Friday, October 18, 2024

Retards in the Government 387

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

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1991704/army-sergeant-kills-wife-2-others-inside-isabela-military-camp

A 32-year-old Army sergeant fatally shot his wife, mother-in-law, and another man on Thursday afternoon in what police suspect to be a crime of passion.

Investigators said the incident occurred around 2 p.m. inside Camp Melchor Dela Cruz of the 5th Infantry Division in Upi village.

The gunman, identified as Mark Angelo Ajel, was assigned to the 503rd Infantry Brigade in Calanan, Tabuk City, Kalinga. Military police apprehended him shortly after the shooting.

One of the victims was identified as van driver Rolando Amaba, from Santa Cruz in Benito Soliven, Isabela, who died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds from a 9mm pistol.

Ajel’s wife, Erlinda Ajel, 35, succumbed to her injuries while being treated at the Isabela Doctors General Hospital in Ilagan City.

The suspect’s mother-in-law, Lolita Ramos, was declared dead at Providers Medical Center in Naguilian, Isabela.

Six bullet casings were recovered at the scene.

Authorities said Ajel and the victims were inside a van and allegedly engaged in an argument before the shooting occurred.

Police were looking into a crime of passion as the motive, while the suspect is now in police custody. 

A 32-year-old Army sergeant fatally shot his wife, mother-in-law, and another man on Thursday afternoon in what police suspect to be a crime of passion.

Anti-narcotics agents intercepted a village councilor in Jolo, Sulu during a drug bust on Thursday, seizing PHP20 million worth of shabu.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director Gil Cesario Castro of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) said 46-year-old “Yusop” of Barangay Lakit, Panamao, Sulu was caught in Barangay Tulay after selling drugs to a poseur buyer.

An accomplice fled after realizing they were dealing with undercover agents.

Authorities recovered three vacuum-sealed packages of shabu weighing around three kilograms, along with the buy-bust money, mobile phones and a motorcycle.

Yusop, a high-value target, remained in custody awaiting charges under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

A village councilor has been busted for drugs. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/599821/dalaguete-mayor-9-others-face-raps-for-death-of-welder

The incumbent mayor of Dalaguete town in Cebu, Ronald Allan Cesante, is currently facing multiple charges for violations which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old construction worker last June 5, 2024.   

Authorities also filed similar charges to three other government employees and five private individuals following the accidental fall of Jerson Enseñales. 

The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) filed charges of alleged graft and corrupt practices, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, and grave misconduct (except for respondents who are private individuals) against: 

1. Ronald Cesante – Incumbent municipal mayor of Dalaguete, Cebu 

2. Expedizitas Lenares  – Municipal engineer for the local government of Dalaguete 

3. Fernando Armecin – Engineer for the local government of Dalaguete

4. Ernie Amarado – Engineer for the local government of Dalaguete

5. Juan Castillo – Junior project engineer from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH 7)

6. Peter Paul Dy Jr. – President of the construction firm that was hired by the LGU 

7. Arthur Dy – Vice President 

8. Sally Lugtu – Treasurer

9. Mary Joy Dela Cruz – Secretary 

10. Henry Dy – Staff member 

NBI-7 recommended to the Office of the Ombudsman of the Visayas the filing of both criminal and administrative charges against the individuals above on Thursday, October 10. 

This decision was made based on the result of an investigation launched after a complaint was made by the victim’s mother, Mengred Gegremosa, and sister, Jonamie Enseñales, last July 11. 

As the breadwinner of their family living in Sitio Lapa, Brgy. Mantalongon, Jerson had been working as a job order employee at the local government unit. He worked as a welder in various constructions projects in their town. 

On June 4, however, he was allegedly pulled out by a municipal engineer to work under a private company for the construction of a covered sports complex located in Brgy. Matoray. 

A day after he started, Jerson accidentally fell off the top of the sports complex and died instantaneously. 

Aside from suspicions of foul play, Jerson’s family raised concerns that he was not given any safety equipment while working at the construction site. 

During NBI-7’s investigation, they discovered that while the fall was accidental, there was conspiracy involved leading to the death of the construction worker. 

Lawyer Renan Oliva, director of NBI-7, said that the construction project was awarded to a private construction firm.

Instead of the firm’s own resources, however, the project was being built by job order employees of the LGU. 

Moreover, they were using equipment, such as dump trucks, owned by the local government.

Because the project was supervised by municipal engineers, Special Investigator Wenceslao Galendez said that there was a presumption that it was approved by the LGU. 

Authorities saw a violation to the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Actbecause of the alleged use of public funds for a private purpose, said Oliva. 

The investigation also said that none of the construction workers were provided safety equipment, a circumstance that should have been pointed out by the supervising DPWH-7 engineer. 

According to Galendez, the engineer said that their only concern was to ensure that the complex was built according to the qualifications. 

(They have no concern actually on who did the actual (project). That is what he said. But anyway, if he would say that he supervised them, he shold also know that the workers did not use safety equipment.)

Galendez said that the engineer, who did not alert the company of the safety violations, was probably aware that the resources were from the LGU. 

Oliva told reporters that they invited the respondents to their office to give them a chance to air their side. 

However, none of the members of the private company came and the mayor only sent a representative due to a conflict in schedule. 

Nevertheless, their investigation was complete and they gathered sufficient pieces of evidence which allowed them to proceed with the filing. 

Their evidence included documentary evidence, such as the victim’s payslip, and testimonies of his fellow job order employees. 

The incumbent mayor of Dalaguete town in Cebu, Ronald Allan Cesante, is currently facing multiple charges for violations which resulted in the death of a 21-year-old construction worker last June 5, 2024.   

Officials of the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Police Office reportedly clamped down on Sunday, October 13,  seven members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group wanted for stockpiling undocumented firearms and explosives.

The seven CIDG personnel based in Sultan Kudarat province in Region 12, Police Staff Sgt. Mark Lester Cabangan and his subordinates, Patrolmen Dagie Peligro, Rex Borlagdatan, Joevin Aven, Arjoe Gamino, Joven Pasaylo and Raymark Ortega, are now detained.

Reports by radio stations in Central Mindanao cities and provinces on Sunday quoted Col. Bernardo Lao, Sultan Kudarat provincial police director, as saying that the seven CIDG members were arrested based on a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 19 in Tacurong City.

The court had also ordered the arrest of two CIDG officers, a major and a captain, now subject of a manhunt.

Lao said the criminal case against them stemmed from a CIDG operation somewhere in Sultan Kudarat that went awry. He declined to provide more details about it.

He said one of the officers listed in the warrant of arrest from the RTC Branch 19 had signified intention to turn himself in to the Sultan Kudarat provincial police. 

Seven members of the CIDG have been arrested for stockpiling undocumented firearms and explosives.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1235509

An active police officer, his cousin and two cohorts were slapped with double murder cases by the Bulacan Police Provincial Office (BPPO) before the Malolos City Prosecutor's Office on Monday.

Col. Satur Ediong, BPPO director, identified the suspects as S/Sgt. Ulysses Fernan Castro Pascual, his cousin Cezar Mayoralgo Gallardo Jr., alias "Lupin" and alias "Jeff."

Ediong said Pascual is currently stationed at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The four, who have gone into hiding, are the main suspects behind the slay of Ramil Capistrano, president of the Provincial League of Barangays in Bulacan and his driver, Shedrick Suarez.

The victims were ambushed in Barangay Ligas here on Oct. 3.

The provincial government also offered PHP500,000 for information about the whereabouts of the suspects.

In a press conference at the Governor's Office also on Monday, Ediong said there are two witnesses under their custody who can point to the identity of the suspects, who are all from Navotas City. 

A PNP officer and three others have been charged with assassinating Ramil Capistrano, president of the Provincial League of Barangays in Bulacan and his driver, Shedrick Suarez.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/10/16/2392836/20-bucor-personnel-sacked-misconduct

Twenty personnel of the Bureau of Corrections have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and other offenses since BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang assumed the post in 2022.

BuCor data showed that 70 personnel have been suspended, 10 fined and 19 reprimanded.

Catapang said these disciplinary actions were imposed for offenses such as gross neglect of duty, serious dishonesty, misconduct and insubordination.

The move is part of the BuCor’s efforts to remove misfits in the agency and ensure accountability within the ranks, he said.

Catapang emphasized that the actions taken reflect his firm commitment to reforming the BuCor.

“This is a clear message that we will not tolerate any misconduct and inefficiencies in our organization, while we will reward with promotion those who uphold ethical standards to ensure effective and fair delivery of public services,” he said.

Twenty personnel of the Bureau of Corrections have been dismissed from the service for misconduct and other offenses since BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang assumed the post in 2022.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/16/nbi-asked-to-probe-mayor-of-dalaguete-in-cebu-over-road-project

The mayor of Dalaguete in southern Cebu province is facing another complaint.

An engineer on Wednesday, October 16, asked the National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) to investigate Mayor Ronald Allan Cesante for alleged irregularities in the conduct of a road concreting project in the town.

Ildebrando Almagro questioned the use of the town’s equipment in the project even if the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-funded project was awarded to private contractor Soccor Construction.

“I have been observing this road construction since it is very close to my house, therefore, I could monitor it every day. I took pictures of the workers, most of them I know personally to be employed by the municipality of Dalaguete,” Almagro said in his complaint.

Almagro alleged that construction work on the P9.5-million project on ML Quezon St. is supervised by Engr. Expeditas Lenares, the municipal engineer.

Although the road project is yet to be finished, Almagro said it is already showing severe scaling, an indication that substandard materials were used in the construction.

“Sir, this modus has to end. Our government is paying twice for one and the same project. Twice because first, our municipal government is spending for the project and second, the DPWH released the funding for the same project. Clearly, someone pocketed the funding from DPWH,” Almagro said in his letter-complaint addressed to NBI-7 Director Renan Oliva.

Almagro’s complaint came about a week after the NBI-7 filed a string of criminal charges against Cesante and nine other persons.

The mayor of Dalaguete in southern Cebu province is facing another complaint for alleged irregularities in the conduct of a road concreting project in the town.

https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/16/porac-mayor-9-other-town-execs-charged-with-graft-over-raided-pogo

Graft complaints have been filed against Mayor Jaime C. Capil of Porac, Pampanga and nine other  town officials over the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegally operating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) that was raided by authorities due to reported criminal activities, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said late Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 16. 

Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor Ramoncito Ocampo Jr., a member of the DOJ-led Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), said the complaints were filed before the DOJ by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Aside from Capil, also named in the complaints were Vice Mayor Francis Laurence Tamayo; Business Permit and Licensing Office head Emerald Salonga Vital; Sangguniang Bayan members Rafael M. Canlapan, John Nuevy L. Venzon, Rohner L. Buan, Michelle B. Santos, Hilario DC Dimalanta, Essel Joy C. David, and Addrian R. Carreon.

They were accused of violating  Section 3(e), (f), and (j) of Republic Act (RA) 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Ocampo said “this was a result of a case build-up and coordinating conference with our partners in the Department of Justice, the PAOCC, and the CIDG, and including my IACAT Team….”

He said that more complaints will be filed over the Porac POGO.

“We are still crafting and evaluating the inputs presented by law enforcement and hopefully next week we will file the third set of cases concerning Porac,” he said

“The other two case were already filed including one that is already undergoing preliminary investigation,” Ocampo noted.

In violating Sec. 3(e) of RA 3019, Ocampo said the respondents caused “undue injury to any party including the government or giving any private party any unwanted benefits, advantage or preference.”

Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor James Escalona, a member of the IACAT team, explained the respondents violated Section 3(f) for not taking action to the law enforcement reports that alleged criminal activities were taking place in Lucky South 99.

“This has something to do with the investigation of the CIDG and complaints of human trafficking and other illegal activities taking place but no action was done by the mayor and the councilors,” Escalona said.

As to violating Section 3(j), San Fernando Assistant City Prosecutor Jose Teodoro Leonardo Santos, a member of the IACAT team, said “napag alaman sa mga dokumento na nagkaroon ng business permit ang Lucky South 99 from 2021 to  2023 kahit na may mga problema sa dokumento sa application (it was discovered from the documents that Lucky South 99 was granted business permits from 2021 to 2023 even though there were problems in the applications).”

“‘The application forms were blank but still got processed,” Santos said. 

“The primary purpose of Lucky South is outsourcing and not a POGO so this violates its primary and secondary purposes,” he added.

Graft complaints have been filed against Mayor Jaime C. Capil of Porac, Pampanga and nine other  town officials over the operations of Lucky South 99, an illegally operating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator that was raided by authorities due to reported criminal activities.

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