Retards in the Government 461

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

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/12/village-councilor-gunned-down-in-abra

A barangay councilor was shot dead in Barangay Riang here on Wednesday morning, March 11.

Police Capt. June Saliw-an, chief of the Peñarrubia Municipal Police Station, identified the victim as Ryan M. Chavez, 42, a first-term councilor of Barangay Riang.

Investigation said the victim was jogging when a man driving a motorcycle arrived and shot him in the back.

The suspect fled and the victim was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Police recovered four empty .45 caliber shells in the area.

Follow-up investigation and pursuit operation are ongoing.

A barnagay councilor has been assassinated.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2195664/govt-employee-busted-in-iloilo-drug-sting

An employee of the Oton, Iloilo local government, classified by authorities as a high-value individual in the illegal drug trade, was arrested on Friday after yielding an estimated P 2.17 million worth of suspected meth or “shabu” during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Buray.

Police identified the suspect only as alias “Scobe,” 46, who works for the Oton Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office.

Operatives from the Iloilo Police Provincial Office – Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, backed by the Oton Municipal Police Station and the Provincial Intelligence Unit, launched the operation at around 3:45 p.m. on Friday.

The arrest followed nearly two weeks of strict intelligence monitoring aided by tips from local residents.

During the operation, authorities confiscated seven sachets of suspected meth weighing some 320 grams. 

The seized narcotics have an estimated valir of P 2,176,000. Operatives also recovered the buy-bust money.

The suspect is currently under police custody and is slated to face formal drug-related complaints.

An LGU employee who is a high value target has been busted for drugs. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2196407/ex-cop-killed-in-manila-mayor-offers-cash-witness-protection-to-driver

A retired police officer was shot dead in Manila, prompting Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Monday to offer a P500,000 cash reward, not to informants, but to the driver of the motorcycle for him to surrender and stand witness against his companion – the gunman.

Identified as George Capistrano, the former officer, while on his way home Saturday night, was gunned down and robbed by two men aboard a motorcycle. Domagoso said this during his “Talk to the People” livestream on social media, noting that the retired cop was a “close friend.”

Domagoso addressed the driver of the motorcycle, “Ang inyong lingkod po ay nag-aalok ng P500,000 for you if you surrender.” (I am offering P500,000 for you if you surrender.)

(And if you surrender, we’re also offering you… entry into the Witness Protection Program for yourself and your family. We can help you avail this in exchange for the quick resolution of the crime that happened.)

The Manila mayor gave the gunman’s motorcycle driver only 48 hours to accept the offer.

Domagoso did not give further details as to the killing, and the Manila Police District (MPD) has yet to respond to the Inquirer’s request for comment.

However, Domagoso did claim the two men were connected to a criminal group whose modus operandi was to rob victims while riding in tandem aboard a motorcycle in various parts of Metro Manila.

Moreover, the Manila mayor assured the public that the police were now tracking down both suspects in ongoing follow-up operations.

“We will not stop. We will come after you. We will make sure, as I have promised and committed to the people of Manila, if you commit a crime in Manila, we will scour through the whole country to find you,” Domagoso pointed out, speaking mostly in Filipino.

A retired police office has been assassinated. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/16/former-iloilo-mayor-arrested-for-fatal-hit-and-run

Former Mayor Salvador “Badong” Divinagracia Jr. of Calinog town in central Iloilo province was arrested for a fatal hit-and-run accident on Sunday evening, March 15.

The New Lucena Municipal Police Station (MPS) confirmed that Divinagracia is in custody after the death of 20-year-old Vhane Rodulf “Koy Koy” Idao.

Police Lt. Jhoney Laru-an, New Lucena MPS chief, said Divinagracia was driving his Ford Raptor pickup truck when he hit Idao on the highway in Barangay Pasil before 10 p.m.

Divinagracia panicked and fled. He was caught at the Ungka Flyover in Pavia town.

Idao allegedly died on the spot as his motorcycle was dragged by Divinagracia’s vehicle.

Laru-an said that Divinagracia will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide.

The Idao family is calling for justice. “His life and memory deserve truth and accountability,” said Rain Idao in a Facebook post on Monday, March 16.

Former Mayor Salvador “Badong” Divinagracia Jr. of Calinog town in central Iloilo province was arrested for a fatal hit-and-run accident.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2196573/barmm-councilor-survives-gun-attack-in-cotabato-town

A town councilor is now under medical treatment after he was shot by riding-in-tandem gunmen along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion 8, Midsayap, Cotabato at around noon on Sunday, according to a police official.

Captain Sammy Clarito, deputy chief of Midsayap police, identified the victim as Councilor Al-Hamidie Sampulna Mohamad, 42, of Olandang village in Nabalawag town of the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (SGA).

Mohamad is the town’s first-ranked councilor.

Clarito said Mohamad had just gotten out of the Toyota Fortuner (plate number NCY 3252) he was driving when the suspects, riding a Yamaha Sniper motorcycle, waylaid him and shot him, hitting both of his feet.

“He was about to buy something inside a motor parts trading shop when the gunmen attacked,” Clarito said.

Police recovered at the crime scene nine empty shells of an undetermined caliber and two deformed slugs believed to be from a .45-caliber pistol.

The Midsayap police is still conducting an investigation into the incident.

The victim said he has no known enemies and had not received any threats to his life.

A town councilor has survived an assassination attempt. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/980474/vice-mayor-arrested-over-shabu-in-camiguin-province-pdea/story/

An incumbent vice mayor was arrested in an anti-drug operation in Barangay North Poblacion, Guinsiliban, Camiguin on Tuesday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said Wednesday.

In a statement, PDEA said authorities implemented a search warrant in Purok 3, Barangay North Poblacion that led to the arrest of the 66-year-old suspect identified as “Tata.”

Seized during the operation were five heat-sealed plastic sachets containing a white crystalline substance believed to be shabu worth around P102,000. 

Also recovered were a 9mm pistol with a magazine, 22 rounds of live ammunition, two mobile phones, and assorted drug paraphernalia, according to PDEA.

The suspect will face charges for possession of dangerous drugs and drug paraphernalia) under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

“PDEA assures the public that all individuals involved in illegal drug activities, regardless of position or status, will be held accountable under the law,” the agency said. 

“PDEA remains steadfast in its commitment to intensify nationwide anti-drug operations in pursuit of a safer, drug-free Philippines under the vision of Bagong Pilipinas,” it added.

An incumbent vice mayor was arrested in an anti-drug operation.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2197986/barmm-town-councilor-shot-dead-in-maguindanao-del-sur

A town councilor in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was shot dead by two men who spoke with him before the attack in front of his home in Paglat, Maguindanao del Sur Wednesday morning.

Capt. Nelson Pedrico, Paglat police chief, identified the slain official as Samon Kitalok, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, Paglat, about 15 kilometers from here.

The initial police investigation report revealed that two men on a motorbike arrived at Kitalok’s house and had a brief conversation with him at around 6 p. m.

A few minutes later, one of the two men shot Kitalok at close range, killing him on the spot.

Police found six empty shells for an unidentified pistol.

Colonel Salman Sapal, Maguindanao del Sur police director, has ordered a manhunt against the suspects.

A town councilor in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was shot dead by two men who spoke with him before the attack in front of his home.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/18/sandiganbayan-affirms-with-modification-graft-conviction-of-ex-pnp-officers

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed with modification the graft conviction of several former officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the irregular procurement of parts and repair services for V-150 light armored vehicles in 2007.

Former P/SSupt. Emmanuel D. Ojeda, P/SSupt. Reuel Leverne B. Labrado, P/Supt. Josefina B. Dumanew, P/CInsp. Analee R. Forro, SPO4 Victor M. Puddao, P/Supt. Henry Y. Duque, P/Supt. Warlito T. Tubon, non-uniformed personnel supply accountable officer Eulito T. Fuentes, and property inspector Alex R. Barrameda were found guilty of violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, in a decision dated Dec. 11, 2025.

They were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office for each graft conviction. They were also ordered to indemnify the PNP by way of civil indemnity the amounts of P29,997,000 and P53,900,000 with interest of six percent per annum.

They filed their motions for reconsideration.

In resolving the motions, the Sandiganbayan affirmed their imprisonment but deleted their civil liability.

In their motions, they alleged that the evidence against them is wanting and does not justify a finding of guilt. They also alleged that many of them lacked authority during the critical stages of procurement and disbursement, and they had no custody of the funds and no authority to approve payments.

In denying the motion, the court said: "It is worth noting that all motions filed by the accused merely rehashed the issues and arguments that have already been resolved and given due consideration by this Court. No new substantial matter is presented to justify a reversal of the assailed decision."

But the court said that those convicted should not be held civilly liable. It agreed to modify and do away with its earlier ruling insofar as the civil liabilities of Ojeda, Labrado, Tubon, Dumanew, Forro, Paddao, Fuentes, Duque, and Barrameda are concerned.

"A more circumspect re-evaluation of the records, however, reveals that the factual and legal bases for such civil liability are wanting," the court ruled.

It said that the private supplier, RJP, which was ultimately acquitted, received payments directly from the PNP. There was no evidence that established that the accused appropriated or pocketed any portion from the amounts paid to RJP, it also said.

The 37-page resolution dated March 16, 2026 was written by Chairperson Associate Justice Michael Frederick L. Musngi with the concurrence of Associate Justices Lorifel L. Pahimna and J. Ermin Ernest Louie R. Miguel of the court’s special fourth division. 

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed with modification the graft conviction of several former officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the irregular procurement of parts and repair services for V-150 light armored vehicles in 2007.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Germany House, Sunflowers, and More!

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

The house in which Jose Rizal finished his novel Noli Me Tangere has been siting idle since the pandemic.  Now a member of the House of Representatives has bought it. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/980109/leviste-buys-germany-house-where-jose-rizal-completed-noli-me-tangere/story/

Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Leviste has purchased the house in Wilhelmsfeld, Germany where national hero Jose Rizal completed his famed novel “Noli Me Tangere.” 

A post on his Facebook page said the lawmaker purchased the house to preserve the site. 

(The goal of buying and preserving this house is to maintain a historical site where the ideas that helped spark the Philippine Revolution and shape the Filipino nation were born.) 

According to the lawmaker’s office, Leviste's mother Senator Loren Legarda asked him to purchase the home, where Rizal lived while studying ophthalmology at the University of Heidelberg. The house had served as a home to pastors since 1886, but hasn’t been in use since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

(After the COVID-19 pandemic, the house was no longer being used, which is why it was brought to the attention of Cong. Leandro’s mother, Senator Loren Legarda. Because no one else was going to buy the house to preserve it, Sen. Loren suggested to Cong. Leandro that he buy it, at no cost to the government, and turn it into a museum open to all Filipinos and foreign visitors in Wilhelmsfeld to understand the life and works of Rizal.) 

Leviste held a signing ceremony last week, along with Dr. Franz Hack Ullmer, the great-grandson of Pastor Karl Ullmer, who was Rizal’s friend.

Also present at the signing were representatives of the Protestant church that owned the house; Dr. Tobias Dangel, the Mayor of Wilhelmsfeld; and Herbert Ehses, the Germany chapter commander of the Knights of Rizal.

(Dr. Ullmer also gave Cong. Leandro a table similar to the one Rizal used when writing Noli Me Tangere, along with other items from the Ullmer family’s Rizal collection.)

It will be interesting to have a museum about the Philippine Revolution thousands of miles away from the Philippines. 

In 2020 one farmer got the idea to open up his sunflower farm to tourists. The pandemic shut it down quick but now tourism is blossoming. 

https://pia.gov.ph/news/sunflowers-to-sustainable-tourism-shilan-blossoms-into-community-tourism-village/

Barangay Shilan in La Trinidad, Benguet is one of the emerging eco-tourism destinations in the region. It promotes experiential and community-based tourism – a tourism that is not only for sightseeing but empowering the community.

One of the attractions here is DarJane’s Sunflower Farm, which start was not easy and intended to be.

Farm owner Mario Mateo narrated that he planted more than 10,000 sunflowers in 1,500 square-meter lot but did not bloom in time for Valentine’s Day in 2020. Thinking of how to cope up with their expenses in growing the flowers, they came up with an idea to open the farm to visitors for sunflower viewing.

Visitors flocked to the place providing employment for some of the residents. It also opened an opportunity for farmers and small business owners to sell their products to the visitors.

Unfortunately, lockdown was implemented in mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the slack of activities, Mateo devoted his time improving the farm.

After the pandemic, DarJane’s Sunflower Farm reopened but not many people went to the area.

Tourism boom with government assistance

With the help of various government agencies, hope begun to bloom again on the farm, which is just 12 kilometers away from Baguio City.

Mateo and his daughter attended various trainings by the Department of Trade and Industry, which inspired them to develop their unique products- sunflower cake and sunflower butter. They also introduced sun coffee or coffee infused with sunflower that is really perfect for the cool climate of Benguet.

Through a loan from the Small Business Corporation, an attached agency of the DTI, Mateo plans to enhance the experiences on their farm. This includes the establishment of an infinity pool and a glass walk.

“We are grateful to the DTI for their great help in promotions and daytoy seminars, assistance with the assistance, free stickers, packaging and endorsements from the SB Corps,” said Mateo.

The DTI continues to provide assistance to small business owners who need support. The agency has established Negosyo Centers where micro, small, and medium enterprises can access assistance and guidance.

“Number 1 biggest banner we have is the Negosyo Center wherein they conduct series of trainings. If there is a need in the community, they can provide a Negosyo center,” said Sara Ubfan of DTI Baguio-Benguet.

DarJane’s Farm has also partnered with the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority, and expected to start accepting students taking courses in organic agriculture, production programming, and barista this March or April.

Community tourism village

After joining a tour organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT), Mateo envisioned a broader dream, one that extended beyond his own farm but for the entire community. Inspired by his experience, he conceptualized the Shilan Community Tourism Village, a tourism for the community.

“There are natural sites here, they can be retouched and connected and transformed. We have done it.”

Before the establishment of the tourism village, there were consultations made and the Shilan Tour Guides Association was organized.

Aside from DarJanes, village is also home to Garden nen Ines and Martin’s Hobbit House, two waterfalls and a historic cave that played a role during World War II, and other attractions. Various community products such as coffee and flowers, arts and crafts are also showcased and promoted here.

Every visitor brings economic opportunities for the community. Aside from the community members who serve as tour guides, it also helps in generating income for those who serve as garage attendants as well as in selling various community products. The tourism village currently has more than 200 beneficiaries.

With the cooperation and unity of the community, the Shilan Community Tourism Village won second place in the DOT’s Search for Best Tourism Village in 2024.

It also received the Tourism Village Builders Award from the Benguet provincial government. The cash prize was poured into the further development of the tourism village.

“We are grateful because they noticed that Shilan is another tourist destination. That’s why we can show you that Shilan is one of the best places to visit.”

Tourism for the community

DOT-Cordillera Regional Director Jovita Ganongan said that the search for the best tourism village is part of their recovery plans after the pandemic. She said it is to strengthen tourism villages, especially in the Cordillera.

“It’s really more of organizing tourism villages to organize and to develop their tourism, a tourism that is sustainable, responsible, participatory, and resilient,” Ganongan said.

Mateo and the community proved that with genuine concern, initiative, and strong support from the government, hope and growth in life can flourish, especially in communities that are united.

Like a sunflower facing the sun to grow and bloom, success is achieved when challenges are faced together for a brighter tomorrow.

With help from the government he not only grew his farm as a tourist spot but also the whole community. That is quite a pandemic recovery story. 

Unemployment numbers are looking like 2022 again. 

https://business.inquirer.net/579180/unemployment-rate-jumps-to-pandemic-era-high-of-5-8

Philippine unemployment soared to a pandemic-era high of 5.8 percent in January, with 2.96 million Filipinos out of work. The number went up from 2.26 million in December, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday.

The joblessness rate also rose from the 4.4 percent recorded in December, marking the highest level since June 2022 when it stood at 6.03 percent.

This came as the labor force participation rate slipped to 62.3 percent, equivalent to 50.89 million Filipinos. This was 64.4 percent or 51.69 million in December.

Measures of job quality also deteriorated. About 6.35 million employed Filipinos said they were seeking additional work or longer hours to boost their income. This was a sharp increase from 3.93 million in December.

This pushed the underemployment rate to 13.2 percent from 8 percent.

Meanwhile, the employment rate fell to 94.2 percent, equivalent to 47.94 million Filipinos with jobs. This came from 95.6 percent or 49.43 million in December.

Of course it has nothing to do with a virus but of course history does rhyme even if it doesn't repeat. 

Delta airlines shut down shop during the pandemic and is now eyeing a comeback.

https://insiderph.com/delta-eyes-manila-comeback-after-pandemic-exit-as-competition-heats-up-on-us-routes

Delta said it intends to launch daily nonstop Los Angeles–Manila flights by summer 2027 using Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Before suspending its Philippine service in 2021 during the pandemic, Delta served Manila via Tokyo or Seoul. 

The plan surfaced in a filing with the US Department of Transportation tied to taipan Lucio Tan's Philippine Airlines’ application to launch Manila–Chicago service. It was earlier reported by the Manila Bulletin newspaper. 

Delta’s planned return would add to growing competition on US–Manila routes, where United Airlines already operates multiple nonstop services linking the Philippine capital with key US gateways.

For Philippine Airlines, which has long dominated the Manila–US corridor among Philippine carriers, the potential entry of another US airline could intensify competition for passengers traveling between the two countries.

The US–Philippines market is one of the largest long-haul travel corridors for the country, supported by a large Filipino diaspora in North America as well as strong tourism and business travel demand.

Delta said it does not oppose PAL’s Chicago route request in principle but urged regulators to defer action on the application until US carriers are assured of commercially viable airport access in Manila.

The airline argued that US carriers continue to face constraints securing slots, gates, and related airport infrastructure at Manila, which are necessary to launch and sustain nonstop services.

At the same time, Philippine carriers have expanded their presence in the US market through new routes and increased frequencies, including the launch of Manila–Seattle nonstop service.

Delta emphasized it is not seeking to block PAL’s Chicago route, but is asking regulators to delay approval until the Philippine government provides assurances that US airlines will have access to the slots and infrastructure needed to operate Manila flights on commercially viable terms.

The matter was disclosed in a document where Delta said the proposed Manila-Chicago route by PAL should be delayed until the Philippine government can assure access to American air carriers who provide non-stop service. 

DSWD Debacles Highlight Inefficiency and Incompetence

The Department of Social Welfare Development, DSWD is hopelessly inefficient and incompetent. At least that is the implied message of a viral video showing an old man riding down a mountain in a carabao-drawn sledge to receive financial assistance.  

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/11/carabao-drawn-sledge-transports-bedridden-father-to-payout-center-to-receive-assistance

A bedridden father transported on a “patuki,” a carabao-drawn sledge, to a payout center in Dibibi, Cabarroguis, Quirino to receive his financial assistance has gone viral on social media.

The man was carried from his home in a mountainous area to enable him to personally claim his government aid recently.

A viral post by his son, Roldan Elacio Pelerio, said it appears that the agency distributing the assistance had no plan to conduct a door-to-door payout, even though his father was unable to walk.

Pelerio said the trip took nearly an hour, depending on the pace of the carabao (water buffalo) that transported his father.

He said that he recorded the video showing their situation and posted it online to draw attention to their case.

Pelerio’s father was able to receive financial assistance. 

According to this article the old man's son says they took an hour trip down the mountain because the DSWD "had no plan to conduct a door-to-door payout." He also says his father was able to receive the assistance. However, it seems some crucial details have been left out. 

Apparently officials at the DSWD saw this viral Facebook post in real time and immediately set out to intercept them.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/14/dswd-delivers-social-pension-to-bedridden-senior-in-remote-quirino-village-after-viral-video

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivered social pension assistance directly to a bedridden senior citizen in a remote mountain village in Quirino Province after a viral video showed him being transported down a rugged path on a carabao-drawn cart to claim his aid.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao on Saturday, March 14 said the agency immediately coordinated with its Field Office II and the local government of Cabarroguis, Quirino after learning about the situation of the elderly beneficiary, identified as Lolo Jaime.

“The DSWD and the local government immediately took action when we learned about the situation. It is important to ensure that our senior citizens are safe and no longer have to undergo dangerous travel just to receive government assistance,” Dumlao said in Filipino.

The agency clarified that assistance under the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens is delivered door-to-door in remote communities to prevent elderly beneficiaries, especially those who are bedridden, from traveling long and difficult distances just to receive their aid.

“The goal of our door-to-door delivery of social pension is to ensure that our beneficiaries no longer need to go down the mountain or travel far. We want them to feel that even if they are in remote areas, the government is still there to deliver services,” Dumlao said.

According to DSWD Field Office II Regional Director Lucia Alan, the agency verified the case after seeing the online post about the elderly man, who lives in Barangay Dibibi, a remote mountainous community in Cabarroguis.

Reaching the barangay requires an estimated two-and-a-half-hour hike from the town center.

When authorities learned that the family had already started bringing Lolo Jaime down the mountain to collect his pension, personnel from the DSWD and the Cabarroguis local government unit rushed to meet them along the road.

The senior citizen received P3,000 in social pension, equivalent to P1,000 per month for the first quarter of the year. 

DSWD also extended P5,000 worth of food assistance and informed the family about medical assistance they may access through the Social Welfare and Development office.

Local health workers conducted an initial check-up and provided maintenance medicines and vitamins.

Lolo Jaime was also referred to the Department of Health’s Purok Kalusugan program under the Doctors to the Barrios initiative to address his medical needs.

To help improve his mobility, the case was endorsed to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for the provision of a wheelchair, which is ready for pickup by the barangay captain.

Barangay health workers and nutrition scholars have also placed Lolo Jaime under regular health monitoring to ensure continuous support.

According to the DSWD the trip takes two hours going up the mountain and they "clarified that assistance under the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens is delivered door-to-door in remote communities." Why then was the family under the impression that the DSWD was not going door-to-door? Perhaps there was some miscommunication between the DSWD and this family. Or perhaps it was a stunt to raise money and garner sympathy? People do that all the time online.

The DSWD claims this old man will now receive a free wheelchair to improve accesibilty and he will be monitored for future needs. 

To improve his mobility and daily care, Lolo Jaime’s case was referred to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for the provision of a wheelchair, which is now ready for pickup by the village captain.

Meanwhile, barangay health workers and barangay nutrition scholars assured the family that Lolo Jaime has been included in their regular health monitoring list to ensure continuous follow-up and support.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/127105

Hopefully Lolo Jaime get's the care he needs.

His case is not the only debacle from the DSWD this week. A mother of four waiting in line for her ayuda collapsed and died. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/705347/mother-of-4-dies-after-collapsing-in-dswd-line-in-mandaue

A 31-year-old mother of four died after collapsing while waiting for validation for financial aid intended for victims of Typhoon Tino in Mandaue City on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.

Mary Christ Cuizon, a resident of Barangay Paknaan, had gone to the gymnasium in Barangay Opao, where authorities were conducting validation for beneficiaries of the P5,000 cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Cuizon, who was listed among typhoon victims from several barangays, reportedly collapsed while waiting for her turn in line.

Father seeks answers for daughter’s death

Her father, Jennifer Cuizon, citing witness accounts and videos previously posted on social media that have since been deleted, said it took around 30 minutes before his daughter was assisted and brought to Mandaue City Hospital.

He said Mary Christ was the only member of their family included on the list of beneficiaries, which prompted her to personally process the aid.

According to him, beneficiaries had already been scheduled to receive the assistance on March 23, but were still required to undergo revalidation. Families with partially damaged houses are set to receive P5,000, while those whose homes were totally damaged are eligible for P10,000.

The financial aid is intended for residents affected by Typhoon Tino, which hit parts of Cebu on November 4, 2025.

The father also shared that Mary Christ had given birth six months ago and had not yet fully recovered, though she told the family she was feeling well before leaving home.

Mary Christ left behind four children, the oldest 10 years old and the youngest only six months old.

Thought to have ‘epilepsy’

Another painful part for the father was learning what happened to his daughter. Some people allegedly said that his daughter had only epilepsy, which may be why she was not immediately helped.

It was said that she was only given assistance when the skin and fingernails had already turned purple. Meanwhile, the doctor who attended to the daughter was reportedly told why she was not given oxygen immediately when help was finally provided.

The family is now asking the city government and barangay officials to review the CCTV footage from the venue to determine whether there was negligence in responding to the incident.

“Dili gyud lalim [mawad-an og anak]. Nangayawat intawn sa ayuda. Kinsa man gani nag-ingun nga personnel nga gipatol na, kung gipatol man gani nganong walay first aid? Unsa man na nga klase nga naa tay BDRRM, rescuer sa duol. Mao na hangyo ko ni Cong, Mayor, Kap, nga kinsa ng personnel nga nagpabaya sa ako anak,” said Cuizon.

He also clarified that his daughter does not have epilepsy, saying their family does not have such a condition, but noted that she had recently gone through postpartum recovery.

Statement from DSWD Mandaue

When CDN Digital visited the wake at the chapel in Zone Talong, personnel from the DSWD and the City Social Welfare and Services Office were present but declined to give a statement.

They said, however, that their office would provide separate burial assistance to the family.

Mandaue City Administrator Atty. Gonzalo Malig-on Jr. said he has requested an incident report and will provide updates once full details become available.

There is a lot of things wrong with this story the worst being the fact that Mary did not receive IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION but was left to rot for 30 minutes! That is inexcusable. Did no one else in line notify officials? Did no officials see what happened? 

Why is the government only now giving out assistance for a typhoon which happened five months ago? Was there no one who could accompany her? No other family members or friends? Was there no process by which she could send a proxy or have a DSWD official come to her?

The fact is the DSWD is supposed to serve the poorest and sickest Filipinos who need aid to get by. One would think not only would they accommodate these people and GO TO THEM but they would make that clear. At least make it clearer than they have. Mary is not the first beneficiary to die while waiting for a pay out. If the DSWD doesn't get their act together she won't be the last. 

Insurgency: Historic Insurgency-Free Milestone

The Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division has declared their territory is now insurgency free. Their area covers the Davao Region which includes 84 cities and municipalities. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/amp/story/davao/10id-marks-historic-insurgency-free-milestone

THE Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID) has declared all 84 cities and municipalities under its operational coverage insurgency-free, a milestone that makes the unit the first infantry division in the Philippines to achieve the status, officials said.

The declaration covers areas across the Davao Region and parts of Sarangani, North Cotabato, and Bukidnon, regions that for decades experienced communist insurgency activities.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by Major Ruben Gadut, 10ID spokesperson, during a Davao Peace and Security Press Corps conference at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

“Technically speaking, all areas under 10ID are now insurgency-free,” Gadut said. “Based on available military data, this appears to make the division the first in the country to declare its entire area of responsibility free from insurgent influence.”

Gadut cited key municipalities cleared of insurgent presence. In Sarangani, these include Malapatan, Glan, Alabel, and Malungon. In Bukidnon, the declaration covers Kibawe, Damulog, Dangcagan, San Fernando, Kitaotao, Maramag, Quezon, and Valencia City. 

In North Cotabato, Antipas and Kidapawan City were among those recognized as insurgency-free.

The declaration reflects years of sustained counterinsurgency operations against the New People’s Army (NPA), which had long maintained guerrilla fronts across parts of Mindanao. Security officials said the achievement builds on earlier milestones in the region.

On March 24, 2022, Davao City was declared insurgency-free after 10ID reported the dismantling of the NPA’s Sub-Regional Committee 5, which had operated in areas surrounding the city. In the months that followed, other provinces issued similar declarations: Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro in June 2022; Davao del Sur in July; Davao Occidental in August; and Davao Oriental in September. These milestones paved the way for the Regional Peace and Order Council to formally declare the entire Davao Region insurgency-free on October 12, 2022.

Progress in Bukidnon, which is partly under 10ID’s operational jurisdiction, unfolded more gradually. Several municipalities achieved insurgency-free status in phases between 2023 and 2025. Notable milestones included Valencia City, declared insurgency-free in October 2025, making it the first city in Northern Mindanao to earn the recognition. Earlier, in March 2025, Kitaotao, a municipality along the Bukidnon–Davao boundary long considered strategic for insurgent operations, was cleared of communist rebels.

The 10ID oversees security operations across a large portion of southern Mindanao, including parts of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Davao Region, Sarangani, North Cotabato, and Bukidnon.

Despite the insurgency-free declaration, Gadut said the military will maintain its presence in the affected areas to ensure that security gains are sustained. Brigade-sized units remain ready for deployment should threats or sabotage attempts arise. He added that coordination with local officials continues, with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) working closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and local government units to maintain stability.

Authorities also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to prevent a resurgence of insurgent groups.

Military officials said the declaration forms part of the government’s broader strategy to stabilize historically conflict-affected areas of Mindanao, strengthen community security, and create conditions conducive to economic development and investment in the region.

Technically speaking?? What does that mean? The military will maintain a presence to prevent a resurgence? Huh? I thought it was insurgency free?  As we shall see insurgency free does not mean zero insurgents.

The AFP has given another update as to how many Reds and supporters have surrendered since the beginning of the year. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270807

Around 413 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and their supporters were reported “neutralized” by government troops from Jan. 1 to March 5, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said late Tuesday afternoon.

In an interview with reporters, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said out of the 413 communist insurgents and supporters “neutralized,” 398 opted to surrender, while seven were captured and nine were killed in military operations.

"Neutralized" is a military term which refers to the surrender, capture, or killing of enemy troops.

“That tells us that sustained pressure, combined with reintegration programs and development initiatives, is creating a pathway - away from the armed struggle,” she said.

“And when more individuals choose reintegration over conflict, it means the security landscape is gradually stabilizing,” she added.

For the same period, around 234 assorted firearms were either seized or captured from communist insurgents along with 68 anti-personnel mines and 14 camps.

Last year, the military said its units have neutralized 2,018 NPA members and supporters from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. Of this number, 1,798 have surrendered with 93 arrested, and 127 killed in various military operations nationwide.

"A total of 1,134 firearms and 531 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered (during this period)," the AFP said. It also added that a total of 149 NPA encampments were also captured from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of last year. 

But they don't break down the numbers between actual NPA members and mere supporters so once again the number is worthless to gauging the strength of the communist insurgency. 

The amnesty application date is drawing nigh and in Bicol 700 former rebels have applied.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270798

A total of 719 former rebels in the Bicol Region have applied for the government amnesty program, according to the Local Amnesty Board Secretariat of the National Amnesty Commission (NAC) on Wednesday.

Philipp Listanco, NAC regional director, urged eligible former and active rebels to apply before the deadline on Friday (March 13).

"When applying for amnesty, all you need is yourself and any valid identification card. That is all we require. But the decision to apply for amnesty must come from the person," he said in an interview.

"We are not forcing anyone. We continuously encourage them so they can decide for themselves. They must decide on their own that they want to ask for forgiveness from the government so they can have a second chance to live a happy life in our country."

Listanco said that as of the latest count, the nationwide total has reached about 11,000 applications.

He added that the government has so far approved 16 amnesty applications. Of this number, 15 were granted to members of the Communist Party of the Philippines–New People's Army–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in Mindanao, while one was granted to a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

"Our hope is strong, and the chances of approval are high, but at this moment we are focused on the last days of the application period," he said.

The government's amnesty program is intended for former rebels who have legal cases related to acts committed in pursuit of their political beliefs. Qualified applicants may be granted amnesty, allowing them to reintegrate into mainstream society without prosecution for their past offenses.

Listanco said the commission has already requested an extension of the application period.

It seems the insurgency is dying and defeated. But hold on. That may only be government propaganda. The South China Morning Post has a lengthy article about the subject. 

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345929/philippines-says-its-communist-rebels-are-defeated-are-they

The mountains of the Philippines are quieter now.

The jungle bases that once sustained Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency are mostly emptied out. Its tens of thousands of guerrilla fighters have been reduced, by the military’s account, to something “very, very negligible”.

After 56 years, the Philippine military thinks the fight is almost over – and that conviction is transforming the armed forces from the inside out.

Commanders are overhauling training and strategy, moving away from the small-unit counter-insurgency missions that defined five decades of jungle warfare. The enemy they are preparing for now is not a Maoist guerrilla in the hills.

Officials say this shift is only possible because the New People’s Army (NPA) – the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines – is a spent force.

Not everyone believes it.

Military officials announced the dismantling of the final NPA guerrilla front last month.

A “front” is not merely a band of fighters. It is, according to Philippine Army commander Lieutenant General Antonio Gustilo Nafarrete, a self-contained structure combining armed combatants, political leadership and a civilian support “mass base”.

Dismantling the last one, in the military’s view, marks the end of the NPA as an organised territorial force.

“We’re already near the finish line,” Nafarrete said on February 16. He declined to give a figure for the NPA’s current strength but said it was “very, very negligible”.

I must have missed the fact that the last guerrilla front was dismantled last month. I try to stay on top of the news but this slipped by somehow. Regardless, that doesn't meant the NPA has been defeated. 

The strategic implications are already being felt in training priorities. “Training and capability build-up will be more on large-scale operations,” Nafarrete said.

“Before, we used to do small unit exercises because of our ISO [internal security operations], but now we are already doing brigade to division-size operations in consonance with our territorial defence operations.”

He was careful to add that hard-won ground would not be abandoned. Even as the army pivoted outward, “the position of our forces will stay the same”, Nafarrete said.

“We want to sustain the gains.”

What is this talk about sustaining the gains? Either they are defeated or they aren't. 

To truly appreciate how dramatically the NPA has contracted, it helps to remember how formidable it once was.

At its height in the mid-1980s, during the dying years of Ferdinand Marcos Snr’s dictatorship, the communist rebellion fielded roughly 20,000 armed guerrillas and claimed the sympathy of more than a million Filipinos.

The movement had grown powerful enough that then defence minister Juan Ponce Enrile conceded publicly in 1986 that communist forces were approaching a point where they could threaten Manila itself.

But there was always more to the insurgency than just the guerrillas in the hills.

In 1973, the Communist Party created the National Democratic Front (NDF), a coalition of leftist organisations straddling the legal and the clandestine, to give the revolution a civilian face.

That structure did its job for a long time. As recently as 2018, party founder Jose Maria Sison claimed, from exile in the Netherlands, that the NPA still operated more than 100 guerrilla fronts across 73 of the Philippines’ 81 provinces, with a party membership of around 100,000

Shortly before his death in exile in 2022, he insisted that the movement would “outlive” him and said it had planted deep-penetration agents inside the military.

The government designated the NDF a terrorist organisation in 2021.

The NDF’s representatives in the Netherlands did not respond to a request for comment from This Week in Asia.

For all its reach, however, the movement never managed to translate this into lasting territorial control. Despite decades of guerrilla warfare from mountain and forest bases, the NPA never held a province, or even a city.

That the NPA never held a province or city is very important. The same cannot be said for the Muslim insurgency.  

Ronald Llamas, a former presidential adviser on political affairs and now chairman of Galahad Consulting Agency, offered a three-part diagnosis of the insurgency’s undoing.

The first was political. “Armed struggle grows or weakens depending on democratic space,” he said. “If there is democratic space, then the logic for armed struggle vanishes.”

As the Philippines consolidated its democratic institutions post-Marcos Snr, the NPA’s core recruiting argument – that the system could not be changed from within – grew steadily harder to sustain.

The second reason was ideological. “Their ideological construct, which is Maoism, isn’t even in China any more,” Llamas said. “The ideology has been dramatically weakened.”

A movement that once drew its legitimacy from a global revolutionary current found itself adrift as that current dried up.

The third is technological – and this has been the most lethal. Satellite imaging, facial recognition software and electronic surveillance have granted the Philippine military a precision it never previously possessed

Suspected NPA chief Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma, the communist party’s apparent secretary general, were killed in a military operation in 2022.

For an organisation whose survival depended on secrecy and mobility, the loss of both has proved fatal.

But the insurgency has defied being administered its last rites before.

Satur Ocampo, 86, co-founded the NDF, negotiated its first peace talks with the government and spent more years in a Marcos Snr-era prison cell than any other political detainee.

If anyone has earned a view on whether the insurgency is dying, it’s him. His verdict? It isn’t.

“You can’t say it’s nearly dead,” he told This Week in Asia. “It’s true that they have practically massacred the top leadership some time ago. But a movement like this is rooted in several areas that have been fully cleared. They’ve declared a lot of areas cleared of insurgency. But again, particularly in Negros, there’s a resurgence.”

In a protracted conflict, no one side could unilaterally declare it finished, said Ocampo, who described himself as “a progressive social-political activist since the 1960s”.

“You cannot definitely say [it’s over] until the revolutionary forces declare whether they are giving up or are really wiped out.”

He was candid, too, about the movement’s own costly miscalculation: its misreading of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte, who had cultivated ties with the NPA over decades before unleashing an all-out military campaign once in office.

The communists had been “nakuryente”, Ocampo said – fooled. “I realised that this guy is balimbing (a turncoat) with no deeply held principles,” he said.

The logic Duterte offered was simple, if brutal: past friendships had limits. He was now president. The law would be enforced. “It’s no longer the same as before,” Ocampo said.

As for the future, Ocampo’s prognosis was bleak for those hoping that the silence in the hills would hold.

So long as “exploitative and oppressive” conditions persisted – in the countryside, in the mining zones where indigenous communities were being pushed from their land – he said there would be people willing to fight on.

“Particularly the youth,” he said. “Armed, unarmed, legal and underground, then let the course proceed until the issues are resolved.”

Still, Ocampo said the movement would be open to a negotiated peace, if the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr showed any appetite for talks.

The Philippine Communist Party’s Central Committee said in a statement posted to its website on December 26 that conditions were “excellent for further advancing the people’s democratic revolution” – citing a deepening economic crisis, the continuing repression of farmers and factory workers and the militarisation of the countryside.

The movement had “reviewed our experiences and critically identified our weaknesses and errors”, it said.

Even within the Philippine military, there are those who acknowledge that guns can only do so much.

One general who agreed to speak to This Week in Asia on condition of anonymity was frank about his feelings towards the NPA: they had tried to kill him in the southern Philippines and the memory had not faded.

But personal animosity was not a strategy, he said.

“Misgovernance by local government officials is rampant in areas where rebels thrive,” he said. “The military tries to do what it can in fulfilling some of the people’s needs, like drinking water and roads. The military can easily take over governance, but we don’t want to do that. That’s not our constitutional role.”

The solution, he concluded, had to be political.

In the end, it is the one point on which soldier and revolutionary can agree.

The mountains may be quieter now. But silence, as five decades of Philippine history have shown, is not the same as peace – and an insurgency that has already outlasted seven presidents may yet have more patience than the people trying to end it.

It's a rather lengthy article but all one needs to do is cite the AFP who say there will never be a zero insurgency status. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1824876/insurgency-to-end-during-bongbong-marcos-term-says-ano

"We will finish this local armed Communist conflict. And from there, we will support just the developments and we will be certain about the delivery of services."

"What we can see in the term of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., finally it will be ended."

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año made these statements in a briefing in Malacañang, as he talked about the rebellion of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army.

Año admitted insurgency cannot be totally eliminated, but he believes the issue may be brought down to a negligible point.

“While we may not be able to attain this zero insurgents, but at least reduced to an irrelevant number that will not cause concern for peace and order,” he said.

“They will become isolated and just become bandits, because of lost ideology and non-support from the people,” he projected.

The AFP will instead reduce the insurgency to mere bandits. Banditry is still a threat.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/03/10/p7-m-heavy-equipment-torched-in-himamaylan-city

Authorities are probing the burning of six heavy equipment worth a total of P7 million in a farm in Hacienda Baling, Barangay Libacao, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Sunday, March 8.

The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Himamaylan reported that three cane loaders and two tractors were completely destroyed while another tractor was partially damaged.

Police investigation revealed that a farm manager conducting a late-night inspection on Sunday noticed a fire starting from a tractor parked near the fuel storage area inside the compound.

The flames quickly spread to nearby agricultural equipment. Firefighters declared fire out at around 1:50 a.m. on Monday, March 9. No injuries were reported.

The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the burning. They accused the agricultural farm of exploiting farm workers who allegedly are paid very low wages.

Despite this claim, the BFP said it has not yet determined if the incident will be officially classified as arson.

Arson investigators have submitted specimens to the fire laboratory to establish the exact cause of the blaze.

The NPA has taken the blame for burning this equipment. What if they burned down BPO's who also use cheap Filipino labor? Have they ever though of that?

The war against the DI continues as 295 grenades were recovered from an arms cache. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1270890

Government troops recovered 295 grenades from an arms cache believed to be hidden by remnants of the Dawlah Islamiya-Maute Group (DI-MG) in the hinterlands of Lanao del Sur, the military said Thursday.

Maj. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., 1st Infantry Division commander, said troops of the Army's 55th Infantry Battalion (55IB) discovered the cache Wednesday in Barangay Piagolongan, Marogong, Lanao del Sur.

"The sheer volume of explosives recovered—nearly 300 hand grenades in a single cache—represents a significant blow to the operational capacity of the threat group in the area," Barroquillo said in a statement.

"Their removal from circulation directly translates to lives protected, communities secured, and the prevention of potential mass casualty attacks," he added.

Barroquillo said the community played a significant role, with their cooperation and trust in the security forces leading to the discovery and recovery of the cache.

"This act of civic courage reflects a meaningful shift in the communities of Lanao del Sur towards a growing preference for peace over the presence of instruments of conflict in their midst," he said.

He commended the 55IB troops and the community for their collective effort, emphasizing that operations of such magnitude are made possible by the trust and cooperation between the military and the people it serves.

Barroquillo said they remain steadfast in their mission to dismantle terrorist networks, recover hidden war materiel, and ensure lasting peace and security in Western Mindanao.

If they have nearly 300 had grenades in secret what do they have in hand!?