It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1145657 |
Police have launched an in-depth investigation into the Thursday killing of a retired Army officer-turned real estate developer.Col. Gilberto Tuzon, city police director, said investigators are looking into possible angles behind the murder of retired Army Col. Elicardo Cabangal, 70, the owner of the homegrown Dragon De Oro Real Estate Development.
He said Cabangal was inside their house at 13 Sebastian St., Paradise Subdivision in Barangay City Heights when he was shot at close range by unidentified suspects around 12:09 p.m.
He said the suspects reportedly fled from the scene towards an undetermined direction onboard a silver-gray Toyota Avanza.
Cabangal sustained two gunshot wounds to his back and was declared dead on arrival in a nearby hospital, he said.
Responding scene-of-the-crime operatives recovered at the site two spent shells from an M16 Armalite rifle.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/07/02/2109605/coa-flags-mmda-over-p3-billion-traffic-flood-control-projects |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has called out the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for failure to complete P3.164 billion worth of infrastructure projects, which aimed to address flooding and traffic congestion in the metropolis.
In its audit report on the MMDA, the COA noted that out of 94 programmed flood control projects of the agency for 2020 with a total funding of P1.072 billion, only 27 projects amounting to P237.033 million were completed while 67 projects worth P835.244 million remain unfinished.
The COA’s breakdown showed that of the unfinished flood control projects, nine have not started as of Dec. 31, 2020 while 33 are ongoing and 25 are waiting for Special Allotment Release Order from the Department of Budget and Management.
The audit team’s review of the MMDA’s procurement showed gaps in the period of action on flood control projects, particularly on the issuance of notice of award, conduct of bid evaluation and pre-procurement conference to the issuance of notice to proceed.
The COA said 41 additional flood control projects amounting to P444.213 million remain unfinished.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1455636/traffic-enforcer-charged-over-death-of-bulacan-vendor |
A barangay traffic enforcer was charged with homicide after a barbecue vendor died of heart attack while being arrested over an alleged road safety violation here late last week.
Col. Ismael Conde Gauna, Sta. Maria police chief, said Mario Domingo, a traffic enforcer in Barangay Caypombo, was already detained at the municipal jail. He was charged with homicide before the Bulacan Prosecutor’s Office on Friday.
Domingo reportedly accosted Angelito Alcantara, 47, who was driving a motorcycle with his wife on July 1. The couple came from the town’s public market and were heading home to Barangay Pulong Buhangin when Domingo flagged them down.
The suspect then threatened to impound Alcantara’s motorcycle after he failed to show a driver’s license and the motorcycle’s registration.
Alcantara agreed to have his motorcyclist impounded but Domingo then demanded for the motorcycle key, which the latter refused to give. It was at this point that Domingo handcuffed him.
Angeline, the victim’s wife, pleaded to Domingo to stop the arrest as she worried that her husband could collapse due to a heart condition. But Domingo reportedly went on to restrain the victim.
A traffic enforcer has been charged with homicide after a guy he arrested died of a heart attack.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/386408/ccpo-exec-cebu-city-cop-fails-surprise-drug-test-on-1st-half-of-year |
A Cebu City policeman has been found positive of using illegal drugs after he underwent a surprise drug test by the City Intelligence Unit in the first half of the year.
The policeman had been under “administrative holding” in the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), which meant that the policeman had been restricted from holding any position in all police stations in Cebu City, said Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, CCPO deputy director for operations.
Parilla also said that they were still processing the administrative case against the policeman and this would require time.
He said this as they conducted another surprise drug test today, July 5, among 24 CCPO personnel from different police stations in the city.
He also said that three of the 24 policemen were not able to take the test and they would be asked to explain why they did not show up for the test.
(We conducted a surprise drug test today, we supposedly have 24 personnel from different police stations. Out of 24, 21 were present. We will check on the reason, one said that he is under sick call, meaning he is sick; for the other one, we still need to find out his reason; the other one is already transferred in Region 8.)
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1455678/pacc-on-pacquiaos-govt-corruption-claims-incorrect-and-unfounded |
In a televised briefing Monday, PACC Commissioner Greco Belgica said it was the government’s efforts to combat corruption that “doubled,” suggesting the senator failed to establish the basis for alleging that irregularities multiplied under Duterte’s watch.
(Definitely that is incorrect and unfounded, based on nothing. How does he justify it becoming double? He needs a source. Corruption-fighting efforts doubled under this administration.)
(Exactly what are these issues? Since senator Manny didn’t give details, we need a specific document. No details were given; we will rely on the documents he will give the commission.)
Belgica said that the PACC has organized anti-corruption committees in all levels of government, including the barangays, to assist with the campaign against corruption.
(All these bodies will be there and were put into place against corruption. I am not denying that corruption exists. There is corruption, widespread corruption, which is why PACC was created by the President with a task force against it and an Ombudsman to deal with it.)
The chairman also said that the senator’s claim is raw since he has made a conclusion before he has conducted an investigation.
(To conclude, I don’t think it’s time for a conclusive statement about corruption.)
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/05/2110336/briones-wants-apology-world-bank-over-unflattering-schools-report |
Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday sought a public apology from the World Bank, saying the Philippines was "insulted" and "shamed" by a report on Filipino students not meeting learning standards.
According to the World Bank, more than 80% of students in the Philippines do not meet the standards expected for their grade level. It also described a crisis in Philippine education "which started pre-COVID but will have been made worse" by the pandemic.
It also said said students' poor performance was deeply rooted in limited proficiency in languages. It added that there is an "unacceptably poor school climate, with high levels of bullying."
The findings were based on three global assessments from 2018 to 2019, which all showed the Philippines performing poorly.
Briones said the World Bank based their report on old data, such as from the Programme for International Student Assessment that showed in 2019 that Filipinos ranked poorly in reading, mathematics and science.
"The country was insulted [and] shamed," she said at a Palace briefing. "We expect and look forward to a public apology."
The education chief said the World Bank has been a partner of the Philippines since the 1980s through millions of dollars in loan. Borrowed funds, she said, have stood at $300 million over the past four decades.
Negotiations are also underway for another $110 million to enhance Filipino teachers' capacity, and $100 million more for DepEd's Alternative Learning System.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146075 |
A private armed group (PAG), led by a former town vice mayor, surrendered to officials of this regional police headquarters on Monday afternoon.
Brig. Gen. Eden T. Ugale, Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM) director, identified the surrenderers as ex-Shariff Aguak vice mayor Datu Akmad Ampatuan, and his three followers identified as Abby Aguak, Pendatun U. Ampatuan, and Gani Macmod, all residents of Shariff Aguak town.
The surrenderers also yielded three M16 rifles and an M14 rifle.
The former vice mayor resigned from his post last year due to health reasons. His son, Amir Akmad S. Aguak, replaced him as vice mayor being the town’s top councilor.
Datu Akmad’s other son, Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan, accompanied him during the surrender rites.
“I am just overjoyed that my father has disbanded the group and surrendered to the authorities,” the mayor said in a phone interview Tuesday
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1457290/chief-of-village-watchmen-shot-dead-in-batangas |
A leader of village watchmen (barangay tanod) in Tanauan City, Batangas province, was shot dead Wednesday, July 7.
The Tanauan City police reported that Gregorio Atienza, 57, chief of the watchmen in Barangay Altura South, was driving a tricycle when stopped by two males armed with caliber .45 handguns.
Sensing a threat to his life, Atienza ran away but was chased and repeatedly shot by the still-unidentified killers.
The victim died on the spot.
The assailants escaped aboard a white scooter.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/794545/2-ex-cops-tagged-in-death-of-fabel-pineda-arrested-in-ilocos-sur-pnp-imeg/story/ |
Two former police officers suspected of killing 15-year-old Fabel Pineda in 2020 were arrested in Ilocos Sur, the Philippine National Police-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) said Thursday.
Based on a report from the IMEG, dismissed Police Staff Sergeants Randy Ramos, 37, and Marawi Torda, 34, were nabbed in Barangay Bannuar, San Juan, Ilocos Sur on Wednesday.
Both Ramos and Torda are facing cases for murder with no bail and acts of lasciviousness with recommended bail of P200,000. Ramos is also facing a separate case of rape, no bail was recommended.
Charges against the two were filed in July last year.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1457346/palace-dutertes-meeting-with-pdp-laban-prps-presscon-newsworthy |
Malacañang on Thursday defended as “newsworthy” events the meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte with his Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party as well as the press conference of the People’s Reform Party on its endorsement of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s possible presidential bid in the 2022 polls.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said coverage of the two events was justified. This includes the airing of the two-hour meeting and the press briefing on state-run PTV-4, with the airtime being paid by taxpayers.
(As I know it, whenever it’s newsworthy, it’s covered. Because if they don’t air it, they will get scooped. PTV is still a news agency.)
The two-hour meeting of PDP-Laban, which was aired on Wednesday afternoon, was held seemingly to convince the President to run for vice president in the 2022 elections.
During the course of the meeting, party members took turns in praising the President, who currently chairs the PDP-Laban party. Party members told Duterte that he needs to gun for the second-highest post in the country for “continuity.”
Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate described the airing of the PDP-Laban meeting, which used “government time and resources” as “an unabashed display of impunity” especially since it is “clearly partisan political activity.”
In response, Roque said Duterte simply cannot separate his “political personality” from his functions.
“The President has always been chairman of PDP-Laban and there’s simply no way to separate the political personality of the president from his functions,” the Duterte mouthpiece said.
“Because halal nga siya ng taumbayan, his position is principally political,” he added.
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