The numbers this week: 2 murdered government officials, 6 COA reports of financial mismanagement and ambiguities, and 1 corrupt politician recycled as the Speaker of the House.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said that at present, the government can only tap local contractors, and this has led to delays in some projects.
(That's why there are delays because there are no more local contractors who can participate in the Build, Build, Build projects.)
Gatchalian proposed to lift the equity restriction on building contractors to allow foreign construction firms to participate in the Duterte administration’s "Build, Build, Build" program.
“If we, let’s say amend the law and we allow foreign contractors to participate this year, that is possible na makahabol tayo (we can catch up) for 2022,” he added.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar had earlier admitted that there were issues with local contractors.
(Other contractors, they can't finish the projects anymore because they lack the equipment, sometimes the capital. There are also delays because of right-of-way issues.)
What was supposed to be a major works project involving Filipino companies and workers is quickly dissolving into a mire where once again foreign help is needed. Did the administration count these costs beforehand?
No wonder the traffic laws aren't enforced!
The Department of Finance wanted to recover P11.24-billion worth of tax credit certificates (TCCs) issued to unqualified—and some even non-existent—garments and textile manufacturers from 2008 to 2014.
Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III told a press conference on Friday that based on a Commission on Audit (COA) Special Audits Office (SAO) report issued on July 6, 3,288 questionable TCCs amounting were issued to 33 garments companies during the seven-year period, even as these firms were not registered with the Board of Investments (BOI), hence not entitled to fiscal and other perks given away to investors such as tax credits.
“Expect [the DOF] to pursue the appropriate charges against the public officers and private persons who manipulated and unjustly benefited from the tax credit process with the OSS,” Dominguez said.
Looks like it was in an inside job wth DOF employees manipulating the system.
The NBI’s Environmental Crime Division filed violations of the Revised Forestry Code, Philippine Fisheries Code, and Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Cawaling, former Malay Mayor John Yap, Malay municipal engineer and building official Elizer Casidsid, Kalibo, Aklan Municipal Assessor Erlinda Casimero, and Aklan Provincial Assessor Kokoy Soguilon.
They say Boracay is clean up and will be open in October but I say it won't be long before they will have to close it again for the same reasons.
The Commission on Audit has recommended the filing of charges against officials of the Presidential Communications Operations Office over allegedly anomalous disbursements for the country's hosting of the ASEAN Summit in 2017.
In its annual audit report for calendar year 2017, the COA found that out of the P219.24 million ASEAN fund, 17.7 percent or P38.8 million was found questionable.
It was found that the rental or lease of IT equipment for P4.04 million was more expensive than the selling price by P946,872.
Maybe Adanar will resign or be fired by Duterte. Whiff of corruption?
Vice President Leni Robredo said that she would still attend President Rodrigo Duterte's State of the Nation Address on Monday despite advice not to for fear that the chief executive would "insult" her during the occasion.
Robredo said that it was her obligation as the country's second highest official to attend the annual address even at risk of being openly lambasted by the president.
"Yes, I will attend even if some would like me not to. Some fear that I might get insulted, humiliated," the vice president said in an interview with reporters in Naga City on Friday.
Duterte and Robredo belong to opposing political factions in the Philippines due to a feature of the current 1987 Constitution which allows the president and the vice president to come from different parties.
Who is advising the Vice President to not attend the SONA? Why would the President insult the Vice President during his most important speech of the year? Why are these two opposing each other to the extent that they are both alienated rom the other? Because they are form differing political parties? Is there no reaching across the table? Is there no trying to work in unity for the good of the people? Just goes to show how divided and messed up the government really is.
“I am a federalist but with all due respect to the ConCom members, I am not in favor of a regional federal setup. It fragments the whole country into 18 federal states, but then (how about) the question of income?” Zubiri said in a press briefing Wednesday.
“If they make it four federal states — Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, Bangsamoro — papayag ako (I will agree with it),” he said.
Does he not understand what federalism is?
Federalism is the mixed or compound mode of government, combining a general government (the central or 'federal' government) with regional governments (provincial, state, cantonal, territorial or other sub-unit governments) in a single political system
What is the difference between 4 and 18 regions when the result is still fragmentation? His over all point is that the Philippines is too poor to support a federal system and that is great. It's always great when politicians say things that reveal a little about the true state of this nation. The Philippines is just too poor.
How is this a "people's initiative" if it originates with politicians?
At the opening of the third regular session of the the 17th Congress, Alvarez listed the achievements of both houses of Congress. He then said that a bigger task lies ahead: “dismantling” the Constitution for “robbing” the rest of the Philippines of its “chance to fully realize its potential for growth and development.”
A real altruist. He just wants to make sure the rest of the Philippines to realise its potential. Too bad he is gone now. The House will no longer continue under his leadership. Could it be because of his statements about cancelling elections?
Sources told Rappler no less than presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had convinced lawmakers to remove Alvarez.
Duterte-Carpio had launched a series of tirades against Alvarez in February after the former speaker supposedly told the media she and her father were feuding and that she formed her regional political party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, without his blessing.
Funny if true but true or not the removal of Alvarez has upset some quarters since Arroyo is a thoroughly corrupt politician. Being firmly in Duterte's camp likely means the House will continue with his agenda.
Of course she will.
For Chief Insp. Eleuterio Logronio III, head of the Intelligence Investigation Prosecution Division of the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Calabarzon police, handling cases against fellow police officers, some of them his former classmates and friends, is a daunting task.
“Many times, I, even our personnel, experienced bullying here,” he said.
When President Duterte launched his war on drugs after taking office in 2016, the number of cases against policemen rose.
About 85 percent of the cases involved policemen who killed drug suspects in buy busts, tampering with or planting evidence, or policemen testing positive for drug use.
“Police became more active in the campaign [against drugs and that’s] probably why they also became more prone to cases,” said Supt. Judy Lopez, a lawyer and chief of the Calabarzon police legal service.
As a policy, once a drug suspect is killed, a case of grave misconduct amounting to homicide is automatically filed against the policeman, Logronio said.
To his dismay, Logronio said, most of the IAS’ recommendations were overturned at the legal services. In 2017, the IAS recommended 40 policemen—the highest ranking one was a chief inspector—dismissed but only three were booted out.
He insisted that orders to overturn the rulings did not come from his superiors. “If [they did], I’d file my resignation or retire right away,” he said.
Where to start with this mess? Police becoming active in the war on drugs made them "more prone to cases"? Are criminal cases like a virus? Like walking in the rain makes you more prone to catching a cold? The PNP aren't "more prone to cases" they are taking on more cases and instead of having a bit of integrity they plant evidence and kill suspects. And why is a case of homicide automatically field against a cop who shoots a suspect? Automatically?? Where is due process? Logronio is a fool if he does think orders to overturn the rulings come from above. Duterte has said multiple times to the PNP, "Don't worry I got your back." The information in this article is certainly merely the tip of the iceberg.
The Commission on Audit has called out the Manila City government over the unreleased real property tax (RPT) shares of its 896 barangays amounting P421.847 million, which was due to them in 2017.
Furthermore, the audit team also noted that 27 of the barangays included in the city government's RPT shares distribution list appeared to be “non-existent”.
The COA pointed out that based on the “Liga Ng Mga Barangay Fact Book, Copyright 2012” the city of Manila only has 896 barangays, and yet, the in its distribution list, it identified 923 barangays as recipients of the tax shares, hence “appearing that there were 27 non-existent barangays of the City.”
The COA said the unreleased shares due to these 27 “non-existent barangays” amount to P108.733 million.
The level of graft here is amazing. There must be a whole cadre of folks in on the scheme. One or two people can't get away with giving millions to 27 non-existent barangays.
In the Philippines when the President does not curse like a drunken sailor during a public speech it's news.
In its 2017 audit report, COA accused the CWC of giving cash advances amounting to P1,050,000 to an unnamed reporter of the radio station to cover activities of the council’s National Children Month.
No contract was given and the service procurement did not go through public bidding as the law requires, the COA said in its report.
Among the services allegedly provided include arranging radio and television guestings of CWC’s executives, distributing promotional materials, and inviting other media to the council’s activities.
In what way would the Children's Welfare Council benefit? More donations? But it's a government organisation. In the Philippines journalists are either bribed or murdered.
The impending charges arose from the alleged failure of provincial officials to submit supporting documents for the use of the funds despite repeated demands by the Department of Agrarian Reform.
Citing the Commission on Audit’s findings, the Ombudsman found that the roads were “in bad condition and far shorter than the reported lengths,” and the declared accomplishments “were no longer visible.”
Philippine officials would rather pocket the money for building roads rather than actually building roads. And they wonder why the country remains poor!
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has contradicted the Commission on Audit (COA) finding that it spent P13.02 million on gold rings for its longtime employees in 2017—and singled out television network ABS-CBN for “contributing to the destabilization effort of those groups opposing the government.”
In a statement, Pagcor claimed on Thursday that the news report based on the COA’s 2017 annual audit report had “no basis.”
It said the awarding of 18-karat gold memento rings to employees who had completed 20 years of service was stopped by Pagcor chair and CEO Andrea Domingo in 2016, despite the COA unearthing such expenses in 2017.
State auditors had questioned the generous benefits and allowances given to Pagcor personnel totaling P334.8 million for exceeding the rates provided for by the 2017 General Appropriations Act and COA regulations.
Loyalty awards were found to be double the rates set by COA rules, while Pagcor’s higher-ranked officials were found to have received representation and transportation allowances that outranked even the department secretaries.
Not only is the COA report fake news but ABS-CBN is helping to destabilise the country by reporting on this fake news!
Following complaints that its automated teller machines (ATMs) were always out of cash, the Commission on Audit (COA) has called on Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) not to outsource cash loading tasks to a third party anymore.
Auditors pointed out that the budget for outsourcing services could have been used to buy armored cars to deliver the cash.
It noted that in the National Capital Region’s 268 ATM units, downtimes lasted from 1.35 hours to as long as 15 days.
That's a whole lot of downtime. Would it be much better if the did not outsource? ATMs in the Philippines are often "Offline."
Senate Bill No. 1749, under Committee Report 286, seeks to mandate owners, operators, or administrators of land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and Roll On-Roll Off terminals to provide passengers with clean, sanitary facilities for free.
Sad that the Senate had to waste time with this legislation. Sanitary bathrooms should be a no-brianer but in the Philippines they are non-existent. How detailed is this bill though? Will it mandate toilet paper? Soap? Running water? A flushing toilet? And, as is the problem with all Philippine laws, who will enforce it?
Lapeña believed that "unscrupulous players" in the port have cohorts inside the Customs agency.
Wow ya think so really? It's always an inside job.
In its 2017 audit report on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the COA said a total of P9.776 million was received by foreign service posts around the world representing end-of-service benefits for deceased OFWs from their employers.
The total amount also included benefits for 2015 and prior years amounting to P5.988 million, which also remain unremitted by the embassies in Abu Dhabi, Abuja, Amman, Bangkok, Cairo, Doha, Islamabad, Manama, Riyadh and the consulate general in New York.
“The amounts were receipted by the concerned collecting officers for remittance to the HO (Home Office) through the OUMWA (Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs) which is responsible for the payment to the legal heirs of the deceased OFWs,” the COA said.
The report also said donations received by foreign service posts for typhoon victims and financial support for OFWs amounting to P947,049 were not remitted to Manila.
Donations for victims of Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009 are still with the consulate general in San Francisco and embassies in Berlin, Brussels, London, New Delhi, Beijing, Port Moresby and Tokyo.
Meanwhile, government auditors also questioned unliquidated cash advances of officers and employees of the DFA amounting to P107.364 million.
“Most of the unliquidated cash advances were granted way back 1970s-1990s and majority of the officers and employees are no longer in the service, with some known to have passed away,” the COA said.
Donations for victims of typhoons from 2009 and 2013 still remain in the various embassies! Amazing. Simply amazing.
An online website of the government found itself in another publication gaffe after an online user noticed the phrase “di ko alam” written on the Freedom of Information website’s directory.
In his Twitter account, user peepaubau posted screenshots of the FOI’s agency directory which listed some of the fax numbers as “di ko alam” or I don’t know and “di ko pa din alam” or I still don’t know.
Pretty pathetic. This is worse than the spelling errors by the PCOO.
Art Stephen was onboard a white Ford Everest and was on his way to school around 8 a.m. Friday, when he was shot. He is a Mechanical Engineering graduating student at the Cebu Institute of Technology-University.
Bas is the son of former barangay Lagtang captain Mark Ferdinand “Dindin” Bas who was arrested last April 15, 2018 after yielding a gun, grenade and ammunition during a search inside his house. He was later released on bail.
He resigned from his position following allegations of involvement in illegal drugs.
This newly elected official is the son of an ex-offical involved with drugs. Is the motive drug related?
This article is a list of corruption scandals new Speaker of the House Arroyo has survived over the years. Thirteen to be exact. She is truly the Teflon Don of the Philippines.
THE names of OFW Party List representative, Aniceto ‘John’ Bertiz and his wife, Aimee, have come out in the affidavit executed by an owner of a recruitment agency who claimed she forked out P6.8 million to resigned Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) undersecretary Dominador Say, in exchange for the lifting of a closure order against her company.
The scandal has been forwarded by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) to the Office of Ombudsman last July 20 for preliminary investigation based on the affidavit executed by ‘Azizzah Salim,’ owner of ‘Azizzah International Manpower Services,’ a land-based recruitment agency that deploys Filipino workers abroad.
You can read an English transition of this article here:
http://www.journal.com.ph/news/nation/solon-wife-tagged. It's rather self-explanatory. Business owner pays a bribe and does not get what she wants so now she is ACCUSING THEM of corruption!! It works both ways honey.
Southern Police District (SPD) director Tomas Apolinario said based on initial investigation, Costo was directing traffic at Roxas Boulevard corner Redemptorist Street in Baclaran on Wednesday afternoon when he cautioned the bus driver against blocking traffic flow.
He then asked Mametis for his driver's license. Mametis, however, refused to give his license and even cursed and tried to bribe Costo.
Costo then boarded the bus and slapped Mametis twice.
Will the driver be charged with attempted bribery?
Councilor Elmer Sy filed a sick leave while Councilor Noli Villarosa was on a vacation leave.
Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and Councilors Caesar Distrito, Em Ang, Dindo Ramos, Cindy Rojas, Renecito Novero and Bartolome Orola were on an official trip to Long Beach, California since last week.
Only eight councilors are left, but Tan was appointed by Familiaran as the acting vice mayor and acting presiding officer.
Tan reiterated that only five councilors were present so there was no quorum.
He said this is the first time there was no quorum at the City Council.
He added they were not informed of the travel of his colleagues to Long Beach.
In his letter to Familiaran, Peter Ramirez, president of Long Beach Bacolod Association, invited the city officials to attend their events to promote the cultural and educational ties between the two cities.
How
did this guy not know that his colleagues took a trip to Long Beach if he was appointed as acting
Vice Mayor by the Vice Mayor himself? Makes no sense. Having a sister city relationship is not odd but why did it require the mayor plus 7 city council members to go to Long Beach to promote Bacolod City? They will also be overseeing a Masskarra Festival in long Beach. Just what the LBC needs!
Only 30,000? They should be able to do this anyway just because it is their job. How can it be 2018 and the Philippines passport application system is still not streamlined so that you simply fill out a form, mail it in, and receive your document within a month?
The Commission on Audit, in its latest report, said Montano was abroad 14 times in 2017—91 days of 365 days—and spent P2.277 million when he traveled to Asia, Europe, Australia and North America.
“Travel abroad for more than 90 days and more than 12 times in a year of an officer or employee is deemed excessive and may have adverse repercussions on the management of the affairs of the government corporation,” COA said.
The Department
of Tourism should be eliminated. The government does not need to be in the business of tourism. Let private companies do it. If they won't eliminate it they should at least neuter it, rewrite the rules of the DOT.
A former Aurora vice mayor, with alleged ties with the New People’s Army, was arrested in Tarlac City on Wednesdayafternoon for allegedly attempting to extort P1.5 million from his nephew.
Businessman Albert Acosta complained that Agustin, his uncle, sent him an extortion letter and a series of text messages directing him to pay a revolutionary tax.
Not just extortion! NPA revolutionary taxes too.
When the ruling came down Lorenzana was pleased and said he hoped China would abide by it. Now after two years it's an empty victory. It would not be an empty victory if it had been enforced but Duterte has routinely ignored it.
Story of the week?
The police found a blue Avon sling bag with seven sachets of shabu and a lighter, said Jose Llana, Joey’s brother.
“It was planted. He doesn’t use sling bag,” Jose said.
Jose also said he believed that the drugs were only planted to distract investigators and the public.
“To divert the issue, they planted drugs,” Jose said.
“He was a livewire, talkative, somehow, he had reckless statements, but on top of it, he was still a legitimate media practitioner,” Barcelon said.
Llana was known as a “hard-hitting” broadcaster, who tackled local and national officials implementing projects tainted with corruption and corrupt media practitioners and police.
Barcelon also said that he doubted that the shabu found in Llana’s car was his. “I never saw a visible clue that he was into drugs,” he said.
A hard-hitting journalist who exposed corruption was brutally gunned down in front of house. The PNP found drugs in the car. Maybe it was a drug related crime? But his brother says, "No." If his brother was not into drugs why would the PNP find not just shabu but a lighter too? Curiously they did not find a pipe.
It turns out though that his brother was correct. There were no drugs in the car. It was tawas!
The substance found in a sling bag inside the car of slain radio broadcaster Joey Llana was alum, locally known as “tawas,” according to Senior Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of the Bicol Police Regional Office.
Investigators are still determining, however, whether the sling bag where the eight plastic sachets containing the tawas belonged to the victim or if somebody might have left it in the victims’ vehicle.
The first article says seven sachets and this one says eight. Which one is it!? Given that this journalist went after corruption and given that men came to his house asking if he lived there just days before he was killed and given that the PNP do in fact plant evidence (scroll back up to the 12th article in this post for that) and given that his brother said he does not use a sling bag, I think it is likely that these fake drugs were planted and that a politician likely paid PNP officers to kill this man.
The give away to the whole thing is that they did not find a pipe! Just a lighter and some sachets. You need a pipe to smoke drugs. Why would he have sachets of alum and a lighter? Why? Someone forgot to place the pipe in the bag!
This is of course just my opinion and we will have to see how it all plays out but we know how the justice system works in the Philippines.
