayor is being sued for illegally appointing an IP representative. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1714737/retired-police-major-slain-in-south-cotabato-gun-attack

Another retired police officer and member of a civil security unit of Polomolok, South Cotabato, was killed Monday by still unidentified gunmen.

Lieutenant Colonel Marvin Duadua, acting chief of the Polomolok police station, condemned the murder of retired Major Donald Cabigas, the intelligence head of the town’s civil security unit (CSU).

He was the third member of the Polomolok CSU killed since Friday.

“We deeply sympathize with the bereaved family and assure them that a deeper investigation will be conducted,” Duadua said in a statement.

He also asked the community to give the police information that could lead to the culprits’ identities.

Cabigas, 56, was inside his liquefied petroleum gas distribution firm at the Tuazon Subdivision when attacked Monday by a pistol-wielding gunman. The retired policeman, a resident of Agan Subdivision, Barangay Poblacion, Polomolok, suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot.

Police found 17 empty shells for a .45 pistol and a 9-mm pistol at the crime scene.

Cabigas’ death came barely three days after his two CSU colleagues–retired police Sergeant Bonifacio Cabisada, 58, and Jessie Arciete, 56–were also killed by unidentified gunmen on the night of Friday, Jan. 6.

The two CSU officers were on separate motorbikes when ambushed in Barangay Bentung Sulit of the same town, according to the police.

Brigadier General Jimili Macaraeg, Soccsksargen regional police director, has ordered the Polomolok police to hunt down the attackers.

A third retired police officer in South Cotabato has been assassinated. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/11/ex-member-of-camarines-nortessanggunian-convicted-by-sandigan/

After almost 16 years since his failure to render accounts, a former member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Camarines Norte has been convicted and was sentenced to return to the government P25,571 on top of P1,000 fine.

Convicted by the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 89 of Presidential Decree No. 1445 in 2007 was Angelo Timoteo P. Molina.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and convicted in the decision written by Second Division Chairperson Oscar C. Herrera Jr. with the concurrence of Associate Justices Arturo O. Malabaguio and Zaldy V. Trespeses.

On the return of the unaccounted public funds, the Sandiganbayan said: “The court also finds accused Molina civilly liable and is hereby ordered to pay the Provincial Government of Camarines Norte the amount of PhP25,571.00.”

A former member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Camarines Norte has been convicted for failure to render his accounts. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/857142/court-convicts-cops-in-murder-of-ex-sariaya-mayor-s-son-companion/story/

The Lucena City Regional Trial Court on Thursday convicted three former police officers for the March 2019 killing of a mayor's son and his companion.

The three — former Tayabas City Police Station chief Police Colonel Mark Joseph Laygo, Police Corporal Lonald Sumalpong, and Patrolman Roberto Legaspi — were convicted for double murder and sentenced to double life imprisonment, a lawyer of the victim's family said.

The three were charged for the killing of Christian Gayeta, son of then-Sariaya, Quezon mayor Marcelo Gayeta, and his companion Christopher Manalo.

The decision was issued by Judge Dennis Orendain of the Lucena RTC Branch 53.

(The decision was for two cases, one was for the killing of Christian Gayeta and the other case for the killing of Christopher Manalo.)

(Each of the three is sentenced to life imprisonment. They are also sentenced to life imprisonment for the other case. So they received two sentences of life imprisonment.)

The case stemmed from the killing of Christian, then 21 years old, and Manalo in an alleged shootout with police officers who responded to reports of indiscriminate firing at a gasoline station in Barangay Baguio, Tayabas on March 14, 2019.

A probe conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), meanwhile, showed that the two were already in police custody when killed.

Former mayor Gayeta welcomed the decision, saying they waited a long time for it.

(We waited for a long time for this… my children counted each day. We are happy.)

Three cops have been convicted of murdering a mayor's son and his friend.