It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics.
Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos reckons that the government might have lost to corruption around ₱1.4 trillion in the past two years.
In a speech Friday, Ramos, using 2017 United Nations Development Programme’s estimates, said corruption loss in the Philippines equated to 20 percent of its annual government appropriation.
The government's national budget in 2017 was ₱3.35 trillion. It went up to ₱3.76 trillion in 2018.
"This translates to about ₱670 billion and ₱752 billion computed lost to corruption in those two years," Ramos said during the National Summit on Crime Prevention of the National Police Commission event.
The deputy ombudsman explained the estimated amount lost to corruption in 2018 could have been used for the construction of 1.4 million housing units for the poor. The Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council's pegged social housing cost is at ₱500,000 each unit.
He noted the said amount could have also been used to provide medical or educational assistance for at least seven million Filipinos annually.
"There are many more 'what ifs' on what can be spent for ₱700 billion annually: modern hospitals, airports, schools, irrigation facilities, better salaries, decent housing, armaments, and so on," Ramos added.
"We may never totally eradicate or defeat corruption in our lifetime. But if we can inspire and marshal the youth to join our duty in fighting corruption, and embrace it as their own, then we have won the war on corruption," Ramos added.
That is quite a lot of money and it gets lost in a variety of ways as the COA's audits show us each year. But Ramos is wrong if he thinks getting the youth to fight corruption and change the culture is the way to solve this problem. What the Philippines needs is a benevolent dictator.
Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said a “benevolent dictatorship” type of leadership is needed for the Philippine government to crawl its way out of its numerous corruption issues.
“I cannot think of an outright solution except to have a benevolent dictator. Remove everyone with a whiff of corruption,” Sotto said in a statement.
“On the other hand, we can move for a moral regeneration of the entire bureaucracy,” he added.
Remove everyone with a whiff of corruption? Why that was Duterte's promise and yet he recycles men accused of corruption and keeps on several who have a stench of corruption about them. I dare say the entire Duterte administration stinks to high heaven of corruption of one form or another even if it is not plundering the treasury.
Two female officers of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) were injured after four unidentified armed men on board a car shot them in Makati on Friday evening.
In a report by Police Maj. Gideon Ines, Makati police Criminal Investigation Division chief, the victims were identified as Maricon Manalo, 56, officer-in-charge at the Formal Entry Division at BOC’s Port of Manila; and Marietta Lasac, 60, Principal Appraiser at the Formal Entry Division at BOC’s Port of Manila.
Initial investigation showed that the victims had just finished work and were on their way home on board their vehicle when four armed men on board a car suddenly blocked their path along Lapu-Lapu Avenue near the corner of Victoria Street in Barangay Magallanes.
The armed men alighted from their vehicle and smashed the glass window of the victims’ car and ordered them to get out.
Surprised by the attack, Manalo put the car on reverse and tried to get away but the armed men opened fire.
Kidnapping attempt? Assassination attempt? Extortion attempt? Inside job? All of the above? We may never know.
A police officer was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen in Quezon City on Saturday night.
Lt. Col. Cipriano Galanida, chief of Anonas Police Station of the Quezon City Police District, identified the officer as Master Sgt. Anthony Lacson, who was assigned to his station.
Lacson was on his motorcycle driving on Anonas Street in Project 2 at around 7 p.m. He was at the corner of Pajo Street when two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle shot him.
Another cop assassinated by motorcycle riding men.
The Philippine military this week cited fresh reports of the unannounced transit of five Chinese warships in Sibutu Strait since July. This comes after the Philippine government recently protested the passage of Chinese warships in Sibutu Strait four times from February to June.
Sibutu Strait is an international waterway located near Tawi-Tawi that is within the Philippines’ archipelagic and territorial waters. Foreign commercial ships have the right of innocent passage when passing through the country’s territorial waters, while foreign warships should at least inform Philippine authorities beforehand.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday (Aug. 16) raised concern over the location of Chinese casinos, also known as Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo), which appeared to be too close for comfort to Philippine military camps in Metro Manila.
“This is very concerning until such time I saw the map,” Lorenzana told reporters. “They are near,” he said.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday (Aug. 16) raised concern over the location of Chinese casinos, also known as Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo), which appeared to be too close for comfort to Philippine military camps in Metro Manila.
“This is very concerning until such time I saw the map,” Lorenzana told reporters. “They are near,” he said.
While recognizing the economic contribution of Chinese casinos to the Philippines, Lorenzana said defense officials are also looking at the industry’s national security implications. “We encourage these people to come here to invest. We are making a lot of money from Pogo industry,” he said. “And to now question why they’re here is like a contradiction of policy,” he added.
What can one say? This is all the result of Duterte's attitude and policy towards China. First China builds on Philippine territory and disregard the Hauge ruling then they float warships in Philippine seas while illegal Chinese workers get uncomfortably close to AFP bases. It's like a natural progression which Duterte has enabled and it is too late to speak out now.
Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) director, said the suspect in the Japanese killing was Patrolman June Zamora of the Talisay City Police.
Sinas said that Zamora surrendered to the Talisay City Police Station in the afternoon of August 18 and admitted to shooting Togo.
According to initial investigation, Zamora was allegedly the lover of the sister of Togo’s former live-in partner.
Sinas said that some rumors and allegations about Zamora’s alleged lover had allegedly driven him to jealousy, which could have been the reason for him shooting Togo.
A cop caught up in a fit of jealous rage which led to murder.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the awarding of the New Centennial Water Source – Kaliwa Dam Project (NCWS-KDP) to a Chinese firm that supposedly skipped several requirements.
“Review of the results of the TWG’s vetting report revealed that the China Energy Engineering Corporation Limited and Consortium of Guandong Foreign Construction Company Limited Guandong Yuantian Engineering Company did not indicate the completion date of the construction projects undertaken […] hence the remark ‘Not Stated’ in the vetting report,” COA said.
“The TWG should have been more circumspect to verify whether the reported projects were actually completed to establish the validity and existence thereof and to attain the purpose of vetting which is to evaluate whether the nominated Chinese contractors meet the minimum technical qualifications,” it added.
COA also noted that CEEC already conducted preliminary project activities despite the loan agreement not yet taking effect.
The Kaliwa Dam, which is seen to alleviate Metro Manila’s water woes, has been garnered various reactions. According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, the project should be the answer to the water supply shortage experienced this dry season.
Another project designed to ostensibly benefit Filipinos is already wracked with corruption before it even gets started. And who is the ultimate beneficiary? China.
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has dismissed a city official over “questionable practices and abusive behavior.”
Sotto announced the official’s firing last Sunday(Aug. 18) in his official Facebook page where he posted photos of the dismissed official’s vacant office.
“This is the room of one office head after I fired him,” said Sotto on his Facebook page, without naming the sacked official.
“The pictures show how some people treat the government like their private property,” Sotto added.
Sotto said one of the difficulties his team faced during the transition was the poor inventory of the city’s government supplies.
“It’s not clear where equipment worth millions, or billions, went,” he said. “There are no stickers or numbers on pieces of equipment in offices so they’re hard to track if lost,” he said in Filipino.
Last month, Sotto ordered the inventory of the city’s government supplies after the Commission on Audit (COA) flagged P1.464 billion worth of materials unaccounted for in its 2018 annual audit report.
That's one way to fire and shame a man. Sounds like he and others have stolen billions worth of supplies.
Col. Orlando Castil, the town’s police chief, identified the suspect as Patrolman Jessie Gubat, 27, from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Cabanatuan City.
Castil said Gubat aimed for his former girlfriend, Joyce Anne Reynada, who just got married to Reggie Tulosa.
Investigators said Tulosa was wounded after taking the bullet for his new wife.
Gubat also shot and killed the bride’s brother, Margarettee Cleavan Linao, who gave the suspect a brief chase and engaged him in a gunfight.
Another PNP officer caught up in a murderous fit of jealousy.
Seven officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) were ordered dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman after being found guilty of various administrative offenses.
Domingo was slapped with a one-year suspension without pay for gross insubordination for challenging transfer orders that reassigned her at the Port of Cagayan de Oro. According to Domingo in her letter to former BOC Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon, her transfer was merely prompted by a feud with Director Milo Maestrocampo.
She also said that, as a mother, being assigned to a far-flung area, would be detrimental to her family, as she would need to shell out additional expenses for rent and travels back to Manila, where her family resides.
In the decision, the Office of the Ombudsman clarified that it did not have the jurisdiction to determine whether the transfer order was valid. However, what it considered was the mere refusal to obey an order by a superior official.
Lucky seven! Many of these charges are for gross misconduct and allowing items to pass through customs undeclared. However the charge of gross insubordination borne by Mrs. Domingo is rather interesting. It seems perhaps the transfer order was not valid but the Ombudsman says they don't care about that matter since it is only her insubordination in and of itself which was considered.
A police officer was arrested over the weekend after he was caught in the act of smoking marijuana at the St. Joseph Courtyard, located along Lacson Street om Bacolod City’s Barangay 37.
Police identified the suspect as 32-year-old Patrolman Bryn Jephtha Gimotea, a resident of Barangay 2, Himamaylan City who was attending a field training course in the city.
Another PNP officer caught doing drugs.
Only 12 out of the thousands of cities and municipalities in the Philippines complied with a national government memorandum to enact local speed limit ordinances in their areas of jurisdiction, a non-government organization said.
Rochel Bartolay, communications officer of road safety advocate ImagineLaw, said road crash incidents continued to rise and many of these were blamed on speeding vehicles which may be prevented if speed limits were imposed locally.
The Philippines has 145 cities and 1,489 municipalities. This means, there are 1,622 towns and cities that have yet to comply with the order.
In the case of Juban in Sorsogon and General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite, the towns have already enacted speed limits. But, the two towns are having problems in implementing their approved measures.
Juban councilor Achilles Alindogan said the local government still did not have the appropriation needed to purchase the equipment and hire the personnel needed to monitor vehicles especially in the Maharlika Highway, where most of the trucks going to the Visayas pass through.
General Mariano Alvarez town Councilor Archie Sambrano said they still did not have the speed guns needed to implement their local speed limit ordinance, especially at the Congressional Road.
Both local governments have asked the Department of Transportation for assistance but they had yet to receive a reply.
First of all many of these road crashes are from bad driving and faulty vehicles. Second of all without a way to actually enforce speed laws then no one will follow them. Third of all Filipinos are such horrible drivers that speeding is probably the least of anyone's worries. From not using lights at night to passing head-on into incoming traffic the problems with Pinoy drivers are numerous.
The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for availing of a P500-million life insurance package for just 10 of its officials.
Based on the COA’s annual audit report on CAAP, the agency, on Dec. 14, 2018, placed P500 million with Coconut Planter’s Life Assurance Corp. (COCOLIFE) for its variable universal life insurance plan, also known as the Zenith plan.
The COA said the amount was withdrawn from CAAP’s savings account with the United Coconut Planter’s Bank (UCPB).
The COA said its audit team’s verification revealed that the insurance placement did not have the approval of the CAAP board of directors, in violation of Republic Act 9497 or the Civil Aviation Authority Act of 2008.
Meanwhile, in the same audit report, the COA also called out the CAAP for P1.021 billion in unimplemented projects for 2018.
The audit body said that of the CAAP’s 336 programmed infrastructure projects for 2018 with a total budget of P1.797 billion, only 43 percent or 143 projects were implemented while 57 percent or 193 projects amounting to P1.021 billion have yet to start as of year-end.
Among the reasons cited by CAAP for the delays were the lack of manpower to undertake the procurement process and project implementation as well as the problems encountered during the procurement procedure such as failure of public bidding.
P500 million for 10 people is pretty excessive. But it seems the CAAP has other problems too. The same problems everyone else has and that is not implementing projects!
The leader of a progressive farmers’ organization in Matalam, North Cotabato, was gunned down Monday night.
Authorities said Medardo Espina Barro, 59, and resident of Sitio Natipakan, Barangay Latagan in Matalam, was drinking with friends and relatives outside his house when two men, one of them armed with an M4 armalite, shot him several times.
Another activist assisting farmers gunned down.
A lone gunman shot and killed the incumbent vice mayor of San Andres, Quezon inside the town official’s residence Tuesday night.
Vice Mayor Sergio “Popoy” Emprese, 60, was in the living room of his residence in Calmar Homes Subdivision in Barangay Ibabang Dupay when he was shot in the head at around 8:40 p.m., Lt. Colonel Reydante Ariza, Lucena City police chief, said in a spot report.
Emprese, also served as the town’s mayor, was the patriarch of a political clan that ruled the coastal town for several decades.
His wife Sonia and son Serson also served a town mayor and vice mayor.
Serson, however, lost in the mayoralty race in the recent midterm elections, marred by at least three poll-related killings.
Another LGU killed. This time a patriarch of long standing and in an area where much political violence has occurred.
Former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, the convicted rapist and murderer of two University of the Philippines Los Baños students, may be released soon, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Tuesday.
“Mayor Sanchez’s good conduct time allowance is being recomputed pursuant to the new law and a recent Supreme Court ruling,” Guevarra said.
However, Guevarra clarified that not only Sanchez but over 10,000 inmates would benefit from Republic Act 10592 or the law that increased the Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) given to inmates. The GCTA provides additional time to be deducted from an inmate’s prison sentence as a reward for his or her good behavior.
RA 10592 expanded the application of good conduct time allowance (GCTA) for prisoners even during preventive suspension, increased the number of days for GCTA, allowed additional deduction of 15 days each month of for time allowance for study, teaching or mentoring service (TASTM), and expanded the special time allowance for loyalty (STAL) even during preventive suspension.
The Supreme Court last June said that the application should have a retroactive effect to cover inmates convicted prior to the enactment of the law.
Sanchez was meted with seven terms of reclusion perpetua (up to 40 years imprisonment) for the rape and murder of Eileen Sarmenta and killing of her boyfriend Allan Gomez.
Will this man be freed or will he be on parole? Either way the man should never be allowed out of prison. He was given a sentence of 280 years for the rape of one and the murder of two people! Yet he will be grandfathered in under this new law.
A member of the Bonuan Binloc village council was injured after an unidentified gunman attacked him on Tuesday morning.
Witnessed said German Torio was hit twice in the back and was taken to a hospital.
The motorcycle-riding assailant immediately left the crime scene.
Road rage could have triggered the attack, witnesses said.
Hurt but not dead. Road rage? How likely is that? Maybe they will try again?
The Commission on Audit (COA) has bared that P412, 838,799.55-worth of cash bonuses remained unremitted and undistributed to sugar farmers as of 2018, partly due to the Department of Labor and Employment’s (Dole) lack of public announcements on the benefits.
In its annual report, the audit agency said the undistributed share of Cash Bonus Fund (CBF) for sugar farmers from 1991 to 2018 ballooned to P528,082,529.89. Of the total fund, P313,498,886.14 was already forfeited and accrued to the Socio-Economic Project Fund.
“Examination of the fragmented records available showed that instead of remitting the undistributed amount of P528,082,529.89, only P115,243,730.34 was remitted to the ROs [regional offices] from crop years 1991 to 2018, thus a total of P412,838,799.55 was not remitted by the millers/planters, contrary to the regulation,” COA said.
The law also requires the Secretary of Dole to make public announcements about the benefits in local radio stations at least three publications in local newspapers and posting in public areas where the concerned beneficiaries reside.
“(T)here was lack of public announcements made by the DOLE Secretary on the availability of cash bonus and other benefits due the sugar workers (SWs), thus the accumulation of undistributed fund and unavailed benefits,” COA said.
State auditors also doubted the validity of distribution of some P431,285,154.70 in 2018 due to insufficient documents and accounting reports.
In brief it means Filipino farmers continue to get screwed out of money owed to them.
A 40-year-old barangay captain was killed and three of his companions were injured in an ambush here on Wednesday evening.
Police Capt. Frances Littaua, Isabela police spokesperson, identified the fatality as Bubug village chief Manuel Ramento and the wounded as village councilor May Glenn Padre, a certain Noimi Gumtang, and 6-year-old Althea Nicole Gumtang, all residents of Bubug in this town.
The victims were on their way home when unidentified armed men shot them in Barangay Bagabag, police said.
Another barangay captain shot dead by assassins.
President Rodrigo Duterte seems to be fed up with trying to solve the monstrous traffic congestion in Metro Manila, saying that without him having emergency powers: “Let Edsa rot there.”
“Si [Transportation Secretary Arthur] Tugade, sabi: ‘We need to borrow for EDSA, because we need money to move just one stall there’,” the President said. “Ang hinihingi nila emergency powers.”
“Here comes a lady, atribida tawag ko diyan eh. It’s good to be honest. It’s good to be a crusading public official. No doubt about it you will be appreciated. Pero kung sumobra ka and you think all elected public officials are corrupt, eh ’di wag na. Let EDSA rot there,” he said.
The President earlier said he needed emergency powers to have funds for projects that would solve traffic in Metro Manila, particularly on Edsa.
“So look at Edsa. Until now, I cannot do anything. But never did I ask [for] money without any bidding,” he earlier said.
If it is all a problem of getting funds then why not have the DPWH or the MMDA allocate funds for these projects? How will moving one stall alleviate traffic? Even if the road were widened and traffic could flow freely it would not matter as long as Pinoy drivers continue to disregard all decency and decorum in their driving habits.
“[If] it is determined by the Board of Pardons and Parole that he deserves that commutation, then why not? He deserves a second chance in life,” Dela Rosa said in an interview over ANC.
Funny how when a child is killed during a drug raid it's shit happens but a murderer and a rapist deserves a second chance. Funny also how Bato wants to reinstate the death penalty but only for drug offenders when Sanchez is a perfect candidate for the firing squad.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. was arrested on Thursday afternoon after a court in Manila issued a warrant for allegedly violating various banking laws.
He is accused of violating Republic Acts 8791 and 7653 or the General Banking Law and the New Central Bank Act, for his involvement in an anomalous loan from Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgages Bank.
An anomalous loan. How mysterious. I'm sure his trial will take years. In the meantime he can bond out.
Pasig Mayor Vico Sotto has found a P1-billion worth of discrepancy in the inventory of the city government when he took over the post.
Sotto revealed on GMA News’ Bawal Ang Pasaway on Tuesday that he thinks that there was corruption in the local government of Pasig, saying that it was ‘no secret.’
“Meron pong kurapsyon. Hindi naman po sikreto siguro,” he said.
“Pagpasok ko dito, may discrepancy sa inventory at supplies na natagpuan namin of more than P1 billion na hinahanap pa kung nasaan napunta,” he added.
According to Sotto, they also found suspicious cash advance transactions in the records, including one amounting to P90 million.
"Ang isang tao, umaabot ng P90 million ang cash advance. There was really a problem in the system,” Sotto said.
These discrepancies were already reported by the Commission on Audit (COA), Sotto said.
The problem is not in the system. The problem is in the people who run the system.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said that he would rather cancel his bilateral talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping if he would be prevented from raising the arbitration ruling that in 2016 upheld the country's claims in the West Philippine Sea.
“Sabi nila hindi pag-usapan, sabi ko no. If I’m not allowed as a President of a sovereign nation to talk whatever I want to talk about then let us rather not talk altogether. ‘Wag na," Duterte said in a speech in Romblon.
"Don’t control my mouth because that is a gift from God,” he added.
It was not clear who told Duterte that the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague should left out of the agenda of the bilateral discussions.
Duterte made the remarks at the inauguration of the 7.5-MWP Tumingad Solar Power Project in Odiongan, Tablas Island.
“That’s why I’m going to China and the first thing that I will bring out before them is the arbitral ruling. Ganito ‘yan e so we do not go to war,” Duterte said.
Duterte said a 60-40 sharing arrangement in the proposed joint oil exploration in the South China Sea would be a good start.
“Whether you like it or not, whether you are happy or not, we have to talk about the arbitral ruling and what we get if there is a start in the exploration and in the extraction of whatever it is in the bowels of the earth,” Duterte said.
“The proposal of 60-40 in our favor will be a good start,” he added.
Beijing has repeatedly said that it did not recognize the ruling which Duterte temporarily set aside in pursuit of warmer relations with the Asian powerhouse.
Seems pointless to bring up the ruling now. But it all has to do with proposed joint oil exploration in the WPS. Funny how money will get Duterte to bring it up but national sovereignty and dignity will not! After all his reason for not invoking the ruling is because he did not want to upset China as he needs their money and investments. It's all about money!
Nice blog
ReplyDeleteGreat Information.
The Asian Journal of Government Audit is a popular resource for the SAI community for promotion of sound and effective audit systems.
This bi-annual Journal has been in circulation since 1983 and has provided a forum to ASOSAI members for discussion and dissemination of good practices.
The Journal accepts articles, special reports, news items and other materials from member SAIs of ASOSAI.