Retards in the Government 211

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

https://mb.com.ph/2021/06/11/cotabato-city-village-chair-fatally-shot/

A barangay chairman here was gunned down by two men in a car wash in Barangay Rosary Heights 8 in this city Thursday. 

Police are looking at the possibility that the murder of Danny Matabalao Darping, chairman of Barangay Kalanganan 1, is related to his work.

The victim was waiting in a roadside car wash center around 8 a.m. in Barangay Rosary Heights 8 when two men on a motorbike arrived.

Pastolero said witnesses saw one of the suspects pulling out a pistol and shooting the unsuspecting Darping in the head and body, killing him instantly. The suspects fled toward an unknown direction after the incident, witnesses added.

He said the family initially told police probers that the slain barangay official has been receiving death threats. Police found two empty shells of caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.

A barangay chairman who had been receiving death threats was gunned down while washing his car.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/06/11/2104746/masbate-vice-mayor-arrested-over-2019-slay-vice-mayor

The incumbent vice mayor of Batuan town in Masbate has been arrested over the 2019 killing of then town Vice Mayor Charlie Yuson III. 

Authorities said they arrested Nelson Cambaya, 58, in Barangay Quinapagian, Mercedes, Camarines Norte at around 5 p.m., Thursday. 

Cambaya is facing charges of frustrated murder and murder. Bail is set at P200,000 for the first charge, while no bail is recommended for the second charge.

Cambaya is alleged to be one of the gunmen who killed Yuson and is among the seven ordered arrested by a Manila court over the slay. 

The court also ordered the arrest of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam, who had surrendered herself to authorities.

A Vice Mayor has been arrested over the murder of his predecessor.

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1445728/lipa-city-village-councilor-gunned-down

A 60-year-old barangay councilor was shot and killed Sunday in Lipa City in Batangas province night, a report said Monday.

Rene Laylo, a resident of Barangay Antipolo Del Sur, and his son, Jerome, were about to go home from a wedding celebration in Sitio (sub-village) Alibangbang, when an alias “Jack” and Marciano Olan, a barangay tanod (village watchman), suddenly appeared around 10 p.m., the Lipa City police reported.

Using a caliber .45 pistol, Jack repeatedly shot Laylo, who died on the spot, the report added.

Jerome managed to grab the firearm after a scuffle, but the gunman and Olan escaped.

Another barangay councilor assassinated. This time they know who did it but not why as he escaped.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1445866/village-exec-wounded-in-pangasinan-gun-attack

A village councilman in Labrador town, Pangasinan province survived a gun attack Sunday, June 13, the police said.

Albert de Vera, 41, of Barangay Bolo was sitting at the porch of his house when the assailants alighted from a vehicle and shot him before fleeing to an unknown direction, investigators said.

De Vera suffered bullet wounds to his upper left body and was brought to the Lingayen District Hospital for treatment.

Another attempted assassination against a village councilman by unknown men for unknown reasons.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1445628/auditors-flag-pia-cash-advances

The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) for granting additional cash advances to its regional offices although the offices had not liquidated around P85.5 million in previous advances as of Dec. 30, 2020.

In its 2020 audit report, the COA said “no additional cash advance shall be allowed to any official or employee unless the previous cash advance given to him is first settled or a proper accounting” is made.

Despite the nonliquidation of previous advances, state auditors said more advances were approved for the maintenance and other operating expenses and personnel services of various PIA regional offices.

The report said the PIA released advances totaling P179.9 million, with Northern Mindanao getting the most with P16 million.

The COA directed the PIA not give any more cash advances but they continued to do this. There are also other financial anomalies flagged for this organization such as transportation allowances when a car was already given.

 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/06/15/2105510/ex-davao-oriental-mayor-gets-8-years-graft

A former municipal mayor in Davao Oriental has been sentenced to up to eight years in prison in connection with the anomalous procurement of P32.7 million worth of heavy equipment. 

Aside from prison terms, the court disqualified Duma-an from holding public office and ordered him to pay P32.7 million in civil liability to the municipal government.

“Duma-an acted with gross and inexcusable negligence in the procurement of the equipment without public bidding, authority from the Sangguniang Bayan and proper disbursement documents,” the decision read. 

The court ordered the cases against Duma-an’s co-respondent, former municipal treasurer Arnold Samon, archived as authorities have yet to locate him.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2017, the cases stemmed from the municipal government’s procurement of a hydraulic excavator, fire truck and three dump trucks from the Kilusang Magkakaibigan Multi-Purpose Cooperative in October 2011. 

The ombudsman said that aside from the lack of public bidding, the procured items were second-hand or used, which violated a resolution of the municipal council. 

The resolution provided that the heavy equipment to be procured should be brand new.

An ex-mayor gets 8 years for graft he committed back in 2017. He procured trucks without a bidding war and they were used instead of brand new which violated the city council's resolution regarding the procurement. Furthermore the city treasurer is also wanted on these same graft charges but he has yet to be found.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1143725

The Supreme Court (SC) ordered the dismissal of a stenographer after the Civil Service Commission (CSC) concluded that another person took the examination on his behalf.

In a resolution recently posted online, the High Court en banc dismissed from the service Nueva Ecija Municipal Trial Court stenographer Nestor D. Bulaong who was found guilty of dishonesty.

The court also ordered the forfeiture of all of his retirement benefits and with prejudice to reinstatement or appointment to any public office.

“His actions prejudiced not only the civil service but the public in general, as he improperly secured the government position when someone else was probably more qualified to hold it," it said.

The CSC, in 2013, referred the case to the Office of the SC Court Administrator and alleged that Bulaong committed dishonesty and grave misconduct in relation to the Career Service Professional Examination, held on Dec. 17, 1995 in Malolos, Bulacan.

Bulaong claimed that he took the examination and earned a rating of 88.01 percent. Eventually, he was appointed as Court Stenographer I.

However, the CSC discovered the scheme because there were glaring differences between the photograph and signature of Bulaong in his Personal Data Sheets (PDS) and in the examination's seat plan.

A court stenographer had someone else take his Civil Service Exam. The proof is in the photo and signature submitted by the test taker differed from his own photo and signature. His test was administered in 1995 but apparently the fraud was not discovered until much later. In 2013 the CSC referred the case to the Supreme Court and 8 years later a verdict was finally reached.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1143771

Five people, including a government employee, were arrested while some PHP127,071 worth of illegal drugs were seized in separate anti-drug operations in the region.

Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, on Tuesday identified the government employee as Christian Paul Velonta, 32, of Zone II, Purok Malipayon, Barangay Bulatok, Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.

Ylagan said Velonta, an employee of the provincial government, was arrested in a buy-bust around 8:40 p.m. Monday in Purok Nangka, Barangay Banale.

Recovered from Velonta were some PHP10,404 worth of suspected shabu, PHP1,000 marked money, a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition, and a sling bag.

Another government employee busted for drugs.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1143793

The Supreme Court (SC) awarded damages worth more than PHP1 billion to the Philippine government as it affirmed the decision of the Sandiganbayan against the late Herminio Disini in connection with anomalies in the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). 

In a statement, the SC said it voted unanimously, with two justices recusing, and awarded PHP1 billion in temperate damages and PHP1 million in exemplary damages in favor of the Republic of the Philippines against Disini, who brokered the USD2.2-billion BNPP project to American nuclear power company Westinghouse Electrical Corporation. 

Disini died in 2014 due to organ failure. He was 78.

The SC ruling affirmed and modified the April 11, 2012 decision of the anti-graft court’s First Division. 

The Sandiganbayan dismissed the government’s claims for damages “for not being established by preponderance of evidence”. 

During the Sandiganbayan proceedings, Danilo Daniel of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) lumped the government’s claims for damages into PHP22.2 billion, representing the cost of the BNPP project, and the PHP20-billion expenses allegedly incurred by government to recover the ill-gotten wealth. 

“The level of attention given to the power plant contract, the alertness to minutiae, the substantial amount of time and effort exerted by Disini, and President Marcos were unusual. And the only reason this Court could think of behind the former president’s level of micromanaging the BNPP contract is a personal financial interest,” the Sandiganbayan 2012 decision read.

The High Court held that the Sandiganbayan erred in relying on a piece of photocopied document which was not substantiated as a secondary evidence, and which purportedly showed that Disini received USD50 million in commissions. 

Nonetheless, the totality of the testimonial and documentary evidence of the government proved that Disini had unduly enriched himself at the expense of the people and the Republic. 

The Republic has the right to be indemnified by reason thereof in the form of damages.

Justice is incredibly slow in the Philippines. Here a Marcos crony is ordered to pay the government P1 billion after he enriched himself in the building of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The case was adjudicated and appealed in 2012 but the man died in 2014. It took the Supreme Court 7 years to reach a decision. Now it's all moot for Disini. Maybe the government will take the money from his heirs.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/14/21/sara-duterte-to-vp-robredo-refrain-from-giving-advice-if-you-know-nothing

A 45-year-old barangay official here was killed by assailants on a motorcycle on Wednesday morning, police said. 

Investigators identified the victim as village councilor Romalie “Manet” Gonzales Buensuceso-Aguilar. 

According to initial reports, Aguilar was at her hardware store in Purok 2, Barangay Iba O’ Este this town when the unidentified gunmen shot her around 10 a.m. 

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was taken to the Calumpit District Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, investigators said. 

Police said the gunmen fled towards MacArthur Highway.

Another local official gunned down for unknown reasons by unknown reasons.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/06/17/2105993/ex-quezon-mayor-gets-16-years-graft

A former mayor of Lopez town in Quezon has been convicted of graft and falsification of public documents in connection with the premature release of payment for P1 million worth of kitchenware in 2008.

In a 75-page decision promulgated on May 28 and released yesterday, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division said Isaias Ubana, former municipal senior administrative assistant Ma. Bernadette Nieva and Leonardo Revuelta, owner of Revuelta Enterprises, were sentenced to up to eight years in prison for graft.

Ubana and Nieva were sentenced to another eight years in prison for the falsification offense and ordered to pay a fine of P5,000. They were also perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2015, the cases stemmed from the municipal government’s payment of P1.005 million to Revuelta Enterprises on Dec. 8, 2008 for kitchenware to be distributed to several barangays.

The ombudsman said the full payment was released even though the items were not yet delivered.

Imagine going to prison over kitchenware. An ex-mayor is going to prison because he prematurely paid for kitchenware which were never delivered. 16 years in prison because of kitchenware.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1447430/ex-maguindanao-mayor-linked-to-davao-city-bombing-dies-during-escape-try

A former mayor of Talitay, Maguindanao who is linked to the 2016 bombing of a market in Davao City was shot dead on Thursday by his police escorts after he allegedly tried to escape while being taken to Camp Crame.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said operatives of the PNP’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Montasir Sabal in the Port of Batangas at around 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Also arrested with Sabal were Noraida Nandang, 43;  Mohaladin Mokaram, 36; Aika de Asis, 34; Aileen Kumpanya, 45; Soharto Monico, 28; and Wilson Santos, 41.

Sabal yielded 400 grams of shabu (crystal meth), unlicensed guns, and P200,000 cash when he was arrested, said Eleazar. According to Eleazar, Sabal has standing warrants for violation of Republic Act 9165 (Dangerous Drugs Act), and for illegal possession of explosives.

Eleazar said  Sabal was one of the planners of the 2016 bomb attack in Davao City and a supplier of guns and explosives to the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

According to the PNP, Sabal was being taken to the CIDG’s office inside Camp Crame when he allegedly tried to grab the gun of one of his escorts at about 5:20 a.m. along N. Domingo St. Sabal was shot by his escorts and was rushed to the San Juan Medical Center where he was declared dead at 6:13 a.m.

Sabal resigned as mayor of Talitay in May. He was also a former member of the PNP’s Special Action Force from 1998 to 2010, the PNP said. Police added that Sabal was also included in the national illegal drugs watchlist.

A former mayor who was also a manner of the PNP's SAF and was also linked to a bombing in Davao, a supplier of guns for the BIFF, and a drug dealer was busted for drugs among other things. He attempted to grab a cop's gun to escape but he was shot down instead.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/06/17/2106158/appeals-court-convicts-checkpoint-cop-maguindanao-massacre

The Court of Appeals reversed the Quezon City court’s acquittal of a police officer who manned a checkpoint during the 2009 Ampatuan massacre.

The CA's Special Sixth Division, in a ruling penned by Associate Justice Apolinario Bruselas Jr., granted the Petition for Certiorari filed by the Office of the Solicitor General that questioned QC Regional Trial Court Branch 221’s March 11 Omnibus Order that acquitted SPO2 Badawi Bakal.

The appeals court found Bakal guilty beyond reasonable doubt as an accessory to the crime and sentenced him to up to ten years in prison for each of the 57 counts of murder in the Ampatuan massacre case.

Associate Justices Rafael Antonio Santos and Carlito Calpatura concurred with the ruling.

A police officer's acquittal was overturned by the court of appeals. The OSG says there was a "gross misapprehension of the facts" by the lower court which acquitted him.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1143827

Four persons, including a barangay chairperson were killed, while seven others were wounded in a dynamite explosion in Barangay Pajo, Balud town in Masbate Tuesday afternoon.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5) director, identified the fatalities as Lina Boco Recto, chief of the said village; Mac-Mac dela Cruz, Ronelyn Banez Bulala, and Aisa Sese.

"Wounded during the explosion were John Paul Villaruel Badahos, 12 years old; Chris Villaruel Bagaipo, 7; Ivan Canones Mahilum, 20; Junvin Villaruel Badahos, 24; Tessie Villaruel Badahos, 59; Leonard Recto Amistoso, 42; and Ruel Henticay Chavez, 26," a police report said.

Lt. Col. Juriz Cantoria, Masbate police provincial director, in a phone interview, said the explosion occurred at Recto’s residence at around 12:55 p.m.

Police are still investigating the incident.

Estomo said dynamites are usually used in illegal fishing.

Police probers are also looking into the possibility that Recto's house was used in the production of explosives for blast fishing, which is rampant in the coastal waters of Masbate.

It is quite possible that a village chief's house was being used as a production facility for dynamite to be used in illegal blast fishing. Now said chief as well as three others are dead.