It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
A 34-year-old police corporal was shot and killed by unidentified assailants here on Thursday (July 7) morning, police said.
The victim was identified as Marnix Baquiran, a native of Peñablanca town, Cagayan province, and was assigned to Reina Mercedes police station in Isabela.
Investigators said Baquiran was driving his car when he was ambushed along the bypass road in Ugad village here, according to Maj. Rodante Albano, Cabagan police chief.
Police were still investigating the incident to determine the motive behind the attack and identify the assailants.
A cop was assassinated by unknown men for unknwon reasons.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the University of the Philippines System (UPS) over the non-utilization of funds for three COVID-19-related research projects amounting to P53.9 million.
Based on COA’s 2021 audit report, UPS obtained a zero utilization rate for five projects, three of which concern the procurement of COVID-19 equipment and research on the P.3 variant of COVID-19. These initiatives are funded by the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-PCHRD).
The audit body found that the state university did not utilize the funding for the following projects that totals to P53,960,410.
“We would like to stress out that these research grants aimed to provide data and information if not innovative solutions that may aid the government in its fight against the virus, thus, it is of utmost important to complete the research projects on time and deliver the expected outputs,” the report said.
Two other projects also had a zero utilization rate with funds sourced from the Commission on Higher Education.
State auditors urged UPS to conduct regular monitoring of the use of allotments and come up with catch-up plans to address issues of non-utilization of funds.
The audit body also recommended that the state university prioritize the implementation of COVID-19 research projects and to fast-track the procurement of necessary supplies, equipment and other testing-related needs in response to COVID-19.
In all, COA said that delays in the implementation of the projects "unnecessarily kept idle allocated funds, which could have been used to pursue other equally important government programs."
The UP has been flagged for not utilizing funds for COVID-19 projects.
The Sandiganbayan has consistently underutilized its annual budget since 2019, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).
In the annual audit report for 2021, state auditors noted for 2019, 2020, and 2021, an average of P42.264 million or 6.75% was utilized annually by the Sandiganbayan from its total allotments for maintenance and operations as well as capital outlay.
The auditors added that the low utilization resulted in the partial attainment of the court’s major programs, activities, and projects, contrary to the provision of the General Appropriations Act that agencies with fiscal autonomy should spend what is programmed in their respective appropriations.
The specific accounts with low utilization for 2021 were furniture and fixtures; repairs and maintenance of buildings and structures; and machinery and equipment outlay which includes information and communication technology equipment.
“These equipment were very crucial during pandemic time due to work from home status of officials and employees as a result of declared lockdowns or alert level status to minimize if not to eliminate the contagious virus,” the audit team noted.
The COA has flagged the Sandiganbayan for under utilizing funds during the pandemic.
The Makati Regional Trial Court (RTC) has sentenced to reclusion perpetua five Pasay City police officers for kidnapping an alleged drug suspect and demanding a ransom of PHP100,000 three years ago.
The 51-page decision of the Makati RTC Branch 148 that was released Friday imposed a jail sentence of 20 years to 40 years on Insp. Ronaldo Frades, S/Sgt. Rigor Octaviano, PO1 Anthony Fernandez, PO1 John Mark Cruz, and PO2 Sajid Nasser.
The five, who were with Pasay’s Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) and not wearing their uniforms at the time of the incident, abducted Jorge Revilla on the morning of March 5, 2019 along Bautista Street in Makati City.
Revilla was taken to the Pasay SDEU office and, later that night, was allowed to make a video call to his partner whom he asked to come up with PHP100,000 for his release.
The partner sought the help of the Philippine National Police Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) in Camp Crame, which organized an entrapment operation.
“(I)n asserting alibi, all accused nonetheless failed to present evidence to suggest that they were of such distance from the place of the commission of the offense that it would have been impossible for them to have participated therein,” read the decision, which also noted that the witnesses’ testimonies were “credible” and “consistent in all material respects.”
Aside from the prison sentence, the Makati court ordered the accused to restitute the CITF the PHP100,000 used as boodle money and indemnify the victim PHP50,000.
The arrest was not recorded in the police blotter and the suspect has not been involved in any drug case.
The incident led to the sacking of the entire anti-drug enforcement unit of the Pasay City Police, the relief of then-chief Col. Noel Flores, and the dismissal from service of the five for robbery, graft, and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
Five former cops have been convicted of kidnapping.
A former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority traffic enforcer was arrested in Rizal over a rape case.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) on Wednesday collared its tenth most wanted person, Reynaldo Rigor, from his residence in the town of Montalban.
(The arrest of the accused clearly shows that there is justice for their victims.)
Rigor was nabbed by virtue of a warrant of arrest for rape, issued by Hon. Angelene Quimpo-Sale of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 106
A former traffic enforcer has been arrested for rape.
A village councilor in Baleno town in Masbate was shot and killed by unidentified assailants on Sunday afternoon, police reported.
Masbate police said Noli Licup, 56, a resident of Barangay (village) Docol was shot by two unidentified gunmen in Barangay (village) Tinapian at around 1:40 p.m.
Initial investigation revealed that the victim was riding a motorcycle when he was attacked by the suspects who shot him multiple times in the back.
Licup died on the spot.
Another village councilor assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.
A Maguindanao Department of Education (DepEd) supervisor was gunned down in President Quirino, this province, Sunday, July 10.
Police Lt. Godofredo Tupaz, President Quirino deputy police chief, identified the victim as Maguid Mangudadatu, 63, the schools district supervisor for Central Buluan in Buluan, Maguindanao.
Mangudadatu had just arrived at his home in Barangay Poblacion at 4:30 p.m. when one of two gunmen barged inside and shot him using a .45 caliber pistol.
The attackers sped off aboard a motorcycle, leaving Mangudadatu dead, Tupaz said.
“Motive of the attack and the perpetrators remained unknown pending our ongoing investigation on the case,” the police officer said.
A DepEd supervisor was assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has failed to use its P8 million worth of network coverage monitoring tool and communication equipment for disaster situations in 2021, the Commission on Audit (COA) said.
In its annual audit report on the agency, state auditors revealed that the P4.8 million Multiband Network Scanning Receiver and Post Processing Tool and the P3.2 million Rapidly Deployable Communication Equipment bought by its Region 1 and Region 4A offices in 2020 remained unused as of December 31, 2021 due to lack of guidelines issued by the NTC central office.
"Therefore, [such a situation of NTC not using them is] defeating the purpose for which the equipment were procured, resulting in wastage of government funds," COA said.
The NTC wasted government funds by not using equipment they bought.
The Commission on Audit has required the Department of Tourism to submit documents that would support the regularity and validity of its transactions totaling P3.837 million deemed "irregular, unnecessary, unconscionable, excessive and extravagant."
In the 2021 annual audit report on the DOT, state auditors told its management to strictly adhere to governing laws, rules and regulations to ensure regularity of transactions.
Among the flagged transactions that has to be justified by the DOT was the P236,500 contract of the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) with Grand Hyatt Manila in Taguig City for 75 persons despite the attendance of 13 persons only.
There was also P1.534 million irregular charging of financial assistance to Pacific Asia Travel Association.
DOT Region 1 also spent P697,854 for the Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor Launching in Baguio City, including an “extravagant” plated lunch for 60 persons at P1,100 each as well as payment for a cancelled lunch reservation at Pannzian Beach and Mountain Resort due to bad weather.
“Otherwise, demand full refund of the amounts considered as irregular, unnecessary, unconscionable, excessive and extravagant in nature,” the audit team said.
The audit report noted a few comments from the DOT management, including the belated submission of additional documents to support the validity of transactions in relation to the PATA spending.
The audit report also noted P49.270 million disbursement with delayed or non-submission of supporting documents, including payments for salaries of job order and contractual personnel of the OSEC as well as well as other regional offices.
The auditors however noted that the management of DOT offices agreed to their recommendation that chief accountants and other responsible persons submit the lacking documents.
Other spending of the DOT amounting to P20.69 million did not adhere to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Act “casting doubts on the integrity of the procurement processes and reasonableness of the awarded contracts.”
Among the mentioned contracts in the audit report is a P5 million procurement of Visitor Information and Travel Assistance VISITA Web-based Application by DOT Region 1.
The DOT flags the COA over overspending and inappropriate spending.
Investigators faced a blank wall on the murder Monday night of a government employee near her residence in Barangay Buhangin in this city.
Probers found it hard to establish the motive in the killing of Ma. Elena A. Cordeta, an employee of the Home Development Mutual Fund, who was shot dead 45 minutes after she left her office.
Investigators said the killer did not touch Cordeta’s belongings inside her brown bag that contained her eyeglasses, two cell phones, and a wallet with her identification and automated teller machine cards, and P26,870 in cash.
The police report said Cordeta was on her way home when, upon reaching a waiting shed, a man wearing a black jacket and yellow helmet shot her several times. The killer then left on a motorcycle.
Scene-of-crime-operatives recovered eight spent cartridges and two deformed slugs, which they theorized came from a .45-caliber pistol. The evidence were turned over to the police for ballistic examination.
A government employee was been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.
The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Lingig, Surigao del Sur Mayor Roberto M. Luna Jr. and three others of their graft charges on ghost purchase of communications gadgets worth P18.9 million in 2007.
Luna, Sangguniang Bayan Secretary Jethro P. Lindo, Municipal Treasurer Ebrenico F. Indoyon Jr., and Philflex Trading and General Merchandise (Philflex) President Ma. Luzviminda A. Lopez were sentenced to six to eight years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
They were also ordered to pay the municipality of Lingig P18,928,571.43, representing the amount paid for the gadgets, with a six percent interest per annum reckoned from the finality of the decision until full payment.
Case records showed that the municipality of Lingig purchased 36 sets of SENAO SN-6108 handsets and 35 sets of SENAO SN-568 super long range cordless radio/telephone double bases from Philflex worth P18,928,571.43 in 2007.
However, the court found there was no public bidding conducted and the gadgets were not received by the intended beneficiaries.
The court said that “the series of acts of the accused and their respective approvals despite the striking irregularities in the documents show that they had the ultimate goal to award the contract to Philflex and approve the payment despite the lack of delivery to the municipality of Lingig.”
An ex-Mayor and three others have been convicted of graft for anomalous purchases.
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its ruling that denied the motion of former Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Nasser C. Pangandaman and three others to dismiss the P900 million graft and malversation charges against them for alleged violation of their right to speedy disposition of cases.
Aside from Pangandaman, also charged were former DAR Director Teresita L. Panlilio, Chief Administrative Officer Ronald De Juan Venancio, and Chief Accountant Angelita V. Cacananta.
They were accused of diverting P900 million from the Malampaya fund to fake non-government organizations in 2009.
The Malampaya fund was supposed to be used to help farmers who were affected by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. However, Pangandaman and his co-accused reportedly diverted the funds to the alleged fake non-government organizations (NGOs) headed by businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles.
All the accused claimed that their constitutional right to speedy disposition of cases has been violated by the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB).
Denying their motion, the Sandiganbayan said:
“Taking into consideration the overall circumstances of this case as earlier discussed in the Court’s Resolution, whatever delay incurred in the proceedings cannot be taken against the prosecution because institutional delay, in the proper context, should not be taken against the State.
“Consequently, inordinate delays likewise make it difficult for the prosecution to perform its duty to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt when the case is filed in court, thus, it is not only the respondent who stands to suffer prejudice from any delay in the investigation of his case,” it said.
The Sandiganbayan has refused to dismiss the graft case against the former DAR Secretary and several others.
