It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption and murder in Philippine politics.
He then justified the drug war, saying that his administration only “seek[s] to protect our republic [from] those who wish to tear it apart.”
“We only seek to curb criminality that corrodes the very structure of government,” he said.
Well that's funny because it is the very government itself that is criminal with the PNP selling drugs and taking bribes to let drug dealers go free.
Although Malacañang was tight-lipped about members of the presidential entourage, official or otherwise, some information still leaked through social media.
A number of congressmen, political figures and show biz celebrities were also enjoying autumn in Moscow.
Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano took part in the expanded bilateral meeting with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin in Moscow on Wednesday and was also expected to be part of the bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Sochi.
He reportedly brought with him his wife and fellow Taguig representative, Lani Cayetano.
Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte was also traveling with the President
A group photo posted on Facebook on Thursday from Moscow showed that the next Speaker, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, was also in the Russian capital.
The photo also included sacked tourism official Cesar Montano, actor Philip Salvador, controversial lawyer Larry Gadon and comedian Moymoy Palaboy, with a few others.
When asked, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who is also in Russia, said he did not know whether the congressmen were part of the official delegation.
He said the show biz celebrities as well as Gadon were not part of the official delegation and paid for their way and living expenses in Russia.
He also denied that the show biz celebrities would be paid a talent fee for entertaining the Filipino community when the President meets them on Saturday, his last official activity.
“As for the congressmen who are here, it’s the protocol [office] who can tell you whether they are part of the official delegation or they are here on their own,” Panelo said.
“With regard to the show biz [celebrities] who are here, as far as I know, when they entertain the Filipino community while waiting for the arrival of the President, they are not paid. They have been doing that during the presidential campaign. They just happen to be genuine and rabid fans of the President,” he said.
It should be easy enough to find out who paid for what but otherwise it sounds like another junket trip. Why is Larry Gadon tagging along? Does the mean if I pay my way I too can come along on one of Duterte's trips abroad?
Police are pursuing several leads in the strafing on Wednesday night of the house of a village councilor in Polomolok town, South Cotabato province, that left two persons dead and another wounded.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, public information officer of the Police Regional Office-12, said Thursday the incident happened while the family of Koronadal Proper barangay councilor Aliman Macabangin Jr. was having dinner around 8 p.m. at their house in Purok 3 of the same village.
Citing a report from the Polomolok municipal police station, he said the victims were gathered at their terrace when an undetermined number of suspects suddenly opened fire using high powered firearms.
Capellan said the village councilor managed to duck and took cover but three of his relatives were hit. The official said one of them, Razil Macabangin, reportedly died on-the-spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Lt. Col. Marvin Duadua, Polomolok police chief, said among the angles they are pursuing is personal grudge related to a land conflict in the area.
Lucky for the councillor but not for his relatives. Will they try again?
Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) dismissed nine police officers from service after testing positive for illegal drugs.
In a report given by PRO-7 Director Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas on Friday, October 4, 2019, the officers who were dismissed had ranks from Patrolman to Police Master Sergeant.
These officers were identified as Patrolman Merlo Daclan Laborte, Patrolman Frances Maucesa, Patrolman Greggy Gica, Patrolman Jayrome Solano, Patrolman Joseph Tabo-tabo, Police Corporal Jose Marie Garcia, Police Corporal Gilfredo Carungay, Police Staff Sergeant Joffrey Mulat and Police Master Sergeant Darwin Gonzales.
They tested positive in drug tests held in 2018 and 2019 and have been relieved from their post since then. Now, they have been officially dismissed from police service.
Aside from being dismissed from service, these ex-cops will also be facing administrative charges and a case for violating Republic Act 9165 section 11 or the possession of dangerous drugs.
According to Sinas, these officers were among those called “ninja cops,” or those who have been recycling illegal drugs they confiscated from anti-drugs operations of the police.
Sinas already assured the public that there are no longer active “ninja cops” syndicates in the region.
However, Sinas revealed that he is not 100 percent sure if there are no longer individual cops involved in drugs in Central Visayas. But the PRO-7 chief said their internal cleansing program is still ongoing.
If any of these cops are really ninja cops then they need to face criminal cases not administrative cases. They also need to be in jail. But this guy sounds like he doesn't even know what's going on. First he says there are no more active ninja cops then he says he is not sure if that is true or not!
Newly installed Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Bantag yesterday relieved more than 300 jail guards at the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP).
“We have a directive coming from the President for a total revamp and to clean up the BuCor. There are allegations of irregularities, so we relieved them,” BuCor spokesperson Wena Fe Dalagan said.
Relief orders were sent to the personnel who have been put on floating status as the reports of anomalies are reviewed, Dalagan added.
In the meantime, officials of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) will take over NBP custodial functions.
In an interview with reporters, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said at least 552 NCRPO policemen will be deployed at the BuCor as augmentation.
Eleazar added that the deployment of police personnel at BuCor is temporary, as Bantag requested for an augmentation force to maintain peace and order in the area while reforms take place.
But how temporary? A few days? Weeks? Months? 552 cops off the beat and into the jail means the community is less safe. Of course it's not as if the PNP actually keeps the people safe anyway.
The two whistleblowers who exposed the “ghost dialysis” scam that had defrauded Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) were arrested Thursday night, shortly after losing immunity from suit under the government’s Witness Protection Program (WPP), according to their lawyer.
Lawyer Harry Roque on Friday said his clients—Liezel Santos de Leon and Edwin Roberto—were arrested and detained in connection with the estafa charges earlier filed against them and Bryan Christopher Sy, their former employer at the Quezon City-based WellMed Dialysis Center.
“What’s happening is meant to silence them,” Roque said, adding he was not informed that his clients had been released from the WPP.
This is how it goes in the Philippines. You expose corruption and instead of going after the corrupt they go after you. It happens with journalists and lawyers and now it is happening with these guys.
A member of the Philippine Marine Corps with a standing arrest warrant was nabbed by joint police operatives in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Friday.
The suspect was identified as Corporal Erickson Obias, a member of the Philippine Marine Corps assigned at the Marine Security Group.
Obias’ arrest stemmed from the complaint of Maria Theresa Obias who sought police assistance for his arrest.
No details on what the charges are but it seems like it is domestic.
(When I get back to the Philippines, I will really beat those [expletive] police. Oh, those that they call ninja. Those [expletive] are the ones really doing drugs.)
“Before my term ends, I have two years and so many months left, ubusin ko talaga itong mga p*tang *na na ‘to. Tignan mo (I will finish these [expletive]. Watch me),” he added.
Yeah sure. Whatever. Ninja cops aren't new. And Duterte won't be finishing them.
A former police officer was shot dead inside a restaurant-bar in Pasay City, police said Monday.
Joselito Lopez, 46, was inside the establishment with his son and a friend when a gunman wearing a cap and a face mask suddenly appeared, pulled out an unidentified caliber of gun, and shot the victim to the head, according to a report from the Pasay City police.
Police also said the gunman escaped towards Protacio Street onboard a get-away motorcycle driven by a cohort.
Another ex-cop assassinated. This happens often. Maybe he knew too much?
“The challenge is on its leadership. How will they respond given the evidence? That’s what we are waiting for,” Robredo, speaking in Filipino, said in an interview with reporters in Naga. “I hope they rise up to the challenge to save the institution’s reputation, not that of the few who tarnish the reputation of the entire ranks.”
Robredo also lamented how the case would affect police officers properly doing their duties.
“I’ve always said this: I know a lot of police officers who are decent and honorable. It’s saddening that when issues like this arise — when those are decent are affected,” she said.
Yeah ok. Let's give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she knows some PNP officers who are decent and honourable. That does not change the fact the the PNP is historically a very corrupt institution. Read
here.
The San Juan City government on Tuesday said it is currently launching an investigation into the alleged waste of government funds by some erring city government officials.
San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora disclosed that the city had purchased a “spider excavator backhoe” worth P40 million that was never used.
He explained that the backhoe was bought to clean rivers and creeks but was later found that it could not fit into the waterways.
[The backhoe cannot fit the waterways which was why it was not used. It was bought to be used for cleaning creeks at San Juan.]
Zamora also noted that they discovered falsified receipts from the San Juan Medical Center wherein a big amount of cash has not been returned to government funds.
Zamora said they will collect pieces of evidence hold accountable those who are behind the alleged corruption in the city government.
Falsified receipts. Expensive equipment that was never used and was never appropriate for the job to begin with. Just your typical government corruption in the Philippines.
Elections Commissioner Ma. Rowena Guanzon on Tuesday claimed that some party-list group seats are for sale.
Guanzon made this revelation during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms headed by Senator Imee Marcos on various bills, including a proposal strengthening the party-list system in the country.
“I’m personally against the gaming of the party-list rules because I’m sorry to say that in truth, a lot of party-list or some of them, sell their seats,” she said.
“After they win, they change their representatives or nominees,” Guanzon added.
Selling party-list seats is nothing new. Seems the Comelec can't fix these problems. Or maybe they don't want to.
Six years after he reportedly blocked the sacking of these so-called "ninja cops," Albayalde announced that they could now be facing summary dismissal.
"I have directed the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management to take the lead in reviewing the administrative cases involving the so-called ninja cops in coordination with the PNP-Internal Affairs Service to initiate possible summary dismissal proceedings against these errant personnel," the top cop said in a media briefing.
First he blocked the dismissal of the cops and now he is being forced to dismiss them himself.
“He (Duterte) will decide on the basis of competence and honesty,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
“If you are honest, di ibig sabihin wala kang kaso (that means you have no cases) relative to any irregularity. Pag competent ka, di ibig sabihin magaling ka sa trabaho mo (If you’re competent, that means you’re good at your job),” he added.
A hard job to be sure. Basically impossible.
The vice mayor of Batuan town in Masbate died while two other companions were hurt after unidentified gunmen shot them in Manila on Wednesday morning.
Sampaloc police identified the victims as Batuan, Masbate Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III; Wilfredo Pineda, 44; and Alberto Alforte, 23.
Police said victims were having breakfast in front of a house along V.G. Cruz Street in Sampaloc when suspects alighted from a van and shot them at 8:45 a.m.
Another LGU shot dead. This time it's the Vice Mayor and not just a barangay captain or city councilman.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde had recommended the one-rank promotion and recognition for himself and 13 of his subordinates for their “outstanding performance” during the controversial 2013 drug raid in Pampanga.
At Wednesday’s resumption of the Senate justice committee investigation into the “ninja cops” controversy, panel chair Senator Richard Gordon presented a copy of the recommendation supposedly signed by Albayalde himself when he was still Pampanga police director.
Gordon, reading the document, said the 13 police officers were recommended to the next higher rank and given recognition for “having demonstrated outstanding performance… of duty for the successful buy-bust operation in… Mexico, Pampanga as manifested by the courage, professionalism, and devotion of duty.”
Albayalde was to receive a distinguished conduct medal, Gordon said citing the document.
“You’re giving yourself an award?” Gordon asked Albayalde.
In response, Albayalde said: “Yes, Sir.”
Albayalde is one shameless man.
The mayor of Tago town in Surigao del Sur and a barangay (village) chairperson were found guilty of graft and malversation by the Sandiganbayan for misuse of government resources in 2014.
In its decision dated October 4, the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division said the prosecution was able to prove that Mayor Rogelio Pimentel and Barangay Unaban chairperson Herminigildo Reyes conspired in disadvantaging government, and that there was evident bad faith and manifest partiality demonstrated.
The graft and malversation of public property cases stemmed from Reyes’s decision to allow Pimentel use of 280 bags of cement and 286 round steel bars for the construction of the latter’s private resort. The construction materials were intended for a barangay solar dryer project.
“Accused Reyes, who had custody and control over the said construction materials, knowingly consented or permitted accused Pimentel to take the same from the Multi-Purpose Hall of Unaban, Tago, Surigao del Sur, to the private property of accused Pimentel in Soccoro, Surigao del Norte, and to use them in the construction of his private resort,” Sandiganbayan said.
The mayor used construction materials intended for a barangay project to build his private resort!
Prohibited drugs, sex toys and cell phones were among the items seized as shelters or kubol inside the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) were demolished by authorities yesterday.
Elements of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO,) Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Department of Public Works and Highways and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) conducted the demolition.
BuCor Director General Gerald Bantag said the inmates “abused their privileges” by erecting the illegal structures to hide their use of contraband.
All four quadrants of the maximum security compound, which houses some 18,000 inmates, have illegal structures.
NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said the demolition of the structures will help solve the illegal drug problem inside the prison.
“The problem is, these structures are set up like a dormitory and they were there like mushrooms,” Eleazar said.
He also said the national penitentiary “created monsters” which, in turn, made authorities afraid of them and not the other way around.
He said the demolition is a good start in turning things around.
Bantag said that he would really want to demolish illegal structures in all seven penal colonies of the BuCor, as long as he has the help and personnel from the government.
The demolition yielded illegal drugs, weapons, sex toys, disallowed appliances such as televisions and electric fans, machinery and cash.
The questions here for Faeldon and Bato are numerous. Both promised to clean up the prison but here we see the did not even do something as simple as demolishing illegal structures which were hiding drugs and money and other paraphernalia. We also learn that all seven prison in the system have these illegal structures! When where they built? Will any past BuCor officials be held responsible?
Police in Central Visayas are pursuing a former police officer, who escaped after he and his cohorts engaged lawmen in a shootout during an anti-illegal drug operation in Cordova town on October 9.
Two were killed in that incident and two were arrested, but former Police Master Sergeant Lowell “Boyet” Pacolaga managed to escape pursuing police officers by swimming into a mangrove area where his pursuers lost him.
Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas said in a press briefing on October 11 that Pacolaga, who was once assigned in the City Intelligence Branch of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO), went on absent without official leave (AWOL) in 2016 after he learned that his name was already in the watchlist of police officers allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.
“Pacaloga is in the watchlist. This is the reason why he went AWOL,” said Sinas.
How did he find out his name was on the watchlist? Was it made public? Was it not made public but not classified? Did someone inform him? This situation makes a great case for keeping these lists private and classified.
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