Blasphemy, murder, extortion, drug dealing, anomalous finances, it's just a regular week in the halls of government of the Philippines!
Cañete is also controversial for his Facebook posts, including a June 12, 2017 entry, where he said "yellows" should be killed "like cockroaches." The term "yellows" used to be limited to describe members and allies of the opposition Liberal Party, but Duterte supporters have expanded this to cover all critics of the administration.
"This is why no ceasefire. No stopping. No compromise. Fact is, yellows are evil. You do not talk to them. You kill them. After you kill one, you find another to destroy. Like cockroaches," the prosecutor said in a Facebook post on June 12, 2017.
De Lima is one of the more prominent LP members.
In a sane country this man would be removed from the case because of his statements. But this is the Philippines.
Duterte the theologian.
Lacson the Protestant.
Five active police officers and a former policeman “surrendered” to the authorities here after the court ordered them arrested for planting evidence during a 2015 buy-bust operation.
2015! But the article does not say how this is just now coming to light. The wheels of justice turn slowly in the Philippines.
How many times has the same headline passed thorough the news cycle? Newly elected village official busted for drugs or killed in drug raid. Very common occurrence.
(That is a throwback, just like a tactic being used during 1970s when the Philippine Constabulary arbitrarily set up checkpoints and implemented arbitrary arrests.)
The so-called opposition is losing their minds over loiterers being arrested. Filipinos have a flair for the dramatic and that is very much what this is, a lot of drama. The problem, as I see it, is that people are so used to violating laws that when the PNP decides to enforce the law they call it martial law. Imagine if the PNP started enforcing traffic laws! People would be up in arms over the mass arrests of drivers for not using headlights or driving drunk or making left turns from the right lane.
“It has been five years now since Yolanda happened. So many of our fellow Warays, our people in Eastern Visayas have yet to receive the decent housing they deserve. It’s unfortunate that some housing contractors and developers are not taking this seriously,” said Philip Jude Acidre, first nominee of Tingog Sinirangan.
“They should be investigated and penalized if they are guilty of negligence. The people cannot afford another disaster that becomes after the typhoon,” he added.
Acidre said it is important that the government should review its policy on shelter development and identify potential setbacks in the future, saying it should not be “reactive” in its response.
The aftermath of Yolanda continues to be disastrous 5 years on!
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged alleged irregularities in the liquidation of P800,000 in cash advances by a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commander whom President Rodrigo Duterte promoted recently.
The COA also noted that 96.6 percent of the cash advances by the PCG’s officials and employees had remained outstanding as of the end of 2017.
The PCG has not commented on the COA findings.
In its 2017 annual audit report, the COA said 11 suppliers had disowned the 100 official receipts and invoices used by Rear Adm. Leopoldo Laroya to liquidate P818,531.50 in cash advances in April 2017.
The COA said Laroya presented receipts that were incorrect, fraudulent, marred by discrepancies, had unfamiliar handwriting or were issued for items not sold by the supplier.
Financial irregularities in the Coast Guard. Spurious receipts credited to a man whom Duterte recently promoted. Will he snuff out this whiff of corruption or just spray a little Glade to cover the smell?
Officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Northern Mindanao washed their hands of an emerging scandal over the purchase of razors for P1,878 per piece when their actual price was just about P200 each.
The razors were for distribution to students of the Technical Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) course for senior high school in the region.
Farnazo said the purchase price for the item, to be used by those taking up hairdressing, was set by the DepEd national office.
What kind of hairdresser uses razors? Not any that I have ever been to or heard of. They are cutting the hair on the head, not shaving the face.
Abaya and 16 others including transport undersecretaries and private respondents were indicted for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices or Republic Act No. 3019 over the allegedly anomalous MRT-3 maintenance contract.
The graft case stemmed from a complaint filed by the DOTr in October 2017.
“We want to know the truth. We find it anomalous that the project was awarded to Busan JV, but the one receiving payments and doing MRT-3 maintenance works is BURI, a totally different entity,” the October 2017 complaint read.
People have been expecting this for along time. The Palace even issued an "it's about time" statement. However the wheel of justice are slow and I would not expect a full resolution for at least a decade.
A barangay official, also the sister of slain suspected drug lord Richard Prevendido, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in San Joaquin, Iloilo yesterday.
Police said Remia Gregori, reelected barangay captain of Bakhaw, Mandurriao, was killed along with her personal assistant Analee Antipatria.
The way the headline is written makes it appear like this is a picture of a fat, naked woman. But it's not. It's her brother who was also killed during the raid by unknown gunmen. She was a newly elected barangay captain therefore she makes it into this series Retards in the Government.
“Now, the economy is in the doldrums, actually [it is] now,” Mr. Duterte said on Friday night, less than a week after the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) raised interest rates for the second time since September last year to counter inflation.
The President admitted that the situation in the provinces had become a problem for his administration because projects were barely progressing.
“Interest rates are picking up, are getting high so it destroys the existing [economic gains] … You raise your [interest rate], our [peso value] goes down, theoretically,” Duterte said in a speech at the National Information and Communications 2018 Summit at SMX Convention Center here.
“I said in Manila, they’re starting the megaprojects well. I supposed that they would be doing it on time. But in the provinces, it’s a doldrums thing,” he added.
The President said the government was seeking more funds to finance big-ticket projects in the provinces to induce economic growth.
“I’m just … brainstorming with everybody in the Cabinet how to come up with a system that would guarantee income to the government,” he said.
The President said the campaign to stop “jueteng” nationwide was well under way but he was considering a strong replacement for the numbers game to stimulate economic activity in the provinces.
“Now if I don’t have a replacement for jueteng, what can I do? It’s easy. If there’s another form of gambling that takes over, I’ll say, ‘You get out of there’ and arrest them all. Then what is the activity—economic activity? None. Now if there’s jueteng … at least money goes around. Some people will get hungry, others will be able to eat, [but] there’s commercial activity,” he said.
Duterte begins with an admirably honest assessment of the Philippines' economic woes. But he ends on a sour note by contemplating replacing, or maybe even just continuing to allow, illegal numbers games as a remedy. The PCSO Small Town Lottery is supposed to replace jueteng! Did he forget that?
His statements seemed pretty clear to me but Roque takes time out to clarify what Duterte actually meant.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said slow progress in the provinces is the reason Duterte is calling for the timely implementation of the "Build Build Build" and pushing for federalism.
"Our economic growth is not evenly distributed. Provinces are lagging behind in terms of progress and projects," Roque said in a press briefing in Cagayan de Oro.
"That's why the president wants to fast-track the implementation of 'Build, Build, Build' in the provinces and he is calling for charter change towards federalism because it will really provide the solution to the uneven distribution of growth," he added.
Roque urged Congress and the public to support federalism to remove what he described as the "bias" against provinces.
Ok I get it now. Duterte's honest assessment of the Philippines' economy is really just a push for federalism and his "Build, Build, Build" programs. Because build a bridge or two and shattering the Philippines into several smaller states with their own governments will really solve everything! More corrupt and inept government will take the Philippines right out of the economic doldrums. But guess what?
The people don't even know what federalism is!
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said critics should not make an issue out of the campaign against loiterers because it is just a “basic implementation of the law.”
He also claimed that the Philippines is the only country with loiterers in the streets.
“Only those who violated ordinances and laws are arrested. The President did not order the arrest of those with no violation,” Roque said at a press briefing yesterday in Cagayan de Oro City.
“Only the Philippines has several loiterers. You go to Malaysia did you see any loiterer? You go to Thailand, Japan, South Korea, there are no loiterers. I think it’s really the duty of the President and it’s a way to increase police visibility and to implement the law,” he added.
This administration always picks the stupidest arguments to defend its policies. Every country has loiterers. Maybe Roque has not travelled much. He should stick with the "basic implementation of the law" argument as it has a more solid footing.
How does a situation like this even happen? 10,000 business with no permits? What exactly are we talking about here when we say business? Those ladies at tables selling candies and drinks? Sidewalk restaurants? Nuisance business such as makeshift sari-sari stores and tricycles equipped with gas tanks so they can serve up french fires and fishballs are bad enough but how many of these 10,000 businesses are running out buildings and have a large customer base? This situation only happens because people do not care to follow the law, the law enforcers do not care to enforce the law, and some unscrupulous officials take kickbacks.
Hopefully this will shut them both up until the outcome of the recount is known but I doubt it.
In an eight-page complaint filed with the Ombudsman, Efren De Luna, Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) president, said Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra and Board Member Ronaldo Corpuz are liable for signing Board Resolution 045, series of 2018.
Through the resolution, De Luna said the officials favored and prioritized certain entities in issuing franchises for the initial implementation of the Department of Transportation's PUV (Public Utility Vehicle) Modernization Program.
He said their group members were not given fair opportunity to apply.
The substance of this suit is that the LTFRB is not giving room for small operators to operate. They are giving preference to larger companies.
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) failed to explain Wednesday, June 27, how a suspected drug personality caught with 45 kilos of shabu in 2015 roamed free.
Gary Go, who was arrested in a drug bust in Quezon City in 2015, was shot dead in Cordova town on Mactan Island in Cebu on Tuesday, June 26.
Asked why Go was not in jail after the 2015 drug bust, Quezon City Police director Chief Superintendent Joselito Esquivel said the status of the case is still being checked in the prosecutor's office.
Because
money talks. And the PNP is corrupt enough
to let that money sweet talk them into giving the man his freedom.
"Bakit Grade 4, bakit 10 years old? Based on our operation, yung bata na gumagamit ng illegal drugs is as early as 10 years old," he said on Thursday.
Aquino said they had one case where they arrested a 10-year old suspected drug user, adding it may just be an isolated case, but it's better to err on the side of caution.
"Definitely, meron mga estudyante dyan na gumagamit, at yung iba nagtutulak na hindi natin nadidiskubre pa," he said.
The PDEA Chief wants Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act amended to make school officials, teachers, and students undergo mandatory and surprise drug testing.
This ridiculous proposal will have to get pass Congress first. If it passes let's hope it includes directions for drug testers to use sterile cups as those are pretty much non-existent in the Philippines.
A bemedalled police officer who was also an alleged high-level drug pusher and protector was killed Wednesday in Bohol province in a joint operation by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and regional police intelligence, authorities said.
An NBI report alleged SPO1 Adonis Dumpit was on his way to deliver drugs when accosted in Barangay San Isidro, Tagbilaran City, prompting him to fire back at law enforcers.
Dumpit, a former close-in aide of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmena, was convicted of homicide for killing a 17-year-old suspected robber in Cebu City in 2004. He was released in 2016 after posting bail while his case was on appeal.
The administrative case filed against him was also dismissed by the National Police Commission, allowing him to return to the service. His last assignment was at the Bohol Provincial Police Office this month.
Everything about this story is amazing. Who uses the word bemedalled? Spellcheck thinks its spelled wrong! A rare word indeed. Second of all this guy's name is Adonis Dumpit and the picture is of his beautiful body dumped like a heap of garbage. Thirdly this cop was convicted of homicide in 2004 and was let out on bail in 2016 while the case was on appeal and he was allowed back on the force! Only in the Philippines!
MTPB chief Dennis Alcoreza said the suspects in the killing of Vuelga and Celis were former employees of the Manila Tricycle Regulatory Office, who were sacked for collecting grease money from tricycle operators and drivers.
Previous MTPB agents murders were connected to corruption. Who knows but that is the case this time as well?
PNP Officers charged with extortion? Nothing new here.
Resigned Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and a former Tourism executive took millions worth of luxury items from Duty Free stores in 2017 and charged them as well as consultancy fees to the funds intended to fuel the department's programs, the Commission on Audit has found.
A 2017 COA audit report on Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) found that P2.52 million-worth of Duty Free items, such as branded bags, luxury brand cosmetics, appliances, and chocolates, were withdrawn from stores following orders from Teo and ex-Undersecretary for Administration and Special Concerns Rolando Cañizal.
Duty Free Philippines Corporation, which sells tax-free luxury items, is a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC) under the Tourism Department.
"The withdrawn merchandise consisted of toiletries, kitchen wares, beddings, appliances, canned goods, branded bags, luxury brand cosmetics, chocolates and others," COA said.
Wow. I always wondered what kind of person buys the useless overpriced junk from these shops. Now I know.
China headlines!
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