Retards in the Government 483

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

 

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2285074/barmm-chief-ministers-convoy-ambushed-in-maguindanao-del-norte

Gunmen on Saturday fired at the convoy of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua who was heading to this city from Kabuntalan, Maguindanao del Norte where he attended an event of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP).

“The chief minister is safe, he is unharmed,” one of his security personnel told reporters.

The ambush occurred at around 4:45 p.m. along the national highway in Barangay Bitu, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Amod the assault, the convoy continued until it reached the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City, Macacua’s aide said.

Macacua’s armored vehicle was hit by several bullets, including one on the driver’s side.

Two other armored vehicles in the convoy were also hit.

Hours earlier, the guests who attended the BFP general assembly in Barangay Gambar, Kabuntalan had to wait for several hours while bomb experts were checking on suspected improvised bombs along the roadside in Barangay Payan.

At the BFP event, Macacua officially joined the party and was elected chairman and president. 

Macacua has yet to issue a statement on the incident. 

The convoy of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua was fired upon. 

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1282049

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has arrested 12 individuals, including two of its own personnel from the Pasay District Office, in an entrapment operation against illegal fixing activities in Pasay City on Aug. 14.

In a statement on Monday, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said the two LTO officials were relieved from their posts pending administrative investigation.

The operation was carried out by the LTO Law Enforcement Service–Field Enforcement Division (LES-FED), in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), including personnel from the Pasay City Police Station and Substation 8.

Lacanilao said the arrests are part of his 7-Point Reform Agenda, which seeks to rid the agency of corrupt practices and restore public trust in LTO services.

"Hindi kami magbubulag-bulagan sa ganitong gawain. Alam namin kung paano kumikilos ang mga fixer, kabilang ang mga empleyado ng LTO na maaaring nasasangkot dito, at patuloy naming palalawakin ang operasyon para matukoy ang mga taong nasa likod nito (We will not turn a blind eye to this kind of activity. We know how fixers operate, including LTO employees who may be involved, and we will continue to expand our operations to identify the people behind this)," Lacanilao said.

He added that the agency will not stop until these practices are rooted out from LTO offices.

Those arrested will undergo investigation and face appropriate charges if proven involved in illegal fixing activities.

Lacanilao said the agency will continue to strengthen its anti-fixing operations in coordination with other law enforcement agencies to hold perpetrators accountable and maintain clean and honest public service.

The public is also urged to avoid transacting with fixers and to report any suspicious activity through the official Facebook page "Ireport Mo Kay LTO Chief" or through the website https://ireportmokayltochief.ph/ for verification, investigation and immediate action. 

 Two LTO officials have been arrested for illegal fixing activities. 

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2286795/pampanga-ex-mayor-vice-mayor-face-raps-over-ghost-project

The incumbent vice mayor and former local chief executive of Pampanga’s Magalang town face an Office of the Ombudsman complaint over an alleged “ghost” housing project they purportedly initiated.

Vice Mayor Eller Pecson and former Mayor Romulo Pecson are the subject of the complaint, including graft, which was filed before the anti-graft body Monday with assistance of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC).

“Their participation, allegedly, according to lawyers, they are the ones who initiated [the project],” said VACC President Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista, of the Pecsons.

Vice Mayor Pecson said he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

“I will just wait for the official complaint first,” he said in text message to Inquirer in Filipino when asked for comment. “That’s all I could say for now.”

Inquirer also sought the side of the former mayor for comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting.

The complainants did not provide a copy of the complaint-affidavit to the media.

But Evangelista explained that “the issue of this case is about ‘ghost pabahay’ with most of its buyers being those really underprivileged who dreamed of having a house.”

Evangelista said there are more than 1,700 complainants who said they gave an initial down payment for the house since “pre-pandemic” years, but nothing was built so far.

“They only conduct groundbreaking, but not even one [was] built—that’s why it is ‘ghost’,” Evangelista said.

Complainant Solomon Roque, who also went to the Office of the Ombudsman, said, “Nothing was delivered there—not even one hollow block.” 

The incumbent vice mayor and former local chief executive of Pampanga’s Magalang town face an Office of the Ombudsman complaint over an alleged “ghost” housing project they purportedly initiated.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2286921/maguindanao-sur-town-councilor-survives-ambush-in-sultan-kudarat

An unidentified gunman strafed the vehicle of a municipal councilor from Maguindanao del Sur while it was traveling in Lambayong town, Sultan Kudarat, on Monday.

Bin-Nazriff Buayan Utto Silongan, 40, municipal councilor of Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao del Sur, told reporters that he and a companion were on board a gray Toyota Hilux heading home from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, when they were fired upon at about 10 a.m. along the national highway in Barangay Tinumigues, Lambayong.

Silongan and his companion, both residents of Barangay Sampao, were unharmed, but his vehicle sustained three bullet holes.

He said that he noticed a man standing at the roadside as they approached Purok Kaunlaran, Barangay Tinumigues.

As his car passed by, the man suddenly opened fire using an assault rifle. 

Silongan said they did not stop and proceeded to Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao del Sur, and reported the incident to the local police.

The official was baffled by the attack as he claimed that “he has no known enemies.”

The Lambayong police, headed by Maj. Hayson Ortega, is still conducting a follow-up investigation.

A municipal councilor from Maguindanao del Sur survived an assassination attempt. 

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2287185/lto-personnel-fired-loses-license-over-drunk-hit-and-run

A Land Transportation Office (LTO) employee who allegedly hit two pedestrians with his car and fled the scene in Rizal has been fired and permanently banned from driving, according to the agency.

In a press conference on Tuesday, LTO Chief Markus Lacanilao said he ordered the employee’s dismissal and the filing of administrative cases after finding that he had been driving under the influence of alcohol in Antipolo City last Friday.

Lacanilao also ordered the perpetual revocation of the employee’s driver’s license.

“You are from LTO and yet you drove drunk and fled? You were already blocked by police, and you still fled,” he said.

“We do not tolerate our own people. If we need to send them to jail, we will send them to jail,” he added, noting that the suspect is currently detained in Antipolo.

In a statement, the Rizal Police Provincial Office said the 39-year-old male suspect was driving a sedan when he struck two women along Sumulong Highway in Barangay Sta. Cruz late at night.

He sped away but was eventually caught and turned over to police custody after an off-duty cop witnessed the incident and chased the suspect.

Police also said the suspect is facing criminal charges for reckless imprudence resulting in physical injury and abandonment of one’s own victim.

The LTO chief also announced the dismissal of two other LTO employees involved in separate hit-and-run and illegal counterflow cases.

Lacanilao said he sacked an employee in Cebu who hit a cyclist with an agency patrol car and failed to stop to assist the victim. An employee in the Cagayan Valley region was also fired after being caught counterflowing without an emergency.

Lacanilao warned LTO employees against committing similar offenses, citing a “no tolerance” policy.

“To all our other employees in LTO, if you can’t follow my rules, leave LTO. We will not agree. Despite your positions, I will fire you,” he said. 

A Land Transportation Office employee who allegedly hit two pedestrians with his car and fled the scene in Rizal has been fired and permanently banned from driving, according to the agency.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/18/ombudsman-suspends-ex-lto-chiefs-over-stradcom-it-system

Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has preventively suspended former Land Transportation Office (LTO) chiefs Vigor Mendoza II and Teofilo Guadiz III over the continued use of STRADCOM’s IT system and the resulting P13.3 billion in additional computer fees.

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) suspended Mendoza, who now heads the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and Guadiz, the current Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chairperson, without pay for six months or while their administrative case remains pending.

In an order dated Aug. 17, the OMB found sufficient grounds to suspend Mendoza and Guadiz, citing “strong evidence showing their guilt” in the administrative charges of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

“The continued utilization of the LTO IT System by GUADIZ and MENDOZA demonstrates a patent disregard of established government policy and prior official directives intended to transition LTO operations to the LTMS,” the ruling stated.

The Ombudsman said Mendoza and Guadiz were suspended to protect documents and evidence that may be under their control or custody and prevent the possible commission of further malfeasance or misfeasance in office.

“The Order is immediately executory,” the anti-graft body added.

According to the OMB, the complaints center on the continued use of STRADCOM’s LTO IT system despite the government’s implementation and acceptance of its replacement, the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS).

The order cited the Commission on Audit’s (COA) finding that operating both systems in parallel resulted in the “non-maximization of the benefits” expected from the LTMS project.

Per COA, computer fees charged by STRADCOM from 2019 to 2025 amounted to P13,379,196,499.73, causing an “additional burden and expense for the transacting public.”

STRADCOM began operating the LTO’s computer systems and other transaction-processing infrastructure under a Build-Own-Operate Agreement signed with the government in 1998, the OMB noted.

The then Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), now the Department of Transportation, issued STRADCOM a Final Certificate of Acceptance in February 2003.

The agreement’s original 10-year concession period ended on Feb. 10, 2013, but it was subsequently extended from month to month.

In 2016, the LTO and STRADCOM signed a Phase Out Agreement that allowed the old system to remain operational while the agency had no new or replacement IT system that was fully operational nationwide.

The government then contracted a joint venture led by Dermalog Identification Systems GmbH in 2018 to develop and deliver the new LTO core system, now known as the LTMS.

The LTO issued a Certificate of Project Completion and Final Acceptance for the LTMS in 2021.

Following its implementation and rollout, the LTMS became the government’s principal platform for motor vehicle registration, licensing, and related transportation transactions. LTO operations were also directed to gradually transition away from the STRADCOM-operated system.

The anti-graft body said the transition, however, did not fully take place.

According to the order, Guadiz “pushed for the continued use of the LTO IT System” and “favored STRADCOM” as LTO chief in 2022, saying “the old IT System provides a better solution.”

The Ombudsman said that Mendoza issued several memoranda during his term as LTO chief in 2023, “effectively reviving and institutionalizing the continued use of the LTO IT System through a parallel utilization alongside the LTMS.”

The OMB said Mendoza directed the processing of public utility vehicle registration renewals through the old system in January 2025 without requiring LTFRB confirmation.

The Ombudsman said the parallel use of the systems resulted “in the continued generation and collection of computer fees despite the expiration of the BOO Agreement” for STRADCOM.

Former Land Transportation Office chiefs Vigor Mendoza II and Teofilo Guadiz III have been suspended over the continued use of STRADCOM’s IT system and the resulting P13.3 billion in additional computer fees.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2287436/rep-marcy-teodoro-charged-for-sexual-assault-decries-sudden-panel-swap

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday confirmed that five criminal cases were filed against Marikina City 1st District Representative Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro involving two female police officers.

“The Department of Justice confirms the filing of five (5) criminal cases against Marikina City 1st District Representative Marcelino “Marcy” R. Teodoro: four (4) counts of Sexual Assault and one (1) count of Acts of Lasciviousness, involving two (2) female police officers who previously served as his security personnel,” DOJ spokesperson Polo Martinez said.

The charges stem from a complaint filed against Teodoro in the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service in September last year.

The two policewomen allegedly involved were reassigned to Camp Crame in the wake of the filing of charges to ensure their safety and well-being, the Marikina City police said at the time. 

The formal charges follow an investigation into allegations brought forward by the victim-complainants, who previously served as his security detail.

Martinez said the informations (charge sheets) for sexual assault were filed with the Regional Trial Court, while the Information for Acts of Lasciviousness was filed with the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), which has jurisdiction over such offense.

“The Informations have already been filed…along with a transmittal of the records of the cases,” Martinez stated. “The cases are now under the court’s jurisdiction and shall proceed in accordance with the Rules of Court for the conduct of trial.”

Meanwhile, Teodoro’s counsel, Atty. Alma Mallonga denied the allegations.

“Cong. Marcy welcomes the opportunity to have the complaint against him heard in court. Unless the case is heard and a decision is reached—one that exposes the lies and reveals the actual truth—the smear campaign and uncertainty will only persist. The reality is that this is exactly what his detractors want,” read the statement he sent quoting Mallonga.

She said, the case against Teodoro was handled and investigated for almost seven months by a panel of lady prosecutors. However, a different prosecutor signed the resolution.

(The complaints went through an investigation by a DOJ Panel created specifically for this purpose. The DOJ Panel held hearings and completed the investigation over seven months ago.)

(That is why it is surprising that a resolution was issued that was not prepared or signed by the DOJ panel that conducted the investigation. Instead, a different state prosecutor prepared and signed it.) 

The Department of Justice on Tuesday confirmed that five criminal cases were filed against Marikina City 1st District Representative Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro involving two female police officers.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2287473/2-police-trainees-in-misamis-oriental-held-for-alleged-rape-of-batchmate

Two male police trainees in Misamis Oriental were arrested and placed in custody for allegedly raping a female batchmate, the Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) confirmed on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

PRO-10 said the Misamis Oriental Police Provincial Office launched an investigation following the reported violation of the Anti-Rape Law of 1997.

Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano, PRO-10 director, told the Inquirer in a phone interview that the three trainees are undergoing a six-month field training program, assigned to local police stations in Misamis Oriental.

“PRO-10 has zero tolerance for any act of sexual violence or misconduct,” Abrahano said, pointing out that such behavior runs counter to the discipline expected of regional personnel and the Philippine National Police as a whole.

“We will ensure that the matter is handled fairly and in accordance with the law, while respecting due process and protecting the privacy and dignity of the [victim],” he added.

Col. Al Abanales, MORPPO director, assured the public of an impartial probe, saying that the command will not shield anyone from accountability regardless of status or affiliation.

Two male police trainees in Misamis Oriental were arrested and placed in custody for allegedly raping a female batchmate.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/18/barangay-captain-facing-charges-of-attempted-homicide

A barangay captain is facing multiple counts of attempted homicide for trying to shoot four people onboard a motorcycle with his unlicensed pistol in Cabatuan town, Iloilo province.

Barangay Captain Alfredo Cabar Jr. of Duyan-Duyan was charged on Tuesday, August 18, a day after he surrendered to authorities.

Captain Mary Gerbolinga, police chief of Cabatuan, told Manila Bulletin the prosecutor also charged Cabar with using an unlicensed firearm during the August 16 incident.

Based on initial investigation, it was past 9 PM of August 16 when Cabar allegedly flagged down a motorcycle driven by a 21-year-old man who had a 23-year-old security guard as passenger. They sped away after seeing the barangay captain pulling a pistol and firing shots at them.

A few minutes later, another motorcycle passed by. The barangay captain allegedly fired another round toward a 21-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger.

In both instances, the barangay captain did not hit anyone.

After surrendering, Cabar told police investigators he had no recollection of shooting anyone.

This is not the first time Cabar tried to shoot someone with a pistol. A similar incident occurred last year while he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol. At that time, he was charged with attempted homicide and illegal possession of firearm.

A barangay captain is facing multiple counts of attempted homicide for trying to shoot four people onboard a motorcycle with his unlicensed pistol.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Pharmacy Trial, Home Builder, and More!

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

The pandemic basically gutted the airline industry. It has yet to fully recover. 

https://www.philstar.com/business/2026/08/12/2548601/cebu-pacific-bleeds-p59-billion-loss-h1/

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific is feeling the pain of price hikes, especially in jet fuel, as it saw its net loss worsen to nearly P6 billion in the first half.

Based on its financial report, Cebu Pacific’s parent Cebu Air Inc. incurred a net loss of P5.89 billion in the six months to June, a reversal of its P8.97-billion profit a year ago.

Cebu Pacific grew its revenue by eight percent to P68.56 billion, buoyed by an across-the-board growth in passenger, cargo and ancillary segments.

Cebu Pacific’s passenger revenues went up by seven percent to P47.24 billion, as it flew close to 14.5 million guests during the period. The airline’s ancillary earnings also went up by 11 percent to P17.36 billion, while cargo revenues rose by 13 percent to P3.97 billion.

However, these gains were offset by a 23-percent jump in expenses to P68.28 billion. The airline saw its flying operations go up by half to P30.88 billion due to higher jet fuel prices.

It also did not help that Cebu Pacific booked foreign exchange losses of P2.46 billion and higher financing costs of P4 billion for aircraft deliveries and engine purchases.

The bright spot for Cebu Pacific is that it has strengthened its market leadership on local flights, powered by an industry-leading fleet of 102 aircraft.

Based on internal estimates, Cebu Pacific has brought up its domestic market share to 60 percent as of June, from 55 percent a year ago.

Cebu Pacific CEO Michael Szucs said the second quarter has proven to be the most challenging period in post-pandemic years. The period was marked by jet fuel breaching $200 per barrel due to the Middle East conflict.

“The second quarter was one of the most challenging operating environments that we have faced post-pandemic, driven by the unprecedented spike in fuel prices. Despite these external pressures, the demand for affordable air travel remained resilient, revenue continued to grow and we further strengthened our market leadership,” Szucs said.

To expand revenue sources, Cebu Pacific has capitalized on its fleet capacity by lending aircraft to flag carrier Vietnam Airlines from July to September, a lean season for Philippine air travel.

Cebu Pacific is the country’s biggest airline by fleet and passenger size, operating direct flights to 35 domestic destinations and 26 foreign cities.

Just when things were looking up, the Iran war caused fuel prices to skyrocket thus wiping out any gains. 

This next article might just be an advertisement disguised as an article but it still shows the resiliency of Filipino businesses despite the pandemic. 

https://business.inquirer.net/606128/cosiquien-charts-own-path-as-home-builder

It was in a quaint, family-owned hardware store in Libertad that a young Michael Cosiquien got his start in construction. It was decades before becoming one of the Philippines’ wealthiest tycoons and cofounder of a major engineering and infrastructure company.

There, near Sta. Clara Church in Pasay, he learned the nuts and bolts of construction in the most literal sense. By the age of seven, he was already assembling fluorescent lamps, repairing Christmas lights and handling nearly every task in the store.

“There, I could do almost anything,” Cosiquien, an engineer by training, recalls in an interview with Sunday Biz.

Everything, that is, except lifting the 40-kilogram sacks of cement.

Now in his 50s, and armed with decades of experience in the unforgiving construction industry, the former Megawide Construction Corp. executive is charting a different course.

Cosiquien now chairs ISOC Holdings Inc., the company he founded after leaving Megawide in 2017. ISOC has interests in property, energy and cold storage.

In 2025, Forbes ranked him the 46th richest person in the Philippines with an estimated net worth of $255 million.

Like the Pasay hardware store, which eventually shut its doors during the pandemic, ISOC had also begun as a family venture focused on cold storage. Cosiquien now wants to turn it into a significant housing developer known for what he calls “affordable luxury.”

“We want to be one of the relevant or important developers here,” Cosiquien says. “I’m not really dreaming of becoming the biggest, but we want to be always relevant.”

ISOC’s flagship development is I-Land Residences Sucat, a six-tower condominium complex launched in 2019. Construction began in 2020, just as the pandemic disrupted the property market and forced developers to rethink their projects.

But building through crises was nothing new to Cosiquien. He and his De La Salle classmate, Edgar Saavedra, founded Megawide in 1997 at the height of the Asian financial crisis.

Despite the pandemic and the lingering residential property glut, ISOC sees demand remaining resilient. The first two towers at I-Land Residences had been largely taken up, while more than half of the units released in the third tower had already been sold even before construction began.

According to the company, sales volume has grown by 7 percent from a year earlier, while sales value has risen by about 18 percent.

As an added catalyst to that growth, ISOC is allocating around P500 million for residential development this year. Cosiquien estimates each succeeding tower will require investments of nearly P1 billion.

For Cosiquien, affordable luxury is about giving buyers something that is increasingly difficult to find in Metro Manila: space.

At I-Land Residences, vehicles are routed below the main pedestrian level, leaving the ground floor open for people instead of traffic. About 60 percent of the property is devoted to open spaces, along with amenities such as swimming pools, a basketball court, a jogging path and a pet park.

“You only find that in high-end developments,” Cosiquien says. “Space is a luxury. But we made it affordable.”

“Low-cost doesn’t mean low-standard,” he adds.

Units are priced from roughly P3.7 million to P7 million, with typical floor areas of about 24 square meters. Cosiquien says the project is geared primarily toward end-users rather than investors.

All of ISOC’s projects remain internally funded. But will taking the company public eventually be an option for the businessman who helped steer Megawide’s stock market debut in 2011?

“No plans yet,” Cosiquien says. “We’re just focusing on building and growing.”

Even so, ISOC is already preparing to bring its concept beyond Sucat.

I-Land has acquired a roughly 1.5-hectare property along Daang Hari in Cavite, near Vermosa and about 20 minutes from Alabang. Cosiquien says the vertical development is expected to break ground next year.

That planned Cavite community is expected to remain within the company’s affordable-luxury niche.

“We don’t want to serve the rich; they can have five houses,” Cosiquien says. “But those who can afford one, we want to provide them the best.”

After helping build Megawide into the multibillion-peso infrastructure company it is today, and decades after first learning construction in a family-run hardware store, Cosiquien is unsurprisingly building again.

This time, he hopes the structures that bear his imprint are homes within reach of more Filipinos.

He wants to build affordable homes and all that but with the economy in the state it's in is that even something within reach for the average Filipino?

The Pharmally scandal which happened during the pandemic has still not been resolved. In fact, this week, the trial has just begun.

https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/17/doh-officials-testify-at-duque-graft-trial-on-agency-s-capacity-to-procure-covid-19-supplies-1158

The Department of Health could buy its own supplies without having to go through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management, two DOH officials told the Sandiganbayan First Division on Monday in the graft trial of former Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

The two were testifying in the case against Duque and former PS-DBM Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao over the alleged irregular transfer of P41.46 billion in DOH funds to buy COVID-19 supplies. 

They said they had no personal knowledge of DOH leadership's decision to transfer funds to the PS-DBM.

The defense questioned the witnesses’ credibility and capacity to speak for the entire agency on its ability to handle the purchase of the supplies involved in the case.

Defense lawyers also argued that the pandemic created an unprecedented demand for medical supplies, which led to shortages that made it difficult for the DOH to procure items.

Bilao acknowledged that procurement became more difficult during the pandemic.

Prosecutors allege that Duque and Lao acted with evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence when they facilitated the transfer DOH funds to the PS-DBM for the procurement of COVID-19 test kits, face masks and other medical supplies.

Former Senator Richard Gordon says he is willing to testify. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2286024/richard-gordon-willing-to-testify-in-sandiganbayan-pharmally-trial/amp

Prosecutors on Monday said former Sen. Richard Gordon is “willing” to testify in the Sandiganbayan First Division trial related to the Pharmally issue.

The First Division is trying the graft case against former Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III and former Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao over the alleged anomalies in the transfer of over P41 billion in Covid-19 response funds.

Of the amount, more than P11 billion of contracts were allocated to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. for the procurement of face masks, face shields, test kits, and other medical items during the pandemic, getting the biggest amount won by a single pandemic medical supplier, according to Gordon.

Gordon said this developed despite Pharmally being only a months-old company at that time with a paid-up capital of only P625,000 when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

The former senator was the chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee in 2021, which led a probe into the alleged “suspicious” transfer of funds from the DOH to the Procurement Service (PS) of the DBM.

“He’s very much willing,” a member of the prosecution team told reporters when asked if Gordon is willing to testify.

However, the prosecutor said there is no definite date yet as to when Gordon will take the witness stand.

For Monday’s trial, the prosecution team presented two witnesses from the DOH in a bid to prove that the agency could procure medical supplies on its own. 

In line with this, prosecutors presented Wafa Bilao of the DOH Central Office’s Health Facility Enhancement Program and Dennis Casimiro of the DOH Health Emergency Management Bureau as witnesses.

Bilao and Casimiro testified that the agency previously purchased medical supplies such as mechanical ventilation and body bags.

Government prosecutors alleged that Duque and Lao “acted with evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence,” noting that the DOH, then led by Duque, should have first determined whether tapping the PS-DBM would expedite the procurement of COVID-19 medical items. 

They assert that the DOH, as the procuring entity, had the authority to directly negotiate or purchase essential medical supplies, making it unnecessary to seek the services of the PS-DBM.

The wheels of justice spin slowly in the Philippines.

PNP Erect Monument To Corruption

Corruption in the Philippine National Police is so endmeice that now the PNP has ereceted a monument inside Camp Crame to commemorate the murder of an innocent Korean businessman by several cops. They say it sets things right by standing "as a lasting reminder of the organization's commitment to institutional integrity."

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1279053

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the memorial marker for slain South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo inside Camp Crame will stand as a lasting reminder of the organization's commitment to institutional integrity while honoring the memory of a victim whose death exposed one of the darkest chapters in the history of the police force.

This is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., through the guidance of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla, to strengthen professionalism, accountability, and public trust in law enforcement.

PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. said the memorial reflects the organization's willingness to confront its past while strengthening reforms that promote accountability and professionalism.

“This memorial is a solemn acknowledgment of a tragic chapter in our institution's history. We cannot change the past, but we can honor the victim, uphold accountability, and reaffirm our commitment that such abuses of authority will never be tolerated again,” Nartatez said in a statement on Thursday.

The memorial marker will be installed inside Camp Crame following the request of Jee's widow, Choi Kyung Jin, during her recent visit with South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa.

It will be placed at the Police Community Affairs and Development Group (PCADG) to give Jee's family a permanent place to remember him.

The development came nearly a decade after Jee was abducted by rogue police officers inside Camp Crame in October 2016 and later killed.

Nartatez also acknowledged the widow’s gratitude to the PNP leadership following the recent arrest of former police lieutenant colonel Rafael Dumlao III, one of the alleged masterminds in the case, saying it brought her family a renewed sense of justice.

“Trust is earned through accountability, transparency, and consistent reforms. While this memorial cannot erase the pain caused by the crime, it symbolizes our willingness to remember, learn from our mistakes, and continue strengthening the institution so the public can have greater confidence in the Philippine National Police,” he said.

Surely if Lee's widow and South Korean Ambassador Lee Sang-hwa are ok with this display that must mean the PNP has been absolved. Right? No. Seeing as the Philippines is a Christian nation let's cite form the Bible. 

Matthew 23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

All this memorial does is prove how corrupt the PNP really is. Every single week some cop whether current or former is busted for criminal charges be it drugs or extortion or even murder. At its heart the PNP remains an intensely corrupt organization.

Insurgency: NTF-ELCAC Briefs UN

The AFP has released another update on how many Reds and supporters have been neutralized since the beginning of the year. They say the number is getting close to 1,000.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281659

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said operations against communist insurgents from Jan. 1 to Aug. this year have, so far, “neutralized" an estimated 970 New People's Army (NPA) members and their supporters.

Of the total, 862 of the individuals surrendered, 37 were arrested, and 71 were killed, AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a media interview Tuesday.

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

"A total of 653 firearms and 255 anti-personnel mines were either seized or surrendered, and 38 encampments were seized," Padilla said.

"If we look at the numbers, we can see the operational gains,” she noted.

The AFP spokesperson said the military operations’ objective is the removal of more communities under the NPA's "cycle of violence”.

Last year, the military said its units neutralized an estimated 2,018 NPA members and their supporters, seized around 1,134 firearms and 531 anti-personnel mines, and captured around 149 NPA encampments. 

 "If we look at the numbers, we can see the operational gains?” How so? Without breaking down the numbers into how many actual NPA rebels versus mere supporters have been neutralized, these numbers are worthless. Especially in light of the fact that the last estimated count of remaining NPA rebels was 780 which is below the number being reported. But the headline looks good. 

Another one of the non-existent NPA leaders has been neutralized. He was arrested in Surigao Sur.  

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281684

Police arrested a former team leader of the dismantled North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the New People’s Army (NPA), who is also listed as the top 3 most wanted person in the Caraga Region, in Surigao del Sur, authorities said Wednesday.

Surigao del Sur Police Provincial Office (SDSPPO) chief Col. Jeffrey Lawrence Mauricio identified the suspect as alias Neil or Part, 26, former team leader of the Regional Sentro De Grabidad.

Neil was arrested on the evening of Aug. 10 in Barangay San Isidro, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, through the service of arrest warrants by various units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The operation was led by personnel of the Barobo Municipal Police Station, in coordination with other PNP and AFP units.

Multiple arrest warrants were issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 28 in Lianga against the suspect for three counts of murder, two counts of frustrated murder, and one count of attempted murder.

The suspect is now under the custody of the local police station in Barobo for proper documentation and disposition.

"The arrest of the suspect, a regional top-most wanted person and a leader of the communist terrorist group, is a monumental victory for justice and a testament to the strength of the joint PNP and AFP forces," Mauricio said in a statement on Wednesday.

And to think if he had only surrendered he would have been able to avail of amnesty and E-CLIP benefits like free money, housing, and job training. 

Matuguinao, Samar was previously declared to be insurgency-free. Yet, just recently locals had to drive off the NPA who were hoping to return to influence. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2284446/samar-town-foils-npa-return-bid-after-insurgency-free-declaration

An attempted return by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) to different remote villages of Matuguinao, Samar, was foiled after residents alerted authorities, prompting a security operation by the Philippine Army.

In an official statement issued on Friday, Mayor Aran Boller said residents immediately reported the NPA presence, allowing the 43rd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Jason Que to conduct a security operation that prevented the armed group from returning to the community.

The mayor did not provide details on the identity or number of armed men involved, or whether an encounter occurred. 

Boller said the incident underscored the importance of declaring Matuguinao insurgency-free on June 8, saying the status had encouraged residents to take a more active role in protecting peace and security in their communities.

“When there are suspicious movements or signs of an armed group attempting to enter, our residents do not simply remain silent—they immediately report these to the barangay and concerned authorities,” Boller said in his statement.

Matuguinao has 20 barangays and was for decades regarded as one of Samar’s insurgency strongholds, with the influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) reaching nearly all parts of the municipality.

Since its creation as a municipality in 1965 and the emergence of the NPA in the 1970s, insurgency-related violence in the town has claimed the lives of two municipal mayors, military personnel, barangay officials, and civilians, making Matuguinao one of the province’s most challenging security environments.

Boller said the latest incident should not disrupt the daily lives of residents, including farming and livelihood activities.

He also urged residents to be cautious about information circulating on social media and avoid sharing unverified reports that could create fear, confusion, or misperceptions about the security situation.

The mayor called on residents to rely on official, verified information from the local government and concerned authorities and to continue coordinating with government forces.

“Peace is a responsibility that we must all take care of together,” Boller said, noting the importance of early reporting, cooperation and unity among communities in maintaining peace and supporting Matuguinao’s development.

It's suspicious that no details on this encounter were given. The public should know those details as a matter of safety. This incident, if it did occur, also underscores that insurgency-free does not mean insurgent free. There are, perhaps, insurgents in the area.  

There is a new NTF-ELCAC chief in town and he has vowed that no child will grow-up in the shadow of armed conflict. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281851

The newly appointed executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has promised that no Filipino child will ever again grow up in the shadow of armed conflict.

NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Danilo Pamonag made this pledge as he formally took over the task force last Aug. 12, the task force said in a statement Thursday night.

"Formally taking the helm of the NTF-ELCAC, Pamonag called on government agencies, local chief executives, security forces, civil society, and local communities to move forward with a common purpose," the statement read.

For the new NTF-ELCAC executive director, lasting peace cannot simply mean the absence of armed encounters.

Pamonag emphasized that victory must be measured in the daily lives of ordinary Filipinos, meaning a child can go to school without fear, a family can earn a living in peace, and a remote barangay can access full government services.

“The finish line is within our sight, but the final steps require our highest level of passion, integrity, and hard work," he said.

"We must remain proactive and agile in serving the people, so that no Filipino child will ever again grow up in the shadow of armed conflict,” he added.

Pamonag anchored his roadmap on three foundational pillars — unity, peace and development.

He outlined key priorities for the task force:

• Strengthening the Whole-of-Nation Approach: Deepening coordination among national agencies and local government units (LGUs).

• Breaking Down Institutional Silos: Fostering a cohesive, results-driven bureaucracy to accelerate interagency convergence.

• Sustaining Community Presence: Ensuring Joint Regional Task Forces and National Clusters remain active and responsive in historically isolated or vulnerable areas.

• Securing Long-Term Development: Making roads, schools, health services, and economic opportunities permanent features of cleared communities to prevent any resurgence of violence.

As this developed, Pamonag paid tribute to his predecessor, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., for his strategic foresight in weakening the armed insurgency, empowering local chief executives and steering the campaign toward good governance.

As the insurgency continues to weaken, Pamonag rallied the NTF-ELCAC secretariat, regional task forces and partner agencies to execute the final stretch with heightened professionalism and integrity, noting that the ultimate victory will be empowering a generation of Filipino children who will never have to live through an insurgency. 

What exactly is the finish line when the AFP has said zero insurgents is an impossibility and they are merely trying to whittle them down to a manageable level?

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.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2023/09/insurgency-communist-insurgency-to-end.html

And let's not forget the insurgency has been set to be over by the end of the year for decades now. 

The NTF-ELCAC has gone before the United Nations to push for international action against spy-tagging.  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1281988

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) is seeking greater international action against communist insurgents following a briefing to the United Nations (UN) on documented cases of civilian killings and a deadly “spy-tagging” campaign.

In a news release Sunday, the NTF-ELCAC said its national secretariat presented to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN-OHCHR) the 71 documented cases of alleged arbitrary killings and other human rights violations attributed to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army since January 2025.

"The presentation emphasized the violent incidents in Mindoro and Negros Island, highlighting the deadly consequences of 'spy-tagging' — the practice of branding civilians as government informants or intelligence assets, often placing their lives at grave risk," it said.

Led by NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Danilo Pamonag, the engagement placed the plight of civilians at the center of the discussions.

The report details how farmers, community members, and other civilians were allegedly accused of being “spies” or government collaborators before being targeted and killed by communist armed elements.

UN-OHCHR representative Signe Poulsen welcomed the documentation and vowed to bring the findings before appropriate international human rights mechanisms.

Pamonag said the engagement underscored the need for human rights protection to apply equally to all victims, regardless of whether the alleged perpetrator is a state or non-state actor.

He pushed for stronger engagement with international development partners to support peace-building, community development, and the sustainable reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society.

Pamonag specifically urged international human rights organizations to focus on the spy-tagging, summary executions, and other forms of violence allegedly perpetrated against civilians by communist armed groups, particularly in vulnerable and geographically isolated communities.

It's pretty ironic since the human rights organizations have lambasted the NTF-ELCAC for red-tagging civilians who have nothing to do with the NPA or the insurgency.