It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
A village chief and four others were killed and two more were injured in an ambush in Zamboanga del Norte, the police reported Thursday.
An initial report of Sirawai Municipal Police Station said the village chairperson, Ali Manangca, along with four others were killed in an ambush around 3 p.m. Thursday in Barangay Piña.
Manangca is the village chief of Barangay Balubuan, Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte.
The other victims were not immediately identified.
A team of Sirawai policemen led by Executive Master Sgt. Rymerjun Pernito, who rushed to the ambush site, brought the victims to the hospital for treatment.
Initial investigation showed that Manangca and his companions were aboard a Toyota Hilux when waylaid by unidentified gunmen.
Police said investigation is ongoing to establish the identities of the suspects.
A village chief and four others have been assassinated.
Authorities have launched a manhunt against motorcycle-riding gunmen who shot dead a barangay chairman in Lebak, this province, on Thursday evening, Jan. 26.
Lt. Col. Julius Malcontento, Lebak police chief, said on Friday, Jan. 27, that soldiers are helping them in pursuing the attackers of Rogelio Talagtag, 53, chairman of Barangay Basak.
Talagtag was standing in front of his family-owned variety store in Barangay Basak when two men aboard a motorcycle arrived at about 6 p.m. and shot him.
“One of them alighted and fired at the unsuspecting village official in the head and body, killing him instantly,” Malcontento said, citing police investigation.
The perpetrators sped off to an unknown direction after the incident, he added.
Responding police officers found eight empty shells and a slug for a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, Police Regional Office 12 (Soccsksargen) director, has ordered the Lebak police to intensify the manhunt against the perpetrators and ensure that they are held accountable for the crime.
A barangay chairman has been assassinated in front of his family owned store.
Police investigators have identified “persons of interest” in the shooting and wounding of a barangay kagawad (councilor) and his companion in Minaba, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
Initial investigation showed that around 7:10 p.m. Wednesday, armed men shot Artemio Estrebella, 60, Barangay Minaba councilor, and his 45-year-old companion Ricky Canillo.
They were having dinner when the attack happened, said Lt. Col. Rex Moslares, chief of the Bayawan police. The victims sustained gunshot wounds.
Moslares said they are looking into a possible link of “persons of interest” in the attack as well as the motive for the shooting, including a possible grudge or business-related.
Recovered from the scene were two fired cartridges of caliber .9mm, Moslares said.
This is the second barangay councilor in Negros Oriental to be shot this month.
A barangay counilor has been assassinated in Negros Occidental.
Operatives of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) anti-scalawag unit have arrested a police sergeant during an entrapment operation in San Nicolas, Cebu City.
In a report on Friday, the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group said the suspect was identified as Staff Sgt. Paul Dennis Traya, who is assigned at the Mambaling Police Station 11 and designated as a traffic investigator.
Traya was nabbed at the parking lot of Miller Hospital along Tres de Abril Street in San Nicolas, Cebu City at about 3:20 p.m. Wednesday.
The operation stemmed from the complaint of Walter Babon Despi, a resident of Tres de Abril Street, for alleged extortion by an officer of Mambaling Police Station 11 who was later identified as Traya.
The complainant said he was traveling on his motorcycle in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City when he was flagged down by Traya, who was at a checkpoint with force multipliers, for a random check.
The suspect initially demanded PHP10,000 from the complainant but later settled for PHP3,000.
During the operation, Traya was caught in the act of extorting money from other traffic violators.
He was brought to the Visayas field unit office in Camp Sergio Osmena Sr., Osmena Boulevard, Cebu City for documentation and proper disposition.
He will face administrative charges aside from criminal charges.
A PNP officer has been arrested for extortion.
The top police official in Western Visayas on Friday relieved this city’s entire drug unit and an entire police station.
Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco announced during the turnover of command at the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) on Friday that he had ordered its chief to “change all personnel” of Iloilo City Police Station 5 in Mandurriao district, as well as the city’s Drug Enforcement Unit.
“I’m not satisfied with their performance. We need [anti-]illegal drug accomplishments from especially the police covering our targeted areas, but unfortunately, upon my review, and based on record, they failed my expectations,” Francisco said.
He said further action will be done based on the recommendations to be made by the ICPO’s officer-in-charge, Col. Joresty Coronica.
Iloilo City's entire drug unit and one police station have been relived due to poor performance.
The National Capital Region Police Office is backing the charges filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against 11 NCRPO personnel in connection with the disappearance of four cockfight players in Cavite last year.
NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said yesterday the police officers are all accounted for and remain under restrictive custody.
“They are still on restriction in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City as of this report and are recommended to be charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention as well as violation of the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act,” he said in a statement.
The NBI Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (TFAID) filed charges against the police officers for the disappearance of siblings Gio and Mico Mateo, Garry Matreo Jr. and Ronaldo Anonuevo on April 12, 2021.
They were NCRPO regional drug enforcement unit chief Col. Ryan Orapa; Lt. Jesus Menez; S/Sgts. Roy Pioquinto and Robert Raz; Cpls. Alric Natividad, Troy Paragas, Ronald Lanaria, Ronald Montibon, Reynaldo Seno, Ruscel Solomon and Christal Rosita.
Also charged were police assets Nicasio and Nicholes Manio, a certain Angelo Atienza and a certain Boss Mark.
They were accused of kidnapping the sabungeros in Dasmariñas City in the guise of an anti-drug operation.
The NCRPO backs the charges brought by the NBI against several officers for kidnapping.
The Sandiganbayan anti-graft court has convicted a former mayor in Biliran province and 12 others for graft over the alleged anomalous purchase of PHP8 million worth of medicines and medical supplies in 2010.
Sentenced to up to 10 years imprisonment were Noel Abelda, former Maripipi mayor; municipal health officer Mary Grace Llever; and Bids and Awards Committee members Wilma Elairon, Marietta Campollo, Tito Cairo, Julio Cairo Jr., Sonia Alavera, Amelia Bacolod and Sergio Mejarito; municipal accountant Michell Quinte; and state auditor Genelito Balila.
Likewise convicted were Jerome Capuyan and Cherel Serato of private supplier Suremeds Marketing.
"(B)y the dubious actions of the accused public officials, the procurement process was railroaded in order to give Suremeds unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference," read the 125-page decision dated Jan. 24 and made public Monday.
The Ombudsman filed the charges for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which provides that “causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official, administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence” shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer.
The Ombudsman said the respondents "altered the deadline of the submission and opening of bids without required notice/posting" and "approved the payment of the medicines" without the signatures of officials who would accept the supply.
An ex-mayor and 12 other officials have been convicted for graft over anomalous medical supply procurement.
Nine agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are facing complaints of sexual assault, torture, grave coercion, and planting evidence.
Joyce Manio, the mother of two suspects in the disappearance of online cockfighting operators, filed the complaints on Monday at the Office of the Ombudsman.
Her sons — Nicasio Manio and Nicholes Manio — were arrested on June 8, 2021, in their house in Pallocan, Batangas, as suspects in the cockfighting operators’ case.
The respondents are all members of the NBI Task Force Against Illegal Drugs (TFAID), namely: Ross Jonathan Galicia, Levi Omare Orille, Aubren Cosidon, Eigelbert Pulan, Abner Dotimas, Nestor Gutierrez, Allan Ernesto Elefante, and Gary Menez.
In her complaint, the mother said her sons were arrested without warrants of arrest.
She also accused the agents of beating up her sons and presenting them with illegal drugs and paraphernalia that were supposedly confiscated from their house, before forcing them to sign documents without explaining their details.
She also accused Galacia, the TFAID chief, of sexually abusing both her sons after getting them drunk.
“I want to hold accountable the disciples of NBI-TFAID who abused my children, hurt them, put evidence that will be used against them, made them drink intoxicating drinks to be exploited and molested by their Chief himself while his men were watching over them, making them commit crimes that they didn’t even know about and to use it against my children,” Manio said in Filipino in her complaint.
“All of them should also be removed from service as soon as possible so that they could do no harm to others. They should also have their licenses as lawyers or accountants revoked”
The 9 NBI agents also face administrative charges — such as serious dishonesty, grave misconduct, oppression, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service— or violations of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees.
9 NBI agents are facing charges of sexual assault, torture, grave coercion, and planting evidence.
Police have arrested a former police officer who was tagged as a wanted person in Manila.
In a statement Tuesday, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief, Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat said Remigio Niala Estacio, 63, was arrested on Monday at around 2:34 p.m. in Ermita, Manila.
Estacio has standing arrest warrants for violation of Republic Act 6539 (Anti-Carnapping act) issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 27 with a recommended bail of PHP30,000
An ex-cop has been arrested for car theft.
A cache of firearms and ammunition and explosives were seized in a gun raid against a former Philippine Army member in New Lucena, Iloilo morning of January 30.
Police identified the suspect as Francis Sumido, 52, a resident of Barangay Wari-wari, New Lucena.
Members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) – Iloilo Field Unit, 63rd Special Action Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RFMB)-6, and New Lucena Municipal Police Station swooped on Sumido’s house by virtue of a search warrant.
Recovered from Sumido’s abode were a caliber .45 pistol with two magazines and 31 ammunition; a KG-9 submachine gun with a magazine and 54 ammunition for a caliber .9mm pistol; a 12-gauge shotgun with 12 ammunition; a caliber .22 rifle with 42 ammunition; a caliber .22 magnum revolver with 15 ammunition; a hand grenade; and an improvised explosive devise/pipe-type comb.
Lieutenant Jerson Baldevia, New Lucena police chief, said that the suspect was reportedly discharged from the service in 2009.
Now a farmer, Sumido has been at odds with his siblings.
Their disagreements have in fact turned into court battles.
This was allegedly one of the reasons why the suspect justified his gun possession
Surmido is now in the custody of CIDG-Iloilo and would be charged for violation of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and RA 9516 (Unlawful Manufacture, Sales, Acquisition, Disposition, Importation or Possession of an Explosive or Incendiary Device).
A former solider has been arrested for illegal weapons possession.
Unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed a village chairperson and his wife along a remote section of the national highway here, a police official reported Tuesday.
Maj. Christopher Cabugwang, Parang town police chief, identified the fatality as Abobakar Abdul, 40, village chair of Barangay Polloc, and his wife Bainisa, 39.
Cabugwang said Abdul and his wife were heading home in their pickup truck when two men-riding tandem on motorbike overtook and opened fire on the driver’s side of the vehicle at 5:45 p.m. Monday.
“He supervised the registration of new voters in the village to ensure it is orderly and was going home when ambushed in Barangay Timbangan,” Cabugwang said in an interview.
Police rushed the couple to the hospital but both were declared dead on arrival.
“We are still determining the possible motive, but initially we are looking at the political angle of the ambush,” Cabuwang said without elaborating.
A village chief and his wife have been assassinated.
Authorities have arrested a member of the Public Order and Safety Office of this town, who is also a former jail officer in the Pangasinan Provincial Jail, that made him a high-value target (HVT), in a buy-bust operation.
In an interview on Tuesday, PDEA Pangasinan provincial head Rechie Camacho identified the suspect as Rullie Molano who sold PHP3,400 worth of suspected shabu to a PDEA agent in the operation conducted on Jan. 29.
“Upon verification, we have learned that he was also a former member of the Integrated National Police officer and Jail Officer of Pangasinan Provincial Jail making him an HVT in the province,” he said.
Camacho said the suspect has been dealing illegal drugs, based on their monitoring and surveillance, while he was on duty as a traffic enforcer in the town.
“This was our second attempt to deal with him but on our first attempt, he ran out of illegal drugs this time we were able to transact with him. He was dealing illegal drugs while wearing his uniform on the streets,” he said.
He added that the suspect’s transactions were mostly in Binmaley town and Dagupan City.
Camacho said the suspect was automatically removed from his post as an enforcer and cases were filed against him in the court.
He reminded the local government units to constantly monitor their personnel.
A traffic enforcer has been arrested for selling drugs.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) will go after lawyers of detained foreign nationals who initiate “contrived” criminal cases against their clients to stall deportation proceedings.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla cited the case of a male detainee who conspired with his girlfriend.
The detainee kissed the girlfriend during her visit at the Bureau of Immigration detention center in Bicutan, Taguig City and was sued for harassment.
“Their lawyers specialize in these cases and many of them will lose their licenses if they continue doing this. We will file cases even against the lawyers if they will insist on filing cases which are contrived,” Remulla said.
Remulla said the scheme was discovered when they deported two Chinese nationals two weeks ago after their contrived cases were dismissed.
“This is part of the corruption ring that operates within the Bureau of Immigration. Many lawyers think it is okay to do that. The Department of Justice will not tolerate their behavior. We will file the disbarment of lawyers who insist on using these tactics that will delay the proceedings,” Remulla said.
Corruption within the BI extends to lawyers filing spurious cases to delay the deportation of foreigners.
Three police officers and a civilian were arrested on Wednesday (Feb. 1) after they allegedly yielded more than P1.4 million worth of “shabu” (crystal meth) in a buy-bust operation in Dasmariñas City, Cavite province, authorities said.
In a report Thursday, Col. Christopher Olazo, Cavite police chief, identified the arrested suspects as Corporal Christian Arjul Monteverde, 35; Staff Sergeant Tomas Dela Rea Jr., 34; Patrolman Jeru Set, all assigned to the local police station; and Jorilyn Ambrad, 22, a city resident.
The suspects were collared by anti-narcotics operatives in Barangay Salitran 2 at 11:15 a.m.
Set tried to escape aboard a sports utility vehicle but was eventually arrested after a hot pursuit operation that ended in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
Authorities confiscated from the suspects a total of 210 grams of meth with a street value of P1,431,600 and 10 mobile phones.
Also confiscated were the suspects’ service firearms, which include a caliber .45 pistol with four magazines and 34 bullets, and a caliber 9mm pistol loaded with 12 bullets.
Police were tracking the source of the illegal drugs.
Authorities classified the three cops as “HVI” or high-value individuals in the local drug scene.
The suspects were detained and will be subjected to a drug test. They will be charged with violating Republic Act 9165 for possessing and selling dangerous drugs.
Three cops tagged as high-value individuals and a friend have been arrested for selling drugs.
An administrative aide in the Office of the Ombudsman was shot by a still unidentified gunman in Quezon City on Wednesday, according to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
Dianne Paguirigan, a 37-year-old administrative aide at the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices, was shot by a male individual at around 8:20 a.m at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Cordillera Street in Barangay Doña Josefa.
Pagurigan was waiting for a ride on her way to the office when the male suddenly appeared and pulled out a gun. He grabbed the employee’s bag and shot her in the right side of her chest.
The gunman then fled in the direction of Quezon City Circle.
Paguirigan was brought to the Capitol Medical Center, where she was in “critical condition.”
An employee of the Ombudsman has been shot and is in critical condition.
Three men, including a village councilor, were arrested Wednesday evening by police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 4B during a buy-bust operation in Abra de Ilog town, Occidental Mindoro province.
The Mimaropa police regional office said Dave Francis Varona, 43, a village councilor; Adrian Belicario, 36; and Joy Tapar, 33, all residents of Pasay City, were apprehended after selling a sachet of alleged “shabu” (crystal meth) worth P4,000 to a poseur buyer in Barangay Armado.
Also confiscated from them were nine more sachets of suspected shabu weighing about five grams valued at P40,000.
The suspects were placed in police custody and will face charges of violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.
A village councilor has been busted for drugs.
