Insurgency: Honor Victims

From new roads to new surrenders the insurgency continues to weaken this week. In N. Samar 282 NPA rebels and allied decided to avail of the government's bribery program.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152360

The surrender of 282 New People’s Army (NPA) fighters and die-hard supporters in Silvino Lubos, Northern Samar has further weakened the communist terrorist group in the province, a Philippine Army official said on Thursday.

Lt. Col. Ferdinand Engcot, commander of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion, said in a phone interview the mass surrender is a big blow to the NPA since majority of the surrenderers have been their source of strength, logistics, supplies, and information.

Those who formally withdrew support include 65 members of the NPA Yunit Militia, 65 members of Batakang Organisasyon ng Pampartido, and 152 Legal na Organisadong Masa.

“These underground mass organization and mass base supporters of the communist terrorist bandits pledge allegiance to the Philippine government and withdraw their support to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF),” Engcot said.

Empty promises, rebel’s extortion activities, and challenges brought by the health crisis prompted the NPA members and supporters to abandon the communist ideology.

The 282 NPA members and supporters signed a pledge of allegiance on Aug. 27 at the town auditorium and joined a peace rally held around the town center. They also burned the CPP-NPA-NDF flags.

It appears that only 65 of these people are actual NPA fighters with the rest being their supporters. Their surrender process included signing a pledge of allegiance but to what we are not told. Who in their right mind would pledge allegiance to the corrupt incompetent government of the Philippines? Maybe they pledged allegiance to the flag and to the republic, the Philippines is a republic, for which it stands. At any rate the then engaged in a bit of political theater by joining a peace rally and burned CPP-NPA-NDA flags which were likely provided by the AFP.

Last week a group of farmers and villagers also gathered for a bit of political theater.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1151982

A group of farmworkers and other villagers in Barangay E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental burned the communist-terrorist flags and pledged allegiance to the government in a ceremony held at the village covered court on Aug. 28.

Villagers also denounced the atrocities and lies of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), in the presence of Mayor Mark Golez and officials of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police.

In a statement on Sunday, Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, commanding officer of the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion, commended the move of residents in condemning the acts of communist-terrorist groups (CTGs) and their allied organizations.

“This clearly shows that the peace-loving residents of E. Lopez can no longer endure the suffering. Their pledge to withdraw their support from the armed group is a bold step towards ending insurgency,” he said.

About 250 individuals, most of them members of Hacienda Culahao-C Farmer Workers Association (HACUFWA) and Hacienda Nenita Farmer Workers Association (HANFAWA), took their oath of allegiance to the Philippine government before village chief Meriam Gallego.

During the activity initiated by the 32nd Civil-Military Operations Battalion and the 1st Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (NOCPMFC), the participants signed the resolution of the Barangay Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (BTF-ELCAC) condemning and declaring as persona non grata groups aiding communist-terrorists in committing terroristic and criminal acts that violate the people’s rights.

Of course this activity was INITIATED by the AFP. All these activities are. It's a psy-op. What they want is the appearance that an overwhelming number of villagers have denounced the NPA in a wholly organic manner. Then the rebels surrender and get a sizable livelihood package. 

The Northern Luzon Command Chief says he sees the NPA in his region weakening due to continuing surrendering.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152623

The Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) on Sunday said the end is in sight for communist insurgency in Northern and Central Luzon following the continuous surrender of rebels.

For the first five days of this month alone, seven members of the New People’s Army (NPA) returned to the fold of the law and yielded eight firearms.

There were also 595 former rebels who surrendered from Jan. 1 to Aug. 31 this year and turned over 235 firearms.

“It’s only a matter of time before the NPA will be totally eradicated in this part of the country,” Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., Nolcom commander, said in a statement.

Burgos renewed his call to the remnants of the communist terrorists and their supporters to give up armed struggle and avail of the various programs of the government that could help them start new and peaceful lives with their loved ones.

“The government has heard your pleas and has implemented several programs to address your concerns. Now is the time for you to heed the call of the government. Lay down your arms and abandon your armed struggle. Think of your families, think of their future. Christmas is fast approaching, they will be happier and more fulfilled this season of joy with you by their side,” he added.

It is very bold of him to say that the NPA will be "totally eradicated" after they all surrender. They won't be eradicated it all. They will be bribed into rejoining the community. It won't be much different from when the Americans integrated Nazi scientists into NASA.

But why bribe these rebels to surrender when the AFP admits they are brutal killers?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152487

Fifteen years after the discovery of the remains of the victims of the Inopacan massacre perpetrated by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the 1980s, more groups are joining the cause to end the atrocities of communist terrorist groups.

Thousands of bikers will join a ride for justice event on Saturday in Leyte and Samar Island and other parts outside Eastern Visayas to raise awareness on NPA purging activities, the Philippine Army said in a press briefing on Friday.

“The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is the duty of the living to do so for them,” Brig. Gen. Zosimo Oliveros, commander of the Army’s 802nd Brigade, said.

He said the Department of the Interior and Local Government issued a memorandum directing field officials to facilitate the cycling event.

“The Regional Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict together with bikers and civic groups are working hand in hand to create awareness to the public about the heinous and inhumane crimes by the NPA,” Oliveros added.

On Aug. 28, 2006, the skeletons of 67 individuals were unearthed from shallow graves in Caulisihan village through the help of residents.

The mass purging, tagged by the NPA as Oplan Venereal Disease, claimed the lives of about 300 residents in Leyte province, based on estimates of former rebels and the victims’ relatives.

According to accounts of the military and witnesses, most of the victims bore brutal marks of crushed skulls still wrapped with blindfolding cloth. 

They suffered severe flesh wounds and broken bones even before they were shot several times.

After the mass grave discovery, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, under then Chief of Staff and now National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, filed 15 counts of murder before the Manila Regional Trial Court against Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison and 37 others for their alleged involvement in the massacre.

Surely a bike ride will bring justice to the dead. In the meantime the taxpayers should dig deep so they can provide a nice livelihood package for the ideological brothers of those killers when they choose to surrender. 

On the other hand the NPA is also said to be weakening because of the death of a top official which means inexperienced members will now have to run the show.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152599

Following the death of two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels this week, including a high-ranked official, the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) said it will be a big blow to the communist terrorist group as its fate is now left in the hands of inexperienced members.

EastMinCom chief, Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, in a statement on Friday, said the death of one alias Asyong will weaken the SYP Platoon 16C1, Guerrilla Front 16, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the NPA.

Asyong, the vice commander and political officer of the NEMRC faction, was killed by troops of the 30th Infantry Battalion (IB) in a 15-minute encounter with a group of 10 rebels led by Roel Neniel alias Jacob in Barangay Cagdianao, Claver, Surigao del Norte on Sept. 2.

Two AK-47 rifles and an M14 rifle with magazines and bandolier were recovered.

“We abhor the idea of bloodshed and we do not want to see another rebel dying for the sake of the communist terrorist group. Therefore, I ask the remaining NPA members to surrender peacefully instead of wasting their lives on a senseless ideology,” Almerol said.

But it always comes back to bribing the remaining NPA to surrender. 

In Mindanao 12 BIFF fighters surrendered this week.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152078

Twelve Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who said they were deceived into joining the terror group surrendered to the military on Monday afternoon.

The surrendering batch, all members of the BIFF-Bungos faction, turned in an M16 rifle, two M14 rifles, two homemade .50 caliber sniper rifles, two .30 caliber sniper rifles, three rocket-propelled grenade launchers, two improvised explosive devices, explosives, and ammunition.

An alias Sudan, one of the surrenderers, said they are tired of fighting, and most of the time, running from pursuing military forces in the mountains of Maguindanao.

“We were further disappointed upon learning that we were duped as they promised to pay us a huge amount monthly (but) it never happened,” Sudan said in a phone patch interview.

He said the BIFF batch is currently undergoing custodial debriefing, while their livelihood assistance packages are being processed by the Shariff Saydona Mustapha town government.

It's odd how in order to get the full picture you have to read every news paper in the country. This article tells us that they were deceived into doing the group. The Manila Times tells that one of the people was a Commander while Philstar tells us that at least three admitted to being bomb makers while all 12 were followers of a notorious and wanted terrorist.

https://www.philstar.com/happens/578

Twelve more followers of wanted terrorist Kagui Karialan surrendered to the military Monday and pledged allegiance to the government in the presence of local officials.

The group yielded through the efforts of the 6th Infantry Battalion and the 1st Mechanized Brigade that had jointly secured the surrender of more than 30 other members of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in the past eight weeks. 

The 12 belonged to a BIFF faction led by the religious extremist Karialan, who is facing more than 30 criminal cases in different courts and known for fomenting animosity towards non-Muslims. 

The 12 BIFF members, three of them confessed bomb-makers, turned in 10 assorted firearms, 40 millimeter grenade launchers, B40 anti-tank rocket launchers and improvised explosive devices during a simple rite at the headquarters of the 1st Mechanized Brigade in Ampatuan town.

Knowing all that how could anyone fall for the lie that these men were "deceived into joining" the BIFF? It's more likely that they were upset that they did not receive the money they were promised. Now the government will cough up, or excuse me, the taxpayers will cough up and provide a nice livelihood package for three bomb makers, one commander, and 8 other terrorists. Between them how many people have they killed?

In Butuan City a new farm-to-market road is helping to fight the insurgency.

https://www.kalinawnews.com/402bde-hails-opening-of-new-farm-to-market-road-in-butuan-city/

The 402nd Infantry “Stingers” Brigade (402Bde) participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) in Barangay Camayahan, Butuan City on Tuesday, August 31, 2021. 

The groundbreaking activity was led by the Assistant Secretary for Public Safety and Security Alexander L. Macario of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Mayor Ronnie Vicente C. Lagnada of Butuan City; and Regional Director Lilibeth Famacion, DILG Caraga. 

“The FMR will provide the residents of Barangay Camayahan a direct link to the market and trading centers in Butuan City and to the other towns in Agusan del Norte. The road is vital to the farmers in the area,” Col. Orio said. 

Barangay Camayahan is among the farming communities in Butuan City where farmers are engaged in production of palay, corn, vegetables, and varieties of high-value crops. Around 350 families from Barangay Camayahan will directly benefit from the road project. 

“Far-flung communities have suffered enough from the activities of the NPAs for years. The conflicts caused by these insurgents also hindered government development initiatives such as roads and other important infrastructures,” Col. Orio said.

How did these farmers transport their crops for decades without having a road? An issue like this is not about the insurgency but about an incompetent government that does not care about its constituents. And now they are tooting their own horns about building this road to provide for the community.

The Philippines' Diarrhea Pandemic

Another village in the Philippines has declared a diarrhea outbreak.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147405

Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte Mayor Ernesto Evangelista declared a diarrhea outbreak in Barangay Tulalian on Friday. 

In a statement on Saturday, the Municipal Information Office (MIO) said the declaration was due to the death of a resident while 47 others were confined in various public and private hospitals. 

As of Saturday, the Municipal Health Office said the fatality is a 58-year-old male resident who experienced loose bowel movement, stomach pain, and vomiting. 

“The 47 residents were rushed to both private and public hospitals; some are still recovering while others were discharged,” the MIO said. 

Charlemagne Fernandez, MHO administrator, said the local government unit (LGU) and the MHO began their investigation to determine the cause of the outbreak. 

“But the Environment Sanitation Report from the MHO revealed that the water system source in the area was possibly contaminated because of the water’s poor quality due to poor chlorine disinfection. Such finding was based on the ocular inspection conducted by the Sanitation Team and random interviews with the Tulalian Water Association (TUWASA) personnel,” the MIO said. 

Lapiña said the Sto. Tomas LGU provided potable water, installed a makeshift treatment facility in Barangay Tulalian covered court, meals, and other medical support to patients complaining of severe diarrhea. 

The town also provided new water containers and water-purification chemicals to the affected areas while residents have been briefed about cleaning their surroundings and maintaining proper sanitation to prevent another outbreak. 

“We will continue to monitor the patients to make sure they were all safe,” Lapiña said. 

To avoid future outbreaks, Lapiña urged the officials of Barangay Tulalian to sit down with TUWASA to discuss how to improve the water supply in the barangay. 

She added that the town is available to guide and improve water services delivery in the area.

How many diarrhea outbreaks is that this year so far? If the government thinks shutting down the entire economy and forcing people to follow burdensome and unscientific health protocols like wearing face shields and face masks because of a virus with an official survival rate of 97% is acceptable then why not do the same for the diarrhea pandemic which has been gripping this nation for decades?

Just how serious is the diarrhea pandemic? To assess that we will have to review the available statistics. Oddly enough the statistics compiled by the DOH and PSA do not agree with one another.

First, let's look at the available stats for 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. These statistics are whats available on the DOH's official website. 

2016:

2016

14,487 cases with 52 deaths.

2017:

2017

17,768 cases with 48 deaths.

2018:

2018

17,906 cases with 20 deaths.

2019:

2019

11,594 cases with 14 deaths.

Perhaps you cannot tell but this data is not complete. What is being recorded here is not all diarrhea cases and deaths but only those related to Acute Bloody Diarrhea which is not the same as regular or Acute Watery diarrhea. The DOH has a different publication which gives the details for both types of diarrhea. The stats for 2018 do not match the above stats from 2018.

The total number of Acute bloody diarrhea cases for 2018 is 30,886.

pg. 366

For acute watery diarrhea the number is much higher.

pg.391

The would bring the total number of diarrhea cases in the Philippines for 2018 to 164,446 which is much higher than in the DOH's other official figures. What accounts for this discrepancy?

It is not so easy to find hard data on the diarrhea situation in the Philippines. For instance, in 2008 the WHO and UNICEF released a report noting that 10,000 children in the Philippines die each year from diarrhea.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/119921/diarrhea-kills-10-000-pinoy-kids-every-year-who/story/

Over 70,000 Filipino children have died of diarrhea in span of seven years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a study released Friday. In its study which it co-conducted with the Department of Health and United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), WHO said this figure makes diarrhea the fourth leading cause of deaths among children less than five years old and the third leading cause of illness among the children. The study showed that if the trend continues, it is expected to cause 10,000 deaths every year.

Try as I might I cannot find this study. It appears WHO and UNICEF deleted it from the web. Perhaps if this news article had given the name of the study and a link I could manage to find something. The only official reference I can find is on the web archive.

http://web.archive.org/web/20100430085500/https://www.unicef.org/philippines/mediacentre_10168.html

In the country, diarrhea is the 3rd leading cause of child illness and the 4th leading cause of deaths among children less than 5 years. It is estimated to cause 12% or almost 10,000 deaths a year. A 2004 UNICEF assisted study on the prevalence of soil transmitted helminthes, estimates that almost 70% of pre schoolchildren are host to at least one type of intestinal helminth infection and that  7 out of 10 children (aged 3-12) suffer from intestinal worms. 

I had to find this on the web archive because otherwise it is now a dead link. Strangely enough this dead linked article is cited in a textbook about the Philippines.

Diarrhea causes the death of about 10,000 Filipino children every year. It is the third leading came of illness among the children. The ratio of diarrhea cases in the Philippines is almost double the figure for other Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos or Cambodia. 10-20%—or 1.5 million children—under the age of five suffer from diarrhea. A 2004 UNICEF study shows that 70% of children aged 3-12 suffer from intestinal worms.

The Philippine Archipelago, Yves Boquet, pg. 141

The source for that paragraph is the UNICEF article quoted above and not the actual studies from 2004 or 2008. It is pretty odd that a text book would quote a press release as an authoritative source rather than an official study because in the context of the book there are many surveys cited to confirm what the author has written.

Let's take another look at official statistics on diarrhea deaths from the PSA. The most current report is from 2017.

pg. 50

4,039 deaths

2016:

pg. 51

4,801 deaths

The statistics from 2006-2015 are all laid out in one convenient table put together by the PSA. Diarrhea is the 18th cause of death in this time period.

pg. 1

We are given separate totals for both male and female deaths but I will only give the totals for each year.

2006: 4,390

2007: 3,989

2008: 4,306

2009: 4,572

2010: 3,708

2011: 4,199

2012: 3,970

2013: 3,273

2014: 3,313

2015: 3,675

That is 39,395 deaths from diarrhea over a ten year period.

Let's go back a little further and see all the statistics since the year 2000.

Going back 21 years to 2000 the annual death rate was not much different.

pg. 212

4,015 dead from diarrhea in the year 2000.

4,200 dead in 2001.  Pg. 116 of the report.

3,684 dead in 2002. Pg. 116 of the report.

3,135 dead in 2003. Pg. 123 of the report.

3,538 dead in 2004. Pg. 132 of the report.

3,982 dead in 2005. Pg. 133 of the report.

According to the PSA from 2000-2017 there were 66,589 deaths which is an average of 3,699 dead every year from diarrhea. 

So, what can be done to fight the diarrhea pandemic? The government has many solutions laid on the table. Making sure everyone has proper toilets is a big goal.

https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/department-health-100-toilet-coverage-possible-2022

“Our target is 100 percent coverage by 2022. Let us not wait till 2022. Nothing is stopping us to achieve this earlier than planned,” Duque said, citing his agency’s National Sustainable Sanitation Plan. 

According to the Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene of the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), approximately six percent of Filipinos, mostly in rural areas, still do not have sanitary toilets, as of 2015. 

“When people living in our communities defecate in the open, in fields and waterways, our children will more likely experience frequent bouts of diarrhea, have worm infections, and grow up stunted and undernourished,” said UNICEF Philippines country representative Lotta Sylwander. 

Eliminating open defecation by 2022 is one of the goals of the Philippine Health Agenda. “But giving away toilets alone will not solve our problem,” said Duque. 

To address this, the Department of Health (DOH) is implementing the Zero Open Defecation Program (ZODP). The ZODP utilizes the approaches and strategies of Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS). CLTS is under the umbrella concept of total sanitation that includes a range of behaviours such as stopping open defecation practices; ensuring that everyone uses a sanitary toilet, washes hands properly, handles food and water in a hygienic manner; and disposing animal and domestic waste safely to create a clean and safe environment. 

“Achieving zero open defecation is not easy. Households and communities need to be aware and prepared. We cannot just give toilets for free. All our efforts will be for naught if families are not willing to invest their time and resources in building and maintaining their own toilet facilities,” said Duque. 

According to DOH, eradicating open defecation and setting up the safe management of sanitation requires a shift in the use of approaches. This shift will include collective behavior change, strong supply chains and improved public services. Across these steps is a need for public regulation of behavior compliance, improvement of infrastructure and services of individuals, collectives and corporations.

Stopping open defecation is a major goal of the DOH and an important step in eradicating the scourge of diarrhea. But if families do not use those toilets properly then their efforts are pointless. What the public can do is practice basic hygiene like washing their hands. This has in fact lead to the decrease of diseases since the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130632

In its disease surveillance report, DOH data showed that from Jan. 1-30, influenza-like cases dropped to 69 as compared to the 678 -- a 130 percent decrease -- recorded in the same period last year; typhoid and paratyphoid cases with 29 cases from 266; and dengue with 35 cases from 251. 

The three illnesses logged the highest number of cases last year. 

Other illnesses, including viral hepatitis B and C, bacterial meningitis, non-neonatal tetanus, leptospirosis, and acute bloody diarrhea also logged decreases in cases during the first month of this year. 

Only one measles case was recorded in January as compared to the 106 in the same month last year. 

Dr. Ruby Constantino, DOH regional director, attributed the decrease in the number of illnesses to the observance of health protocols. 

“The practice to prevent getting infected with Covid-19 applies to other diseases. Iwas lamok, paglilinis ng paligid at ng katawan (avoid being bitten by mosquitos, cleaning of the environment and our bodies) is also protecting us from acquiring other diseases,” Constantino said.

Washing ones hands and keeping their environment clean is an obvious way to prevent disease but not everyone knows this. Just as important as proper toilets and sanitation are to preventing diarrhea outbreaks is having clean water. But what can people do when the water supply controlled by the city is tainted? 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1147931

The Sto. Tomas Municipal Health Office (MHO), in a statement, said they found E. coli bacteria in the village's water system which is run by the Tulalian Water Association (TUWASA), a private water service provider in the said village.

E. coli or coliform is bacteria that can be found in human or animal waste and causes diarrhea/bloody diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pains, and cramps.

“For now, we discouraged the residents from drinking water if it is not purified or boiled for about 20 minutes in order for the bacteria to die,” Lim said. As of July 21, the MHO recorded another 27 diarrhea cases.

In the Philippines it is better to never drink water from the tap.  

There is no single solution to this problem. The eradication of diarrhea as a cause of death in the Philippines will take a multifaceted approach involving both the public and the government. Seeing as the problem has persisted for decades there is likely no ending this pandemic anytime soon.

Retards in the Government 222

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

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/29/21/cop-accused-of-raping-quarantine-violator-faces-dismissal

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday he has ordered the immediate dismissal of a policeman accused of raping an alleged quarantine violator in Bataan.  

Patrolman Elmer Tuazon Jr. and a certain Armando Dimaculangan, a marshal team leader at the control point in Barangay Batangas 2, Mariveles town, face complaints of rape by sexual assault and acts of lasciviousness, Eleazar said.

 A rookie cop has been charged with raping a quarantine violator.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1151907

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Saturday ordered a probe on the alleged extortion and misbehavior of police officers manning a checkpoint on Andrews Avenue in Pasay City.

“This complaint was forwarded to me and I personally watched the videos that were posted on social media. I have already ordered the Southern Police District, through the Regional Director of the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) to look into this,” he said in a statement.

This came as some netizens expressed concern on social media over the alleged extortion of cops on motorists passing by the area.

They claimed that cops would flag motorists for allegedly disregarding traffic signs, adding that the police officers will immediately issue violation tickets to them.

A netizen even said a cop allegedly threatened to put them in jail for disrespecting them.

Cops allegedly extorting motorists at a checkpoint in Pasay City.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152014

An anti-drug operative of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) was gunned down by a motorcycle-riding assailant along Rosario Street here on Sunday afternoon.

A report of Police Station 1 identified the victim as Staff Sgt. Joseph Nepomuceno, 37, a member of the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU).

Nepomuceno was also on a motorcycle traveling in Barangay 15 when he was shot.

He sustained four gunshot wounds from a caliber .45 pistol and was declared dead at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.

Col. Manuel Placido, BCPO director, said investigators are already tracking the gunman and motorcycle driver.

Another cop assassinated by unknown assailants.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152027

Two policemen, including a senior officer, were separately arrested for the delay and bungling with prosecution of drug cases, which is a violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. 

Brig. Gen. Ronaldo Genaro Ylagan, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, identified the arrested policemen as Corporal Junhavier Alam Ahmadul, 42; and Lt. Col. Nonito Asdai, 55. 

The case against Asdai and Ahmadul stemmed from when they were still assigned at the Zamboanga City Police Office’s (ZCPO) Station 6.

Two policemen have been arrested for delaying and tingling the prosecution of drug cases.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1481126/duterte-says-he-is-the-one-who-ordered-to-skip-bidding-on-ppe-procurement-ako-ipakulong-nila

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday admitted he was the one who ordered Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to skirt from the bidding process in the procurement of protective personal equipment (PPE) during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(I was the one who ordered Duque. When we were here, I told him “I want it done immediately.” I told him it should only take one or two days. I was the one who told him “I am sure there is a law which would exempt you from bidding.” This is a pandemic so we had to act immediately.)

(I was the one who ordered it. Let them jail me.)

He reasoned that the usual bidding process takes 30 days and the government needed supplies immediately as the pandemic is starting to wreak havoc in the country.

Duterte admits he told DOH Secretary Duque to skip the bidding process on PPE. That is an impeachable and bailable offense. But will anyone be brave enough to draft impeachment articles against him?

https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/08/31/21/bulacan-town-mayors-birthday-gathering-violated-protocols-doh

The mayor of Obando town in Bulacan violated COVID-19 protocols for gathering with residents on his birthday, the Department of Health said Tuesday. 

Mayor Edwin Santos said he was surprised by his barangay officials and some of his friends, who brought food to this house. 

The mayor should have advised his friends to postpone the gathering, said DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire. 

"Based on our protocols they have violated whatever restrictions we're imposing right now. Kahit hindi po niya kasalanan, kahit di po niya sinasadya, sinasabi na pumunta lang ang mga tao, sana nabigyan natin ng advise ang ating mga kababayan na umuwi na lang sila atsaka na lang sila magse-celebrate," she told ANC's Headstart. 

(Even if it was not his fault, not planned, and that people surprised him, he should have advised them to just go home and celebrate at a later time.)

"This might cause something that can increase transmission in their locality."

Local mayor accused of violating health protocols by holding a birthday party.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152132

Seven Bulacan policemen have been charged in the abduction and murder of six individuals after a series of fake buy-bust operations in February last year, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Tuesday.

The seven cops have been ordered relieved and are under restrictive custody for one year now.

They were charged for the detention and killing of Chamberlain Domingo, Chadwin Santos, Edmar Aspirin, Richard Salgado, Erwin Mergal, and Jim Joshua Cordero.

The DOJ panel of prosecutors composed of Rodan Parrocha, Wendell Bendoval, and Arturo Roxas recommended the filing of charges in November 2020.

The cases stemmed from fabricated buy-bust operations that were said to have taken place between Feb. 14 and 18, 2020.

Witnesses said the unsuspecting victims were taken because they happened to pass by the area where a buy-bust operation was ongoing.

Seven cops charged with the kidnapping and murder of six people. Charges were recommended way back in November 2020. What took them so long!?

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/09/01/2124101/pnp-chief-directs-probe-cops-doing-viral-motorcycle-stunts

The chief of the Philippine National Police directed an investigation into an incident in Zambales wherein riders, referred to in the viral video as policemen, were doing dangerous motorcycle stunts while traversing the road. 

The video, which has since gone viral on Facebook, shows two people appearing to be lawmen doing dangerous stunts along a highway. They were seen doing the stunts even on the opposite lane, unmindful of vehicles along their way.

Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said Wednesday that he tasked the concerned police units to determine if the two riders are indeed policemen.

“After watching this viral video, I immediately assigned Police Brig. Gen. Val de Leon, [Regional Director of Police Regional Office 3] as well as the Director of the Highway Patrol Group to identify, investigate and impose appropriate punishment on these sweet potato riders,” said Eleazar.

"My order includes finding out if these two are police officers."

He said this action could not only endanger their lives but also of other motorists on the road. Eleazar also stressed that their action was a violation of road regulations. 

If these two people are not police officers then that would mean two cop bikes were stolen from some precinct. Has anyone reported such a theft?? Turns out they are cops! What a shocker!

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152199

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Eastern Visayas finds it worrisome to let local government units assume some tourism-related functions in 2022 due to the practice of replacing trained officers with "unqualified" ones every election year.

"This a top concern as the tourism department brace for devolution of tourism programs to local governments starting next year," DOT Eastern Visayas regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes said on Wednesday.

“We are changing tourism officers after every elections. That is the challenge since some trained tourism officers are replaced after three years by someone who has zero knowledge about tourism,” Tiopes told the Philippine News Agency.

Tiopes said aside from incompetent tourism officers, also hounding the implementation of local tourism programs is the absence of office space and lack of or no personnel assigned to assist a tourism officer.

“There is a ‘one-man show’ provincial tourism office in the region. No staff has been assigned to assist him. Sometimes, he is given other tasks by the governor not related to tourism,” Tiopes added.

To somehow address this challenge, the tourism department will come up with a guidebook for local government units in support of devolution transition plans.

LGU officials replace local DOT officials with incompetent people.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1152342

A barangay captain in Agusan del Sur was arrested for his alleged involvement in illegal logging activities in the area.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., the director of Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13) identified the arrested village chief as Gabby Natinga, 43, of Barangay San Pedro, Prosperidad town.

“Natinga and his cohort, Jhonny Boy Bagnol, 29, were arrested Wednesday in a joint anti-illegal logging operation conducted in Purok 3, Barangay Crossing Luna, Esperanza town,” Caramat said.

Confiscated from the suspects were 420 pieces of illegally gathered Lauan lumber products with an estimated volume of 5,880 board feet and total market value estimated at PHP176,400, Caramat said.

A barangay captain has been busted for illegal logging.