President Bongbong Marcos Ignores Ninoy Aquino Day

Senator Ninoy Aquino was Ferdiand Marcos Sr.'s main political rival. The rivalry was so heated that when Marcos declared martial law he had him arrested and held on "trumped up charges of murder and subversion." Eight years later in 1980 he had a heart attack while in prison and was eventually allowed to fly to the USA for emergency surgery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninoy_Aquino

Upon his return to the Philippines on August, 21, 1983 Ninoy Aquino was promptly assassinated by still unknown gunmen. The obvious culprit is Marcos, his involvement has never been proven,  but there are others who say it was the Liberal party who carried out the murder in a bid to make Marcos look bad. 

https://twitter.com/iamwhatiam300/status/1514040121200607233

https://twitter.com/r_dranreb007/status/1561157407845548032

It is an absolute lie that there has never been an investigation into the assassination. 

Although many, including the Aquino family, maintain that Marcos ordered Aquino's assassination, this was never definitively proven. An official government investigation ordered by Marcos shortly after the assassination led to murder charges against 25 military personnel and one civilian, all of whom were acquitted by the Sandiganbayan (special court). After Marcos was ousted, another government investigation under President Corazon Aquino's administration led to a retrial of 16 military personnel, all of whom were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan. The Supreme Court affirmed the decision and rejected later motions by the convicted soldiers for a retrial. One of the convicts was subsequently pardoned, three have died in prison, and the remainder had their sentences commuted at various times; the last convicts were released from prison in 2009.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Ninoy_Aquino

It's no surprise that this Tweeter has no idea what he is talking about. 16 soldiers were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The obvious question is "Whose orders were they following?" They claimed it was Cory's cousin and Marcos crony Danding Cojuango. That allegation has never been proven but if true it ties directly back to Marcos since Danding was one of the "Rolex 12."

It was not until 2004 that a day commemorating Aquino's death was signed into law. 

The holiday was created by Republic Act 9256, which was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on February 25, 2004, twenty-one years after his death and eighteen years after the People Power Revolution, and was sponsored by Senate President Franklin Drilon and House Speaker Jose de Venecia. It requires an EDSA People Power Commission (EPPC) to hold activities in observance the day and shall be funded from the Budget of the Office of the President and from private donations.

The holiday was included in President Arroyo's program of "holiday economics", adjusting the observance of the holiday to the nearest Monday in order to boost the tourism industry with long weekends. In 2010, it was moved back to its original date by Aquino's only son, President Benigno Aquino III.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninoy_Aquino_Day

Every year this holiday is observed by the public and the government in rites of one kind or another and the President offers a commemorative comment for the occasion. In 2020 Duterte motivated the nation to emulate the courage and patriotism of Aquino.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1112987

President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday expressed hope that the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.’s life would inspire Filipinos to live with “courage and patriotism.”

 

Duterte made the statement as he joined the nation in commemorating Aquino's 37th death anniversary.

In his message, Duterte honored Aquino’s life, work and impact on governance that “have uplifted the lives of many, especially the oppressed and marginalized.

Duterte said Filipinos can also be their own heroes by emulating Aquino’s “acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” especially now that the country is grappling with the crisis driven by the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

“As this important occasion is remembered during this time that we are facing a global public health crisis, may we emulate Ninoy's courage and patriotism so we may all be heroes through acts of discipline, goodwill and social responsibility,” he said.

According to Duterte Ninoy Aquino was courageous, a patriot, disciplined, full of goodwill and social responsibility, and his life's work has "uplifted the lives of many, especially the oppressed and marginalized." That is a far cry from all the historically illiterate morons who go around on social media screaming HASHTAG NINOY NOT A HERO!

This year the PNP joined in the fray but they went even further by red-tagging him.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/21/not-a-hero-2-pnp-maritime-units-red-tag-ninoy-aquino-on-death-anniversary/

On Sunday, August 21, the country commemorated the 39th death anniversary of the late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., also known as the Ninoy Aquino Day, but two maritime units of the Philippine National Police (PNP) chose to besmirch the reputation of the late democracy icon’s name on social media.

In a now deleted post, a Twitter account which says it represents the Quezon Maritime Police Station of the PNP’s Maritime Group (MG) posted a photo of combatants holding guns with red paint on their faces, imitating the looks of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The PNP leadership was quick to issue a statement, saying an investigation was launched to determine possible violations of the Quezon Maritime Police Station and Batangas Maritime Police Station.

“The PNP does not engage in name-calling that can malign any person’s reputation. We value respect for human dignity,” said Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, chief of PNP public information office (PIO).

“The posts had been taken down and are now being investigated to determine those responsible for these,” he stated.

“If anyone in the organization is found accountable, appropriate disciplinary actions will be imposed,” he concluded.

The PNP has imposed a social media policy among its personnel to serve as guidelines for their appropriate behavior and conduct online. However, various police units continue to violate them in recent years, using social media to link groups and personalities to communist groups.

The PNP is ridiculous. No one will be "held accountable" for these posts. They do this kind of thing all the time. Just imagine calling Aquino not a hero and a communist enemy of the state while Duterte said quite the opposite. Is Duterte now an anomy of the state? He is he a communist supporter? In the twisted logic of Lorraine Badoy, the NTF-ELCAC, and the PNP the answer is yes. 

But what about Marcos? This is his first Ninoy Aquino Day as President of the Philippines. What did he have to say about Aquino?

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/08/21/2204130/government-agencies-mum-ninoy-aquino-day-official-holiday

Most official government social media accounts were silent Sunday morning amid muted commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day, marking the opposition figure's assasination at the Manila International Airport in 1983.

There was no commemorative statement from the Palace as of Sunday noon. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, which had marked August 21 with social media posts in 2020 and in 2021, was, on Sunday morning, promoting a webinar on the Spanish-era Filipino Propaganda Movement. The NHCP eventually reposted a tribute to Aquino by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts early Sunday afternoon.

The Philippine Information Agency, the government's official public information arm, was meanwhile tweeting about the International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism — a United Nations day of remembrance established in 2017 that the agency only began tweeting about on Sunday.

The Senate, which posted a tweet last year remembering its former member as a "symbol of the Filipino’s fight for freedom and democracy" also had nothing to say about him on Sunday.

He had absolutely nothing to say. And why should he have anything to say about his father's sworn enemy? Why should Marcos exhort the nation to emulate a man his father tortured and whose death ultimately led to his family's exile to Hawaii? Has the feud between the Marcos and Aquino families even been resolved?

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/651878/bongbong-calls-for-end-of-feud-between-aquino-and-marcos-families

It is high time to put an end to the decades-old   feud between the Aquino and Marcos families, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.

Marcos issued the statement when asked over radio DWIZ about the possibility of the two families reconciling.

(That’s something that would be good for the country. We all know that this feud continues up to now. This prevents us from uniting the country. We have to get past it…put it behind us. There are so many things we need to do.)

(I mean, for the Marcos family, this political feud is already over. It’s not personal. It was only my father and Ninoy Aquino who fought in the ‘60s and ‘70s so we should get past it already and stop making an issue out of it. We won’t gain anything from continuing to revive the Aquino-Marcos feud for no reason. We’ll get nothing out of that.)

It would seem that if this feud really is over then Bongbong would have issued some kind of statement regarding Ninoy Aquino Day. 

Perhaps there is a less political reason as to why Marcos declined to issue a statement.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/22/marcos-family-friends-surprise-first-lady-liza-on-her-63rd-birthday/

First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos (LAM) got probably one of the biggest surprises of her life after her husband and sons, along with their family and friends, threw her a surprise birthday party as she turned 63 on August 21, Sunday.

In a video uploaded to President Marcos’ YouTube and Facebook pages, the First Lady was visibly shocked when the dark room she had just entered suddenly lit up, and cheers of “Happy Birthday!” greeted her.

Meanwhile, the day did not end without President Marcos coming to the stage and giving a short message for his wife’s special day.

“My beloved wife, perhaps words have already been said as to how valuable she is as a person and how remarkable a person she really is,” he started.

“Sometimes it’s really hard to believe that she did me the favor of marrying me,” he said.

The President proceeded to sing Andrew Gold’s “Never Let Her Slip Away.”

The First Lady’s birthday coincided with a holiday, Ninoy Aquino Day, commemorating the assassination of the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Aquino was a staunch critic of the late President Ferdinand Marcos. Unlike previous administrations, Malacañang did not release a message for this year’s commemoration.

Maybe Bongbong simply forgot about Ninoy Aquino Day because he was too busy planning for and celebrating his wife's birthday. Of course that would mean he neglected his duty as President which is to recognize and regulate official holidays. It may not be an official duty as mandated by law to a issue a commemorative statement on each holiday but that certainly is the custom. 

Despite the silence this year the Palace has issued guidelines for next years Ninoy Aquino Day.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181996

August 21 of every year must also be declared as national non-working holiday to commemorate the death anniversary of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino Jr., according to the proclamation.

That is nothing more than a description of the holiday. But who knows? Perhaps next year Marcos and/or Duterte will release a commemorative statement marking Ninoy Aquino Day.

Insurgency: Church-Based Org Charged With Financing Terrorism

The Anti-Terror Act of 2020 was passed in a bid to strengthen the fight against the insurgency. Not long after it's passing the CPP-NPA-NDFP were declared to be terrorist organizations and their assets were frozen. One of the many groups protesting the ATA was the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines or RMP. Now 16 members of the RMP have been charged with financing terrorism.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/08/15/2202821/doj-indicts-members-church-based-org-allegedly-financing-terrorism

The Department of Justice has indicted 16 persons, including members of national church-based organization Rural Missionaries of the Philippines, on alleged terrorist financing—a non-bailable case.

In a briefer sent to reporters on Monday, the DOJ said there was probable cause to indict 16 persons, including nuns and supposedl communist rebels, "for making funds available to the [Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army]."

They are facing chages in violation of Section 8 of Republic Act 10168 or the The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 that has punishment of reclusion perpetua or 40 years imprisonment, and a fine from P500,000 to P1,000,000.

No bail is recommended for this case filed before the regional trial court of Iligan City.

According to Frontline Defenders, the RMP is comprised of priests and lay persons; empowers farmers, fisher-folk and indigenous peoples; and educates them on their rights.

The complaint stemmed from a financial investigation of the Anti-Money Laundering Council that supposedly found that the indicted persons provided financial support to the CPP-NPA, both of which the government has designated as terrorist organizations.

The money-laundering watchdog investigated the bank accounts of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP)/RMP-Northern Mindanao Region with Bank of Philippine Islands based on sworn statements of two government witnesses who were said to be former communist rebels, the DOJ said.

The DOJ briefer did not name the two former members of the CPP-NPA. It only stated that one witness is a former member of the communist rebels and a finance officer of various CPP-NPA NGO fronts.

Lawyer Mico Clavano of the Office of the Justice Secretary said the respondents "failed to submit their respective counter-affidavits during the preliminary investigation."

"Thus, no defense on the respondents were received by the prosecuting panel," he added.

The DOJ has yet to respond to questions on whether respondents were furnished with subpoenas or whether they were able to participate in the preliminary probe.

The RMP, a religious organization, is one of the petitioners against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

They told the court then that there is danger that their advocacies to uplift marginalized sectors such as indigenous peoples will be tagged as “constitute financing terrorism.”

They stressed: "Petitioners come before the Honorable Court not only with the possibility, but the actuality of incurring grave and irreparable damages."

"In the present factual milieu, many of those who dare voice out against the government or even just on social issues are vilified in public. Right now, the ATA can be a masterful weapon that can be wielded against them," they added.

The RMP's fears have now become true as the DOJ has accused them of financing terrorist organizations. The government run PNA has more and specific details about the charges. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181372

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced the filing of criminal charges against 16 individuals who were part of a conspiracy to divert money from foreign sources to local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) used as fronts by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and its allied groups.

The DOJ said it found probable cause to indict Emma Teresita Cupin, Susan Dejolde, Ma. Fatima Napoles Somogod, Augustina Juntilla, Maryjane Caspillo, Melissa Comiso, Czarina Golda Selim Musni, Maridel Solomon Fano, Jhona Ignilan Stokes, Hanelyn Caibigan Cespedes, Angelie Magdua, Emilio Gabales, Mary Louise Dumas, Aileen Villarosa, Evelyn Naguio and Aldeen Yañez for “making available funds to the CPP-NPA.”

In a statement, the DOJ said Musni, Fano, Dumas, and Villarosa are members of the CPP-NPA and were made payees in several checks issued under the name of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and Rural Missionaries of the Philippines - Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR).

The DOJ said that on the basis of the sworn statements of two former members of the CPP-NPA, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) inquired into RMP/RMP-NMR’s bank accounts.

One of the two witnesses used to be the finance officer of various CPP-NPA NGO fronts, including RMP.

According to the witness, the RMP sends project proposals to foreign funders. Once approved, the money will be diverted to communist terrorist groups.

Cespedes and Magdua, acting as cashiers and upon orders of Gabales, distributed funds; Cespedes provided 60 percent to Fano by issuing checks; and in turn, Fano sent funds to Yañez, who is a CPP-NPA officer.

Cupin, Dejolde, Comiso, Caspillo, and Juntilla are members of the RMP board of trustees and hold general supervision and control over the group’s operations, the DOJ said.

The AMLC earlier directed the bank to freeze the RMP accounts for 20 days, which the Court of Appeals extended to six months.

Czarina Golda Selim Munsi is a member of the National Union of People's Lawyers. The NUPL issued a statement calling these charges baseless and defending Munsi.

https://twitter.com/mikenavallo/status/1559830548301762561/photo/1

3. The projects of the RMP-NMR went through the rigors process of selection, monitoring and auditing by its respective donors, such as the European Union, the United Nations, and many others.

 4. Atty. Czarina Golda Salim Musni is our Secretary - General and has been a member of the UPLM-CDO since her law school days. As officer of the UPLM, she has figured prominently in various projects in partnership with RMP-NMR Chapter in providing legal assistance to the lumad communities.

5. These engagements have strengthened the indigenous peoples’ movement in the assertion of their rights as a people.

6. Ironically, these developments triggered the government and earned its ire. Anyone who dares to run counter to the policies of this government faces the wrath of red-tagging, and worse, the marking as a terrorist and an enemy of the state.

7. Thus ore the cases against the RMP/RMP-NMR and its officers and staff, including our very own Sec-Gen, Czarina Golda S. Musni. With particular respect to the European Union, the bloc has explicitly stated, through its then Ambassador to the Philippines Mr. Franz Jessen, the no funds form the Union have been used to support the armed rebellion. 

8. To indict these individuals merely on the basis of unvetted or still to be clarified statements, without strong documentary or object proof, is to act on rumors. No less than the Department of Justice is expected to heed the principles of justice, truth and fairness in the conduct of its duty to the public which it has sworn to serve.

The NUPL claims that all RMP projects were thoroughly vetted by the EU, UN, and other donors while the government says two unnamed former CPP members claim the RMP is a communist front. This unnamed person also aims to have been the finance officer of the RMP so it should not be hard for him to be identified. Munis is also alleged to be a member of the CPP which would mean that perhaps the NUJP is a Communist front. The proofs are not given as the DOJ has refused to release their resolution has been deemed "a private matter for parties of the case only."

It is odd that only now these people are being charged with crimes when the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) froze the RMP's bank accounts in 2019. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/08/18/2203527/rural-missionary-work-affected-terrorist-financing-raps-group-says

In a statement issued Thursday afternoon, RMP said that its missionary work with peasants, indigenous peoples and other rural poor has been "seriously hampered" because of what they said were relentless state attacks. 

This comes after the DOJ indicted 16 people on terrorist financing raps. Most of the respondents are members of the group, including nuns. Terrorist financing is a non-bailable charge. 

"All RMP projects are well-documented, reported and accounted for. It has complied with requirements in securing funds for their projects, including audits," RMP said as it expressed concern for the safety of those charged. 

It said that the charges follow "the same playbook" as the Duterte administration in discrediting legal organizations that provide much-needed services to communities.

RMP in its statement also pointed out that the DOJ's charges were based on the testimonies of two supposed surrenderees with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army. 

In 2019, the Anti-Money Laundering Council also froze three of the RMP's bank accounts which was later expanded to other accounts in 2020. 

The group questioned the circumstances behind the testimony, saying that the unnamed surrenderee was made to "execute a spurious statement" accusing the group of communist links in exchange for the release of her mother who was also in custody. 

How can the RMP be financing anything if their bank accounts have been frozen since 2019? This makes no sense at all. If they financed terrorism before 2019 why are they only being charged now? Again it makes no sense at all. 

That last sentence is quite intriguing and suggests that the RMP knows exactly who has accused them of being a communist front. We the public can only gawk at this sideshow and wait to see how it will play out in court. With the government's track record of having cases tossed out against alleged reds because of faulty warrants and with RMP projects being thoroughly vetted it might be that none of these charges will stand the light of day. 

Samar Island is a hotbed of the insurgency. However, the AFP has gradually whittled the NPA down and now peace is just ahead. What is needed is a peace and development plan for the whole island.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181606

The three provincial governments in Samar Island will come up with a multi-year peace and development plan, as agreed upon by their governors during a forum on Wednesday.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said it would be more realistic if Samar Island would have its own plan instead of incorporating its proposals into the regional peace and prosperity roadmap.

Samar is located in the Eastern Visayas region.

“We have the same problem and same advocacy. We understand our needs. We are hoping that Samar will be noticed, and Samar will also be considered as one of the most developing areas under the new administration,” Tan said during the forum held in Catbalogan City, Samar.

During the gathering, Tan, Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan, and Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone committed to convening a technical working group to harmonize and consolidate the plans for Samar Island to address its peace and development challenges.

In his presentation, Ongchuan proposed the construction of more roads leading to rebel-infested communities, such as Las Navas, Northern Samar.

“The construction of more road networks in the heart of Samar Island will deter the operations of communist terrorist group in these areas. More importantly, road interconnectivity addresses interrelated primary and secondary issues, such as delivery of basic social services, transportation, and increased agricultural productivity,” he added.

Evardone said he would convene key officials of different sectors in his province to list down priority projects for possible inclusion in the plan.

During his speech, he highlighted Eastern Samar’s new program “Isang Propesiyunal, Isang Pamilya” as part of their commitment to the regional peace and prosperity roadmap by providing support to families in remote communities and enabling these families to produce college graduate.

“If these families from remote communities are able to produce graduates and hopefully, these graduates find employment, this will certainly help them improve their economic status and in the long term help their communities enjoy peace and security,” Evardone added.

Tan said they would consolidate all proposals and complete the draft within the year.

This is not the first time we have heard that building roads will defeat the insurgency. But would not roads allow the NPA to move more freely? The graduate program is likewise head scratching. What it means is that the one who graduates from college will get a job and send all his money back home! Is that really a plan? Will encouraging freeloaders really defeat the NPA? Who knew that defeating the NPA was as easy as a family's son or daughter graduating from college, getting a job in the big city, and sending all the money back home! 

This band-aid ignores the real issues about the insurgency.  Alleged issues anyway. It reduces the insurgency and the family to an economic transaction which is what Marx explicitly wrote against!

The bourgeoisie has torn away from the family its sentimental veil, and has reduced the family relation to a mere money relation.

https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/pdf/Manifesto.pdf

Imagine thinking the way to defeat the insurgency is by turning the family relation into "a mere money relation." Incredible!

Of course all this week the AFP has engaged the NPA killing some and capturing others but that is commonplace news. The real fight against the insurgency lies in the word war between VP Sara Duterte and the Makabayan Bloc. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/11/round-3-makabayan-solon-calls-vp-sara-new-red-tagging-queen-duterte-camp-responds/

The word war between Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte and the Makabayan bloc continued to rage on Thursday, Aug. 11, after one of the militant lawmakers referred to Duterte as the new “red-tagging queen”.

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel lambasted the Vice President during a presser for alleged role in red-tagging activists and progressive groups.

“(She is now the) primary figure head  (because Lorraine Badoy is now unemployed and she replaced her as the) red-tagging queen (in our country),” the lawmaker said, referring to former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, who had become infamous for red-tagging even celebrities and volunteer workers.

Lawyer Reynold Munsayac, Duterte’s spokesman, maintained that the Vice President was merely saying the truth about the Makabayan bloc, who the latter had linked to the Communist Party in the Philippines, National Democratic Front, and New People’s Army (CPP-NDF-NPA) in a previous statement.

“(Like what was said by) Vice President Inday Sara Duterte, (telling the truth is not) red-tagging,” he said in a statement.

‘(Also, she will always have the time to tell the truth about the) Makabayan bloc (to finally end their deception of the public, especially the youth sector),” Munsayac added.

Manuel questioned the supposed miscommunication between government agencies since National Security Adviser Clarita Carlos stated the government does not condone red-tagging while Duterte does the opposite.

“(I want to ask our) government officials (do they discuss about having a) united  (stand) against red-tagging (because we shouldn’t allow this) brazen stance  (of a commission of the government),” the rookie lawmaker said.

He claimed that the Vice President leads the way in red-tagging operations, which include distributing posters and tarpaulins.

In what appears to be a now deleted post Lorraine Badoy jumped into this fray with her own hot take. 

https://twitter.com/GiboTeodoroJr/status/1559855208796422144

He called our beloved VP, redtagging Queen. Pwes, let’s call him the NPA Recruitment Queen. Doon lang tayo sa tutoo!

Is Sara telly "beloved?" To add to the nonsense Badoy, who really is the red-tagging queen, has changed her profile picture to show her cosplaying as an Indigenous Person just like Sara!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10159999886414834&set=a.452607139833

This is no way to fight the insurgency but it sure is entertaining! 

Another Foreigner Having More Fun in the Philippines

 Oh, look it's another foreigner having more fun in the Philippines. 

This man's name is not Rupert and he is not from London but he is living on the streets of the Philippines. Why is this? How is that a foreigner is living on the streets of the Philippines sustained by the handouts of generous passers-by? Because he gave all his money to a woman who lied about being single and now he is stuck here. 

When it came time to fly home it turned out his flight had been rescheduled without his notice and so the ticket was cancelled. Eventually he ran out of what little money he had left and now lives on the streets. There is no one he can call to send him money or buy a ticket home for him. He is all alone in this cruel world. The streets are now his home.

Oddly enough a judge ruled that he must stay in the Philippines until 2025 because he was convicted of pulling a knife during a confrontation in which he was attempting to defend himself. Does that make any sense at all? But that's his claim and not mine. 

The Bureau of Immigration is aware he has been overstaying yet they have not made any moves to deport him because he owes them money and the longer he overstays the more he will owe and they aim to collect that bill. That's what not-Rupert says anyway. 

I admit this is a truncated story with lots of gaps. It is an outline of a Shakespearean tragedy on the scale of As You Like It. I cannot fill those gaps or broaden the outline. All I can do is show you a picture of another foreigner having more fun in the Philippines. 

BTW: This man's real name is Bradley Vincent, he is Australian, and his Facebook page can be accessed here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072656580991

Retards in the Government 272

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

  

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/841272/barangay-captain-shot-dead-by-motorcycle-riding-assassins-in-cagayan/story/

A barangay chairman was killed was killed after he was shot by two unidentified men on a motorcycle in Rizal, Cagayan.

The Cagayan Police Provincial Office identified the victim as Roberto de Ocampo, 50, of Anurturo.

Investigation showed that Ocampo and his wife were in their pickup truck traversing the provincial road in Barangay Gumarueng in Piat town on Wednesday when the suspects shots them.

The victim sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of his body and was immediately brought by responding police officers to the Tuao District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

His wife survived the shooting incident.

The police said the suspects immediately fled the scene on a silver-grey Nmax motorcycle.        

A barangay captain has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1645467/gunman-kills-local-govt-exec-in-batangas

A local government official in Lobo town in Batangas province was shot and killed by a lone gunman on Thursday night.

The Batangas police reported Friday, August 12 that Romeo Sulit, 61, the municipal council secretary, was delivering a speech around 8 p.m. at a debut party in Barangay Tayuman, when an assailant approached him from behind and shot him.

The gunman wore a green jacket, black shorts, and a hat.

He fled on foot and left his target with a fatal bullet wound at the back of his head.

The police said Sulit, a former vice mayor of Lobo, was brought to Batangas Medical Center in Batangas City for treatment.

Captain Roy Cuevas, Lobo police chief, said Sulit died at 12:34 a.m.

A former vice mayor was assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/11/22/coa-flags-customs-for-allowing-importers-with-violations

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has allowed 974 importers to continue transactions despite violating laws and rules, the Commission on Audit (COA) said in its report. 

COA said the importers should have been suspended instead of being allowed to import 77,049 consumption entries with assessed duties and taxes amounting to P28.954 billion.

State auditors noted that 644 of the 974 importers have records of violations, seizure, abandonment and smuggling, while 330 were habitual violators of importation with generic description.

“When left uncorrected, this may cause the breakdown of risk controls, which will significantly affect the efficient implementation of accreditation and defeats the purpose of accreditation,” the audit team said.

The audit report also noted that the BOC management agreed to the recommendations of the audit team, including ensuring that the account management office is furnished with all the warrants of seizure and detention as well as abandonment cases.

The report further mentioned the importation of 553 regulated commodities costing P1.44 billion in duties and taxes which were processed and released despite lack of import permits and other documents.

Included in the P1.44 billion duties and taxes are P684.028 million from the importation of luxury vehicles which were assessed and released without necessary permits and other documents

The audit team also flagged the inconsistent and inappropriate tagging of the BOC within their system for a total of 100,944 consumption entries with assessed duties and taxes of P122.146 billion.

The BOC uses a color-coded system in its system using colors such as green to signify release without further inspection, red for x-ray scanning and physical examination, among others.

The audit team noted that 5,989 entires amounting to P1.733 billion which should have been tagged as red were released without conducting 100 percent physical inspection.

There was also an understatement of P105.108 million on duties and taxes for the importation of 765 commodities due to deficient computation of insurance.

“The non-compliance by the BOC with the prescribed computations could affect the collection of total duties and taxes accruing from the importations, thus, a possible loss of revenue,” the audit team said.

The COA has tagged the BOA over multiple violations of improper paperwork and documentation which resulted in a loss of revenue. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/12/sandiganbayan-affirms-graft-convictionof-ex-rep-pichay-as-then-lwua-head/

“Courts are not the forum to plead for sympathy. The duty of courts is to apply the law, disregarding their feeling of sympathy or pity for an accused.”

Thus declared the Sandiganbayan as it turned down the motion filed by former Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) Chief and ex-Rep. Prospero A. Pichay Jr. and Deputy Acting Administrator Wilfredo M. Feleo to reconsider the court’s decision that convicted them of three graft charges.

In his motion for reconsideration, Pichay highlighted the “disparity” between the offense charged emanating from bad business decision-making of a public official and entailing criminal liability.

“If every mistake, error, or oversight is met with criminal punishment, then qualified individuals would be hindered in serving the government,” Pichay said.

In a resolution issued last Aug. 10, the anti-graft court said: “After turning all stones, the Court finds no sufficient justification to warrant abandonment of our earlier ruling.”

Pichay and Feleo were sentenced to a prison term ranging from 18 to 30 years in the purchase of the Express Savings Bank, Inc. (ESBI) when they were top LWUA officials in 2009.

The criminal charges arose from LWUA’s purchase of ESBI, a local thrift bank based in Laguna through WELLEX Group Inc. (WGI) and Forum Pacific Inc. (FPI).

The anti-graft court said that as head of the LWUA board, Pichay approved the acquisition of ESBI even without securing the regulatory approvals from the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (MB-BSP), the Department of Finance (DOF), and the Office of the President.

“It cannot be denied that accused Pichay and Feleo knew of this requirement as they have been in consultation with the Office of the President, DOF, and BSP. They were specifically advised to secure prior approval of the Monetary Board. This advice was given before LWUA purchased the ESBI shares,” the court said.

The court said that Pichay and Feleo may not have been impelled by “patently fraudulent and dishonest purpose,” since they were merely carrying out a lawful mandate. However, the court pointed out that they carried out the task with “haphazardness and nonconforming ways.”

“Even assuming that accused did not act in bad faith or with manifest partiality, their negligence under the circumstances was not only gross but also inexcusable,” the court stressed.

A former Representatitve and then head of the LWUA has asked the Sandiganbayan to reconsider his graft conviction because he did not intend to commit a crime. The Sandiganbayan says no, the law must be applied without pity. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/13/cop-gunned-down-in-nueva-vizcaya/

A 43-year-old policeman was shot dead by gunmen onboard a motorcycle here Saturday, August 13.

Police Col. Ranser Evasco, Nueva Vizcaya police chief, identified the victim as Police Senior Master Sgt. Aldwin Aspacio James, a Baguio City resident.

Evasco, quoting field reports, said James, a field training officer of the local police, was gunned down on Manalansan St., Purok 3, Barangay Homestead.

Police here said the victim had just arrived at his boarding house when he was killed by the suspects riding a matte gray Yamaha NMAX motorcycle without license plates.

James sustained six bullet wounds and was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead.

The gunmen fled towards the bypass road in this town.

A cop has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/14/casual-cadiz-city-government-employee-falls-in-buy-bust/

A casual employee of the city government of Cadiz in Negros Occidental was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay Tinampa-an Saturday, August 13.

Police identified the suspect as Charlie Bacroya, 43, of Barangay Tinampa-an, who was assigned at the City Veterinary Office.

Police Lt. Col. Gil John Despi, Cadiz City police chief, said Bacroya is their Top 2 priority target at the police station.

Despi said that they have been monitoring the suspect for some time.

Police recovered from Bacroya 1.8 grams of suspected shabu worth P12,240 and the P500 marked money.

Bacroya is considered a high value individual, according to the police.

A casual government employee who was also a high value target has been arrested on drug charges.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181329

A former Zamboanga del Sur town mayor escaped conviction for malversation of public funds but must pay a fine of PHP50,000 under a plea bargaining deal that saw him plead guilty to the lesser charge of failing to render accounts.

In its decision dated August 10, the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division found Wilson Nandang, former mayor of Labangan, guilty of 10 counts of violating Section 218 (Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts) of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) and ordered him to pay a fine of PHP5,000 for each count.

The graft court also granted the prosecution’s motion for the dismissal of 10 counts of violation of Article 217 (Malversation of Public Funds) against Nandang.

A plea bargaining agreement was approved by the Ombudsman for the malversation charges to be dropped after the accused entered a plea of guilty to a lesser charge.

In 2018, the Ombudsman said Nandang received 10 cash advances for travel expenses from January to August 2011, totaling PHP1,250,000.

Despite demands from the Commission on Audit (COA), he failed to liquidate and account for the cash advances.

A former mayor has been funded for failing to renew his accounts properly.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/15/22/coa-p267-million-in-donations-including-vehicles-unrecorded-in-pnp-books

Donations made to the Philippine National Police totaling P267.085 million remain unrecorded in its books of accounts, according to the latest audit report of the Commission on Audit (COA).

As of end of 2021, the donations received by the PNP remain unrecorded due to the non-submission of deeds of donation and other relevant documents by logistics officers to their respective accounting units.

Included in the list are 49 units of Hyundai Elantra and 81 Starex vans donated from 2017 to 2020 by the Republic of Korea to regional and provincial offices as well as offices in the PNP headquarters.

“Moreover, we gathered information from PNP’s annual reports and news articles and have noted that the following donations were not yet recorded in the books of accounts,” the state auditors said.

The list also included 22 units of Toyota Grandia donated by the Public Safety Savings and Loans Association, 4 units of Toyota Hilux from Servequest Properties Corporation, 2 units of Toyota Hilux from Rotary Club Makati Central, all donated in 2020.

P3.65 million worth of equipment such as scuba gear and other training equipment were donated by the United States government from 2020 to 2021, as quoted by the audit team from various news articles.

The audit team noted that the PNP management agreed to the recommendations, among others, to promptly submit copies of the deeds of donation and other documents for all unrecorded donated properties.

The COA says the PNP has not properly documented P267 million in donations.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/15/22/coa-flags-dswd-over-undistributed-donations-for-ulysses-victims

Various donations made to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) intended for victims of Typhoon Ulysses in November 2020 remain undistributed at the end of 2021, state auditors said. 

The Commission on Audit (COA) in its latest report said that the DSWD office in Region 2 received a total of 126,172 in-kind donations during the last quarter of 2020 until 2021, but a total of 21,824 were still on hand.

The report noted that the donations were given by various donors for the families affected by the massive flooding and huge destruction of property in the region.

“However, to date, the above balance of in-kind donations remains undistributed which should have been made immediately especially those goods that are highly exposed to damage, rotting and expiration,” the audit team said.

The report is a reiteration of last year’s findings in the 2020 audit report on the DSWD.

It also mentioned the non-submission of reports of in-kind donations to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense.

“Also, the transparency and accountability in the use of aid/donations was significantly affected especially that this has become an issue of considerable importance for donors and the public,” the audit team noted.

The COA says the DSWD has undistributed donations in thier coffers. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181338

A police manhunt is underway against a group behind the ambush-slay of a former village chief and his worker in Barangay Kidama here on Sunday evening.

Lt. Col Jingle Parallag, town police chief, identified Monday the victims as Felipe Sara Maluenda, 61, former chairperson of Barangay Kidama, and Joseph Mariano Flores, a laborer and resident of Alamada town, North Cotabato province.

Parallag said Maluenda was driving his sedan together with Flores on their way to Barangay Kilada when gunmen positioned on both sides of the road at a local sugarcane plantation opened fire on them around 7:00 pm.

Both victims were brought to separate hospitals here but were declared dead on arrival by the attending physicians.

“The victims obtained fatal wounds in different parts of their body,” she said.

 Police recovered eight pieces of empty shells from an M16 rifle, another empty shell from a .45-caliber pistol, and other pieces of evidence.

“The suspects swiftly ran into the sugarcane plantation after the incident”, Parallag said.

“Our investigation is ongoing,” she said, declining to give more information so as not to jeopardize police operation.

A barangay captain has been assassinated by unknown men for unknown reasons. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/16/2202939/ex-nia-chiefs-sentence-over-dam-project-affirmed

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed its earlier ruling convicting former National Irrigation Administration (NIA) chief Carlos Salazar in connection with a dam project initiated in 2009 without approval from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

In a resolution promulgated on Aug. 3, the anti-graft court said Salazar failed to raise in his appeal substantial or compelling matters that would warrant the reversal of the decision finding him guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The anti-graft court earlier sentenced Salazar to six to eight years in prison and perpetually disqualified him from holding public office.

The court ordered Salazar, who was NIA administrator during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, to indemnify the agency P98.55 million or equivalent to the amount of NIA funds found to have been illegally disbursed.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2018, the case stemmed from a P712.37-million contract that Salazar entered into with A.M. Oreta on May 8, 2009 for the construction of the Libmanan-Cabusao Diversion Dam in Camarines Sur.

The ombudsman said the contract was awarded to A.M. Oreta without prior approval from the NEDA-Investment Coordination Committee, which was required under Executive Order 230 or the reorganized NEDA charter.

The ombudsman said that two days after the signing of the contract, Salazar issued a notice to proceed with the project, allowing the firm to collect an advance payment of P98.5 million.

The project, which was supposed to be constructed in Sipocot River, was called off due to opposition from local communities and environmental groups.

The Sandiganbayan has upheld the graft conviction of former NIA Chief Carlos Salazar over an illegal advance payment he made to a construction company for a dam. The project was later called off. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1647299/qcpd-cop-tagged-in-hit-and-run-relieved-from-post

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) has relieved its officer, after it was identified that he is the registered owner of the vehicle that figured in a hit-and-run incident that killed a tricycle driver and injured a passenger.

In a statement on Tuesday, the QCPD said Lt. Col. Mark Julio Abong, chief of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, will be reassigned to the District Personnel Holding and Accounting Section while the investigation is ongoing.

It noted, however, that Abong had “denied responsibility [for] the incident and claimed that a certain Ronald Centino, who was responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle, drove the same without his consent when the accident happened.”

Abong and Centino are facing complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injury, and damage to property.

Two QCPD cops "are facing complaints for reckless imprudence resulting in homicide, physical injury, and damage to property" after a hit-and-run incident.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181425

Members of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday arrested three Manila policemen who allegedly tried to extort PHP2,000 from a driver whose tricycle was earlier impounded by the group.

In a statement Tuesday, Brig. Gen. Warren De Leon, chief of the PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG), identified the suspects as Staff Sgt. Erwin Licuasen, 34; Cpl. Chimber Importa, 33; and Pat. Leopoldo Tuason, 39.

They were arrested at around 10:45 p.m. inside the Paco Police Community Precinct (PCP) located at the corner of Pedro Gil and Angel Linao Sts. in Paco, Manila.

De Leon said the operation stemmed from the complaint of tricycle operator Frederick Alba, 34, of Sampaloc, Manila who said the driver of his tricycle was apprehended for a traffic violation on Aug. 14.

He said the suspects demanded PHP2,000 in exchange for the release of the tricycle which was impounded.

The suspects were arrested after receiving the PHP2,000 marked money from the complainant during the entrapment.

Recovered from the suspects were the marked money, three mobile phones, a blotter book, six pieces of magazines with ammunition, and a motorcycle with an orange sidecar. Their service firearms were also confiscated.

The suspects are now under the custody of the IMEG headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City for proper documentation before inquest proceedings.

Three Manila cops have been arrested for extortion.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/18/2203453/pnp-92-extortion-cases-filed-vs-rogue-cops

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. has ordered police commanders to exercise disciplinary authority over their personnel.

Azurin issued the directive after records from the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) showed that 92 cases have been filed before the courts against policemen accused of robbery and extortion in July.

“If you are not going to do your job, then the entire police station or sub-station will be relieved and they will be replaced with more responsible and accountable PNP personnel,” Azurin said in a statement.

A policeman who is wanted for kidnapping with rape was apprehended in Taguig on Tuesday.

Azurin identified the suspect as Pat. Jerome Arroyo, who is assigned with the MPD.

Arroyo was nabbed based on a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Anne Beatrice Balmaceda of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 27.

Azurin reminded police officers that they could be held administratively liable based on the doctrine of command responsibility.

92 cops have been charged with extortion in July and one cop has been arrested for kidnapping. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/841852/coa-flags-doh-over-p185m-worth-of-covid-19-items-not-properly-distributed/story/

State auditors have flagged the Department of Health over the millions worth of COVID-19-related items that were not properly distributed to their intended recipients.

In a 2021 audit report released on August 15, the Commission on Audit (COA) said items amounting to at least P185,602,876 were either not received by the intended recipients, not received at all, or insufficient or excessive.

According to COA, P166.2 million worth of items were delivered to agencies other than the intended recipients, P18.5 million were not received by intended recipients, and P835,402 showed discrepancies between the quantities indicated and the actual quantities received.

The state auditors said this indicated “inefficiency in the distribution system of said government assets exposing them to risks of loss, misuse, or wastage.”

The items were purchased by the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) using the funds transferred by the DOH. The deliveries were made by the PS-DBM through third-party logistics.

COA said the items worth P166.2 million were supposed to be delivered to the Cagayan Valley Center for Health Development (CHD), the Southern Isabela Medical Center, and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium COVID site.

However, items totaling P54 million were received by the Office of the Civil Defense while P108.6 million were received by individuals whose offices or agencies could not be identified.

The agency also said that 150,000 masks amounting to P3.4 million were delivered to the Caraga CHD instead of the Northern Mindanao CHD.

Meanwhile, state auditors said six agencies indicated in the PTRs confirmed that they did not receive the COVID-19 items totaling P18.5 million.

These were the Northern Mindanao CHD, the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Hospital, Margosatubig Regional Hospital, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Education, and the Maria Lourdes Maternity Hospital.

The Metro Manila CHD and the Caraga CHD, meanwhile, disclosed discrepancies between the quantities indicated in the distribution list and the actual quantities delivered that were either less or more.

Millions of pesos worth of COVID-19 related equipment which were purchased by the DOH were not properly distributed.