Lawless Philippines: Motorcycle Helmets

Only in the Philippines does a law meant to protect the people end up hurting them.  Ok maybe not only in the Philippines. Criminals around the world use the law to their advantage. But in the Philippines it sometimes seems as if laws exist to protect criminals. In particular I am referring to the motorcycle helmet law.

This law was passed as a protective measure for motorcycle riders but assassins were able to get away with murder because the helmets masked their faces. This prompted several cites to pass laws banning the use of full-faced motorcycle helmets.

https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/road-safety/173565-ban-full-face-motorcycle-helmets-morong-rizal

Motorcycle riders in the municipality of Morong, Rizal, are not allowed to wear full-face helmets and bonnets that conceal their faces, according to a memorandum order by Mayor Armando San Juan. 

The order, dated June 2, says: "Concealment of one's face while travelling and moving around our area of jurisdiction is subject to inspection of authorities in Morong, Rizal." 

According to municipal administrator Danilo Mendoza, the order is meant to protect the lives of the general public. He cited the death of barangay captain Roger Canios, who was shot in the head by an unidentified suspect who fled on a motorcycle. 

Wearing motorcycle helmets, Mendoza said, is becoming ironic because they are used to protect the safety not of the riders or the citizens but of the killers.  

Even if Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 mandates all motorcycle riders to wear a standard helmet, Mendoza said that the helmets are being used to conceal both the identities of the riders and their intention of attacking public officials. 

(Here, the Mayor saw that, instead of protecting the people from accidents, which is the real purpose of [Republic Act] 10054, the helmets give protection to the criminals in doing their criminal acts.)

Ironic? Definitely. Here is the reasoning of the law.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy ofthe State to secure and safeguard its citizenry, particularly the operators or drivers of motorcycles and their passengers, from the ruinous and extremely injurious effects of fatal or life threatening accidents and crashes. Towards this end, it shall pursue a more proactive and preventive approach to secure the safety of motorists, their passengers and pedestrians at all times through the mandatory enforcement of the use of standard protective motorcycle helmet.

https://www.senate.gov.ph/republic_acts/ra%2010054.pdf

Morong, Rizal is not the only city to have banned full-faced motorcycle helmets.

https://philippineslifestyle.com/dumaguete-city-to-ban-motorcyclists-from-wearing-bonnets-and-masks/

April will mark the month in which Dumaguete City will outlaw all motorists from wearing bonnets and masks. The law pertains to motorcycles but will also be enforced with drivers of automobiles as well. 

The law is to thwart robbers, killers and snatchers who conceal themselves before acting out their crimes.

The PNP lent their support to Mandaue's banning of full-faced motorcycle helmets.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/422187

THE Mandaue City Government secured two high-profile supporters of its ordinance that prohibits motorcycle drivers from wearing bonnets, full-faced helmets, and masks when passing by the city. 

In an interview yesterday, Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III said he favors Mandaue City’s measure because it will help authorities identify people who use motorcycles for various crimes. 

Supt. Reyman Tolentin, information officer of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, said that enforcing the rule will help investigators do their jobs, and that he hoped other local government units, like Cebu City, will follow suit.

I am not certain at all how local laws can supersede national laws especially now in the new normal when everyone is required to wear a mask when out in public. It's not as if RA 10054 has any teeth though because the PNP does not enforce it. The cops are not patrolling the roads and pulling over helmet-less riders. Nor do the LTO officers standing around blowing whistles stop helmet-less riders. There are many riders without helmets.

What's worse is the fact that many young children are put in danger by their parents as they ride squished in-between mom and dad or right up front on the handlebars and with no helmet. But that's a law to feature another time in Lawless Philippines.

Insurgency: Vows to Crush NPA

Here we go again! Another of the AFP's top brass vows to crush the NPA.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109192

The chief of the newly-assigned 901st Infantry Brigade (901Bde) in Surigao del Norte has vowed to "decisively address" the threat of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the region. 

In a statement to the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday, Col. George L. Banzon said the recent deployment of the brigade to the Caraga region is "attuned to the President’s (Rodrigo R. Duterte) marching order to end the local communist armed conflict in the country." 

Based in the Surigao del Norte town of Placer, 901Bde welcomed Banzon as its new commander in a turn-over ceremony on Wednesday. 

Banzon underscored the importance of EO 70, saying it promotes participatory governance, "the synergy of government development efforts and enhancing the participation and responsibilities of local government units." 

It does not seem as if Col. Banzon actually vowed to crush the NPA. Instead he said he will "decisively address" the situation. To that end Col. Banzon said EO 70 is important to ending the insurgency. EO 70 is the whole-of-nation approach which aims to address and fix the underlying causes of the rebellion. Part of this approach is the E-CLIP program.

The E-CLIP (together with the Amnesty Program) was also aligned with the implementation of the NTF-ELCAC pursuant to EO 70.

http://pdp.neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Draft-Write-up-PDP-Chapter-17.pdf

While the AFP does engage the NPA in firefights it does not appear they want to crush the NPA at all. They would rather the rebels surrender and take all the benefits that come with amnesty which include housing, training, and money.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109007

A former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) has vowed to work hard to have a good future as he starts a new life with the PHP104,000 cash benefits given to him by the government. 

In a simple ceremony in Trinidad town on Tuesday, alias "Ben", a former rebel operating in Bohol who surrendered in 2018, received from Governor Arthur Yap a PHP15,000-cash assistance, PHP50,000-livelihood assistance and PHP39,000 representing the government remuneration of the firearms he surrendered to the authorities. 

"Ben" said he is grateful that the government gave him a chance to start a new life through the “abundant assistance”. 

Seeing the adverse effects of the atrocities committed by his armed group on the community, "Ben" eventually thought of ending his personal armed struggle and decided to turn himself back to the fold of law. He also surrendered his .45-caliber pistol. 

1st Lt. Elma Grace Remonde, 47th Infantry “Katapatan” Battalion’s civil military operations officer, said the financial assistance to "Ben" was given through President Rodrigo Duterte's Executive Order No. 70 implementing the whole-of-nation approach in ending insurgency. 

The program, she said, is also aligned with the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), a national program to help former rebels by way of livelihood and other assistance. 

EO No. 70 mandated the creation of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to synchronize the use of resources and capabilities of government instrumentalities and private sector stakeholders in ending the atrocities by the communist terrorist group. 

Remonde, addressing the rebels, said the “Army in Bohol will never get tired of urging you to return to the fold of law and avail the programs of our governments for you”.

P104,000 surely is "abundant assistance" for one man. What atrocities did he commit with his group? Whatever they were he will never be held accountable for them now.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109093

A total of 11 former rebels (FRs) received checks amounting to PHP86,000 each on Tuesday from the head of the government’s Task Force Balik Loob, which oversees the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). 

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, said a total of 604 former rebels have already turned over 114 firearms to government security forces since E-CLIP’s maiden implementation in Luzon and Visayas on Aug. 14, 2018 at Tanauan City, Batangas. 

He said out of the total number of surrenderers, 144 surfaced this year, 109 of whom came from Region 4-A while the remaining 35 were from Mindoro Provinces. These returnees yielded 25 firearms to the government security forces. 

“All in all, around PHP16.262 million worth of grants, have been distributed to our former rebels,” he said. 

“The former rebels under our care, and those who will decide to give up the armed struggle in the coming days, will be assisted by our troops in claiming their benefits, ensuring their safety and promoting their well-being as they rejoin our society as responsible and productive Filipinos,” he added. 

Burgos expressed optimism that more terrorists will return to the fold of government in the coming days as many in the underground movement’s rank are demoralized because of the recent signing of the Anti-Terrorism Act. 

Under E-CLIP, qualified former rebels can avail up to PHP700,000 worth of government grants which they can use to start in living peaceful lives after turning their backs from the underground movement.

Maj. Gen. Burgos is not looking to crush the rebellion. He hopes the rebels are demoralized by the new Anti-Terrorism Law and will surrender. But why would they be demoralized? The insurgency has lasted 50 years. According to the opinion of former Supreme Court Justice Antonion Carpio the new anti-terrorism law will not pave the way to declaring the CPP-NPA a terrorist group.

https://opinion.inquirer.net/131803/are-cpp-npa-rebels-terrorists

Mr. Duterte and Lacson are both sadly mistaken, because under the ATA rebels are not terrorists and cannot be declared as terrorists. First, in defining terrorism the ATA deleted all the predicate crimes, like rebellion and coup d’etat, listed in the definition of terrorism in the Human Security Act of 2007 (HSA). The crime of terrorism in the ATA is now a separate and distinct stand-alone crime, unlike in the HSA where the predicate crimes, like rebellion and coup d’etat, were the means of committing the crime of terrorism. 

Second, the ATA has been carefully worded “to differentiate terrorism from coup d’etat, rebellion, and sedition.” This is clearly shown in the Senate deliberations on the ATA. 

Third, under the ATA, whether an act is rebellion, coup d’etat, or terrorism depends on the intent of the person committing the offense. 

Fourth, the House of Representatives adopted entirely, without amendment or discussion, the Senate version of the anti-terrorism bill. This means that the House also adopted the intent and interpretation of the Senate of the provisions of the anti-terrorism bill. 

There can be no dispute that the ATA does not criminalize as terrorism acts that constitute rebellion. If the acts constitute rebellion, then the crime committed will be rebellion and not terrorism. The intent of rebels is to remove any territory or military force of the Philippines from allegiance to the Government or its laws, or to deprive the President or Congress of any of their powers. The intent of terrorists is to intimidate the public and the Government, create fear, or destabilize the political, economic, and social structure of the country. 

CPP-NPA rebels, whose intent is clearly rebellion, are not terrorists under the ATA, and consequently they, individually or as a group, cannot be proscribed as terrorists under the ATA.

According to Carpio the CPP-NPA are classified as rebels and not terrorists under the new law while under the old law they could be classified as terrorists. That is a glaring deficiency in the new law. Perhaps this classification issue will be challenged in court by the DOJ. Regardless, this is an interesting opinion and is not unlike that of Duterte when he was mayor of Davao.

http://davaotoday.com/main/politics/new-peoples-army/npa-taxation-a-reality-just-pay-them-says-duterte/

In Thursday’s trade expo, Duterte said, “I can talk, but I can’t talk them out of their ideology. You have to realize the Communist Party is entering its 45th year here. You have to admit there’s been historical injustice committed on the people.” 

Duterte said the national government should deal with the revolutionary groups by talking peace. 

“Crimes I can deal with it. But with the revolutionary (groups), I give it to the (national) government, but here, I advised government not to make arrests of revolutionaries” he said.

Even Duterte called them revolutionaries and advised against arresting them. He has seemingly changed his tune now. As ever it remains to be seen just what will happen with the status of the CPP-NPA under the new law.

The AFP was crowing earlier in the week about four high level NPA officers being caught.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1305392/4-alleged-npa-leaders-nabbed-in-kabankalan-city

Four alleged officials of the communist insurgents were collared in Barangay Magballo, Kabankalan City, about 103 km south of here, according to military officials. 

In a statement, the Army’s 15th Infantry (Molave Warrior) Battalion identified the four as Emmylo Cañares, 38; George Buga-ay, 42; Relyn Moreno, 22; and Raffy Patajo, 21. 

Based on the statement, Cañares, of San Fernando town, Cebu was said to be the secretary of the Second National Urban Center Party Committee (2NUCPC) of the New People’s Army (NPA). 

Buga-ay, who is from Kabankalan, was allegedly the finance logistics officer of the Regional Strike Forces. 

Moreno, also from Kabankalan, was identified as Regional Communication (RCOM) staff of KR-N while Patajo, of Ilog town in Negros Occidental, was the alleged squad leader of Platoon 2, South West Front, and a Regional Communication Staff of KR-N. 

Recovered from their possession were firearms and explosives including a. 45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver loaded with five ammunition, four hand grenades; P24,000 in cash, cellular phones, and chargers, USBs, subversive documents and personal belongings, the Army said. 

Lt. Col. Erwin Cariño, 15IB Commanding Officer, described the arrest as a “major setback” on the part of the NPA rebels operating on Negros Island.

Capturing these four high ranking officers sounds good but the CPP issued a statement saying these are not their people.

https://www.visayandailystar.com/2020/July/13/topstory5.htm

They are not even members of the NPA, rebel spokesman Ka Juanito Magbanua claimed, adding that those arrested are but victims of the government intensifying of state terrorism, targeting innocent civilians and labeling them as NPA top brass for bounty and to demoralize the revolutionary movement. 

Maj. Cenon Pancito III, Public Affairs Office chief of the 3rd Infantry Division, said yesterday that there is nothing new in the denial of Magbanua, stressing that they are masters in making excuses each time their group commits blunders and are now crippled by the series of combined operations against them. 

Maybe they are NPA members and maybe not. One thing's for sure the NPA assassinates ex-rebels suspected of being informants. The AFP caught one of those assassins this week.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109042

Police and military personnel arrested on Tuesday a notorious member of the New People’s Army responsible for the mass execution in Leyte in the 1980s. 

Armed with a warrant of arrest, operatives of newly created Joint Task Force “Tandaya” nabbed Felomino Salazar Jr., 69, in Tinago village, Inopacan, Leyte. He is an executive committee member of the NPA Southern Leyte Front. 

The Philippine Army reported on Wednesday that the Regional Trial Court of the National Capital Judicial Region Branch 32 issued the arrest warrant for Salazar for 15 counts of murder committed during the infamous NPA purging in the late 1980s. 

The activity dubbed “Oplan Venereal Disease” has killed about 300 Leyte residents suspected by NPA as military informants. 

“Salazar was then part of the dreaded CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA intelligence group whose main task during the implementation of the 'Oplan Venereal Disease' was to identify, arrest, investigate and execute suspected government informants within their organization,” said PA 802nd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Zosimo Oliveros in a statement. 

Former comrades who already surrendered to government tagged Salazar as the executioner of the victims of the NPA purging by the CPP central committee to cleanse its ranks of suspected government agents. 

Based on accounts of the military and witnesses, most of the victims bore brutal marks of crushed skulls with eyes still blindfolded. They suffered severe flesh wounds and broken bones before they were shot multiple times. 

The skeletal remains of 67 persons were exhumed from shallow graves at Subang Daku village in Inopacan town on Aug. 28, 2006, through the help of villagers. 

Salazar did not resist arrest since he claimed that he already surrendered to the mayor. 

He also owned up to the murders without a feeling of remorse, the military said.

No E-CLIP benefits for this guy. No E-CLIP benefits for the 124 terrorists killed so far this year either.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109348

Some 124 terrorists were killed in 279 armed encounters against communist and local terror groups in the first semester of 2020, the Philippine Army (PA) said on Saturday.  

In a statement, Army commander Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said 95 others were captured while 422 firearms were seized from these operations despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) crisis. 

"Moreover, the convergence of efforts of various government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, local communities, and the security sector have facilitated the surrender of 1,705 terrorists with 378 assorted firearms with the aggressive implementation of the whole-of-nation approach through the National Task Force in Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC)," he said. 

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

Technically and legally the Philippines does not list the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization as the DOJ has not designated them as such. Taken as a whole these numbers do not point to the AFP crushing the NPA. With 124 killed, 95 captured, and 1,705 surrendered it seems clear that the AFP is placing their bets on the rebels peacefully surrendering. 

2GO Cargo Truck Hits Low Hanging Power Lines

I was walking along and heard a noise. Lo and behold a huge cargo truck ran into a problem when it got snagged in some low hanging power lines. This event is the culmination of many things that have been documented on Philippinefails. That includes dangerously low hanging power lines and bad traffic. In this instance a cargo truck decided to take a detour through a narrow neighborhood street instead of navigating the proper route along all the busy roads. In the process the truck got entangled in some low hanging power lines.

I regret not taking a video but these pictures do tell the whole story. The truck got caught in the wires, one of the guys with the truck climbed on top and without gloves or any PPE removed the wires, and then the truck drove off. The wires also fell on a taxi which pulled forward so that the wires fell off. Imagine if the wires had been hot and he was electrocuted! Imagine if the entire truck had become electrified!

Everything about this situation is messed up but that is the Philippines. Maybe 2GO will be held accountable. Probably not and that is not the point of this post anyway. The point is to document Philippine fails and this is a doozy!

These pictures were taken on a Wednesday.  On Saturday I returned to see the aftermath and much to my surprise the wires had been lifted off the ground and placed back in the sky.

Maybe it's hard to tell but the wires are still hanging low. While that is a problem in and of itself the problem is exacerbated by any high clearance cargo trucks which might try to cut through this area. No cargo trucks should be cutting down this narrow lane in the first place. But every driver in the Philippines is looking for a shortcut.

Picture of the Week: Grotesquely Butchered Pig

In the Philippines butchers really butcher their meat. It's not always pretty. Often times you see things that resemble the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I get that there is blood and death involved in making my bacon but it can be done in a way that is less disgusting. It's certainly not reasonable to leave this out for all shoppers to see.

What is this anyway?  Did they butcher the whole pig inside the grocery store? Why? I suppose it's more sanitary than the public market though.

Retards in the Government 163

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

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1304844/south-cotabato-town-mayor-shot-dead-2

Mayor Pablo Matinong Jr. of Sto. Niño, South Cotabato was shot dead by motorcycle-riding assassins at around 7:30 a.m. Friday. 

Matinong sustained two gunshot wounds to the head. 

Police said the mayor was gunned down in Purok Libertad, Barangay Poblacion. 

A witness  said the mayor inspected  a road project in the area and was walking home and talking with several joggers and constituents when he was shot. 

A resident who was talking with Matinong prior to the incident was wounded on the shoulder. 

The slain mayor was one of the local government executives included in President Duterte’s 2016 narcolist. 

Matinong repeatedly denied involvement in the drug trade.

Another mayor on the narcolist assassinated.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1304890/cop-shot-dead-in-negros-occidental

A police officer was shot dead by men on board a motorcycle in Siaton town, Negros Oriental around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 9. 

Police Staff Sergeant Bobster Guillarawan, a member of the First Provincial Mobile Force Company based in Barangay Napacao in Siaton, suffered gunshot wounds on the body. 

He was rushed to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician. 

A police investigation showed that Guillarawan was driving his motorcycle when waylaid and shot by the assailants. 

Four persons of interest have been identified in Guillarawan’s murder, the local police said.

Another cop assassinated.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1304921/8-cebu-city-barangay-chiefs-face-raps-for-quarantine-violations

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has issued show cause orders to eight barangay captains in Cebu City for alleged breach of quarantine protocols such as tolerating basketball games and illegal cockfighting in their jurisdictions. 

(We have issued show cause orders to eight barangay captains in Cebu due to various violations.) 

(There was a barangay chairman who tolerated basketball games, violation of curfew and there was an illegal cockfighting that happened, which he did not stop, or do his duty to stop this kind of activity since our policy is stay-at-home due to the ECQ imposed over the city.)

Basketball and illegal cockfighting while the city is under a hard ECQ.

https://mb.com.ph/2020/07/11/entire-police-forces-of-two-ilocos-sur-towns-relieved-over-teenage-girls-death/

The Philippine National Police (PNP) ordered the relief of the entire police forces of the municipalities of Cabugao and San Juan in Ilocos Sur following the death of a 15-year-old who was gunned down shortly after filing a sexual assault complaint against two policemen. 

Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, director of the Police Regional Office 1, who ordered the relief directive, said a case of obstruction of justice was also filed against Capt. Ramil Llarenas, Cabugao police chief, a police sergeant, and a barangay captain for ignoring then girl’s request police escort. 

Earlier, two counts of rape and murder charges were already filed against the two policemen from the San Juan Police Station. 

“The leadership of Police Regional Office 1 and the whole PNP organization joins the entire Filipino community in the strongest condemnation of the killing of the 15-year old girl allegedly by two of our policemen, in Ilocos Sur,” said Azurin in a statement. 

“While we express our sincerest condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family, we assure that this leadership is doing its best to resolve this case as early as possible to give justice to the victims,” he added. 

Part of the effort, according to Azurin, is the filing of obstruction of justice against Llarenas, Police Staff Sgt. Merly Joy Pascua, and Barangay Captain Ricardo Quilala for failure to ensure the normal procedure in handling sex assault-related offenses, especially victimizing minors. 

“Personnel of Cabugao and San Juan Municipal Police Stations together with their Chiefs of Police were already relieved from their respective posts and will have to undergo retraining,” said Azurin. 

“As such, we cannot assure their return at said police stations for we will be stringent in vetting and screening all personnel to be assigned at Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office,” he added.

The entire police force is relieved from their posts and have to undergo retraining? Sounds like a lot of window dressing.  What kind of culture is there in the PNP that two officers would flagrantly rape a young girl and then murder her?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1108741

 Two police officers were nabbed for robbery-extortion in Masbate City, an official of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Sunday. 

Brig. Gen. Ronald Lee, PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) chief, identified the suspects as Maj. John Murray Cutaran, chief of the 502nd Maritime Police Station based in Masbate City, and SSgt. Rommel Naval. 

The two were apprehended in an entrapment operation inside their office located at Pier Site in Barangay Bapor, Masbate City at about 8:25 a.m. Sunday. 

The suspects were arrested shortly after they received the PHP200,000 they demanded from the operator of a fishing vessel impounded for alleged involvement in illegal fishing activities in the area. 

Investigation showed that the maritime policemen intercepted F/B RAV and arrested its skipper Juquin Nemeno and his 28 crew members. 

They later contacted the fishing boat owner based in Bantayan Island in Cebu province and initially demanded PHP400,000 in exchange for the release of his fishing vessel and employees. 

Two other suspects, identified as Lt. Melencio Huela and SSgt. Ronald Puerto, remain at large.

Four cops extorting fishermen. Two have been caught and two are on the run.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/326764/cebu-city-incurs-delays-on-infra-projects-worth-p634-6-coa

State auditors have called the attention of the Cebu City government over delays in the implementation and completion of at least seven infrastructure projects worth P634.6 million. 

In its 2019 annual audit report, the Commission on Audit (COA) said that the delays resulted from the failure of the city’s Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to immediately complete the detailed engineering and investigation of the projects that included phase 1 for the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) located along Natalio Bacalso Avenue. 

“Detailed engineering and investigations, surveys and designs were not sufficiently performed prior to [the] implementation of projects thus resulting in delays in the implementation or completion of infrastructure projects with a total contract cost of ₱634,583,853.82 as required under Section 17.6, Rule VI of the Revised IRR of RA (Republic Act) 9184,” the COA report said.

Hundreds of millions in projects not full implemented or completed. An old story in the Philippines.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/326716/village-watcher-laborer-nabbed-in-talisay-city-buy-bust

A village watcher from Cebu City and a laborer from Talisay City were arrested by personnel of the drug enforcement unit in Talisay City in separate buy-bust operations in Sitio Laray in Barangay San Roque Monday night, July 13, 2020. 

At least 20.8 grams of suspected shabu worth P141, 440 were confiscated from suspects Aquilles Abadia Cimafranca, 36, and Paul Tabique Lavarete, 27. 

Cimafranca is a barangay volunteer who rendered service as a village watcher in Barangay Duljo Fatima when Cebu City was placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) in June.  Lavarete, on the other hand, works as a laborer at the port area in Barangay San Roque in Talisay City.

Another village watcher busted for drugs. The barangays are full of them.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/07/14/2027910/chr-sorry-its-failures-manila-secret-detention-cell-incident

The Commission on Human Rights apologized for its failure to rescue alleged drug suspects unlawfully detained in a Manila police station secret detention cell in April 2017. 

The commission issued the statement Monday after it drew criticisms over a scene in the award-winning documentary “Aswang,” which depicted the dire situation of 12 detainees in a secret cell located behind a bookshelf at the Manila Police District-Raxabago Police Station 1. 

The twelve people were detained at a tiny cell for days without windows and proper ventilation for a week. Some were beaten and tortured. 

In a Facebook post, photographer Ezra Acayan said the “worst” part was the failure of personnel from CHR to rescue them. 

“The entire thing was reduced to a photo op. I could remember that night, me and my colleagues were disappointed to hear the other CHR people murmur to themselves, that they couldn’t spend any time longer there as they had a dinner event to catch. For most of them, the supposed rescue mission was [unpaid] overtime,” Acayan said. 

In a statement, CHR spokesperson Jacqueline De Guia said the commission acknowledges criticisms and is open for feedback from public to improve its services.  

(We apologize for our shortcoming and failure to rescue the victims on the day we discovered the secret jail.)

(Since then, we have been conducting reforms in CHR to improve the fulfilment of our mandate, which include ensuring that we will prevent inhumane acts and management of prisons in our country.)

Who knew the CHR could be so callous?  The long Facebook post goes on to say:

As journalists we were powerless. All we could do was watch as they were loaded into a jeepney to be transferred to a regular jail. The next day Bato Dela Rosa invited the media and interviewed them in their new cell. “Mas okay dito sir, salamat po” they said, in what was an odd sudden change of heart. Just the night before they were begging to be saved. 

Three years on, that night continues to haunt us. In that time, two of those detaineed have died in prison. Meanwhile, all the policemen involved had been promoted.

https://www.facebook.com/acayanezra/posts/2780602158706216

Even in the CHR there is corruption and incompetence and they are tasked with protecting the people from government abuses.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1306511/duterte-i-dismantled-oligarchy-in-ph-without-declaring-martial-law

President Rodrigo Duterte said he has dismantled oligarchy in the Philippines without declaring martial law and vowed that the remaining years of his presidency will be harsh for oligarchs. 

In a taped speech in Jolo, Sulu aired Tuesday morning, Duterte said that he can now die happy knowing that he has “dismantled” oligarchy in the country which he said has milked Filipinos and even manipulated the economy and elections for years now. 

(That’s how they played my country. So if I die, if the plane crashes, I will be very happy. You know why? Because without declaring martial law, I dismantled the oligarchy that controlled the economy and the Filipino people.) 

He then warned that the remaining years of his administration will be harsh for oligarchs.

This is such an unbelievable load that it's a wonder he even said it. It is also basically an admission that he was behind the denial of ABS-CBN's franchise which is run by the Lopez family. In the meantime the Tans, Villars, and others continue to dominate huge swaths of the economy. Later on Roque clarified Duterte's ludicrous statement with even more lunacy.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/746811/lucio-tan-ayalas-mvp-subject-of-duterte-s-tirades-vs-oligarchs-not-the-lopezes-palace/story/

Duterte's spokesperson Harry Roque said the President referred to tycoon Lucio Tan, the Ayalas and Manuel V. Pangilinan who earned Duterte's ire in the past due to some issues.

Those oligarchs still operate and have not been broken up at all. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/326912/cop-being-investigated-for-alleged-abuse-of-minor

A cop was temporarily relieved from his post as he is being investigated for alleged abuse for forcing a 15-year-old boy in Barangay Tisa to do push-ups for not wearing a face mask last Sunday, July 12, 2020. 

Police Captain Jonathan Dela Cerna, chief of the Labangon Police Station where the cop was assigned to as part of the augmentation force, said that they are still investigating the case and are contacting the family of the victim to help with the investigation. 

Based on the report from the police officer, whose identity is withheld pending the investigation, Dela Cerna said that the minor was seen outside without any facemask and violated social distancing and was immediately reprimanded. The minor at first got angry then later apologized and did push-ups on his own will. 

This report, however, was different with what the viral post alleged. An anonymous netizen sent a local online news page a post  alleging that a minor was inside the house of his grandmother when a policeman asked for him to come out do push ups as a punishment for violating quarantine protocols.

It seems the only constant in these two stories is that the boy did push-ups as a punishment for violating quarantine protocols. In the cop's story the boy was seen outside, was reprimanded, got angry, and then did the push-ups. In the second the boy was inside his grandma's house, was asked to come outside, and was forest to do the push-ups.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/327059/cop-accused-of-killing-man-in-minglanilla-being-investigated

Another police officer has been temporarily relieved from his post pending investigation of the accusations thrown against him by family members of a man who was killed in Minglanilla town, southern Cebu on June 21, 2020. 

Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, chief of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), told members of the media in a call conference on Wednesday, July 15, 2020, that they are already looking into the allegations against the cop, whose identity is withheld pending investigation. 

The issue was brought up following a post that went viral, claiming that a policeman was responsible for the killing of a 40-year-old man from Tulay Ihawan Daan in Minglanilla, which is approximately 15 kilometers from Cebu City. 

Claims from the victim’s family surfaced online on Tuesday, July 14, asking for justice for their relative’s death. 

The post of the victim’s mother stated that her son was allegedly mauled by a police officer after getting into a heated argument while the victim was just drinking with his friends. 

The victim was said to have been rushed to the hospital after obtaining bruises in several parts of his body. But he did not survive. 

Mariano said the relatives of the victim should not worry as the police is doing the basic protocols in looking into the incident. 

He also said that the cop involved was on a legitimate drug operation and that there were witnesses who said that the victim was threatening the officer. The victim, according to Mariano, had a pending case related to illegal drugs. 

“He is part of the intelligence unit in the area because the area is notorious for drug-related activities. He was just sitting in his motorbike. Based on the witnesses’ accounts, the victim was  threatening to kill the suspect by shooting him,” he said. 

But even with these reports from the witnesses and the claims from the suspect, he said investigation will be done throughly on the case. While the investigation is ongoing, he had the cop relived of his duties from the Minglanilla Police Station until further notice.

Family claims the cop killed the man for no reason. Cops say the man threatened the cop and was also involved with illegal drugs. PNP tells the family not to worry because the incident is being investigated.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109000

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, on Tuesday said 6,000 police officers who were found guilty of various administrative and criminal charges have been dismissed since he assumed post last January. 

In a press conference at Camp BGen. Simeon A. Ola here, he said dismissal of these officers is part of the PNP cleansing program aimed at weeding out erring cops from the institution. 

He said the program enabled them to get rid of at least four to six police officers a day involved in various illegal activities such as illegal drugs, criminality, and incurring absence without leave.

The PNP gets rid of four to six officers every day. Probably more because 6,000 since January averages out to 1,000 a month. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109152

The mayor of the island town of Tagapul-an in Samar province has survived an attack by an unidentified gunman on Thursday morning. 

Initial reports reaching the Police Regional Office 8 (Eastern Visayas) here disclosed that Mayor Vicente Limpiado Jr. was about to leave his farm in Sugod village at about 8:50 a.m. when his assailant shot him using an unknown firearm. 

The 47-year-old Limpiado sustained wounds on his back and was rushed to the rural health unit but was later  taken to a hospital in Tacloban City.

Another attempted assassination of a mayor.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1109163

At least 104 police personnel in Region 12 are undergoing summary hearings for various administrative violations, an official said on Thursday. 

Brig. Gen. Bernard Tambaoan, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said hearings are part of the due process by the Philippine National Police under its internal discipline mechanism. 

As of Wednesday, he said they already catered to a total of 173 administrative cases but 69 of these were dismissed for lack of merit. 

Tambaoan said some of the accused personnel were able to submit substantial evidence that they did not commit the supposed violations and just carried out their assigned tasks.
He did not cite the details of the pending cases but previous records released by the PRO-12 showed that some of the violations involved absences without official leave and related administrative breaches. 

The official confirmed that the pending cases include the administrative charges filed against Staff Sgt. Joel Cuyos, who was previously assigned at the Pendatun police station here, who was accused of engaging in extra-marital affairs. 

“This is part of the continuing internal cleansing program of the PNP,” he told reporters.
Since last year, records showed that a total of 11 policemen under PRO-12 were already dismissed from service and 10 received suspensions after being found guilty of administrative offenses.

103 cops facing administrative raps in Mindanao.