Insurgency: Total Defeat of NPA in Southern Mindanao

Four major events have happened this week in the AFP's fight against the insurgency. Let's take a look at them in order. First was the arrest of an NPA leader in Malaysia which led the NTF-ELCAC to declare the insurgency is now totally defeated in Southern Mindanao. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/17/ntf-elcac-exec-declares-total-defeat-of-npa-in-s-mindanao-after-arrest-of-casilao

According to authorities, Casilao was intercepted by immigration personnel at the Langkawi immigration check in counter in Malaysia on April 1 while he was on his way to Thailand via a ferry boat. He was eventually deported to the Philippines on April 17.

A ranking official of the government’s primary anti-communist task force declared Monday, April 17, that the New People’s Army (NPA) in Southern Mindanao has been “totally defeated” following the arrest of alleged communist leader Eric Casilao.

According to authorities, Casilao was intercepted by immigration personnel at the Langkawi immigration check-in counter in Malaysia on April 1 while he was on his way to Thailand via a ferry boat. He was eventually deported to the Philippines on Monday.

Casilao is the alleged Secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SRMC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) – NPA, and an “active member” of the Central Committee of CPP, said Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

“We can now declare that the SMRC, particularly its armed component, is now totally defeated,” Torres said.

So, the arrest of one man who had fled abroad means the NPA is now totally defeated in Southern Mindanao? Are they sure there are no more rebels hiding out in the jungle waiting to strike? As always time will tell. 

The second big happening is the end of the insurgency in the Eastern Visayas according to the NTF-ELCAC.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/20/communist-insurgency-ends-in-e-visayas-local-task-force-lauded

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Regional Peace and Order Council-Eastern Visayas (RPOC-EV) commended the Joint Regional Task Force (JRTF) ELCAC-VIII for ending communist insurgency problems in Eastern Visayas.

In a consultative meeting, DILG Region VIII Director Arnel M. Agabe, the vice-chairman for civilian government of the JRTF-ELCAC VIII, presented the updates on the agency’s implementation of peace-related programs.

However the AFP says the insurgency has not ended but has only weakened. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1758549/top-military-exec-claims-insurgency-weakening-in-eastern-visayas

A top military officer in Eastern Visayas on Wednesday, April 19, announced that the region’s insurgency problem has weakened.

Of the about 400 rebel-infested barangays in the region, the number has gone down to 20, according to Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo, the commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division.

Ligayo attended the 35th founding anniversary of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, headed by Gen. Noel Vestuir, based in Ormoc on Wednesday.

He also announced that there are about 200 active armed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the region, who are mostly operating on Samar Island, particularly in Northern Samar province, considered the last bastion of insurgency in the region.

Ligayo said the 20 villages where members of the New People’s Army dwell are located in Leyte and Samar provinces.

He, however, could not say where exactly these 20 villages are located.

“These villages have been cleared already, but the communist group is trying to recover these barangays. That is why we are conducting our CSP (community support program) in these barangays,” Ligayo said.

So, there are 20 rebel infested villages and more or less 200 active armed NPA. That is not an end to the insurgency.  That is very active. Where is the NTF-ELCAC getting their information?

The AFP even says they are attempting to recover these 20 villages. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199733

The Philippine Army is stepping up efforts to foil the attempts of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) to recover 20 previously-influenced villages in Eastern Visayas, a top official said on Wednesday.

Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo, the Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander, said the 20 villages situated in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Leyte provinces are vulnerable to infiltration given the recent sightings of NPA combatants in those areas.

“The rebels are hiding in the mountains, far from communities, but we are making sure that these villages will not be influenced again. We have retooled community support program (RCSP) teams there to prevent possible infiltration,” Ligayo said during an interview here.

The RCSP is a strategy that deploys teams tasked to identify issues and concerns in remote communities threatened by the NPA. These issues will be raised to the concerned government agencies and local government units to be addressed accordingly.

From 2019 to 2022, the military managed to clear 368 villages in the region influenced by rebels. These communities used to have organized groups supporting the NPA’s armed struggle.

Only last year, about 3,505 members of organized NPA mass supporters in the influenced communities surrendered to authorities across the region.

“Their strength is now diminishing, and that trend is irreversible following the surrender of their leaders. The surrenderers have been helping us in our campaign to end insurgency in the region,” Ligayo said.

Only two NPA guerilla fronts in Samar Island remain in existence after the dismantling of one front and the weakening of another during the first quarter of this year.

Are these 20 villages rebel infested or previously-influenced? And how did 3,505 NPA supporters surrender when we have been told for over a year that there are only about 2,000 rebels left? Also there are two NPA fronts left which means it's not over in the Eastern Visayas. The NTF-ELCAC is wrong. 

The NPA is also chasing about 50 NPA in the mountains of Samar. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199636

The Philippine Army is hunting down the estimated 50 remaining combatants of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the mountains of Samar province, an official said on Tuesday.

Those engaged in armed struggle are remnants of the communist group after the dismantling of the last rebel guerilla front due to the deaths, capture, and surrender of their top leaders last year, Philippine Army 801st Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Lenart Lelina said in a phone interview.

“These NPA remnants are still fighting without organized supporters from local communities. Information from villagers about the sightings of armed men indicates that they are not welcome anymore,” he said.

The Philippine Army is eyeing to significantly neutralize the NPA remnants in Samar within the year.

Among the hinterland areas where the remaining rebels have been sighted are the towns of Pinabacdao, Calbiga, Basey, Marabut, San Jorge, and San Jose de Buan.

“We are hunting down the NPA remnants to stop their attempts to recover their previously influenced communities. It’s good that there is resistance from residents in remote areas,” Lelina added.

There are only 50 NPA remaining in Samar?  What about what was said earlier?

He also announced that there are about 200 active armed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the region, who are mostly operating on Samar Island, particularly in Northern Samar province, considered the last bastion of insurgency in the region.

We went from almost 200 to 50 in just a few articles. Unbelievable. 

The third big event to happen this week is the NPA in the Central and  Western Visayas becoming leaderless.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199949

The Visayas Command (Viscom) on Sunday said the New People’s Army (NPA) in Central and Western Visayas is now left without a head following the death of their top leader, Rogelio Posadas.

Posadas died in an armed encounter with troops of the 94th and the 62nd Infantry Battalions (IB) in the boundaries of Isabela and Binalbagan in Negros Occidental on Thursday.

In a statement, Viscom said the death of Posadas left the NPA, the Communist Party of the Philippines’ armed wing, and the National Democratic Front (NDF) operating in Negros Island, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor “leaderless” and will no longer have “clear operational direction on the ground.”

Posadas’ death will further contribute to the leadership vacuum that the organization has been suffering, the Viscom added.

“Justice is served to Mr. Posadas! The CPP-NPA-NDF can never run away from the atrocities that they have committed against our country and people. Sooner or later the long arm of the law will be able to catch up with them,” Viscom said.

Why is Bohol mentioned in this list when the AFP declared the NPA to be dismantled in Bohol back in October, 2022? Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor were all declared insurgency free back in 2017 but now the AFP admits the NPA is still active in those areas. It remains to be seen what the effects Posadas' death will have on the remaining insurgents.

Now for the fourth big thing to happen this week in the AFP's fight against the NPA and that is the CPP's affirmation that the Tiamzons were indeed killed last year during a firefight with the AFP. If you recall they were in a boat when the AFP approached and guns started blazing and then their boat exploded. The AFP was sure they were dead but it is only now they have gotten confirmation of their deaths. Heaven knows why they are trusting the CPP in this matter but don't trust them in any other matter. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1759094/communists-now-headless-and-without-clear-leaders-nsa

Following the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP) confirmation and condemnation of the deaths of Benito Tiamzon and Wilma Austria-Tiamzon, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo M. Año said that the “Communist Terrorist Group” (CTG) is now lost without its pivotal leaders.

This follows the CPP’s allegation that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) tortured and killed the Tiamzon couple and eight other members.

“With the death of CPP founder Jose Maria Sison and now the Tiamzon couple, the Communist Terrorist Group is now headless with no clear national leadership. They have lost both their guiding light in the person of Joma and their commander in the Tiamzons and are now groping in the dark with no direction nor future in sight,” said Año in a statement.

Año claimed that the government has long suspected the two communist leaders to be dead, but denied the CPP’s version of Tiamzons’ deaths.

“They are now trapped in their own web of lies, which deserves scant comment. Needless to say, there is no truth whatsoever in this clearly fabricated story and we stand by the official reports from the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said the NSA chief.

Previous reports said that the Tiamzons were believed killed in a military encounter in Samar in 2022.

The CPP, however, asserted that Tiamzon and the other rebels were abducted by the military whilst unarmed.

Nonetheless, Año welcomed the CPP’s confirmation of the couple’s death.

“The death of the Tiamzons is just the latest in the string of defeats that show the clear decimation of Communist terrorism in our country which includes the recent arrest of notorious terrorist Eric Jun Casilao in Langkawi, Malaysia in a successful joint law enforcement operation with the Malaysian authorities,” said Año.

The CPP claims they were kidnapped and tortured by the AFP who denies it but you know what? Who cares!? They are dead and good for them. However, if Duterte had not released this couple from prison they would not have been back out stirring up trouble. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/807871/release-of-tiamzon-couple-shows-duterte-sincerity-opapp

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (Opapp) on Friday said the release of National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultants Benito and Wilma Tiamzon was a sign of President Rodrigo Duterte’s sincerity in his bid to solve the decades-old communist insurgency.

Opapp said the couple were the last among detained ranking members of the NDF who were temporarily released to join the peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Oslo, Norway next week.

“With their release, in addition to more than a dozen of NDF consultants earlier granted bail and already freed, one more stumbling block is removed.  We are looking forward to a fruitful but intense negotiations in Oslo,” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said in a statement.

Before he won the elections, Duterte promised to make peace with the Left, which he has close ties with. However, recent events have caused both parties to question each other’s good will. It was eventually resolved when the government pushed through with its promise to release political prisoners.

The release of these people did not showcase Duterte's good will but rather his incompetence. Duterte was a destructive force the Philippines will be reeling from for years to come. 

10-Wheel Truck Runs Over Three Year Old Girl

Here is another article about the results of the bad driving habits in the Philippines. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/19/three-year-old-girl-dies-parents-injured-in-bacolod-accident

A three-year-old girl was killed while her parents were injured after their motorcycle was hit by a 10-wheel truck on the circumferential road in Barangay Villamonte here on Tuesday, April 18.

Injured were Jude Jett Areglo, 40, of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, and Sheila Mae Niem, 23, according to the police.

Based on initial investigation, a truck driven by Jemmy Panes of Victorias City was tailing the motorcycle driven by Areglo.

The motorcycle was able to cross the road before the red light, but Panes allegedly beat the red light, leading him to hit the motorcycle.

Areglo lost control over the motorcycle and they all fell to the ground.

The truck then ran over the child that resulted in her immediate death.

Police are preparing the filing of charges against the truck driver, who is detained at Police Station 4.

Having observed how traffic operates in the Philippines two things can be assumed here, one of them for sure based on the article. First of all it is doubtful anyone on the motorcycle was wearing a helmet. I have seen so many families piled dangerously onto motorcycles with no one wearing a helmet. It is dangerous and simply not worth the risk. The motorcycle is not a family vehicle.

Yes it is illegal in the Philippines to ride with children on your motorcycle if their feet cannot reach the pedals. 

Section 4. Prohibition. – It shall be unlawful for any person to drive a two (2)-wheeled motorcycle with a child on board on public roads where there is heavy volume of vehicles, there is a high density of fast moving vehicles or where a speed limit of more than 60/kph is imposed, unless:

(a) The child passenger can comfortably reach his/her feet on the standard foot peg of the motorcycle;

(b) The child’s arms can reach around and grasp the waist of the motorcycle rider; and

(c) The child is wearing a standard protective helmet referred to under Republic Act No. 10054, otherwise known the "Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009."

https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2015/ra_10666_2015.html

Can a three year old's feet reach the foot pegs os a motorcycle or grasp around the waist of the driver?  NO!!  She should not have been on the motorcycle and her parents are not free from blame for her death. But will they be prosecuted? Doubt it!

Second of all the article tells us that the truck "beat the red light" which led to him hitting the motorcycle. That means he sped up at the yellow instead of hitting his brakes. I have seen that happen so many times it is ridiculous. Trucks will keep plowing through the light AFTER it has turned red. It's a wonder that these accidents don't happen every day. 

But they do happen. And it's high past time police patrol the roads and enforce the traffic laws. From R.A. 6975 which set up the PNP and lays out their duties we read:

Sec. 35 (B) (8) Traffic Management Unit. – Headed by a Director with the rank of chief superintendent, the Traffic Management Unit shall enforce traffic laws and regulations.

https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra1990/ra_6975_1990.html

So, why aren't the cops patrolling the roads and enforcing the laws?

The God Culture: 100 Lies About The Philippines: #5 Ancient Greeks in the Philippines

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim that there was an Ancient Greek presence in the Philippines. Again, it's another claim that is obviously a lie but seeing as Tim makes this claim in all seriousness and he has gullible people believing him without doing what he claims which is test all things including himself it needs to be debunked.

There are two places were Tim makes the claim that there was an Ancient Greek presence in the Philippines. The first one is in video Clue #2.

https://youtu.be/kWjFtcV_6Nc

This video has been edited but in the original beginning at 5:27 Timothy Schwab says:

"When we visited Butuan, Philippines in May we were actually able to see this Greek armor which was found in 2018 in the Philippines. The thing is these are indisputably Greek from the symbols and the structure and they are dated all the way back to 800 B.C. up to about 480 B.C. "

Now that is indeed rather interesting don't you think? Ancient Greek armor was found in Mindanao and dated between 800 and 480 B.C.? That would be a huge archaeological discovery seeing as Alexander did not even reach India until 326 B.C.! It would mean Greek soldiers marched or sailed to the Philippines BEFORE the Peloponnesian War. What can one do in the face of such overwhelming evidence that the Greeks were in the Philippines possibly only 300 years after the Trojan War? Question it and tear it apart of course.

The fact is if you search for Greek armor in the Philippines on Google you will find nothing which validates this find. In fact Tim would later edit this video to indicate that this discovery was still pending confirmation. 

100 Clues #2: Philippines Is The Ancient Land of Gold: Gold Found - Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish. Edited.

How can Tim with a straight face tell us at 13:56 in this new edit:

"The thing is these are indisputably Greek from the symbols and structure and they are dated all the way back to 800 B.C. up to about 480 B.C."

In the unaltered audio he tells us that these artifacts are indisputably Greek while on screen he notes "Archaeology Confirmation Pending." It cannot be both. His source for this is Kasaysayan Hunters which is run by J.G. Cheock and we saw in lie #2 that she is also Tim's source for the false claim that Ferdinand Pinto placed the Leqouis Islands at 9N20. J.G Cheock and Kasaysayan Hunters are not reliable. 

Here is a picture of the alleged Greek armor set in full.

An image search for "Greek muscle cuirass" and "ancient Greek battle axe" gives results that look nothing like the armor above. There is armor with fake abs but not with lion heads and celestial wheels for nipples. Maybe such did exist but they are not coming up in any search online. And believe it or not those so-called Greek battle axes have more of a Tibetan design than Grecian.

It's obvious that Tim does not believe these artifacts are genuine ancient Greek armor because they have been rigorously and thoroughly tested by experts and found to be so. He offers no proof that they have undergone such testing. He believes because it confirms his thesis that the Philippines is the ancient land of Ophir. He ignores what is so obviously gives away the fraud which is the tokay gecko on the helmet! But this would not be the first fact that Tim ignores.

Funnily enough this alleged find of Greek Armor did not make it into Tim's book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure. Why is that? If he is so confident that this is really Greek armor he should have included it. 

The second instance of Tim mentioning an Ancient Greek presence in the Philippines is in his video about Greeks circumnavigating Africa to reach the Philippines. 

32:11 So, here we have history, yes history, that in 800 BC the ships of Tarshish, the Greek ships yes from the Greek colony over in the Philippines, were able to show up in Joppa Israel on the Mediterranean. How about that? There was no Suez Canal yet and the Red Sea port was out of commission. They circumnavigated Africa it was the only option and it's documented right here in 800 BC.

Did The Ancients Sail Around Africa? Bible Evidence. Solomon's Gold Series 16A

Where exactly were the Greek colonies in the Philippines? Tim offers no evidence because there were none. If there had been then we would find Greek artifacts in the Philippines just like Roman artifacts have been found in Vietnam. Ptolemy's map would also not have ended with the Malay Peninsula.

This lie about an ancient Greek presence in the Philippines is connected with Tim's claim that the 7,000 Philippines Islands are the two mythical islands of silver and gold, Argyre and Chryse. We will take a look at that lie next time. 

Retards in the Government 306

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

  

 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/866930/ex-bukidnon-solon-2-others-found-guilty-of-graft-malversation/story/

The Sandiganbayan on Friday found former Bukidnon lawmaker Candido Pancrudo Jr. and two others guilty of multiple counts of graft, malversation of public funds, and malversation of public funds via falsification of public documents.

The case involved the disbursement of P36.9 million worth of pork barrel funds for  training and livelihood seminars that turned out to be ghost projects.

Aside from Pancrudo, also found guilty by the court were former Technology and Resource Center (TRC) legislative liaison officer Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana and Farmerbusiness Development Corp. (FDC) representative Johanne Edward Labay.

Voting 3-2, the court's Special Second Division ruled that the three are guilty of eight counts of graft, four counts of malversation of public funds, and four counts of malversation of public funds via falsification of public documents.

The three were charged for the release of Pancrudo's P36.9 million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) — the official name of pork barrel — in 2007 to 2008 supposedly to finance training and livelihood seminars, as well as to purchase training kits for Pancrudo's constituents. Both, however, turned out to be ghost projects.

Based on the charges filed by state prosecutors, the P36.9 million PDAF were channeled through the state-run TRC and the National AgriBusiness Corporation (NABCOR) as implementing agencies, with Farmerbusiness Development Corporation (FDC) and Uswag Pilipinas Foundation Incorporated (UPFI) as non-government organization (NGO) partners.

Government prosecutors also alleged that such transactions lacked public bidding in the NGO-selection process, were not liquidated, and were subjected to unusual accommodation in the examination, processing and approval of PDAF releases.

The Sandiganbayan sentenced Pancrudo, Lacsamana and Labay to six to eight years in prison and perpetual disqualification from public office for each of the convictions on eight counts of graft charges. This jail time is on top of the P36.9 million civil liability that the court imposed on Pancrudo, Lacsamana and Labay, payable to the Bureau of Treasury.

A former Solon and several others have been convicted of graft involving PDAF releases. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1756785/2-cebu-city-cops-sacked-for-sleeping-on-the-job

Two police officers  were relieved from their posts after they were caught sleeping inside a patrol car along General Maxilom Avenue here on Thursday.

The two officers, who have ranks of staff sergeant and corporal, will be temporarily assigned to the Cebu City Holding Admin Unit, according to Col. Ireneo Dalogdog, director of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

Both are also facing a pre-charge investigation conducted by the City Investigation and Detective Management Unit (CIDMU) for a possible administrative case.

“We will give the two of them the chance to explain. The investigation is ongoing and the CIDMU is preparing the appropriate administrative case to be filed against them. We will not tolerate this kind of behavior,” Dalogdog said.

Major Nolan Tagsip, chief of the Abellana Police Station in Cebu City, said the two police officers were on-duty at the time they were seen sleeping.

As mobile patrol personnel, the two policemen were assigned to conduct roving duties at crime-prone areas in the city.

Tagsip said he was shocked to learn that at 6 a.m., a photo of the two policemen went viral on social media.

“We immediately relieved them pending the ongoing investigation. We will let them stay at the city headquarters and then we will file an administrative case against them per Napolcom 2016-002 memorandum for pre-charge investigation,” he said.

Dalogdog said sleeping while on duty is strictly prohibited by the Philippine National Police.

He said violators will be suspended for 30 to 60 days.

Two cops have been relieved for sleeping on the job. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/16/article-403

Police nabbed seven suspected drug pushers, including a an alleged member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and seized 250 grams of shabu in buy-bust operations in Batangas and Laguna on Saturday, April 15.

The Police Regional Office 4-A identified the suspects as Jerico Magbatoc, Jairoden Musa, an alleged member of the PCG, Jaimela Polo, and Taming Balimbingan, all listed as high-value individuals (HVI); and Sahar Polo, Reynalae Polo, and Jamaludin Polo, all newly identified drug personalities.

Magbatoc was arrested in Barangay San Isidro in Batangas City and yielded 100 grams of suspected shabu with a Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) value of P680,000, marked money, a smartphone, and a car.

Musa, the Polos, and Balimbingan were apprehended at Oliver Compound, Barangay Landayan, San Pedro City, Laguna.

Confiscated from them were 16 medium heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu weighing 150 grams with an estimated street value of P225,000, marked money, and P1,500 suspected profit from the sale of illegal drugs.

A member of the Coast Guard has been arrested on drug charges. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1756963/49-cops-face-raps-for-drug-raid-cover-up-pilferage-try

Forty-nine police officers were found liable for the alleged cover-up of irregularities committed by anti-drug operatives of the Philippine National Police in connection with the seizure of 990 kilograms of crystal meth (“shabu”) worth P6.7 billion and the attempted pilfering of some of the confiscated drugs in October last year.

In a memorandum from the Special Investigation Task Group 990 (SITG 990) dated April 13, the 49 members of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) were “found to have committed criminal and administrative liabilities.” They were directed to surrender their firearms.

The memo was signed by Police Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, director of the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management, and the head of the SITG 990.

Cruz did not say how the task group arrived at its findings but said that he would elaborate on them at a press conference set for today.

“There we will lay down what the SITG have found out, our recommendations, and other things that we will do,” he said in a phone interview with reporters on Saturday.

The highest-ranked official cited in the memo was the DEG’s former director, Police Brig. Gen. Narciso Domingo. It also named two colonels, three lieutenant colonels, one major and five lieutenants.

The rest were noncommissioned officers: two chief master sergeants; two senior master sergeants; five master sergeants; three staff sergeants; four corporals; and 21 patrolmen and women.

Of the 49 cited in the memo, Domingo and seven other senior officers, and four noncommissioned officers were mentioned earlier by Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos as having been involved in the “massive cover-up attempt” during the drug raid on Oct. 8, 2022.

49 police officers have been implicated in the cover up of the arrest of a fellow officer during a drug raid. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1757459/maguindanao-del-sur-town-councilor-slain-in-daylight-gun-attack

Gunmen shot dead on Monday a town councilor in Maguindanao del Sur while the latter was on his way to the Sangguniang Bayan session.

Daemon Daglok Silongan, 50, a resident and councilor of Datu Salibo town of Maguindanao del Sur, just arrived at the Sangguniang Bayan building to attend the 9 a.m. regular session when unidentified gunmen attacked him around 8:30 a.m. Monday, April 17, said Rex Torino, information officer of Datu Salibo.

Police Major Roldan Kuntong, Datu Salibo municipal police chief, said the town councilor just alighted from his vehicle when the gunman approached him and opened fire.

The suspect fled on a motorbike driven by an accomplice, he said.

Another town councilor has been assassinated. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1757445/pampanga-legal-officer-wounded-in-gun-attack

Two helmet-wearing men fired several shots Monday at the Pampanga provincial legal officer in the parking lot of a hospital in the City of San Fernando.

A police report obtained by the Inquirer identified the victim as lawyer Gerome Tubig.

Police said Tubig arrived around 7:30 a.m. at the parking lot in front of VL Makabali Memorial Hospital along B. Mendoza Road in downtown San Fernando on board his car when two men aboard a black and red Yamaha Aerox motorcycle arrived and fired at his car several times.

The provincial legal officer reportedly suffered bullet wounds in different parts of his body.

The still-unidentified assailants immediately fled toward the MacArthur Highway.

It was not known what gun caliber was used in the attack.

Police said Tubig was immediately taken to a hospital for treatment.

The Pampanga legal officer has been wounded in an attempted assassination. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199521

There will be no special treatment to a patrolman who was arrested in a drug buy-bust in Surigao City, the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) assured the public Monday.

Patrolman Elton Jay Alabat Galanida, 28, a member of the anti-drug operation unit of the 1st Surigao del Norte Police Mobile Force Company, was arrested early morning Sunday in a buy-bust in Barangay Cagniog, Surigao City.

 

“Like other drug suspects arrested in our police operations, we would ensure an airtight case against him aside from not giving him a special treatment of any kind,” PRO-13 said in a statement.

 

Galanida’s alleged involvement in illegal drugs does not represent the whole image of the PRO-13, it emphasized.

 

“The PRO-13 remains the home of exemplary cops whose lives echo the true essence of public service,” it said.

 

PRO-13 director, Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, said an in-depth investigation into the involvement of Galanida in the illegal drug trade is ongoing , including those who had prior transactions with him.

 

In addition, Labra directed police unit commanders in the region to maintain their squad weekly interactive meetings for the personnel's spiritual growth and to beef up intelligence operations as a monitoring mechanism for their subordinates.

 

In a separate statement Monday, the Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Office (SDSPPO) said Galanida's arrest indicates that "no one is above the law" in the continuing anti-illegal drugs campaign in the province.

 

“Patrolman Galaninda shall face the consequences and punishment for the wrongdoing he committed following the law and due process,” SDNPPO said.

A cop has been busted for drugs.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/4/19/murder-charges-filed-against-retired-soldier-who-killed-ambulance-driver-in-negros-town

A retired soldier surrendered to the police several hours after a shooting incident that resulted in the death of an ambulance driver in Barangay Magticol, Toboso, Negros Occidental on Monday, April 17.

Eduardo said that Paltuob allegedly shot Ronnie Villasis when the latter pacified the suspect and a barangay councilman who were arguing over something during a barangay fiesta.

Villasis suffered four bullet wounds and was declared dead on arrival in a hospital, according to Eduardo. 

Eduardo, however, said that the suspect failed to bring with him the firearm used in the incident.

A retired soldier has been arrested for shooting an ambulance driver. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1758111/senate-detains-cop-who-allegedly-refused-to-make-blotter-report-on-slay-attempt

Senators on Tuesday cited in contempt a police officer who is in hot water for allegedly refusing to write a blotter report on an attempted killing of an aspiring councilor in Bayawan, Negros Oriental.

A certain Wilfred Estiñoso, the father of slain Juwim Estiñoso, said Police Staff Sgt. Renevic Rizaldo purportedly declined to entertain Juwim when he sought assistance after the first attempt on his life a year ago.

“Juwim went to the police station to report that something had happened to him and that he received a death threat. The policeman did not entertain the report and told him it was just a figment of his imagination,” Wilfred said, speaking partly in Filipino, before the Senate public order and dangerous drugs.

Asked who this police officer was, Wilfred did not hold back and alleged it was Rizaldo.

With his voice slightly shaking, Rizaldo – who bared that he was formerly a security personnel for suspended Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. – denied the claim and insisted that he does not remember not entertaining Juwim’s complaint.

Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr. first dangled the threat of citing Rizaldo in contempt if he was found dishonest in his testimony while under oath.

Wilfred and Juwim’s wife Marisol Estiñoso, however, were firm in their claim.

Further pressed against the wall, Rizaldo said it was possible he didn’t entertain Juwim’s report since he really cannot recall the incident.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who is also a former national police chief, made Rizaldo, now teary-eyed, read his police badge to remind him that service, honor, and justice are the pillars of being a law enforcer.

“You violated all those three basic virtues of our organization – the Philippine National Police. You don’t have the right to wear that badge of honor,” he said.

But Dela Rosa said he believes Rizaldo may have learned his lesson.

Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, however, was seemingly less forgiving as he officially asked the Senate to put Rizaldo under its custody.

“I would like to move that this particular policeman, Staff Sergeant Rizaldo, be cited in contempt,” he said.

Revilla seconded Estrada’s motion, saying Rizaldo “seems like he’s lying.”

With no objections, Dela Rosa, who chairs the panel, approved the motion of Estrada.

A cop who refused to write up a blotter when a politician said there was an assassination attempt against him has been held in contempt by the Senate. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199793

A police officer and 12 others were arrested during separate anti-drug operations in this town, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PDEA-BARMM) said Thursday.

Asnawi Salik, PDEA-Maguindanao operations officer, said two drug dens were also dismantled during the series of operations Wednesday.

In one of the operations, Salik said PDEA operatives caught Master Sgt. Sarip Mastura of the BARMM police force and seven other suspects during a 5 p.m. buy-bust at a drug den in Barangay Salimbao here.

Salik identified those arrested with Mastura as Kasumi Quindapa, Esmael Macalbas, Sam Sandakan, Michael Compaña, Jamil Macalimbol and Tato Madin.

“One of the suspects managed to elude arrest,” Salik said in a statement, referring to a certain Saheiden Utto who managed to escape after sensing the approaching lawmen.

Seized from them were an undetermined amount of suspected shabu, a Glock pistol with ammunition, and shabu paraphernalia.

A cop has been busted for drugs. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199774

A Maguindanao Electric Cooperative (Magelco) official was killed in an ambush by still unidentified gunmen along the diversion road here at past 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Maj. Reggie Albellera, municipal police station chief, identified the victim as Alhassan Maongco, a manager of Magelco’s institutional services department.

Albellera said the victim was on his car on the way home from a midday prayer at a mosque when waylaid by the gunmen along the diversion road in Barangay Upper Capiton.

Staff Sgt. Jhemin Untong, the municipal police investigator, said the victim’s car hit a tree after the ambush.

 

Maongco is the younger brother of former Magelco former general manager Ashary Maongco.

The victim had just celebrated his 50th birthday on Sunday, April 16.

Albellera said investigation is ongoing.

A Maguindanao Electric Cooperative official has been assassinated. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: In A Good Place, Prep For Possible Surge, and More!

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

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante says the Philippines remains at a low risk for COVID-19.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/11/23/ph-remains-in-a-good-place-amid-covid-19-emergency

An infectious diseases expert on Tuesday said the country remains to be in a good position in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic emergency.

Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante, in an interview with ABS-CBN News, said most indicators point to COVID-19 being of low risk.

“Our cases have really been very low for the past several months since January. The use of ICU more or less, we can deal with this if ever the WHO will lift the public health emergency. Definitely we’re in a good place in terms of how we deal with it, even with the variants of concern like omicron. In our country we have some uptick of cases but not enough to disrupt the lives of Filipinos,” he said.

He also said that despite US President Joe Biden declaring an end to the three-year emergency status of COVID-19 in their country, the Philippines continues to be under an emergency status because of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration.

“We are under that WHO mandate. That’s why we are still in that emergency. But in terms of the policies, vaccine procurement and funding has already expired since that state of calamity," he said.

The country’s state of calamity expired in December 2022, which has posed delays to the arrival of bivalent vaccines donated by COVAX.

“The DOH should now incorporate COVID-19 as part of the other infectious diseases program. If you include it in the regular program of prevention and control of other infectious diseases like dengue, HIV and TB then the procurement of vaccines can also be facilitated based on giving vaccines only to the most vulnerable and for those who will really benefit," he said.

The Department of Health has since said it is awaiting the passage of the Center for Disease Control bill which would ensure the country’s preparedness in terms of vaccine and medicine procurement in case another pandemic emerges.

But the slight rise in cases have local authorities around the country mulling the return of mandatory face mask rules. Iloilo has mandated face masks for people transacting business at City Hall. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199207

The city government here has again required its employees and clients transacting at the Iloilo City Hall to wear face masks due to the rising cases of the coronavirus disease.

“Face masks will ensure that infection will not increase in closed areas while continuing with the services of the city,” said City Mayor Jerry Treñas in a Viber message to members of the media Tuesday evening.

Trenas and his spouse, Rosalie, were among those infected by the disease last month and the mayor was able to report back to the office on Tuesday.

He added though that the hospitalization rate does not increase since most of the cases were mild.

Dr. Roland Jay Fortuna, City Health Office assistant department head, in a previous announcement, said from January until March this year, Iloilo City has only recorded one case of Covid-19 daily. However, the figure increased to four since the start of April.

“It is thus important to continue the minimum public health standards in our place of work and recreation. The minimum public health standards shall continue to be implemented to prevent and minimize the spread of Covid-19 in the country,” he said.

Minimum public health standards include physical distancing, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and wearing of masks, regardless of vaccination status.

Manila says they are studying the issue because of the slight uptick in cases.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/04/16/2259188/manila-eyes-mandatory-use-face-masks

The city government of Manila may review its policy on the use of face masks after it observed a surge in COVID-19 casees, Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan said yesterday.

In a statement issued by the city’s public information office, Lacuna-Pangan said while “the reimposition of the mandatory face mask policy is not yet needed at the moment,” she “will continue to observe closely in the next coming days the trend of new COVID-19 cases to determine if mandating the use of face masks indoors and outdoors will be necessary.”

From 36 active cases on April 11, the figure climbed to 57 on April 13. The number of active cases jumped to 71 on Friday, with 15 cases recorded in Tondo 1 alone.

The remaining active cases on Friday came from Ermita with four; Intramuros, two; Malate, seven; Paco, eight; Pandacan, seven; Quiapo, one; Sampaloc, nine; San Andres, five; San Nicolas, three; Sta. Cruz, four; Sta. Mesa, one; and Tondo 2, five.

The districts of Binondo, Port Area, San Miguel and Sta. Ana did not record any COVID-19 case last Friday.

Lacuna-Pangan also called on residents to continue wearing face masks and get vaccinated against COVID-19.

OCTA Research earlier said the seven-day COVID positivity rate in the National Capital Region continued to increase in the first week of April, hitting 6.5 percent from 4.4 percent on April 1.

Metro Manila posted the most number of new COVID cases among all regions in the past two weeks at 1,065.

But the DOH says they will not be recommending mandatory face masks. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199660

The Department of Health (DOH) is not considering the reimplementation of the face mask mandate despite the increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.

In recent weeks, the country’s positivity rate, or the number of people testing positive for Covid-19, increased to 7.6 percent from last week’s 6.9 percent.

The average daily Covid-19 infections also rose to 371 cases per day from last week’s 276.

“This is voluntary. Nothing is being discussed about it at the moment," DOH Officer in Charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a media briefing on Tuesday.

Vergeire said the opening of various sectors of the economy could be one of the factors for the increase in cases.

“We encourage everybody, even before, to choose, to know when to wear face masks,” she said.

Citing early guidelines on face mask-wearing, she advised the elderly, people with co-morbidities, and individuals in crowded areas and places with poor ventilation to wear masks for protection.

She also assured that the nation’s health system is "prepared" to accommodate Covid-19 cases needing medical attention.

Despite the slight surge in cases not resulting in hospitalizations the DOH is warning hospitals in Davao to prepare for an onslaught of patients because of the travel during Holy Week. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199240

The Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-11) urged hospitals Wednesday to prepare for the possible surge of coronavirus disease 2019 (Coid-19) cases in their areas due to the recent Holy Week observance.

“Given the situation, there is a compelling need for hospitals to prepare for the possibility of a surge, especially with the long holiday in observance of the Holy Week, in which family and public gatherings were expected,” DOH-11 said in an advisory.

DOH-11 bared that there has been a notable increase in Covid-19 cases in Davao Region, particularly in this city.

As of April 10, the healthcare utilization rate shows that the regional hospital capacity is at 31.1 percent for non-intensive care unit (ICU) bed use and 40.4 percent for ICU bed use.

The agency reminded health facilities to observe the guidelines for Covid-19 response which mandates that all hospitals allocate at least 20 percent of their current authorized bed capacity for Covid-19 patients.

Of course nothing is going to happen. Nothing ever does. Why exactly are the authorities fear mongering again? How does this help the economy recover? How does this encourage tourism? It doesn't.

The general public will now be able to procure the second booster shot. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/12/23/doh-2nd-covid-booster-to-be-offered-to-general-public

The Philippines will offer the second COVID-19 booster to the general public, the Department of Health announced Wednesday, allowing more Filipinos get additional protection against the virus.

(Based on the updated emergency use authorization of the Food and Drug Administration and the positive recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council, we can now use the vaccines we have as second booster for the general population or our health adults.)

Only vulnerable groups such as healthcare workers and the elderly were allowed to receive the fourth jab last year.

But will anyone really take advantage of this offer? There are millions who have not even had the first shot and the majority of those people, 69%, have said they have no desire to be vaccinated.

The Rodeo Festival is coming back to Masbate after a three year absence due to the pandemic. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199197

The province of Masbate is again celebrating its famous Rodeo Festival after three years of hiatus due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.

In an interview on Tuesday, Department of Tourism (DOT)-Bicol regional director Herbie Aguas said he was very happy over the influx of tourists, noting that based on his assessment, the number of tourists witnessing the week-long event could reach 100,000.

Residents and several local and foreign visitors in cowboy attire on Tuesday joined the parade that signaled the opening of the festival, which promotes the province's agricultural products and tourism.

"The opening of the Rodeo is very entertaining. First, there are so many people who joined the opening. After three years, we again have the Rodeo. Everybody is so excited, almost all the Roll-Off, Roll-On (RoRo) and the fast craft vessels are fully booked, even the plane flight going to Masbate. It's a sign that people here in the region and even our neighboring regions are here to observe, witness and enjoy the festival," Aguas said.

Another festival back on the menu.