It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1848536/awol-cop-arrested-in-cavite-for-estafa |
A police officer who had gone Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL) was arrested in Cavite province for estafa, according to the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a statement on Thursday, IMEG said the suspect, identified as Joebert Balisan, was a former Police Officer III. Balisan was collared by the group’s National Capital Region Field Unit (NCRFU) and Bacoor City Police Station operatives in a joint operation along Paladium St., Bacoor City.
The 50-year-old’s arrest stemmed from an arrest warrant for violating Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code or estafa issued by Presiding Judge Rowena Nieves Tan of Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 119 dated July 23, 2012.
Citing Balisan’s account, police said he went AWOL due to depression and marital problems after the business he built using a loaned capital went bankrupt. The former police officer failed to settle his debt, which led to the case filed against him.He is currently under IMEG-NCRFU’s custody in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City. The case filed against him has a recommended bail amounting to P44,000.
A cop gone AWOL has been busted for estafa.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/20/sandigan-affirms-conviction-for-malversation-of-public-funds-of-ex-human-settlements-cashier-in-baguio-city |
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its decision that convicted of malversation of public funds former cashier Nila E. Cariño of the Human Settlements Development Corporation-Maharlika Livelihood Complex (HSDC-MLC) in Baguio City.
Cariño had been found guilty of malversation by the Baguio City regional trial court (RTC). She appealed the decision before the Sandiganbayan which affirmed her conviction in a ruling handed down on June 5, 2023.
Affirmed was her jail term ranging from four to seven years and her perpetual disqualification to hold publice office. Also upheld was the payment of fine amounting to P295,764.18.
Cariño filed a motion for reconsideration. She claimed that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that she appropriated, took, or misappropriated any public funds or property for her personal use.
In denying her motion, the Sandiganbayan said: "As can be gleaned from accused-appellant's averments in her attempt to persuade the Court to deviate from its previous findings, no new argument was presented which the Court has not already carefully perused, considered, and dissected. All arguments herein raised have already been exhaustively discussed in the now assailed ruling."
The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of a Baguio City cashier.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1212165 |
An administrative complaint has been filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Thursday against two Batangas City prosecutors for the alleged illegal arrest and detention of two memorial park employees over a missing marble grave marker.
Eternal Gardens lawyer Alexis Oco also filed an urgent motion to transfer the venue of the preliminary investigation on the theft complaint filed by State Prosecutor Edelwina Ebreo of the Batangas City Office of the City Prosecutor (OCP) against five Eternal Gardens employees to the Office of the City Prosecutor in Manila.
Named respondents in Ebreo’s complaint were Arnel Alibuzo, Marizza San Diego, Demetrio Peralta, Jocelyn Ann Buendia and Reggie Reyes.
Oco pointed out that numerous irregularities committed during the arrest, detention and inquest proceedings of San Diego and Alibuzo prompted them to seek redress before the DOJ.
Ebreo was the prosecutor responsible for the arrest of Libuzo and San Diego while Deputy Prosecutor Evelyn Jovellanos was identified as the prosecutor who conducted inquest proceedings on the two despite the absence of a counsel of their choice or a public lawyer to assist them.
“We noted that there was already a violation of their rights since there were subjected to investigation, questioning without the presence of any counsel of their choice and inquest proceedings was presided by another member of the City Prosecutor’s Office without presence of counsel of choice of the two employees or even a member of PAO (Public Attorney’s Office),” Oco said.
“In light of the numerous irregularities observed throughout the arrest, inquest, and detention of our employees, Ms. Marizza San Diego and Mr. Arnel Alibuzo, which were carried out by both the complainant and the investigating prosecutor, our company through our legal counsels find it necessary to lodge an administrative case to formally request the Department of Justice to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter and impose appropriate sanctions,” he added.
It added that the actuations of the two prosecutors of taking over the duties of arresting officers in taking the statement of the two employees and typing the documents themselves show that they are flaunting their influence.
San Diego and Alibuzo were released from detention on Oct. 16, three days after they were arrested by police authorities without a warrant based on the complaint filed by Ebreo.
The employees were supposedly trying to help Ebreo, who is their client, with her concerns about the missing marble marker.
However, they were later accused of theft and subsequently detained and subjected to inquest proceedings without the assistance of a counsel.
A complaint has been filed against two city prosecutors for false arrest.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/10/21/2305446/cop-held-gun-discharge-grave-threat |
A police officer ended up in jail for allegedly indiscriminately firing his gun and threatening a civilian in Las Piñas City on Thursday – a day shy of his wedding.
Cpl. Branard Castañeda, assigned to the Las Piñas police substation 5, was arrested at Rebecca’s Compound in Barangay Almanza Dos at around 3:30 a.m.
Las Piñas police chief Col. Jaime Santos said they received a call from a concerned citizen claiming Castañeda was firing a gun in the neighborhood.
An hour later, another complainant, Diomedes Leyte, alleged that while he was unloading a pillow from his motorcycle, Castañeda approached him for “no apparent reason” and aimed a gun at his head.
Leyte managed to wrest Castañeda’s firearm. He turned it over to the nearest barangay post.
Police officers arrested Castañeda and brought him to the city police headquarters while his firearm was turned over to the Southern Police District for ballistics testing.
Santos said Castañeda’s wedding was scheduled yesterday. However, the suspect cannot petition for bail due to the election campaign period.
A cop has been arrested for discharging his gun and threatening somsone.
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| https://dailyguardian.com.ph/bacolod-councilor-traffic-man-trade-barbs/ |
A Bacolod City councilor and a personnel of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) exchanged accusations here following a heated confrontation in the latter’s office.
The protagonists are Councilor Al Victor Espino and a certain Abner Salvallon, BTAO building administrator.
Salvallon told reporters on Thursday that Espino reportedly “caused a scene” at the BTAO office and allegedly threatened to shoot him Wednesday night.
He also accused the councilor of badmouthing him after he tried to talk to the latter while tapping his shoulder when the lawmaker allegedly forced his way to the office of the BTAO head.
But Salvallon said this further angered the councilor who allegedly berated the former: ““Yudip*t*. Indi ko pag hikapa kay indi ta ya miguhay! Indi ta ka ya kilala, hikapa ko bala liwat kay tiruhon ta ka (Son of a *****. Don’t touch me because we’re not friends. I don’t know you. Touch me again and I will shoot you).”
He said Espino further raised his shirt to show a gun tucked in his waist.
Major Junji Liba, BTAO head, said the incident happened after two women motorcycle riders reportedly asked the councilor’s intervention after their motorcycles were impounded by BTAO for some traffic rule violations.
Espino denied the charges saying he went to the BTAO after an aunt of a motorcycle owner sought his help over an impounded motorcycle.
Espino said that the motorcycle was just borrowed by the rider who was apprehended for not wearing a helmet and lacking a valid driver’s license.
The councilor admitted that he badmouthed Salvallon but denied threatening him with his gun.
He said he got irked when Salvallon tapped him and tried to stop him from going inside Liba’s office.
He said he is a responsible gun owner and he knows when and how to use it.
A city councilor and traffic building administrator got into a heated argument and the councilor allegedly showed the man his pistol and threatened to kill him.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1212296 |
More police operatives have been deployed to identify and arrest the suspect behind the shooting of a village chief candidate in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Barangay Bayaoas, Aguilar town.
In a phone interview by the Philippine News Agency on Monday, Aguilar police investigator Master Sgt. Reynante Abril said victim, Arnel Flormata, a contender for the barangay captain, was employed as an administrative supervisor at Aboitiz Solar Services.
“The incident happened at around 11:35 p.m. Sunday (Oct.22). The victim had just finished his miting de avance (campaign sortie) and was walking back to his parked car when the unidentified suspect, who allegedly pretended to be asking for alcoholic beverage from the victim, walked alongside him. When he got the opportunity (the suspect), shot the victim in the head once and fled immediately after,” Abril said.
The suspect reportedly fled the crime scene using a tricycle with an alleged accomplice.
Flormata was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival, Abril added.
Authorities found a fired cartridge and one live ammunition of a cal. 45 pistol at the crime scene.
A candidate for village councilor has been assassinated.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1850139/criminal-complaint-vs-ex-pres-duterte |
Party-list lawmaker France Castro (ACT Teacher) on Tuesday filed before the Quezon City Prosecutors Office a criminal complaint against former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Castro filed a complaint of Grave Threat under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code and Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 for the statements he made over a television program at Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) where he talked about the confidential fund of his daughter, Vice President Sara Duterte.
In his Gikan sa Masa, Para sa asa Program at SMNI that aired October 11, 2023, Duterte said his daughter intends to use the confidential funds for a soft revival of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. (ROTC) program.
He said he advised his daughter to be frank to Congress, particularly Castro that she needs the CF fund to stop the communist insurgency.
Duterte said: “I told Inday (Sara) to be direct, tell them that the intelligence fund is meant to prepare the minds of the Filipinos, to address the insurgency that is taking a long time to end. And the ROTC so that we are prepared for war, especially in this situation, if we do not have soldiers, then we will have the youth who can take care of their respective barangays,” he explained.
“But your first target there, using your intelligence funds, is you, France, you communists who I want to kill. I asked her to tell them that, but she refused, saying, ‘You know Pa, if I did that, they might harass the PMTs (Philippine Military Training institutions),’” he added.
Duterte’s program was also posted on SMNI’s social media accounts, which already have 7,500 views, 540 reactions, and 78 comments.
In her complaint, Duterte made several insinuations linking her to the communist armed movement without any proof.
“Though factually baseless and clearly malicious, I cannot merely dismiss Respondent Duterte’s red-tagging and accompanying grave threats as either figurative, joking, or otherwise benign,” Castro said as she pointed out that many red-tagged individuals were eventually arrested, detained, or killed.
Castro said all the key elements of Grave Threats, as mentioned under the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, are present in her complaint, specifically that threat, which is considered a crime upon her person.
“The threat was not made to any condition, and it was committed using information and communication technologies,” Castro said.
Former President Duterte has been served a case for making threats against a Congresswoman.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1850405/police-on-shooting-incident-of-barangay-kagawad-in-davao-de-oro |
A barangay councilman (kagawad) running for barangay captain in Montevista, Davao De Oro, was shot dead on Tuesday.
The Montevista police identified the fatality as Alvin Bengil Garcia, 32.Garcia, the police said, was driving his motorcycle and was with barangay councilman candidate Jocelyn Agron, 50, when they were attacked by two gunmen aboard another motorcycle while traveling to Barangay Camantangan.
Police said the victim was brought to Davao De Oro Provincial Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Agron sustained minor injuries.
Police said further investigation and pursuit operations against the suspects are ongoing.
A barangay councilor running for barangay captain has been assassinated.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/10/25/2306475/barangay-chairman-hopeful-killed-lanao-sur-ambush |
Gunmen killed in an ambush a candidate for chairman of an interior barangay in Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur on Wednesday morning, an attack that left his spouse and their son badly wounded.
Col. Robert S. Daculan, Lanao del Sur provincial police director, said that the fatality, Kamar Bilao Bansil, died on the spot from multiple bullet wounds when gunmen positioned along a road in Barangay Sigayan in Kapatagan shot their vehicle with assault rifles.
Bansil’s wife, Jasmin, and son, Manmo, who sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of their bodies, were immediately rushed to a hospital by policemen and emergency responders from the Kapatagan local government unit.
Daculan said that the victims were together in a white multicab utility vehicle, on their way to somewhere, when they were attacked by men led by Pabil Pagrangan, husband of the barangay chairwoman of Sigayan, whose reelection bid Bansil was supposed to contest as an independent candidate.
The police director said that witnesses have reported to the Kapatagan Municipal Police Station Pagrangan’s direct involvement in the atrocity.
Daculan said local officials and personnel of the Kapatagan MPS are together searching for Pagrangan and his accomplices, who had escaped towards different directions.
A candidate for barangay chairman has been assassinated.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/25/ex-doh-sec-garin-4-others-charged-with-graft-technical-malversation-in-2015-purchase-of-dengvaxia-vaccines |
Former health secretary and now Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin and four others have been charged with graft and technical malversation before the Sandiganbayan for their reported involvement in the alleged irregular procurement of Dengvaxia vaccines in 2015.
Aside from Garin, also charged with graft were officer-in-charge director Maria Joyce U. Ducusin, Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo, former undersecretary Kenneth Y. Hartigan-Go, and Philippine Children's Medical Center (PCMC) Executive Director Julius Lecciones.
Garin, Ducusin, Hartigan-Go, and Lecciones are also charged with a violation of Article 220 of the Revised Penal Code on technical malversation.
In the graft case filed on Oct. 24, the five accused were charged with conspiring with one another in causing "the realignment of government fund and issuance of Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) No. BMB-150028814 on Dec. 29, 2015 in the amount of P3,556,155,900 for the procurement of Dengvaxia vaccines and eventual implementation of the School-Based Immunization Program."
Prosecutors said that their actions were "in open defiance of the mandate of Executive Order No. 49, series of 1993, DOH Administrative Order Nos. 2012-0023, 2012-0023-A and other related issuances to the damage and prejudice of the government."
Meanwhile, the prosecutors accused them for sourcing the fund from the DOH's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in their technical malversation charge.
The prosecutors alleged that "the said amount was instead used to purchase Dengvaxia vaccines which is not part of the EPI and not listed in Volume 1 of the Philippine National Drug Formulary or has secured an exemption from being listed in said Formulary."
Bail of P90,000 was recommended for each of the accused facing graft charge and P18,000 for each of those charged with technical malversation. The cases are set for raffle on Friday, Oct. 27 to determine which of the Sandiganbayan divisions will handle the cases.
In a statement, Garin said she is relieved that the case has finally reached the anti-graft court. "Bringing it to court will be the best recourse to once and for all put an end to this issue. Our conscience is clear. No corruption. Decisions and actions were all science-based. Best to present evidences in court," she said.
Ex-DOH Secretary Garin and 4 others have been charged with graft in connection with Dengevaxia purchase.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1212482 |
Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) agents arrested a firefighter in Muntinlupa City for allegedly promising officer slots in the Bureau of Fire Protection's (BFP) lateral entry program in exchange for a fee.
In a report on Wednesday, CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. said Fire Officer 1 Ramces Paul Benipayo, 29, assigned at the Muntinlupa Fire Station, was nabbed in an entrapment in front of a mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City on Tuesday afternoon.
The operation stemmed from the complaint of a certain Justin Ibardaloza, who claimed that she was enticed by the suspect for a "slot for officership through lateral entry" to the BFP in exchange for PHP200,000.
The CIDG and the BFP's Intelligence and Investigation Division (IID) launched the entrapment which resulted in the suspect's apprehension after he received the marked money.
Seized from the suspect were his BFP ID, a mobile phone, a black belt bag and the boodle money used in the operation.
The suspect and confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to CIDG-Anti Organized Crime Unit (AOCU) for proper documentation and disposition.
The suspect will be charged with violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and face a estafa complaint in relation to Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Quezon City, BFP IDD director Fire Chief Supt. Gilbert Dolot said more complainants have surfaced following Benipayo's arrest.
"Our suspect is the subject of many complaints. There is no official charge yet but per investigation, it showed that his lifestyle is a bit lavish. I believe there is information that he was engaged in online gambling and this is one of the things we are looking at," he added.
Meanwhile, CIDG AOCU chief Col. Reynaldo Lizardo said the suspect claimed that he has an accomplice in the scheme.
"He is mentioning somebody who is inside the BFP but there is also information that it is a retired personnel. However, the case is still under investigation and we will find out other details later on. We are encouraging other victims to come forward," Lizardo said.
Dolot, meanwhile, cautioned BFP applicants to follow the proper procedures and ditch those who promise recruitment slots in exchange for a fee.
A fireman has been arrested for estafa for selling slots to recruits.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/26/3-bu-cor-officers-charged-with-bribery-surrendered-posted-bail |
Three Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officers who were charged with bribery in the release of firearms to the bureau's personnel have surrendered and posted bail of P60,000 each before the Muntinlupa City regional trial court (RTC).
In a statement, BuCor said that those charged and have surrendered were CSINP Alex Hizola, chief of BuCor Armory; and CO1 Arnel Acejo Jameson, CO2 Henry A. Escrupolo.
Warrants of arrest have been issued against them by Judge Abraham Joseph B. Alcantara of Muntinlupa City RTC Branch 204.
BuCor said that the bribery charges were filed after an entrapment operation last September on complaints of “demanding money in exchange for the expedited release of firearms to corrections officer.”
It said that during the initial entrapment operation conducted by the bureau and the Muntinlupa City police, the first person arrested was Janero who was “caught red handed receiving the amount of P6,500 from victim, CO1 Marvin Asoy, in exchange for the issuance of short firearms from BuCor Armory.”
It also said that Janero subsequently admitted to investigators he was supposed to turn over the money to Escrupolo who was assigned to the Escorting Unit of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City.
Another entrapment operation was arranged after Escrupolo instructed Janero to deliver the money to his office, BuCor said.
“During verification check, Escrupulo’s phone revealed exchanging text messages with Hizola relative to the issuance of firearms,” it added.
“This should serve as an example and strong warning to all BuCor personnel who will not heed our call to reform,” BuCor Director General Gregorio P. Catapang Jr. said.
“We will not tolerate any wrong doings in the agency and we will continue our relentless drive to weed the agency of undesirables,” he declared.
3 BuCor officers charged with bribery have surrendered.
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