It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
A former councilor of Ganassi town in Lanao del Sur has been named as the suspect behind the shooting on Wednesday in Marawi City where a government ambulance was used.
Major Alvison Mustapha, spokesperson of the Lanao del Sur provincial police identified the suspect as Ansary Marohombsar, who is reportedly working as a municipal employee.
“He is now the subject of our manhunt. For now the ambulance used in the crime has officially been turned over to our office,” Mustapha said.
He said their Investigation showed that Marohombsar had a grudge with the victim, Joseph Alindo Saragena, who was wounded in the hand during the attack.
“We are pushing the case of frustrated murder and gun ban violation against the suspect,” he added.
The Philippine National Police has imposed a gun ban in the provinces of Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, and Special Geographic Areas (SGAs) in North Cotabato in the Bangsamoro region.
The measure was imposed in response to the ambush of the convoy of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. that wounded the official and killed four of his security aides, the spate of killings in Pikit and SGAs in Cotabato province that victimized minors, and threats posed by ISIS-inspired groups.
SGAs refer to barangays in Cotabato that voted for inclusion in the autonomous region during the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Law in 2019.
Mustapha said the suspect sat in the front seat and told the still unidentified driver to lower his (driver’s) window before shooting the victim.
A former town councilor used an ambulance to shoot someone with whom he had a grudge.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197600 |
Operatives of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) anti-scalawag unit arrested a female officer in Makati City for extorting money from cops who are seeking transfer of assignments.
Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon, chief of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), said Cpl. Michelle Ann Repolles was arrested during an entrapment operation at Makati Central Police Station headquarters on Thursday.
De Leon said the entrapment stemmed from a report submitted to the IMEG on March 13, stating that the female cop was collecting between PHP10,000 and PHP30,000 from police personnel who want to be transferred to other assignments of their choice.
Investigation showed Repolles claimed that she has connections with the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management for the immediate processing of their reassignment orders.
Recovered from the suspect was one mobile phone with a GCash virtual money wallet application that was used in the transfer of money.
The suspect is now under the custody of the IMEG headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
A cop has been arrested for extorting cops seeking a transfer of assignment.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197659 |
Unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen shot and seriously injured a former town councilor of Polomolok, South Cotabato, while he was on his way to the municipal hall Friday morning.Former councilor Rhyolite Agregado Balili, now personal secretary of Polomolok Mayor Bernie Palencia, was shot at close range inside his vehicle near the town hall premises.Balili sustained gunshot wounds in various parts of his body.Lt. Col. Joseph Forro III, Polomolok police chief, said the victim was taken to a private hospital in nearby General Santos City.“We are still digging deeper into the case and a manhunt had been launched,” he said in a radio interview.Palencia has condemned the attack and directed the police to work with the military in tracking down the perpetrators and bring them behind bars.
A former town councilor has been wounded during an attempted assassination.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1744568/bi-officer-involved-in-lengthy-immigration-interview-of-traveler-relieved-from-post |
The immigration officer, who reportedly subjected a Filipina traveler to an intense grilling that made her miss her flight, has been relieved from his post and reassigned to a back office.
Bureau of Immigration (BI) spokesperson Dana Sandoval on Friday said the move was to give way to the agency’s ongoing investigation into the incident, which first drew the public’s attention through a now-viral TikTok video posted by lifestyle blogger Cham Tanteras.
Tanteras said that the officer had questioned her on seemingly irrelevant topics, like the status of her parents’ relationship and if she had her school yearbook with her.
“The immigration officer was relieved from his post from the frontline, and he was transferred to a back-end office already after the incident,” Sandoval told INQUIRER.net over the phone.
Should the officer be found negligent of his duty, Sandoval said he could be slapped with administrative sanctions based on civil service rules.
She further noted that it was no less than BI commissioner Norman Tansingco who directly called the officer to explain his side of the story.
“He said he did not require a yearbook from the passenger, but of course, the holding of the secondary inspection is really not the issue, in our opinion. It’s really the manner that it was conducted,” Sandoval said.
She noted that there could have been a lapse on the officer’s part in explaining to the traveler what was happening and why the questions were being asked during the interview.
“That’s why there was a big fuss about it. Maybe because it was not explained properly to the passenger the reasons why she was undergoing secondary inspection and the relevance of the questions that the immigration officer asked,” she explained.
An immigration officer has been relieved after conducting an interview which caused a traveler to miss her flight.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/864281/ex-customs-collector-ex-pal-consultant-nabbed-in-extortion-try/story/ |
A former district collector of the Bureau of Customs and a former consultant of the Philippine Airlines were arrested for alleged extortion.
According to John Consulta's report on "Saksi", Atty. Juan Tan and Benjamin Sebastian were nabbed in an entrapment operation in Manila. Authorities recovered from them P11 million.
The complainant said the two asked for money in exchange for the hitch-free processing in customs of the entry of aviation fuel.
The suspects, who are facing a complaint of robbery extortion, denied the allegations against them.
In a statement, PAL said it was already coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation as regards a former consultant involved in an extortion attempt.
A former customs collector has been charged with extortion.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1745394/cop-allegedly-kills-wifes-lover-in-camarines-sur-town |
A police officer reportedly shot and killed on Sunday, March 19, his wife’s alleged lover in Cabusao town in Camarines Sur province.
Lieutenant Colonel Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson for the Bicol police, identified the victim as Arlando Sugay, 51, of Barangay Pandan.
In a report, Calubaquib said Staff Sergeant Baltazar Manacob, 43, shot Sugay when he saw him and his wife, Michelle, kissing and caressing each other inside a shanty in Barangay Camagong at 1:54 a.m.
Major Rosalinda Moises, chief of Cabusao police, said authorities arrested Manacob, who surrendered.
“When the responding police arrived at the area, he was still at the crime scene, and he voluntarily surrendered,” Moises said in a phone interview on Monday.
Manacob surrendered his service firearms, three magazines, and 35 rounds of live ammunition.
Moises said they were preparing murder charges against Manacob, who was assigned to the Ragay police station.
A cop has been charged with murdering his wife's lover.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/494187/sandiganbayan-upholds-conviction-of-ex-bukidnon-lawmaker |
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of former Bukidnon Rep. Candido Pancrudo Jr. for graft and malversation for his alleged misuse of P7.9 million worth of pork barrel allocations.
At the same time, the antigraft court’s Fifth Division reversed its earlier conviction of former National Agribusiness Corp. officials Rhodora Mendoza, Maria Ninez Guañizo, and Victor Roman Cacal and Pancrudo’s coaccused Espinosa for malversation.
In a 53-page resolution on March 15, the court maintained that state prosecutors were able to prove that the P7.954 million of Pancrudo’s P8.2 million worth of pork allocations were released and received by the nongovernmental organization Uswag Pilipinas Foundation Inc. (UPFI).
The questioned disbursement of millions of funds was meant for livelihood projects in Pancrudo’s district to aid farmers in the area. In its resolution, the court said the disbursement of the Priority Development Assistance Funds to the UPFI was “highly irregular, if not illegal.”
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of a lawmaker for misusing PDAF allocations.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197675 |
One of the most wanted persons in the country and a female firefighter were arrested in separate manhunt operations in Sulu and this city, police officials said Saturday.
Brig. Gen. Neil Alinsañgan, Police Regional Office 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) director, said Singbi Hassan, 45, was arrested by operatives of the 2nd Zamboanga City Mobile Force Company and Sulu Police Provincial Office at the Hasiman wharf in Barangay Tanjung, Indanan, Sulu at about 6:15 p.m. Friday.
Hassan, with a PHP250,000 bounty, has two pending warrants of arrest for murder with no bail recommended issued by two courts in Zamboanga City, dated May 14, 2002 and Nov. 19, 2003.
Meanwhile, Col. Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) director, said Fire Officer 2 Asaha Mukatil Adin, 49, was arrested in Barangay Sta. Barbara here at about 1:06 a.m. Friday.
Lorenzo said Adin had a standing warrant of arrest since 2013 for human trafficking.
Both are detained at the ZCPO headquarters before they are turned over to the concerned courts.
A firefighter has been arrested for human trafficking on a warrant that is 10 years old.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/03/20/2252924/pnp-sitg-uncovers-attempt-pilfer-p2856-million-shabu |
The Philippine National Police Special Investigation Task Group (PNP-SITG) 990 has uncovered the alleged attempt by three police officers to pilfer over 40 kilos of shabu valued at P285.6 million during an anti-narcotics operation in Manila in October last year.
This was announced by PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management chief Maj. Gen. Eliseo Cruz during a Senate inquiry on March 15.
Testifying during the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, Cruz said SITG 990 was formed upon the orders of PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. to account for the missing 42 kilos of shabu.
The contraband was believed to be part of the 990 kilos of shabu seized from Sgt. Rodolfo Mayo during a sting on Jose Abad Santos street last year.
The drugs were found stashed in a luggage in a car abandoned in front of the Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund building along Santolan Road near the PNP headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.
Cruz presented to the Senate panel closed-circuit television footage showing Senior M/Sgt. Jerrywin Rebosora, M/Sgt. Lorenzo Catarata and M/Sgt. Jimenez loading the bags allegedly containing the drugs in a white sedan near the area where the sting took place.
Cruz said it was Rebosora who left the vehicle near the PNP headquarters.
When questioned by Dela Rosa and Sen. Raffy Tulfo, Rebosora and Catarata denied pilfering the drugs.
The PNP says they have uncovered a plot to steal confiscated drugs.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/864554/cop-arrested-in-p6-7-b-drug-bust-dismissed-from-service-pnp/story/ |
The policeman who was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation resulting in one of the biggest hauls in the country’s history has been dismissed from service, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.
PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said Police Master Sergeant Rodolfo Mayo Jr. is no longer in the service, according to a tweet of Super Radyo dzBB reporter Mark Makalalad.
In October 2022, Mayo was arrested as authorities confiscated some 990 kilograms of suspected shabu with an estimated value of over P6.7 billionfollowing a series of anti-drug operations in Manila .
Mayo is an intelligence officer for the PNP Drug Enforcement Group, based on police records.
The PNP Drug Enforcement Group said the first operation was conducted along Jose Abad Santos Street in Barangay 252, Tondo, Manila, which led to the arrest of 50-year-old suspect Ney Saligumba Atadero.
During the interrogation, Atadero said the illegal drugs' storage was located inside the office of a lending firm in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
Another operation was carried out to nab another individual named by the suspect. Mayo was arrested in Quiapo during the operation.
A cop arrested for drugs last year has finally been dismissed from the service.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1197838 |
The Sandiganbayan has acquitted former Quezon 2nd District congressman Proceso Alcala of graft, malversation and falsification charges over alleged anomalies involving pork barrel funds amounting to PHP6 million.
The anti-graft court First Division, however, found Alcala civilly liable “for his negligence in the strict and improper implementation of the project funded by his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).”
"He is ordered to pay the government the amount of PHP6.05million," read a portion of the 89-page decision dated March 20 and made public Tuesday.
Alcala was charged for endorsing the registration of a non-governmental organization (NGO), the Economic and Social Cooperation for Local Development Foundation Inc. (Ecosoc), as project partner in implementing a financial assistance /livelihood program for his constituents to be funded by his PDAF.
The amount was subsequently disbursed in three tranches in March and June 2007.
The prosecution said the NGO turned out to be fictitious as the intended beneficiaries did not receive the financial assistance.
In clearing Alcala of the three grave charges, the court said the endorsement of Ecosoc does not immediately make him criminally liable.
"(T)hat endorsement does not carry with it a peremptory directive to approve the same. As has been discussed, the discretion and decision to deny or grant Ecosoc's application for registration, including the processing of the same, as well as the release of the said funds in whole or in part, lies with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as the implementing agency, and not Alcala," the court said.
A certain Roberto Solon, who represented himself as the executive director of Ecosoc, was a signatory in the memorandum of agreement which also included then-DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral.
Alcala’s endorsement was issued without verifying the authenticity of the documents, like liquidation reports, hotel rates, photos and list of intended beneficiaries.
Investigators later found that none of the 50 named beneficiaries received the capital assistance of PHP120,000, four denied their signatures in disbursement vouchers, while others did not respond to the government audit team's confirmation letters.
A former Solon has been find civil liable for mishandling the distribution of PDAF money.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1746170/abra-village-chief-tagged-in-killing-of-teacher-surrenders |
A barangay captain who was tagged in the murder of a high school teacher in Abra province surrendered to police on Monday, March 20.
According to the police in Abra’s Bucay town, the suspect, Mike Armando Wilson, 46, of Barangay Dumagas, turned himself in at 10 a.m.
Wilson and four other suspects were charged with murder over the death of Rudy Steward “Estee” Sayen, a teacher at Suyo National High School in Abra’s Pidigan town.
Police said the four other suspects were already nabbed during a hot pursuit operation in September last year.
Sayen, 38, a member of the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community, was gunned down along the Abra-Ilocos Sur road in Pidigan’s Barangay Lipcan while on her way to school on September 28.
Police were eyeing a land dispute over small-scale mining claims and old grudges as the possible motives behind the killing.
A barangay captain has been charged with killing a teacher.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1746878/ombudsman-suspends-33-execs-in-pharmally-mess |
The Office of the Ombudsman has suspended its second most senior graft buster along with 32 former and present officials of the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) and the Department of Health (DOH) for their involvement in the graft-tainted purchases of the government’s pandemic supplies in 2020 and 2021.
Ombudsman Samuel Martires meted out a six-month suspension order on Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Rex Liong, who was then the PS-DBM’s procurement group director, and his fellow respondents following a complaint filed by Sen. Risa Hontiveros and former Sen. Richard Gordon.
Gordon, then chair of the blue ribbon committee, spearheaded the Senate inquiry two years ago into the graft-tainted supply contracts awarded to Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp., a startup company with a paid-up capital of only P625,000 that bagged more than P11.5 billion worth of government healthcare supply contracts at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After a careful evaluation of the records, this office finds compelling reasons to place the respondents under preventive suspension pending investigation of the instant case,” said Martires in an order dated March 20, a copy of which was obtained by the Inquirer on Wednesday.
“The overwhelming documentary proof shows that respondents’ evidence of guilt is strong,” he said.
33 officials have been suspended over their involvement in graft-tainted purchases of the government’s pandemic supplies in 2020 and 2021.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1746271/ca-nullifies-bail-grant-for-ex-mayor-accused-of-murder-orders-rtc-to-resume-bail-proceedings |
The Court of Appeals (CA) has nullified the order of Legazpi City Regional Trial Court to allow bail for former Mayor Carlwyn Baldo of Daraga in Albay, who is charged with the murder of Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe.
“We find that the trial court committed grave abuse of discretion by granting Baldo’s petition for bail without fully considering all of the prosecution’s evidence in the assailed orders. Therefore, the assailed orders are deemed null and void,” the CA’s 12th Division said in a ruling last March 1.
Baldo is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder.
The CA ordered the regional trial court to resolve the petition for bail and take into consideration all the evidence presented during the bail hearing.
But the CA clarified said its order did not mean that the evidence against Baldo was strong or weak.
“In our view, the equitable course of action is to remand the incident to the trial court to make a new, immediate, and updated assessment of all evidence at hand and to issue the appropriate order containing a summary thereof with its resolution on Baldo’s entitlement to bail,” the appeals court said.
Baldo maintained that he had nothing to do with the death of Batocabe. He said he was only dragged into the matter by people who would want to taint his name.
A former mayor accused of murder has had his bail revoked.
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