The God Culture: Lost Isles of Gold Small Group Study Guide

Four years after publishing The Search for King Solomon's Treasure Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has finally released his promised small group study guide. 

https://issuu.com/thegodculture/docs/lost_isles_small_group_study_ebook

This study guide is being released in conjunction with the launch of The God Culture app. The reader is instructed to follow along using the app. 

Use this 13-week Small Group Study Guide and follow our new Lost Isles of Gold Live Series free on The God Culture App, YouTube, Rumble, Instagram, Facebook, SubStack, Brighteon, Odyssey, etc. In some cases, your Pastor or leader will present the content as well which we strongly encourage and offer our support to assist them in bringing this explosive research to you. All video links at TheGodCulture.com. 

The format of the book is a series of 13 chapters divided into several questions. The student is supposed to write the answer based on what he hears Tim say during the course of the accompanying video series. Now, keep in mind this is supposed to be a teaching tool. In fact, the cover blurb declares:

The End of Colonial Propaganda In Geography

What is "colonial propaganda in geography?" It's a loaded term. There is nothing neutral about that phrase. Perhaps a better phrase would be:

Learn About the Biblical History of the Philippines

That phrase informs the student of what he is about to learn. Tim's blurb is biased and sets him against everyone else. He is right and they are wrong. This stance is quite nakedly apparent in the questions Tim asks as it is in all his other books and videos. 

There are 212 questions but I shall only take a look at a few of them. Everything Tim teaches is the same. His books and videos merely repeat each other. The information Tim teaches in this guide has been refuted many times on this blog so there is no need to refute him again point by point.

Let's start with the very first question. 

1. Does archaeology prove that Ophir existed as a land abundant in gold?

The answer is an unambiguous NO! Tim has said as much several times. You can read about that here. According to Tim there is no archaeology proving anything about Ophir and anyone who asks such a question is stuck in a false paradigm. This is not a simple question about an 8th century B.C. pottery shard being found in Israel. We already know Tim thinks the Philippines is Ophir and we see where this question leads in questions 6 and 7.

6. Does the fact that an academic colonial paradigm that chooses to ignore massive history gets to use their admission of ignorance as evidence against the very history and maps they ignore? 

7. If the Philippines is proven factually to have been labelled Ophir and Tarshish of the Bible historically, on maps, and ultimately in the Bible itself, how does this impact our thinking? 

What is "an academic colonial paradigm?" Tim does not explain what it means but it is loaded language.  It's not very different from the kind of empty language used by critical race theorists. As for question seven, why is Tim asking this hypothetical? It is not only a leading question but an appeal to emotion as Tim asks, "how does this impact our thinking?" That is a totally subjective question that has no place here if Tim is actually trying to teach a history of the Philippines based on factual evidence. 

Already the book is off to a horrible start. And there are 12 more chapters to go!

Chapter 2 is about the location of Ophir.

3. How can one calling themselves a scholar not know that the King of Spain hired explorer after explorer to head to Tarshish in the Orient demonstrating Spain historically knew it was not Tarshish?

Again, this is another loaded question meant to guide the student into disdaining anything academics and scholars have to say about the location of Tarshish. There are a lot of factors not counted in here such as tin, a commodity from Tarshish, being found in Israel that dates to the 13th century BC and whose provenance is Britain. Also the Septuagint translates Tarshish as Carthage which is not in the Far East. 

Not to mention it does not follow that because the King of Spain sent explorers to find Tarshish in the Orient means they were right in thinking Tarshish was in the Orient. It's as wrongheaded as Tim's assertion that because Magellan thought something about Ophir that thing was true.

Chapter 3 has more leading questions and bias against scholars. 

1. With the resources of Ophir and Tarshish being the same, how could an academic even suggest they are thousands of km apart?

Not only is this bias against academics but it is a non-sequitur. It does not follow that if Ophir and Tarshish have the same resources they are the same place. Tim is on record saying India has all the resources of Ophir but he denies it is Ophir. According to Tim the Philippines has the same resources as Ophir. Obviously India is not the Philippines but if it has the same resources as the Philippines then, according to Tim, we should be able to say India and the Philippines are the same place. But that would make no sense because they are different places. Likewise it is readily apparent Ophir and Tarshish are different places if one reads 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles closely. 

The same reading shows it is not true that Tarshish and Ophir have the same resources. 

1 Kings 10:11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones.

2 Chronicles 9:21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram: every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

In question 9 Tim suddenly thinks the Jesuit scholars who helped colonize the Philippines are credible. 

9. Who were the "principal settlers" of the Philippines according to credible Spanish history in 1601, 1627, 1663, and even 1891, among others?

The answer is in the quote above the question. But why is this "credible Spanish history?" So much for  "the end of colonial propaganda in geography." How is it Tim distrusts the Catholics on everything they write, claims they burned Philippine historic documents (not true see here for more), and yet now appeals to them for his own revisionist history project? Here is a rebuttal from Fransiscan Juan Fransisco de San Antonio who wrote in the 18th century. 

For to endeavor to determine the first settlers of these lands, whence and how they came, whether they were Carthaginians, Jews, Spaniards, Phoenicians, Greeks, Chinese, Tartars, etc., is reserved for God, who knows everything; and this task exceeds all human endeavor. And if such study obtain anything, it will amount only to a few fallible conjectures with danger of the judgment, and without any advance of the truth or of reputation.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, Vol. 40, pg. 296-297 

And here is a second witness from Gaspar de San Augustin who was an Augustinian missionary and historian in 18th century Philippines.

42. They are so ignorant that they do not have the slightest knowledge concerning the origin of the ancestors from whom they descend, and whence they came to settle these islands. They do not give any information concerning their paganism, which is not the worst; and they only preserve in certain parts some ridiculous abuses, which they observe at births and sicknesses, and the cursed belief that persuades them that the souls of their ancestors or the grandfathers of the families are present in the trees and at the bottom of bamboos, and that they have the power of giving and taking away health and of giving success or failure to the crops. Therefore, they make their ancestors offerings of food, according to their custom; and what has been preached to them and printed in books avails but little, for the word of any old man regarded as a sage has more weight With them than the word of the whole world.

http://www.philippinehistory.net/views/1720sanagustinb.htm

So, question 9 is a fallacious appeal to authority and of no weight. What should be of weight and concern is fact, not the conjecture of the Jesuits or Timothy Jay Schwab.

Chapter 3 also has the following error.

Two question 4s! Someone call an editor. 

Chapter 4 is all about maps.

1. As the First Century shift to Greek in maps is attested by the same in the New Testament, are there actual maps that still identify Ophir in its original Hebrew form? 

Where in the New Testament is there anything about maps? Nowhere! The rest is the same nonsense I have refuted at length. Read it here. 

Chapter 10 is about how the three kings or wise men who visited Jesus Christ actually came from the Philippines.

12. Why did Daniel call his wise men in the Greek Septuagint Sophos and not Magos in Greek?

What is this supposed to prove or clarify? In the New Testament the word translated wise men is Magos. The word Sophos, which is Strongs's G6480 is used several times in the New Testament to describe wise men. Magos, G3907, is used several times to describe sorcerers such as Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:8. The word Magos tells us more about these three men than the word Sophos. It tells us they were astrologers from the East, likely from Persia. This is a terrible question that doesn't offer anything except proof that Timothy Jay Schwab is no linguist. 

Chapter 11 is about Columbus and has the following two questions involving one of Tim's stupidest errors.

4. What Globe/Sphere is identified as the source for Columbus and Magellan in Columbus' and Pigafetta's Journals?  

5. Who paid for and commissioned the 1492 Behaim Globe? 

The answer to 4 is in the fifth question, the Behaim Globe. The answer to 5 is the City of Nuremburg. Tim will say Portugal which is so obviously wrong and rectified by a simple Wikipedia search but Tim doesn't care. He remains entrenched in his ignorance and passes it along on to others. 

Why does Tim continue to repeat this lie? Why is he willing to die on this hill? Is it really that important to his project? It is a mystery. For a complete, thorough, and final rebuttal to this false claim read this article.

Question 9 is rather representative of many of the questions in this study guide.

9. Did Honshu, Japan move 2,700 km South into the South China Sea only to return back to modern Japan (Nippon), or is Luzon actually Luzon? 

This question is based on Tim's teaching that the Philippines is Japan, specifically it is the land Marco Polo called Zipangu. First of all that is completely wrong and you can read about that here. Second of all the question is not only unnecessarily sarcastic and leading but it betrays a misunderstanding of the Behaim map which has a depiction of Zipangu.

Tim thinks this whole area is the Philippines because the islands appear to have the shape of some of the Philippine Islands. Never mind the Behaim globe was made in 1492 long before any European had visited the Philippines. That fact does not matter to Tim. It's the shapes that matter. Question 9, in conjunction with the following questions, is designed to make the reader feel stupid and think Zipangu can't be Japan because Tim has already lead them to think so in Chapter 4 questions 13-15.

Look at that! There are two question 15s. Tim needs an editor. 

Also take a look at the first question 15.

why is called Japan by the West when the locals call it Nippon or Nihon?

The answer is simple. Japan is based on the name Cipangu and that name is based on what the CHINESE called Japan!

Marco Polo called Japan 'Cipangu' around 1300, based on the Chinese name, probably 日本國; 'sun source country' (compare modern Min Nan pronunciation jít pún kok). In the 16th century in Malacca, Portuguese traders first heard from Malay and Indonesian the names Jepang, Jipang, and Jepun.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Japan

This is a misleading question and just goes to show that Tim is not interested in truthful history but in pushing his own false narrative about the Philippines. 

Chapter 12 is about Hebrew in Philippine place names and has the following questions. 

3. With chaggiyah literally meaning "feast of Yah" and yan as "Yah's grace," how do you believe this name was applied to multiple sites throughout the Philippines? 

4. If Cagayan referred to a river, as some scholars attempt, why would the name appear on an island without a river at all? 

7. Is it a coincidence that the pronunciation of Igorot is the same in Hebrew "eeg-ge-roht, iggerOt" meaning "letter, epistle?" 

8. Why did American Archeology and Ethnology conclude Igorot law "ranks fairly with Hebrew law?" 

10. When Panay in Hebrew means "front of, overlooking" and pana "before the face of God," is it likely a linguistic association can be inferred? 

11. When Solomon's navy landed in Ophir, would it not be appropriate for them to identify the plentiful saba meaning "abundant, fill to satisfaction" in Hebrew? 

15. Is it possible that God allowed the name Pili Pinnah as a name for this land which in Hebrew means "miraculous cornerstone" matching its history as the land of Creation? 

Can you see the problem here? "How do you believe", "is it a coincidence", is it likely", "would it not be appropriate?" Those are subjective questions. They do not lead to anything substantial or factual regarding Hebrew being in Philippine place names. Philippines is not Pili Pinnah. It's named after King Philip II and Philip means horse lover. Never forget Tim is not a linguist nor does he wish to be one. 

5:06 We are not linguists nor do we care to be

Lost Tribes Series Part 2F: Decoding the Butuan Ivory Seal - Evidence

The last chapter is titled "End Times Prophecy of the Philippines?" We shall only look at the last eight questions. 

8. How could Jesus (Yahusha) have known that Cebu would call itself the “Queen City of the South” with Iloilo bearing a similar nomenclature?

9. How did he and Isaiah both know Ophir, Philippines would fall and need to rise?

10. Did Jesus (Yahusha) know the geography of the world when He placed the isle of the Queen of Sheba’s origin in the uttermost parts of the Earth?

11. What does it mean to you to “rise up in the judgment” with the End Times generation and “condemn it?”

12. How can a conquered nation be restored as the judges of the Earth?

13. Do the words of Jesus(Yahusha) ever return to Him void? Can His prophecy every fail?

13. How do you believe this will occur?

14. What will your role be in the rising of the Philippines in these Last Days?

15. Are you ready to rise?

Look at that. There are two question 13s! So, that's two question 4s in chapter 3, two question 15s in chapter 11, and two question 13s in chapter 13. Tim really needs an editor. That is more proof there is no God Culture Team.

All of these questions are based on a wrong interpretation of Matthew 12:42. 

That verse is not a prophecy of the end times. It is a condemnation of the people listening to the preaching of Jesus Christ and rejecting Him. Jesus says the men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah and the Queen of Sheba heard the wisdom of Solomon. He says the men of Nineveh and the Queen of Sheba will rise up IN THE JUDGEMENT and condemn those who rejected Christ because one who is greater than both Jonah and Solomon had come. 

The rising up of the Queen of Sheba and Nineveh will not be in the last days but IN THE JUDGEMENT. They will not be condemning the beast, the antichrist, or the New World Order but those who refused to repent and believe on Jesus Christ. 

The last question is arguably the most important because it sums up what Tim's whole project is about. It's all about "restoring prophecy" which has nothing to do with Israel but everything to do with the Philippines. The question indicates this study guide is not for non-Filipinos. According to Tim Filipinos will "rise up" in the last days to condemn the New World Order. That is where this study guide wants to lead its users. 

However, if one pays attention to how these questions are worded and does the most basic Bible study and historical research they have to reject this conclusion. The study guide will only accomplish Tim's goal of leading Filipinos into believing his nonsense if they do not do what he says and test all things including himself. Sadly so many of Tim's listeners fail to take the time to fact check him. 

If you didn't notice the front cover has a Fedora floating in the ocean.

It seems this Fedora is so important it appears three times throughout the book on the front and back covers as well as the title page. That's because Tim is equating his historical revisionism project with Indiana Jones. From the back cover:

You are about to embark on the most monumental journey of all archaeological discoveries in this 13-Week Small Group Study by The God Culture, a group of independent researchers. A 3,000-year gold rush documented so many ways it will make your head spin. The mother lode that would cause the likes of Indiana Jones to salivate.

Yes, fiction appealing to fiction. How appropriate. 

Tim has previously said he is working on a textbook to promote his ideas in the classroom. 

2:30:58 But we're working on a textbook. A real textbook. A four year course that will teach, especially Filipinos but people all over the world, the foundation of the Bible which includes the Philippines. Because it includes the Garden of Eden which is here. You don't get a more significant land than that of the Garden of Eden, the very land of creation itself. So, we're working on that project right now and we hope to get that out in time. 

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-god-culture-kalinga-hebrew-youth.html

If this study guide is any indication Filipinos who take the course will only be dumber and more ignorant thanks to Professor Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

The God Culture: More Lies About the Behaim Globe

It is absolutely hilarious that Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture cannot write a book or record a video without a passing reference to me. In this case Tim makes a direct reference to me in his new book Garden of Eden Revealed The Book of Maps. 

Garden of Eden Revealed, pgs 98-99

There are those out there who are simply dishonest who have even gone so far as to commit cyber libel expressing extreme racism against the Philippines who claim we lied that this was a Portuguese government-commissioned map. Yet it was. They need to take up that debate with the University of Cambridge. The fact they are unable to read and understand that the Portuguese King Joao II paid Behaim to create this map according to Cambridge's Whipple Museum of History and Science, demonstrates what we always observe from that fallacious onslaught of racist nonsense. They cannot even read a sentence with comprehension. 

"The earliest globe that survives today was made in 1492 by Martin Behaim, a German navigator and geographer in the employ of King João II of Portugal." ' 

I know this is a reference to me because I am the only who writes critically of The God Culture and I am the only one who has been insistent that Tim lies every time he speaks about the Behaim Globe. It is NOT Portuguese, it is German. It was made by a man who was employed by the King of Portugal but it was not commissioned by the King of Portugal. It was commissioned and financed by the City of Nuremberg which is Behaim's hometown. 

This fact is easily found on Wikipedia and following the sources leads to a book titled Martin Behaim, His Life and His Globe by Ernest George Ravenstein. This book contains much historical information regarding the provenance of the globe. 

First we are told that it was a singular member of the Nuremberg City Council who suggested to the rest of the Council that Behaim make a globe. 

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008398949/page/42/mode/2up

It was, however, a member of the Town Council, George Holzschuher, to whom Martin Behaim became indebted for the greater part of the fame which he still enjoys. George Holzschuher in 1470 had visited Egypt and the Holy Land, and he evidently took some interest in the progress of geographical discoveries. It was he who suggested to his colleagues of the Rat that Behaim should be requested to undertake the making of a globe, upon which the recent discoveries of the Portuguese should be delineated. His suggestion was accepted, and to him we are indebted for the famous globe, a full account of which I shall give in the second part of this work.

Second we are given the instructions the City of Nuremberg gave to Behaim for making the globe. 

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008398949/page/70/mode/2up

By desire and request of the prudent, honourable and sapient, the chief captains of the worthy Imperial city of Nurnberg who rule at this time, and whose names are D. Gabriel Nutzel, D. Paulus Volckamer and D. Nicholas Groland, this figure of an apple has been achieved and made by the skill (art), according to the directions and by the industry of the worshipful and honourable D. Martin Behaim, Knight, who is much experienced in the art of Cosmography and has circumnavigated one third of the world. All this has been extracted with industry from the books of Ptolemy, Strabo and Marco Polo, and put together, the sea as well as the land, each according to its shape and form, as ordered to be done by the abovenamed captains on behalf of the City Council by the Hon. George Holzschuher, whereunto he has helped and advised with all possible industry. This (work of) art and apple has been achieved and made in the year 1492 after the birth of Christ, and has been left behind him by the said D. Martin Peheim for the honour and enjoyment of the commonalty of the city of Nurnberg in order that he may be thought kindly of for all time, when he shall have gone back to his wife, who lives 700 miles away, where he keeps house, in order to end his days in his island where is his home.

Be it known that on this Apple (Globe) here present is laid out the whole world according to its length and breadth in accordance with the art geometry, namely, the one part as described by Ptolemy in his book called 'Cosmographia Ptolemaei,’ and the remainder from what the Knight Marco Polo of Venice caused to be written down in 1250. The worthy Doctor and Knight Johann de Mandavilla likewise left a book in 1322 which brought to the light of day the countries of the East, unknown to Ptolemy, whence we receive spices, pearls and precious stones, and the Serene King John of Portugal has caused to be visited in his vessels that part to the south not yet known to Ptolemy in the year 1485, whereby I, according to whose indications this Apple has been made, was present. Towards the west the Sea Ocean has likewise been navigated further than what is described by Ptolemy and beyond the columns of Hercules as far as the islands Faial and Pico of the Azores occupied by the noble and valiant Knight Jobst de Hiirter of Moerkerken, and the people of Flanders whom he conducted thither. These islands are occupied by my dear father-in-law, who owns and governs it. The far-off places towards midnight or Tramontana, beyond Ptolemy’s description, such as Iceland, Norway and Russia, are likewise now known to us, and are visited annually by ships, wherefore let none doubt the simple arrangement of the world, and that every part may be reached in ships, as is here to be seen.

Third and finally we are given the expenditures spent by the Nuremberg City Council for making the globe. 

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125008398949/page/110/mode/2up

Below is so be found a statement of what I, George Holzschuher, have expended by order of my lords of the city treasury, upon limning and otherwise, for making the “apple,” or mappa mundi in the shape of a sphere, and also for making the printed map for the clerk’s office, which Mr. Merten Beham, having expended thereon his art and pains, left behind for the enjoyment of my lords of the worshipful council : 

Is that enough for Tim to prove the globe was conceived and financed by the City of Nuremberg and not the King of Portugal? 

Let's take a look at Tim's source the Cambridge Whipple Museum of Science.

https://www.whipplemuseum.cam.ac.uk/explore-whipple-collections/globes/brief-history-globes

The earliest globe that survives today was made in 1492 by Martin Behaim, a German navigator and geographer in the employ of King João II of Portugal. Behaim's globe recorded not only the lie of the lands being discovered by seabourne explorers, but also details of overseas commodities, market places and local trading protocols. Thus, the earliest surviving globe, which probably reflects many others produced around the same time, features information on more than cartography.

Does this say the King of Portugal commissioned and paid for Behaim's globe? NO! It only says Behaim was "in the employ of King João II of Portugal." Can Tim read? This says nothing about who paid for and commissioned the map.

Again, this is another instance where Tim has done ZERO investigation into the matter and more proof there either is no God Culture team or they are really bad at research. The facts of the provenance of the Behaim Globe are easily found out yet Tim persists on pushing this lie it was commissioned by the Portuguese government. At this point it is beyond a mere mistake. Timothy Jay Schwab who is the God Culture is indeed a liar when he claims this globe was commissioned by the Portuguese government. Why should anyone believe anything else he has to say?

Retards in the Government 380

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

 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/22/coa-flags-mapun-town-in-tawi-tawi-over-p8-8-m-outright-expenses-in-2023

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the municipality of Mapun in Tawi-Tawi over its P8.82 million outright expenses in 2023 without first setting up an inventory account.

The lapse cast doubt on the propriety of the transactions, the COA said in its 2023 audit report on the municipality.

It said Mapun town spent a total of P3,165,789.63 on office supplies; P2,311,792.41 on fuel, oil and lubricants; P700,381.85 on agriculture and marine supplies; and P2,643,021.90 on other supplies and materials or a total of P8,820,985.79.

"The treatment of these procurements as outright expense resulted in the misstatement of assets and expenses accounts equivalent to the value of the remaining stocks at year-end which were not treated as assets," the COA said. 

It said its audit team stressed the importance of maintaining an inventory account, which will enable it to reflect in its books the monthly balance of supplies and materials; and  will also guide officials concerned to determine the quantity of the products to be procured in the succeeding month or quarter.

"For failure to adhere to the prescribed accounting rules and regulations on the inventory accounts, the asset account was not recognized while the related expense account was overstated," the COA said in its report.

"In addition, the practice of allowing the immediate distribution of inventory items in bulk to the end-users exposes it to risk of misuse, theft, and wasteful utilization," it said. 

Thus, the COA urged officials of Mapun to adapt and maintain the asset method of recording the inventory items and require the coordination between the Municipal Accounting Office (MAO) and General Services Office (GSO) towards the proper implementation of the perpetual inventory method of recording all inventory items.

In doing so, the COA said the municipality would ensure proper accounting and promote better control in the receipt and issuance of supplies and materials.

The Commission on Audit has flagged the municipality of Mapun in Tawi-Tawi over its P8.82 million outright expenses in 2023 without first setting up an inventory account.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1975738/court-orders-arrest-of-albay-mayor-for-2-counts-of-murder

The Regional Trial Court (RTC) in National Capital Region (NCR) has ordered the arrest of Daraga town Mayor Carlwyn Go Baldo over 2018 killing of former Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his police aide, Master Sergeant Orlando Diaz.

The warrant of arrest, signed by Acerey Pacheco, acting presiding judge of Branch 3 RTC, dated Wednesday, Aug. 21, was for Baldo’s alleged involvement in the murder of the Batocabe and Diaz in December 2018 during a Christmas event in Daraga, Albay.

No bail has been recommended for the charge of two counts of murder.

However, Police Brigadier General Andre Dizon, Bicol police chief, told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Thursday, Aug. 22, that Baldo was not found by the arresting team in his residence in Barangay (village) Tagas, Daraga.

“The serving of the arrest warrant turned out negative because the mayor was not around,” Dizon said.

He added that it is best for Baldo to “surrender so he can defend himself” against the charges filed against him.

“It’s difficult for him to remain in hiding, as the warrant of arrest has no expiry date,” he said.

The Mayor of Albay has been ordered arrested for 2 counts of murder.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2024/08/23/2379953/palace-suspends-abra-vice-governor-unjust-hospital-lockdown

Malacañang has suspended Abra Vice Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos for 18 months after unjustly locking down the Dr. Petronillo Seares Sr. Memorial Hospital in Bangued, Abra during the pandemic.

A copy of the decision from the Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs (DESLA) of the Office of the President said Bernos was ordered to vacate her post after finding her guilty of oppression and abuse of authority, conduct unbecoming of a public official and disobedience to national government policies.

The 18-month suspension stemmed from a complaint against Bernos, then the province’s governor, in December 2020 by Dr. Voltaire L. Seares, medical director of the hospital, after she imposed a lockdown on the hospital.

According to the complaint, the provincial government of Abra immediately imposed a lockdown, installed barricades around the hospital and placed the barangay where the hospital is located under extreme enhanced community quarantine (EECQ) when one of their nurses was stricken with COVID-19 in June 2020.

People inside the hospital were barred from leaving the premises, the complaint added.

The lockdown order was said to have been posted on social media by Bernos.

Seares complained that Bernos ordered the lockdown of the hospital without sufficient basis and in violation of the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease.

He stressed that the lockdown was made prematurely and without the concurrence of the Cordillera Administrative Region-Regional Inter-Agency Task Force.

“The freedom of movement and right to travel of various persons trapped inside the hospital were violated, resulting in undue injury and prejudice. The hospital owner’s property rights as well as its doctors and other medical practitioners’ right to exercise a lawful profession were curtailed,” Seares said in the complaint.

“Most of all, the people of Abra were deprived of their access to health care,” the complaint added.

The DESLA on February 2021 transmitted the records of the case to the Department of the Interior and Local Government for investigation, which submitted its report in June 2022. Bernos was also asked to answer Seares’ complaint against her.

Weighing the reports, issues and arguments of the camps involved, the DESLA found that Bernos committed the misdemeanor as claimed by Seares, regardless of her intentions for the interest of the public.

Malacañang has suspended Abra Vice Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos for 18 months after unjustly locking down the Dr. Petronillo Seares Sr. Memorial Hospital in Bangued, Abra during the pandemic.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1975909/village-councilor-in-cavite-survives-shooting

A barangay councilor was wounded after he was shot Thursday night after an argument in Tanza town in Cavite province.

“Emilio,” 53, was seated in front of the village hall in Barangay Amaya 3 at around 11 p.m. when the suspect, identified as “Andy ” appeared with a handgun and shot him in the head.

Investigators said the gunman fled after the shooting.

Villagers brought the victim to Tanza Doctor Hospital, where he was confined for treatment.

Police found that before the shooting incident, the suspect, a nephew of the victim residing in the same village, had a heated argument.

The suspect returned with a gun and shot the victim.

Police launched a manhunt to arrest the suspect.

A barangay councilor was wounded after he was shot after an argument in Tanza town in Cavite province.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/25/village-watchman-shot-dead-in-la-union-wake

A 43-year-old barangay tanod was allegedly shot dead by a 58-year-old tricycle driver in Barangay Camilo Osias, Balaoan, La Union on Saturday night, August 24. 

Police identified the victim as Eduardo R. San Jose.

Investigation said San Jose and the suspect, William Subang, were attending a wake when a heated altercation erupted.

Subang dew a gun and shot the victim once in the body. 

San Jose ran away but was pursued by the suspect. The victim slumped on the road and the suspect shot him once again.

Subang fled and San Jose was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Police nabbed the suspect and recovered the firearm in a  pursuit operation.

A barnagay tanod has been assassinated. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/26/ex-village-dad-shot-dead-in-batangas

A 46-year-old former kagawad (councilor) of Barangay Bulsa here was shot dead by three constituents on Sunday night, August 25.

Police identified the victim as Rodel Lopez Luistro.

Investigation said the suspects Jayson, Mariel, and an unidentified companion arrived and suddenly shot the victim at around 7 p.m. 

The victim was taken to San Juan District Hospital where he was declared dead from multiple bullet wounds.

The suspects, who fled and being tracked by the police, face murder charges. 

A former village councilor has been assassinated. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/26/coa-requires-cabadbaran-city-to-return-to-national-treasury-p20-7-m-balance-in-covid-19-support-fund

The Commission on Audit (COA) has required the City of Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte to return to the national treasury the P20.7 million balance out of the P55 million the city received from Local Government Support Fund for Covid-19 Financial Assistance (LGSF).

In its 2023 audit report, the COA flagged Cabadbaran City for still spending P12.4 million out of the P55 million fund beyond the fund's validity period.

The COA said the city's unobligated balance of P20,734,933.70 in the LGSF was still not reverted to the national treasury, therefore affecting the propriety and validity of the pertinent disbursements charged against the said fund beyond the fund's validity period.

It said that the city received its LGSF-Covid-19 Financial Assistance of P55 million on June 30, 2021 for the implementation of priority projects of the city. The budget was divided into five projects -- procurement of medical equipment, supplies, vitamins, and personal protective equipment (P30 million), procurement of relief goods (P10 million), procurement of response/transport vehicles (P10 million), establishment of temporary shelter (P4 million), and capacity development for health workers and frontliners (P1 million).

From that time the fund was received, the COA said the city disbursed a total of P2,801,445, which equated to a 5.09 utilization rate. It said state auditors discussed this low utilization rate with city officials through Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) No. 2022-022 dated Feb. 18, 2022.

The audit team found that the city commenced 18 sub-programs and projects in 2021 with a contract cost of P21,828,455.50.  The team recommended that the city make a representation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for an extension to utilize the unobligated amount, the COA said.

For its part, the Cabadbaran City  reasoned that it mistook the fund validity period, considering that all other fund transfers from the national government do not have an expiry period. City officials added that they already sent out a letter-request to the DBM last July 18, 2022 but have not received a response.

The COA issued another AOM and made the same recommendation for the city to request for an extension to utilize the unobligated amount otherwisde the amount should be returned to the national treasury. The city government made a follow-up letter with the DBM on March 23, 2023.

But the COA said the letter request "did not clearly specify the conditions on the timelines from which the fund was received and its validity period, which was basically six-month period of implementation, thereby affecting the full utilization of the fund."

On May 5, 2023, the DBM denied Cabadbaran City's request as it ordered that the remaining funds be reverted to the national treasury.

"From the foregoing, a total of P21,828,455.50 were obligated and/or disbursed as of Dec. 31, 2021 based on the payments made and results of review of the start date of the procurement process, while a total of P12,436,610.80 were still obligated and disbursed by the City despite lapse of the fund validity and adequate notices to them through audit observation memoranda," the COA said.

"It was also noted that the unutilized and unobligated funds amounting to P20,734,933.70 remained not reverted to the National Treasury as at year-end, as required," it added.

With the city using P12.436 million and charging it against the LGSF-Covid-19 Financial Assistance despite its expiry, the COA said that the deficiencies affected the propriety and validity of the disbursements.

The COA directed the directed the City Accountant and City Treasurer to return the remaining unobligated funds to the national treasury.

The Commission on Audit has required the City of Cabadbaran in Agusan del Norte to return to the national treasury the P20.7 million balance out of the P55 million the city received from Local Government Support Fund for Covid-19 Financial Assistance.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1976834/maguindanao-pol-implicated-in-killing-of-cop-surrenders

Former Maguindanao board member Asnawi “Jojo” Limbona, who is facing a case for murder in the killing of a police officer, surrendered to authorities in Sultan Mastura town, Maguindanao del Norte on Monday morning.

Colonel Sultan Salman Sapal, Maguindanao del Norte police director, said Limbona, 56, of Datu Odin Sinsuat, was accompanied by his legal counsel, Asgar Mandal, to Capt. Elmar Elarcosa, Sultan Mastura municipal police chief.

Limbona has a standing warrant of arrest issued by Acting Presiding Judge Annabele Piang of Regional Trial Court Branch 13 in Cotabato City, dated May 6, 2024.

He was linked to the killing of Police Staff Sgt. Zahraman Mustapha Diocolano during a shootout on January 2 along Rosales Street, Barangay Rosary Heights 6, Cotabato City.

The shooting occurred while Datu Odin Sinsuat Mayor Lester Sinsuat was inside the house of his uncle, former Rep. Roonie Sinsuat, for a peace dialogue.

Sapal said since the warrant of arrest was issued by a local court, police have been searching for Limbona.

After his surrender, the Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Intelligence Unit, headed by Lt. Colonel Michael Tinio, and Capt. Sammy Paning of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company, presented Limbona his warrant of arrest at the Sultan Mastura police station.

Former Maguindanao board member Asnawi “Jojo” Limbona, who is facing a case for murder in the killing of a police officer, surrendered to authorities in Sultan Mastura town, Maguindanao del Norte.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/27/cop-faces-case-for-allegedly-assaulting-pasigarbo-contingent

A police officer is facing criminal charges for allegedly assaulting members of a contingent that participated in the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo festival last Sunday, August 26, at the Cebu City Sports Center. 

The suspect with the rank of police corporal was detained at the Guadalupe Police Station because of the incident on Saturday night, August 24.

Investigation showed that the suspect was among the police officers assigned to secure a contingent from Compostela town, Cebu billeted at the Guadalupe Elementary School.

Prior to the incident, members of the group were called to attend an orientation for some final instructions.

Police said some members arrived late and least nine of them were allegedly slapped by the policeman.

Major Miles Damoslog, chief of the Guadalupe Police Station, said that the policeman was asked by the organizers to help gather the dancers. Police described the dancers as hard-headed, said Damoslog.

“Supposedly, it was not his job as a policeman as he was assigned there to secure the contingent. He just gave in to the request to help gather the members and it was there that he struck the students. Accordingly, the dancers refused to obey the order, that's why he hit them,” said Damoslog.

Police Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office, said the CCPO is ready to file charges against the policeman.

Rafter said they are still awaiting the complainants to complete their affidavits.

Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of Police Regional Office-Central Visayas chief Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, said the PRO-7 will conduct its own administrative investigation against the policeman.

“The PRO-7 will not condone any violation of law committed especially by our police officers but of course we will  also give him a chance to defend himself. We will hear his side of the story,” Pelare said.

A police officer is facing criminal charges for allegedly assaulting members of a contingent that participated in the Pasigarbo sa Sugbo festival.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/27/coa-issues-p73-2-m-notice-of-disallowance-on-vp-sara-s-p125-m-confi-intel-funds-for-2022

The Commission on Audit (COA) has issued a notice of disallowance (ND) over P73.2 million out of the P125 million confidential and intelligence funds for 2022 of Vice President Sara Duterte.

The COA directed Duterte and Special Disbursing Officer Gina F. Acosta and Chief Accountant Julieta L. Villadelrey of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) “to settle immediately the said disallowance.”

It reminded that “audit disallowances not appealed within six months shall become final and executory.”

ND No. 2024-002-100 dated Aug. 8, 2024 was signed by Nilda B. Plaras, assistant commissioner and officer-in-charge of COA’s Intelligence and Confidential Funds. 

From the amount of P73.2 million, P69.7 million was disallowed due to “non-submission of documents evidencing the success of information gathering and/or surveillance activities to support the Acknowledgment Receipts for payments of rewards in cash, various goods, and medicines,” the COA said. 

It noted that P10 million was used as reward payment, P34.8 million for payment for various goods, and P24.9 million for medicines.

“The submitted list of 105 activities attended by the Vice President and those conducted by all the offices during the period Dec. 13 to 31, 2022 did not indicate the particular accomplishments for the successful information gathering and/or surveillance activities that are directly related to the specific confidential activities undertaken by the agency and which warrant the payments of rewards,” the COA said in its ND.

Also, it said, that P3.5 million was used as payment for tables, chairs, desktop computers, and printers without any specification that they would be intended for confidential activities undertaken by the OVP.

At the same time, the COA said “rewards” should have been recorded as “supplies” in the acknowledgment receipt, considering that the OVP submitted acknowledgment receipts reflecting payments for purchased supplies. 

“In addition, there are no documents to further support their arguments that the expenses are not rewards,” it also said. 

There was also non-submission of the Revised Accomplishment Report to the Office of the President, Senate President, and Speaker of the House, which is a requirement of Joint Circular No. 2015-01, it added.

It held Duterte liable for approving the transaction including the utilization of the cash advance, Acosta for acting as the payee and disbursing the cash advance, and Villadelrey for certifying that the supporting documents were complete and proper.

The Commission on Audit has issued a notice of disallowance over P73.2 million out of the P125 million confidential and intelligence funds for 2022 of Vice President Sara Duterte.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1977632/bucor-exec-cited-for-contempt-for-lying-during-quad-panel-drug-probe

An official of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), who was in-charge of the Davao Penal and Prison Farm when three jailed Chinese nationals were killed in August 2016, was cited for contempt for lying and not answering about details of the incident.

During the hearing of the House of Representatives quad-committee on Wednesday, BuCor Supt. Gerardo Padilla insisted that he is not involved in the killing of Chu Kin Tung, Jackson Lee, and Peter Wang — three individuals jailed in the Davao Penal Farm for drug-related charges, whose death was allegedly ordered by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

Padilla said that he also did not receive a call from Duterte supposedly congratulating him for the hit — contrary to the claims made by self-confessed hitman Leopoldo Tan.

But what earned the ire of lawmakers was Padilla’s insistence that he was not aware of the order to transfer the Chinese nationals to the same solitary confinement cell where Tan and fellow hitman Fernando Magdadaro was placed — adding that the final order did not come from him.

When Padilla failed to directly answer Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan Fernandez’ questions about who ordered the transfer of the Chinese inmates, Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano raised his voice and demanded that Padilla name the one behind the directive.

Eventually, Paduano moved that Padilla be cited for contempt.

An official of the Bureau of Corrections who was in-charge of the Davao Penal and Prison Farm when three jailed Chinese nationals were killed in August 2016, was cited for contempt for lying and not answering about details of the incident.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/28/village-chair-in-cebu-nabbed-for-fake-bir-document

A barangay captain in the City of Naga, southern Cebu was arrested for allegedly using a fake certificate authorizing registration (CAR), a document issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to transfer a property.

Edden Gera Nocon of Barangay Tinaan was arrested in a hot pursuit operation conducted on August 22 by the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7).

The  operation stemmed from an entrapment operation that the NBI-7 conducted inside the office of the Provincial Registry of Deeds in Barangay Guadalupe here.

The NBI-7 said Nocon, through a representative, presented falsified eCAR and deed of absolute sale. 

These fake documents were presented to the Office of the Registry of Deeds to transfer an original certificate of land title of a property in Moalboal, Cebu with a total area of 28,626-square meters.

The alleged vendee of the property turned out to be the deceased mother of Nocon, the NBI-7 said.

After the recovery of the fake documents, the NBI-7 conducted an operation that led to Nocon’s arrest.

The NBI-7 discovered that the QR code attached to the fake documents is originally attached to another eCAR involving the sale of a property with an area of 8,626-square meters.

The operation stemmed from the request of Atty. Fidel Calvan who requested the NBI-7 to conduct a thorough investigation on the alleged forgery of a CAR purporting to be issued by BIR’s regional district office in Talisay City.

The NBI-7 also discovered that Nocon is also facing a separate case for falsification of a motor vehicle certificate of registration.

“The impact of this investigation and operation is very crucial because it involves the integrity of our Torrens System and the government revenue collection effort.  Thus, the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance will go after those who will engage in this criminal activity to the fullest extent of the law,” the NBI-7 said.

Charges for two counts of violation of the National Internal Revenue Code and falsification of publication documents were filed against the suspect.

As a barangay captain, the suspect is also facing separate complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for violating Republic Act 6713, an Act establishing a code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees.

A barangay captain in the City of Naga, southern Cebu was arrested for allegedly using a fake certificate authorizing registration, a document issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue to transfer a property.