Retards in the Government 231

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

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/10/31/2137986/former-dbm-exec-faces-contempt-raps

The former budget official embroiled in the questionable supply deals that ran up to billions is at risk of being held in contempt by the Senate Blue Ribbon committee if he fails yet again to attend Thursday’s investigative hearing.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said he would make sure to have former Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, who headed the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM), cited for contempt for snubbing Sen. Richard Gordon’s committee.

“He (Lao) is no longer a government employee, (but) he has not attended the last two hearings. It seems to be an insult (to the Senate),” Lacson said when interviewed by dwIZ about the Senate’s ongoing probe into alleged corruption in the procurement of COVID-19 supplies in 2020 in which P42 billion was transferred by the Department of Health (DOH) to the PS-DBM then headed by Lao.

A former government employee faces raps for refusing to testify before the Senate.

https://news-abs--cbn-com.translate.goog/news/11/02/21/barangay-chairman-sa-caloocan-patay-sa-pamamaril?_x_tr_sl=tl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=fil&_x_tr_pto=nui

The barangay chairman of Barangay 143 in Caloocan died after being shot by an unidentified riding-in-tandem around 6 p.m. Monday night. 

During the initial investigation by the police, it was found that the victim was just sitting in his shop when he was suddenly shot several times by one of the perpetrators. 

The victim died on the spot while his wife who was with him when the shooting happened was injured. 

According to barangay executive officer Alexander Dulce, they see no motive behind the killing of their captain because they have no known enemy.

A barangay chairman in Caloocan was assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons while sitting his shop.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/04/21/cops-who-grabbed-donations-took-photos-were-overly-excited

A police official confirmed Thursday that some "overly excited" police officers grabbed relief packs and took photos of a relief-distribution project in Cagayan but said the incident was a misunderstanding. 

In a series of now-viral tweets, Oplan Bangon Cagayan project implementer Zach Singson said several police officers put up a “Duterte Legacy” tarpaulin near their area while they were distributing relief packs in Barangay Mission, Sta. Teresita, Cagayan last October 31. 

“We arrived there at 3 o’ clock and there’s still no police there at the barangay hall,” Singson told ANC’s “Rundown.” 

“But we were just surprised that while we’re still distributing our relief goods, nagpunta na po sila doon and immediately put up the tarpaulin. They didn’t introduce themselves first or even approached us,” he said. 

“But after setting up the tarpaulin Sir, they approached us and asked us kung okay lang ba na sila na manghiram ng relief pack for their photo ops, in which I explained, well, that we do not agree.” 

Despite this, however, Singson said the police personnel still took a couple of their relief packs and took photos of them handing these out to typhoon victims.  

“While we were still talking to one of their police officers, they’re already taking photos without our consent.” 

“And right after that they grabbed our relief goods and then, they had their photo ops and of course for us, we cannot say na 'Please delete it' because it’s not our place, and we’re afraid because of our fear that they might harm us or do something negative against us,” he said. 

On ANC, PNP Region 2 public information officer Lt.Col Andree Abella said the personnel involved in the incident have been “relieved from their present designations at Sta. Teresita Police Station” and are now under the Cagayan Police Provincial Office. 

Abella noted that the cops involved admitted to their wrongdoing when asked by their superiors about it. 

She stressed, however, that what happened was a mere misunderstanding, and there was no deliberate credit-grabbing on the part of the cops. 

“The incident that happened in Barangay Mission, Sta. Teresita, Cagayan is one of a sort of a misunderstanding and lack of proper discernment on the part of our PNP personnel,” she said. 

“Siguro they were overly excited, or something like they did not, it was a lack of proper coordination as this group coordinated with the local government unit and also the MSWDO so upon learning of the activity, our police officers, believing that it was another activity of the Duterte caravan, kasi yun po yung previously, they had that activity at that place,” she added.

PNP officer showed up at an event where relief goods were being handed out, erected a Duterte Legacy tarp, took a few pictures of them handing out goods, and then left. The excuse is that they were excited and thought "that it was another activity of the Duterte caravan." But if that is true why did they leave after they took the pictures?