Retards in the Government 197

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

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132665

A policeman was killed while two others were wounded in an ambush Friday morning along the national highway in Tupi town, South Cotabato province.

Col. Jemuel Siason, South Cotabato police director, said the policemen were aboard a private vehicle and proceeding to this city when they were waylaid by unidentified armed men carrying automatic rifles around 6 a.m. at a portion of Purok 15B, Barangay Polonuling.

He said the vehicle’s driver, as Staff Sgt. Renante Espero, died on-the-spot due to multiple gunshot wounds while his companions, Staff Sgts. Rey Jerome Silvederio and Jorex Velasco, were hit on the hand and legs.

Siason said the victims were former members of the drug enforcement unit of the Koronadal City police station and temporarily assigned at the regional police holding and accounting unit due to their pending administrative cases

He said the policemen were facing complaints related to their previous anti-illegal drug operations.

The police official said the pursuit operations are ongoing against the suspects in coordination with various police units.

“We’re considering all angles, including the possible involvement of local terrorist elements,” he said in a radio interview.

PNP officers who were part of the local drug enforcement unit were shot at by unknown men for unknown reasons. These men were also facing complaints due to their operations. One officer is dead and two were hurt.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/06/21/ex-barangay-captain-patay-matapos-manlaban-umano-sa-davao

A former barangay captain died after he allegedly fought with the authorities in a buy -bust operation in this city Thursday night. 

According to police, they staged such an operation against Jorge Taho, 58, at an inn in Brgy. Submerged in Toril district but instead of surrendering after the buy-bust, he allegedly tried to shoot the operatives. 

He was taken to the hospital after the operation but was declared dead on arrival.

About P35,000 worth of shabu was allegedly recovered from him. A .45 caliber pistol with ammunition was also recovered from the victim.

A former barangay captain was shot dead by police during a buy bust operation.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1404002/aurora-cop-disarmed-detained-after-fatal-accidental-shooting-of-inmate

A rookie policeman in Aurora province has been disarmed and detained after he reportedly accidentally fired his gun and killed an inmate, the Central Luzon police confirmed on Sunday.

Col. Julius Lizardo, provincial police chief, ordered that Patrolman Christian Torres, 27, be placed under restrictive custody at the police station of  San Luis town on orders of Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, regional police director following the shooting Saturday night.

A report from the regional headquarters in Camp Olivas said Torres “went in front of the detention cell and without apparent reason drew his issued short firearm.”

Investigators said the suspect reportedly began playing with the gun that allegedly accidentally shot the inmate identified as Christian Gabral who was then watching television.”

Gabral, 30, was hit on the chest and was pronounced dead in a hospital The type and caliber of the service gun involved in the incident were not mentioned in the report.

A rookie cop pulls out his gun, plays with it, and ends up killing an inmate.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132881

A former police officer wanted for two counts of murder and physical injuries was arrested in Abu Dhabi last Feb. 3, a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said Monday.

PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group chief Col. Thomas Frias Jr. identified the arrested suspect as ex-Police Officer 3 Ruben Baliong, who is set to arrive Monday at 2 p.m.

Baliong, who was arrested in a sting operation in Abu Dhabi, has pending warrants of arrest for murder issued by the Caloocan Regional Court and another by a Parañaque court, also for murder and physical injuries.

He was formerly assigned at the Mandaluyong Police Station 3 and has been tagged as involved in illegal drugs and identified as a “contract killer”.

Police verified Baliong's travel records with the Bureau of Immigration last Nov. 5, 2020.

Frias said Baliong flew to Abu Dhabi on Jan. 4, 2019 to work as a security officer at Star Security Services.

A former PNP officer charged with drug offenses and as being a contract killer traveled to Abu Dhabi to work as a security guard. Now the law has caught up with him and he is returning to the Philippines to face justice.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/366644/3-lapu-city-hall-employees-get-citation-tickets-for-failure-to-wear-face-masks

Three employees of the Lapu-Lapu City Halll received citation tickets from Mayor Junard Chan on Monday morning, March 8, for their failure to comply with health and safety protocols. 

Loue Llimit, Fidel Inihao, and Rexor Dulangon agreed to render community service as a penalty instead of paying the P1, 000 fine. 

Chan warned them of suspension, worst, termination from service if they are caught again for the same violation. 

(If you do this again, you will no longer be issued with citation tickets.  I will already order for your suspension next time.  If you do this again for the third time, I’m sorry but you will have to already face dismissal from service.) 

Chan invited the three men, who are assigned to the city’s clearing team that is under the Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO), to appear at his City Hall office on Monday after he received a photo of the three who were without face masks that was sent through his Facebook page. 

The photo was taken by a netizen on Sunday, March 7, when the service vehicle which they boarded came to a stop near a traffic light along M.L. Quezon Highway in Barangay Pusok.

An anonymous busybody sent a photo of three city employees to the Mayor's FB page and he called them into reprimand them for not wearing face masks. He said next time they will be dismissed.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/778887/cop-caught-on-video-firing-gun-before-placing-it-beside-body-of-slain-drug-suspect/story/

An amateur video has caught a policeman in Bukidnon firing a gun three times before putting it beside the body of a slain drug suspect, according to a Saksi report on Monday.

The incident reportedly took place in Valencia City on February 20.

The suspect was killed after he allegedly fought it out with arresting policemen during a buy-bust operation.

According to the police, three spent slugs were found in the crime scene.

The report said Police Regional Office 10 insists that the suspect had resisted arrest and fired at the policemen. It said the policeman on the video fired the weapon out of frustration.

The report also said the policeman on the video died five days after the buy-bust operation after he figured in an accident.

A separate report by GMA Regional TV "One Mindanao" identified the policeman as Police Corporal Benzon Gonzales while the slain drug suspect was identified as Pol Estañol.

Police Captain Francisco Sabud, spokesperson for PRO-10, said they will determine the authenticity of the video that has since gone viral on social media. He also said they will not condone police officers if ever there were irregularities in the buy-bust operation. 

On February 20 a cop was caught on video firing a gun 3 times and placing it next to a suspect. The PNP does not deny this happened but says the cop fired it out of frustration after they killed the man. The PNP also says this cop died 5 days later but they do not say how or under what circumstances.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132989

Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino and two of his bodyguards were killed in an ambush late Monday afternoon.

The victims were on board a white van and cruising through Laboyao Bridge in the city’s Lonoy village heading north when fired at by gunmen riding two cars at around 5:30 p.m.

Aquino's three bodyguards retaliated, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.

The mayor and two of his security personnel died on the spot site while one bodyguard was brought by some residents to a nearby hospital. 

One of the suspects also died, a sketchy police report said.

“Probers of Calbayog police station are now conducting an on-site investigation to determine the motive of the said incident,” the initial report sent to the local media by the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here said.

Aquino, who was on his third and last term as the city's chief executive, served as mayor since 2011 after then Mayor Reynaldo Uy was killed in a fiesta celebration in Hinabangan, Samar.

Calbayog City had witnessed a series of shooting incidents that targeted local government officials.

A Mayor who began his term after the former Mayor was assassinated in 2011 has now been assassinated himself.  Further investigation of this incident has been most revealing.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/03/10/2083290/anti-drug-cops-gun-down-calbayog-mayor-police-escorts

The mayor of Calbayog City, Samar and five other persons, including a municipal police chief, were killed in what authorities described as a clash between the local chief executive’s security escorts and police anti-narcotics officers on Monday.

Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, 59, was on his way to his son’s birthday celebration north of Calbayog in a Toyota Hi-Ace van when his bodyguards reportedly opened fire at several vehicles which they believed were tailing them.

The people in the other vehicles turned out to be lawmen from the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) and Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (PDEU).

Other policemen who were inside the vehicle of Tabada’s group were reportedly held in custody by investigators.

Eastern Visayas Police Director Brig. Gen. Ronaldo de Jesus said Aquino was not the target of the policemen who were headed to another operation.

“I can only assume that it was mistaken, and there were suspicions on our police that’s why they opened fire and the police retaliated,” De Jesus said in English and Filipino in a phone interview.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana yesterday said Aquino’s bodyguards opened fire at an unmarked vehicle used by lawmen of the IMEG and PDEU that was traveling in the same direction.

“The group of Mayor Aquino was alleged to have initiated the shootout when his close-in security fired at the unmarked vehicle of the IMEG-PDEU group,” Usana said in a statement.

Usana described the clash as an “unfortunate incident,” which is now being looked into a special investigation task group (SITG).

This report only raises more questions such as why would the security guards fire first just because of a suspicion? Testimony from others casts doubt on the PNP's scenario.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/10/21/binaril-binalikan-calbayog-mayor-was-killed-by-cops-from-outside-city-lawmaker

A political ally of slain Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino denounced Wednesday police claims that law enforcers did not know that they were shooting the mayor's van.  

Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento refuted a police report saying the mayor's group was the first to fire at antinarcotics officers that were tailing their vehicle. He said the police were already waiting for Aquino's vehicle at Laboyao Bridge in Barangay Lonoy, Calbayog City before the shooting incident at 5:30 p.m. 

Videos of the shooting, he said, showed the police went to the vehicle and shot the mayor when he was already dead.

It would be interesting to see that video footage which has not surface publicly yet. Will we ever know the truth? Perhaps. But the corruption of the PNP does not lend them to credibility.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133063

The newly-revived Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC) in Malapatan town, Sarangani province is gearing up to start hearing cases following its formal launching on Monday.

Officials and representatives from the judiciary, Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), and the municipal government of Malapatan led the court’s reopening, which came over 12 years after it ceased operations.

Acting Presiding Judge Chalmer Gevieso said the court, which is set up at the old municipal council session hall, is already functional and ready to tackle assigned cases from Malapatan and Glan towns.

He said the resumption of the court’s operations will mainly benefit residents of the two municipalities as well as the neighboring areas.

It will no longer be a burden for residents to attend case hearings and process court-related transactions, he said.

“What we are celebrating today is the result of the joint effort of everyone,” he said during the simple launching ceremony.

This is a very good thing but we are not told why the court was shut for 12 years. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1133016

A former police officer who went rogue and is now listed as one of the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) most wanted person was arrested in Plaridel, Bulacan, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said on Tuesday.

Sinas identified the suspect as Bernard Villena, who was arrested by police operatives on Monday noon at a hardware store in Barangay Bintog, Plaridel Bulacan. 

Villena, who was previously assigned at the Manila Police District (MPD), joined the police service in 1997 and was dismissed in 2018. In 2015, he was accused of raping his 12-year-old daughter in Valenzuela City.

This guy was dismissed from the PNP in 2018 but accused of raping his 12 year old daughter in 2015 and only now has he been arrested.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Blessing The Vaccine, Pandemic Fatigue, and More!

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

Before the vaccine rollout started at San Lazaro hospital a priest was called in to bless the vaccines.

https://twitter.com/_iancruz/status/1366910376873369603

There is really nothing so odd about this. The Catholic's bless bells and animals and the local mall opened only after a mass.

Many are eagerly awaiting the lifting of restrictions but not the mayor of Tacloban.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132400

The city government has welcomed the decision of the national inter-agency task force for the management of emerging infectious diseases (IATF) to place the city under general community quarantine (GCQ) for six months in a row.

Mayor Alfred Romualdez said in a press briefing Wednesday the city’s current pandemic situation warrants a more strict movement restriction to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Romualdez said with 80 active cases in the city, he cannot guarantee that the numbers will decrease soon.

“Tacloban is the center of the region and with many entry points in the city, we cannot really guarantee to sustain the zero case in two to three weeks,” he told reporters.

“We may not have cases today but the next day somebody infected may be able to enter the city considering that the airport and major port are in the city. When we are under GCQ, it is easier for the authorities to guard the city,” he added.

The quarantine status, according to Romualdez, will make the city a priority in the distribution of vaccines.

Stricter quarantine measures will help the authorities to guard the city says the mayor.

When can the we expect the easing of restrictions? Duterte has spoken.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/778292/duterte-open-to-easing-restrictions-after-vaccinating-2m-pinoys-nograles/story/

President Rodrigo Duterte will consider easing restrictions in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) status once at least two million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Thursday.

Nograles made the remark when asked if President Rodrigo Duterte is now open to resume limited face-to-face classes with the COVID-19 vaccination program up and running. 

“The President reiterated his stand that he wants a more rigorous, more widespread vaccination program. Ang sabi niya, unless he sees two million vaccine doses are being administered, that's when he will start considering the opening of GCQ areas, to consider putting it under MGCQ (Modified General Community Quarantine),” Nograles said.

2 million people means 4 millions vaccines because the COVID-19 vaccine is a two step process.  Two injections.  Who knows when that will happen!

The government is going all out to convict people to get jabbed.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132553

The Presidential Communications Operations Office – Office of the Global Media and Public Affairs (PCOO-OGMPA) is releasing a series of explainer videos dubbed "The VAXplainer” just in time for the rollout of the government’s nationwide vaccination program.

It aims to boost the confidence of the Filipino people in Covid-19 vaccine by educating about the importance of getting vaccinated and the efficacy of the vaccines against the virus.

“The VAXplainer is only a part of our numerous efforts and commitment to make Filipinos fully understand the importance of vaccines and convince them to be inoculated with the available safe and effective vaccines provided by the government,” PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar said in a news release on Wednesday.

Andanar said the PCOO also has Laging Handa Dokyu Series, Network Briefing, and Laging Handa Public Briefing, among others, “as part of our information campaign to inform the people”.

He added that “The VAXplainer” is part of the PCOO’s drive to encourage Filipinos to heed the call of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the Philippine government, and the international community to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to save lives, revive hopes, and shape our future.

This is propaganda. There is no propaganda to get people healthy to eliminate comorbidities which exacerbate COVID-19 deaths. Instead they want you to take the vaccine which contains.......?

The DOLE is being urged to protect workers from employers who would penalize them for not taking the vaccine.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/778285/dole-urged-to-issue-guidelines-to-protect-workers-vs-no-vaccine-no-work-policy/story/

Senator Joel Villanueva on Thursday appealed to the Department of Labor and Employment to issue clear guidelines on the reported "no vaccine, no work" policy to ensure that workers' rights are upheld and protected.

In a statement, Villanueva, who chairs the Senate committee on labor, warned against discriminating workers who decide not to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“A worker can be late for work and be penalized with salary deduction. But a government guilty of vaccine tardiness faces no such reprimand, even if it causes the nation P2.8 billion in economic losses daily,” Villanueva said.

“A worker who is not yet immune from the virus shouldn't lose his immunity from being fired arbitrarily," he added.

The senator said that instead of forcing workers to get a vaccine and threatening their employment, employers should be carrying out confidence building efforts in their company.

Several groups have opposed the supposed plan of some companies to impose a "no vaccine, no work" policy.

Some workers have reportedly approached the Associated Labor Union as early as last year expressing their concern over a warning by employers that their company will implement a "no vaccine, no work" policy.

Villanueva said workers should not be faulted for refusing to be vaccinated if they still have concerns on the vaccine to be used on them.

And what about other venues like airplanes? Why should anyone be forced to get a vaccine for any reason whatsoever be it travel or employment.

COVID-19 cases are on the rise again with 3,439 in just one day. The DOH says more variants have been detected in the nation but they are not causing the rise in cases. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/06/21/doh-spike-in-covid-19-cases-due-to-breach-of-health-protocol-variants-just-a-factor

The Department of Health (DOH) is attributing the recent spike in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country to people's failure to comply with minimum health standards that seek to prevent infection.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said this in a public press briefing Saturday, adding that the presence of more transmissible coronavirus variants in the country were just "aggravating factors" in the rising number of cases.  

(We need to change public perception about this. Yes, we have detected variants but we need to also see that we did not comply with health protocols. So if we see continuous violations of health guidance, definitely, the cases will rise. And the variants are just aggravating factors. 

The Philippines has been enforcing a nearly yearlong quarantine, with face masks, face shields and physical distancing required in public places. Mass gatherings are still prohibited, but restrictions have been loosened to revive the economy. 

(We are monitoring our situation. We can't assure the public that we will not have another enhanced community quarantine when we reach a point that we will need to close cities and regions because of the situation. We will just do this as an additional measure. But this situation will not happen if we help the government and comply with the minimum standards we have.) 

Again the DOH is blaming the people for being lax with health protocols when every survey says otherwise. The variants are likely what's causing the surge.

Predictions about how the current surge in cases will develop seem rather dire. The OCTA says there could be up to 6,000 new cases per day by the end of March.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1404034/octa-projects-up-to-6000-new-daily-covid-19-cases-in-ph-by-end-march

The country is projected to have 5,000 to 6,000 new COVID-19 cases per day by the end of March after it saw an increase in additional coronavirus cases being reported daily, the OCTA Research said Sunday.

OCTA Research said in its latest monitoring report that “based on the current reproduction number, NCR is projected to have 2,000 new COVID-19 cases per day by March 21 and 3,000 new cases per day by March 31, while the country is projected to have 5,000 to 6,000 new cases per day by the end of March.”

“The last time the region had seen this rate of increase was in July [2020]. However, this surge is spreading more quickly than the July-August surge, and this suggests the possibility that the surge is driven by SARS-CoV-2 variants,” said OCTA.

“The original strain does not spread this quickly considering the health guidelines in place,” it added.

This group says the surge is due to variants while the DOH says health protocol violations are what's driving the surge. How can both groups come to such different conclusions?

There are many proposals on how to stop this surge. The PNP says people should refrain from public displays of affection.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/779040/pnp-appeals-vs-public-display-of-affection-amid-surge-in-covid-19-cases/story/

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is discouraging people from displaying "physical, social and romantic relationships" in public, citing health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The virus may be right before them. Infection happens to families, it can happen to anyone, anywhere," said PNP spokesman Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana on Wednesday.

As the country faces a surge in new COVID-19 cases, Usana said people "should maintain being cautious from the spread of the virus."

Government officials are placing various barangays under lockdown again.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1405156/list-manila-qc-impose-lockdowns-on-several-areas-after-covid-19-surge

The city governments of Manila and Quezon City on Tuesday have placed several areas under localized lockdown in a bid to address the increasing number of COVID-19 infections. 

In a Facebook Live, Moreno explained that the listed areas were tagged as areas of concern since they have more than 10 cases of COVID-19 in their localities. 

According to him, Barangay 351 has 12 active cases and Barangay 725 has 14 active cases. On the other hand, there were 14 confirmed cases in Malate Bayview Mansion while Hop Inn Hotel has three detected cases. 

Under the EO, residents will be restricted to their homes and are not allowed to go outside.

However, Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) are exempted from the order and will be allowed to leave their homes.

Undoubtedly these new lockdowns will make a lot of people mad. Or they might just sigh in exhaustion. They might be suffering from COVID-19 fatigue.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/779053/pandemic-fatigue-driving-increase-in-covid-19-cases-says-expert/story/

The fresh spike in COVID-19 cases is mainly being driven by “pandemic fatigue,” an expert said Wednesday.

Dr. Edsel Salvana, a molecular biologist and Department of Health (DOH) advisor, said some Filipinos have eased their adherence to health protocols due to fatigue.

The Philippines has been battling COVID-19 for over a year now, with Filipinos close to marking one year under quarantine.

"The main driver of it right now [is] the so-called 'pandemic fatigue' because people are really relaxing because they see, 'Well, everyone's out.' It’s okay, ’” Salvana said in an interview on Unang Balita.

"The virus doesn't really relax, so the transmission is continuous," he added.

The DOH similarly said the public’s relaxed observance of health protocols led to the spike in cases.

Salvana also noted that the new coronavirus variants that were recently detected in the country contributed to the case increase.

“The variant, sure, can certainly be a factor. But the percentage of variants that we see in the genomic sequencing we test is still low, about 5%, ”he said.

Again, they are blaming Filipinos for being lax about protocols as the main driver of the surge and downplaying the variants. Whatever the case surely everyone in the entire world is fatigued with this pandemic.

Chess, The Philippines, and Wesely So

Perhaps you have seen chess being played on the street as you have been out and about.

Chess is indeed very popular in the Philippines. So much so in fact that one government official was convicted of graft in regards to sponsoring a chess tournament using illicit funds.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1402242/pichays-bid-to-overturn-graft-conviction-denied-by-sandiganbayan

The Sandiganbayan has denied a bid by Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr. to reverse the guilty verdict handed over to him in his graft case.

The anti-graft court found “no compelling reason” to grant Pichay’s motion for reconsideration and another motion for leave to admit supplemental documents to his previous motion because these were filed over one month after the case was promulgated.

The court’s Fifth Division issued this decision in a resolution dated Feb. 23.

Pichay was convicted of graft on Oct. 23, 2020, for approving a P1.5 million budget for a chess competition at the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) in 2010 when he was still its acting chair, as well as chair of its board of trustees.

The National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) was tapped to oversee the competition, which was called the 2nd Chairman Prospero Pichay Jr. Cup International Chess Championship.  Pichay was then also the NCFP president.

I don't want to talk about that guy. I want to talk about Filipino Super Grandmaster Wesley So. This man recently obtained United States citizenship so he could play chess for the USA. He said this decision was based on the fact that he lacked the connections to succeed in the Philippines.

https://sports.inquirer.net/417238/so-i-lacked-connections-to-succeed-in-ph-culture

Super Grandmaster Wesley So tried to sugarcoat it, but his statement following his officially becoming a United States citizen was a punch to the gut for Philippine sports, and for the “godfather” culture prevalent in Filipino society. 

Saying he still “loved the Philippines,” So expressed elation over receiving his citizenship papers last Feb. 26, about seven years after first defecting to the US Chess Federation (USCF). 

“I love that anyone can strive to succeed [here],” So told the USCF. “You are not held back by your color, lack of connections or the amount of money you have. If you work hard, you have a better chance of making it here than anywhere else in the world. I came here ready to work hard, and it turned out just as I dreamed.” 

So bolted the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) and joined USCF in 2014, saying he saw no path to his goal as a Philippine national athlete. 

“I did not have the connections needed to succeed in that culture,” said the 27-year-old So, who hails from Bacoor, Cavite, lamenting the prevalence of the “godfather” culture in Filipino society, where those with connections can easily make their way to the top. 

“I was from the province, not a city boy. Had no money etc. I wanted to go further, and there was only one country a nobody can make it. The USA!” added So. 

So, who now resides in Excelsior, Minnesota, has been representing the United States since 2014 and he has risen to as high as No. 2 in the world ranking and is currently ranked ninth in the world by the International Chess Federation (Fide). As a Filipino, he rose to as high as 12th in the Fide rankings.

“That does not mean I don’t love the Philippines,” So said. “I have good memories from there.”

It seems rather melodramatic because Wesley So appeared to be doing well in the Philippines. But then Webster College offered him a scholarship and that is how he ended up in the USA. His Wikipedia page says he continued to rise through the ranks and moved to Minnesota to live with his adoptive Filipino parents in 2015. Since then he has experienced a lot of success in the world of chess representing the USA. 

But now that he has officially left the Filipino fold and has aired his grievances what is the result? Well the result is that Wesley So has shown himself to be a rather magnanimous fellow.

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2021/03/09/2083093/2nd-pcap-conference-be-known-wesley-so-cup

The second conference of the Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP), the Reinforced Conference, will be known as the “Wesley So Cup.”

PCAP Commissioner Paul Elauria bared that Wesley So, the first and reigning World Champion of Fischer-Random Chess, will sponsor the second leg of the league’s inaugural tournament. 

Aside from lending his name, the Super Grandmaster likewise personally pledged to provide the funds for the event’s cash prizes.

So’s only request, according to Elauria, is to ensure that the prizes are distributed to the players themselves. This is because So wants to help the players directly.

This is a welcome development, considering So’s recent citizenship change that has been contentious among Filipinos.

So was recently conferred US citizenship.

“It only confirms that SGM So is true to his words that he remains a Filipino by heart and confirms his continued support to the Pinoy chess players. While this partnership has long been finalized, we deemed it timely to announce it now, to somehow remind our chess players that SGM So has always been concerned with his countrymen, despite his move to the US. After all, chess knows no citizenship,” Elauria added.

It is a sad story with a good ending.  A man who could not succeed in his own country is forced to find a new home. But he has not forgotten his homeland. Maybe one day everyone can succeed in the Philippines on the principle of equality.

Insurgency: End Communism By 2022

Let's start off with a word from the CPP concerning the AFP's alleged fake news.

https://cpp.ph/statements/expose-spate-of-afp-fake-news/

There is a recent spate of fake news churned out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to cover up crimes and abuses committed by its units and hide embarrassing misencounters and battlefield losses. AFP fake news is sibling to AFP red-tagging. Waging psywar and promoting disinformation, the AFP has repeatedly proved itself to be a tainted source.

The AFP website “Kalinaw News” is a portal for false information that fall under the military’s department of psywar and disinformation. It routinely issues news stories claiming New People’s Army losses. They even provide photos of supposed materials left by the NPA from rifles to computers and cellphones to make it appear that the news is genuine.

The AFP has several objective in manufacturing fake news including:

a) to cover-up crimes of extrajudicial killings of peasant activists where victims are presented as NPA fighters killed in battle

b) to cover-up incidents of misencounters between AFP units or between AFP and PNP units

c) to claim successful combat operations for reporting to military higher headquarters

d) to demoralize, create confusion and cause anxiety among the the people and revolutionary forces by projecting false information about NPA losses in the battlefield.

They then go on to list several alleged fake news stories. Let's look at just one.

– 11th IB reports a 15-minute gun battle with Red fighters in Sitio Balaskan, Barangay Napacao, Siaton last February 14, 2021. Supposedly seized from the encounter are weapons, a laptop and other gadgets. NPA-Southeast Negros has reported that no encounter took place.

This story was reported by The Daily Guardian accompanied by a picture of the recovered goods.

https://dailyguardian.com.ph/army-seize-firearms-from-negros-oriental-rebels/

Military troopers of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) recovered firearms following a clash with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) at Sitio Balaskan, Barangay Napacao, Siaton, Negros Oriental last Sunday.

The 11th IB launched relentless Focused Military Operations (FMOs) in response to reports from some concerned residents on the alleged armed group’s presence in the area.

However, they encountered six unidentified armed men believed to be remnants of the Southeast Front, Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (SEF, KR – NCBS) that resulted to a 15-minute firefight.

According to the Army, no casualty was reported on the government side, while an undetermined number of casualties from the enemy side were reported due to the bloodstains seen in their withdrawal route.

Recovered from the encounter site were an M16 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, laptop, five cellular phones, personal belongings, and subversive documents containing high intelligence value.

According to the Army the encountered six men and engaged with them in a 15-minute firefight. The Army says there were an undetermined number of NPA casualties based on "bloodstains seen in their withdrawal route." Then they say they recovered a laptop, five cellphones, and other items. The CPP says this never happened. 

While it is impossible to say whether or not this event happened there are questions that the report raises. How did the Army encounter these men? Was this a hideout or NPA lair? Were these men just hanging out in the bush? Why were no bodies recovered if the Army thought there were casualties? Did anyone follow the bloody trail? That there was so much stuff recovered makes it appear that this was a hideout or lair but the report does not tell us. It could be true it could be false. It certainly does not help the AFP that they have been caught faking pictures of surrenderees.

One thing that the AFP cannot fake is the clearing of NPA presence and influence from various barangays. The NPA is either there or not. The NTF-ELCAC says there are at least 822 barnagays cleared of NPA influence and presence which will be receiving P20 million each.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1403680/duterte-begins-distribution-of-p20-million-to-npa-free-barangays

In a speech in Cagayan de Oro City on Friday, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, who is also vice-chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), said that 822 barangays nationwide are set to receive P20 million as a “reward” for ridding their localities of NPA rebels.

“I pardon sir for sharing this, but you wanted to start the program immediately but COVID-19 came in kaya nagkaroon ng delay (that’s why it was delayed). But today, we have the funds for the barangay development program for 822 barangays,” Esperon said. 

 “We have 822 barangays under NPA influence cleared from 2016 to 2019. One hundred nineteen of these are in Region 10, iyong mga barangay captain, they are here to symbolically receive,” he added. 

The P20 million incentive will be form of farm to market roads, classrooms, electrification projects, health centers, water systems, communal irrigation projects, among others, Esperon said. 

While it is good that these barangays will be receiving money to develop necessary roads and classrooms it is horrendous that this move is being treated like a reward. The government has a duty to be continually developing the country. What are people paying taxes for if they see no return, no investment in their community? There is a massive need for proper roads, classrooms, and water purification systems throughout the far flung areas of the nation. People regularly die from diarrhea outbreaks. Money for development should not be withheld and only distributed as a reward for NPA influence being cleared. Besides, the destruction of the NPA is the job of the AFP. 

Duterte says kill them all.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1403556/duterte-order-to-police-military-on-reds-kill-them-all

“If there’s an encounter and you see them armed, kill, kill them, don’t mind human rights, I will be the one to go to prison, I don’t have qualms,” said the President, who ranted at rebels throughout his speech while dangling houses, jobs and food to those who would surrender.

“I have lots of houses built all over the Philippines,” the President said in a speech mostly delivered in Cebuano.

“I release money for those of you who understood that what you were doing—asking money from the poor was wrong,” he said, referring to the NPA’s collection of so-called revolutionary taxes.

Duterte repeated a claim he made that rebels made an impossible demand—a coalition government—which he said was not negotiable.

“The leadership of Sison submitted a document, which was not very clear but somehow could lead to a coalition government but it’s non-negotiable for me, so there’s no hope of ending this insurgency, I will try,” he said, referring to Jose Maria Sison, founder of CPP who is in exile in The Netherlands.

Out of one side of his mouth Duterte says kill them all and forget about human rights and out of the other side he says he will give houses and food to those who surrender. It's an interesting claim that he says Sison submitted a document to him which laid out the plan for a coalition government and that he says such a scenario is not going to happen and there is no hope of ending the insurgency. The CASER agreement which the CPP Is adamant about enacting is just as nonnegotiable yet the government had been in peace talks with the CPP for some time.

There is hope the insurgency will end but certainly not any time soon. Not with the NPA continuing to fight, not with front groups spread all around the country, not with the hundreds of thousands of reds the NICA claims has inflated the government. Nevertheless the government is confident they are on track to end communism by June 2022.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1132715

“The work continues and must be pursued with greater commitment and passion as the deadline set by the President, President Duterte, to ELCAC is by 2022. Less than 15 months na lang (We only have 15 months to do that). So to be exact, less than one year from now,” Andanar, who also led the NTF-ELCAC’s communications team, said.

Andanar’s assurance came, as acknowledged that the whole-of-nation approach to end local communism has become instrumental in the return of hundreds of communist insurgents in different parts of the region to the fold of the law.

He also stressed that the Convergence Areas for Peace and Development (CAPDev) has transformed the once conflict-affected areas into “peaceful and productive communities.”

“I want to highlight that the barangay development program is very strategic with our CAPDev program which is our way to revisit and reorient ourselves on who and where our enemies operate,” Andanar said.

The CAPDev is a program that aims to address the root causes of insurgencies, internal disturbances and tensions, and other armed conflicts and threats.

The CAPDev program also promotes the establishment of durable peace and development and empowers communities in priority areas through peace-building and reconciliation, good governance and institution building, and socio-economic transformation.

Barangay development is very important which is why the government should be continually engaged in development projects and not just as a "reward" for being cleared of NPA influence. Given the diffuse nature of the insurgency it is highly unlikely that it will end by 2022. Remember there are all the many alleged front groups perhaps including even members of the House. The picture the AFP paints, especially Parlade, is that the Reds have deep roots in academia, the government, the media, and elsewhere.  They are everywhere.

One thing that is crucial to end the insurgency is proper intel. That includes gathering, assessing, appreciating, and acting upon all intel collected by the PNP and AFP. They have a real problem handling intel.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1402241/poor-intel-not-old-law-to-blame-for-terror-acts

Poor intelligence work and law enforcement operations should be blamed for the government’s failure to prevent terrorist attacks in the country and not the supposed weaknesses of the previous antiterrorism law, former Solicitor General Jose Anselmo Cadiz told the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

At the resumption of oral arguments on 37 petitions opposing the terror law, lawyers of the petitioners reiterated that the Filipinos’ basic rights as enshrined in the Constitution should be safeguarded from an “overbroad” law that threatens the Bill of Rights.

“In my very humble view, the HSA is enough to deter terrorism. What is really lacking is good police work and good intelligence work,” Cadiz said in response to a question from Zalameda.

“I think these are solely lacking in our jurisdiction,” the former primary state lawyer said. “[HSA] is enough to be able to combat terrorism. What should be encouraged [and] strengthened is good intelligence and police work.”

He said the old law was “better” than the new antiterror law since it listed predicate crimes, or criminal offenses committed in carrying out terror acts such as murder, piracy and rebellion.

"Good police work and good intelligence work." Both are crucial to ending the insurgency. Both are sorely lacking and not just in regards to the PNP and AFP. The NTF-ECLAC routinely makes overgeneralized or out right false claims about people and groups tagging them as communists or communist supporters.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/03/03/2081722/irked-rappler-fact-checks-ntf-elcac-sees-red

A spokesperson of the controversial anti-communist task force created by President Rodrigo Duterte red-tagged yet another media outlet, this time over articles that corrected false claims on Lumads and an indigenous school that caters to them.

National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy labeled Rappler “a friend and ally” and “mouthpiece” of communist rebels in separate Facebook posts where she aired her grievances over two fact-check articles by the online news outlet.

Badoy also accused Rappler of lying and defending communist rebels for essentially debunking claims using verifiable facts.

In a statement posted on social media, Rappler said it is in no way defending the NPA through its fact checks.

This is not the first time that Badoy claimed communist influence at a news outlet that was just doing its job.

In November 2020, following the onslaught of back-to-back typhoons, Badoy red-tagged CNN Philippines for reposting a call for donations by the League of Filipino Students, which she baselessly called a “known communist front.”

The TV network pushed back against Badoy, saying that the storms should prompt Filipinos to unite in the spirit of “bayanihan,” rather than “foray into red-tagging that will only sow disunity.”

It simply is not helpful to go around calling everyone you disagree with a communist. Especially not the people in charge of the NTF-ELCAC such as Badoy and Parlade. It only breeds mistrust between the people and the government.

Coronavirus Questions: Why Is The Mail So Slow?

Ever since Duterte ordered Luzon to be locked down back in March 2020 the mail has been incredibly slow. Much slower than usual. Why is this the case? When no flights were allowed in or out of Manila that was understandable. But now there is simply no reason for the mail to lag months behind schedule. 

I ordered some books in August and again in October. The package I ordered in August entered the country on September 30th. It was not delivered to my local post office until December 3rd and to me until December 18th! 

Why did it sit in Manila for so long? Were they disinfecting it? 

The books I ordered in October arrived in the country in October which was pretty fast.

Other marks on the box indicate it arrived at my local post office on January 16th. It was then delivered to me on January 20th. Again, why? Why is PhilPost so slow? 

Another package I ordered in October arrived in Manila on the 14th of December, sat for I don't know how long until it was received at my local post office on the 25th of January, and finally delivered to me on March 2nd. 

Since the pandemic I have had several packages sent via UPS and they all arrived at my door within two weeks. So what is the problem? I asked the postman and he had no idea. There is no indication on these boxes that they were subjected to any tests and even if they were it shouldn't take several months for me to receive them once they arrive in the country.

Last year when Duterte shut down Luzon the mail stopped completely. That resulted in me not receiving a very important letter. I waited as long as I could but that letter was ultimately lost and I had to make a call and request it be resent via UPS. I got it two weeks later.

The mail being so slow is a real problem because the government is encouraging more online shopping. If the mail system is not properly working then online shopping is not going to work either. Without a smooth and quick process of placing an order and receiving it in a timely manner no one is going to want to shop online. But on the other hand it appears that many online sellers use couriers and not PhilPost. LBC, JRS, Ninja Van, and the like are all very efficient. PhilPost could learn a lot from those companies. If PhilPost were efficient they could bring in a lot of money.