It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1738041/sandiganbayan-convicts-ex-pagcor-chair-genuino-of-graft |
Former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) chairperson Efraim Genuino has been found guilty of graft by the Sandiganbayan, for unlawfully releasing P37.06 million worth of Pagcor funds to an association training Filipino swimmers.
In the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division’s decision dated March 3, Genuino along with ex-Pagcor president Rafael Francisco and former Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chair William Ramirez were found to have violated Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for allowing the directly release of funds to the Philippine Amateur Swimming Association (Pasa) in 2019.
Pasa was training athletes who were slated to compete in the 2012 London Olympics. However, Sandiganbayan said that state prosecutors were able to prove that Genuino and the other convicted respondents acted in manifest partiality in providing Pasa with the funds — as it should have been coursed through the PSC.
According to the anti-graft court, Ramirez wrote a letter to Genuino authorizing Pagcor to deduct from the PSC’s legal monthly income share the amounts due to Pasa — which goes against Section 26 of R.A. No. 6847 which established PSC.
“Plainly, the direct release of a portion of the PSC’s share from PAGCOR to PASA was illegal as it directly contravened the above-quoted provision of the law,” the decision, penned by Third Division chair and Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.
Sandiganbayan also noted that defense witness Julia Llanto admitted that there was no PSC Board Resolution that authorized Pagcor to directly release the funds to PSC.
“Llanto likewise confirmed that there was no PSC Board Resolution authorizing Pagcor to directly release a portion of the PSC’s income share from Pagcor to PASA,” it added.
The cases against Genuino was filed by the Office of Ombudsman in 2016, while the former Pagcor chief was arraigned in 2017.
As for Genuino, Francisco, and Ramirez, a penalty of imprisonment from six years and one day to a maximum of 10 years was handed down. All three are also disqualified from public office.
The former chair of PAGCOR has been sentenced to ten years in prison for illegally diverting funds to Filipino swimmers.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1738310/negros-oriental-gov-shot-inside-his-house |
The governor of Negros Oriental was shot dead Saturday morning by still-unidentified assailants at the receiving area inside his home in Barangay Isidro, Pamplona town.
Siaton Mayor Fritz Diaz confirmed his death on Saturday afternoon.
Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo suffered gunshot wounds on different parts of his body, according to Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
The initial police investigation showed that Degamo was distributing assistance to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) when the assailants suddenly emerged and shot him at 9:36 a.m.
Some civilians who were with Degamo were also wounded.
“The perpetrators were in full battle gear when they shot the governor several times,” Pelare said.
Degamo and the other victims were rushed to the hospital.
Pelare said the local police led by Colonel Reynaldo Lizardo, director of Negros Oriental provincial police, are conducting a hot pursuit to arrest the perpetrators.
The governor of Negros Oriental has been assassinated at his own house.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/03/05/ph-army-suspects-tagged-in-negor-governors-assassination-are-dismissed-soldiers/ |
The Philippine Army (PA) confirmed that the suspects arrested by the police following the ambush-slay of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo on Saturday, March 4, are former soldiers who were discharged from the service.
Joric Labrador, 50, of Cagayan de Oro City; Joven Aber, 42, of La Castellana, Negros Oriental; and Benjie Rodriguez, 45, of Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental, were arrested by the police and military in a hot pursuit operation in the mountains of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental shortly after the killing of Degamo.
A fourth unidentified suspect died in a shootout with the authorities.
“According to police reports, the arrested suspects are former Army soldiers. Notably, they were dishonorably discharged from the military service years back as they did not meet the standards of discipline among our ranks,” Col. Xerxes Trinidad, PA spokesperson, said of the former Army soldiers.
The PA did not reveal the military units where the suspects served before nor when exactly were they removed from the service and on what grounds.
But Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7), said in a radio interview with dzBB that some of the former soldiers went AWOL [absent without official leave] while others were involved in an illegal drugs case.
Meanwhile, the PA denounced the suspects’ unauthorized use of military uniforms, firearms, or insignias in carrying out the attack on the governor.
The police earlier said that the gunmen wore military uniforms, bullet-proof vests, combat boots and carried long firearms when they stormed the compound where Degamo was residing in Pamplona town. The suspects opened fire at the governor while he was talking with his constituents who are recipients of a social welfare development program.
“The Army strongly condemns this cowardly act of the perpetrators in order to deceive and mislead the authorities and ordinary people,” Trinidad said.
Former soldiers dismissed from the service have been tagged in the assassination of the governor of Negros Occidental.
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| https://www.panaynews.net/city-govt-employee-nabbed-for-shabu/ |
A regular employee of the Iloilo City Government was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in Zone 1, Barangay Calumpang, Molo district around 9:10 p.m. on Thursday, March 2.
The 40-year-old Carlos “Caloy” Agado, a native of Zamboanga City, was caught after selling to a police poseur-buyer a plastic sachet of suspected shabu for P6,800.
Police classified him as a high-value individual.
The arrest of Agado was carried out by the Special Drug Enforcement Team led by Molo police station officer-in-charge, Police Captain Benjie Q. Dicen, and the City Drug Enforcement Unit led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Benitez Jr.
A total of two grams of suspected shabu valued at around P13,600 were seized, along with a .9mm pistol, 30 pieces of .9mm live ammunition and two empty magazine, and a sling bag.
An Iloilo City employee who is considered a high value target has been busted for drugs.
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| https://cidg.pnp.gov.ph/cidg-captured-ex-marine-firearms-and-various-ammunition-seized/ |
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) conducted its OPLAN Paglalansag Omega, which is a campaign against loose firearms in line with the Peace and Security Framework or the M+K+K=K program of the PNP CHIEF, PGEN RODOLFO S AZURIN JR, that led to the arrest of an ex-marine on March 5, 2023, at around 3:00 PM in Purok Acacia, Brgy. Tandayag, Amlan, Negros Oriental.
CIDG Acting Director, PBGEN ROMEO M CARAMAT JR, identified the suspect as Rickyvelle Espe Luces, a 38-year-old dismissed Marine in 2016 and a resident of Hacienda Adela, Brgy. Lantad, Silay City Negros Oriental.
Detectives of the CIDG Negros Oriental Provincial Field Unit together with the local police operating units promptly carried out a buy-bust operation that resulted in the arrest of the suspect, who was caught in the act of selling an unlicensed M14 7.62mm with scope and tripod bolt to a police poseur buyer.
A former solider has been arrested for illegally selling weapons.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1196806 |
A job order employee of the local government of Rosario town in Agusan del Sur province was arrested with two others during an operation at a drug den on Monday evening.
In a statement Tuesday, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 13 (Caraga) identified the arrested drug suspects as Vonn Mazo, a job order employee; Junmark Goloran Plaza, the alleged drug den maintainer; and a certain Alvin Dendero.
PDEA-13 said the three were found inside the drug den by the joint team of PDEA and Rosario police operatives in Purok 6, Barangay Buhisan of the municipality.
“A drug den is a place where any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical is administered, delivered, stored for illegal purposes, distributed, sold, or used in any form,” it said.
Shabu items with an estimated street value of PHP75,000 were seized from the suspects, it said, adding that charges for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2022 have been filed against them.
A government job order employee has been busted on drug charges.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1196848 |
Criminal charges were filed Tuesday against a Negros Oriental lawmaker in connection with murders which occurred in 2019.
The Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) charged Third District Rep. Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. and a certain Hannah Mae, allegedly his secretary, before the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Two counts of murder were likewise lodged against Richard Cuadra alias Boy Cuadra, Jasper Tanasan alias Bobong Tansan and Rolando Pinili alias Inday, and one count of murder against Alex Mayagma.
Private counsel Levito Balingod said the testimonies against the respondents were provided by persons whom Teves allegedly paid PHP50,000 “per project.”
The cases include the killing of Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Miguel Dungog in front of the Siliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City March 25, 2019.
A former agent of the National Bureau of Investigation, Dungog was supposed to seek reelection in the midterm polls that year.
Two more incidents of killings included in the charge sheets were at Sitio Labugon, Basay town on May 25, 2019 and at Barangay Malabugas, Bayawan City June 23, 2019.
Teves and his brother, Pryde Henry, are also being linked to the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo and eight others on Saturday.
Degamo unseated Pryde Henry after the votes of a nuisance candidate, Ruel Degamo, was credited in his favor.
A former member of the House of Representatives and 5 others have been charged with murder.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/03/09/2250259/3-ex-gsis-execs-get-20-years |
The Sandiganbayan has sentenced three former officials of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to up to 20 years in prison over the grant of P293 million in housing loans to unqualified borrowers.
In a 54-page decision promulgated on March 3, the anti-graft court’s Seventh Division found GSIS Tarlac City former division chief Celestino Cabalitasan, former appraiser Ma. Victoria Leonardo and former senior general insurance specialist Jerry Balagtas liable for violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Also convicted was private land developer Jose de Guzman of JQG Development Corp.
Cabalitasan, Leonardo, Balagtas and De Guzman were perpetually disqualified from holding public office.
The Seventh Division dismissed the complaint filed against the primary respondent, former GSIS branch manager Amando Inocentes, after the Supreme Court granted his petition in 2016.
Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2012, the cases stemmed from the GSIS’ processing and approval of housing loans by 491 borrowers totaling P241.054 and another set of loans worth P52.107 million of 53 borrowers in October 2001.
The ombudsman said the loans were granted even if the borrowers “were not qualified and were not under the territorial jurisdiction of the GSIS Tarlac field office.”
Ombudsman prosecutors said the lots were intended for commercial purposes and that the land and buildings offered as collaterals for the loans were overappraised by P33.243 million.
In convicting the three former GSIS officials, the Sandiganbayan said the ombudsman’s prosecution panel proved that the respondents approved the loans despite irregularities to give unwarranted benefits to De Guzman.
Three ex-GSIS employees have been convicted for giving loans to unqualified borrorowers.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/09/23/cop-tagged-in-barangay-captains-slay-in-police-custody |
A police lieutenant colonel linked to the killing of a 60-year-old barangay captain has been placed under restrictive custody after voluntarily appearing before authorities.
PLt Col. Eunice de Guzman, Calabarzon police PIO, said the police official appeared before the chief of police after receiving orders to report before the Police Personnel and Records Management office.
"The chief is talking to him. He will be placed under restrictive custody at the custodial facility of Camp Vicente Lim...Regular filing happened to him, let's wait for an arrest warrant to be issued," de Guzman told TeleRadyo.
She said the official does not have an assignment since he is undergoing mandatory schooling at the National Police College in Silang, Cavite.
Police earlier said they were looking for 5 suspects in the killing of Barangay San Carlos captain Vivencio Palo, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants while unloading merchandise in his store last February 26.
A policeman accused of being the mastermind behind the killing of a barangay captain has been arrested.
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