It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1268413 |
The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted 238-10 with nine abstentions to adopt the recommendation of the committee on ethics and privileges imposing another 60-day suspension without pay on Cavite 4th District Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga for repeated and escalating misconduct.
The panel cited findings that Barzaga committed fresh violations of House rules in defiance of a stern warning issued by the chamber.
Committee chair 4Ps Party-list Rep. JC Abalos said the panel found substantial evidence that Barzaga violated Section 141, Rule 20 of the Rules of the House by continuing to post malicious and defamatory content on social media from Dec. 1, 2025 to Jan. 30, 2026.
The new suspension stemmed from a privileged speech and complaint filed by Manila Rep. Rolando Valeriano, who alleged that Barzaga openly defied House authority by repeating and intensifying, the same disorderly conduct for which he had already been sanctioned.
Valeriano cited Barzaga’s social media posts accusing fellow lawmakers of receiving bribes from tycoon Enrique Razon in exchange for political support, allegations the committee found to be “reckless, defamatory and unsupported.”
The complaint also pointed to posts vilifying the late Antipolo City Rep. Romeo Acop.
Abalos said the committee considered the attacks on a deceased colleague especially reprehensible and incompatible with the dignity and restraint expected of a member of Congress.
“This constitutes a deliberate and reasoned defiance of the authority of the House and its disciplinary process,” Abalos said in sponsoring the report.
Barzaga was earlier suspended for 60 days after the House adopted Committee Report No. 28 on Dec. 1, 2025, which found him liable for disorderly behavior, including posting incendiary content and retaining publicly viewable inappropriate and indecent material in violation of Section 141A, Rule 20 of the House Rules and Republic Act No. 6713.
That report carried a clear warning that any repetition of similar misconduct would merit more severe sanctions.
Despite the warning, the committee found that Barzaga continued and escalated the same conduct during the suspension period, using social media accounts identifying him as a sitting congressman.
The House plenary directed the committee to assess Barzaga’s conduct during the suspension, after which the panel treated the new acts as a continuation of prior misconduct, not a separate case.
Abalos said Barzaga ignored formal notices to appear before the committee and publicly declared that he would not attend the ethics hearing, leading the panel to declare him in default.
“The Committee will not tolerate conduct that brings itself and the entire House into disgrace and contempt,” Abalos said.
The new suspension carries a stern warning that any further repetition of similar misconduct could warrant harsher sanctions, including expulsion from office, under House rules.
Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Barzaga has been suspended anew for repeated and escalating misconduct.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/694270/cop-police-asset-journalist-among-11-charged-in-septic-tank-killing |
A policeman, a police asset, and a journalist were among the 11 suspects charged in the gruesome killing of a police officer whose body was discovered inside a septic tank in Malolos City more than a week ago.
Police Brig. General Ponce Rogelio Penones, Jr., regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 3, said among those charged at the City Prosecutors’ Office were Police Corporal Vivencio Abalos of the Malolos city police station; Julian Salamat, alias Mon, a police informer and alleged gunman; Orland Mauricio, alias “Orly,” correspondent of a national newspaper and publisher of Bulacan paper; and Mauricio’s son Oliver Paul Mauricio alias “Sampol,” owner of the nipa hut, which was just about five meters across the septic tank where the body was dumped.
Also charged were a certain Nick James Comboy, alias NJ; Arvin Santiago, alias RV; alias Egoy/Echo; alias Jon-jon; alias Marvin and two other still unidentified suspects.
The filing of charges on Saturday, January 31, came after the arrest of Abalos, Oliver Paul, Comboy and Santiago in the morning, following the discovery and retrieval of the nearly decomposing body of Police Staff Sgt. Renato Casauay Jr., six days after he was reported missing.
The elder Mauricio, a correspondent of a national broadsheet and publisher of a provincial newspaper in Bulacan, said was preparing his counter affidavit denying any knowledge of or participation in the crime. He told the Inquirer in a phone interview on Wednesday that contrary to police’ claims, he did not own the property where Casauay was shot dead and thrown into the septic tank.
Casauay, a resident of Barangay Sta. Barbara, city of Baliuag working for the Drug Enforcement Group Special Operation Unit of PRO 3, left his house in Baliuag on board his motorcycle on Jan. 24 and went to Green St. in Felicissima village in Barangay Mojon, city of Malolos.
A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage recovered by the police and shown to the media on Tuesday showed Casauay arriving at a tricycle terminal in a vacant lot near where the nipa hut of the young Mauricio stood. Casauay was walking towards the nipa hut when he was suddenly shot six times.
One of the suspects seen and heard in the video ordered someone to immediately dispose of the body to prevent the blood from spreading. “Go, go, go, go quickly as the blood will spill.”
Maurcio said the police had linked him to the crime due to his alleged ownership of the lot where his son’s nipa hut stood.
“I am not the owner of that property where my son built a nipa hut and where the septic tank is located. It is a vacant lot used as a tricycle terminal,” he said, adding that a certification from the city assessors’ office would attest to what he was saying.
The body of Casauay was recovered inside the septic tank around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 31, six days after he was reported missing and a day after a witness reported to the police that Salamat, the alleged gunman, had come to him and confessed to the killing.
Casauay’s body was covered with cement and garbage when it was found inside the septic tank, the police report said.
Col. Rommel Geneblazo, Malolos city police chief, told the Inquirer on Wednesday the young Mauricio’s nipa hut was just around five meters away from the spot where Casauay was shot.
Casauay’s family reported him missing after he failed to return home on January 25.
The older Mauricio had sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for his protection. He also denied his son’s participation in the killing.
A policeman is among the 11 suspects charged in the gruesome killing of a police officer whose body was discovered inside a septic tank in Malolos City more than a week ago.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2178127/albuera-mayor-kerwin-espinosa-surrenders-to-cebu-city-court |
Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa had surrendered to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 in Cebu City on Thursday following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.
In a video message to his supporters, Espinosa said he went to the court at around 10 a.m. to surrender, asking for prayers for his safety.
“I would like to inform you that a warrant of arrest was issued against me at about 10 a.m., and I am now on my way to the authorities to surrender. I will not wait for the warrant to be served on me. I am just asking for you to pray for my safety, that nothing untoward will happen to me. Thank you, Albueranons, hope to see you soon,” he said.
A close aide of Espinosa said the mayor was not fully aware of the specific charges that led to the issuance of the warrant.
According to a copy of the warrant provided by the aide, Judge Merlo Pasco Bagano of RTC-Branch 14 issued the arrest order on Wednesday, February 4.
The court denied bail for Espinosa and his co-accused, Ronald Danieles Bulak, Eddie Mar Demingoy Mitra, and Marcelo Adorco.
“The background of the case is not yet clear to us because the mayor doesn’t know about this,” the aide said in Filipino.
Espinosa had earlier indicated his willingness to face any complaint but maintained uncertainty about the charges.In an online interview on February 2, he claimed the charges are part of schemes by his political opponents.
“This is another tactic of our political opponents to discredit my mayorship, similar to what they did to former Mayor Onick,” referring to his father, Rolando Espinosa Sr., who was killed inside the Baybay City sub-provincial jail on November 5, 2016, in an operation conducted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Authorities alleged that Espinosa Sr. attempted to shoot at them while a warrant was being served.
The Espinosa family has been repeatedly linked to illegal drug activities by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte.
Amid this controversial history, the younger Espinosa won the 2025 mayoral election in Albuera, with his sister, Marielle, serving as his running mate.
Last April, Espinosa also survived an alleged ambush attempt while attending a gathering at a gym in Barangay Tinag-an, which he blamed on political rivals.
Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa had surrendered to the Regional Trial Court Branch 14 in Cebu City on Thursday following the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.
Matalam Mayor Oscar Valdevieso has condemned the ambush of retired Colonel Leonardo Songcayo on Friday and offered P500,000 in cash reward for any information that would help the police identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators.
Unidentified men armed with assault rifles ambushed Songcayo, 60, in Barangay Kidama here at past noon on Friday.
Lt. Colonel Arniel Melocotones, Matalam municipal police chief, said Songcaya, a rssident of the village, was driving his Nissan Navara pick-up truck when gunmen, armed with M16 rifles and caliber .45 pistol, opened fire on him.
The suspects quickly fled on motorbike.
Police found empty shells for M16 rifle and caliber .45 pistol at the crime scene.
Songcaya is currently the president of Cotabato Provincial Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines (FSCAP) and president of Kidama Communal Irrigators’ Association (KCIA).
Police investigation is continuing.
Retired Colonel Leonardo Songcayo was assassinated by unknown gunmen.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1268639 |
More than 70 police officers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) were relieved from their posts following an alleged hazing incident in Basilan.
The officers belonged to the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 14-B under the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR), according to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño.
"All members of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 14-B were removed and replaced with members of 14-A. So, all of them, 70 plus, were administratively relieved," Tuaño said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.
Twelve non-commissioned officers, among those relieved from their posts, were positively identified by complainants, he added.
The relieved police personnel were placed under the PRO-BAR holding and accounting section in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte, pending investigation for possible violation of the Anti-Hazing Act (RA 11053).
"The PNP has zero tolerance for hazing in training and welcome rites," Tuaño said.
The complaint was initially filed by one recruit, followed by statements from 18 classmates and later 110 others. All victims are undergoing medical evaluation as investigators determine if more officers were involved.
Tuaño said the recruits suffered physical injuries, including hematoma, punches, slaps, and other forms of assault.
The alleged hazing occurred last week at the RMFB headquarters in Barangay Ubit, Lamitan City, Basilan.
An initial police report said recruits were forced to duck-walk, lie and roll on the ground, and were beaten with wooden sticks and arnis.
The National Police Commission, meanwhile, is conducting a parallel investigation, citing its mandate to uphold human rights and the lawful treatment of police personnel.
Meanwhile, PRO-BAR chief Brig. Gen. Jaysen de Guzman visited the recruits in Lamitan City and assured them of a thorough investigation.
More than 70 police officers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao were relieved from their posts following an alleged hazing incident in Basilan.
A senior citizen died after a patrol car hit the motorela or tricycle that she rode on the National Highway of Barangay Tangohay, Dimiao, Bohol, on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026.A certain Maximino Yecyec, 55 years old, a resident of Barangay Taongon, Cabatuan, Dimiao town drove the motorela.
The motorela had three passengers, namely: Marcela Mamuag, 80 years old; Mary Ann Namuag, 45 years old; and Crispa Joy Cabanas, 40 years old. All of them were residents of Barangay Tangohay, Dimiao town.
Meanwhile, the Jagna Municipal Police Station had stewardship of the patrol car, which Police Senior Master Sgt. Neil Bernil drove.
Based on the information from the Dimiao Municipal Police Station, authorities received a call regarding the incident, and immediately went to the scene.
In the initial investigation, they found out that the motorela was traveling to Valencia while the patrol car was traveling to Jagna from the Regional Trial Court Branch 50 in Loay, Bohol.
Upon reaching the place, the motorela made a stop, and one of the passengers stepped out of the vehicle. However, the patrol car suddenly hit the motorela, which resulted in damage to both vehicles.
The driver and the two passengers, Mary Ann and Crispa Joy, were brought to the nearest hospital for immediate medical treatment.
However, the 80-year-old Marcela died on the spot.
Currently, Bernil remains in the custody of Dimiao Police Station for possible filing of charges against him.
A senior citizen died after a PNP patrol car hit a motorela.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/02/08/bfp-personnel-tagged-in-alleged-recruitment-extortion-scam-arrested-in-pangasinan |
A fire officer allegedly involved in the illegal recruitment scam was nabbed following the complaint of a female applicant during an entrapment operation in San Carlos City, Pangasinan, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said.
The 35-year old suspect, who holds the position of Fire Officer 3 (FO3) and is currently assigned at the Candon City Fire Station , was collared by the police and BFP operatives during the February 6 sting operation at a local establishment in Barangay Rizal.
In a formal complaint, the 28-year old victim claimed that the fire officer supposedly received a total of P90,000 for her with the promise of a guaranteed slot in the BFP Region 1 Office.
Despite fulfilling all requirements, the victim was never enlisted with the suspect agreeing to return a portion of the money amounting to P30,000, “which led to the coordinated intervention by police and BFP intelligence units.’’
Following the operation, authorities recovered 30 pieces of P1,000 bills from the suspect, which served as vital evidence for the illegal recruitment process.
BFP Chief Jesus Fernandez. called on the public to come forward and report similar illegal recruitment schemes to help weed out the scalawags in the bureau, as he emphasized that applicants are not required to pay to gain entry in the BFP as recruitment is strictly based on merit and fitness.
A fire officer allegedly involved in the illegal recruitment scam was nabbed following the complaint of a female applicant during an entrapment operation in San Carlos City, Pangasinan.
Ten Angono, Rizal police officers were relieved from their posts and placed under restrictive custody for allegedly arresting a criminology student on a falsified drug charge and demanding P100,000 for his release, the Police Regional Office Calabarzon (PRO 4A) said on Wednesday.
“The Police Regional Office Calabarzon will conduct its own parallel internal investigation to determine the accountability of those involved and to ensure that due process is strictly observed,” PRO 4A said in a statement.
“As an immediate administrative measure, the subject personnel were administratively relieved, disarmed of their issued firearms, and placed under restrictive custody of the Administrative Holding Section of the Rizal Police Provincial Office, pending the outcome of the investigation,” it added.
The 10 cops are facing an administrative complaint for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer before the National Police Commission (Napolcom), which was lodged on Tuesday by the victim, Nestor Makabenta Jr.
Napolcom Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan previously identified the officers as a police captain, a police chief master sergeant, two master sergeants, five staff sergeants, and a police corporal, all with the municipal police’s anti-drug unit.
The PRO 4A affirmed its support and pledged cooperation for Napolcom’s investigation.
“We reiterate that PRO Calabarzon stands for integrity, professionalism, and respect for human rights,” PRO 4A said.
“Any personnel found to have violated the law and PNP rules will be dealt with accordingly. There will be no whitewash, and no one is above the law,” it added.After lodging his complaint, Makabenta told reporters that the officers arrested him in Angono on Nov. 10, 2025 and pressured him into saying he was buying drugs from two suspects nabbed in the same area during a buy-bust operation an hour prior.
Makabenta said the officers demanded that he pay P100,000 to be released, but he pleaded with them to allow him to only pay P50,000, citing expenses for his pregnant partner.
His sister sent the P50,000 to one of the officers through an electronic wallet, yet Makabenta was kept in detention until the Angono prosecutor’s office junked the case against him last Jan. 27.
Calinisan earlier said he was considering recommending criminal cases against the officers as well for planting of evidence, robbery, extortion, and illegal arrest.
Ten Angono, Rizal police officers were relieved from their posts and placed under restrictive custody for allegedly arresting a criminology student on a falsified drug charge and demanding P100,000 for his release.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2026/02/10/soldier-fatally-shot-inside-camp |
A soldier was gunned down by a colleague inside the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) in Jamindan town, Capiz province.
The victim was a 26-year-old private first class (PFC) and a native of Libungan town, Cotabato province.
According to the Jamindan Municipal Police Station (MPS), the incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 9.
Police Capt. Jaypee Silvestre, Jamindan MPS officer-in-charge, said the victim and the suspect, a 31-year-old private from Lambunao town, Iloilo province, were drinking with collagues and the victim even helped the suspect walk back to his barracks as he was allegedly drunk and could no longer walk straight.
Other soldiers were roused from their sleep when they heard a gunshot and saw the wuounded victim who was taken to the hospital inside the camp where he was declared dead from a bullet wound in the head.
Police have yet to determine the motive.
Silvestre said that other soldiers told police there was no bad blood between them.
The suspect is in the custody of the Jamindan MPS and will be charged with murder.
A soldier was gunned down by a colleague inside the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) in Jamindan town, Capiz province.
