Retards in the Government 256

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

  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1172641

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) second division has ordered the cancellation of the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Avelino Amangyen, a mayoralty candidate in Paracelis, Mountain Province for the May 9 election for lying about a conviction in a criminal case.

A 13-page decision penned by Comelec division presiding commissioner Marlon Casquejo said “in view of the Respondent’s conviction by final judgment of an offense which carried with it the accessory penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification, Respondent is in effect ineligible to run for office pursuant to Section 12 of the OEC (Omnibus Election Code). Such ineligibility, which took effect as soon as the judgment against him attained finality contradicts material representations in his COC.”

The decision was signed by all three members of the division and promulgated on April 19. A copy of the document was sent to the local media on Thursday.

Amangyen was found guilty of the violation of Presidential Decree 705 or the Forestry Code in 2013. The conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeals and subsequently by the Supreme Court in 2018.

A candidate for mayor has been disqualified because he lied about having been convicted for a crime.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1172785

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has summoned three officials of the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to answer the petition filed against them for alleged violation of the Fair Election Act and the Omnibus Election Code (OEC).

In a subpoena, the poll body through its Law Department ordered NTC chief of adjudication division Nilo Lozada, chief of radio spectrum planning division Roberto Tolentino, and head of regulation branch Imelda Walcien, to answer the case filed against them for alleged violation of Section 100 of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, as amended by Republic Act. No. 7166, in relation to Section 262 of the OEC.

"Under and by virtue of the authority and power vested in the Commission on Elections by Section 52 (d) of the Omnibus Election Code (OEC), you are hereby noticed that a complaint has been filed against you for alleged violation of Section 100 of the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, as amended by Republic Act. No. 7166, in relation to Section 262 of the Omnibus Election Code," the poll body said.

"Accordingly, and in compliance with Comelec Resolution No. 10673, you are hereby directed to submit the digital/scanned copy of your duly notarized Counter-Affidavit and other supporting documents or affidavits or witness/es if any in PDF on or before May 13, 2022 thru electronic email," it added.

The subpoena served was in relation to the complaint filed by Emerald Investments Inc., a shareholder of Now Telecom Company Inc. against the NTC officials for setting a hearing during the election period, which requested for the recall of all radio frequencies assigned to Now Telecom.

Several NTC officials have been accused of violating the Fair Election Act and the Omnibus Election Code.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/04/25/news/regions/bet-for-councilor-shot-dead-in-samar/1841158

The killing of a candidate for councilor of Lope de Vega in Northern Samar on Friday evening has been condemned by a top political candidate of Lope de Vega town.

Partido Federal ng Pilipinas vice mayoral candidate Isaias Tonog denounced the gunning down of his nephew, Domingo Alvarez, by unidentified armed men in Barangay Magsaysay, Calbayog City.

Tonog said he believes that the killing was politically motivated as Alvarez was a strong candidate for councilor.

A candidate for councilor has been assassinated.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/437444/lapu-lapu-mayor-facing-plunder-graft-complaints-at-ombudsman

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan will face again several complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas due to alleged overpriced transactions that the city has entered into.

This time, the mayor will face a complaint of plunder, malversation of public funds, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act due to several transactions on the purchases of rice, disinfectants, and solar lamp kits.

The total accumulated transactions have reached the amount of P608,115,

The Mayor of Lapu-Lapu City is facing plunder and graft charges over anomalous purchases.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1172973

Authorities arrested 10 persons, including two police personnel, who were allegedly involved in a robbery and carnapping in Quezon City last April 21.

In his report on Tuesday, Col. Jess B. Mendez, acting director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office, said three of the suspects, including the two members of the Cabiao Police Station, were nabbed in Barangay San Juan North, Cabiao, Nueva Ecija on Monday.

Mendez said the seven other suspects were arrested in Barangay Marcos Village, Palayan City, Nueva Ecija last Sunday.

Two cops arrested for robbery and carnapping.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1173040

The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Agusan del Sur town mayor and his brother for irregularities in the use of PHP1 million in public funds originally meant for the rehabilitation of a farm-to-market road.

 

In its 52-page decision dated April 22, the anti-graft court's Seventh Division sentenced former Trento, Agusan del Sur mayor Johnmark Billanes and his brother, Romeo, to up to eight years imprisonment for the graft charges.

 

The two were also banned from public office. 

 

Johnmark was also fined PHP500,000.

 

The Billanes were charged by the Ombudsman in 2016 for a transaction in 2012 where the mayor approved the purchase of the lot with an area of 7,775 square meters of his brother.

 

The lot was supposedly to be used for the construction of a rice processing complex, even when the said lot was then encumbered in a bank.

 

The transaction did not consider other lands offered for purchase. 

 

Johnmark approved the payment to Romeo of PHP1 million from the appropriation for the rehabilitation of a farm-to-market road without any corresponding ordinance realigning the fund.

A mayor and his brother have been convicted of  misappropriating funds to purchase a parcel of land.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1173011

Barely two weeks before the May 9 elections, three people were hurt when the group of Roger Fariñas, the former city mayor and brother of gubernatorial candidate Rodolfo Fariñas, barged on Tuesday morning into a private property owned by Bryan Alcid, a candidate for Laoag councilor.

As shown in trending videos posted on Facebook, Alcid's wife Jojami was hit by Roger's son, Raffy. At a press conference later in the afternoon, the Alcid family said two more individuals were hurt during the commotion, including a guard on duty.

Jojami appeared during the press conference with a bandage on her left arm. "I was pushed, kicked and strangled from behind," she said.

Another son of Roger, Roger John, is running for reelection in the city council.

While still in a state of shock, the Alcid family bared during the press conference that they plan to file multiple charges against the Fariñas camp.

"I never thought that election could be as dangerous as this. It is an eye-opener for me. I fear for myself and my daughter. I don’t know what will happen but the election campaign must go on. We will continue to fight,” said Jojami, adding that she was both emotionally and physically hurt during the incident.

She added that the group of men who barged into their home grabbed some documents without their permission.

According to Lazo, the latest incident was a "desperate move for somebody who already foresees that they will lose in the election.”

Men affiliated with the former mayor of Laoag invaded the property of a man running for councilor and started a fight which led the the candidates wife getting hurt.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1588994/barangay-chief-in-abra-shot-dead

A barangay chief who had earlier been accused of being involved in vote-buying in Abra’s capital town of Bangued was shot dead in the afternoon of Wednesday, April 27.

Police identified the victim as Ronnie Bringas, 45, of Barangay Angad.

According to the initial investigation, the victim was at the village’s covered court to check the ongoing basketball tournament when he was shot by an unidentified male assailant using a still unknown firearm.

After the shooting, the suspect tried to escape on a motorcycle, which crashed on the roadside.

The gunman left his motorcycle and headed to nearby Barangay Lipcan.

Bystanders tried to get hold of the gunman but failed when he drew his firearm.

A barangay chief accused of vote buying has been assassinated.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1588414/doj-also-seeks-rearrest-of-ex-palawan-governor

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would show its impartiality in handling the petition of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that sought the rearrest of former Palawan Gov. Mario Joel Reyes for the murder of broadcaster and environmentalist Dr. Gerry Ortega in 2011.

“The DOJ firmly believes in the fairness and evenhandedness of our highest court,” Guevarra told reporters. “I have no doubt that justice will prevail in the end,” he added.

Citing the sub judice rule, Guevarra declined to expound on the arguments raised by the DOJ in the petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) two weeks ago.

In its petition, the OSG urged the high court to annul its March 23 order that stopped the implementation of the arrest order that the Puerto Princesa City Regional Trial Court had issued against Reyes.

The DOJ and OSG are seeking the rearrest of a former Palawan Governor in connection with the murder of a broadcaster in 2011.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1173209

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has directed the implementation of the order to dismiss the six policemen in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental found guilty of the unlawful arrest and harassment of incumbent Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo during her term as vice mayor in 2017.

Dismissed were former police chief, Capt. Allan Reloj, Master Sgt. Ricardo Campos Dingcong Jr., Cpl. Nobel Perante, Cpl. Felix Corejado Pesales Jr., Pat. Michael Mondido, and Pat. Darryl Ducay Dormido.

Lt. Abegael Donasco, public information officer of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said on Thursday the order is effective immediately and the Philippine National Police (PNP) is also expected to issue a directive to implement it.

“The order will come from the regional office then it will be coursed through the provincial office down to the station,” she added.

Donasco said Reloj has already retired while the five non-commissioned officers are still on station duty in the province.

On Wednesday, the local media obtained a copy of the Napolcom Implementation Order 2022-03001 dated March 4, 2022 signed by lawyer Chito Bustonera, acting staff service chief of Legal Affairs Service, which has been addressed to Maj. Gen. Herminio Tadeo Jr., director of the PNP Directorate for Personnel and Records Management, through Lt. Col. Donna Villareal, officer-in-charge of Discipline, Law and Order Division.

In a decision dated October 21, 2020, the Napolcom found the respondents culpable for grave misconduct and grave irregularities in the performance of duty and meted upon them the maximum penalty of dismissal from service.

In 2017 six cops illegally accosted and harassed the mayor of Moises Padilla. In 2020 they are found guilty. But only now are they being dismissed from the service.