Retards in the Government 190

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

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1383940/clandestine-shabu-lab-in-subic-bay-freeport-zone-busted-4-cops-nabbed

Four police officers who are allegedly protecting a clandestine shabu (crystal meth)  laboratory inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales, and another individual, were arrested during a drug buy-bust operation on Friday.

The laboratory could produce at least 3 to 4 kilograms of shabu daily, investigators said.

Those arrested were identified as Lt. Reynato Basa Jr., Cpl. Gino Dela Cruz, Cpl. Edesyr Victor Alipio, Cpl. Godfrey Duclayan Parentela. Also arrested was a certain Jericho Dabu.

Adrian Alvariño, regional director of PDEA – National Capital Region, said the syndicate behind the operation of the clandestine laboratory is composed of a Canadian national, a Filipino who delivers the shabu, and the four police officers from the Subic Station Drug Enforcement Unit “who is (sic) their protector and helps them dispose of the illegal drugs.”

He said a follow-up operation is ongoing for the arrest of the Canadian national.

Four cops from the Subic PNP Drug Enforcement Unit have been arrested or protecting a drug lab run by a Canadian national. The Olongapo police Chief has also been fired over this incident.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/359252/jail-officer-shot-dead-in-danao-city

At least eight still unidentified individuals are being considered as suspects behind the killing of a jail officer in Danao City on Thursday evening, January 14, 2021. 

The Danao City Police Station said Jail Officer 2 Reymond Roble Vasquez, 34, did not make it alive at the hospital after he was gunned down past 10:30 p.m. in Sitio Sta. Cruz, Barangay Dunggo-an in Danao City, northern Cebu.  

Police said the crime occurred right in front of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology – Danao City office (BJMP-Danao), and that they received the shooting alarm from a concerned citizen around 10:35 p.m. 

“According to the BJMP-Danao personnel, the (victim) was on duty and his post was outside of the BJMP-Danao premises,” they said.  

Based on the initial closed circuit television (CCTV) footages the investigators obtained from BJMP-Danao’s office, four motorcycles were seen surrounding Vasquez’s multicab shortly after the victim went inside his vehicle.  

Investigators added that the eight suspects, all of whom were seen wearing face masks, peppered Vasquez with bullets. 

As a result, the victim sustained several gunshot wounds in his head and his vehicle was riddled with bullet holes. 

A jail guard was assassinated by 8 unknown men for unknown reasons.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127507

Narcotics agents have arrested a former staff of the Iligan City Anti Drug Abuse Council (ICADAC) in a buy-bust operation Thursday evening in Barangay Luinab here.

Agent Neil Pabilona, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) assistant provincial officer for Lanao del Norte, identified the arrested person as Wilrap Losorata, 28, who yielded five sachets of shabu with an estimated market value of PHP54,400.

Losorata was under surveillance for several months based on the information provided by previously arrested personalities, Pabilona said.

Another (former) government official arrested on drug offenses.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1384663/2-police-rookies-face-dismissal-for-drug-use

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas has ordered the pre-charge investigation and initiation of summary dismissal proceedings against two police non-commissioned officers who were found positive for drug use.

 Sinas said Pat. Reyland Lacap Intal from the Olongapo City Mobile Force Company and Pat. Benhur Ismael from the 2nd Sulu Provincial Mobile Force Company have been disarmed and placed under restrictive custody by their respective units while investigation is ongoing.

Two more cops fail their drug tests.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/359562/lawyer-municipal-councilor-7-others-nabbed-for-illegal-cockfighting-in-tuburan

Nine individuals including a lawyer and a municipal councilor were arrested around noon of January 15 after they were caught engaging in illegal cockfighting in Purok 1, Sitio Matnog, Barangay Putat, Tuburan town, northwestern Cebu.  

The violators are currently detained at the Tuburan Municipal Police Station and will be facing charges for violating Presidential Decree 449 or the Cockfighting Law of 1974 as amended by Presidential Decree 1602, Section 9 (e) of Republic Act 11332 or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Events of Public Health Concern Act, and the Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code.  

According to a spot report, the lawyer will also be facing a separate criminal case for violating Section 31 of RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunitions Regulation Act after he was found in possession of a registered firearm without legal authority.   

CDN Digital is withholding the identity of the lawyer and his councilor-brother as we are still reaching out to get their side.

Confiscated from the area were 7 dead fighting cocks, 19 live fighting cocks, cash worth P48, 410, a variety of medicines for fighting cocks, syringes, nylon cords, gaffs, one (1) 9mmx9 PARA, and some gambling paraphernalia. 

Another LGU official caught engaging in illegal cockfighting.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/359858/retired-army-colonel-tagged-in-killing-of-cebu-lawyer-wounding-of-another-lawyer

Another retired Philippine Army official was arrested for his alleged involvement in the killing of a lawyer in Cebu City. 

The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) accused Retired Colonel Edwin Layese of taking part in the fatal shooting of Lawyer Joey Luis Wee. 

Lawyer Renan Augustus Oliva, director of NBI-7, told reporters in a press conference on Monday, January 18, that they found out that Layese also happened to be part of a separate shooting incident involving another lawyer – Joseph James Gupana. 

“While we were conducting the investigation, we found similarities in the execution and profiles involved in the two attacks,” said Oliva in a mix of Cebuano and English.

Layese was arrested within the vicinity of Fuente Osmeña last January 13, 2021, NBI-7 said. He will be facing charges of murder and illegal possession of firearms. 

Authorities earlier arrested another retired official from the Philippine Army, identified as Edgar Benigno Fausto Peralta, for the killing of Wee. 

Wee, 51, was shot in the head in front of his law office in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City last November 23, 2020. 

Gupana, 74, on the other hand, survived an ambush-slay attempt in Barangay Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City last October 10, 2020.

Oliva said they believed Layese and Peralta were moonlighting as guns-for-hire.

Cebu City PNP thinks retired Army officials are working as guns-for-hire. Are there more? Who is hiring them?  Why would they take the job?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127837

The Sandiganbayan has convicted two former Lanao del Norte police officers who enforced the demolition of houses without a valid court order.

In a decision dated Jan. 15, the anti-graft court’s First Division found Rey Armodia Camanian and Lauro Rocaberte Diputado guilty beyond reasonable doubt of three counts of grave coercion and sentenced them to up to three years imprisonment for each count.

The two former members of the Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte PNP Civil Service Unit, along with then Mayor Rommel Arnado, was charged in a complaint filed by the Sambuat family after the policemen barged into their property and destroyed their homes even after they showed them copies of their title to the property.

Two cops convicted of demolishing a family's house without a court order.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1385619/village-chief-shot-dead-in-leyte-town

A village chief was gunned down by a still unidentified assailant along the national highway in Barangay Bobonon, Alangalang town, Leyte on Tuesday morning.

Another village chief assassinated.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127795

Two police officers of the Eastern Police District (EPD) are ordered dismissed from service after they tested positive for illegal drug use.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas identified the erring policemen as Cpl. Regie Alilano, assigned at the Pasig City Police Station Sub-Station 6 and Pat. Arnel Agustin of the District Human Resource and Doctrine Development Office. The two are undergoing summary dismissal proceedings.

Sinas said a random drug test administered to 76 EPD personnel last Jan. 13, 2021 screened and confirmed traces of methamphetamine in the urine specimen of Alilano and Agustin.

Both police officers have been disarmed and placed under restrictive custody.

"We will not stop until we completely cleanse the police force of drug-using members," Sinas said.

Two more cops test positive for drugs.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127922

Police authorities in Kidapawan City have launched a manhunt for three men who ambushed and injured a village chairperson on Tuesday evening.

Col. Ramel Hojilla, Kidapawan police director, said several leads are being pursued against the armed men who ambushed Albert Espina, chairperson of Barangay Sto. Niño, Kidapawan City.

Hojilla said Espina, 38, was heading home in his Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up with his wife and child at 7 p.m. when they were flagged down by still unidentified gunmen along a dimly-lit road in Purok 7.

“One of the suspects opened fire on him using a .45 caliber pistol,” he said over a radio station here Wednesday.

Hojilla said Espina sustained bullet wounds on his elbow and shoulder and is recuperating at a private hospital. 

Another attempted assassination against a village executive.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/01/20/2071713/89-barangay-captains-suspended-over-sap-cash-aid-anomalies

President Duterte announced Monday night the preventive suspension of 89 barangay captains for six months over alleged irregularities in the distribution of social amelioration program (SAP) cash aid intended to cushion the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his weekly televised address, the President read the list of suspended barangay captains after conducting his weekly meeting with core members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

“Itong mga barangay captains, I warned you. ‘Pag umpisa pa lang sinabi ko na do not f**k with this. Itong pera sa pantawid. ‘Yong panahod ng COVID na namigay ang gobyerno ng pera para sa mga mahihirap. Sinabi ko na, lalo na sa barangay level, na ‘wag na ‘wag ninyo gawin (I warned you from the beginning, do not mess with this money for the poor),” Duterte said during his nationwide address.

The President stressed the barangay captains would be under preventive suspenion for six months.

89 more LGU officials suspend over anomalous SAP transactions.

https://politics.com.ph/jail-officer-nabbed-for-raping-lesbian-boarder/

A Bureau of Jail Management officer assigned in Taguig City has been arrested for the alleged rape of a 26-year-old lesbian, who was his tenant.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified the officer as Ramon Carolino. 

According to the NBI’s report to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office, Carolino raped the woman after a drinking session at his house on January 16.

Carolino allegedly forced the woman to have sex with him at gunpoint after their drinking buddies left the house. The victim was a boarder at the officer’s residence. 

The NBI said the victim reportedly suffered mental trauma after being raped. She has been referred to the bureau’s behavioral department for therapy. 

“The victim could not stop crying when she arrived at the NBI office and fainted several times, during the process of the investigation,’’ the report read.

Carolino claimed he and the victim had consensual sex, but results of the medical exam on the woman showed lacerations or injuries in her genitals.

A BJMP employee is accused of raping his tenant!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1386247/cop-girlfriend-nabbed-in-camarines-norte-drug-sting

A police officer and his girlfriend were arrested in a search operation in Daet town in Camarines Norte province on Wednesday morning.

Lieutenant Colonel Chito Oyardo, Daet police chief, said Police Senior Master Sergeant Jacky Palomar, 40, assigned at the 2nd Police Mobile Force Company of the province, and Mylene Delos Reyes, 29, were arrested in Barangay Magang at 11:45 a.m.

Oyardo said they were identified as members of the “Rey Gutierrez Drug Group” operating in the province.

Confiscated were 50 grams of suspected shabu (crystal meth) worth P350,000, a caliber 9mm with 15 live bullets, and a stolen Toyota Hilux vehicle.

“He was under surveillance after previously arrested drug personalities identified his involvement in the group,” Oyardo added.

Palomar was allegedly protecting the operation of the group, causing other anti-illegal drug operations in the province to be compromised, Oyardo said.

He has been in service with the Philippine National Police for 18 years.

Another cop busted for being involved in drugs. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1128052

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Debold Sinas, on Thursday ordered a deeper investigation on the Binangonan Municipal Police Station following the arrest of two “civilian assets” for alleged extortion activities.

Sinas directed Calabarzon PNP director, Brig. Gen. Felipe Natividad, to place Binangonan police chief, Lt. Col. Ferdinand Ancheta, under investigation for command responsibility over alleged extortion activities of his subordinates that was confirmed in the entrapment operation on Tuesday by the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) right in front of the town hall.

“I will not let this incident pass without implementing appropriate criminal and administrative action against those involved," Sinas said.

The IMEG operation resulted in the arrest of Albert Domingo alias Joel, and Pablo Dolfo alias Botchok, both civilian assets of Binangonan Police Station.

Domingo and Dolfo were identified by IMEG as the persons who extorted money from a certain Stephen Kellu in exchange for the release of an impounded motor vehicle.

During the entrapment operation, IMEG operatives also discovered that a "person under police custody", Cpl. Archieval Perez, who is facing non-bailable charges for infidelity in the custody of prisoners, was outside the detention facility and serving as lookout during the extortion pay-off using two mobile phones for communication, IMEG director Col. Thomas Frias Jr. said.

Kellu also identified six members of Binangonan Police Station as involved in the alleged extortion.

They are Senior Master Sgt. Randy Andanar; Staff Sgt. Joel Acosta; Staff Sgt. Joe Sevillena; Cpl. Allan Alvarez; Cpl. Marson Tayaban; and Cpl. Ew Armenis.

Six cops allegedly involved in extortion activities.

Coronavirus Lockdown: All Jabs Are the Same, Military Tanks, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government.

It's finally happened. The new mutated strain of the virus has reached the Philippines.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/01/14/2070343/new-covid-19-variant-now-philippines-doh

The new and more contagious variant of COVID-19 that first emerged in the United Kingdom has been detected in the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) announced last night.

In a statement, the DOH and PGC said that following strengthened biosurveillance and border control efforts, the B-117 SARS-CoV-2 or the UK variant was detected in the Philippines after samples from a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Jan. 7 “yielded positive genome sequencing results.”

The patient is a male resident of Quezon City who departed for Dubai on Dec. 27, 2020 for business purposes. He returned to the Philippines on Jan. 7 via Emirates Flight EK 332.

The patient was accompanied by his female partner during his trip.

However, the woman tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, upon arrival.

“Both of the returning Filipinos had no exposure to a confirmed case prior to their departure to Dubai nor had any travel activities outside Quezon City,” the DOH and PGC said.

Two people traveling together, both were not exposed to any known cases, and yet one of them tested positive for the new variant. Sounds like the virus is airborne and if that is the case then all the health protocols in the world won't stop its spread. Already 8 passengers on the same flight tested positive for the new variant.

Lawmakers and others are asking about how much Sinovac's vaccine cost. The Palace says they got the BFF price and that it was somewhere around P650.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/14/21/palace-china-sold-covid-19-vaccine-to-philippines-at-bff-price

Beijing offered the Philippines the COVID-19 vaccine from its state-backed Sinovac Biotech at a "BFF" or "best friend forever" price, Malacañang said on Thursday, after a lawmaker urged the government to rethink the procurement over efficacy concerns. 

The Philippines has booked 25 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine, which Senate finance committee chair Sen. Sonny Angara earlier said cost around P3,600 per 2 jabs. 

Communist China is "not driven by market forces" and can "unilaterally fix" its vaccine prices, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. 

(We were given a price fit for their BFF.)

(If I am not mistaken, that is just the third most expensive out of 6 brands, so it is in the mid-range. There is no sense to the claims of critics that Sinovac is very expensive.)

A confidentiality agreement covers the prices of vaccines, and Roque said he was "not at a liberty" to disclose Sinovac's exact cost. 

It seems the Filipino people have no right to know how much of their tax moneys went to pay for this vaccine. To all those who balk at the though of getting a Chinese jab Duterte says Sinovac is just as good as Pfizer or any Western vaccine.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/01/13/2070375/claim-all-jabs-are-same-duterte-defends-sinovac-purchase

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday renewed his trust for COVID-19 vaccines developed by China, even going as far as claiming that all jabs are just the same despite developers reporting different efficacy rates.

The president in his weekly address was seemingly responding to criticism that the administration is preferring the Chinese-made Sinovac despite 50% efficacy and yet the second most expensive.

(This vaccine is as good as any other that the Americans or Europeans developed. The Chinese are not lacking in mind.)

Sinovac's efficacy remains unclear to date, but its clinical trials in Brazil showed it was at 50.4%, compared with other jabs such as Pfizer at 95% and AstraZeneca at 70%. It had been the subject of concern at home, even from lawmakers, who had criticized the move to procure 25 million of Sinovac's doses.

(The one they picked is better. This is more effective and we would get this early. For those who don't want it, you're on your own.)

Obviously a vaccine with a 50% effectivity rate is nowhere near as good as one that has a 95% effectivity rate.

In response to the presence of the mutated virus the government has extended the travel ban until the end of the month.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127461

The Philippines has extended the travel ban on countries with confirmed cases of B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant, or the United Kingdom (UK) variant, until the end of January, Malacañang announced on Friday.

To curb the spread of the new variant in the country, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved the recommendation to extend the temporary travel restrictions until January 31, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

“Travel restrictions in more than 30 countries extended until January 31, 2021,” Roque said.

Travelers from the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, the United States, Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, Brazil, Austria, Pakistan, Jamaica, Luxembourg, and Oman are prohibited from going to the Philippines.

Studies found that the UK variant is nearly 70 percent more transmissible than the original Covid-19 variant. However, there is no evidence yet that it is deadlier than the previous variant.

The list could grow as the new mutation spreads. The DOH says they will be testing all incoming travelers and any who test positive will undergo genome sequencing.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1383964/all-incoming-travelers-with-covid-19-to-undergo-genome-sequencing-doh

(Aside from countries with travel restrictions, we are now going to test all of those passengers or incoming travelers coming from all countries. Once they arrive here, they will undergo swab test and the specimen of those who will test positive will be tested for genomic sequencing.)

(It’s part of the evolution of the virus. It will mutate. It will produce new variants. We cannot have a total travel ban forever, so we need to adapt. We just need to prevent its entry and to strictly comply with and implement our protocols.)

Further, Vergeire said that the government will only add countries to the travel ban list if it is confirmed from official sources that they have the new virus variant.

Hopefully the Philippines can find a way to adapt without shutting down all travel.

Cebu has called out the military to prevent people from celebrating Sto. Niño.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/359394/military-tanks-sent-to-cebu-city-brgys-celebrating-fiestas-this-weekend

Military tanks were deployed to certain areas in downtown Cebu City starting Friday night, January 15. 

Uniformed personnel with long arms also roamed streets in these areas to make sure that residents stay at home. 

Personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Central Command (Centcom) are tasked to prohibit Cebuanos who will be celebrating the feast of the Señor Sto. Niño this Saturday and Sunday from gathering, said Councilor Joel Garganera, the deputy chief implementor of the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). 

EOC has sought help from Centcom to especially secure Barangays Suba, Pasil, Ermita, and Sawang Calero ahead of the fiesta Señor celebration on Sunday. 

As a tradition, residents in these areas would converge to hold their own Sinulog activities to celebrate the annual feast of the Holy Child. 

Residents of Barangay Pasil, for example, is known for showering water to devotees, a practice that they have been doing for years. 

Garganera said military personnel will stay in these barangays until Sunday to control the crowd. 

“We sent Centcom tanks to Barangays Pasil, Sawang Calero, Suba and Ermita in anticipation of the crowd in tomorrow’s fiesta celebrations,” he said.

Garganers aid the village chiefs of the four barangays have also been warned against allowing fiesta celebration otherwise they will have to face administrative charges for violating quarantine protocols.

How much of that is really necessary? 

While the Philippines has breached 500,000 total cases some areas, such as Bataan, have seen no new cases. This has prompted the IATF to allow this areas with no zero transmission to transition to the "new normal." Problem is they do not know what that means.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127728

In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved “in principle” his proposal to place some areas of the country under the “new normal” classification next month.

He said the basis to determine areas to be placed under the new normal classification will be based on scientific data, specifically case doubling rate and critical care capacity.

“(Well it will still depend on data because we follow analytics when it comes to determining quarantine classifications. But what I can say is, I have long pushed for and the IATF has approved my proposal to declare areas under the new normal -- these are places with no new transmissions)” he said.

Roque said placing some areas under the new normal classification may spark hope among the public that the life can continue even if Covid-19 vaccines are yet to be available locally.

“(In this case, we can have hope that there is an end to the Covid-19 pandemic even if we don’t have vaccines yet because there are places with no transmission. So that we can determine if they can return to normal),” he added.

Currently, he said the IATF is now formulizing the “dos and don’ts” in areas to be placed under the new normal classification.

“(What they are crafting now are the dos and don’ts under the new normal because once we transition to a new normal, some might start to hold rock concerts. That’s what we need to clarify, the dos and dont’s),” he said.

New normal, according to IATF guidelines, refers to the “emerging behaviors, situations, and minimum public health standards that will be institutionalized in common or routine practices and remain even after the pandemic while the disease is not totally eradicated through means such as widespread immunization.”

“These include actions that will become second nature to the general public as well as policies such as bans on large gatherings that will continue to remain in force,” the guidelines read.

I thought we were already in the new normal. It seems odd that the IATF has not crafted guidelines for the new normal after almost a whole year. Roque's claim that "some might star to hold rock concerts" is rather absurd and is probably hyperbole but still very absurd.

DOH Secretary Duque says the Philippines will need cold storage facilities by August but those who own cold chain storage units say the government has not contacted them despite their reaching out.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1383826/cold-chain-group-offers-help-awaits-word-from-govt

The government is expecting the first shipment of the vaccine for COVID-19 next month but the country’s cold storage operators, who could have key roles in the distribution of the potentially life-saving shots, are still awaiting official word from the authorities on how they could contribute to control the pandemic.

The country’s biggest cold-chain association had expressed its willingness to play a major role in the storage of coronavirus vaccines in partnership with the government.

Anthony Dizon, president of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP), told the Inquirer on Thursday that no one from the government had formally reached out to his sector for help, leaving it out in the cold, unsure about whether it must now prepare the equipment to store vaccines.

“We have on several occasions already manifested our capability and willingness to be part of the vaccine distribution program,” Dizon said in an interview. “We have spoken with some people in [the] government to deliver the same message but up to now, there has been no active coordination from any agency or government involved in this vaccine program expressing intention to link up with the private sector.”

If it's such a necessity then why hasn't the government coordinated with these people who are willing to help out? Why wait until the last minute like they are doing now?

The government is getting ready for the vaccines by holding a mock vaccination clinic.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127844

The city government of Manila on Tuesday started its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination simulation as part of the Manila Vaccination Plan (MVP) program.

“We want to achieve, to practice, together with our Manila Health Department (MHD), hospital directors, and medical front-liners, to see the possible scenarios that may slow down the process and avoid mishandling of the vaccines,” Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso said in a mix of English and Filipino during the simulation program at the Palma Hall of the Universidad de Manila (UdM).

He said the city government decided to conduct a “mock vaccination” while waiting for the arrival of vaccines.

Domagoso said the simulation showed that the vaccination process itself may last from five to six minutes if the patient has already pre-registered through the website manilacovid19.com.

For walk-in or unregistered individuals, he said there may be an additional five minutes on top of the six minutes.

Domagoso, however, clarified that the said time does not include the individual’s schedule for queuing.

After receiving the vaccine, the patient will be asked to stay at a holding area for about 30 minutes to 1 hour under observation for any adverse reaction.

After the vaccination, the person’s data will be found in an ID indicating the name of the person who administered the vaccine, the vaccine’s lot number, its brand, and the date it was given.

The said ID, Domagoso said, will be the person’s proof that he is already vaccinated against Covid-19, which he may present when he reports back to work or when traveling.

Sounds like the whole process will take a little more than an hour. Hopefully they can work out all the kinks and make it a smooth process.

Yet More Coronavirus Signs and Situations: Coronavirus Essential Packs

File this under yet more coronavirus signs and situations. People are definitely trying to make money off the pandemic. While sellers have been instructed not to inflate the price of face shields and face masks there's a more subtle con happening.  

These are COVID essential packs sold by a local pharmacy. Let's take a closer look.

In this first pack we have hexetidine bactidol and throat lozenges. Both of these products are used for sore throats.  One to suck and one to gargle. 

In this pack we have Cosmo Cee and Centrum.  That is Vitamin C and a multi-vitamin. 

In this COVID essential pack we have facial tissue, vitamin C I think, and Phenylephrine which is a decongestant.

This COVID essential pack is just ascorbic acid which is vitamin C. 

Now for the break down. COVID-19 is a virus which can effect the lungs, the brain, and even the heart. And it can last for months.

Most people who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely within a few weeks. But some people — even those who had mild versions of the disease — continue to experience symptoms after their initial recovery.

These people sometimes describe themselves as "long haulers" and the condition has been called post-COVID-19 syndrome or "long COVID-19."

Older people and people with many serious medical conditions are the most likely to experience lingering COVID-19 symptoms, but even young, otherwise healthy people can feel unwell for weeks to months after infection. The most common signs and symptoms that linger over time include:

• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Joint pain
• Chest pain

Other long-term signs and symptoms may include:

• Muscle pain or headache
• Fast or pounding heartbeat
• Loss of smell or taste
• Memory, concentration or sleep problems
• Rash or hair loss

Although COVID-19 is seen as a disease that primarily affects the lungs, it can damage many other organs as well. This organ damage may increase the risk of long-term health problems. 

COVID-19 can make blood cells more likely to clump up and form clots. While large clots can cause heart attacks and strokes, much of the heart damage caused by COVID-19 is believed to stem from very small clots that block tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the heart muscle.

Other parts of the body affected by blood clots include the lungs, legs, liver and kidneys. COVID-19 can also weaken blood vessels and cause them to leak, which contributes to potentially long-lasting problems with the liver and kidneys.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-long-term-effects/art-20490351

All of that is from the Mayo clinic in Minnesota. They make COVID-19 sound rather awful and for those who are already unhealthy it probably is. So will Vitamin C help prevent the virus? How about a multi-vitamin? Throat gargle? Do I need to tell you the answer is a resounding "No?"

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-coronavirus

No supplement will cure or prevent disease.

With the 2019 coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, it’s especially important to understand that no supplement, diet, or other lifestyle modification other than physical distancing, also known as social distancing, and proper hygiene practices can protect you from COVID-19.

Vitamin C won't help you though it sounds good. This pharmacy is selling the public the appearance of health and prevention but in reality it's all bunk. What you have here is an opportunistic company doing what their kind always does and that's attempting to take your money. Don't give it to them.

Insurgency: Dismantle All Communist Fronts

The AFP continues to announce that they are winning against the NPA. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127119

The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Philippine Army is winning in its campaign against the communist terrorist groups (CTGs) in Panay.

Maj. Cenon Pancito III, the spokesperson of the 3ID, in an interview on Wednesday, said they have “successfully achieved” their objectives for 2020.

Data provided by the spokesman showed that last year 15 barangays in Panay composed of 11 from Iloilo and four from Capiz were cleared from the influence of CTGs.

Their continuous campaign also resulted in the neutralization of 25 CTG members to include one who surrendered from Capiz; while in Iloilo four were killed, 12 have surrendered, and eight were apprehended.

Their operations yielded a total of 11 low-powered firearms and eight high-powered firearms.

“Our tools and tactics have proven effective as government troops retain the upper hand in our fight with the insurgents,” Pancito said.

Among those that tactics employed were the deployment of community support teams in the so-called influenced barangays, focused military operations, and active participation on the whole of nation approach.

Pancito said though Barangay Katipunan has been cleared from the influence of the CTGs, there is still a need to revisit the place.

He said Katipunan is within the “guerrilla base” of NPA rebels so there is a need to follow up after they carried out community support program efforts.

“For now we have deployed seven teams to nine adjacent barangays so the cleared areas will be widened and will not be easily recovered by the enemies. We have noted that these areas are the stronghold of the NPAs, they have been there for decades so we need to have more intensified efforts in our clearing,” he added.

In the NPA stronghold of Samar the PNP says continual operations have resulted in losses for the Reds.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127440

Communist terrorists have suffered losses during three days of internal security operations by the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Samar this week, the country's top cop said on Friday.

PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said a newly-recruited New People's Army (NPA) fighter identified as Alger Morillo, a native of Northern Samar, died in a clash with government troops in Barangay Inubod, Matuginao, Samar that lasted for an hour and 15 minutes on Jan. 10.

On Jan. 11, a 10-minute encounter ensued in the village that led to the recovery of more equipment and supplies left by the fleeing NPA terrorists.

On Jan. 12, a SAF team recovered an improvised sniper rifle after a three-minute encounter in the same area.

Meanwhile, police units in the Caraga Region conducted checkpoint operations to intercept communist terrorists fleeing from the encounter with Philippine Army (PA) troops in Sitio Katikuyan, Barangay Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte on Jan. 13.

After seizing a cache of weapons the PNP says the NPA is also weakening in Palawan.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127076

Joint operations conducted by the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) and other security forces resulted in the recovery of a New People's Army (NPA) arms cache in northern Palawan over the weekend.

In a statement on Tuesday, PNP chief Gen. Debold Sinas said troops from the SAF's 101st Special Action Company, members of the Police Regional Office 4B (Mimaropa), and military troops seized high-powered firearms and other war materiel in Sitio Lanka, Barangay Bintuan, Coron, Palawan at around 4 a.m. of Jan. 9.

Recovered were two M-16 assault rifles, four rifle grenades, magazine assemblies, a bandolier, and 184 rounds of M-16 ammunition.

"The continuous operations of our troops have resulted in the NPA’s weakened state. The latest confiscation of this cache of high-powered firearms further incapacitates their key operatives," Sinas said.

Continuing operations have had the NPA either on the run or arrested. It turns out that the insurgency s a family thing in some cases.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1126981

Three “notorious" siblings who are communist New People’s Army (NPA) combatants from Surigao del Norte were arrested in series of police operations in neighboring  Misamis Oriental Saturday afternoon (January 9).

In a press statement Monday, the Police Regional Office-13 (PRO-13), identified the siblings as Jolly D. Ejos, 45; Reneboy D. Ejos, 40; and Nelson D. Ejos, 32, all residents of Purok 1, Barangay Tinago in Malimono town, Surigao del Norte.

“The three notorious brothers are members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) involved in the killing of a certain Rogie M. Malig-on, 43, last December 18, 2018, in Purok-4, Barangay Hanagdong, Malimono, Surigao del Norte,” Brig. Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr., PRO-13 director, was quoted in the statement as saying.

Caramat said the Ejos brothers are members of Guerilla Front 16 of the NPA's North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee and are on the list of top 10 wanted persons in Surigao del Norte.

Those brothers sound like bad dudes. But not every family member of the insurgency is guilty of crimes. Some are very innocent. One girl who was arrested last year for being a suicide bomber says her parents recruited her.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/suicide-bomb-suspect-indonesia-philippines-01152021160026.html

A young Indonesian who was arrested in the southern Philippines on suspicion of preparing for a suicide bombing mission claimed that her now-dead parents had compelled her to join the Islamic State group, the region’s top military commander told BenarNews. 

Rezky Fantasya Rullie (alias Cici and Nini Isarani) – who is believed to be in her teens or early twenties – was allowed to meet with Indonesian Consul-General Dicky Fabrian on Wednesday, said Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, the chief of the military’s Western Mindanao Command who attended the meeting. 

Last October, Philippine troops arrested Rullie with two Filipinas suspected of plotting suicide attacks and who were married to members of the Abu Sayyaf Group, a pro-Islamic State (IS) group based in the Philippine south. 

Vinluan said Fabrian wanted to meet with Rullie to make sure “if she is really an Indonesian” by seeing her in person. The meeting took place at the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group detention facility in southern Zamboanga city, where she is being held. 

“Cici narrated that, at first, she was not aware and then there was this forced marriage to one of the suicide bombers,” Vinluan told BenarNews. He was referring to Andi Baso, a suspected Indonesian suicide bomber in training who is believed to have been slain by Philippine government troops in August 2020. However, his body has not been recovered.

A forced marriage to an Abu Sayyaf member resulting in her being a suicide bomber. Pretty sad. Some are even more innocent.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127244

A suspected Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebel left her two-month-old son in the house of a villager in Talisay City, Negros Occidental to evade soldiers patrolling the area early morning on Wednesday.

Troops of the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) arrived after learning about the presence of communist-terrorists in Hacienda Ambulog, Barangay San Fernando, prompting the woman, identified as “Ka Jandy”, and her comrade, “Ka Moneth” to flee.

“We are saddened that the two-month-old baby was abandoned by her mother because of a senseless cause. ‘Ka Jandy’ had a choice, but she chose to leave her child and go against the government,” Lt. Col. Gerard Alvaran, commanding officer of 79IB, said in a statement.

The infant was turned over by the Philippine Army and the Talisay City Police Station to the care of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

Around 2:20 a.m., the troops came to the house of Marilyn Dianton and found the baby. Dianton told them that he is the son of “Ka Jandy”.

They recovered subversive documents with high intelligence value, medical supplies, including a pack of birth control pills, infant’s clothes, feeding bottles, disposable diapers, and other baby stuff, as well as food items such as rice, canned goods, and instant noodles.

The troops also seized three mobile phones, seven phone batteries, two cellular phone chargers, a power bank, and a gas stove with five butane fuel canisters.

"Subversive documents with high intelligence value." Now what could that be? Hopefully the AFP does not do as usual an ignore the intel. Perhaps it is good this lady abandoned her baby because for one thing now it is safe and for another it could prompt her to surrender and avail of all the benefits the government wants to give.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127216

A total of 222 former rebels in Northern and Central Luzon received PHP15.9-million financial assistance through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) last year.

This is apart from the other benefits offered by different government agencies such as the “Pangkabuhayan Package” from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); educational scholarship offered by the Department of Education (DepEd); skills development training offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and housing assistance from the National Housing Authority (NHA).

Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr.,  Nolcom commander, for his part, cited the importance of E-CLIP “in weakening and eventual dismantling of the communist terrorist group in our area of operation.” 

“With this principle, continuous improvement, progressive change, Nolcom will sustain its efforts and will continue finding innovative ways in support to the implementation of the program,” Burgos said.

He expressed confidence that “more terrorists will surrender in the coming days due to the prevailing demoralization across their ranks brought about by the diminishing support of the community, as well as the lingering fear in their minds brought about by the neutralization of key personalities in their group.” 

P15.9 million divided among 222 people equals roughly P71,621 each. And that does not include benefits from other government agencies. Truly surrendering is like winning the lottery. 

The AFP is so pleased with these current successes that they are pushing to completely dismantle the NPA by the end of 2021.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127619

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gilbert Gapay has ordered all his commanders to totally dismantle all remaining New People's Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts as the communist terrorists have been seriously weakened by government offensives.

 

"All remaining communist guerrilla fronts shall be simultaneously addressed and defeated toward the end of 2021. I noticed a lot of these NPA units have been weakened so this is our target for all the Unified Commands," he said in a statement late Saturday.

 

Gapay also ordered all area commanders to set priority targets per quarter along with their task to expedite the clearing of identified focus areas to hasten the dismantling of remaining guerrilla fronts.

 

A total of 54 so-called guerrilla fronts remains with nine other regional armed groups which were already decimated and on the brink of collapse. This came after the successful dismantling of 22 communist fighting and propaganda units.

 

"Focused military operations shall be intensified in order to destroy the armed groups, taking advantage of our newly acquired game-changer assets," Gapay said.

54 guerrilla fronts remains but no word on how many fronts there were before or how many fighters make up these fronts. Hopefully they succeed or get very close to success in their endeavor. The AFP says three have already been dismantled in Southern Tagalog.

“The Southern Tagalog NPAs lost another three guerilla fronts as the government’s campaign to end local armed conflict intensifies,” Captain Jayrald Ternio, head of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) public information office, said in a statement.

The three rebel strongholds were formerly being operated by communist guerillas in the provinces of Quezon, Batangas, Cavite, Rizal, Laguna and parts of Bulacan and Aurora, according to Ternio.

He described the “guerilla fronts” as local NPA organizations supposedly “responsible for extortion, murder of government officials including AFP and PNP members, harassment of businesses and destruction of flagship projects”.

“The dismantling of these fronts has effectively put an end to the NPA’s terroristic activities in most parts of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon),” Ternio said.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1384917/3-npa-fronts-in-southern-tagalog-dismantled-army

Sounds like the campaign is working.

While the AFP and PNP continue their hot war against the NPA LGU's continue to proclaim the NPA as persona-non-grata.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127484

At least 1,513 villages in Eastern Visayas have declared the New People’s Army (NPA) persona non-grata in 2020, the Philippine Army reported on Friday.

The number represents 34 percent of the region's 4,390 villages, said Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division chief of staff, Col. Perfecto Peñaredondo, in a press briefing. 

"We want all villages to declare the NPA as persona non-grata this year for all our communities not to be influenced by the communist ideology," Peñaredondo said.

The military official considers the support of local governments as a turning point in the battle against the NPA because the government has shifted from the military operations approach to whole-of-nation approach where all government agencies from national to local, including the private sector, work together to eradicate insurgency. 

The declaration of local governments has contributed to the surrender of 2,754 NPA fighters and die-hard supporters in the region last year, according to the official. 

"We also encourage villages in urban areas to pass a resolution declaring the NPA as persona non-grata since they are also the target for recruitment," Peñaredondo added. 

The formal rejection of local governments is among the key accomplishment of the local task forces on ending local communist armed conflict in 2020.

If it works it works. The Congress is convening a charter change assembly and Senate President Sotto wants to ban party-lists who are working to overthrow the government. This is in reaction to the accusations of certain party-lists in Congress being communist fronts.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/13/21/sotto-eyes-bill-to-limit-party-lists-to-groups-not-working-to-overthrow-government

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday said a bill is being crafted in the Senate to ensure that only marginalized representatives and groups not "working for the overthrow of government" would be qualified to join the party-list race. 

Sotto earlier said President Rodrigo Duterte had suggested amendments to some provisions in the Constitution to ensure that Makabayan bloc lawmakers - accused of working for communists - would be disallowed from having seats in Congress. 

But, Sotto said, "there is no mention of any Makabayan bloc or any sector."  

"It will be the marginalized sector that will be mentioned and clarified and sino ang puwede magrepresent sa kanila (who are eligible to represent them)," he said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay online forum. 

The Makabayan bloc qualifies under this standard as party-list groups under the the coalition represent women, farmers, and teachers, among others. 

Members of the bloc have been vocal in criticizing lapses in various administrations and frequently stage rallies against several government policies.

"We can come up with a provision that if you are working for the overthrow of government, you cannot be qualified," Sotto said.

What is the point of not including the Makabayan bloc when they are they group accused of being a communist front? Didn't Joma Sison himself name them as a communist front group in a speech in 1986?