Retards in the Government 343

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

 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/14/village-exec-wanted-for-murder-nabbed

Police arrested a barangay official wanted for murder in Barangay Nataban, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday, December 13.

Police identified the suspect as Barangay Nataban Kagawad (councilor) Joel Ramas, 53.

Ramas is the city’s most wanted person, according to Police Lt. Col. Jesus Mesahon Jr., San Carlos police chief.

The suspect’s arrest warrant was issued by acting Presiding Judge Reginald Mercurio Fuentebella of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 59 in San Carlos City on December 1.

Ramas allegedly shot and killed his cousin due to a land dispute in 2010.

The suspect filed a motion in court to reduce the case from murder to homicide to enable him to post bail.

However, the court sentenced him for murder. No bail was granted to the suspect under the arrest warrant.

Police are awaiting a court order to enable them to move the suspect to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

A barangay councilor has been arrested on murder charges. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/14/armed-men-barge-into-ltfrb-chief-s-dagupan-home

Unidentified gunmen barged into the house of Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III in Dagupan City on Wednesday, Dec. 13.

Based on the report, the gunmen were looking for Guadiz inside the house where his 91-year old mother and househelp are staying. 

The gunmen reportedly tied the arms and feet of the maid, but did not inflict any harm before they checked every room of the house searching for Guadiz.

The men also reportedly took the two cell phones and around P1,000 cash.

Police said the armed men then hurriedly fled aboard a white van,  a black van, and a sports utility vehicle, heading south passing along Barangay Malued, bound for Calasiao, Pangasinan.

In a statement released on Dec. 14, the LTFRB chairperson said that their family is still reeling from the incident.

“This traumatic experience, especially for my 91-year-old mother, has left us deeply unsettled,” Guadiz stated.

He said that more than 10 men entered their residence.

Such an incident, per Guadiz, “appears to be more than a routine robbery – it seems personal, and the motive remains unclear.”

“While this incident has shaken our family, I remain committed to my responsibilities at the LTFRB, and I am confident that justice will be served. Updates on the investigation will be provided as they become available,” he ended.

More than 10 armed men barged into the home of LTFRB chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III in Dagupan City looking for him.

https://entertainment.inquirer.net/532731/3-qc-cops-sacked-over-viral-death-scene-video

Three police officers were relieved from their posts for their alleged involvement in the leakage of a video showing the body of actor Ronaldo Valdez who died on Sunday.

According to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), relieved was a police officer assigned at QCPD’s Station 11 (Galas) who took the video as the first responder in the crime scene. Another personnel of the station then posted the video in a Viber group. Lt. Col. Reynaldo Parlade, the station commander, was also relieved of duty based on command responsibility.

According to Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, it was QCPD director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, who ordered the sacking of the police officers.

“This is a regrettable incident that was not supposed to spread on social media. If this was taken by our police responders for documentation purposes, there should have been no problem,” Fajardo said at a press briefing in Camp Crame.

“But since this video found its way online, an investigation is now being conducted and those who would be found responsible would be liable for both administrative and criminal cases,” she added.

An investigation is still ongoing to identify the source of the video and the persons who uploaded it on social media.

3 Quezon City cops have been relieved over the uploading of a crime scene video to social media. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/21/coa-asks-capiz-state-u-to-refund-p190-000-paid-for-services-of-multi-faith-director-in-2022

The Commission on Audit (COA) has asked the Capiz State University (CapSU) to refund P190,000 paid by the school in 2022 for the services of a Multi-Faith Director.

In its annual audit report, COA said the hiring of a Multi-Faith Director under a Contract of Service is "not proper" and "without merit" since the 1987 Philippine Constitution prohibits appropriations for sectarian benefit.

It cited that the Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and COA, itself, also issued Joint Circular No. 1 on June 15, 2017 which states that "hiring under contract of service shall be limited to consultants, learning service providers and/or technical experts to undertake special project or job within the specified period."

Its report stated that the Multi-Faith Director hired by CapSU took on the functions of coordinating with the Director of Student Affairs and Campus Student Services Affairs Office and the different College Deans in the conduct of the Campus Ministry, preparing the Annual Multi-Faith activities of the University, organizing Spiritual Wellness activities, conducting outreach programs, coordinating the activities of the Multi-Faith student clubs and organizations, and offering ecumenical services such as monthly mass and baccalaureate mass.

"It can be noted that the above-enumerated functions of the Contractual Multi Faith Director are not within the technical definition of contract of service as provided in CSC-DBM-COA Joint Circular No. 1 series of 2017. The said Director is not a consultant, a learning service provider or a technical expert that warrants the hiring of his services under a Contract of Service agreement," COA said.

In his monthly Accomplishment Reports, the priest who was hired Multi Faith Director said that he conducted the holy mass in various campuses of CapSU, performed confessions in all campuses, conducted a graduation retreat in all campuses, launched a donation drive for the typhoon victims, and initiated an Easter talk with the Cardinal in April.

The audit team discovered that the university hired the priest with a rate of P20,000 a month from March 16 to Dec. 31, 2022. It pointed out that although the Contract of Service was executed both by the university and the priest on May 31, 2022, the Multi-Faith Director was already rendering his services as early as March 16, 2022.

"Thus, the validity of the contract entered by the University is doubtful," the audit team said.

The P190,000 paid to the director were recorded as account under "Other General Services," and these were either charged to Regular Agency Fund (RAF) or Internally Generated Fund. This made the funds for the contract of service "not definite," state auditors noted.

"With the above-noted deficiencies, the validity and propriety of hiring a Multi-Faith Director under a contract of service and the corresponding payment of his services in the amount P190,000.00 for CY 2022 is not meritorious," the COA stressed.

Thus, COA recommended that CapSU discontinue the hiring of priests, preachers or any religious leaders and require the immediate refund of P190,000.00 paid to the contractual Multi-Faith Director for his services rendered. Otherwise, it warned it would issue a Notice of Disallowance.

The COA has asked a university to return the money it paid to a priest they hired improperly.