It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091146 |
The Police Regional Office (PRO) 12 (Soccsksargen) has dismissed from service three policemen who were separately caught engaging in a cockfight in 2018 and 2019.
Brig. Gen. Alfred Corpus, PRO-12 director, said Friday he affirmed late last year the dismissal of the erring policemen based on the results of the summary hearings on their administrative charges.
Corpus identified the dismissed policemen as Chief Master Sgt. Dexter Lamanero and corporals Warren Bejar and Mark Madisdis. They were previously assigned in Sarangani, this city, and South Cotabato, respectively.
The three policemen were caught inside cockpit arenas and participating in cockfighting during the stint of now-retired PRO-12 director, Brig. Gen. Eliseo Rasco, Corpus said.
The Department of Justice ordered on Thursday the filing of criminal charges against retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde and 12 others in relation to the controversial anti-drug operation in Pampanga in November 2013.
In a resolution, the panel of prosecutors who re-investigated the case found probable cause to charge Albayalde with violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
The panel anchored its findings on Albayalde’s non-implementation of an order penalizing the police officers involved in the assailed drug operation.
The panel also recommended the filing of charges against Albayalde and the 12 police officers for qualified bribery under the Revised Penal Code.
It found that Baloyo and his men misappropriated drugs when they declared that only 36.60 kilograms of shabu was seized during their operations, while the subsequent police investigation indicated that about 200 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride was actually recovered.
The panel also found Baloyo's group chargeable with the crimes of planting of evidence, bungling of the prosecution of a drug case, and qualified bribery.
Former PNP Chief Albayalde and his men have been indicted for a host of crimes related to a drug bust made in 2013.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday vowed to expose the people behind the “onerous” water concession deal with Maynilad and Manila Water.
“I will reveal all of them. I’m just trying to finish the…I will reveal who are they so you can ask them (with)…Ayala and Pangilinan, bakit mo ginawa sa amin (why they did that),” Duterte said in a speech at the celebration of the 120-year presence of the Baptist Churches in the Philippines.
Duterte even threatened to shoot those behind the contract in their genitals if they fail to answer why they crafted the disadvantageous 1997 water concession deal.
“Bigyan mo ako ng sagot kung hindi babarilin ko ‘yang bayag mo [Give me an answer or I’ll shoot you in your genitals],” he said.
At one point in his speech, Duterte hinted at tapping his former spokesperson, lawyer Harry Roque, to help handle the government’s case against the water distributors.
“Tell them I said there’s no f*cking payment coming their way. And so I began to scrutinize the contract. And Harry is here, he will be one of the lawyers who’d they’d be facing,” Duterte said.
However, Roque told reporters in a text message that he had “no idea” what the President was talking about.
Even at an event commemorating 120 years of Baptists in the Philippines Duterte cannot refrain from cursing and uttering inappropriate things. Funny that he mentions Harry Roque and his reply was that he had no idea what Duterte was talking about.
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| https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/01/17/ano-orders-suspended-catanduanes-governor-cua-to-step-down-after-he-re-assumes-office-without-dilg-go-signal/ |
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año ordered suspended Catanduanes Governor Joseph Cua on Friday to vacate his post immediately after he installed himself back in government service without an official order from the agency.
“I will issue a memo for Gov. Cua to vacate immediately. Only the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) is authorized to reinstall a suspended local government official,” Año told the Manila Bulletin in a text message.
Año said the suspension of Cua is still in effect until April 2020. Vice Gov. Shirley Abundo heads the province as acting governor.
An informant also told the Manila Bulletin that local employees have been “suffering” amid the political fiasco in the island province, because Cua has been occupying the second floor of the provincial capitol since Wednesday as governor while Abundo is on the third floor of the same building performing the same duties.
President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit ash-covered towns in Luzon today that were badly affected by Taal Volcano’s ongoing eruption. But, Duterte being Duterte, he first had to fume about the “damned” ashfall and heroically vow to pee on the volcano — right after he’s done eating its toxic ash.
The president spoke to reporters shortly after a speech at a Philippine Marine Corps awards ceremony in Taguig City yesterday, saying that “years of smoking” had contributed to bad lungs, but that wouldn’t deter him from visiting the area. In fact, he said, he’ll even prove he’s strong as a whip by doing the unthinkable (and inadvisable).
“I was warned by my doctor to be careful [about the ashfall],” Duterte said in Filipino. “I’ll eat that ash, and I’ll even pee on Taal, that damned [volcano].”
Pointless, dumb, and idiotic.
Without mentioning them by name, Duterte warned business tycoons Manuel V. Pangilinan, whose Metro Pacific Investments Corp. has a controlling stake in Maynilad Water Services Inc., and Fernando Zobel de Ayala, chair of Manila Water Co. Inc., not to go to court to stop him from pushing a new water concession deal.
“Do not force my hand into it [by] tying me up with cases, TRO (temporary restraining order) here, then going to the courts to stop me. What you don’t want to happen will really happen,” he said in a speech in Davao City on Friday night.
Speaking to a gathering of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Duterte said he wanted “to see these billionaires inside prison,” but this time in the same manner that Marcos had incarcerated his opponents.
“One night, I will arrest them all, and you will just stay there. When will I release you? When I want to,” the President said. “It was 27 years for Marcos (sic), I will make mine 30 years, you sons of bitches.”
“I am very sure that in the hands of a competent prosecutor, I could get a conviction for plunder. But once the case is filed for estafa, on a large scale, there is no bail allowed. I would love to see these son of a bitch billionaires behind bars,” he said in his speech.
Duterte said the new contract has been finalized by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra, and that the two water companies are now reviewing it.
“I tell you: you better sign the contract because it is good for the Filipino people,” the President said.
The Duterte way of doing business!
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1215157/ex-bulacan-town-vice-mayor-village-chief-shot-dead |
A former vice mayor and an incumbent barangay chief of Pandi town were gunned down while inside a restaurant here on Sunday, police said.
Maj. Joy Villanueva Placido, chief of the Pandi Municipal Police Station, said former Pandi Vice Mayor Oca Marquez and Barangay Chairman Mauro Capistrano of Bagbaguin were shot dead by unidentified assailants.
Marquez was the younger brother of former Pandi Mayor Celestino Marquez.
Placido said the victims were at a meeting at Delo Restaurant on Plaridel Bypass Road in Barangay Bulihan when the two armed men on a motorcycle arrived, barged into the establishment, and suddenly fired at them at around 1 p.m.Two more local government officials killed by motorcycle assassins.
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| https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1840526/Cagayan-De-Oro/Local-News/27-rogue-cops-in-Caraga-dismissed |
SOME 27 police officers were dismissed in Caraga Region as efforts against the so-called scalawags in the Philippine National Police organization continue.
Brigadier General Joselito Esquivel Jr., Police Regional Office (PRO)-Caraga, said the Discipline Law and Order Section of the Regional Personnel and Records Management Division and Regional Internal Affairs Service 13 have recorded a total of 200 cases charged against law enforcers.
Among the 200 cases, 194 are already resolved and the police scalawags involved have been slapped with appropriate penalties.
A total of 27 cops were dismissed from police service, five were demoted, 41 were suspended, 14 were reprimanded, when some 184 policemen were exonerated. Three cases were dismissed.
Esquivel said the dismissed policemen were found guilty of grave neglect of duty, conduct unbecoming of a police officer and grave misconduct.
More internal cleansing.
About half of the nearly 6,000 police personnel in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) have been advised to slim down within the next few months after being found overweight and obese, an official said on Monday.
Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said the nearly 3,000 overweight and obese personnel who failed to maintain the ideal body mass index (BMI) have been directed to immediately undergo weight loss measures.
Capellan warned those who fail to shed weight within prescribed periods will be recommended to undergo “schooling” or training.
He pointed out that participation in regular training is among the requirements for promotion within the PNP.
“Some of them actually need to shed at least two kilos a month so they can reach their ideal BMI,” he said in an interview.
That is a lot of fat cops!
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091339 |
Police in the Cordillera Administrative Region are reminded to get in the habit of doing good deeds daily, an integral part of the Philippine National Police's internal cleansing program.
"This system of doing right from wrong should always be practiced in thought, words and deeds based on acceptable dictates of society and teachings of the Divine Word," Brig. Gen. Tomas Apolinario Jr., deputy chief of the PNP Directorate for Intelligence, said on Monday during the Police Regional Office Cordillera's (PROCOR) 26th PNP Ethics Day celebration.
It's funny how the PNP top brass always has to remind their officers to be good.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091407 |
Cebuanos on Sunday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte's promise to help provide funds for above-ground infrastructure projects to improve the traffic condition in Metro Cebu which, experts say, has cost PHP1.1 billion in daily productivity.
In his speech delivered before Sinulog spectators at the Cebu City Sports Center Grandstand, he said Cebu’s transportation woes will be solved with the introduction of the rail system and “above-ground infrastructures”.
“Cebu is an old city… Wala pa atong gobyerno, naa na ang inyong dan (We don’t have a government yet, you already had your roads). So when it became a city, mao nang naghuot mo (that’s why you get congested)...You cannot expand it anymore even if you’ll have mass transportation. So it’s either train or sa taas (go above ground),” Duterte said.
The President cited the development in Manila and Taiwan which he said could be copied in Cebu, where roads are narrow. “We will help you find the sources of fund of your road project,” he told local leaders.
After solving the traffic problems of Manila Duterte will now help Cebu solve their traffic problems. At least he will get them some money.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091534 |
The Sandiganbayan sentenced a former Department of Education (DepEd) official to 17 years in jail for malversation of public funds.
In its 32-page decision dated January 17 released Tuesday, the anti-graft court's First Division through Associate Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg also found Jesus Loretizo Nieves, former DepEd-9 regional director, civilly liable for the misused amount of PHP6.34 million.
Nieves' co-accused accountant Marilou T. Toloso was acquitted. Associate Justices Efren N. De la Cruz and Edgardo M. Caldona concurred with the ruling.
The case involved the transfer in 2007 of PHP6.34 million from the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) account of the DepEd-9's ATM payroll account intended for payment of the salaries of teachers to another PVB account.
Nieves, along with cashier Virginia Montero authorized the transfer. Montero died while the case against her remained pending.
The recipient PVB account was for the Belgian Integrated Agrarian Reform Support Program (BIARSP), a special project of DepEd project funded by the Belgian government.
Before the transfer of the PHP6.34 million from the payroll account, the BIARSP account had only PHP157 left as the project had been completed as early as 2003 and closure of the BIARSP account had been requested but not acted upon.
After the PHP6.34 million was transferred to the BIARSP account, the same was immediately withdrawn through a check. The sum has since remained unaccounted for.
How would anyone think this is a good scam they could get away with? They left a massive electronic trail.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091497 |
In a press briefing on Tuesday, NCRPO acting chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said Cpl. Anthony Romano, who is assigned at the NCRPO's intelligence division, tested positive during a random drug test conducted among 78 personnel last January 14.
Sinas said Romano, who was found to be using drugs for two to three years, was disarmed and will undergo a summary proceeding.
He will face charges for misconduct based on Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and will be recommended dismissed from the service by the NCRPO's regional Internal Affairs Service (IAS).
Citing Romano's confession, Sinas said another cop was with him during the pot session. Sinas, however, refused to identify Romano's companion.
Romano was also found to be having pot sessions with civilians and cops who went absent without leave (AWOL).Sounds like there is much more going on than merely a single cop testing positive for drugs. Sounds as if he sang like a bird and confessed there are other cops involved in smoking up and likely selling.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091504 |
A total of 198 Metro Manila police officers were found to be using vehicles with violations, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Tuesday.
NCRPO chief, Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas said the figure is out of 3,292 vehicles checked in various camps and stations in Metro Manila.
The vehicles were either unregistered, lack proper markings such as a plate number or found to have incurred traffic violations.
The program, dubbed as “Oplan Viserion”, is part of the PNP's internal cleansing efforts which penalizes police officers and non-uniformed personnel who buy and use unregistered and stolen vehicles.
"This is ongoing. This is held once or twice a month at different camps and stations to ensure that police personnel do not use carnapped or recovered vehicles," Sinas told reporters during a press briefing held at Camp Crame.The PNP is so corrupt that inspections have to be made at least once a month to make sure no officers are using stolen or recovered vehicles.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1217843/town-councilor-hurt-in-catanduanes-shooting |
A municipal councilor was shot by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Caramoran town, Catanduanes on Tuesday afternoon.
Captain Ariel Buraga, chief of Caramoran police, said in a report that Zaldy Idanan, 57, was onboard his motorcycle on his way home, when two gunmen shot him in Barangay (village) Datag at around 2:15 p.m.
The victim sustained a gunshot wound at the back of his body but was able to seek assistance from the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company in Sabloyon Detachment, about five kilometers away from the place of incident.
Another attempted assassination on an LGU official.
Police tagged politics but won’t elaborate on the possible motive in the killing of two village councilors of a Bukidnon town on Monday, Jan. 20 just a few steps from the village hall where they were to attend a council session.
Loreno Pedyaan and Mauricio Guinto, councilors of the village of Dominorog in Talakag town, were about to enter the village hall to attend the council’s session when they were shot at 9 a.m. on Monday.
Both were prominent personalities in Dominorog, a village populated by members of the Higaonon tribe about 54 kilometers from the center of Talakag.
Witnesses said a lone gunman approached Pedyaan and Guinto and shot them at close range and just a few meters from the village hall.
Pedyaan, who was shot in the chest, tried to run from the suspect, fell to the ground and died on the spot.
Guinto, who was shot in the head, was rushed to the Bukidnon Provincial Hospital where he was declared dead.
SSgt. Ismael Balbutin, Talakag police investigator, said in a separate interview that at least three suspects, who rode on two motorcycles, were involved.
Two of the suspects acted as lookouts, he said.
Balbutin said the lookouts stood near the village hall entrance. “They must have signalled the gunman” when the targets arrived, Balbutin added.
Police said they would give the victims’ families and colleagues time to mourn and bury Pedyaan and Guinto before proceeding with the investigation.
In an investigation time is always of the essence. The longer the investigation the harder it will be to come to a resolution. So why would the cops give their "families and colleagues time to mourn and bury" them "before proceeding with the investigation? That is bad police work.
Leading his first operation as head of the Bacolod City Police Office’s City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) on Friday, Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido and his team seized PHP420,000 worth of suspected shabu in Sitio Sibucao, Barangay Banago.
The highlight of the operation: He prayed over suspects Rolando Bernabe, 36, a high-value target, and Ma. Christina Aguia, 32, a street-level target, as shown in the video of the operation posted on the Facebook page of Aksyon Radyo Bacolod.
“Daku among kalipay, Lord magpasalamat sa imong higayon nga nag malampuson among operation dinhing Sitio Sibucao (It is with great joy, Lord that we thank you for our successful operation here in Sitio Sibucao),” Espenido said in his prayer.
“Amon kang ginapasalamatan sa paghatag nimong higayon nga walay namatay. Labaw sa tanan among na-recover ang mga illegal nga mga butang nga gihuptan niining mga tawhana (We thank you for this opportunity, and that no one died. Above all, we were able to recover the illegal items from these people),” he added.It's like a joke. It's as if this man of blood who Duterte sent to Bacolod to "kill everyone" and who has been indicted by the DOJ for homicide for the Ozamiz City raid is mocking religion and the suspects.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1218446/3-senior-cops-in-central-visayas-relieved-for-violating-pnp-golf-playing-policy2 |
Gamboa said the policemen were spotted playing golf “when they are bored” during office hours and weekdays.
“I have ordered last night the relief of three senior police officers of Central Visayas for violating my policy on not playing golf during weekdays,” Gamboa said.
“They were playing there (golf course) Tuesdays and Wednesdays and kung bored sila (if they are bored) they are playing on Wednesdays. That is why I have enough basis why they should be relieved,” he added.
Gamboa was also wary that the promotion of senior police officers, who have full colonel positions, might be affected after the police officers violated PNP’s strict policy on playing golf.PNP Officers playing golf on the job is such a problem that last year Gamboa said they will be enforcing strict measures against those who do so. Now 3 officers have been caught and sacked.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091659 |
Col. Emma Libunao, provincial director of the Bulacan Police Provincial Office, said operatives of Bulakan and Balagtas police arrested Jomel Cordez, 38, a native of Camarines Sur and resident of the said village.
Libunao said the suspect had been in military service for 12 years prior to his dismissal due to absence without leave.
Investigation showed that Cordez was nabbed during a buy-bust around 11:30 a.m. by police operatives led by Staff Sgt. Jose Simeon of the Bulakan Municipal Police Station.Imagine throwing away 12 years of a military career and then turning to drugs.
Recovered from the suspect's possession were the buy-bust money and a medium-sized sachet containing more or less 50 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of PHP340,000.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/283254/ccpo-traffic-police-group-to-intensify-campaign-against-unruly-motorists |
Follow traffic rules or get arrested.
This is the warning of Police Lieutenant Colonel Allan Rosario, head of the Traffic Patrol Group of Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to drivers and motorists who disobey traffic rules and regulations.
Rosario announced in the Kapihan sa PIA event this morning, January 22, 2020, at the CCPO conference room, that they will now strictly implement traffic rules: from the prescribed helmet, dress code, down to driving without a license and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Rosario bared that traffic accidents and undisciplined drivers are the top reasons why accidents happen on the road.They will now strictly implement traffic rules? What were they doing before??
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1091753 |
Eight government personnel have been charged by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) before the Department of Justice (DOJ) for their part in the importation of waste materials from Canada which arrived in the Philippines in 2013 and 2014.
After a nine-month investigation, the NBI found the eight responsible for issuing import clearances to Chronic Plastics Inc. which imported scrap plastic materials despite failing to complete requirements in its application for clearance to show that the company is capable of recycling the materials to be imported.
NBI investigators said Customs examiners and appraisers assigned at the Formal Entry Division of the Manila International Container Port erred for having re-routed the goods declaration to allow it to proceed to the next process despite its clear violation of DENR requirements.
The NBI noted that the import clearances for recyclable materials from the EMB must be issued 30 days before the importation.
"In this case, the importation clearance was issued after the arrival of the shipment," Nuqui said.Improper importation clearance was issued to facilitate the importation of the garbage.
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| https://globalnation.inquirer.net/184446/ph-corruption-gets-worse-falls-14-notches-to-113th-spot-in-global-index-2019 |
The Philippines slipped 14 notches from its previous ranking in the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), a rating of global anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International has shown.
In the group’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2019, the Philippines scored 34 to land in the 113th spot – a decline of 14 places from its previous rank at 99 in 2018.
The Philippines tied with five other countries namely El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Eswatini, and Zambia.
The index uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is “highly corrupt” and 100 is “very clean.”
“Many countries see economic openness as a way forward, however, governments across the region, from China to Cambodia to Vietnam, continue to restrict participation in public affairs, silence dissenting voices and keep decision-making out of public scrutiny,” the watchdog said.
“Given these issues, it comes as no surprise that vibrant economic powers like China (41), Indonesia (40), Vietnam (37), the Philippines (34) and others continue to struggle to tackle corruption,” it added.
The Philippines slipped down a 14 notches to rank 113th with a score of 34 out of 100. That's too bad.
