It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1703005/two-village-officials-suspended-over-delayed-salary-of-councilors-barangay-workers |
Two village officials here are facing a 10-month suspension for the delay in the release of the honoraria, salaries, and other benefits of their councilors and other barangay workers in 2021 and 2022.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod adopted a Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government decision to suspend Barangay 16 Captain Joseph de los Santos and treasurer Rachel Jamandre.
Councilor Al Victor Espino, the committee chairman, said De Los Santos and Jamandre should be suspended for grave abuse of authority, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
They were also cited for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for “falsifying the 2021 Annual Budget” of Barangay 16.
The administrative case was filed by Barangay 16 councilors and the Sangguniang Kabataan chairman.
Two Bacolod City councilors are facing suspension for delaying "the release of the honoraria, salaries, and other benefits of their councilors and other barangay workers in 2021 and 2022."
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| https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/09/coa-holds-davao-city-engineering-officeliable-in-haphazard-road-safety-projects/ |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has affirmed the P11.6 million liability of the Davao City District Engineering Office (DCDEO) and a contractor in the “irregular and haphazard” road safety projects done from 2009 to 2012.
In 2014, COA issued the P11.6 million notice of disallowance (ND) to DCDEO of the Department of Public Works and Highways. The ND was appealed by Engineer Lorna T. Ricardo of DCDEO.
Records showed that DPWH-DCDEO undertook 15 traffic safety projects with a total project cost of P289,500,000 from March 6, 2009 to March 12, 2012. The projects were all awarded to E. Gardiola Construction, a single proprietorship based in Quezon City.
However, COA said its Special Audit Team (SAT) found that the construction was “done in a manner that deviates or departs from, or which does not comply with the standards set by the DPWH.”
It said the SAT found that the construction of the guardrails, road signs, and foundation blocks was “substandard and deficient.” The reflective pavement studs were also “of inferior quality and overpriced,” it said.
At the same time, COA said that the SAT found that the cost of materials and labor was “unreasonably high and beyond just measure of amount.” The total amount disallowed was P11.6 million it said.
In the appeal, Ricardo told COA that there was no criteria or standard set in determining the disallowance. COA found the appeal bereft of merit.
COA ruled that the projects were indeed implemented in an “irregular and haphazard” manner, and the petitioners (Ricardo and DCDEO) failed to refute it. The COA affirmed that the contractor was liable for the transaction, as well as the other persons held liable under the ND.
The Davao City District Engineering Office has been found liable for several “irregular and haphazard” road safety projects done from 2009 to 2012.
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https://journalnews.com.ph/cavite-kagawad-shot-dead-in-broad-daylight/
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Police Lt. Colonel Jerry Corpuz, local police chief, identified the slain victim as Filimon Ambrocio Jr., 50.
A report revealed the victim was driving his motorcycle with his live-in partner Susan Alejo as back rider when he was shot dead by the suspect on board a Yamaha Mio motorcycle at around 7:57 a.m.
Footage from a CCTV camera showed the suspect to be between 5’2″ to 5″5 in height and was clad in white shirt, black jacket, bull cap and maong pants.
Local authorities led by local police chief Corpuz are now conducting a massive investigation and manhunt operation for the immediate arrest of the suspect.
A barnagay councilor has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/12/ex-dpwh-official-former-lapu-lapu-city-mayor11-others-guilty-in-p83-9-m-street-lighting-project/ |
The Sandiganbayan has convicted former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Director Robert G. Lala, former Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo O. Radaza, and 11 others of graft in the P83.935 million contract for a street lighting project.
The street lighting project was undertaken in Lapu-Lapu City for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit which Cebu hosted from Jan. 9 to 15 in 2007.
Also convicted were former DPWH Assistant Regional Director Marlina S. Alvizo; Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Maintenance Division Pureza A. Fernandez; OIC-Assistant Chief of the Maintenance Division Cresencio T. Bagolor; bids and awards committee (BAC) members Agustinito P. Hermoso and Luis A. Galang; technical working group (TWG) members Ayaon S. Manggis, Marilyn A. Ojeda, and Teresa B. Bernido; Lapu-Lapu City Engineer Julito H. Cuizon; Engineer IV Rogelio D. Veloso; and FABMIK Construction and Equipment Supply President Isabelo A. Braza.
They were sentenced to six to 10 years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Their guilt was established in the award of Contract ID No. 06HO0050 on Feb. 6, 2007 for the supply and installation of street lighting facilities amounting to P83,935,000.
The prosecution said that the contract was in excess of P18,045,890, since its computation for the project was only P65,889,109.99. At the same time, no public bidding was done for the project, it said.
The Sandiganbayan’s seventh division found credence in the prosecution’s evidence and held that all the accused were accountable for graft.
The court did not give weight to the accused’s defense that they were pressed for time and had to resort to an alternative mode of procurement to ensure the safety and security of the ASEAN Summit delegates who will be using the roads.
“The totality of the evidence gives the impression that accused themselves created a situation where they will appear to be pressed for time to give the alleged procurement a semblance of legitimacy,” the court said.
It pointed out that Braza already knew of the Summit-related projects as early as Aug. 25, 2006 and has already been preparing for it.
“The prosecution was able to establish the presence of collusion between and among the accused in making it appear that the preparation for the procurement and the award of P83,935,000 contract to FABMIK was regular, proper, and legal, through a bogus negotiated procurement done with manifest partiality in favor of Braza and evident bad faith to the detriment of the public,” it said.
The issue of overpricing, the court said, has been “rendered immaterial” given the evidence pointing towards the collusion of the accused.
A former DPWH official, ex-mayor of Lapu-Lapu City and 11 others have been convicted of graft over a street lighting project.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/13/qc-pleb-dismisses-cop-who-shot-traffic-enforcer-to-death/ |
The Quezon City government announced on Tuesday, Dec. 13, that its People Law Enforcement Board (PLEB QC) has dismissed the police officer from Manila who shot and killed a traffic enforcer who was helping a motorcycle rider in the city in October.
The PLEB QC removed from service Lt. Felixberto Tiquil of the Manila Police District (MPD) Anti-Carnapping Unit for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer charges which were filed by the common-law wife of Edgar Abad Follero, the slain traffic enforcer, and the person he assisted when the incident happened.
The six-page decision of the QC PLEB was released on Tuesday, Dec. 13, the city government said.
The shooting incident occurred in front of Munoz Market along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), Brgy, Veterans Village in Quezon City at around 3:40 a.m. on Oct. 13.
Follero, a resident of Novaliches, Quezon Cit,y and a member of the QC Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS), was helping his friend, Paul Timothy Delos Reyes, a delivery rider, whose motorcycle broke down in Pandacan, Manila.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said that when the traffic enforcer and the delivery rider reached Munoz Market, Tiquil suddenly approached and shot the victim on the body. Follero still managed to ask for help from police officers who were on duty in the area.
The cops immediately arrested Tiquil and recovered a 9mm. G17 GEN4 handgun loaded with 11 bullets.
Follero was rushed to the Quezon City General Hospital where he was declared dead-on-arrival, according to the police.
The local government said the PLEB QC did not buy the suspect’s defense that he thought the victim and his friend were carnappers.
“We do not buy the alibi of Tiquil that he shot Follero because of self defense. He claims to be a seasoned police officer, and yet at the slightest instance, his first instinct is to inflict a mortal wound against an innocent person,” PLEB Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan said.
“This is a clear violation of the PNP (Philippine National Police) Rules of Procedure. Further, Tiquil also claims to have chased the victims from Nagtahan, Manila up to Roosevelt, Quezon City. How can people pushing a defective motorcycle outrun a seasoned cop on a motorbike? We are more than convinced that Tiquil was not being truthful in his narrative of what happened,” he added.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said that Tiquil’s dismissal should serve as a warning to rogue cops that they will be held accountable in the city.
A cop who shot a traffic enforcer back in October has been dismissed from service.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1704772/cop-in-hot-water-after-theft-suspect-dies-following-arrest-in-maasin-city |
A policeman is facing homicide charges after a theft suspect he arrested died three hours later in Maasin City.
Corporal Ronald Gamayon of the Maasin City Police Station is currently being investigated in relation to the death of Gilbert Dologdog Ranes in the evening on Friday, Dec 9.
Based on the investigation, Ranes, 32, was caught by bystanders after he allegedly ran away with an iPhone S cellular phone worth P50,000 from a certain Sharon Gloria Daclan at around 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9.
After Ranes was apprehended, he was turned over to Gamayon along with the recovered cellular phone.
Ranes was then brought to the Maasin City Police for proper disposition.
At around 10 p.m. of the same day, Ranes had difficulty breathing and was immediately rushed to the hospital.
An hour later, Ranes died.
Dr. April Gervie Macabuhay of the Urban Rural Health Unit of Maasin City declared that the cause of Ranes’ death was severe head trauma.
In her examinations, Macabuhay found hematoma and multiple abrasions in Ranes’ body.
Police investigators approached the family of Ranes and informed them about the ongoing probe. The police said a criminal case is set to be filed against Gamayon in court as soon as the supporting documents and evidence are completed.
A PNP officer is facing homicide charges over the death of a suspect in his custody.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2022/12/14/ex-camarines-norte-provincial-council-memberfound-guilty-of-failure-to-timely-liquidate-funds/ |
The Sandiganbayan has convicted Angelo Timoteo P. Molina, former ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Camarines Norte, after he pleaded guilty to liquidate public funds within the period required by law.
Molina was found guilty of violating Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code, in relation to Section 89 of Presidential Decree No. 1445, the Government Auditing Code of the Philippines.
He was sentenced to pay a fine of P1,000 and was held civilly liable for P25,571 which he has to return to the provincial government. The amount represented his cash advances for local travels in 2007.
A former provincial council has been found guilty of not liquidating funds in a timely manner.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1705006/ex-soldier-partner-nabbed-in-naga-city-buy-bust |
A former member of the Philippine Army and his live-in partner were arrested in a buy-bust operation in Naga City in Camarines Sur province on Tuesday night.
Police Senior Master Sergeant Tobias Bongon, Naga City police spokesperson, said Wednesday, Dec. 14, that John Mark Brizo, 39, and Sharmain Joy Madamba, 41, sold at 11:51 p.m. a sachet of shabu (crystal meth) worth P2,500 in Barangay Sta. Cruz.
A total of two grams worth P13,600 of shabu were confiscated from the suspects.
Bongon said Brizo left the service in 2015 due to several administrative cases.
Both suspects were in police custody and will face charges for violating the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
A former solider has been busted for drugs.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1705137/son-of-sultan-kudarat-mayor-employee-slain-in-gun-attack |
Two persons, including the son of a town mayor, were killed, while two others were injured in a gun attack Tuesday night in Sultan Kudarat, police said Wednesday.
Police Captain Leonel Delasan, Lutayan police chief, said Datu Naga Mangudadatu, 30, a defeated vice mayoral aspirant of the town in Maguindanao del Sur, and Dennis Hadji Daup, 25, of Barangay Paitan, were shot at 6:30 p.m. at the town’s public market.
Datu Naga, son of Lutayan mayor and former provincial governor Mayor Pax Mangudadatu, was sitting in front of his business establishment at the town market, when the suspects arrived on board a pick-up vehicle and opened fire, said Colonel Lino Capellan, speaking for the police in Sultan Kudarat provincial police office.
Datu Naga, a resident of Barangay Tamnag and a younger brother of former Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto Teng Mangudadatu, was declared dead by physicians in a Koronadal City hospital.
Daup, Naga’s employee and confidante, died while undergoing medication.
A former vice mayoral candidate and son of a mayor has been assassinated.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1948659/cebu/local-news/8-cebu-city-officials-7-others-charged-over-garbage-collection-deal |
PLUNDER, graft and corruption charges, among others, have been filed against 15 individuals, including former and incumbent Cebu City Government officials, before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas over the controversial P239-million garbage collection deal.The deal was signed by the Cebu City Government and Docast Construction and JJ & J Construction and General Supply for the collection, hauling, and dumping of Cebu City’s garbage.The charges were filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Central Visayas on December 14, 2022 after the agency found out that there were unlawful acts committed such as overbilling, padding and ghost garbage deliveries in carrying out the garbage collection deal.Charged were former Cebu City administrator Floro Casas Jr., Department of Public Services (DPS) head John Jigo Dacua, Garbage Collection and Disposal OIC Grace Luardo-Silva, DPS inspection officer Allen Omlero Ceballos, DPS City Treasurer's Office inspector Romelito Asinjo Datan, General Services Office inspector Mark Abarquez Ugbinar, OIC-City Accountant Jerome Visarra Ornopia, and acting city treasurer Mare Vae Fernandez Reyes.Other individuals charged were Docast officials Jayra Angelic Maningo Ruiz-Javier, John David Sevilles Javier, Erika May Quino, Jay Alexander Aguilar Ruiz, Maridel Maningo Ruiz, Robert Jay Maningo Ruiz, and Jayvic Castrenz Maningo Ruiz.
Graft and plunder charges have been filed against 8 Cebu City employees over unlawful acts committed during garbage collection.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1190844 |
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified Cagayan governor Manuel Mamba in the May 2022 National and Local Elections for violation of Omnibus Election Code (OEC) in connection with the disbursement of public funds during the campaign season.In an 18-page decision, the Comelec Second Division granted the petition filed by Ma. Zarah Rose De Guzman Lara, also a gubernatorial candidate in the province during the last polls, accusing the elected official for allegedly using provincial government funds under the "No Barangay Left Behind" (NBLB) programs and/or "No Town Left Behind" (NLTB) and "Oplan Help in Barangay."The petitioner also claimed that respondent distributed a total of PHP550 million to all registered voters of Cagayan, where each voter received PHP1,000 under the "Krusada Against Corruption" (KKK) program.In its decision which was promulgated on Dec. 14, the Second Division found the respondent of violating a provision of the OEC based on the pieces of evidence presented by Lara.=Under Sec. 2 of the said Resolution, it prohibits public officials or employees, village officials and those corporations owned or controlled by government and their subsidiaries, to discharge, disburse or spend any public funds from March 25, 2022 to May 8, 2022 under the provisions stated.
The Comelec added that despite having a Certificate of Exception under Sec. 13 of Comelec Resolution No. 10747, such an exemption applies only to NILB and on the condition that the amount paid during the 45-day restriction must be submitted and no exemptions were provided for the Barangay Assistance and KKK Programs.
A governor has been disqualified by the COMELEC for illegally disbursing funds.
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