Insurgency: COVID-19 Slows Down NPA Recruitment

Last week I noted that the AFP is stepping up operations against the NPA in Central Visayas. This week the AFP confirmed that fact by declaring they will bring an end to the insurgency in Negros Oriental by the end of the first quarter of 2023. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194647

The Philippine Army targets to end the communist insurgency in Negros Oriental as early as the first quarter of this year with sustained operations.

Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay City, told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that continuous combat and non-combat operations in the province and in Negros Occidental will reduce the fighting capabilities of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

“Actually, our objective at the brigade is to completely flush out the ranks of the NPA or reduce it to the lowest, insignificant level, or in a state where they can no longer fight the government forces,” Peña said in mixed English and Filipino.

“That is why we have intensified our combat operations to track these NPA rebels down and ensure that they can no longer regain their strongholds and build up their mass base,” he added.

Peña said the recent encounters between the NPA and government forces on Negros Island are the result of the civilian populace’s cooperation with their anti-insurgency efforts.

Peña said Executive Order (EO) No. 70 of former president Rodrigo Duterte is now seeing gains in this Central Visayas province, the only one among four provinces in Region 7 (Central Visayas) that is still dealing with insurgency.

“We intend to make Negros Oriental insurgency-free, just like Bohol, and we need the cooperation of government agencies, local government units, local chief executives, and various stakeholders for us to achieve this goal,” he added.

Insurgency free like Bohol? Last December the AFP engaged with the NPA in Bohol.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1709981/npa-rebels-military-troops-clash-in-bohol

A gunfight ensued between suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and government troopers in Bohol province in San Isidro town on Wednesday, Dec. 28.

Soldiers clashed with at least 10 “remnants” of NPA’s Bohol Party Committee, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor, according to a report from the 47th “Katapatan” Infantry Battalion (IB).

San Isidro, 32 km from the capital city of Tagbilaran, has at least 9,000 residents.

In a statement, the 47th IB said residents of Sitio Bajong, Barangay Baunos, San Isidro informed soldiers about the presence of communist rebels who were allegedly extorting money from them.

The troops responded, resulting in an encounter at around10 a.m. The firefight lasted for about 10 minutes.

No fatalities were reported.

Recovered in the encounter site were different ammunition, tents, food packs, personal belongings, and subversive documents.

“As part of our ongoing efforts to put an end to the local communist armed conflict and stop their recovery efforts in Bohol Island, the residents’ willingness to assist the soldiers by providing noteworthy information on the whereabouts and activities of these NPA terrorists is extremely helpful,” said Lt. Col. Allyson Depayso, the commanding officer of the 47th IB.

Depayso assured the people that the Army in Bohol will continue to battle the NPAs to uphold a just and lasting peace on the island.

Bohol is not insurgency free meaning there are no insurgents. The standard for declaring an area insurgency free seems to fluctuate from their being no reported sightings of NPA to no terrorist activities. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1726925/2-quezon-island-towns-now-insurgency-free-says-police

Two island towns in Quezon province have been declared free from the clutches of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, the provincial police reported in a press release issued Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Colonel Ledon Monte, Quezon police chief, said representatives from the police, military and the local government of the island town of Quezon led by Mayor Juan Escalona signed on Feb. 7 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that declared the municipality “insurgency-free.”

On Feb. 6, government representatives and Perez town Mayor Charizze Marie Escalona also signed an MOU that declared the locality NPA-free.

Monte said the declaration meant that local government projects and programs “have reached the phase ready for investment and development having zero incidents of terroristic activities (by the NPA).”

“It meets the set of parameters to be declared as an insurgency-free municipality,” Monte explained.

In January, Gumaca was also declared free from the influence of the Maoist guerrillas.

On Dec. 13 last year, Macalelon town in the Bondoc Peninsula became the first NPA-free locality in the province. The Bondoc Peninsula is a known former NPA bailiwick in the Southern Tagalog region.

“We are now witnessing history. Four municipalities in the province were declared insurgency-free,” Monte said.

Yeah sure.  They are "witnessing history" as these places are "insurgency-free." But it really boils down to what that actually means. If my doctor tells me I am cancer free I expect there to be NO cancer whatsoever in my body but insurgency-free areas in the Philippines are not always 100% insurgency free. 

Unsurprisingly many of the recruits to the NPA are stupid. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194716

The three Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) fighters slain during a clash in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental province on Feb. 5 were deceived to join the armed struggle which they eventually abandoned in their deaths, a Philippine Army official said on Wednesday.

"They were deceptively recruited for the ideology they did not even understand. It paints the true color of the CPP-NPA as an inhumane and heartless terrorist group," Col. Orlando Edralin, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) based in Murcia town just east of this city, said in a statement.

Killed on the second day of the weekend clashes with troops of 94th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Oringao were Jomarie "Junjun/Mark" Callet, 42, of Barangay Tanlad, Tayasan, Negros Oriental; Joemarie Calumba, 40, of Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City; and Diomedes Lasida, 47, of Barangay Pinggot, Ilog, both in Negros Occidental.

Callet and Lasida were the squad and vice squad leaders, respectively of Sentro De Grabedad Platoon of the NPA's Central Negros 2-Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, while Calumba was a squad member.

Just take a look at that propaganda. The AFP engages the NPA and kills three of them and then declares they were deceptilvhy recruited and did not even understand the ideology of the CPP-NPA! How could they even know such a thing? That bit about them abandoning the armed struggle in their deaths is hilarious but it is 100% propaganda because the never abandoned the cause but actually died for it.

The AFP claims COVID-19 slowed down NPA recruitment but now with movement protocols lifted recruitment could increase.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194856

The Philippine Army on Thursday said recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) could intensify now that movement restrictions due to the health pandemic have eased up.

Philippine Army Visayas commander, Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, said they are now assessing and analyzing the effects of the pandemic in terms of the conduct of recruitment.

"We feel that Covid-19 also was able to slow down their recruitment," he said.

Arevalo said roughly the strength of the CPP-NPA in Panay island is between 200 to 250.

Apart from the pandemic, Arevalo also credited the efforts of the Regional Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in the drop of the CPP-NPA recruitment.

With the slowdown in recruitment, the PA Visayas commander ordered his men to fast-track the neutralization of the armed component of the communist movement.

"Let us not wait for our enemy to die of old age, let us not wait for them to just fade away. We really have to exert pressure on our operations and be able to convince them to go back to the folds of the law if not be captured," he said.

Visayas-wide there are nine guerrilla fronts; four are within the area of responsibility of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), where the 301st Brigade belongs, and five are in the 8th Division in Samar and Leyte provinces, Arevalo added. 

The four guerrilla fronts under the 3ID have been weakened and longer capable of launching camp and detachments attacks. With a strength between 200 to 250, they are into target liquidation and assassination such as in some parts of Negros island, he said.

First of all this is based on a "feeling" which means this is not a fact. The AFP does not know if COVID-19 movement restrictions impeded recruitment or that it will now increase. The movement restrictions have been lifted for over a year and the AFP has never stopped warning about recruitment efforts. Secondly id the NPA is "weakened and longer capable of launching camp and detachments attacks" how will they possibly be able to maintain let alone step up recruitment efforts? 

It also appears the AFP does not know where all MILF camps are located as one detachment accidentally stumbled upon one. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194805

Thirty-nine members of the Army Special Forces (SF) who accidentally entered a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) acknowledge camp in Lanao del Sur province recently were not disarmed, a ceasefire panel member clarified Thursday.

“It appeared the soldiers were unaware they were within the MILF camp in Maguing. The MILF politely requested them to lay down their guns assuring them they will not be harmed and the soldiers agreed,” said Butch Malang, chair of the MILF coordinating committee on the cessation of hostilities (CCCH).

On Tuesday, the SF unit unintentionally found its way into the MILF camp in Barangay Dilimbayan in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur. Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces 103rd base command allowed them to stay in the camp overnight.

“The MILF referred the matter to the government-MILF ceasefire panel and the issue was settled following a dialogue,” Malang said referring to the incident.

Malang said the SF unit was allowed to leave the MILF camp Wednesday afternoon “with the government forces shaking hands with MILF fighters like brothers.”

An Army official said the SFs are part of Army units hunting down terrorist groups and remnants of Dawlah Islamiya in Lanao del Sur.

“It has no intention of attacking the MILF location,” said an Army official who requested anonymity, pending the filing of an official CCCH report.

Under the GPH-MILF ceasefire agreement, the movement of government forces near MILF identified camps should be coordinated with the ceasefire committee to prevent unnecessary armed confrontation.

Observers said with cooler heads prevailing, a bloody skirmish was avoided and prevented like the 2015 misencounter in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province that left at least 60 people dead, including policemen, MILF members, and civilians.

So, the AFP is supposed to coordinate troop movement near MILF camps but apparently they did not the location of this particular MILF camp. When confronted by the MILF they were "politely requested to lay down their guns" and the soldiers agreed. This is totally outrageous. How did was the AFP unaware of the location of this particular camp when they are supposed to know the locations of ALL MILF camps? 

The fact that they laid down their weapons when "politely requested" to do so shows they were not in charge. The MILF was in charge. The MILF is a terrorist group which is supposed to be in the process of disarming. But it seems they are not. It seems they still have a standing army of their own. That's because the struggle is not over. 

Remember the leader of the MILF Ebrahim Murad  is on record saying decommissioning does not mean surrender.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1162067/milfs-murad-decommissioning-is-not-surrender

“We have not given up on our struggle.” 

“We are not surrendering. Decommissioning is not tantamount to surrendering,” said Ebrahim, who is also Chief Minister of the interim Bangsamoro government. 

“I would like to emphasize that the decommissioning doesn’t mean we have given up on what we used to fight for,” Ebrahim emphasized.

What the MILF used to fight for, the reason the group broke away from the MNLF, is the formation of an independent Muslim Mindanao. Will they continue to pursue this goal? According to Murad the answer is yes.

Valentine's Day 2023 in the Philippines

Valentine's Day 2023 is finally upon us. Let's take a look at three ways the Philippines will be observing and celebrating Valentine' day three years after the pandemic. 

First up is Cebu City.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1953008/cebu/local-news/police-to-meet-hotel-staff-as-valentines-day-nears

POLICE officers and hotel staff in Cebu City will gather on the eve of Valentine’s Day to discuss their security preparations for the day of love.

Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, deputy city director for operation of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the conference is held annually to warn the police and security and hotel and motel managers to be on alert for customers who will bring minors into their establishments.

According to Rafter, those who will be caught may face charges of child abuse.

The police official said they will also deploy their men in public plazas, churches and shopping centers where people gather with their loved ones.

“We will be deploying maybe more than the usual nato nga police presence, tungod kay daghan man ang manggawas siguro (maybe because many will go out) we will be starting it on the weekend,” Rafter said.

Starting Saturday, February 11, Cebu City policemen will patrol the public spaces because it is possible that some couples would opt to go on a date before Valentine's Day.

The CCPO urged all lovers celebrating the day of love to be on the lookout for individuals who might rob them of valuables like cash and cellphones.

It added it is better for couples to avoid hiding in the dark, which the criminals use as a trap, or staying late at night.

The Cebu City Police Office is going to be talking to hotel staff to warn them to be on the lookout for customers who will bring minors into their establishments for a little Valentine's Day fun. This conference is an annual event which means minors being brought to hotels is a perennial problem in Cebu City. Will other cities be having the same kind of conferences? Truly child sexual abuse online and offline is a problem in the Philippines. 

The Cebu City Police will also be patrolling public spaces to make sure no couples go into the dark to couple. Otherwise they might be robbed. 

Mandaue City

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/488410/mandaue-city-legal-employees-told-to-wear-color-coded-outfits-on-valentines-day

Employees of the Mandaue City Legal Office are requested to wear color-coded outfits on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

The memorandum released by the office on its Facebook Page also indicated the colors that would reflect the relationship status of the employees as follows:

Red – In a relationship or in love; Black – Bitter or mourning; Brown – Friendzoned; Pink – Waiting for someone; Blue – Brokenhearted; Violet – It’s Complicated; White – Single and I like it; Yellow – Searching for a partner; Green – Moving on; Gray – No Boyfriend/girlfriend since birth; Orange – The One That Got Away (“TOTGA”); and Office Uniform – Kill Joy.

“To bring lingaw lang sad sa rather mundane life sa opisina, nindot sad og reception ang mga kauban nato no, nalingaw sila unsay sul-ubon sa Valentines day,” said City Legal Officer John Eddu Ibañez.

John Rusty Takeuchi said that he would be wearing red on Valentine’s Day signifying how he is proudly in love.

“Happy man kaayo ko sa akoang family and sa akoa wife,” said Takeuchi.

He said that the order would allow them to express their feelings for their loved ones on this special day and the occasion would also be felt in their office with all the colors they will be wearing.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Department of General Services in Mandaue City has started putting up heart-shaped steel bars at the Heritage Plaza for the International Day of Love.

Ibañez said that they have already talked with the City Treasurer’s Office to conduct gimmicks for residents who would visit city hall that day.

Gimmicks indeed. Imagine if the government put as much effort into serving the people as they are in celebrating Valentine's Day. No doubt similar gimmicks will be occurring across the nation. Of course no one is required to participate but if you do wear the standard uniform you will be branded a Kill Joy which is jsut a way to shame you into participating. 

Muntinlupa

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1727775/muntinlupa-to-host-dog-adoption-painting-event-for-valentines-day

It’s the season of love and who are better to celebrate it with but those who, time and time again, have proven their unconditional love for us… dogs.

The local government of Muntinlupa announced on Thursday that its Office of the City Veterinarian (OCV) is hosting a Dog Adoption and Painting event in celebration of Valentine’s Day this Saturday, Feb. 11.

According to the city’s public information office, up to 18 dogs and puppies are looking for new owners, all of which have been cared for and treated by the OCV.

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon for his part said that it made sense that dogs are ideal “dates” on Valentine’s Day as they are “very loyal and are willing to make you very happy.”

“They are very unselfish and they look out for the benefit of their owners. So I encourage everyone to adopt, don’t shop, as these dogs need a home and family to be a part of,” Biazon added.

He then urged the public, especially potential fur parents to opt for adopting dogs in need, instead of buying from unregistered breeders which pose risks not just to the owners but to the pets themselves.

The Dog Adoption and Painting event will be held at the Alabang Town Center, Muntinlupa from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The OCV will also conduct vaccination and microchipping of pets during the whole-day activity.

Meanwhile, donations for extra dog supplies and needs, as well as to support volunteers are now being accepted.

A dog adoption event in celebration of Valentine's Day is a great way to help these dogs find new homes. The Philippines has a huge stray dog problem and adoption is a sensible way to help ease that problem.

So, there you go. Three very different ways the Philippines will be celebrating Valentine's Day this year. Of course there will be other celebrations. Most likely there will be cops handing out chocolate and roses to random women as that is something they seem to do each year. 

Retards in the Government 296

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

  

 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/03/cop-nabbed-for-killing-colleague-in-davao-city/

The anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested a police officer in Davao City for allegedly killing a colleague having an affair with his wife.

In a report on Friday, Feb. 3, Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon, chief of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), said the suspect, Corporal Derick Tanduyan, 31, assigned to the Police Regional Office 11 (Davao), was arrested inside their headquarters in Camp Sgt. Quintin M. Merecido in Buhangin District at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Tanduyan is wanted for murder by the Digos City Regional Trial Court Branch 18 with no bail recommended.

Based on initial investigation, Tanduyan shot dead Patrolman Harris Jhune Adayo on May 31, 2022.

It added that Adayo was known to have had a relationship with the suspect’s wife.

Pending investigation, Tanduyan was placed under the custody of the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Section (RPHAS) 11.

Tanduyan denied killing Adayo. The suspect said he would have escaped from the custody of the RPHAS if he was guilty.

The suspect will be taken to the Magsaysay Municipal Police Station in Davao del Sur for documentation and processing.

A cop has been arrested for killing his colleague who was having an affair with his wife. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/859548/bi-warden-facility-head-personnel-relieved-from-post-after-6-phones-found-in-japanese-detainee/story/

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has relieved from posts the head and other personnel of its warden facility after six cell phones were retrieved from a Japanese detainee suspected of being a mastermind of illegal activities in Japan, the agency’s spokesperson said Friday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the responsibility lies with the head of the warden facility.

(If it’s this massive then definitely there must be something going on. So we replaced the head and all the people inside the facility with new employees.)

The BI has relieved several jail personnel over illegal cell phones. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1724898/ex-cop-companion-slain-in-naga-city-drug-bust

A former police officer and a drug suspect were killed during a buy-bust operation on Thursday in Naga City, Camarines Sur.

Albert Gumba, a former police officer and his cohort, Rey Delmiguez of Bula town sold at 11:15 p.m. two sachets of “shabu” (crystal meth) in Barangay San Isidro, according to Senior Master Sergeant Tobias Bongon, Naga City police spokesperson, in a report.

Bongon said both suspects drew their .45 firearms and fired at the undercover agent during the operation.

The undercover agent dodged the gunshots prompting his backup to return fire resulting in the death of the suspects, Bongon added.

An investigation said Gumba was assigned to the Lupi town police station but went AWOL (absent without leave) in 2016. He was a high-value drug suspect.

An ex-cop who was a high value target was gunned down during a raid. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/859806/bucor-files-plunder-raps-vs-bantag/story/

The Bureau of Corrections has filed multiple complaints, including plunder and malversation of public funds, against suspended BuCor chief Gerald Bantag.

Complainant BuCor acting chief Gregorio Catapang lodged the multiple complaints before the National Prosecution Service of the Department of Justice on Monday.

Aside from plunder and malversation of public funds through falsification of official documents, Bantag was also slapped with graft and corruption and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

It was stated in the six-page complaint that while Bantag was with the BuCor as director general, a P1 billion project for the construction of three prison facilities at Davao Prison and Penal Farm (Lot 1), Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa, Palawan (Lot 2) and Leyte Regional Prison (Lot 3) with an estimated cost of P300 million, each were bidded out in a public bidding on September 17, 2020.

"Respondent Bantag in conspiracy with, and with indispensable complicity of, the other herein respondents, has purposely and systematically orchestrated the diversion/misappropriation and/or consenting or permitting other persons, to take public funds, of the Bureau of Corrections," the complaint stated.

It added that Bantag's alleged sinister plan to "divert" or "misappropriate" public funds started when he had created a separate BuCor's Bidding and Award Committee (BAC) for the aforementioned three infrastructure projects.

Other respondents of the complaint include Correction Technical Superintendent Arnold Jacinto Guzman, Correction Inspector Ric Rocacurba, Correction Inspector Solomon Areniego, Correction Technical Officer 1 Jor-el De Jesus, Correction Technical Officer 2 Angelo Castillo, and Correction Technical Officer Alexis Catindig.

Charges of plunder and graft have finally been filed against suspended BuCor Chief Bantag and several other officials. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/487847/graft-falsification-charges-visayas-ombudsman-pursues-criminal-probe-on-caindec-dr-onez

After finding “enough basis to proceed with the criminal investigation,” the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas has ordered Victor Caindec, director of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7), and Dr. Emmarielle Aniga Oñez to answer the falsification and graft charges that were filed against them for the alleged issuance of “fake” student driver’s permits in Bohol province.

In an order dated Jan. 19, 2023, Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Dante Vargas directed Caindec and co-accused, Dr. Oñez, a medical doctor, to file their respective counter-affidavits and other controverting evidence.

The order that was signed by Euphemia Bacalso, Director or Preliminary Investigation, Administrative Adjudication and Prosecution Bureau-A of the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas, is giving Caindec and Oñez 10 days from the receipt of the order to submit their counter affidavits.

The Visayas Ombudsman’s order stemmed from the complaint that Dumaluan filed against Caindec and Oñez last Sept. 14, 2022.

Dumaluan accused Caindec and Oñez of allegedly conniving in the issuance of “falsified” medical certificates that were issued even in the absence of physical examinations of the applicants.

Graft and falsification charges are going to be pursued against a a doctor and the director of LTO-7 for handing out fake student permits.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1726373/qcpd-arrests-mastermind-gunman-behind-shooting-of-ombudsman-employee

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) arrested the suspected gunman and the mastermind behind the shooting of an employee of the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).

Based on a QCPD police report obtained from the National Capital Region Police Office, the gunman, identified as Marlon Nery, was arrested at his residence along Susano Road in Barangay San Agustin, Novaliches Quezon City at around 9:20 a.m on Monday.

The alleged mastermind, identified as Dexter Cruz, was then arrested the same day at 7:50 p.m.

Cruz, said the QCPD, is also an employee of the OMB.

The mastermind behind the attempted murder of an ombudsman employee is an ombudsman employee.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194334

Mayor Irene Montilla of Isabela, Negros Occidental said on Friday she is awaiting the results of the investigation on the town's acting treasurer who lost millions of local government funds to an alleged robbery.

"We are still waiting for the full investigation of the Philippine National Police and the province. We don't know yet what really happened and what are the findings," she told reporters.

Montilla said she has requested the Department of Finance's Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) the termination of the services of Nenette Escarda, 60, due to loss of trust and confidence.

"They found a replacement and we are waiting for the arrival of the one who will replace her," the mayor said.

The BLGF has direct supervision over the treasury offices of the local government units.

Montilla said that based on the audit, the losses were about PHP2.6 million in cash and PHP3.8 million in checks.

These were allegedly stolen in the residence of Escarda at Las Palmas Subdivision, Barangay Taculing in this city on Jan. 21, based on her statement before the Bacolod City Police Office Station 6.

The mayor said that Escarda is neither allowed nor has been given the authority to bring home any municipal property or deposit the town's money to the bank as she issued an order last November, assigning somebody else to do the task because of Escarda's "constant absences".

Montilla said the lost funds included collections from business taxes, real property taxes and community tax certificates, among others.

A town treasurer is being investigated for losing millions in fund which she took to her home despite not being allowed to do so. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/02/08/sandigan-convicts-ex-cebu-town-treasurer/

Former municipal treasurer Esperato A. Del Socorro of Ronda town in Cebu has been convicted by the Sandiganbayan of graft and malversation of public funds involving P2.06 million in 2009.

Del Socorro was sentenced to jail terms ranging from six to 10 years each for graft and malversation. He was perpetually disqualified to hold public office and ordered to refund P2.06 million to the Bureau of Treasury.

The criminal charges against former Ronda mayor Esteban R. Sia had been dismissed on account of his death.

In 2009, Sia and Del Socorro were accused of “conniving and confederating together, and mutually helping each other with deliberate intent” in their refusal to liquidate or return P2,063,422.72 in public funds.

The prosecution said that Sia received the amount as cash advances which were not allowed under Commission on Audit (COA) Circular No. 97-002.

Del Socorro feigned ignorance of Sia’s unliquidated cash advances, and told the Sandiganbayan during the trial that keeping tabs on them was not part of his job description.

But the court disagreed. “The malefactors’ overt acts were actionable because it showed gross negligence amounting to bad faith,” it said.

Del Socorro also defended himself by presenting letters from Sia that showed how the latter “threatened” him.

The court ruled: “After having marshaled the facts and circumstances, this Court has reached a moral certainty as to the accused’s guilt. Correlatively, the constitutional presumption of innocence has been overthrown by the strength of the prosecution’s evidence proving the crimes, as well as the conspiracy attendant thereto, beyond reasonable doubt.”

A former town treasurer has been convicted of graft and malversation of funds. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Litany of Gratitude, COVID-19 Waste Disposal Facility, and More!

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

It seems the Philippines will finally have a new DOH Secretary soon. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/31/23/vergeire-willing-to-be-doh-secretary

The officer-in-charge of the Philippine health department declared she is now willing and ready to become health secretary.

Maria Rosario Vergeire said she can step up to the role at a time when COVID-19 remains a threat to global health. 

She has been the acting chief for more than half a year which makes her the obvious choice. 

Marcos has not and likely will not extend the state of calamity but he has still ordered health workers to receive their extra pay. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1724009/bongbong-marcos-orders-health-workers-allowance-continued-despite-lifting-of-state-of-calamity

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered that the allowance of health workers be continued despite the lifting of the state of calamity.

Marcos said that the distribution of health workers’ allowance should not be affected by the lifting of the state of calamity in view of the decreasing number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the country.

(The distribution should be continuous. We studied my concern that the compensation of health workers’ allowance will be stopped once the state of calamity. But we found that this will not be affected.)

Marcos also mentioned the COVID infection situation in the country, saying he discussed with health officials the procurement of vaccines.

The COVAX facility, co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), shipped to the Philippines almost 1.3 million doses of the vaccine, according to the President.

Such number of doses is sufficient for the country for now, Marcos said as he pointed to the declining number of infections in the Philippines based on recent records.

(The number of cases are decreasing and even the hospitalization rate. We are looking out for that.)

(It’s not like in 2021 that we should be urgent in procuring vaccines because the risk is becoming lesser so we should adjust to the scientific assessment of the COVID-19 situation.)

The Department of Health (DOH) has reported that new COVID-19 cases continue to decline in the country.

Marcos also indicated that the nation would not be so urgent in procuring more vaccines. Without the state of emergency it would not be so easy to procure them now. There is still an ongoing investigation into how much was actually made for vaccines during the past two years during the emergency when no oversight was required. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1723698/hontiveros-to-doh-waive-ndas-reveal-cost-of-covid-19-vaccines

Senator Risa Hontiveros on Tuesday called on the Department of Health (DOH) to end the “unnecessary secrecy” surrounding the pricing of government-purchased COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday.

Hontiveros encouraged the DOH to waive its non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with vaccine producers and suppliers, simply calling them “useless and have outlived their purpose since the issue of ‘price competition’ is now over.”

“It is now simply a violation of the public’s right to know how our money was spent. NDAs should no longer stand in the way of accountability and transparency,” she said in a statement.

She said the waste of at least 44 million vaccines should be reason enough to reveal their true cost.

(The cost of the vaccines should not be treated as a state secret because public funds were used to purchase it. These NDAs paralyze the COA from fulfilling its mandate of judging whether the billions of money we spent during the height of the pandemic were worth it.)

She renewed her call to release all the information regarding the COVID-19 vaccine procurement of the government, firmly urging the private sector not to hide behind the NDA provisions of government contracts and undermine the constitution.

(There is no reason for this to be done behind closed doors. We deserve to know how every centavo was spent, especially during a recession. Whoever needs to be held accountable must be held accountable. Don’t hide behind the NDA.)

While the DOH has turned over initial documents to COA for its audit, Hontiveros pointed out that they only submitted loan agreements with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and those with limited permissions from some vaccine manufacturers such as Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

“What about the agreements with other vaccine manufacturers like Sinovac? The former administration bought bulks of vaccines from Sinovac for its national vaccination program. How can the COA conduct a complete audit if companies keep hiding behind the NDA clause of the contracts?” she pressed.

She warned about this setting an “alarming” precedent for companies evading transparency as it transacts with the government.

“If another pandemic comes, this may happen again and may possibly be abused,” Hontiveros added.

Hontiveros is right and likely the sheer cost and waste brought on by the pandemic will never be fully known.

Three years after the pandemic began one city is finally getting a COVID-19 waste disposal facility. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194090

This city has received a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) waste storage and disposal facility from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), an official said Wednesday.

Mayor Jose Paolo Evangelista said the facility, worth PHP6.5 million, was turned over Tuesday afternoon to the local government by DENR-Soccsksargen (Region 12) officials led by Engr. Kristeen Kreem Villanueva, DENR-12 chief of the Chemical Hazardous Waste Materials Section – Environmental Management Bureau.

“It is a preliminary disinfection and storage facility for collected Covid-19 related wastes for this city,” Evangelists said in a statement.

The facility is a 20-footer container van that can haul 4.5 metric tons of Covid-19 waste materials.

It also has 63 yellow bins with rollers; 3,150 pieces of yellow trash bags to seal infectious wastes mounted with wood platforms and steel framing for support.

Villanueva said the storage facility is designed to properly handle and control the disposal of infectious wastes and materials that could transmit illnesses.

Evangelista assured to properly utilize the facility to achieve its objective for public safety, including all frontliners from hospitals and medical facilities here.

With the pandemic over this would seem to be a waste but any investment in proper medical waste disposal is a good thing.

The Roman Catholic Church has issued a litany of gratitude for recovery from the pandemic which is to be recited until February 22. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194254

Catholic priests have been asked to recite a prayer for more than 10 days as the country slowly recovers from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

In a statement Thursday, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued the “Litany of Gratitude after the Covid Pandemic,” to be prayed from Feb. 11 to Feb. 22 (Ash Wednesday).

The prayer will replace the Oratio Imperata Against Covid-19, an obligatory prayer issued by the CBCP during the height of the pandemic.

CBCP secretary general Msgr. Bernardo Pantin said the prayer was approved during the 125th Plenary Assembly on Jan. 30.

It will be prayed in all weekday and Sunday Masses.

The full litany can be read at this link. Of course there is a thanks be to God said but the fact of the matter is there never was a real pandemic with millions dying from a highly contagious virus. The whole thing was fake and the response by governments around the world was unscientific, unsound, and destroyed lives more than helping them. 

More events suspended by the pandemic are coming back.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194341

The faithful are expected to attend the first physical “Walk for Life” in Manila after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Raymond Daniel Cruz, Jr., president of the event's organizer Council of the Laity of the Philippines (CLP), said the activity is set on Feb. 18 from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m.

The walk will start at the Welcome Rotonda in Quezon City going to the University of Santo Tomas (UST) grandstand here, where a program and Mass will be held.

“Our spirit of upholding life has never wavered even during the pandemic,” he said in an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website on Friday.

“We have even become more deeply aware of the sacredness of life and continuously pray and work immensely to preserve and keep it safe,” Cruz added.

At the same time, CLP or Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas is inviting the laypeople and church organizations to join the event and “celebrate life.”

“In our modern society, the varying issues in life are urgent and we need to constantly express to everyone our uncompromising stand on the importance and sacredness of life,” he said.

The event was first held in 2017 and was staged virtually in 2021 and 2022 due to pandemic restrictions.

How do you stage a walk virtually?

Baguio has shut down all its isolation facilities because they have been empty for weeks.

 https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194332

The local government has decided to stopped the operation of all city-managed coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) isolation facilities as these have remained empty for the past few weeks now.

Aileen Refuerzo, chief city information officer, on Friday said the Baguio City Community Isolation Unit (BCCIU) at the Sto. Nino Hospital ended its operation starting Feb. 1.

She said the cessation of operations of the BCCIU was decided after the facility did not receive new admissions for Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks.

The BCCIU is an isolation facility that houses more than 300 beds and used to be the old hospital that was closed down by the owners in early 2000.

As early as the last quarter of 2022, the city government also started winding down operations at small facilities catering to Covid-19 patients. It also went on to close the triage facility at the Baguio Convention Center compound.

Refuerzo said the closure was based on the recommendation of the City’s Health Services Office (CHSO) which provides the manpower and manages the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs).

With the closure of the city government-managed facilities, he said barangays have been ordered to assure that they have a ready facility for their residents who will be needing TTMF services or cannot isolate at home.

The city government has also started to distribute to the barangays and the different government agencies the beds and beddings used at its isolation units.

City health officer Rowena Galpo, in an earlier statement, said their office is willing to provide the technical assistance needed in setting up barangay isolation units.

If the city does not need isolation units why would the barangays?  

The DOH has been urged to procure bivalent vaccines but finance secretary Diokno says there are too many unused vaccines to make such a purchase. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/04/2242453/with-70-million-unused-vaccines-no-rush-get-bivalents

The head of the economic team of the Marcos administration maintained that there is no urgency in procuring bivalent COVID vaccines as the country still has available some 70 million doses.

During the forum hosted by the Makati Business Club yesterday, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno emphasized that the country has enough vaccines at the moment, noting that fewer and fewer Filipinos are actually taking the jabs.

The jabs available, however, are the first-generation vaccines. The bivalents are specifically designed against the Omicron and its subvariants.

“We confronted that issue and the fact right now is that there are 70 million unused vaccines, 70 million. We vaccinate on average just 10,000 daily. Only 10,000 are willing to be vaccinated,” Diokno said, in reaction to the query of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines on the ability to import bivalent COVID vaccines. However, this possibility limited following the inclination of President Marcos to no longer extend the state of public health emergency in the country due to COVID.

“There’s no urgency [to procure] to my mind,” Diokno said, arguing that the COVAX Facility will provide some 1.2 million doses of bivalent vaccines that will come in next month.

At the current rate of daily vaccination, it would take over three months to consume the doses to be delivered by COVAX.

“As COVAX said, as soon as you finish up the 1.2 million [doses], we will give you more,” Diokno said. “Apparently, the rest of the world does not want to be vaccinated [anymore]. That’s the situation right now. There’s a resistance.”

He maintained that the government already incurred $2 billion in loans for the vaccines. Of that amount, some $800 million remains untapped.

If only 10,000 people are getting vaccinated per day it seems unlikely they will use all that excess tock before it expires. 

What better way to help pandemic hit businesses than a Valentine's Day fair? 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1194562

Over 30 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) would showcase their respective products at the annual “MayniLove” fair which formally opened to the public on Monday evening.

Speaking at the fair's opening, Mayor Honey Lacuna encouraged her constituents as well as the people from neighboring cities to visit and support the small businesses to be able to rise again from the effects of the pandemic.

“I invite all Manileños to support this project, we will be able to help our small entrepreneurs or those who are starting to recover from the effects of the pandemic,” she said.

Lacuna said the people can bring their families and friends to the fair in celebration of Valentine's Day at the Mehan Garden from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The fair which runs until Feb. 17 was organized by the city through the Bureau of Permits and the city's economic development and investment promotions office. Admission to the venue is free.

Of course this fair won't help any of the business destroyed by the devastating economic structures imposed by the Duterte administration.