Retards in the Government 387

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

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1991704/army-sergeant-kills-wife-2-others-inside-isabela-military-camp

A 32-year-old Army sergeant fatally shot his wife, mother-in-law, and another man on Thursday afternoon in what police suspect to be a crime of passion.

Investigators said the incident occurred around 2 p.m. inside Camp Melchor Dela Cruz of the 5th Infantry Division in Upi village.

The gunman, identified as Mark Angelo Ajel, was assigned to the 503rd Infantry Brigade in Calanan, Tabuk City, Kalinga. Military police apprehended him shortly after the shooting.

One of the victims was identified as van driver Rolando Amaba, from Santa Cruz in Benito Soliven, Isabela, who died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds from a 9mm pistol.

Ajel’s wife, Erlinda Ajel, 35, succumbed to her injuries while being treated at the Isabela Doctors General Hospital in Ilagan City.

The suspect’s mother-in-law, Lolita Ramos, was declared dead at Providers Medical Center in Naguilian, Isabela.

Six bullet casings were recovered at the scene.

Authorities said Ajel and the victims were inside a van and allegedly engaged in an argument before the shooting occurred.

Police were looking into a crime of passion as the motive, while the suspect is now in police custody. 

A 32-year-old Army sergeant fatally shot his wife, mother-in-law, and another man on Thursday afternoon in what police suspect to be a crime of passion.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1235306

Anti-narcotics agents intercepted a village councilor in Jolo, Sulu during a drug bust on Thursday, seizing PHP20 million worth of shabu.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Gil Cesario Castro of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said 46-year-old “Yusop” of Barangay Lakit, Panamao, Sulu was caught in Barangay Tulay after selling drugs to a poseur buyer.

An accomplice fled after realizing they were dealing with undercover agents.

Authorities recovered three vacuum-sealed packages of shabu weighing around three kilograms, along with the buy-bust money, mobile phones and a motorcycle.

Yusop, a high-value target, remained in custody awaiting charges under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A village councilor has been busted for drugs. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/599821/dalaguete-mayor-9-others-face-raps-for-death-of-welder

The incumbent mayor of Dalaguete town in Cebu, Ronald Allan Cesante, is currently facing multiple charges for violations which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old construction worker last June 5, 2024.   

Authorities also filed similar charges to three other government employees and five private individuals following the accidental fall of Jerson Enseñales. 

The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) filed charges of alleged graft and corrupt practices, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, and grave misconduct (except for respondents who are private individuals) against: 

1. Ronald Cesante – Incumbent municipal mayor of Dalaguete, Cebu 

2. Expedizitas Lenares  – Municipal engineer for the local government of Dalaguete 

3. Fernando Armecin – Engineer for the local government of Dalaguete

4. Ernie Amarado – Engineer for the local government of Dalaguete

5. Juan Castillo – Junior project engineer from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 7)

6. Peter Paul Dy Jr. – President of the construction firm that was hired by the LGU 

7. Arthur Dy – Vice President 

8. Sally Lugtu – Treasurer

9. Mary Joy Dela Cruz – Secretary 

10. Henry Dy – Staff member 

NBI-7 recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Visayas the filing of both criminal and administrative charges against the individuals above on Thursday, October 10. 

This decision was made based on the result of an investigation launched after a complaint was made by the victim’s mother, Mengred Gegremosa, and sister, Jonamie Enseñales, last July 11. 

As the breadwinner of their family living in Sitio Lapa, Brgy. Mantalongon, Jerson had been working as a job order employee at the local government unit. He worked as a welder in various constructions projects in their town. 

On June 4, however, he was allegedly pulled out by a municipal engineer to work under a private company for the construction of a covered sports complex located in Brgy. Matoray. 

A day after he started, Jerson accidentally fell off the top of the sports complex and died instantaneously. 

Aside from suspicions of foul play, Jerson’s family raised concerns that he was not given any safety equipment while working at the construction site. 

During NBI-7’s investigation, they discovered that while the fall was accidental, there was conspiracy involved leading to the death of the construction worker. 

Lawyer Renan Oliva, director of NBI-7, said that the construction project was awarded to a private construction firm.

Instead of the firm’s own resources, however, the project was being built by job order employees of the LGU. 

Moreover, they were using equipment, such as dump trucks, owned by the local government.

Because the project was supervised by municipal engineers, Special Investigator Wenceslao Galendez said that there was a presumption that it was approved by the LGU. 

Authorities saw a violation to the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Actbecause of the alleged use of public funds for a private purpose, said Oliva. 

The investigation also said that none of the construction workers were provided safety equipment, a circumstance that should have been pointed out by the supervising DPWH-7 engineer. 

According to Galendez, the engineer said that their only concern was to ensure that the complex was built according to the qualifications. 

(They have no concern actually on who did the actual (project). That is what he said. But anyway, if he would say that he supervised them, he shold also know that the workers did not use safety equipment.)

Galendez said that the engineer, who did not alert the company of the safety violations, was probably aware that the resources were from the LGU. 

Oliva told reporters that they invited the respondents to their office to give them a chance to air their side. 

However, none of the members of the private company came and the mayor only sent a representative due to a conflict in schedule. 

Nevertheless, their investigation was complete and they gathered sufficient pieces of evidence which allowed them to proceed with the filing. 

Their evidence included documentary evidence, such as the victim’s payslip, and testimonies of his fellow job order employees. 

The incumbent mayor of Dalaguete town in Cebu, Ronald Allan Cesante, is currently facing multiple charges for violations which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old construction worker last June 5, 2024.   

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/10/13/2392239/7-cidg-members-facing-criminal-raps-nabbed-sultan-kudarat

Officials of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office reportedly clamped down on Sunday, October 13,  seven members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group wanted for stockpiling undocumented firearms and explosives.

The seven CIDG personnel based in Sultan Kudarat province in Region 12, Police Staff Sgt. Mark Lester Cabangan and his subordinates, Patrolmen Dagie Peligro, Rex Borlagdatan, Joevin Aven, Arjoe Gamino, Joven Pasaylo and Raymark Ortega, are now detained.

Reports by radio stations in Central Mindanao cities and provinces on Sunday quoted Col. Bernardo Lao, Sultan Kudarat provincial police director, as saying that the seven CIDG members were arrested based on a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Tacurong City.

The court had also ordered the arrest of two CIDG officers, a major and a captain, now subject of a manhunt.

Lao said the criminal case against them stemmed from a CIDG operation somewhere in Sultan Kudarat that went awry. He declined to provide more details about it.

He said one of the officers listed in the warrant of arrest from the RTC Branch 19 had signified intention to turn himself in to the Sultan Kudarat provincial police. 

Seven members of the CIDG have been arrested for stockpiling undocumented firearms and explosives.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1235509

An active police officer, his cousin and two cohorts were slapped with double murder cases by the Bulacan Police Provincial Office (BPPO) before the Malolos City Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

Col. Satur Ediong, BPPO director, identified the suspects as S/Sgt. Ulysses Fernan Castro Pascual, his cousin Cezar Mayoralgo Gallardo Jr., alias "Lupin" and alias "Jeff."

Ediong said Pascual is currently stationed at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The four, who have gone into hiding, are the main suspects behind the slay of Ramil Capistrano, president of the Provincial League of Barangays in Bulacan and his driver, Shedrick Suarez.

The victims were ambushed in Barangay Ligas here on Oct. 3.

The provincial government also offered PHP500,000 for information about the whereabouts of the suspects.

In a press conference at the Governor's Office also on Monday, Ediong said there are two witnesses under their custody who can point to the identity of the suspects, who are all from Navotas City. 

A PNP officer and three others have been charged with assassinating Ramil Capistrano, president of the Provincial League of Barangays in Bulacan and his driver, Shedrick Suarez.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/10/16/2392836/20-bucor-personnel-sacked-misconduct

Twenty personnel of the Bureau of Corrections have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and other offenses since BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang assumed the post in 2022.

BuCor data showed that 70 personnel have been suspended, 10 fined and 19 reprimanded.

Catapang said these disciplinary actions were imposed for offenses such as gross neglect of duty, serious dishonesty, misconduct and insubordination.

The move is part of the BuCor’s efforts to remove misfits in the agency and ensure accountability within the ranks, he said.

Catapang emphasized that the actions taken reflect his firm commitment to reforming the BuCor.

“This is a clear message that we will not tolerate any misconduct and inefficiencies in our organization, while we will reward with promotion those who uphold ethical standards to ensure effective and fair delivery of public services,” he said.

Twenty personnel of the Bureau of Corrections have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and other offenses since BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang assumed the post in 2022.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/16/nbi-asked-to-probe-mayor-of-dalaguete-in-cebu-over-road-project

The mayor of Dalaguete in southern Cebu province is facing another complaint.

An engineer on Wednesday, October 16, asked the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) to investigate Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante for alleged irregularities in the conduct of a road concreting project in the town.

Ildebrando Almagro questioned the use of the town’s equipment in the project even if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-funded project was awarded to private contractor Soccor Construction.

“I have been observing this road construction since it is very close to my house, therefore, I could monitor it every day. I took pictures of the workers, most of them I know personally to be employed by the municipality of Dalaguete,” Almagro said in his complaint.

Almagro alleged that construction work on the P9.5-million project on ML Quezon St. is supervised by Engr. Expeditas Lenares, the municipal engineer.

Although the road project is yet to be finished, Almagro said it is already showing severe scaling, an indication that substandard materials were used in the construction.

“Sir, this modus has to end. Our government is paying twice for one and the same project. Twice because first, our municipal government is spending for the project and second, the DPWH released the funding for the same project. Clearly, someone pocketed the funding from DPWH,” Almagro said in his letter-complaint addressed to NBI-7 Director Renan Oliva.

Almagro’s complaint came about a week after the NBI-7 filed a string of criminal charges against Cesante and nine other persons.

The mayor of Dalaguete in southern Cebu province is facing another complaint for alleged irregularities in the conduct of a road concreting project in the town.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/16/porac-mayor-9-other-town-execs-charged-with-graft-over-raided-pogo

Graft complaints have been filed against Mayor Jaime C. Capil of Porac, Pampanga and nine other  town officials over the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegally operating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) that was raided by authorities due to reported criminal activities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said late Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 16. 

Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo Jr., a member of the DOJ-led Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said the complaints were filed before the DOJ by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Aside from Capil, also named in the complaints were Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo; Business Permit and Licensing Office head Emerald Salonga Vital; Sangguniang Bayan members Rafael M. Canlapan, John Nuevy L. Venzon, Rohner L. Buan, Michelle B. Santos, Hilario DC Dimalanta, Essel Joy C. David, and Addrian R. Carreon.

They were accused of violating  Section 3(e), (f), and (j) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Ocampo said “this was a result of a case build-up and coordinating conference with our partners in the Department of Justice, the PAOCC, and the CIDG, and including my IACAT Team….”

He said that more complaints will be filed over the Porac POGO.

“We are still crafting and evaluating the inputs presented by law enforcement and hopefully next week we will file the third set of cases concerning Porac,” he said

“The other two case were already filed including one that is already undergoing preliminary investigation,” Ocampo noted.

In violating Sec. 3(e) of RA 3019, Ocampo said the respondents caused “undue injury to any party including the government or giving any private party any unwanted benefits, advantage or preference.”

Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor James Escalona, a member of the IACAT team, explained the respondents violated Section 3(f) for not taking action to the law enforcement reports that alleged criminal activities were taking place in Lucky South 99.

“This has something to do with the investigation of the CIDG and complaints of human trafficking and other illegal activities taking place but no action was done by the mayor and the councilors,” Escalona said.

As to violating Section 3(j), San Fernando Assistant City Prosecutor Jose Teodoro Leonardo Santos, a member of the IACAT team, said “napag alaman sa mga dokumento na nagkaroon ng business permit ang Lucky South 99 from 2021 to  2023 kahit na may mga problema sa dokumento sa application (it was discovered from the documents that Lucky South 99 was granted business permits from 2021 to 2023 even though there were problems in the applications).”

“‘The application forms were blank but still got processed,” Santos said. 

“The primary purpose of Lucky South is outsourcing and not a POGO so this violates its primary and secondary purposes,” he added.

Graft complaints have been filed against Mayor Jaime C. Capil of Porac, Pampanga and nine other  town officials over the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegally operating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator that was raided by authorities due to reported criminal activities.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Nurse Unseen, Tourist Arrivals From Italy, and More!

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

As the pot-pandemic economy continues to improves a new survey reveals 85% of Filipino workers are satisfied or neutral about heir jobs. 

https://www.philstar.com/business/2024/10/09/2391279/85-filipino-workers-satisfied-or-neutral-about-jobs-vs-pre-pandemic-job-portal

Around 85% of Filipino workers shared a positive or neutral answer when asked about their job satisfaction, according to a survey conducted by online job portal Jobstreet by SEEK.

The percentage is equivalent to an overall happiness index score of 4.52 out of seven points, with seven being the most positive.

Compared to the responses collected during the pre-COVID-19 pandemic in 2017, the satisfaction of working Filipinos with their current job rose by 17% in the poll’s latest edition.

The respondents attributed their job satisfaction to having work mobility, work-life balance and an inclusive work setup.

According to Jobstreet, Filipinos working remotely or are under the work-from-home setup had better job satisfaction scores with a score of 4.82 over seven. The same employees underscored their work-life balance as the main reason for their satisfaction.

Out of various areas in the country, workers from Metro Manila were deemed least satisfied with their work at 4.46, which can be attributed to the region’s high traffic congestion and difficult mobility that supposedly cause a stressful commute for them.

In terms of age, Gen Z was the least likely to be satisfied with their current jobs with a score of 4.28 for those between the ages of 23 and 27, which may be stemmed from contrasting work conditions among younger and older generations.

Married or partnered employees recorded higher levels of job satisfaction at 4.60 compared to single workers who scored 4.46, citing their ability to balance career and personal relationships.

Overall, the poll found that Filipino workers are happier in their occupations when they are provided the right work arrangement and opportunity to develop and be promoted by their employers.

It also identified career advancement and verticality as the primary contributors to satisfaction at work among the respondents, followed by training opportunities and adequate salary.

This is a  higher satisfaction rate than pre-pandemic surveys. The number can be attributed to better work arrangements, i.e. working mobility or working from home. 

Italian tourist arrivals are set to exceed pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year. 

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2024/10/09/tourist-arrivals-from-italy-at-record-high-expected-to-surpass-pre-pandemic-levels/

Tourist arrivals from Italy have reached a record high and are expected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by the end of the year.

This was disclosed by Ambassador to Italy Neal Imperial during the launching in Milan on Sunday of the Bisita, Be My Guest (BBMG) program of the Department of Tourism.

In his remarks before the more than 200 guests who attended the launching at the Palazzo Parigi, Ambassador Imperial said he expects the BBMG program to boost the number of Italians visiting the Philippines.

“I am pleased to note that more and more Italians are traveling to the Philippines for beach, holiday, adventure and eco-tourism, diving, cultural immersion, and Filipino gastronomy,” Ambassador Imperial said, noting that Italy is the fastest-recovering European tourism market for the Philippines since the pandemic.

Ambassador Imperial said that as of the third quarter of 2024, the Philippines has already received over 35,000 tourists from Italy—a 74 percent growth rate compared to the same period last year.

He assured the DOT, represented at the launching by Undersecretary Myra Paz Valderosa-Abubakar, of the full support of the Philippine country team in Italy in promoting Filipino tourism and fostering strong cultural ties between the two nations.

The BBMG program aims to encourage overseas Filipinos to promote the Philippines as a top travel destination. It taps into the Filipino diaspora’s global reach by incentivizing them to invite foreign guests to visit the country. Sponsors are eligible for rewards, including travel packages and raffle prizes.

In his remarks, Consul General Elmer Cato underscored the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Rome and the Consulate General in Milan to promote the Philippines as a prime tourism destination in Italy.

He also highlighted the Amare Le Filippine (Love the Philippines) tourism campaign launched by the Consulate in June, as an important step in attracting Italian tourists to the archipelago.

Undersecretary Valderosa-Abubakar expressed optimism that the BBGM program would significantly boost the number of foreign visitors to the Philippines.

She conveyed her hope that the program would inspire the Filipino Community in Italy to take part in showcasing the best of what the Philippines has to offer.

The event featured lively cultural performances, highlighting the Philippines’ rich heritage and traditions. Guests were also treated to a sumptuous buffet of traditional Filipino dishes.

"Italy is the fastest-recovering European tourism market for the Philippines since the pandemic."

We have heard so much about the health emergency allowances owed to frontlines. The money has been released to LGUs but not all of it has been distributed. In Sagay City, Negros Occidental, part of the money was stolen from a safe. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1991257/probe-sought-on-missing-p7-3-m-covid-benefits-for-front-liners

A health workers’ union has demanded an investigation into the reported disappearance of P7.3 million in health emergency allowances (HEA) meant for medical front-liners in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, who served during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are calling [on] the local government unit of Sagay to immediately look for funding and urgently provide the [HEA] for [the city’s] health workers,” Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) secretary general Cristy Donguines said in a statement on Tuesday.

The AHW also called for a “thorough and immediate” investigation, not only in Sagay City, but in all private and local government hospitals as well, saying the incident could also be happening elsewhere.

According to the group, this may be one of the reasons why many of their colleagues have complained about not receiving their COVID-19 benefits despite the claim of the Department of Health (DOH) that 90 percent of HEAs have already been paid out.

The Commission on Audit (COA) on Tuesday ordered Sagay City treasurer Juvy Pinongan to liquidate the P22 million in HEAs for the city’s 276 eligible health-care workers within 30 days or face criminal charges, according to city administrator Ryan Bonghanoy.

Pinongan initially distributed P22 million from Aug. 19 to Aug. 22 but failed to release the remaining P7.3 million.

When she was confronted by Mayor Narciso Javelosa Jr. in September, Pinongan said she forgot the combination of the vault where the money was being kept.

But COA representatives who opened the vault on Oct. 4 found it empty.

Javelosa said the Sagay City Legal Office was preparing an affidavit complaint against Pinongan with the Bureau of Local Government Finance in connection with the missing P7.3 million.

In September, the DOH said that out of a total P103.5 billion in emergency allowances for health workers who served during the pandemic from 2021 to 2023, P92.6 billion or almost 90 percent, have been paid out.

It explained that the delays were due to the failure of some health facilities to comply with documentary requirements before the allowances could be disbursed.

According to the DOH, it has issued checks to 2,070 health facilities or 73 percent of the total 2,853 facilities still awaiting payment.

The remaining 27 percent was supposedly delayed because of incomplete documentary requirements.

Why was the money being kept in a vault and not in a bank? 

Filipino nurses in America were very essential during the pandemic. Now a documentary is telling their story. 

https://www.wbez.org/reset-with-sasha-ann-simons/2024/10/09/nurse-unseen-highlights-filipino-nurses

In the 1980s HIV/AIDs epidemic, many American physicians and nurses refused to treat patients. Filipino and Filipino American nurses filled the gaps.

They’ve stepped up since then, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Filipinos only made up 4% of all registered nurses in the U.S. in 2020, they made up more than 30% of all nurse deaths from COVID.

A new documentary called Nurse Unseen shines a light on their contributions and sacrifices during a time of uncertainty, isolation and rising anti-Asian racism and violence.

For the moment this documentary is only available in theaters. 

Former DOH Secretary Duque was convicted of grave misconduct over the alleged anomalous purchases of Covid-19 supplies worth P41.4 billion in 2020. Now his conviction has been reversed by the Ombudsman. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/13/ombudsman-junks-admin-charges-vs-ex-doh-sec-duque-on-purchases-of-p41-b-covid-19-supplies

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has dismissed the administrative charges against former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Francisco T. Duque III over the alleged anomalous purchases of Covid-19 supplies worth P41.4 billion in 2020.

“The administrative charges for Grave Misconduct, Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service and Gross Neglect of Duty docketed against respondent Francisco T. Duque III are hereby dismissed,” stated the  OMB's 10-page order dated Aug. 5 but released recently. 

The OMB granted Duque’s consolidated motion for reconsideration and its supplement which appealed the OMB’s May 6 decision that found him and his co-respondents in the administrative case guilty of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and gross neglect of duty.

The May 6 decision ordered Duque and his co-respondents dismissed from public service, have their retirement benefits forfeited, and perpetually disqualified from government employment.

The OMB noted that the case concerns “the series of fund transfers by the Department of Health (DOH) during the period of March to December 2020 to PS-DBM (Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management) totaling P41,463,867,117.52.”

In its Aug. 5 order, the OMB agreed with Duque that he can no longer be the subject of an administrative complaint since his term of office ended along with the end of the term of former President Rodrigo Duterte on June 30, 2020.

Citing past Supreme Court (SC) rulings, the OMB ruled that “this Office is constrained to hold Duque ‘is no longer the proper subject of an administrative complaint’ in connection with the irregular fund transfers to PS-DBM during his stint as DOH Secretary.”

“Considering that the issues on the administrative charges have been rendered moot, this Office sees no point in belaboring the other arguments relating thereto,” it also said.

Despite the dismissal of the administrative case, the OMB has already filed graft charges before the Sandiganbayan against Duque and his-accused concerning the anomalous purchase of P41.463 billion of Covid-19 supplies.

The Ombudsman says since Duque's term as DOH Secretary is over he can no longer be held liable for administrative charges. Looks like he will never face the music for his role in those anomalous purchases. 

Condo rent rates in BGC and other central business districts are back to pre-pandemic levels. 

https://business.inquirer.net/484773/biz-buzz-cherry-on-top-bgc-back-to-pre-covid-condo-rentbiz-buzz-cherry-on-top-bgc-back-to-pre-covid-condo-rent

Landlords took a heavy beating during the pandemic lockdowns. But now, home rental rates are on the road to recovery. Among the central business districts (CBDs) in the metropolis, Taguig, especially BGC, is the first to regain prepandemic vibrancy.

According to the latest monitoring by Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC), average residential rent in Taguig now costs P843 per square meter (sq m), which is 36 percent more than P620 prior to the pandemic. In BGC, rates average at P1,191 or 8 percent more than P1,104 per sqm in early 2020.

Next to BGC, Makati commands the highest residential rental rate averaging P1,001 per sq m. However, this is still 8 percent below the levels back in first quarter of 2020.

Rental rates in Makati, Bay Area and Alabang have yet to recover due to the void left by Philippine offshore gaming operators or Pogo workers.

Within Metro Manila, it is cheapest to rent in Ortigas and Mandaluyong, with rates estimated at P765 per sq m, or 21-percent below pre-COVID level.

The prices heating up only proves that the residential market is on the mend, although the current inventory is at the highest in 29 months.

This is good for landlords but bad for renters. Sounds more like inflation than economic  recovery.

The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: Lie #27: Aparri is A Hebrew Word

Welcome back to 100 Lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns the town of Aparri in Cagayan Province. Timothy Jay Schwab claims it is an ancient Hebrew word. As we shall see that is a lie. 

In his video Tim says:

Ancient Entrance to Ophir / Aupir, Philippines. Solomon's Gold Series 6K

13:26 Yet another version says that the town's name comes from the locals, the Ibanag word Aparrian. Oh, that makes sense that looks like the same word and wait they live there. Hmm. That makes much better sense and it actually in meaning a place where there are many priests. Oh, you mean the the local tribe actually named their own land long before the Spanish? Duh. Who would think otherwise, really?  

Tim is getting his information about the etymology of Aparri solely from Wikipedia which states:

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

The origin of the name Aparri has been disputed. One version says that the town was named by Spanish conquistador Juan Pablo Carreron, who upon landing there in 1581, named the town after the colloquial word for supper in his hometown. Another version claims that the name comes from the Spanish word aparte, or "separate", referring to the town's separation from Camalaniugan and Buguey in 1680. Yet another version says that the town's name comes from the Ibanag word apparian, a place where there are many priests.

That information is as good as it goes but there is more to the story. The reference at the end of the paragraph is to a book titled "Cagayan and Her People" by Ed de Rivera Castillet.

As far as I can tell this book is not available online in full. However Google does allow one to search little snippets of the text. The following is what Castillet writes about the origin of the name Aparri. 

Cagayan Province and Her People

Cagayan Province and Her People

That is essentially the content of the Wikipedia article. But there is more to this story. Why were there priests in the area? Because a church was erected in 1604 and priests moved to the area to evangelize the natives. Aparri was officially made a town in 1680. 

It is believed that Aparri got its name when the civil and religious authorities in Nueva Segovia (now Lallo) decided in 1604 to erect a church there for the evangelization of the natives. The many priests who celebrated the first mass there remained to supervise the construction of the church and continued their evangelization work; subsequently, the natives referred to their place as “Aparrian,” an Ybanag word meaning “where priests resided.” On May 11, 1680, Aparri was officially inaugurated and was granted ecclesiastical recognition having for patron saint, Peter Thelmo.              

https://asat-edu.com/index.php/2021/05/07/aparri-my-hometown/

This is contrary to Tim's false assertion that Aparri was named as such long before the Spanish arrived. It also once again showcases his poor research as he has relied only on a Wikipedia article rather than search for original sources and get to the bottom of the matter. 

As for his Hebrew etymology of Aparri it makes no sense. According to him the word breaks down into "Apar" meaning dust of the earth and "ri" meaning moisture or watering. 

19:54 That's all appropriate to the land of Creation in the Garden of Eden indeed. The land where Adam was formed from "apar," dust, and "ri" the first watering. Wow!

What sense does "dust watering" make? Why would a town in Cagayan be named for the watering of the Garden of Eden when Tim teaches that the Garden of Eden is buried beneath the floor of the Sulu Sea? That is no where near Cagayan and does not make sense within his own false teachings. 

The fact is Aparri is not a Hebrew word. It is an Ibanag word. The Hebrew etymology is a total figment of Tim's imagination. It is simply another lie about the Philippines being taught by Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture.

Insurgency: An End Finally in Sight

Earlier this year the AFP set a deadline of December 31st, 2024 as the end of the communist insurgency. But is this possible? Is the end near for Asia's longest running communist insurgency? It's complicated. 

https://thediplomat.com/2024/10/is-an-end-to-asias-longest-running-communist-insurgency-finally-in-sight/

Throughout 2024, frequent armed clashes have continued between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The long-running conflict has endured despite the significant weakening of the NPA and recent efforts to establish a peacebuilding process that aims to bring an end to its insurgency.

At the end of November last year, a high-ranking delegation from Manila met with the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), in Oslo, the first such talks to be held in six years. In a signed joint statement the two sides agreed to a “principled and peaceful resolution of the armed conflict” and to address the “deep rooted socioeconomic and political grievances” that have long fueled the insurgency.

While the talks were heralded as a breakthrough at the time, it soon became evident that significant obstacles to peace remained. Less than a year later, it appears that such concerns were well-warranted, as the violence has continued, and a pervasive atmosphere of mutual mistrust persists.

After a brief respite in the conflict following the signing of the joint statement, the NPA resumed attacks on government forces while the AFP continued its counter-insurgency campaign against the weakened yet resilient rebels. According to the most recent Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) Asia-Pacific dataset, there have been 128 armed clashes between the NPA and the AFP this year, which have killed 106 suspected NPA militants and 15 Filipino soldiers.

On September 11, four members of the NPA were killed in armed clashes with the AFP in Peñablanca town, Cagayan. The clashes were just the latest iteration of a conflict that has been waged over five decades across the Philippine archipelago and has cost the lives of an estimated 40,000  civilians, soldiers, and rebels. The rebellion is considered Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency and one of the world’s most enduring armed conflicts.

During a visit to a tactical command post following the recent clashes, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. congratulated the troops on the successful operation in Peñablanca and emphasized the AFP’s commitment to end the insurgency. He also said, “your dedication and courage are crucial as we transition to territorial defense operations.” Brawner’s remarks are worth noting as they directly relate to two key issues currently facing the Philippines.

First, the military is committed to continuing its counterinsurgency campaign of definitively defeating the NPA. Second, the AFP is seeking to shift its focus from internal security threats to territorial defense in response to the increased tensions with China in the South China Sea. The Oslo joint statement actually made specific reference to “the foreign threats facing the country,” and that both sides recognized “the need to unite as a nation” in order to resolve these and other challenges.

The ongoing commitment of the AFP to continuing its counterinsurgency campaign with the stated goal of “ending” the NPA is being carried out concurrently with the Marcos administration’s approach of advocating for a peacebuilding process. This process entails exploratory talks with the NDFP, amnesties for current and former NPA members, and government-funded development projects in regions the military designates as “rebel-free.” However, the implementation of these projects has so far been varied across different provinces.

According to Michael Hart, editorial and social media coordinator of the Pacific Review journal at the University of Warwick, the current approach can be viewed as a dual-track process. He describes the process as being one in which “the government engages in peace talks with the NDFP at the national level, while the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Philippine military continue to degrade the insurgency on the ground, as that would inevitably weaken the rebels’ negotiating position.”

While the security forces have remained openly skeptical of achieving a peaceful solution to the conflict, the CPP has not given them much reason to alleviate their misgivings. At the end of December last year less than a month after the signing of the Oslo agreement and on the CPP’s 55th anniversary, the CPP announced its third rectification movement, aimed at establishing more guerilla fronts and bases, and its intention to continue “basic or annihilative tactical offensives” against “isolated and detached units of the enemy.” It’s worth noting that the CPP statement was issued a day after an armed clash with the AFP on Christmas day that killed nine NPA fighters.

In response to the CPP’s statement, the National Security Council said it was “very perplexed and disappointed” and that the NPA was “determined to regroup and rebuild what remains of its forces, to continue its protracted war in hopes of achieving its end goal of overthrowing our democratic government.”

As counter-insurgency operations intensified, the CPP released another statement at the end of March that was even more escalatory than the previous one. In it, the CPP ordered the NPA to carry out an “all-out effort” to launch a new tactical offensive “to frustrate the brutal campaign of encirclement and suppression being waged by the U.S.-Marcos regime and shatter the reign of terror of the AFP in the countryside.”

By this point, the escalatory rhetoric from both sides was markedly different from the conciliatory tone of the Oslo joint statement. In July, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año stated that the NTF-ELCAC would “completely crush” the NPA by the end of Marcos’s presidential term. Similar declarations have been made by numerous previous administrations, without success.

After extended periods of little to no dialogue, the government recently announced it had re-engaged in exploratory talks with the NDFP. On September 2, Carlito Galvez Jr., the presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation, and unity, proclaimed that the government was “very optimistic” that a final peace agreement could be reached before the end of Marcos’s term.

At the same time, ongoing military advances have led more hawkish members of the military to believe that there is little point in negotiating with an enemy that has proven it cannot be trusted and is on the verge of defeat. By all accounts, the rebels are currently on the defensive and have been significantly weakened.

As of mid-August, the government estimated the number of NPA fighters at between 1,200 and 2,000, which it claims are operating across five weakened guerilla fronts. This is significantly down from the 89 NPA fronts that were active as recently as 2018 and the estimated 25,000 fighters that it fielded at the movement’s peak in the 1980s.

While the communist insurgency has mainly been pushed back into its traditional strongholds of Bicol, Samar, Negros, and parts of Mindanao, ongoing community support has made efforts to conduct further operations against the rebels an onerous task for the security forces. In many instances, heavy-handed counter-insurgency operations have produced greater resentment in local communities, particularly in some indigenous communities, which have in turn provided new recruits and vital community support for the NPA.

Although the NPA does appear to be in relative decline, with significantly reduced capabilities and territorial influence, its resilience and deep-rooted support in impoverished and remote communities have greatly complicated the AFP’s goal of decisively defeating the insurgency. While a ceasefire agreement seems like a logical first step in a possible peacebuilding process, mutual distrust, both sides’ prioritization of short-term military gains, and the rebels’ history of opportunistically using such agreements to rebuild and regroup make such an agreement seem currently unlikely.

It does also seem, however, that the rebels may not have the ability to rebuild and regroup to quite the same extent as during past ceasefires. Many top-ranking members of the CPP leadership have been killed in recent years, and the party’s founder Jose Maria Sison died in self-exile in the Netherlands in 2022. Georgi Engelbrecht, senior analyst for the Philippines at the International Crisis Group, told The Diplomat that recent setbacks and military pressure from the AFP had “further weakened the movement” and that “it would be difficult for the insurgency to revive itself.”

However, he also said that “you cannot kill an idea with bullets,” and that a definitive end to the conflict will require the government to “tackle the root causes” of the insurgency in socio-economically marginalized regions of the country. To do so, it will need to transition from some of the more cosmetic approaches of previous peacebuilding initiatives to more consultative and transformative policies. Such policies should be aimed at bringing real development to these remote regions while simultaneously promoting reconciliation with local communities. However, given the current weakened state of the insurgency, the government may have little incentive to pursue long-term peacebuilding initiatives of this kind.

For the time being it appears as though a potential path to peace for Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency will be long and fraught, with many challenges and setbacks along the way. It will ultimately require both sides to overcome the pervasive atmosphere of mutual mistrust before the final steps can be taken.

There is a lot of information to parse in that analysis. According to this analyst the AFP estimates there are between 2,000 and 1,200 NPA rebels left. That is a very significant number which is higher than what has been reported in the Philippine mainstream media. The Philippine MSM has reported the AFP estimating there are only 1,200 rebels left and they are without leadership unable to carry out tactical offensives. 

Yet this analysis says not only are tactical offensives being carried out but "heavy-handed counter-insurgency operations have produced greater resentment in local communities" "which have in turn provided new recruits and vital community support for the NPA." That is the opposite of the AFP's claim there are many communities have turned against the NPA and are snitching on them. At least it is a bold omission which is not giving the full picture of the fight against the insurgency. 

Basically the insurgency is not going to end this year. What would it mean for the insurgency to actually end when the AFP has admitted there will never be a zero-insurgent situation?

Is playing whack-a-mole the best the AFP can do? Bohol has been declared insurgent free yet the AFP has to be on alert lest there is a resurgence of the NPA.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1235268

The 47th Infantry Battalion (47IB) of the Philippine Army based in Negros Oriental is relentlessly sustaining its operations in nearby Bohol province to prevent a resurgence of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Lt. Col. Magno Mapalad, 47IB commanding officer, told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday that they are committed to ensuring that the NPA – the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines – could no longer recoup or conduct recruitment activities in Bohol.

“We are continuing our sustainment operations with the help and cooperation of the local governments and other stakeholders to maintain its current status of being insurgency-free,” Mapalad said in mixed English and Filipino.

He added that they are also strengthening their integrated territorial defense system after the remaining NPA members of the last guerilla front were neutralized early this year.

Although based in Negros Oriental province, the coverage area of the 47IB includes Bohol province.

Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) based in Jamindan town, Capiz province, during his visit to the 47IB headquarters in Mabinay town, Negros Oriental on Thursday morning, urged the troops to not let their guard down while pursuing efforts to put an end to the insurgency in the province.

Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 3ID spokesperson, in an interview said that Sison’s visit to the 47IB and other Philippine Army units in Negros Island is to remind them that their efforts should be focused on accomplishing the mission of ending the local communist armed conflict this year.

“We need now to transition, preposition, and prepare for our territorial defense operations to end the local communist armed conflict by December 31st,” Javines said.

The 3ID commander gave awards, rewards, and recognition to 47IB troops, particularly in the battalion’s accomplishment in Bohol, which no longer has armed rebels and affected organizations, which he also wants to happen in other areas.

If there could possibly be a resurgence of the NPA in Bohol then not all elements of the NPA have been eliminated. 

Three more leaders of the leaderless NPA have been captured in Apayao. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/9/troops-capture-3-npa-leaders-in-apayao

Authorities captured three high-ranking New People's Army leaders in Barangay Manag, Conner, Apayao, on October 8.

The 503rd Infantry Brigade received information from a concerned citizen about the presence of communist rebels in the area.

Soldiers backed by policemen patrolled the area and intercepted three individuals who were positively identified as key members of the Regional Guerilla Unit-Regional Operations Command of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC) operating in Northern Luzon.

They were identified as alias Sam, commanding officer of the Regional Sentro de Grabidad (RSDG) of the ICRC; alias Tanya, political instructor; and alias Annie, organizer and head of education of the weakened guerilla front Kilusang Larangang Gerilya-Baggas.

Seized from them were two M16A1 rifles with ammunition, grenades, explosives, and personal belongings.

Major Gen. Gulliver L. Señires, commander of the 5th Infantry Division, commended operating units for a successful operation.

“The capture of these high-ranking NPA leaders is a significant step towards dismantling the remaining guerilla fronts in Northern Luzon. It demonstrates that the people are increasingly rejecting the NPA’s violent ideology and supporting the government’s efforts to achieve lasting peace and development in the region.”

He urged remaining NPA to return to the fold of the  government.

It's the old another "significant step towards dismantling" the NPA rhetoric. Yet the NPA persists. Maybe it will be true this time. 

Ex-rebels have been assisting the AFP in locating buried NPA weapons caches. They are a vital part of the AFP's counterinsurgency program. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1235118

More former rebels, members of their families, and friends have been joining the government’s anti-insurgency drive by disclosing the locations of firearms buried by the New People’s Army (NPA), the Philippine Army said Wednesday.

Brig. Gen. Perfecto Peñaredondo, acting commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said there has been recent success in their campaign to fight insurgents with the information provided by NPA members and allies on the location of arms caches.

"This is a clear indication that the families of the NPA members and the community appreciate the efforts of the government and have decided to support the fight of ending the local communist armed conflict," Peñaredondo said in a statement.

On Oct. 5, a family member of alias ‘Agunos’, an NPA rebel killed in an armed encounter in February, revealed the locations of an arms cache containing three firearms in the upland Rizal village in Kananga, Leyte.

Troops from the 93rd Infantry Battalion under the 802nd Infantry Brigade recovered an M16 assault rifle, caliber.30 M1 garand, KG-9 pistol, five magazines, and 41 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition allegedly owned by the recently dismantled platoon 2 of the island committee Levox under the NPA Eastern Visayas regional party committee.

On Oct. 3, acting on a tip-off from a former rebel, soldiers facilitated the surrender of two active NPA remnants and recovered a significant cache of weapons and ammunition in Eastern Samar.

Soldiers from the Army’s 78th Infantry Battalion received information from alias ‘Apolonio’, a former Yunit Militia member of the NPA who identified two active NPA members hiding in Abejao village in Salcedo, Eastern Samar.

‘Apolonio’ disclosed the location of Lilio Betasolo Jacobe, alias Baoy, vice squad leader of NPA’s Apoy Platoon Squad 2, and Enorio Afable Aquilla, alias Rokles, a member of the same squad. Both rebels surrendered in Abejao village in Salcedo town.

These individuals were involved in a clash with government forces on July 25 this year, in Osmeña village, General MacArthur town in Eastern Samar, where their leader, Joel Guarino, alias ‘Duran’, was killed.

Following their surrender, they revealed the locations of hidden arms caches in the villages of Osmeña and Laurel in the same town.

The operation resulted in the recovery of two M16 rifles, two M14 rifles, one M1903 caliber .30 Springfield rifle, and one AK-47 rifle.

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the success of this operation is credited to their efforts in the conduct of comprehensive debriefings with former rebels and implementing the Friends Rescued Engagement through Their Families program.

The program optimizes the local government’s efforts to link and convince the remaining NPA members through the active participation of the rebels’ families to work for the peaceful surrender of their loved ones and take advantage of benefits through the Enhanced Local Integration Program.

Some ex-rebels are receiving large cash rewards for revealing the locations of buried weapon caches. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1234985

A former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) and her spouse received PHP2.3 million from the government on Monday as remuneration for information that led to the seizure of 31 high powered firearms.

Alias "Sayap" was rewarded for providing information that led to the seizure of 31 high powered firearms in Barangay Gueday, Besao, Mountain Province.

The remuneration is under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Of the total firearms, 29 were monetized while two have pending valuations. Each were valued between PHP50,000 and PHP80,000.

In a press briefing at the capitol, Kalinga Governor and ECLIP Chairperson James Edduba handed over the financial package to “Sayap," a rebel for 35 years.

“He voluntarily surrendered and later provided the information to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Many of the firearms recovered were machine guns,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Romualdo Raymund Landingin, commander of the AFP 503rd Infantry Brigade, said in the same press conference that at least 50 more NPA members in Kalinga are interested in surrendering. 

“They are, however concerned of the legal cases and security, which are reasons that are holding them back,” he said.

Landingin stressed that returning rebels will receive security and assistance under the Firearm Remuneration and Demilitarization Program.

DILG-Cordillera Assistant Director Ruperto Maribay Jr. said the successful negotiation took nearly a year to finalize.

He said the former rebel will receive additional benefits under the ECLIP program like education assistance for his three children in college, housing assistance and livelihood package. 

It's comforting to know how taxpayer money is being put to good use.