Insurgency: Insurgnecy-Cleared Villages as Tourism Hub

The AFP is big on compelling NPA fighters to surrender. Many have and have availed of the myriad of benefits awaiting them. But there is a problem. They need to first be deradicalized before reintegrating back into society. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213532

Former rebels (FRs) need to undergo deradicalization first before they are reintegrated into mainstream society, a Negros Oriental official said on Monday.

Hilton Edrial, chief of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), said FRs must be prepared physically, emotionally, mentally, and psychologically to avoid culture shock once they return to their communities.

Edrial said it was one of the issues that surfaced during a benchmarking activity in Davao City recently, where a multi-agency team visited the Happy Home halfway house there.

The team included representatives of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) - Negros Oriental, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, the PSWDO, and the Provincial Engineer’s Office, among others.

Edrial said they learned from the Happy Home management that many FRs who returned to their communities without undergoing deradicalization usually turned “violent.”

However, the halfway house lacks qualified personnel who can conduct deradicalization.

Other setbacks in the delayed occupancy of the facility include the absence of an administrative office, electricity and water connections, and an operational plan.

“We need a re-entry plan to recalibrate how the halfway house can be fully operational,” he added.

What an amazing revelation. This half-way house is simply not equipped to handle reintegrating and deradicalizing former rebels. As a result some of them have turned violent. One wonders what the situation is like in other half-way homes built to house former rebels.

How many former rebels have turned violent? They don't say but this week a former rebel was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assassinating a mining executive. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1860746/ex-rebel-gets-10-years-in-jail-for-agusan-sur-mining-exec-slay

The confessed killer of a mining executive in Agusan del Sur was meted a 10-year prison term by a court in this town on Wednesday, Nov. 15, two years after the victim’s death.

Provincial prosecutor Ceferino Dino Paredes said Jeffrey Mamerto, a former New People’s Army guerrilla, pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of homicide, instead of murder, as he entered into a plea bargaining agreement during a pre-trial hearing at the Regional Trial Court Branch 6.

As a result, the court sent Mamerto to prison for 10 years, Paredes added.

Several weeks before Wednesday’s pre-trial hearing, Mamerto executed a judicial affidavit owning-up to the kill job against Afdal for a promised reward of P50,000.

In his confession, Mamerto also pointed to three more co-conspirators, one of whom he tagged as the mastermind. This became the basis for filing a complaint for murder against three more suspects at the provincial prosecutor’s office in October.

The PNP says Mamerto surrendered in 2019. 

The PNP added that Mamerto is also a former member of the New People’s Army but return to the fold back in 2019 as part of “Task Force Balik-Loob” of the government.

https://www.facebook.com/110089817183818/photos/a.110114937181306/434619504730846/?type=3

An official of the DSWD says they cannot help these former rebels if they do not help themselves and sustain their transformation into good citizens. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213767

A Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official on Thursday said the agency is all set to provide social protection packages to former rebels (FRs) and former violent extremists (FVEs) who are undergoing reintegration to mainstream society.

Alan Tanjusay, DSWD undersecretary for Inclusive-Sustainable Peace and Special Concerns (ISPSC), assured the FRs and FVEs more opportunities to sustain their reintegration await them along and after the process.

During an interview with "Balik-Loob sa Pagbabago" on DWDD (1134kHz) AFP Radio, Tanjusay called on FRs and FVEs to think “beyond” the immediate assistance they have received under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) to fully sustain their transformation.

“If they are business-minded, if they have the entrepreneurial drive to make their products more attractive, these will have longer effects on their SLP),” Tanjusay said.

Once they qualify to the existing program guidelines, the DSWD would be offering them comprehensive support, such as debriefing, psychosocial assistance, transportation, food provisions, and social welfare programs such as the SLP, the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program, and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Tanjusay also underscored the importance of the participation of FRs and FVEs in the reintegration process.

“You cannot help our countrymen who are in need if they lack self-realization to strive and persevere. True change comes when you empower an individual and develop their potential,” he said.

E-CLIP is the holistic package of benefits that FRs and FVEs can avail of, such as livelihood, medical, education, housing, and legal assistance to help them reintegrate and live normal lives in the mainstream society.

The program is part of the government’s efforts to end communist insurgency in the country through the attainment of just and lasting peace using the whole-of-nation approach as envisioned by Executive Order No. 70, series of 2018.

Has anyone in the government thought that maybe they surrendered just for the money? Maybe they heard about the government's bribery program, the NTF-ELCAC, and decided to avail of the free housing and other benefits without realizing it meant they would have to reintegrate back into society and be good citizens? 

This week Ian Fry, the UN Special Rapporteur, visited the Philippines and gave his recommendation that the NTF-ELCAC be abolished and the anti-terror law overturned. 

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/222679/un-rapporteur-to-govt-repeal-antiterror-law-abolish-anti-red-task-force

United Nations Special Rapporteur Ian Fry urged the government on Wednesday to revoke the Anti-Terrorism Act and abolish its anticommunist task force, noting how both were facilitating human rights violations and the harassment of environmental defenders.

“The government needs to create a clean slate around its approach to antiterrorism and revise the laws to make them appropriate for the circumstances occurring now, and not to use the laws to harass, vilify and kill environmental human rights defenders,” Fry said in a press briefing.

The international environmental law and policy expert spoke on the last day of his 10-day visit to the country to study and identify how the adverse impacts of climate change were affecting the “full and effective enjoyment of human rights.”

Citing “horrific stories” from civil society groups and indigenous peoples (IPs) organizations who were subjected to attacks, he suggested that the government disband the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) “because it … is operating beyond its original mandate and is Red-tagging people from the community.”

Fry said that during his consultations, he heard testimonies from civil society organizations and even church leaders who were attacked, Red-tagged and their assets ordered frozen—actions by the military which the UN expert said were “totally unreasonable.”

He stressed the need to investigate previous NTF-Elcac operations in addition to reported cases of extrajudicial killings.

Fry also recommended the formulation of a truth and reconciliation process, noting that “there [were] clearly people who suffered dramatically as a consequence of the persecution of environmental rights defenders and there needs to be a process to properly review the effects of the actions of the military.”

Fry will present his formal report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2024, which will provide feedback to the government through communication or exchange of letters.

He added that while it was still up to the government to heed the recommendations, failure to do so would have its “biggest impact” on the country’s international image.

Several officials have spoken out against these proposals saying his report is incomplete because he did not even consult with he NTF-ELCAC to get their side. 

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/222786/ph-officials-call-out-un-rapporteur-who-wants-ntf-elcac-abolished

Speaking at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon news briefing aired on state television, Malaya, who is also NTF-Elcac spokesperson, said task force officials were “surprised and alarmed” at Fry’s recommendations and also accused the rapporteur of interfering in the country’s domestic policies and allowing himself to be manipulated by the “enemies of the government.”

Remulla argued that the establishment of NTF-Elcac is among the solutions to address communist insurgency in the country.

“We think this is the solution to end the proliferation of communism in our country and the sowing of fear and terror around us,” Remulla maintained.

“This is an effective internal mechanism of the government. The enemies of the government have been reduced,” he added.

Malaya supported Remulla’s statement. “The communist insurgency in our country is already ending with only one remaining active guerrilla front of the New People’s Army with 1,400 armed troops left. We are winning the war against the communist-terrorist groups,” he claimed.

“UN special rapporteur Fry is allowing himself to be used by the enemies of the government,” Malaya added.Open to suggestions

Remulla, however, acknowledged that Fry is free to air his opinion.“If they want to talk … freedom of speech, fine. But do I have to follow? Do we have to follow them?” the justice secretary said.

Malaya said National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año has already extended an invitation to Fry so that they could talk about the latter’s recommendations.

“If you haven’t left [the country] yet, drop by our place, at the NTF-Elcac, so that we can talk and we can give our side before you make a recommendation that has no basis and interferes in the internal policy-making process of our country,” he said.

Malaya claimed Fry was biased as he failed to accord the government due process before coming out with his recommendations.

Pretty much all the criticism of Ian Fry falls into two camps: he is either simply misinformed or a meddling foreigner. Certainly he should have talked to officials of the NTF-ELCAC to get their side of things. But the NTF-ELCAC should also take seriously the allegations made against them. It seems NTF-ELCAC spokesman Malaya does that here by brushing off this critics as "enemies of the government."

What is interesting to note though is that we are told the NPA is now down to 1,400 armed troops. That is down 400 from the figure of 1,800 given back in July. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1799676/fwd-afp-npa-has-around-1800-members-left

From around 2,000 members reported in 2022, the communist New People’s Army (NPA) is now down to around 1,800 fighters, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said on Monday.

That means 400 NPA fighters, not supporters or hangers on, have been killed or have surrendered in the past 4 months. But there is nothing to indicate that is the case unless the AFP has not been reporting all the numbers to the media. 

NTF-ELCAC spokesman Malaya claims the government is winning the war against the communist insurgency. What come next? For Antique it's making insurgency-cleared villages as a tourism hub.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213821

The provincial government of Antique will develop the two contiguous insurgency-cleared barangays of Sibalom and San Remigio towns as a tourism hub to activate the economy and provide livelihood to residents. 

Vice Governor Edgar Denosta made the remark during the turnover of the PHP40 million worth of projects to Barangay Aningalan, San Remigio, and Barangay Cabladan, Sibalom, funded under the Barangay Support Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Thursday.

The projects in Cabladan consisted of a farm-to-market road (FMR), an improvement of the water system, an electrification project, and the construction of a school building, all worth PHP20 million.

The PHP20 million fund of Aningalan went to the construction of FMR from Aningalan to Barangay Bulan-bulan, also in San Remigio.

He said he would file a resolution during their regular session on Monday requesting a PHP30 million fund under the Local Government Support Program (LGSP) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to complete the road network between the two barangays.

“With the completion of the farm-to-market (FMR) road in Barangay Cabladan, there is only a remaining of little more than a kilometer for the barangay to connect with Aningalan,” he said.

With the completion of the road network, tourists could visit the Cabladan, which has a cool climate and beautiful upland scenery similar to Aningalan.

Aningalan, known as the “Little Baguio” in Antique for its cool climate, has been experiencing an influx of tourists.

“Barangay Cabladan is part of the Sibalom Natural Park (SNP) that covers 6,778.44 hectares,” he said.

The SNP was declared a natural park through Republic Act 11038 in 2018 and opened to tourists on March 1, 2022.

It hosts the world’s largest flower Rafflesia, century-old trees such as the Laua-an species, Visayan Warty Pig, Visayan Tarictic Hornbill, and Visayan Spotted Deer.

Antique DILG provincial director John Ace Azarcon said he would endorse the request for PHP30 million fund, once it is available, to their regional office in Iloilo City.

“Barangays could access the LGSF if they have specific projects,” he said during the turnover ceremony.

Punong Barangays Arnulfo Marcos of Angingalan and Elias Fabillo of Cabladan said their projects are beneficial to their communities because they would ensure sustained peace and order in their areas. 

Don't forget that according to the AFP insurgency cleared does not mean there are no insurgents but only an irrelevant number of insurgents. 

The Philippine Post Office Still Sucks

The Philippine post office, PHLPost, still sucks. At the beginning of April I ordered a book from the United Kingdom. By August it had still not arrived so I emailed the seller asking if they had tracking information. They replied by saying it had been more than sixty days so they were unable to replace the book. As if that was my question! I just wanted to know where it was.

Turns out it was sitting in Manila the whole time!

This package arrived in Manila on June 12th. However the local post office did not receive it until exactly four months later on October 12th. 

A second book I ordered around the same time was also taking an unusually long time to arrive. In August I emailed the seller asking for tracking information and they said they would send another copy. That means I had potentially two packages to be on the look out for assuming the first one had not gotten lost in the mail.

In an odd twist they both arrived on the same date at my local post office, November 11th, and I received them both on November 15th. Like the first package they had both been sitting in Manila for months. 

Arrived in Manila August 14th

Arrived in Manila September 15th

How is it that these packages arrived within a month of each other, sat collecting dust, and then arrived at the local post office on the same day? That's the magic of the incompetent and inept Philippine postal system. 

It's sad that I have to be thankful they even arrived. Here's what I ordered in case you are wondering. 

What am I going to do with two editions of The Faerie Queen? Thanks PHLPost!

Retards in the Government 338

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

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213393

Members of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested two active police officers and a dismissed police officer for various crimes.

In a statement Thursday night, PNP - Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon said Master Sgt. Joey Cauila, assigned at the Gattaran Municipal Police Station (MPS) in Cagayan province, was arrested in Tuguegarao City on Nov. 7 for a complaint of violation of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004).

De Leon said the complaint was filed by Cauila’s wife sometime in 2022 due to his failure to give financial support.

The complainant's identity was withheld.

The accused is currently detained at the Gattaran MPS.

Also on Nov. 7, Pat. Micheal Angelo Basa was arrested by the IMEG Luzon Field Unit (LFU) while on duty at the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija on charges of grave threat under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code.

Basa is detained at the Cabanatuan City Police Station for documentation and disposition pending the issuance of a commitment order from the court that issued the warrant of arrest against him.

On Nov. 6, the IMEG-LFU and other PNP units arrested dismissed cop Marvin Jay Pagulayan in Quezon town in Isabela for estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.

The complainant said Pagulayan defrauded him by promising to process the titling of his land in exchange for PHP16,000.

The suspect, however, did not fulfill his promise and did not respond to messages after receiving the money.

The suspect is now detained at the Quezon Municipal Police Station in Isabela.

Two active duty cops and one dismissed cop have been arrested for various crimes. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213354

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now probing an election officer in Masbate who allegedly failed to follow an order involving a candidate in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

In a message, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia told reporters Thursday that the poll body's law department recommended the investigation on Aroroy, Masbate Election Officer Magdie Moran for reportedly failing to remove the name of a disqualified bet from the certified list of candidates for the Oct. 30 polls.

Based on an excerpt from the minutes of the Comelec’s executive session, Moran was directed on Oct. 25 to cancel the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Aniano Pancho Capinig, who was running for chairperson of Aroroy town's Barangay Cabas-an.

The Comelec's Second Division, in a resolution dated Oct. 9, disqualified Capinig after he was convicted of violating Section 31 of Republic Act 10591 (illegal possession of firearms).

Capinig got the most number of votes in the BSKE but the Comelec declared them as “stray votes.”

The poll body said the candidate who garnered the second highest number of votes will be declared as the Barangay Captain of Cabas-an.

It noted that COC of Capinig was administratively canceled and that his name should have been deleted or removed from the official list of candidates.

The Comelec added that Moran failed to implement its order “despite having enough time to delete/remove/cancel his name in the certified List of candidates.”

Garcia, meanwhile, said the election officer may be dismissed from the service if found guilty.

“Removal from office due to gross insubordination,” he added.

The Comelec is also looking at other cases of non-implementation of the poll body's rulings by field officers.

The COMELEC is probing an election officer for not removing a disqualified candidate's name from the ballot. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1857688/erc-flags-ngcp-for-pr-expenses-recouped-as-pass-on-charges

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Thursday flagged the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) for spending billions of pesos on public relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR), representation and entertainment, advertising, COVID-19 donations, charitable contributions, and other miscellaneous items that should not be included in the operating and maintenance costs it passed on to consumers from 2016 to 2020.

According to the ERC, these expenditures, which the country’s lone power grid operator had collected from consumers, were disallowed and were among the expenses it had taken out of NGCP’s maximum annual revenue (MAR) for the period.

MAR is the maximum amount approved by the ERC as regulator that NGCP is allowed to earn to recover its operating expense and capital expenditures.

The ERC has flagged the NGCP for gross expenditures which were not allowed and were passed on to the consumers.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/11/lgu-employee-shot-dead-in-batangas

A municipal government employee was shot dead in Barangay District 5 here on Friday night, November 10.

Police identified the victim as Melchor Sale, 53, single, resident of Barangay Carenahan, this town.

Investigation said the victim was driving his motorcycle when he was shot in the head by two men onboard a motorcycle tailing him from behind.

Suspects fled and the victim was taken to the Metro Balayan Hospital here where he was declared dead.

Recovered from the crime scene were two fired cartridge cases for caliber .45 and two slugs of the same caliber.

Police are conducting follow-up operation.

An LGU employee has been assassinated. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/13/village-chair-nabbed-for-shooting-drinking-buddy

An outgoing barangay chairman was arrested for shooting his drinking buddy in a drinking spree in Barangay Bolbok here on Sunday afternoon, November 12.

Police identified the suspect as Barangay Bolbok Chairman Herman.

Investigation said the suspect and the victim, Franco Tenorio, 62, a government employee, also a resident of Barangay Bolbok, were having a drinking spree when a misunderstanding erupted.

At the height of the argument, the pointed a gun to the victim but he lifted the suspect’s hand.

Herman fled with the gun but was nabbed in a follow-up operation in his house by the Taal Municipal Police Station. 

However, the firearm was not recovered.

Suspect faces a complaint for attempted murder.

A barangay chairman has been arrested for shooting his drinking buddy. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/11/13/2311182/drunken-cop-kills-niece-shooting-rampage

A drunken police sergeant shot his niece dead in a rampage in a residential area in Kidapawan City on Sunday morning, causing panic among villagers.

The Kidapawan City Police Office, in a report to Region 12 police director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, on Monday said that the 13-year-old Yuki Maangue died instantly from a bullet wound in the throat

Citing accounts of witnesses, the local police reported that his uncle, Cpl. Roy Soliva Maangue, 36, first had an altercation with other relatives amid a drinking session in Sitio Mateo in Barangay Birada in Kidapawan before he pulled out a Glock 9 millimeter pistol and opened fire. This hit his niece fatally and sent people in the scene running for their lives.

Maangue, who is a member of the municipal police force in Magpet, an upland town in Cotabato province about 20 kilometers from Kidapawan, immediately scampered away but was eventually arrested by pursuing personnel of the Kidapawan CPO and barangay tanods.  

He is now locked in a detention facility of the Kidapawan CPO, to be prosecuted for his criminal offense.

Macaraeg, whose office is in General Santos City, told reporters that he has ordered the filing of an administrative case against Maangue for him to get booted dishonorably from the police service.

A drunken cop in an altercation with relatives at a drinking session fired his gun and accidentally killed his niece. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/13/criminal-admin-charges-filed-vs-leyte-town-mayor-3-others

Criminal and administrative complaints have been filed against Mayor Ramon C. Oñate of Palompon town in Leyte and three other persons before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) for their alleged "environmental transgressions" in 2017 that reportedly favored the business interest of the mayor.

Also named in the complaints were former municipal planning and development coordinator and now consultant Isagani A. Jaena, former forest ranger and now contract of service worker Terence S. Osmeña, and former municipal and environment resource officer (MENRO) Raoul T. Bacalla.

The complaints were filed last Oct. 18 by Palompon resident Henry I. Encarnacion who wanted them charged criminally with graft. In the case of Oñate, Encarnacion wanted the mayor also charged with violations of the Revised Forestry Code, the Expanded NIPAS Act, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act, and the Water Code of the Philippines.

On the administrative complaint, Encarnacion claimed that Oñate's actions constituted grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The complaints stated that those charged initiated the updating and passing of the "defective" Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) even without the approved Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP). 

Barangay San Joaquin was even erroneously classified as an Industrial Zone, which Encarnacion alleged was done to accommodate Oñate's business interest in DBSN Farms and Agriventures Corporation in Lot No. 5143 of the said barangay.

Citing the CLUP from 2003 to 2013, Encarnacion alleged that the land use of Barangays Rizal, Taberna, Lat-osan, Cambacbac, and San Joaquin was timberland. However, he claimed that a reportedly new altered map covered some communities from the municipality of Villaba, the barangays of Sabang, Tinabilan, San Isidro, San Miguel, Tinago, Liberty and Santiago, Tinubdan, Himarco, Masala and Lomonon, which are all of the municipality of Palompon. The barangays, he alleged, are actually outside the coverage of Palompon Watershed Forest Reserve (PWFR).

Only barangays San Joaquin, Tambis, Cambacbac, and Mabini are within Palompon, he said. "The altered maps run counter to the concept of watershed in that it is defined not by political boundaries but the natural characteristics and physical features," he alleged. 

"As a consequence, the land areas situated in Barangay San Joaquin and other barangays that were originally part of the PWFR were declared as Industrial Zone," he also alleged.

When ownership of Lot 5413 was finally transferred to DBSN in 2018, Encarnacion claimed that the property was subdivided into two parcels of land and issued with new Tax Declarations with "astronomically high land valuations."

"From the sequence of events..., it is as clear as daylight that despite prior knowledge of the facts that said barangays (including barangay San Joaquin) were classified as timberland and originally formed part of the PWFR, Oñate, being the local chief executive of the municipality... initiated, through his MPDO Jaena and in connivance with Bacalla... the updating of the said 2018 to 2027 CLUP without the required Forest Land Use Plan (FLUP) and where the land use of barangay San Joaquin was conveniently and erroneously classified as Industrial Zone to accommodate his business interest at Lot No. 5143 in the said barangay," the complaints stated.

"By misrepresenting that Lot 5143 is located within an industrial zone, deliberately disregarding the environmental transgressions and refusing to take appropriate actions, Mayor Oñate, Jaena, Bacalla and Osmeña exhibited manifest partiality and extended undue favors to Zachary Farms and DBSN Breeder Farms at Barangay San Joaquin, Palompon," the complaints also stated.

Criminal charges have been field against the Leyte town mayor and three others for entering into agreements that favored the mayor's personal business interests. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213569

A kidnapping case was filed Monday against four persons, including a police officer, in connection with the disappearance of beauty pageant candidate Catherine Camilon in Batangas City.

In a press briefing held at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Region 4A (Calabarzon) said those charged before the Batangas Provincial Prosecutor's Office were Maj. Allan Avena de Castro, Jeffrey Magpantay and two John Does.

Fajardo said the prosecutor will have at least 10 days to evaluate whether the cases referred by the CIDG will reach preliminary investigation.

"As we speak, the RFU (Regional Field Unit) 4A of the CIDG is preparing other documents to support the case they have filed. We filed a kidnapping case because the victim was reported missing from Oct. 12 and until today, we are still uncertain whether she is still alive or not. If we find additional evidence in the coming days, these will not preclude us from filing additional cases or at least upgrade the case to another offense,” Fajardo said.

De Castro, assigned to the Police Regional Office- 4A and who is allegedly in a relationship with Camilon, is under restrictive custody at the PRO - 4A headquarters.

De Castro was chatting online with Camilon before she disappeared, according to a testimony by the latter’s friend.

A cop and three others have been charged with the disappearance of a former beauty queen candidate. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/15/three-rizal-cops-arrested-for-extortion

Agents of the police’s Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) arrested on Wednesday morning, Nov. 15, three police sergeants assigned in Rizal for allegedly extorting money from the husband of a woman they failed to arrest during their operation in Rodriguez town.

The three policemen were identified as Police Senior Master Sgt. Jose Reyes, Police Staff Sgt. Ramel Delorino and Police Staff Sgt. Glenn Libres, all assigned to the Rodriguez Municipal Police Station.

IMEG director Police Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon said the operation stemmed from the complaint of the victim that he was being forced to pay P100,000 in exchange for not arresting his wife.

De Leon said the three cops went to the house of the victim on Tuesday, Nov. 14, to serve a supposed arrest warrant against his wife.

When they found out that their subject was not around, the three cops handcuffed the victim and dragged him to the police car where he was allegedly mauled and threatened.

The victim said he was released later but with an agreement that he would produce the P100,000 on Monday morning. It was then that he sought the assistance of IMEG.

An entrapment was then conducted which resulted in the arrest of the three policemen at around 8 a.m. on Monday in Montalban, Rizal, according to de Leon. 

They are now facing charges of Robbery, Extortion, Illegal Detention, Trespass to Dwelling.

De Leon said administrative cases will also be slapped against the three policemen.

Three cops have been arrested for extortion. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1860312/solons-order-detention-of-ex-mayor-tumang-for-violation-of-house-rules

Former Pampanga’s Mexico town mayor Teddy Tumang has been cited for contempt and ordered detained for 30 days at the House of Representatives facility for leaking details supposedly mentioned during an executive hearing.

During the House committee on dangerous drugs’ hearing on Wednesday, Antipolo 2nd District Rep. Romeo Acop moved to cite Tumang for contempt, to be fair with people cited for the same due to violation of House rules.

This was for publicly talking about details mentioned in a closed-door meeting between lawmakers and select anti-drug officers regarding the two drug busts conducted in Pampanga last August and September 2023.

Committee chairperson and Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers approved the motion.

Last October 13, Barbers said that Tumang may be cited for contempt after he held a press briefing where he discussed one of the points raised during the closed-door meeting.

Barbers initially did not reveal what Tumang said in the briefing, but in the video uploaded on Facebook, the former mayor said Senior Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr. was supposedly asking National Bureau of Investigation agents if Tumang is really involved in the drug issue.

A former mayor has been ordered held in contempt and detained at he House of Representatives for leaking information at a closed door hearing.  

https://mb.com.ph/2023/11/16/sc-cites-maguindanao-del-norte-vice-gov-sinsuat-in-contempt-requires-explanation

Maguindanao del Norte Vice Governor Bai Fatima Ainee L. Sinsuat has been ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) to explain why she should not be cited in contempt for not promptly informing the court of her appointment, oath taking, and assumption as vice governor of the province.

Sinsuat filed a petition with the SC when she was acting governor of Maguindanao del Norte.  On April 28, 2023 she accepted her appointment by President Marcos as vice governor of the province and assumed the post while her petition was pending with the SC.

She did not inform the SC of her appointment and assumption as vice governor of Maguindanao del Norte. The SC ruled in favor of her petition which she filed as acting governor of the province.

In a resolution issued last Monday, Nov. 13, Sinsuat was ordered to submit a written explanation on contempt citation within 10 days from receipt of the resolution.

A press statement issued by the SC’s public information office (PIO) said that Sinsuat’s “silence and omissions appear to constitute intentional concealment which tends to disrespect the Court’s authority as final dispenser of justice.”    

“Her actions tend to cripple the Court’s authority to render an informed and just resolution of the case,” the PIO quoted from the resolution which has yet to be made public in the SC’s website.        

Sinsuat won as vice governor of Maguindanao during the 2022 national and local elections or four months before Republic Act No. 1550, the Charter of the Provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, was ratified in a plebiscite conducted by the Commission on Elections.

Sinsuat then assumed the post of acting governor of Maguindanao del Norte.  She asked the Bureau of Local Government Finance - Regional Office No. XII (BLGF Region XII) to designate Badorie M. Alonzo as provincial treasurer.    

When informed that the designation needs the clearance of the BGLF Central and the Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Sinsuat filed with the SC a petition to compel the designation of Alonzo or any qualified person as provincial treasurer.

On June 26, 2023, the SC granted Sinsuat’s petition and ordered the processing of Alonzo’s designation.    

In its resolution, the SC affirmed the clear legal right of Maguindanao del Norte, represented by Sinsuat as acting governor, to recommend the appointment of its provincial treasurer.    

However, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), representing the BLGF Region XII and BLGF Central, filed a motion to set the petition for oral arguments and that the June 26, 2023 ruling of the SC be reversed.    

In its motion, the OSG told the SC that on April 26, 2023, President Marcos had appointed several officers for the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte with Sinsuat as vice governor.

With her appointment and assumption as vice governor on April 28, 2023, the OSG said that Sinsuat effectively abandoned her claim as acting governor of Maguindanao del Norte and relinquished the authority to appoint its provincial treasurer.

Through Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, the SC said that Sinsuat is deemed to have abandoned her claim to the position of governor of Maguindanao del Norte when she accepted her appointment, took her oath, and assumed office as vice governor of the newly created province.      

With her assumption as vice governor, the SC said that the issues raised in Sinsuat’s petition have been rendered moot since her authority to represent Maguindanao del Norte had ceased.

Since Sinsuat abandoned her claim to the position of governor of Maguindanao del Norte, the Court ruled that the issues raised in the petition have been rendered moot and her authority to represent the province of Maguindanao del Norte had ceased warranting the dismissal of the case.

The SC then reversed its June 26, 2023 ruling for being moot.

The SC pointed out that while the court takes judicial notice of the official acts of the President in appointing Sinsuat, the parties should have at least informed the court of the supervening events which significantly altered the possible outcome of the case. 

A former acting governor is being held in contempt for not informing the SC that she was appointed and assumed the post of vic-governor of a newly created province by President Marcos. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1860495/maguindanao-del-sur-school-head-teacher-slain-in-sultan-kudarat

The head teacher of a school in Maguindanao del Sur  was killed in an ambush on Wednesday afternoon in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, police said.

Major Jethro Doligas, Lambayong police chief, said Hermielex A. Kapusan, head teacher of Tukanakuden Elementary School in Barangay Tukanakuden in Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao del Sur, was ambushed by two gunmen at past 5 p.m. along the national highway in Barangay Tinumigues, Lambayong.

Doligas said Kapusan, 40, was heading home aboard his Yamaha NMAX motorbike when he was attacked.

Responding militiamen rushed Kapusan to a local hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival.

Doligas said they are still investigating the possible motive of the attack.

The head teacher of a school has been assassinated. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: 2,600 Priests, Fully Jabbed Kids, and More!

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

2,600 priests and bishops recently went on a holiness retreat in Cebu City.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1857262/2600-priests-bishops-on-holiness-retreat-in-cebu-city

Some 2,600 priests and bishops from all over the Philippines are in Cebu City for the three-day National Retreat for Priests (NRP) 2023, the biggest gathering of the clergy after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The gathering, which started on Tuesday, Nov. 7, included at least 30 bishops and carries the theme “Priesthood: a call for holiness.”

Priests consider this gathering as a renewal and to improve the quality of the clergy in the Philippines amid issues confronting the Catholic faithful.

For Fr. Roniel Sulit of the Archdiocese of Lipa, the gathering is a way for colleague priests to be together after the pandemic.

He said seeing their elder priests would be an inspiration for him and others, who were recently ordained, to bolster their commitment to stay on with priesthood.

“It is part of our formation. The Church is not asleep. We are talking about issues of society also,” he said.

With more than 200,000 followers online, Sulit is a popular young priest who became famous by preaching through social media posts.

Sulit, 31, was ordained in December 2019 about a few months before COVID-19 struck the world.

It's the largest gathering of clergy since the pandemic. 

The pandemic exacerbated a lot of health problems. Now children fully immunized children is on the decline. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/fully-jabbed-kids-in-ph-on-a-decline

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday, November 10, 2023, sounded the alarm over the stark decline in the number of fully immunized children (FIC) over the past three years amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. 

In a data provided by the health department, it noted how the number of FICs has been dropping since 2020 up until 2022.

"The proportion of fully immunized children has been decreasing since 2020," said the DOH. 

From being at 69.08 percent in 2019, the DOH noted how it continuously dropped to 65.18 percent in 2020, and to 62.86 percent in 2021.

"In 2022, only 53.60 percent of children aged zero to 12 months were fully immunized," said the DOH. 

An FIC is an infant who has received one dose of bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), three doses of oral poliovirus vaccines (OPV), three doses of diphtheria-Haemophilus influenzae-hepatitis B (DPT-HIB-HepB) vaccines, and two doses of meningococcal vaccine by 12 months. 

In a previous interview, DOH Undersecretary Eric Tayag said the pandemic was a huge factor in the drop in the number of FICs. 

"The numbers run aground because of the pandemic, when parents were unable to bring their children to health centers due to the restrictions and lockdowns," Tayag said. 

And this trend is all a result of the pandemic locking everyone in their homes. 

A symposium on post-pandemic education is being held. 

https://manilastandard.net/spotlight/314388477/diverse-panel-of-experts-to-grace-brainrx-philippines-symposium-on-post-pandemic-education.html

BrainRx Philippines, a renowned provider of 1:1 cognitive training programs, is thrilled to announce an exceptional lineup of speakers for their upcoming symposium, “Managing Attention & Supporting Students Post-Pandemic.” These speakers will bring a wealth of expertise and diverse perspectives to address the pressing classroom management challenges in the post-pandemic educational landscape.

“This symposium is a platform for educators to learn from a diverse array of experts who approach the challenges of post-pandemic classroom management from various angles,” said Regina Mison, Education Advocate & Event Consultant at BrainRx Philippines. “We are excited to have these distinguished speakers on board, and we believe their collective insights will provide a comprehensive perspective on addressing attention-related issues.”

The symposium is an excellent opportunity for educators, school administrators, and anyone involved in the education sector to gain a deeper understanding of the evolving educational landscape and equip themselves with practical tools to meet its demands.

Yes, now everything has changed because students are so behind thanks to schools being locked down which didn't do a thing to stop the spread of the virus. 

The Philippine Senate is preparing to host the 31st Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum. Senator Zubiri says this is a great forum to discuss post-pandemic recovery. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1213426

The Philippine Senate continues to prepare for the country's hosting of the 31st Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF31), which will be attended by its 28 member-countries on Nov. 23 to 26.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said APPF31 will focus on finding common understanding and approaches to existing and emerging challenges facing the Asia Pacific region.

"The Philippines has consistently participated in APPF's Annual Meetings as we find great value in the various deliberations with our fellow parliamentarians, especially on key issues relating to regional security, transnational crime, free and fair trade, climate change adaptation and sustainable development, migration, and most recently, on global health pandemics and ensuring post-pandemic economic recovery," Zubiri said.

"This is a great start for the President's (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) administration, to show that the Philippines is once again open to the international community, in this period of post-pandemic recovery," he added.

Just how long will this post-pandemic recovery period last? 

Health workers have still not received their COVID allowances. 

https://www.onenews.ph/articles/p62-billion-covid-allowances-for-health-workers-remain-unpaid

Over P62 billion worth of health emergency allowance (HEA) remains unpaid to health care workers (HCWs) who served during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

“The remaining arrears for C.Y. (Calendar Year) 2021-2023 amounts to P62.2 billion,” the DOH said in a statement. “The estimated arrears for request for HEA covers the period of July 1, 2021 up to July 20, 2023.”

In order to reduce the amount payable to health workers, the DOH last Sept. 4 formally requested from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) the amount of P25.9 billion.

The DBM on Oct. 13, 2023 issued the release of P4 billion for the payment of HEAs.

“This amounts to 16 percent of the requested amount, thus still falling short in the fulfillment of the entire funding request from operating units,” said the DOH.

The health department though said it has already ordered the fund transfer of P4 billion to the concerned regional offices, hospitals and health care facilities.

“The DOH encourages all health facilities to coordinate with their respective regional health offices in submitting the required documents (e.g. memorandum of agreement, liquidation re-ports and requirements for disbursements) to ensure the timely release of HEA,” the DOH noted.

It likewise said that as of Nov. 3, 2023, it has already released a total of P50,555,284,869.50 for HEA.

Of the amount, 90.07 percent, or P45,532,813,132.35, have been released to health workers.

“During this period, a total of 6,789,044 claims have been processed,” said the DOH.

The DOH says they have released the money and it's up to health facilities to coordinate with local DOH offices to "ensure the timely release of" the money. 

The DOH says there has been a slight uptick in COVID cases after Undas. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1859165/doh-records-uptick-in-covid-19-cases-after-undas-holidays

A week after the commemoration of All Saints and All Souls’ Day or “Undas,” the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said that it had recorded higher COVID-19 infections from November 6 to 12 at 1,132.

Based on the DOH’s latest weekly tally, the COVID-19 infections translated to a daily average of 162, which is 21 percent higher than the 128 average cases recorded from October 30 to November 5, or where a total of 895 cases were recorded.

Twelve of the new infections were tagged as critical or severe, with a total of such admissions at 246.

On the other hand, 10 additional deaths were added in the country’s COVID-19 death toll, all of which were backlogs from July to October 2023.

Meanwhile, utilization of ICU beds decreased from 12.3 to 11.5 percent, while non-ICU bed utilization rate rose from 17.7 to 18.3 percent.

Look how they added ten new deaths for the week but then say they were backlogs from July to October. How is that honest?

The DOH says the Philippines COVID-29 vacation data has been hacked from WHO computers. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/888291/doh-looking-into-possible-covid-19-vaccination-data-breach-after-who-cyberattack/story/

The Department of Health (DOH) has yet to determine the extent of the possible breach into the country’s COVID-19 vaccination data after the World Health Organization’s (WHO) database was hacked, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said Tuesday.

In an ambush interview, Herbosa confirmed receiving reports that the COVID-19 vaccination data from the Philippines’ house with the WHO has been “compromised and breached.”

“In response, the DOH is currently in close coordination with the WHO and the Department of Information and Communications Technology to ascertain the veracity of this report, as well as to determine the extent of any possible data breaches, and the appropriate interventions, should there be any,” he said.

The Health chief said that the DOH will be providing public additional information once available.

Of what possible use is that data to anyone unless someone thinks the DOH vaccination program is fishy?