Retards in the Government 322

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

 

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207151

The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former official of the Technology Research Center (formerly the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center or TLRC) and 4 others in graft and malversation charges arising from the use of congressional discretionary funds of the late Compostela Valley Rep. Prospero Amatong.

In its 57-page decision written by Associate Justice Oscar C. Herrera Jr. and promulgated on Aug. 4, the anti-graft court's second division said the misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) of Amatong between 2007 to 2013 in transactions ostensibly for livelihood information programs caused undue injury to the government and gave unwarranted benefits.

The court found Maria Rosalinda Masongsong Lacsamana, Butch Canoy, Vincent Jaudian, Mercy Cabig and Alfredo Soriano guilty of graft and sentenced them to up to 10 years imprisonment. It also ordered them to return PHP10 million representing the amount wrongfully and illegally disbursed.

Lacsamana was the legislative liaison officer and group manager of the Technology and Livelihood Information Dissemination Services Group at the time while the others were chief executive officer, chief operations officer, treasurer and vice president, respectively, of the Philippine Environmental and Ecological Development Association (PEEDAI), which secured the funding to implement the lawmaker's livelihood programs despite doubtful credentials and non-submission of periodic reports.

The court also found Lacsamana guilty of the separate charge of malversation and sentenced her up to 18 years imprisonment, a fine of PHP10 million. She was also ordered to reinstitute the government the amount of PHP10 million

"PEEDAI is not in any way engaged in livelihood programs. Obviously therefore, no lawful nexus connects PEEDAI to the project proposal of Rep. Amatong," the court said of the transaction. 

The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former official of the Technology Research Center (formerly the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center or TLRC) and 4 others in graft and malversation charges arising from the PDAF.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/08/07/2286858/cop-accused-indiscriminate-firing

A police officer surrendered to his colleagues after he was accused of indiscriminate firing and poking a gun at four teenagers in Jaro district in this city over the weekend.

A manhunt was launched for S/Sgt. Nico Galvesolo of Barangay Buntala hours after the incident that occurred at around 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Twelve hours later, Galvesolo surfaced at the city police Station 3 to face the complaint filed against him.

The complainants said Galvesolo poked a gun at them without reason or cause.

Capt. Lester Oliveros, chief of city police Station 3, said Galvesolo admitted to have fired shots, but denied poking a gun at anyone.

Oliveros said probers would check footage of closed-circuit television cameras installed at the scene of the incident.

A cop has been accused of indiscriminate firing and pointing a gun at people. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/520461/barangay-kagawad-in-argao-accused-of-shooting-man

Police in Argao town of southeastern Cebu continue to search for a village councilor, or barangay kagawad in Cebuano, accused of shooting a man late Sunday evening, August 6, 2023.

The shooting took place in a waiting shed in Brgy. Bala-as, Argao at around 11:13 p.m. on Sunday that wounded a 54-year-old man, police confirmed.

The victim was identified as Rolando Abrigana who, as of Monday, remains confined in a hospital in Argao. The suspect, on the other hand, was identified as Bala-as Barangay kagawad Jerfil Cabanas, 32, from Argao.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Bienvenido Amil, investigator of the case, said they received reports that a shooting occurred in the waiting shed in Brgy. Bala-as.

When they reached the area, witnesses told them that the victim had already been rushed to the hospital. They also reportedly told police that the gunman happened to be a barangay kagawad, whom they identified as Cabanas.

Amil said that Abrigana and Cabanas were waiting for a ride at the waiting shed. The former was on his way to work while the latter was patrolling the area, together with other barangay officials and workers.

According to at least two witnesses, Abrigana and Cabanas suddenly got involved in a heated altercation which police later found out stemmed after the victim allegedly insulted the suspect.

The suspect, Cabanas, went home but returned to the waiting shed carrying a gun of still unknown caliber then fired two shots towards Abrigana who sustained gunshot wounds on his stomach.

The victim, Abrigana, tried to chase Cabanas with a bolo but to no avail.

A hot pursuit operation against Cabanas is still ongoing.

A barangay councilor has been accused of shooting a man. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1813353/fwd-3-hurt-after-cops-shot-each-other-at-taguig-city-police-station

Three police officers were wounded, including two  who reportedly shot each other after a heated argument at the Taguig City police station on Monday, according to authorities. 

The Taguig City police identified the two police officers as Executive Master Sergeant Heriberto Saguiped and Chief Master Sergeant Alraquib Aguel. 

Based on an initial report, the shooting incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. inside the Office of Community Affairs Section of the police station after Aguel arrived and approached Saguiped. 

A heated argument ensued, while Corporal Alison Sindac tried to calm down both officers. 

The feuding police officers eventually shot and wounded each other, as well as Sindac.

Responding colleagues rushed the three police officers to hospital. 

Three cops have been wounded in a gun duel at a police station. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/7/2-ranking-bu-cor-officials-relieved-of-posts

Two Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) ranking officials – one allegedly on the “illegal drugs watchlist” and the other a food caterer in one of the prison facilities -- have been relieved of their posts while investigation is ongoing.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. identified those relieved officials as Deputy Director General for Administration and Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) head C/Supt. Geraldo Aro, and Deputy Director General for Operations and Head Executive Assistant (HEA) Angelina L. Bautista. 

The investigation and the removal from the posts were a result of the issues raised by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan S Fernandez, chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, against Aro and Bautista during a congressional hearing last Aug. 3.

Fernandez said that Aro has been in the illegal drugs watchlist of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, while Bautista was the owner of a food catering service that won the P21 million contract to provide food for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.

Two BuCor officals, one who has been on the illegal drugs watchlist for years, have been relieved of duty pending investigation. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/8/9-cops-accused-of-ransacking-suspect-s-imus-home-relieved-from-duty

Nine police officers involved in an alleged ransacking incident in Imus City were relieved from their duties and placed under investigation on Monday, August 7.

A CCTV footage that went viral online shows several men in civilian clothes forcibly opening the door of a house and tinkering with items from a motorcycle compartment. They were also seen carrying wheel-shaped items and bags containing unknown objects from the house into a parked vehicle outside.

In a statement, the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) said the nine police officers in question were members of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) of Imus City Police Station.

They reportedly conducted an anti-illegal drug operation in the area that resulted in the arrest of a street-level individual and a cohort. Confiscated during the operation were 20 grams of suspected “shabu” with an estimated street value of P136,000.

Upon receiving a report about the alleged ransacking, Imus CPS Chief Lt. Col. Michael D. Batoctoy informed the Cavite PPO and ordered the police officers to explain. Batoctoy also requested for the immediate relief of the team so as not to influence the investigation.

Cavite PPO Director Col. Christopher F. Olazo ordered the re-assignment and temporary recall of all issued firearms, pending the result of the  investigation and the filing of appropriate administrative and criminal charges.

The team was reassigned to the Provincial Administrative and Resource Management Unit.

9 cops have been relieved of duty for ransacking a house.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1814806/6-cops-involved-in-killing-a-teen-in-navotas-face-homicide-charges

Criminal charges have been filed against six Navotas policemen who shot and killed a 17-year-old boy after mistaking him for a murder suspect last August 2.

PNP public information chief Colonel Redrico Maranan said this in a Viber message to INQUIRER.net.

“Criminal complaint of homicide was filed against involved police officers. Administrative charges are also being readied,” he  said.

For his part, Navotas police chief Colonel Allan Umipig said the law enforcers had admitted that they committed a mistake.

The cops said they did not intend to kill victim Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar.

The policemen were conducting a follow-up operation after receiving a tip that a murder suspect they had been tracking down was along a river in Balanse Street, North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS) Kaunlaran, Umipig said.

(The substation commander reportedly received information that the suspect who had escaped was hiding in a boat. There were two of them — one was the companion and the young victim.)

(The policemen yelled that they should surrender. The victim suddenly jumped. One was just there. The cops made a mistake and fired into the water, and the victim was hit.)

Maranan said the cops already surrendered their issued firearms pending investigation.

6 cops have been charged with homicide for killing a teenager.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/23/6-govt-execs-bohol-mayor-facing-graft-raps-over-fraudulent-water-permit

Some high-ranking government officials and a mayor in Bohol are facing a graft and corruption complaint from the Office of the Ombudsman over an alleged "fraudulent" water permit issued in Balilihan town. 

Based on the criminal complaint filed by the Bohol Clean Water Alliance (BCWA) on Wednesday, the respondents include Balilihan Mayor Maria Pureza Chatto, officials from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of Science and Technology, among others. 

The issue stemmed from the issuance of a water permit in Balilihan over Bugwak Spring, a water source, which the local government allegedly indicated to be located in Barangay Santo Niño. 

Complainants Emmanuel Ramasola and and Erastus Leopando, BCWA representatives, however, said the spring was located in Barangay Magsaysay in Sevilla town. 

The two also cited a result from an NWRB ocular inspection in 2021, "which show that Balilihan misled the NWRB during the application process by indicating in its application form that Bugwak Spring is in Balilihan when ti fact, it was situated in Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol."

This made Balilihan "not entitled" to the water permit, they said.

Aside from this, Sevilla's municipal mayor and barangay Magsaysay were also not notified of the Balilihan town's water permit application on Bugwak Spring, based on the complaint.

This was why the the BCWA representatives said the respondents acted with "manifest partiality, evident bad faith, and gross negligence and gave unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference," to Balilihan's municipal government when they affirmed the validity of a water permit "obtained fraudulently."

“It is the height of inequity for LGU Balilihan to utilize water obtained from Bugwak Spring in Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol," the complaint read. 

"It is an affront to Barangay Magsaysay and Sevilla’s territorial jurisdiction since LGU Balilihan did not secure their consent, much less inform them, before the start of the water supply project’s construction or even ask for a permit from Barangay Magsaysay or from LGU Sevilla,” it added.

6 Bohol executives are facing charges of graft over a water permit.