Coronavirus Lockdown: 1st COVID-19 Case, Drug Related Killings on the Rise, and More!

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

The government received 1 million more doses of Sinovac but see if you can spot what's happening in this pictures.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/14/21/more-sinovac-vaccines-arrive-in-philippines

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1459404/ph-receives-another-1m-doses-of-coronavac

These officials are plastering the boxes of Sinovac with stickers that read RESBAKUNA.  It's a pun. RESBAK means revenge and BAKUNA means vaccine. Get it!? What a waste of money.

Herd immunity is the goal with the vaccines. Many dates have been set but 2021 is probably not going to happen. Now the goalposts have been moved to mid-2022.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1459332/ph-seen-achieving-herd-immunity-in-mid-2022

The Philippines would be among the last countries in the region, together with Vietnam and Taiwan, to vaccinate 70 percent of its population and achieve the so-called herd immunity, UK-based think tank Oxford Economics said on Tuesday.

Vaccinated people are protected from getting the disease and passing on the virus, thus inoculating such a big number would break the chain of transmission and stop the further spread of COVID-19.

Oxford Economics projected that it would take up to the middle of next year for the Philippines to inoculate some 78 million people or 70 percent of its population of 111 million.

Achieving herd immunity is necessary to allow the reopening of more economic activities. The longer it takes to achieve this, the longer the delay in economic recovery.

"Inoculate" is not the right word to use as the vaccine does not offer immunity. The fact that many vaccinated individuals have been infected is testimony to that fact. Getting 78 million people vaccinated will certainly pose a huge logistical challenge since so much of the population lives away from large cites like Manila.

LGU's have some discretion in the way they handle the pandemic but not much. The DOH and IATF are calling the shots. But what if the DOH's data is wrong?

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/metro/795440/san-juan-mayor-zamora-questions-doh-data-on-number-of-covid-19-cases/story/

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora on Thursday said the data of the Department of Health on the number of COVID-19 cases in local government units showed some discrepancies. 

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Zamora opposed the report of the DOH claiming that San Juan City is among the eight cities in Metro Manila with increasing trend over the past two weeks. 

(It’s really because of their reporting system called COVID KAYA reporting system. Because sometimes, the data are not being verified thoroughly that is why there are discrepancies.)

Zamora said the DOH has to reconcile with local government units as many of them are questioning the data of the department. 

Based on the city government’s data, Zamora said San Juan only has 75 cases as of Wednesday. According to him, the DOH data showed a higher number of infections. 

GMA News Online has reached out to the DOH for its comment on the matter, but has yet to reply as of posting time. 

In 2020, the DOH had been criticized for its supposed errors in data. 

The UP COVID-19 Pandemic Response Team released Policy Note No. 6 which pointed out the “alarming patient-level inconsistencies, if not gross errors” in the DOH's database of cases. 

Several senators expressed concern over the “prevailing data issues” supposedly hounding the DOH COVID-19 tracker. 

Despite the criticism, members of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) stood firm on the accuracy of its data.

Just how many errors are in the DOH database?

Here is a real interesting story that belies any notion of a pandemic.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147232

The remote town of Jipapad, Eastern Samar documented its first coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection on Thursday.

 The patient contracted the virus outside of their town, Rona Mariblanca, municipal health officer, said in a text message on Friday. 

She said the first confirmed case is a 31-year-old female who takes care of her husband currently admitted at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City.

Although already connected to the national road, the town is still considered as one of the remotest areas in the region, which is frequently hit by flooding.

The town is in the northeastern part of the province near the border of Eastern Samar to Northern Samar province, accessible through the national highway from Arteche town in Eastern Samar and Lapinig town in Northern Samar.

With Jipapad recording its first Covid-19 case, the disease is now present in all 136 towns and seven cities in the region.

One really has to ask, if there is a real pandemic happening why is this town only now recording its first case of COVID-19?

People want COVID restrictions to be lifted for many reasons but is that a good idea?

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/16/21/as-covid-restrictions-ease-drug-related-killings-on-the-rise-anew

Drug-related slays are on the rise again, following eased lockdown measures in parts of the country, based on data of the ABS-CBN Investigative & Research Group, which has been tracking incidents since President Rodrigo Duterte announced his controversial war on drugs. 

The number of drug-related deaths that the ABS-CBN Investigative & Research Group monitored in the first six months of 2021 alone is already almost twice the numbers reported in the 9.5 months from March 17-Dec. 31, 2020, when a stricter lockdown was in effect. 

From January to June of this year, there were already 175 deaths reported compared to 195 reported from March to December 2020 when stricter quarantine restrictions were put in place to prevent the spread of the virus.

"There were fewer reports of these killings. The numbers declined but when restrictions eased we’ve monitored that the numbers are steadily rising again in the last few months,” Che De Los Reyes, head of the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group, said on ANC’s Rundown on Friday.

The group’s interactive map and charts showed a total of 6,840 drug-related fatalities from May 10, 2016 up to June 30, 2021. This is slightly higher than the Philippine National Police’s official tally of 6,117 deaths. However, human rights groups believe that figures could be much bigger.

“Our figures are based on news reports. We’ve been compiling this since May 10 2016, after the May 9, 2016 elections and we’ve been consistently monitoring several print and radio, TV networks all over the country and we also scour websites of the Philippine National Police and PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) and other official websites,” Delos Reyes said.

But aside from those reported killed during law enforcement operations, the group also track those reportedly killed by unidentified assailants, and bodies that have been dumped in public places. She said that is probably why their figures are slightly higher than that of the police.

“We believe that this is just a snapshot of the numbers that have been killed or that has perished in this war on drugs because these are the cases that were reported by the media. We know that there’s underreporting...probably because of the lockdown, many local outlets closed down during the pandemic and the mobility of reporters was affected. We surmise that the numbers are much higher than those reported in the media,” she said.

It appears that the war against drug users and dealers is back on as killings are on the rise.

The pandemic has kept everyone apart and now it may keep one grieving OFW mother from attending her daughter's wake and funeral.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/pinoyabroad/news/795551/ofw-mom-asks-for-shorter-quarantine-so-she-could-be-at-daughter-s-wake/story/

An overseas Filipino worker (OFW) is pleading for a shorter quarantine period so that she can attend the wake and funeral of her daughter, who died last week.

According to Cedric Castillo's report on "24 Oras," Grade 10 student Cherry Mae Saranza was brought to a hospital after her relatives found her looking pale and unable to speak.

A CT scan revealed clumps of blood forming in her brain. She passed away on July 7, just before her junior high school moving up-rites.

Cherry's mom, Rosamil, found it difficult to book flights from the United Arab Emirates, and did not arrive in time to be with her daughter at the end.

Rosamil could not hold back her tears as she recounted that her final moments with her daughter were only through a video call.

[I could not even hold her. I could only see her through the camera. Until she passed away. I was just telling her, 'Wait for Mama, please just stay strong.]

Finally in Tanza, Cavite, Rosamil is only on the third day of the strict 14-day isolation protocol of the national government.

She is asking the national government to allow her a shorter stay at the quarantine center so that she can finally attend her daughter's wake.

[I am begging you to allow me to see my daughter just for a short while, for the last time.]

[I just want to see her. I am already here in the Philippines, just a few miles away. Just a little bit more and I can be with my daughter.]

According to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), only the Department of Health may decide whether to shorten the quarantine period of returning Filipinos.

This is the result of the Philippines' completely unscientific and totally burdensome measures to fight a virus with an official recovery rate of 93.9%.

The Delta variant has arrived in the Philippines. Health officials say private hospitals are understaffed and that more oxygen is needed. The stock market dropped and the peso lost value at news of the Delta variant being detected in the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147577

Both the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) and the peso started the week’s trade in the negative territory partly on concerns regarding the Delta variant of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). 

 

The main equities index shed 1.59 percent, or 106.63 points, to 6,587.20 points. 

 

All other counters tracked the main gauge, with the All Shares down by 1.29 percent, or 53.39 points, to 4,084.55 points. 

Property registered the biggest drop among the sectoral indexes after it fell 3 percent and was trailed by the Services, 1.73 percent; Holding Firms, 1.19 percent; Financials, 1.17 percent; Industrial, 0.57 percent; and Mining and Oil, 0.38 percent.  

Meanwhile, the peso ended the day at 50.34 from 50.235 last Friday. 

A drop in the peso's value is good for those receiving money from OFWs abroad but here it means more inflation.

Everyone is going crazy about the Delta variant. The MMDA is warning parents to keep their children inside, Duterte has warned about restoring stricter restrictions, and the PNP says they are ready to implement those restrictions.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/20/2113833/pnp-ready-implement-stricter-lockdown-vs-delta-variant

The Philippine National Police said it was ready to enforce strict quarantine rules once more should President Rodrigo Duterte decide it necessary. 

This comes after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque at a press briefing Monday said that a return to a stricter quarantine status was entirely possible amid the risks posed by the more transmissible Delta variant. 

In a statement sent to media, Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar called on the public to cooperate with minimum health standards with the confirmation of 35 Delta variant cases in the Philippines. 

"We have all witnessed what happened in India and we do not want the COVID-19 scandal to happen in our country, especially since there are confirmed cases and there are already deaths in our country due to the Delta variant," the PNP said in Filipino.

"But the safety of our country remains in the hands of every Filipino, all that is needed is to abide by the rules implemented by our government for the protection of everyone," he added.

It remains to be seen just what the government will do in an effort to stop this new variant. Hopefully they do not destroy the country any more than they have already done.

Just Another Case of the Philippine's Messed Up Justice System

Imagine you get shot in the head, miraculously survive, and are able to identify your would be assassin to the police. Normally one would expect the police to chase down the man and charge them with attempted murder. But not in the Philippines.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/389574/drug-surrenderee-survives-shot-to-the-head-reveals-identity-of-his-attacker

Police identified the victim as Jayson Goc-ong, a vulcanizer, who is included in the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council’s list of drug surrenderees. He remains admitted to a hospital in Cebu City for treatment. 

Police Major Alvin Llamedo, Talamban Police Station chief, said that the victim was repairing his motorcycle outside his house when the suspect shot him from behind three times using an unknown firearm. 

After Goc-ong was hit at the right side of the head, the suspect immediately escaped towards a nearby river and disappeared. The victim was rushed to a hospital in Cebu City where he is presently recuperating. 

The police said they have yet to know from the victim whether he would file a case against the suspect. Regardless, they said they will continue their investigation and follow-up operations.

In the Philippines one has to file a case against one's own would-be murderer. Where is the DOJ? What is the point in having a DOJ when the burden to file a case lies with the victims? The man has been shot in the head and they expect him to do anything let alone file a case? Filing a case costs time and money. Many victims do not have those luxuries. That is just one reason why there is supposed to be a local public prosecutor to take care of these things.

Maybe the man will be prosecuted without the victim filing a case but if that is so why ask the victim if he will be filing a case?

It's utter madness and is just another example of how messed up the justice system is in the Philippines. Victims remain victims while the criminals get away.

Insurgency: Killed Due to Promotion of Sports

Remember when a young man and his cousin were killed by the NPA and it was portrayed as a tragic random encounter because he rode his bicycle over a landmine? It turns out he was actually targeted!

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147224

Kieth Absalon, the football player from Far Eastern University (FEU) who was killed on June 6 in a New People’s Army (NPA) attack in Masbate, was specifically targeted due to his popularity and active promotion of sports among the youth that was contrary to the advocacy of communist terrorist groups (CTGs).

This was revealed by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. at the recent virtual presscon of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

“Why? Because they found out that Kieth is actively promoting sports and activities for the well-being of the youth na kontra sa adbokasiya ng (That is contrary to the advocacy of) CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines)-NPA-NDF (National Demovcratic Front),” Esperon said.

He said the CPP-NPA-NDF also “want to show that they are still a force to reckon with, as many of their members have continued to surrender in Masbate.”

“(It really seemed like a threat to the people, and that threat was accompanied by murder. So they are really targeted). Meaning they wanted to deliver a message to intimidate the population from whom they are losing support,” added Esperon, also the NTF-ELCAC Vice Chairperson.

What's really interesting here is that Año provides no proof for his claims. Why is that? Why would he not offer anything no matter how obscure it might be to prove that the NPA targeted Absalon for promoting sports? Is he making up stuff? Maybe. Absalon was a football (soccer) player which means he was big into sports. Coincidently there is now a memorial being offered in his name.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146913

Youth and civic organizations will mark the 40th day of the passing of college and national football player Kieth Absalon and his cousin Nolven by way of a nationwide cycling event dubbed "Bike for Justice and Peace" on July 17.

Undersecretary Joel Sy-Egco, Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson, announced the activity on Monday during a virtual press conference.

“On July 17, bikers from all over the country will gather in their respective provinces to participate in the Bike for Peace and Justice for Kieth Absalon,” Egco said.

Absalon, 21, was cycling with a group that included his 40-year-old cousin, Nolven, when an anti-personnel mine exploded by the roadside in Masbate City on June 6.

Nolven also died while his 16-year-old son sustained injuries.

The cycling event is initiated by youth groups that include the National Youth Commission (NYC) and the Propelling Our Inherited Nation Through our Youth (Pointy Inc.).

It's not clear from this article exactly who POINTY (Propelling Our Inherited Nation Through our Youth) is but their Facebook page says:

1. Background:

The Propelling Our Inherited Nation Through our Youth (POINTY) Inc. was organized after the conduct of seven provincial-level Youth Leadership Seminars (a three-day seminar which provides an avenue for the youth to enhance their leadership, technical and interpersonal skills through series of lectures, group dynamics, group sharing, team building activities and presentations with the objective to make them more responsible, productive and well-informed youth of our society) in Regions 10 (Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon) and 13 (Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur). The POINTY has been registered to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) last 01 October2012 through the initiative of the 4th Civil-Military Operations Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and had its grand launching on 6-7 October 2012 at Camp Edilberto Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City and was recognized and registered at National Youth Commission as Youth Organization (National Based Youth Organization) last 26 January 2015.

Over the years, the POINTY Inc. has been conducting and facilitating various Youth Leadership Seminars (YLS) within the areas of operations of the 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division, Philippine Army through the initiatives and partnership of the Philippine Army, Local Government Units, NGO’s and CSO’s. This paved way to generate numerous YLS graduates who are now members of POINTY Inc. 

In addition to this, the POINTY Inc. also conducts and initiates activities in connection with the involvement of Youths in Nation Building such as: participating National Activities, (namely Bantay Halalan, Brigada Eskwela, Celebrating the Spirit of Volunteerism and Citizenship, Youth International Day, Mindanao Week of Peace and National Youth Congress Philippines) spearheaded Annual Gift Giving Activity and facilitated Informational Drive Awareness. Lastly, the POINTY Inc. has been also very helpful in informing and organizing the youths to shield them against deceptive organizations and was deemed beneficial to the accomplishment of the 4th Infantry Division’s mission and the nation as a whole. 

2. Objectives

a) To support the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army in facilitating Youth Leadership Seminars. 

b) Be an agent of Peace.

https://www.facebook.com/pointymindanaw/

POINTY is military propaganda!! That means this group is not to be trusted to give anything but the government line. So, who is giving away the bikes?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147110

Some 39 bicycles were distributed by the Philippine Army on Wednesday to commemorate the 40th day of the passing of Kieth Absalon, and his cousin, Nolven, both victims of the New People’s Army (NPA).

The youth sector was the beneficiary of the distribution program at the Ninoy Aquino Freedom Park in Masbate City.

The 21-year-old Kieth, a football player of Far Eastern University, and Nolven, 40, were cycling when anti-personnel mines exploded by the roadside on June 6.

NPA rebels claimed responsibility for the twin deaths.

Capt. John Paul Belleza, 9th Infantry Division (9ID) Public Affairs Office chief, said in a statement on Thursday that the bike distribution was a prelude to the nationwide “Bike for Peace and Justice” on Saturday, organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in coordination with youth and civic groups.

The Army is giving away the bikes and the NTF-ELCAC is the organizer of the "Bike for Peace" event. It's all government propaganda. The 40th day observance, though it be a Filipino funerary tradition, can also be lumped with ant-Communist propaganda because Marxism is inherently atheistic. But nothing screams PROPAGANDA like flag burning. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147420

Lt. Col. Reandrew P. Rubio, commander of the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion, 7th Infantry "Kaugnay" Division Philippine Army, said the event was highlighted with the burning of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic front (CPP-NPA-NDF) flag and signing of the peace covenant of the participants, who then biked traversing central municipalities of Baler, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora and San Luis.

The participants of the event include Aurora Ready Reserve Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, Sentrong Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan para sa Bayan, people’s organizations, and some sectoral groups.

Other participants were representatives from the provincial government of Aurora, local government units, Baler Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

The bike for peace event was attended by the military and representatives of various government agencies and the highlight was the burning of the CPP-NPA-NDF flag. Flag burning is nothing but propaganda. It won't defeat the NPA or make the community safe. So why do it? Because it is propaganda to symbolize the rejection of the CPP-NPA-NDF. How many times must the communities do this? How many times must they declare the NPA persona non grata? How many times must the CPP flag be burned?

CPP npa flag burning

How many times must the AFP put on the same show before they decide to wipe out the NPA for good? After 52 years what has the AFP to show for all their effort? Allegedly there are hundreds of thousands of reds in the government and the CPP-NPA-NDF has the network and the means to take down the government according to one former NPA member. In response the AFP is out hosting biking events and burning flags. 

It's ludicrous to think that Absalon was targeted by the NPA because he promoted sports. Esperon claims that sports are contrary to the CPP-NPA-NDF but gives no explanation or proof for that assertion. We are supposed to believe him based solely on his word. The official statement of the CPP on the killing of Absalon calls his death a tragedy.

https://cpp.ph/statements/on-the-june-6-masbate-tragedy/

The entire Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and New People’s Army (NPA) express their deep remorse over the untimely and unnecessary deaths of cousins Keith and Nolven Absalon and injury to others resulting from errors in the military action mounted by an NPA unit in Barangay Anas, Masbate City last Sunday.

The entire CPP and NPA take full responsibility for the tragedy. There is no justification for the aggravation this has caused the Absalon family.

We fervently hope that the Absalon family, their relatives and friends, and the entire Filipino people can accept our profoundest apologies, self-criticism and willingness to extend any appropriate form of indemnification.

In waging a people’s war, the New People’s Army is always reminded to give the highest priority to the protection of civilian lives and property. In this regard, the Masbate incident should not have happened.

We are aware that an investigation is already being carried out by the Party’s Bicol Regional Committee and Masbate Provincial Committee of the Party and the higher commands of the NPA to identify the errors and weaknesses that led to this tragedy.

The lessons that will be drawn should guide the NPA to avoid such unfortunate incidents in the future and strengthen its resolve to serve and defend the people.

According to Esperon we will have to now declare this statement to be a big, fat lie because Absalon was actually targeted for death because he promoted sports. Perhaps proof for this motive will be given to the public at some point. But where would the proof have come from? Three of the suspected men behind the blast were killed in a clash with the AFP and the NPA refuses to surrender whoever else is responsible. 

Maybe the proof that the CPP-NPA hates sports is shown in the fact that they allegedly tried to disrupt the biking event in one town.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147524

Army troopers have foiled a communist New People’s Army plot to disrupt the “Bike for Justice and Peace” event in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte over the weekend.

In a statement Monday, the Army's 29th Infantry Battalion said that prior to the event last July 17, the unit received reports from concerned persons on the presence of armed NPA rebels in Barangay Mahayhay, one of the routes of the event.

“The information said that the NPA rebels were planning to stage a sabotage to discourage the residents to participate in the Bike for Justice and Peace activity,” the statement read.

Troopers were dispatched to secure the area last July 17 and encountered twice at least seven NPA rebels belonging to the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda 16A of Guerrilla Front 16, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee in Purok 6 of Barangay Mahayhay.

“The encounter lasted for 25 minutes, after which, the NPA rebels, led by a certain Samuel Batican alias Popo abandoned their position and fled towards the southern portion of the barangay,” the military said.

At around 7:18 a.m. on the same day, the troopers again engaged the same group of armed insurgents in a 30-minute gunfight.

The soldiers also recovered personal belongings left behind by the rebels after their withdrawal from the first encounter site.

Two questions here.

1. How does the AFP know the name of the man who was leading the rebels? If they know who he is then how are they unable to find him and arrest him or take him out?

2. Who the heck brings a a 25 kg bag of rice when they are out on a mission of destruction to stop a bike rally?

The AFP has posted two other pictures on Facebook to prove this encounter happened but neither of them make sense. One is a few items of clothing strung about the forest and the other is a picture of an interior of a shack. 

Maybe the NPA attempted to disrupt a biking event, maybe they did not. With all these conflicting statements from the government and the CPP it's hard to know who to believe. They both probably prefer it that way.

Two Burn Piles at the Hall of Justice

This is going to be rather straightforward. The title says it all. There are two burn piles at the local Hall of Justice.

Maybe you cannot tell that these are burn piles but they are. Littered about each mound are the charred remains of leaves and garbage. I even confirmed it by asking two employees who were sitting out for a smoke break.  Think of the irony here that the groundskeepers at the Hall of Justice are breaking the law when they do their work. That would be R.A. 9003 which forbids open burning of waste. 

Retards in the Government 215

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

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1458011/barangay-captain-wounded-in-camsur-shooting

A barangay captain was wounded in a shooting incident in San Fernando, Camarines Sur Friday night.

Police Colonel Bernardo Perez, Camarines Sur police chief, reported that Cesar Hufancia, 35, was shot and wounded while attending a wake in Barangay Rizal at around 9:30 p.m.

He sustained a gunshot wound to the right leg and was brought to hospital.

The gunman is  now the subject of a manhunt.

Barangay captain survives an. assassination attempt.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/07/10/2111478/coa-flags-afp-over-p18-billion-unauthorized-bank-accounts

The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) over its failure to close 20 unauthorized bank accounts with a total balance of P1.813 billion.

In its 2020 annual audit report on the AFP general headquarters (AFP-GHQ) released yesterday, the COA said that under the 2020 General Appropriations Act, all government agencies are directed to close down and revert to the national treasury all the balances of their special accounts, fiduciary or trust funds and revolving funds “when there is no legal basis for their creation.”

The COA said the bank accounts were maintained without the required authority from the Permanent Committee, which was created under the Administrative Code of 1987 and is composed of the finance and budget secretaries as chairpersons and COA officials as members.

The COA said the AFP’s unauthorized bank accounts are maintained with the Land Bank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Veterans Bank and United Coconut Planters Bank.

The COA’s breakdown showed that AFP Modernization Act Trust Fund-Central Office (AFPMATF) was responsible for three unauthorized bank accounts with a total balance of P1.346 billion; the AFP Educational Benefit System Office, eight bank accounts with a balance of P347.483 million; AFP Real Estate Office, with two bank accounts with a balance of P84.362 million and the GHQ Central Office with seven bank accounts with a balance of P37.744 million.

The COA noted that Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez wrote a letter dated June 19, 2020 to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana recommending that he order the closure of the AFPMATF bank accounts and remit to the national treasury the outstanding balances.

The AFP has P1.87 billion illegally stashed away in 20 bank accounts. The DoF wrote to the DND last year recommending the accounts be closed and the money be remitted but this has not yet happened. But wait, there's more!

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1459345/coa-flags-afp-for-failure-to-remit-p469m-to-treasury

In its 2020 audit report on the AFP General Headquarters, COA noted that the P469.12 million consisting of donations, interest income, scholarship fund and other unused funding was still deposited in banks. 

The unutilized funds included P2.17 million that was supposed to go to the payment of rewards and other claims and P33.7 million for allowances. 

The COA called out the AFP for its failure to remit the funds and also flagged it for P130.178 million worth of disbursements without the required documents.

According to COA, the disbursements were used for the purchase of various military, police and traffic supplies from the procurement service of the Department of Budget and Management. 

It observed that the payments for the repairs and maintenance of facilities in the AFP central command lacked official receipts.

The AFP has an additional P469 million hidden away that needs to be refunded to the treasury. The AFP says they are working on it.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146551

Local authorities are set to file charges against 10 policemen of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) for presenting fake negative swab test results while trying to enter this city. 

Maj. Shellamie Chang, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) information officer, said Friday this was based on the recommendation of the City Legal Officer upon the request for legal advice of the Zamboanga City Police Office’s (ZCPO) Station 11. 

Chang said the 10 policemen tried to enter this city with fake swab test results coming from the cities of Isabela and Lamitan in Basilan and Sulu, respectively. 

City Tourism Officer Sarita Sebastian earlier said the policemen were intercepted on Monday after the fake swab test results were discovered by her personnel and the City Health Office during profiling.

10 BARRM cops faked swab tests to enter a city.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146563

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the suspension of five officials of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) and the Registry of Deeds (RD)-Taguig for conspiring to legitimize cloud on titles of over 18,000 square meters of prime real estate within Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

In an order dated June 23, Ombudsman Samuel Martires ruled to suspend for six months without pay LRA Legal Service Director Rhandolfo Amansec, Docket Division chief Joel Mari Martin Bigornia, and Micrographics and Computer Division chief Ser John Pastrana.

Also suspended were Taguig RD’s Dorylene Yara and Ron Jacob Merced, a records officer.

The Ombudsman said it "found sufficient ground to preventively suspend respondents considering that there is strong evidence showing their guilt" and that "the charges against them for gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service may warrant their removal from the service (and that) their continued stay in office may prejudice the investigation of the case filed against them”.

Amansec, Bigornia, and Yara approved the confirmation of a group of transfer certificate of titles (TCTs), known as the Vizcarra titles, covering 18,000 square meters of prime real estate in BGC even if the documents lacked credible evidence affirming authenticity.

Five LRTA officials fired for conspiring to legitimize spurious land titles.

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1900397/Tacloban/Local-News/Barangay-captain-shot-dead-in-Northern-Samar

A 37-YEAR-OLD barangay captain was shot and killed in Las Navas, Northern Samar Saturday, July 10, 2021, police said.

The victim was identified as Crispin Nale Mordido, chairman of Barangay San Andres, Las Navas.  

According to the initial report, an unidentified group of gunmen shot the victim around 12:40 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Lourdes of the said town.

He was hit in the different parts of his body which caused his instantaneous death.

Barangay captain assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146985

Police authorities in Sarangani are investigating the alleged pointing of gun by a police official in Kiamba town to violators of the face mask policy.

Col. Michael Lebanan, Sarangani police director, said Wednesday they are currently gathering the necessary information regarding the incident involving acting Kiamba police station chief, Maj. Rolan Catoburan, in an operation last July 10.

He was referring to a complaint from civilian June Comanda, a resident of Tual in Barangay Poblacion, who claimed that the police official pointed a handgun at him and several other persons after they were rounded up for not wearing face masks.

Lebanan said he instructed their investigators to look into the incident and gather statements from witnesses.

Comanda, a fisherman, said in a phone interview that he was returning to his home around 3 p.m. last July 10 when he was accosted by policemen led by Catoburan for failing to wear a face mask.

The police team came to Purok San Francisco, Barangay Poblacion over a reported gambling activity involving a basketball game, he said.

After being rounded up on orders from Catuboran, Comanda admitted questioning the official for apprehending them over the face mask violation when he was not wearing one himself.

“That was when he fumed, pulled out a handgun, and pointed it to us,” he said, alleging that the police official reeked of liquor at that time.

Comanda said they were then brought to the Kiamba municipal police station and given a choice to either pay a fine or perform a song and dance number.

He said they chose the performance option and were released after singing four songs.

Allegedly a cop, reeking of liquor, rounded up men for not wearing face masks and for illegal gambling. When the men complained that the cop was not wearing a face mask he pulled out a gun and pointed it at them. Then he forced them to choose between paying a fine or performing karaoke.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1146891

Two personnel of the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group (PNP-MG) in Agusan del Norte were charged with murder after they were implicated in the killing of a fisherman in Cabadbaran City on Monday.

In a statement Tuesday, Police Regional Office-Caraga (PRO-13) director, Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr. identified the police personnel as Senior Master Sgt. Rizyl B. Torricer, 34, and Pat. Ariel Jay M. Panes, 26.

“The subject police personnel were tagged in the fatal shooting of Ikiel A. Kintanar, 31, a fisherman and a resident of Barangay Calibunan, Cabadbaran City,” Caramat said.

He added that the killing of Kintanar took place on Monday afternoon off the coast in Cabadbaran City while the suspects were on seaborne patrol and confronted a group of local fishermen in the area. 

Two cops accused of killing a fisherman.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1459500/75-rouge-cops-dismissed-from-service-since-march-eleazar

Seventy-five police officers were dismissed from the service since March for involvement in various offenses, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar said the 75 ordered dismissed by the National Police Commission (Napolcom) were part of 166 erring police officers who had received sanctions. Of this number, 48 officers were demoted in ranks while 43 were suspended.

Eleazar, who serves as an ex-officio member of the Napolcom, said the sanctions imposed on the erring personnel prove that the “mechanisms to discipline policemen is working.”

“These 166 police scalawags who were sanctioned are proof that the police organization does not tolerate any wrongdoing or criminal involvement of our men,” Eleazar said.

Eleazar also noted that the administrative cases filed against the 166 “police scalawags” went through a thorough investigation and due process.

Out of 166 "erring police officers" 75 were dismissed, 48 demoted, and 43 suspended. That means 91 scalawags remain within the PNP ranks.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/388151/coa-flags-cebu-citys-purchase-of-p90m-covid-test-kits-machine

State auditors flagged down the purchase of RT-PCR test machine and kits, and Rapid Antibody Test Kits made by the Cebu City Government that amounted to around P90 million.

This was contained in the 259-page 2020 Annual Audit Report for the City of Cebu that was recently released by the Commission on Audit (COA). 

In its report, COA mentioned eight significant observations, one of which was the purchase of the test machines and the test kits. 

A copy of the report dated June 14, 2021 and signed by Regional Director Marilou Rizzari was furnished to reporters. 

In its report, the state auditing body questioned the procurement of RT-PCR machine and testing kits that cost P18 million and P29 million respectively. 

They also pointed out that the city’s purchase of 1,670 boxes of Rapid Antibody Test Kits, totaling P43 million, could not be considered under “emergency procurement modality.” 

COA also noted other irregularities in the purchase of the COVID-19 test kits and equipment. 

They found out that the supplier of both the RT-PCR and rapid antibody test kits, a certain Novus Avenir Pharmaceutical based in Marilao, Bulacan, has only acquired its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Certification in July 2020, or months after the procurement was made. 

The sale of both types of COVID-19 test kits and the RT-PCR test machine to Cebu City transpired between March to April. 

State auditors also discovered questionable details on the documents for the acquisition and delivery of the testing machine and kits. 

“The Request for Quotation (RFQ) and PO (Purchase Order) were both dated March 25, 2020, and delivery was also on the same data, as shown in the Delivery Receipt,” COA said. 

“Same-day delivery is not possible since the supplier is from Marilao, Bulacan. There being no airport in Bulacan, travel destination would be from Bulacan to Manila by land and Manila to Cebu by plane,” it added.

The COA has found many irregularities in Cebu City's procurement of various COVID-19 testing supplies.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/14/2112482/dilg-pushes-raps-vs-officials-destruction-protected-watershed-areas

The Department of the Interior and Local Government recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against government officials and private entities for their continued violation of environmental laws in the protected watershed areas of San Roque in Baras, Rizal. 

The department's recommendation came in a letter addressed to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force where the DILG slammed what it said was the illegal entry, illegal logging, and encroachment of a private resort and other infrastructure within the Upper Marikina River Basin Protected Landscape in Rizal.  

“What is also appalling and alarming is the large-scale cutting of trees and kaingin activities covering more than 16 hectares in multiple sections of UMRBPL. Several new structures were also erected in the areas where the trees were burned,” he said. 

"They are already subjugating the environment, they still rule the area and do not follow the authorities and the laws to protect the environment," he also said in Filipino.

The DILG wants to sue local officials for allowing environmental destruction to continue.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147076

The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a petition filed by former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) commissioner Cecilia Rachel "Coco" V. Quisumbing questioning the Office of the Ombudsman's 2014 decision dismissing her from government service on bribery and misconduct charges.

In a decision written by Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan and recently made available online, the SC's First Division concurred with Sept. 24, 2014 memorandum of then executive secretary Paquito Ochoa and the October 1, 2014 memorandum of then CHR chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales, which implemented the Ombudsman's August 28, 2014 joint resolution imposing on Quisumbing the penalty of dismissal from government service.

Quisumbing, a former television newscaster, was a CHR commissioner when she was administratively charged with direct bribery, grave misconduct, and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in several complaint-affidavits filed by members of her staff.

According to the complainants Ma. Regina D. Eugenio, Elizabeth Diego-Buizon, Alexander B. Fernandez, and Jesse K. Ayuste, Quisumbing was often cruel, imperious, and disrespectful to her staff. Quisumbing had a tendency to scream at her staff whenever she was addressed incorrectly or her instructions were not followed to the letter.

Furthermore, Quisumbing would sometimes issue illegal or improper orders to her staff, including ordering Eugenio to falsify the total number of undistributed T-shirts made for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and ordered her staff to turn over their salary ATM cards to her.

The Supreme Court upholds the 2014 dismissal of the CHR commissioner. Funny that it took them 7 years to make this decision. That is the slow nature of justice in the Philippines.