Retards in the Government 340

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

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214263

A village councilman and a watchman were killed when they were attacked in what police believed was triggered by a long-standing clan war in the town of Midsayap in North Cotabato at 1 a.m. Thursday.

Lt. Col. John Miridel Calinga, Midsayap town police chief, identified the fatalities as Tho Puyo Singh, 73, village council member of Barangay Kudarangan, and Bayao Mohammad Uka, 58, a member of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team and a resident of the same place.

“The houses of the victims in the village were sprayed with bullets,” he said.

Barangay Kudarangan is among the 63 villages in North Cotabato that opted to join the expanded Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The villages are now grouped and named BARMM Special Geographic Area (SGA).

Calinga said the families of Singh, a member of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), and that of a certain Sukarno Madidis, also an MNLF member, have been locked in a long-standing “rido” (family feud).

A village councilman has been assassinated. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1864877/retired-policeman-shoots-dead-2-men-in-cervantes-ilocos-sur

Two men were shot dead by a retired policeman in Ilocos Sur on Tuesday afternoon, November 21.

In a report on Thursday, police identified the suspect as Roberto Urbano – a retired member of Philippine National Police (PNP).

He reportedly attacked victims Luthgard Lacaden, 51, and George Guerzon Jr, 38, along Barangay Concepcion in Cervantes town.

Before Urbano fled the scene, he tried to shoot Lucaden’s wife too, but she managed to escape and hide in a nearby home.

Operatives of Cervantes Police Station responded to the crime scene shortly after the shooting.

They brought the Lacaden and Guerzon to Ilocos Sur District Hospital, where the victims were declared dead on arrival.

After authorities made negotiations for the surrender of the suspect, Urbano turned himself in on the same day.

No other details were provided such as why the suspect attacked the men.

Urbano was brought to Ilocos Sur District Hospital as well for physical and medical examination.

He is currently in the custody of police.

A retired cop shot dead two men. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865012/ampatuan-jr-gets-210-years-in-jail-for-21-graft-cases

Former Maguindanao political magnate Andal Ampatuan Jr., one of the main perpetrators of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, was sentenced to up to 210 years in jail on Thursday after the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division found him guilty of 21 counts of graft for failing to deliver over P44-million worth of fuel to the provincial government in 2008.

Ampatuan, also known as Datu Unsay and former mayor of Ampatuan town in the province, was likewise banned for life from holding public office after it was proven beyond reasonable doubt that he conspired with his coaccused.

On top of these, he was ordered to pay a total of P44.18 million, equivalent to the amount of undelivered fuel, with an annual interest of 6 percent.

The antigraft court handed down its decision exactly 14 years after the Maguindanao massacre that left 58 individuals dead, including 32 journalists and media workers. In 2019, Ampatuan and several other suspects, including family members, were found guilty of multiple counts of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The graft case against him, on the other hand, was based on the Maguindanao provincial government’s purchase of diesel in 2008 from a gasoline station he owned in Shariff Aguak municipality. The fuel was supposedly to be used for road rehabilitation projects in the province which at that time was led by his late father, Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr.

According to the court, the prosecution was able to prove that Ampatuan conspired with his father and other provincial officials to award the fuel purchase contract to his gas station.

Evidence showed that the provincial government released cash advances as payment for the fuel although it was revealed later on that “no complete delivery” was made.

The Sandiganbayan also cited the findings of a team from the Commission on Audit (COA) which said that the gasoline station could not have delivered over 1.14 million liters of diesel to the Maguindanao provincial government. According to the COA team, this was not possible since only 618,000 liters were delivered in 2008 to Ampatuan’s gas station.

“While the Court cannot determine if there was no delivery at all or if there was only partial delivery of the fuel products to the Provincial Government of Maguindanao, the said acts of the accused also undoubtedly caused undue injury to the Provincial Government of Maguindanao because public funds were released as payment for goods not completely delivered,” the court said.

The former Mayor of Ampatuan and architect of the Maguindanao massacre has been convicted of graft. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1214272

Operatives of the Philippine National Police's (PNP) anti-scalawag unit have arrested a dismissed cop and a police officer who were involved in the ransacking of the house of a retired professor in an anti-drug operation in Cavite province.

In a statement Friday, PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon said Jenerald Cadiang, a dismissed police corporal, and Senior Master Sgt. Daisy Diones, assigned at the Cavite Provincial Police Office, were arrested in separate operations on Nov. 22.

The two were ordered arrested by the Imus City, Cavite Regional Trial Court on Nov. 21 for robbery charges with a recommended bail of PHP120,000.

The arrest warrant stemmed from the complaint of a relative of the alleged drug suspect, Rebecca Caoile, 67, whose house was forcibly entered by members of the PNP Drug Enforcement Group (PNP-DEG) unit in Barangay Alapan 1-A, Imus City, Cavite on Aug. 2.

In a viral video, Caoile was heard screaming for help during the incident. It also showed that other cops who remained outside of the suspect's house were tinkering with a parked motorcycle and some police officers carrying some items from her house, including a tire and a motorcycle rim.

The police officers, who were then in civilian clothes, also allegedly took cash, a laptop, and other items from the house of Caoile, who was later arrested.

Aside from Cadiang, six other police officers who were involved in the incident have already been dismissed from the service in October -- Staff Sergeants Jesus Alday, Julius Barbon, and Emil Buna; Corporal Lew Amando Antonio; and patrol officers Reymel Czar Reyes and Rene Mendoza.

The two accused were brought and detained at Imus City Police Station.

Two cops have been arrested for robbery.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1865322/cops-accused-of-faking-arrest-warrant-to-barge-rob-trader-in-zambo-city

Five police officers had been charged in this city with armed robbery for allegedly robbing the family of a local businessman with over P2 million in cash and other personal items.

Police Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, the city police director, said the policemen faked a warrant of arrest so they can enter the house of businessman Al-Ghabid Umabong Abdul, 27, in Barangay Tetuan at around 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 14.

The warrant was supposedly against Abdul’s father, Abdurajik Abdul.

Citing the account of Abdul, Lorenzo said the armed men presented themselves as members of the police’s Regional Special Operations Group.

They then barged in, with two persons immediately going upstairs to check on the rooms, took away P200,000 cash placed on top of a drawer, emptied two vaults all containing P1.9 million cash, and carted away 8 mobile phones.

They then fled aboard a waiting gray vehicle with plate number NDZ3540.

Abdul’s narration cited six heavily armed men but the Zamboanga City Police Office had filed cases against five men only.

Lorenzo said they have already arrested the five police officers and had also filed complaints against them at the city prosecutor’s office last Tuesday; four charged with armed robbery and one with robbery in band.

A police blotter obtained by the Inquirer identified the suspects as Lt. Ariel Fernandez Jolatoria, 43, Police Staff Master Sergeant Alnajer Abdul Ynawat, 41, Patrolman Ryan Rodriguez Apostol, 31, Police Staff Sgt. Edcel Balaga Nicolas, 42, and PO2 Bobby Buscaino Judan.

Lorenzo said the four police officers were arrested in four different locations in this city, while the other one surrendered in Alicia town, Zamboanga del Sur last November 18.

Five cops have been charged with armed robbery.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/metro/889570/pnp-official-arrested-for-allegedly-firing-gun-outside-qc-restobar/story/

A Philippine National Police (PNP) official who was previously charged for suspected involvement in a hit-and-run incident was rearrested on Sunday morning for allegedly firing a gun outside a restobar in Quezon City.

The suspect was identified as Police Lieutenant Colonel Mark Julio Abong, former chief of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU), who is now assigned to the PNP headquarters’ legal service department, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Super Radyo dzBB.

QCPD-CIDU said Abong was nabbed after allegedly assaulting a waiter and firing a gun twice outside a bar along Scout Rallos Street in Barangay Laging Handa, Quezon City.

The police official was reportedly drunk and had an argument with a fellow customer.

Tension also occurred at the QCPD-CIDU office in Camp Karingal after Abong tried to leave even though a clearance from the PNP was not given yet.

Abong will face multiple complaints such as alarm and scandal, violation of the Omnibus Election Code (gun ban), physical injuries, and slander. The gun ban or the prohibition on the bearing, carrying, or transporting of firearms and other deadly weapons was set from August 28 to November 29 due to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

The QCPD-CIDU said there is enough evidence against Abong.

A cop has been charged with discharging his gun while drunk at a restaurant. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/11/28/2314859/fireman-extorting-cash-bfp-applicants-nabbed-zamboanga-del-sur

Police agents arrested a fireman long known for asking money from applicants to the Bureau of Fire Protection during a P400,000 cash payoff by a supposed victim who helped entrap him in Kumalarang, Zamboanga del Sur on Monday.

Officials of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-9, told reporters on Tuesday that FO3 Jesson Albios Casanes voluntarily turned himself in when policemen frisked and cuffed him after receiving the money in a sting on Monday in Purok Crossing in Barangay Sicade in Kumalarang.

The entrapment operation that resulted in Casanes' arrest was laid together by personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9 and units under PRO-19 and the Zamboanga del Sur PPO, assisted by officials of  the BFP's regional office in Region 9.

The operation was launched after a number of parents whose sons and daughters were duped by Casanes reported to the police his illegal activities.

Casenas is assigned at the BFP’s station in Isabela City in Basilan, a component-province of the Bangsamoro region.

His companions reportedly helped clamp him down by providing the police with information about his mulcting of money from young men and women who want to join the BFP.

Casenas is now detained, awaiting prosecution, according to officials of PRO-9. The regional office of BFP-9 had said in a statement that an administrative case shall be filed against him for serious infraction of the bureau’s code of conduct for its organic personnel.

A fireman has been arrested for extorintg BFP applicants. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1867105/walang-kaibi-kaibigan-dito-vico-sotto-slams-city-hall-worker-who-took-bribe

Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto disclosed on Tuesday that he had directed the apprehension of a city hall employee, someone he personally recommended for employment and considered a friend, for allegedly soliciting and accepting a bribe during a transaction.

According to Sotto, the employee initially asked for P15,000 in exchange for a signature from the Office of the Building Official but eventually agreed with P10,000.

(The person is my friend. I recommended him to be hired in the city hall, but we proved and showed everyone that there are no friends here. If you commit a crime, I’m sorry.)

Sotto said that the employee was entrapped and arrested but was unsure whether the complainant would proceed with filing a case.

He noted this kind of bribery scheme among city hall employees has been happening for a while. However, he said that he feels proud as the majority of the employees seem to not engage in such acts anymore.

(I’m proud of our staff; most of them are probably doing the same [in not accepting bribes].

The Pasig mayor also reminded the employees to help in changing the bribery “culture,” starting within the city hall.

(That’s why I ran for a second term as mayor; it’s my dream that after my term if I get three terms, it’s up to God, I’ll leave the LGU better.)

(Even if you change the mayor, even if all the councilors are doing their jobs… the truth is that corruption is in the culture. Let’s do our part to push back on our culture, those bad habits.)

A Quezon City employee has been busted for bribery. The Mayor says he was a friend and that corruption is part of the culture.