Friday, August 26, 2022

Retards in the Government 273

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

  


https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181713

A total 65 police officers in Central Luzon have been dismissed from service due to various infractions since January last year, the Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3) said on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Cesar R. Pasiwen, PRO-3 regional director, said that aside from police service dismissal, 102 others were suspended, seven were demoted, one forfeited of salary, and 15 were reprimanded.

Pasiwen added that 842 cops were exonerated from their administrative cases while the others' cases have yet to be resolved.

He said those police officers meted with disciplinary actions were given due process during the duration of the investigation before final decisions were released.

He vowed to sustain the PRO-3’s internal cleansing campaign to regain the public’s trust and confidence.

"We will continue to weed out hoodlums and punish the undisciplined among our ranks through the strict application of the punitive sanctions for violations of (the) Philippine National Police rules and regulations and at the same time, intensified counter-intelligence efforts against illegal activities of police personnel are being undertaken,” he said in a statement.

65 cops in Central Luzon have been dismissed for various infractions since January 2021.

https://globaldailymirror.com/Main/full_article/cop-accidentally-kills-himself-with-a-gun-in-northern-samar24626

A police officer killed himself when the gun he was cleaning was accidentally fired in Brgy. Balite, San Jose, Northern Samar. 

The San Jose Municipal Police identified the victim as Corporal Mar Dino Estellero, 35, assigned to the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office (NSPPO). 

In the initial police investigation, the victim was cleaning his issued firearm when he accidentally fired it, hitting him in the head. 

The victim was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (MDRRMO) members, but the attending doctors declared him dead on arrival. 

A deeper investigation into the killing is now underway.

Another police officer has killed himself with his own gun while cleaning it. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1651655/village-councilor-hacked-to-death-in-albay

An unidentified person hacked a village councilor to death on Monday, August 22, in Libon town in Albay province, police said Tuesday.

Executive Master Sergeant Maribeth Corporal, Libon police chief investigator, said Jerry Vargas, 65, was found dead around 3 p.m. with hack wounds on his neck in Barangay Macabugos.

Corporal said Vargas’s son, Norman, found the body near a nipa hut, about 200 meters from their house.

Initial investigation said Vargas left their house at 6 a.m. to tend to his ducks, but failed to return home.

An investigation is ongoing to identify the suspect behind the killing.

A village councilor had been hacked to death by an unknown person for an unknown reason.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1652158/477-administrative-cases-hound-ncrpo

Since the start of 2022 to date, a total of 477 administrative cases have been filed against police officers in Metro Manila, according to data from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

So far, 265 cases, or almost 56%, have been resolved and 212 were still under evaluation.

Of the 265 resolved cases, 209 – or close to 79% — or 209 — are categorized as grave offenses such as dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conviction of a  crime, and falsification of official documents.

Of the remaining 56 resolved cases, 30 are less grave offenses such as simple neglect of duty, simple misconduct, gross discourtesy in the course of official duties, insubordination, and habitual drunkenness. The remaining 26 involve simple offenses.

The heaviest penalty for grave offenses is dismissal from the service, according to the NCRPO.

In a bid to achieve a zero backlog of cases, the NCRPO chief, Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, ordered the reassignment of officers who are lawyers to the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig — specifically, to the Discipline, Law and Order Division — to help solve the remaining 212 administrative cases.

477 cases have been filed against various PNP officers since the beginning of the year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182032

A total of 176 erring police officers assigned to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have been dismissed from the service from January 1 to August 23 this year, the region's top cop said Wednesday.

Citing the latest data, NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said they were dismissed for grave offenses ranging from dishonesty to gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conviction of a crime, and falsification of official documents, among others.

Estomo said penalties were also imposed on erring police personnel charged with less serious offenses, such as simple neglect of duty, simple misconduct, gross discourtesy in the course of official duties, insubordination, and habitual drunkenness.

As a result, 29 police officers were demoted, 476 were suspended, 141 had their salaries forfeited, and 76 were reprimanded.

176 PNP officers in the NCRPO have been dismissed since January.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/460005/active-police-officer-nabbed-for-illegal-drugs-in-badian-cebu

An active police officer assigned to the Cebu Police Provincial Office was arrested for possession and selling of illegal drugs in Barangay Poblacion, Badian town on Tuesday morning, August 23, 2022.

Police identified the arrested cop as Patrolman Apollo Concepcion, 41, a resident of Barangay Legaspi in Alegria town and is assigned to the CPPO’s Operations Unit.

Police arrested him during a buy-bust operation conducted in the said barangay, wherein they confiscated 20 grams of ‘shabu’ worth P136,000. Aside from that, police also confiscated one hand grenade from the suspect.

Concepcion’s live-in-partner, a certain Charisse Ylaya, 34, and a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Badian, was also arrested together with a 21-year-old Raphael Legarde, the alleged “boy” of the two. Ylaya was previously jailed for the same offense in 2020.

Police Staff Sergeant Dennis Sun, police investigator, said that the buy-bust operation was made just a few meters away from Badian Police Station. He said that Concepcion tried to escape but he was successfully arrested by responding policemen.

An active duty PNP officer has been arrested for dealing drugs.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/460062/barangay-captain-accused-of-molesting-15-year-old-girl-freed-after-posting-bail

A barangay captain in Mandaue City was charged with acts of lasciviousness after allegedly abusing a 15-year-old girl.

Police Captain Armil Coloscos, head of the Casuntingan Police Station of the Mandaue City Police Office, said the warrant of arrest against barangay captain Eduardo Gumera Sr. was issued and served last Thursday, August 18.

Coloscos said the village chief surrendered to their office on Thursday.

"Actually, even though we were disappointed (after lunch) on August 18, he came to say he was going to surrender because the warrant was issued, we don't know about the person who checked the e-warrant, there is nothing, we looked at the court and it was positive, it was served. We checked on Thursday because it was uploaded to the e-warrant, he was just here and he didn't come back," said Coloscos.

Coloscos said the barangay captain was released on Friday, August 19, after posting bail. He said they cannot file a rape charge because there was no sexual intercourse between the suspect and the victim.

Based on the investigation of the National Bureau of Investigation Cebu District Office, the incident happened last April.

The suspect allegedly helped the minor attend a political rally.

Lawyer Niño Rodriguez, NBI-CEBDO senior agent, said the girl’s mother first refused her daughter’s request to attend the rally because she is still a minor and cannot vote yet. But she later gave her permission because she was persistent and was accompanied by people they know in the barangay.

Rodriguez said that based on the minor’s affidavit, before the rally, she was given money and was contacted by the barangay captain to buy a helmet. She was asked to meet him in Parkmall then was called and brought to Lapu-Lapu City.

"When she saw Kap's motorcycle at the store, she just got off, he said she looked at him while riding and just bent down, all along the girl believed that they were going to the rally, she said the girl was just surprised because she entered his room, as we have assessed that she does not know what this place is," said Rodriguez. When they were inside the room, she was forcibly undressed and molested.

Allegedly, the suspect offered her P3,000 and promised to fund her schooling and would give anything she wants on the condition that she tell anyone about the incident.

The victim first went to her older sister’s house because she was scared and terrified to tell her mother. Her older sister then helped her and told their mother about what happened.

Her mother then sought the help of the police and then went to the NBI.

A barangay captain has been accused of molesting a 15-year old girl. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/842591/six-boc-personnel-relieved-from-posts-over-alleged-sugar-smuggling/story/

Six personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have been relieved from their posts over alleged smuggling of sugar at the Port of Subic.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the personnel were transferred to the Office of the Commissioner pending a probe into the incident.

(Some Customs officials were transferred pending investigation of their participation in an alleged smuggling in at Port of Subic.)

(Temporarily, they were assigned at the Office of the Commissioner.)

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said there was an attempt to smuggle some 140,000 bags of sugar from Thailand last week at the said port.

Based on an initial probe, a recycled permit was supposedly used for the importation.

Earlier, Cruz-Angeles warned that heads would roll in the BOC if proven that its port personnel are "in connivance with smugglers using recycled sugar import permits."

Six BOC personnel have been relieved for sugar smuggling using a recycled permit. 

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2022/08/24/225921/lawmaker-edits-congratulatory-post-to-swimming-team-after-earning-flak/

A lawmaker edited his congratulatory post for a swimming team in Misamis Oriental after it initially drew flak for prominently featuring his photo instead of the winners.

Rep. Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano (Misamis Oriental, 2nd District) on Monday cheered the swimming team of the Naawan municipality in the province for winning the FINIS Swimfest National Finals held at New Clark Aquatic Center in Tarlac.

“Cong. Bambi Emano provided the team Financial Support for the said sports event. Kudos to Mayor Dennis Roa and the whole Team!” his Facebook post reads, mentioning the Naawan local chief executive.

In the edited version, Emano’s congratulatory post includes other pictures of the team and a clearer version of the latter’s group photo.

Emano previously accompanied his post with a single photo of the team.

However, their photo was edited to make his face appear more prominent upon first look.

While the picture is no longer available on his Facebook post, it can be seen in the comments section where some Filipinos posted it with captions such as “never forget.”


A Congressman who congratulated a winning swim team was forced to change his photo which prominently featured him instead of the team!

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/24/22/brgy-chairman-babae-patay-sa-pamamaril-sa-leyte

The police investigation continues after the killing of a barangay chief in the town of Javier, Leyte this Monday morning.

According to information from the PNP Eastern Visayas, the victim, Joel Riños, was returning home from a neighboring town when an unknown gunman was waiting for him.

The captain of Brgy was shot dead. It was arranged.

The assailant allegedly waited for the victim in Barangay Caranhug, Javier.

The captain has no known enemies who could have a motive for the killing, according to the family of the deceased.

It is said that the authorities are now in possession of a CCTV footage where the assailant and one of his associates who acted as the driver of the motorcycle used in the crime were seen.

A barangay captain was shot dead by an unknown man for unknown reasons. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182060

A city hall employee here was arrested for reportedly issuing fake vaccination cards to 13 individuals.

The fake vaccination cards contained the falsified signatures and license numbers of the city’s Covid-19 vaccinators.

“This is an insult to the dedication and hard work of our vaccinators in prioritizing the safety of our kababayans (town mates). Ikinalulungkot ko po na nangyari ito (I am saddened that this happened),” Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

Lazatin also issued a stern warning to other employees and asked them to follow the set guidelines of the government.

In a complaint filed by an authorized staff-encoder at the Angeles City Government’s Covid-19 Database center, the suspect was identified as Janine Lising, 21, assigned at the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and a resident of Barangay Malabanias here.

The complaint was filed before Station 3 of the Angeles City Police Office, where the suspect is now in custody.

In the custodial investigation report signed by investigator Cpl. Aaron Joe Lingat, it said Lising was arrested and is now temporarily detained at the station for the crime of falsification of public documents.

An Angeles City City Hall employee has been arrested for issuing fake vaccination cards.  

Thursday, August 25, 2022

Coronavirus Lockdown: Vaccinated with US Help, Further Decline in Cases, and More!

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

Face to face classes are set to resume nationwide. The PNP is ready for the challenge.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1648175/23000-cops-to-be-deployed-nationwide-for-school-opening

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will deploy around 23,000 personnel nationwide for the resumption of in-person or face-to-face classes in schools nationwide starting next week.

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said it would send police personnel near schools and assistance desks.

(We’ll be deploying more or less 23,000 plus PNP personnel nationwide, particularly on the premises of schools and established police assistance desks.)

(Students and parents with security concerns can quickly seek the help of our police force.)

Fajardo said that as early as July, they have coordinated with school administrators and government agencies.

Aside from schools, Fajardo said crowd build-up is also expected in transport hubs and terminals as some schools implement a complete face-to-face set-up.

(To ensure that we maintain and observe minimum public health protocols, we will deploy personnel who will serve as PNP COVID-19 patrollers who will coordinate with the management of establishments and schools to ensure compliance with minimum public health standards and protocols.)

Armed cops are just who students need to be greeted by after being out of school for two years. And all to make sure everyone is wearing their masks properly. The DOH already recommended each school have a safety officer to make sure everyone follows health protocols.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/13/doh-says-schools-should-have-safety-officers/

Ahead of the resumption of in-person classes this month, the Department of Health (DOH) reminded schools of the importance of deploying safety officers to ensure compliance with health and safety protocols against Covid-19. 

“(The most important thing which we will continue to remind) and we will be highlighting this to the Department of Education, safety officer should be there,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing on Friday, Aug. 12.

Vergeire said that a safety officer “doesn’t have to be a doctor” but they should be trained in monitoring the proper implementation of minimum public health standards within the school premises.

The DOH official also admitted that maintaining physical distance in classrooms is “impossible” but other protocols should be followed such as wearing of face masks and ensuring proper ventilation. 

‘“(With regards to physical distancing inside the rooms, the DepEd and DOH have discussed this for a long time, and it is really impossible to implement this, that is why) if we cannot implement physical distancing, the other measures should be in place,” she said. 

Vergeire also urged eligible students as well as teachers and non-teaching personnel to get vaccinated against Covid-19. 

“(All teachers and non-teaching personnel who will interact with the children should be vaccinated, and of course, to encourage parents to let their children get vaccinated as well as teachers who are still unvaccinated),” she said.

“We are putting vaccination sites in our schools through the help of our local governments para maipatupad natin ng maayos ito (so that we can implement this properly),” she added.

With safety officers ensuring health protocols are followed there is no need for cops to be on campus. 

More monkeypox cases have been detected in the Philippines.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/842106/philippines-detects-2-more-monkeypox-cases-total-now-3/story/

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday confirmed two more cases of monkeypox in the Philippines, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to three.

At a press briefing, DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the two new cases are aged 34 and 29 years and both had recent travel history to countries with confirmed monkeypox cases.

Vergeire declined to give the details about the patients, including their gender.

According to the DOH official, the 34-year-old patient’s positive PCR result was released on August 18, while the 29-year-old patient's result was released on August 19.

The 34-year-old patient is under home isolation while contact tracing is ongoing, according to Vergeire. On the other hand, the 29-year-old patient case is currently in a healthcare facility.

At least 17 close contacts are being verified as contact tracing is ongoing.

A fourth case has people worried since that person did not leave the country. The DOH says they are ready to fight monkeypox.  The DOH is also reporting a rise in COVID-19 related deaths.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1649767/ph-reports-higher-covid-19-deaths-per-average-mostly-unvaxxed

In recent months, COVID-19 has killed more people every day in the country, most of whom were unvaccinated, said Maria Rosario Vergeire, the Department of Health’s officer-in-charge on Friday.

“There’s this increase in the number of deaths over these past months,” Vergeire said in a press briefing.

Vergeire said that the country is just averaging one death per day in June, but the daily average of deaths in July and mid-August has increased.

The average number of daily deaths in July was eight, which increased to nine in mid-August.

Unvaccinated people also accounted for the majority of deaths in July and August.

“Upon analyzing our data, noong tinignan natin (what we have observed) from July 1 to August 14… we found that 63 percent of these deaths were those who were not vaccinated,” Vergeire pointed out.

As of Thursday, the country has reported 61,221 deaths or 1.61 percent of the total caseload, which stands at 3,802,103, according to the DOH COVID-19 tracker.

There were also 36,115 active cases, while 3,747,372 survived the coronavirus.

Without knowing other relevant information such as the age and whether or not the decedent had comorbidites these numbers are worthless.  Just from reading the headline we know that vaccinated people have also been dying from COVID-19. 37% of those deaths had been vaccinated. In Davao only 2 out of 6 deaths were unvaccinated.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181630

The city government reiterated its call Thursday for residents to take their two-dose vaccination series and booster shots following six coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) related deaths recorded from August 7-13.

Of the six deaths, two were unvaccinated, three administered with the first dose, and one completed the two-dose series without any booster jab.

Four of the recent Covid-19 casualties were senior citizens while one is from the 10 to 19 years old bracket and another belonged to the 20 to 29 population group.

How is that going to inspire confidence in the vaccine?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181630

Local government units in Eastern Visayas will provide incentives to encourage more residents to get Covid-19 vaccines as part of the nationwide PinasLakas campaign.

During the regional launch on Thursday, Biliran Governor Gerard Espina said after attaining 94 percent in the vaccination of first and second doses for senior citizens, they would shift to persuading the general population to get booster shots.

“Just like in the past, we are thinking of doing raffle draws or offer free rides to those who will get booster shots. We will do what we did in the past to make vaccination appealing to the public. We also have to increase public awareness on the importance of booster doses,” Espina told reporters.

The province registered only 15 percent coverage for booster doses. Of the 63,701 target population for booster shots, only 19,504 have been vaccinated.

For the administration of the primary series, Biliran has been recognized by the Department of Health as the top performer among six provinces and two independent cities in the Eastern Visayas region.

In Calbayog City, Samar where only 64 percent of residents received the primary shots, Mayor Raymund Uy said they would compel village officials to locate and convince the unvaccinated.

For the booster dose, of the 137,901 target population, only 6,991 received the first booster shot and 521 got the second booster shot.

“The target for PinasLakas campaign is 90 percent. That would be very hard for us to meet that. Our more realistic target is to attain 70 percent,” Uy said.

“We will not extend assistance to villages and their officials will not be allowed to travel outside the region to attend official events if their community will not achieve the minimum 70 percent coverage target,” he added.

Now they are back to giving away sacks of rice or even money to those who get vaccinated. But who is really dying from COVID? The DOH refuses to divulge those statistics but one expert has come through with this much needed information. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/842279/recent-covid-19-deaths-mostly-those-with-comorbidities-from-vulnerable-sectors-expert/story/

Most of the recent COVID-19 deaths mostly involved patients with comorbidities or were from the vulnerable sectors, an infectious disease expert said Sunday.

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Dr. Rontgene Solante said that individuals with comorbidities and senior citizens were vulnerable to COVID-19, despite the current Omicron variant presenting only mild symptoms.

"We will not be complacent with vulnerable populations even if we say our messaging is mild, there is no problem, we cannot say that to vulnerable populations," he said.

"In fact, these people usually die because of the complications of their comorbidities," he added.

Solante added that heart complications are the usual cause of death.

"The presentation still has pneumonia. We were wondering, it was like a Delta-like presentation with high oxygen requirements and then eventually, it became difficult, the heart was affected. Heart complications are what we usually see [why] they die," he added.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that based on their July 1 to August 14 data, at least 63% of these fatalities were those who were unvaccinated.

This is a good start and hopefully the DOH will follow suit and reveal the truth about these statistics. Vaccination is n preventative against either infection or death especially if one is already sick.

It turns out that the US has been helping the Philippines with its vaccination program. 

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/206175/26000-filipinos-in-luzon-visayas-vaccinated-with-us-help

In the past seven months, the United States government has helped the Philippines vaccinate over 26,000 Filipino adults and children across Luzon and the Visayas, the US embassy in the Philippines said on Monday.

This was the accomplishment of the seven-month partnership of the US Peace Corps and the Department of Health and the United States Agency for International Development‘s (USAID) “ReachHealth” project, which was recently concluded in time for the resumption of face-to-face classes in the Philippines, the embassy said in a statement.

“The US Peace Corps is proud to have worked alongside local health officials and USAID over the past several months to protect the Filipino people from COVID-19 and prepare for safe face-to-face classes this academic year,” Peace Corps Philippines Country Director Jenner Edelman said, as quoted by the US embassy.

The US embassy said that in the absence of American volunteers due to the pandemic, it was the US Peace Corps medical team that administered vaccines, pre-screened patients, and provided post-vaccination health education in various clinics and jab sites in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Cebu.

The medical team also volunteered in house-to-house vaccination activities in several barangays with non-medical staff who assisted in encoding the data, the embassy said.

In addition to their primary service agreements, American volunteers from the US Peace Corps will return to the Philippines in January 2023 to support COVID-19-related activities in their host communities, the US embassy said.

Why are we only hearing about this now? Members of the US Peace Corps when house-to-house to inject people and they are set to return in January. 

Last week Marcos extended the state of emergency until the end of the year. The DOH says if that had not been done then the vaccination law would have needed to be revised.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181487

The Department of Health (DOH) is recommending the amendment of Republic Act (RA) 11525 or the act expediting the vaccine procurement and administration process, providing funds thereof, and for other purposes.

The DOH said this is in case the state of calamity declaration due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is not extended.

Former President Rodrigo Duterte extended the state of calamity throughout the country for one year from Sept. 13, 2021 to Sept. 12, 2022 under Proclamation 1218.

“We are recommending the RA 11525 which is the national vaccination law for Covid-19 be amended para maipasok natin sa batas na ito na gagawin, o the amended law, itong mga considerations natin (so we can include in the amended law our considerations),” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a media briefing Tuesday.

Apart from the national vaccination drive, Vergeire noted there are other protocols which are linked with the declaration of state of calamity due to Covid-19.

These are emergency use authority (EUA) for Covid-19 jabs, emergency procurement of vaccines, tax exemptions for vaccine manufacturers and donors, price caps on medicines used for Covid-19 treatment, and additional benefits of healthcare workers.

See, how this all about control? With an extension of the state of emergency the law does not need to be followed. 

Here is where the insurgency and the vaccination program intersect. Northern Samar says they need vaccines airlifted to conflict-affected areas.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181967

The Northern Samar provincial government has asked national government agencies to help in the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines to conflict-affected remote communities to speed up its vaccination program.

Northern Samar provincial health Officer Ninfa Caparroso-Kam said on Tuesday they have asked the members of the regional inter-agency task force on emerging infectious diseases and the regional task force against Covid-19 for assistance.

These rebel-infested villages are in the towns of Silvino Lobos, Las Navas, Catubig, Lapinig, and Mapanas.

Kam said providing them air support (air transport) to efficiently deliver vaccines to remote villages is a great help to achieve vaccination of more residents.

“There are several remote villages and sometimes our health workers were caught in crossfire while hiking. This is a big setback in reaching the target and this is not fair,” Kam said.

Data from the Department of Health regional office shows that Northern Samar province is one of the less performing local government units in terms of Covid-19 inoculation.

Are these far flung isolated areas really at risk for COVID-19? What are the real stats on that claim? How  many isolated villages have been infected and seen deaths? Isn't isolation the key to preventing infection?

Not only are more areas deescalating to alert level 1 but infections are down across the nation. However, as always, the public is urged to "be cautious."

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/23/octa-notes-further-decline-in-phs-covid-19-cases/

With a growth rate of -14 percent and less than one reproduction number, independent OCTA Research group confirmed that the country’s Covid-19 cases are declining.

Days ahead of the expiration of the State of Calamity in the entire country due to Covid-19, the number of Covid-19 infections in the Philippines continues to decline. As of Tuesday, Aug. 23, OCTA fellow Dr. Guido David disclosed that the country’s growth rate was at -14 percent with a reproduction number of .97. 

“(The level of cases is still significant so we still need to be cautious but most areas in the Philippines, such as the NCR, are seeing a decline in cases),” said David in a “Laging Handa” public briefing on Tuesday, Aug. 23.

The level of cases is still significant so we need to be cautious but they are declining in most areas. How more of a mixed message can the OCTA send? 

Wednesday, August 24, 2022

President Bongbong Marcos Ignores Ninoy Aquino Day

Senator Ninoy Aquino was Ferdiand Marcos Sr.'s main political rival. The rivalry was so heated that when Marcos declared martial law he had him arrested and held on "trumped up charges of murder and subversion." Eight years later in 1980 he had a heart attack while in prison and was eventually allowed to fly to the USA for emergency surgery.

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

Upon his return to the Philippines on August, 21, 1983 Ninoy Aquino was promptly assassinated by still unknown gunmen. The obvious culprit is Marcos, his involvement has never been proven,  but there are others who say it was the Liberal party who carried out the murder in a bid to make Marcos look bad. 


https://twitter.com/iamwhatiam300/status/1514040121200607233

https://twitter.com/r_dranreb007/status/1561157407845548032

It is an absolute lie that there has never been an investigation into the assassination. 

Although many, including the Aquino family, maintain that Marcos ordered Aquino's assassination, this was never definitively proven. An official government investigation ordered by Marcos shortly after the assassination led to murder charges against 25 military personnel and one civilian, all of whom were acquitted by the Sandiganbayan (special court). After Marcos was ousted, another government investigation under President Corazon Aquino's administration led to a retrial of 16 military personnel, all of whom were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision and rejected later motions by the convicted soldiers for a retrial. One of the convicts was subsequently pardoned, three have died in prison, and the remainder had their sentences commuted at various times; the last convicts were released from prison in 2009.

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

It's no surprise that this Tweeter has no idea what he is talking about. 16 soldiers were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The obvious question is "Whose orders were they following?" They claimed it was Cory's cousin and Marcos crony Danding Cojuango. That allegation has never been proven but if true it ties directly back to Marcos since Danding was one of the "Rolex 12."

It was not until 2004 that a day commemorating Aquino's death was signed into law. 

The holiday was created by Republic Act 9256, which was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 25, 2004, twenty-one years after his death and eighteen years after the People Power Revolution, and was sponsored by Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Jose de Venecia. It requires an EDSA People Power Commission (EPPC) to hold activities in observance the day and shall be funded from the Budget of the Office of the President and from private donations.

The holiday was included in President Arroyo's program of "holiday economics", adjusting the observance of the holiday to the nearest Monday in order to boost the tourism industry with long weekends. In 2010, it was moved back to its original date by Aquino's only son, President Benigno Aquino III.

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

Every year this holiday is observed by the public and the government in rites of one kind or another and the President offers a commemorative comment for the occasion. In 2020 Duterte motivated the nation to emulate the courage and patriotism of Aquino.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1112987
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday expressed hope that the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.’s life would inspire Filipinos to live with “courage and patriotism.”
 
Duterte made the statement as he joined the nation in commemorating Aquino's 37th death anniversary.

In his message, Duterte honored Aquino’s life, work and impact on governance that “have uplifted the lives of many, especially the oppressed and marginalized.

Duterte said Filipinos can also be their own heroes by emulating Aquino’s “acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” especially now that the country is grappling with the crisis driven by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

“As this important occasion is remembered during this time that we are facing a global public health crisis, may we emulate Ninoy's courage and patriotism so we may all be heroes through acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” he said.

According to Duterte Ninoy Aquino was courageous, a patriot, disciplined, full of goodwill and social responsibility, and his life's work has "uplifted the lives of many, especially the oppressed and marginalized." That is a far cry from all the historically illiterate morons who go around on social media screaming HASHTAG NINOY NOT A HERO!

This year the PNP joined in the fray but they went even further by red-tagging him.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/21/not-a-hero-2-pnp-maritime-units-red-tag-ninoy-aquino-on-death-anniversary/

On Sunday, August 21, the country commemorated the 39th death anniversary of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., also known as the Ninoy Aquino Day, but two maritime units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) chose to besmirch the reputation of the late democracy icon’s name on social media.

In a now deleted post, a Twitter account which says it represents the Quezon Maritime Police Station of the PNP’s Maritime Group (MG) posted a photo of combatants holding guns with red paint on their faces, imitating the looks of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The PNP leadership was quick to issue a statement, saying an investigation was launched to determine possible violations of the Quezon Maritime Police Station and Batangas Maritime Police Station.

“The PNP does not engage in name-calling that can malign any person’s reputation. We value respect for human dignity,” said Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, chief of PNP public information office (PIO).

“The posts had been taken down and are now being investigated to determine those responsible for these,” he stated.

“If anyone in the organization is found accountable, appropriate disciplinary actions will be imposed,” he concluded.

The PNP has imposed a social media policy among its personnel to serve as guidelines for their appropriate behavior and conduct online. However, various police units continue to violate them in recent years, using social media to link groups and personalities to communist groups.

The PNP is ridiculous. No one will be "held accountable" for these posts. They do this kind of thing all the time. Just imagine calling Aquino not a hero and a communist enemy of the state while Duterte said quite the opposite. Is Duterte now an anomy of the state? He is he a communist supporter? In the twisted logic of Lorraine Badoy, the NTF-ELCAC, and the PNP the answer is yes. 

But what about Marcos? This is his first Ninoy Aquino Day as President of the Philippines. What did he have to say about Aquino?

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/08/21/2204130/government-agencies-mum-ninoy-aquino-day-official-holiday
Most official government social media accounts were silent Sunday morning amid muted commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day, marking the opposition figure's assasination at the Manila International Airport in 1983.

There was no commemorative statement from the Palace as of Sunday noon. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, which had marked August 21 with social media posts in 2020 and in 2021, was, on Sunday morning, promoting a webinar on the Spanish-era Filipino Propaganda Movement. The NHCP eventually reposted a tribute to Aquino by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts early Sunday afternoon.

The Philippine Information Agency, the government's official public information arm, was meanwhile tweeting about the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism — a United Nations day of remembrance established in 2017 that the agency only began tweeting about on Sunday.

The Senate, which posted a tweet last year remembering its former member as a "symbol of the Filipino’s fight for freedom and democracy" also had nothing to say about him on Sunday.

He had absolutely nothing to say. And why should he have anything to say about his father's sworn enemy? Why should Marcos exhort the nation to emulate a man his father tortured and whose death ultimately led to his family's exile to Hawaii? Has the feud between the Marcos and Aquino families even been resolved?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/651878/bongbong-calls-for-end-of-feud-between-aquino-and-marcos-families

It is high time to put an end to the decades-old   feud between the Aquino and Marcos families, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.

Marcos issued the statement when asked over radio DWIZ about the possibility of the two families reconciling.

(That’s something that would be good for the country. We all know that this feud continues up to now. This prevents us from uniting the country. We have to get past it…put it behind us. There are so many things we need to do.)

(I mean, for the Marcos family, this political feud is already over. It’s not personal. It was only my father and Ninoy Aquino who fought in the ‘60s and ‘70s so we should get past it already and stop making an issue out of it. We won’t gain anything from continuing to revive the Aquino-Marcos feud for no reason. We’ll get nothing out of that.)

It would seem that if this feud really is over then Bongbong would have issued some kind of statement regarding Ninoy Aquino Day. 

Perhaps there is a less political reason as to why Marcos declined to issue a statement.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/22/marcos-family-friends-surprise-first-lady-liza-on-her-63rd-birthday/

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (LAM) got probably one of the biggest surprises of her life after her husband and sons, along with their family and friends, threw her a surprise birthday party as she turned 63 on August 21, Sunday.

In a video uploaded to President Marcos’ YouTube and Facebook pages, the First Lady was visibly shocked when the dark room she had just entered suddenly lit up, and cheers of “Happy Birthday!” greeted her.

Meanwhile, the day did not end without President Marcos coming to the stage and giving a short message for his wife’s special day.

“My beloved wife, perhaps words have already been said as to how valuable she is as a person and how remarkable a person she really is,” he started.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to believe that she did me the favor of marrying me,” he said.

The President proceeded to sing Andrew Gold’s “Never Let Her Slip Away.”

The First Lady’s birthday coincided with a holiday, Ninoy Aquino Day, commemorating the assassination of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Aquino was a staunch critic of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. Unlike previous administrations, Malacañang did not release a message for this year’s commemoration.

Maybe Bongbong simply forgot about Ninoy Aquino Day because he was too busy planning for and celebrating his wife's birthday. Of course that would mean he neglected his duty as President which is to recognize and regulate official holidays. It may not be an official duty as mandated by law to a issue a commemorative statement on each holiday but that certainly is the custom. 

Despite the silence this year the Palace has issued guidelines for next years Ninoy Aquino Day.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181996

August 21 of every year must also be declared as national non-working holiday to commemorate the death anniversary of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr., according to the proclamation.

That is nothing more than a description of the holiday. But who knows? Perhaps next year Marcos and/or Duterte will release a commemorative statement marking Ninoy Aquino Day.