Insurgency: Crush Insurgency Within Bongbong Marcos' Term

There's a new AFP Chief in town. He's slinging the same old guns and promising the same old promises as his predecessors. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1650193/new-afp-chief-vows-to-crush-insurgency-within-bongbong-marcos-term

The new chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines vowed to end the country’s insurgency problem within the six-year term of President Marcos Jr.

“Before the administration of President Marcos ends, I believe we can end the insurgency problem),” said Lt. Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro during his visit to Camp Lukban, the headquarters of the 8th Infantry Division based here on Saturday (August 20).

Bacarro admitted they made the same vow during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte but failed to accomplish it.

He, however, stressed that the campaign against insurgency during the Duterte administration has significantly reduced the “power factor” of the rebels across the region.

Bacarro said they managed to reduce the number of communist rebels and their number of firearms.

When he assumed his post early this month, Bacarro said his “marching order” to all the division commanders down the line is to quell the insurgency problem and to “sustain” all the gains they have accomplished for the past months.

At least he admits that they AFP failed to accomplish this same goal under the last administration. But that goes all the way back to at least 1986 when every subsequent administration gave the promise that the insurgency would end by the end of their term. As for reduction in rebels the latest province to be declared insurgency free is Davao Occidental.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181644

The Army's 10th Infantry Division (ID) has formally declared the Davao Occidental province as “insurgency-free" during a ceremony held in Malita town on Thursday.

Major Gen. Nolasco Mempin, the Army's 10ID commander, said the declaration was the result of aggressive military and police operations, leading into the collapse of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the province.

In particular, Mempin lauded the anti-insurgency campaign of the Army's 1002nd Infantry Brigade, the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) field units in the province.

He said NPA Guerilla Front (GF) Tala, which was once active in the peripheries of the province, is considered "cleared," based on the parameters set forth by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP.

Mempin said insurgency issues and concerns were resolved in identified conflict-affected areas and geographically- isolated and disadvantaged areas, resulting in the "demolition" of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in the province.

Meanwhile, Mempin said they are also optimistic to declare the Davao Region insurgency-free on or before Sept. 30.

He said only one NPA unit remains active before Davao Region can be declared “insurgency-free”, the weakened NPA GF-18 operating in Davao Oriental province.

“The Eastern Mindanao Command gave us the timeline to declare the region as insurgency-free until September 30. We are trying our best that it will not reach that deadline for us to dismantle the remaining NPA unit,” Mempin said.

The AFP hopes to declare the whole of Davao insurgency free by September 30th by defeating the lone NPA unit remaining. But what about the ASG, Maute, and MNLF? What about ISIS? What about the Islamic insurgency? Won't they still be around? How could they declare Davao completely insurgency free if there are still Muslim insurgents around? They don't say. Probably best not to ask. 

The AFP is banking on the remaining insurgents surrendering. Surrenders continue to happen every single week but here is a notable instance.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182199

Twelve communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels surrendered to police authorities during the implementation of the Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operation (SACLEO) in the region on Thursday.

The NPA surrenderers are from the provinces of South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat. They opted to yield because of physical exhaustion.

Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, the Soccsksargen police director, said 10 out of the 12 surrenderers were from South Cotabato, one from Sarangani, and one from Sultan Kudarat.

All the surrenderers brought along with them their firearms.

“It is the deception, futile armed struggle, and the realization that government has a clearer intention to address their issues that prompted the surrenderers to firmly resolve to be on the folds of government,” Macaraeg said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“I am overwhelmed that they have finally committed their allegiance to the government and lay down their arms,” he said of the surrenderers’ “right choice" of leaving the communist ideology, urging other rebels to follow suit.

If it looks like there are only eight people in that infographic it's because the other 4 are in the background and can hardly be seen. Who is making this awful propaganda? And why is the first guy in the yellow shirt not holding up a placard? The blurring of the faces won't prevent these men from being recognized by those who may know them intimately.

Despite Davao Occidental being declared insurgency free the AFP is beefing up the IP militia.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181886

Although Davao Occidental has been declared insurgency-free, the military has continued to capacitate the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in the area to defend themselves against communist rebels attempting to encroach on their ancestral domains.

"It helped that we have trained some of the IPs to defend themselves, their lands, and the members of their tribes against attempts of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels to harass them,” 2nd Lt. Tiffany Joy Bago, the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion (73IB) civil-military officer, said in a press briefer Monday.

Bago said the 73IB has witnessed how the IP militia, also called Bagani, aided them in dismantling New People's Army (NPA) units in the province.

“They would volunteer to undergo training, and they became our eyes in the area making sure that their community is secure," she said.

In addition, Bago said the military has also been consistent in strengthening its presence and relations with the residents, who previously were forced to shelter and provide food for the NPA's dismantled guerrilla fronts in Davao Occidental.

What is this other than a tacit admission that the NPA has some strength left in it? 

Remember in 2018 when former DND Secretary Lorenzana admitted that the AFP stopped urban warfare training because they did not use it? Well now they are finally relearning that skill.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181932

Around 500 Filipino and Australian troops will be exchanging knowledge and skills on jungle and urban operations in a more than two-month long bilateral training maneuvers dubbed "Exercise Kasangga".

In a statement Tuesday, Philippine Army (PA) spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the exercise formally started on yesterday and will end in October at Camp Pablo Tecson in San Miguel, Bulacan.

"The PA, through the First Scout Ranger Regiment (FSRR), and the Land Mobile Training Team of the Australian Army commenced Exercise Kasangga aimed at bolstering defense ties and strengthening interoperability between the two armies in urban and jungle operations," he added.

Trinidad said FSRR and the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment troops would share skills and knowledge on jungle operations.

"Meanwhile, Australian troops will assist FSRR troops in sharpening their urban operations capabilities," he added.

Around 400 FSRR troops will train side-by-side with nearly a hundred Australian troops in the ongoing bilateral exercise.

I am sure this is not the first time since 2018 the AFP has been relearning urban warfare training. Hopefully they keep it up even if they don't use the skill.

Perhaps the biggest development this week in the fight against the insurgency is the reported death of the Tiamazons who are the heads of the CPP. Reportedly they died in an explosion after an encounter with the AFP on the high seas. However, no bodies have been recovered yet.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/23/without-bodies-military-faces-dead-end-in-confirming-demise-of-tiamzon-couple/

The death of suspected communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon during an encounter with troops still could not be verified by the 8th Infantry Division (8ID) of the Philippine Army (PA) due to the absence of their remains, a ranking military official admitted Tuesday, August 23.

Elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s Joint Task Force (JTF) Storm had to call off their search, rescue, and retrieval operations on an exploded motorbanca supposedly carrying “high-ranking VIPs” from the New People’s Army (NPA) in Catbalogan City, Samar due to bad weather, said Maj. Gen. Edgardo De Leon, commander of 8ID.

“(The troops were recalled and they could not get anything. The weather here is not good),” De Leon said.

De Leon admitted feeling pressure in confirming the death of Benito, the pinpointed chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), and his wife, Wilma, the alleged Secretary General of CPP-NPA, as this will surely have a big impact on the operations of country’s the primary communist forces.

However, the two-star general could only bank on the information provided by a tipster to the intelligence unit of the JTF Storm that the couple were indeed onboard the exploded motorbanca.

“(The information provided to me by the intelligence unit is that highly likely, there is a high-level of certainty the [couple] were onboard),” De Leon said.

But even the seasoned commander did not want to take risks in assuming the couple’s death based on mere assumptions, recognizing the possible repercussions that it may have on the military’s reputation if proven otherwise.

“(But I asked them if they can say 100 percent that the subjects were really there despite the absence of physical evidence? I understand that the public wants physical evidence, and they could not provide any),” De Leon said.

“(My only worry is that if I declare they have died, what if they presented a proof life later on? What if later on they say that General de Leon is lying or it’s just part of a propaganda and they have a proof of life? I’ll be damned),” he emphasized.

It's great the AFP is being cautious before making a statement. Perhaps they died perhaps they got away. The body parts recovered will have to be fully identified before anything can be known definitely. It should not be forgotten that Duterte released these two people in 2016 in a bid to restart the peace talks. 

Along with the potential demise of the Tiamzon couple a ranking CPP official has been arrested in Quezon City.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1653462/pnp-chief-azurin-says-ranking-cpp-officer-arrested-in-quezon-city

An alleged ranking officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has been arrested in Quezon City purportedly for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder.

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., Adora Faye De Vera has an outstanding warrant of arrest issued by Judge Guilljie Delfin Lim of Iloilo City’s Regional Trial Court Branch 22.

Azurin said Thursday that de Vera was arrested in Teacher’s Village on Wednesday afternoon.

“De Vera is the subject of a Warrant of Arrest without bail, issued by the Court for the crime of Multiple Murder and Multiple Frustrated Murder with the Use of Explosives, particularly anti-personnel landmines that are outlawed by international conventions on warfare,” the PNP chief said in a press briefing in Pampanga.

“She is also accused in a separate criminal case for the crime of rebellion,” he added.

Citing police records, Azurin claimed de Vera is a staff officer of the General Command of the CPP, New People’s Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front, as well as the secretary of the Central Front of CPP-NPA Regional Committee-Panay.

In an unexpected twist de Vera is the sister of the current CHed Chairman Prospero de Vera. He has disavowed her activities and said he will let the law take its course. But how long until he is red-tagged by the authorities? 

Hi, My Name Is...27

It's time for another monthly look at a motley crew of Filipinos and foreigners doing stuff most people would not be caught dead doing. In fact most of these people are dead. Say hello anyway!

Hi, my name is Marife Luchavez. My niece and I got into a heated argument when I tried to stop her from eating yellowfin tuna. Last time she ate it she ended up in the health center because she is allergic to the stuff. But she is so hardheaded she insisted anyway and in my rage I stabbed her. It was for her own good of course. Her mom tried to interfere and got hurt too which I did not intend. 

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1937897/cebu/local-news/aunt-stabs-niece-who-ignored-her-advice-not-to-eat-yellowfin-tuna

AN ARGUMENT between an aunt and her niece resulted in the latter’s stabbing in Sitio Kabatuan, Barangay Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 15, 2022.

Maribago Barangay Councilor Arvin Abing said the aunt, identified as Marife Luchavez, allegedly lost her patience when her 17-year-old niece (name withheld for being a minor) did not heed her advice not to eat the yellowfin tuna (barilis), their viand for breakfast, as the girl was allergic to this.

Luchavez admitted to stabbing her niece at the height of their altercation.

Luchavez’s mother, who tried to pacify the two, was also hurt.

[She was told not to eat that (yellowfin tuna) because this was the reason she had to be rescued by a nurse at the health center. I told her to buy her own viand because eating that food is off limits to her.]

Councilor Abing, accompanied by the operatives from the Mobile Patrol Unit of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office, brought Luchavez and her niece to the barangay hall to settle the matter.

Hi, my name is Raniel Reano. I had been missing for four days but it turns out I was not far from home. You see, I was down in hole. How I got there I am unable to say nor are the authorities able to figure out if it was an accident or a crime. At least they managed to fish out my bloated body without mangling it 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/17/teenager-found-dead-in-hole-in-qc/

A 16-year-old boy was found dead in a hole on a center island near the corner of EDSA and Bansalingin Street in Quezon City Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 17.

Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP-SRU) retrieved the body of Raniel Reano, a dweller on the said center island, who was reported missing for four days.

Staff Sgt. George Caculba of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU) said they sought the help of BFP-SRU to recover the body of Reano after the boy’s parents informed the officials of Barangay Veterans Village that they discovered the victim in the hole at around 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.

The search and rescue team started the retrieval operation at around 10:40 a.m. They recovered the victim’s body at around 1:41 p.m.

“(Our search and rescue had a hard time retrieving the victim because of the lack of oxygen, it stank inside because the dead is already bloated. At the same time, since the victim is bloated, the search and rescue unit was avoiding to mangle the body parts),” Caculba said.

Reano was brought to a funeral home on Congressional Ave. in Barangay Bahay Toro, Quezon City, police said.

Caculba said that they are still investigating if the victim was pushed into the hole.

Hi, my name is (still unidentified woman.) I was walking along when all of a sudden, BAM! I fell straight into an open manhole and died! This was in a construction zone which means, as usual, nothing was cordoned off. Perhaps my family will receive a nice blood money settlement from the city and the construction company. 

https://mb.com.ph/2022/08/21/woman-falls-into-open-manhole-in-pangasinan-dies/

A woman died after she accidentally fell into the open manhole of a road under construction in this town Saturday, Aug. 20.

The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office described the woman as 60-years-old and above, at least 5’0” in height, and wearing black T-shirt and black pants.

A witness, Angelo Pungos, 36, of Barangay Maya, Infanta, told police that the woman was walking on the road shoulder when she suddenly fell into the open manhole.

Police and local rescuers took the victim to the hospital where she was declared dead by the attending physician.

Infanta lawmen are combing barangays here to identify the victim.

Hi, my name is Felixberto Briones. I was out at a job and suddenly I had to go. So I left the job site without telling anyone and made my way to some bushes where I could do my business. People often do their business in this area but unbeknownst to me the bushes were hiding an empty open well. Before I knew what happened I had slipped, fell down the hole, and died. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/455928/welder-who-fell-into-abandoned-well-in-san-fernando-town-found-dead

A 30-year-old welder fell into an abandoned well in Barangay Panadtaran in San Fernando town, south Cebu.

He was already dead when rescuers found him at about 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 30.

Police Corporal Mario Paul Pino, investigator of the San Fernando Police Station, ruled out a possible foul play in the death of Felixberto Briones, a native of Carcar City.

Pino said Briones’ family also refused to have his body undergo an autopsy saying that they were convince that he died in an accident.

Nobody knows exactly what time the accident happened, Pino said.

They learned during their investigation that Briones went missing on Saturday afternoon. His co-workers started to look for him at about 4 p.m.

(He did not inform anyone where he was going because we believe that he was supposed to be at work that time. We could only surmise that he took a break. And the reason why he reached the area was to answer the call of nature.)

Thinking that he may have responded the call of nature, Pino said, one of Briones’ co-workers started searching the bushes near the construction site where the abandoned well was located.

(The area is a go to place for people who wanted to either urinate or defecate. And because of the presence of fully grown bushes there, it was always possible for people, who are not familiar with the area, to fall into the well.)

According to Pino, the said co-worker found one of the slippers that Briones wore floating on the well, which raised suspicions that he may have fallen there.

Hi, my name is (unnamed seven year old girl.) A fourteen-year-old boy from my village kidnapped me and molested me leaving bruises all over my body. Then he stripped me and raped me. Finally he hog-tied me like a pig and stuffed me in an empty rice sack. My parents say they will seek justice and make sure my killer rots in prison forever rather than take blood money. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/841936/seven-year-old-girl-found-inside-sack-believed-raped/story/

A seven-year-old girl was found dead inside a sack at the back of a house in Pila, Laguna on Monday night.

According to Andrew Bernardo's report on GMA Regional TV "Balitang Southern Tagalog", the parents of the victim believe their daughter had been raped as she had no shirt and pants on when her body was found.

"It's naked. I dressed up. His father took me because, sir, I can't hold him... I'm still holding my youngest," the victim's mother Erna Amadeo said.

"It's really bad that they turned my daughter into a pig. There is no one to fight against," she added.

Edmundo, the father's victim, said their daughter may have been molested as there were bruises in different parts of her body.

"She was tied and when I opened the sack, she was inside the sack hermself. No more life. Then her eyes and mouth are full of earth. Then he had no shorts and no clothes. Too much was done to my daughter," he said.

The suspect is a 14-year-old teenager from their village.

Meanwhile, the grieving family sought justice.

"I just want whoever did that to be punished for life in prison. These kinds of people need to live," Edmundo said.

"They will pay for everything [what they did]. We will not stop... we will really fight for him until he rots [in jail]," Erna added.

The father also asked for financial help.

"We have nothing too. My salary for a week is almost enough. We don't have our own house yet. We are still renting. It's really difficult," he said.

Hi, my name is Jerome Estan. I was going home after celebrating my father's birthday when I suddenly realized I needed a shirt which was at a friends house. My mom told me to not worry about it and to not go because it was already 10 pm. But I insisted. For my trouble I ended up not only robbed but also stabbed in the chest and I died. Turns out you should always listen to your mother. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/457347/scholar-16-robbed-killed-in-cebu-city-on-his-fathers-birthday

What could have been a happy day for the Estan family, who had just celebrated their father’s birthday at the house of their father’s twin sibling in Minglanilla town, turned into a day of tragedy for them, instead.

This was after one of the members of the family, was robbed and killed on his way home from the birthday celebration on Saturday evening, August 6.

Jerome Estan, 16, a Grade 10 scholar, of Barangay Pahina Central, Cebu City died after he was robbed and then stabbed in the chest allegedly by a group of minors in Villa Manga in Barangay Bulacao, Cebu City at past 10 p.m. that night, said Police Senior Master Sergeant Geoffrey Gutual, investigator of the Inayawan Police Station.

Gutual said that three persons, two minors and an adult, had already went to the police station to deny any involvement in the crime.

He said that the three were detained as they were considered suspects and they were still verifying their claims denying any involvement in the killing.

He also said that two other minors, one of whom was believed to have been the one who stabbed the victim, had remained at large as of this posting.

Moralyn Estan, 54, the mother of the victim, recounted, during an interview with CDN Digital, why Jerome was in the area alone at that time.

Moralyn said that Jerome wanted to stop by on their way home to meet a co-scholar near a food park in Barangay Bulacao in Cebu City.

Jerome wanted to get his T-shirt, which was at with the co-scholar because he would need it for their scheduled trip on Sunday (August 7) to a beach in Tuburan town with their scholarship sponsor.

She said that she had second thoughts of letting Jerome go there because it was already past 10 p.m. but Jerome was adamant and she relented.

(He said that ma, I will go ahead of you. I will go to meet Justin. I told him that he should not go because it was already late night. But he said ma, I would get the T-shirt because I would bring it tomorrow on our trip.)

Hi, my name is Mark Weinand. In South Africa I boarded a plane with 21 kilograms of shabu hidden in my luggage. At a flyover in Doha, Qatar the authorities still had no idea I was carrying so much drugs. However someone had tipped off the Philippine authorities and they were monitoring me. When I finally arrived in Manila they subjected my luggage to K9 sniffing and x-ray inspection. Of course they found the goods and now I am stuck in a Philippine jail. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/08/21/2204022/south-african-caught-p144-million-shabu-naia

A South African man was arrested on Friday upon arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 (NAIA-3) with over 21 kilos of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu valued at P144.3 million in his luggage, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported yesterday.

Mark Weinand, 60, traveled from South Africa and passed through Doha, Qatar before landing at NAIA-3, the BOC said.

Personnel from the BOC, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (IADITG) closely monitored Weinand’s arrival after receiving reports on the drugs he was carrying.

Weinand’s luggage was subjected to K9 sweeping and X-ray inspection.

The South African, who is in PDEA custody for further investigation, is facing charges of violating the Comprehensive Drug Act of 2002 and the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.

Hi, my name is Concordia Relleta. When I was young I was forced to drop out of school because my family was poor and I needed to work. I worked as a barangay sweeper saving up whatever cash I could. As I got older I never stopped dreaming about finishing my education. After much studying I was finally able to graduate from high school. Who knows but maybe I will get to go to college just like my granddaughter. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1650611/83-year-old-woman-fulfills-dream-of-finishing-high-school

She may be in her twilight years but 83-year-old Corcondia Relleta of Calbayog City in Samar province refused to remain idle.

Instead, she studied hard to complete basic education.

On Aug. 15, Relleta graduated from high school under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd).

According to her 21-year-old granddaughter Gorgie Relleta, her lola was all smiles during the graduation ceremony in her home city.

“She was so happy to finally wear a toga. She was beaming with pride,” she said.

Gorgie said her grandmother was not able to finish her studies due to poverty.

Concordia, however, now proved that age was never a hindrance in achieving a goal.

Gorgie said she cried when her grandmother was walking up the stage of the Calbayog City Sports Center to get her diploma, donning a toga.

She said her grandmother worked as a barangay sweeper and earned at least P1,500 a month, which she used for her medical needs.

Gorgie said her grandmother would still want to pursue a college degree if given the chance.

“But for us, it’s already an achievement for her to finish ALS at the age of 83,” the granddaughter said.

Hi, my name is Princess Dumantay. I was kidnapped, raped, and murdered by Gaspar Maneja Jr. It turns out that Gaspar was wanted by the PNP and had three outstanding warrant for rape and violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. That means if the PNP had done their job and arrested him I would still be alive. My blood is on their hands. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1649550/fwd-suspect-in-rape-slay-of-15-year-old-biker-arrested-in-camarines-sur

The suspect behind the rape and murder of a 15-year-old biker in Bulacan has been arrested, the police said Friday. 

The Bulacan Police Provincial Office confirmed that Gaspar Maneja Jr. alias Jose Francisco Santos was captured in Pamplona, Camarines Sur on Thursday afternoon. 

Police said Maneja has three outstanding warrants of arrest for rape and violations of the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act. 

Additional criminal complaints for rape with homicide, and for using  fictitious name and concealing true name have been lodged against the suspect before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Malolos, Bulacan. 

To recall, the body of 15-year-old Princess Dumantay – marked with bruises, cigarette burns and strangulation marks – was found by authorities on a grassy area in Bustos, Bulacan last Friday, August 12.

A forensic autopsy report likewise indicated that the victim was raped. 

Hi, my name is Roderick Cesora. I was driving an ambulance when all of a sudden a had a heart attack and died. My body bent over the steering wheel causing the vehicle to crash into a house and two motorcycles. Thankfully there were no patients on board and no one was hurt except myself.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1649947/ambulance-driver-dies-of-heart-attack-en-route-to-pick-up-patient-in-biliran-town

A driver has died after reportedly suffering a heart attack while driving an ambulance in Barangay Calumpang, Naval town in Biliran province.

Roderick Cesora, 55, was rushed to the Biliran Provincial Hospital on Thursday evening (August 18) but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, according to Police Major Ryan Delima, chief of the Naval Police Station.

Corporal Randulf Tenebro, the case investigator, said Ariel Verunque, a passenger in the ambulance, disclosed that the driver suddenly became unconscious and bent on the steering wheel before hitting two parked motorcycles and a house.

Veranque was on board the ambulance to pick up a relative who was admitted to the Biliran Provincial Hospital.

No other person was hurt.

The God Culture: The Pounders Live Interview

On August 26th Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture gave a live interview on the Jon Pounders show. For nearly 40 minutes Tim was given free reign to speak his piece. The topic was the location of the rivers of Eden but Tim gave a very truncated argument for the Philippines being Ophir, Tarshish, Cattigara, Antillia, Haviliah, and the location of the Garden of Eden. Of course even according to Tim the Philippines proper is not the location of the Garden of Eden but we will come back to that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVujnxGlbvQ

As with my last review of a speech Tim gave we are looking for anything new. Here are two new things!

6:40 We went through the Messianic movement even um which is a natural step for many of us, uh, and then eventually we came out of the Messianic movement.

9:20 Do you speak do you speak the language there yet? 

Uh, no, no, because the predominant language is English.

10:00 It's an odd language and it's hard for me to pick up to be honest so I only pick up a few words here and there. Uh, my wife is actually uh from the northern part uh of the Philippines and it's it's called Illocos and she speaks Illocano another dialect. There's over a thousand dialects so I give up.

First of all we learn that Tim did in fact go through the Messianic movement which is something I noted a while back. Second of all we learn that not only does he not speak a Filipino dialect but he gave up even trying to do so!  And he wants to tell us all about how Hebrew and Tagalog words are similar? Timothy Jay Schwab does not understand Filipino or Hebrew! The sheer hubris of this man is unmatched.

This video is chock full of the same old, same old which is not surprising. For about 40 minutes Tim is given free reign with absolutely no check from Pounders. At one point it appears that the host even left the conversation only to reappear at the 50 minute mark!

Look at the top right corner and you can see the host, Jon Pounders has left the building.  What happened? As the host he should be interrupting his guest to interject questions. This does not occur. This man is no Joe Rogan who actually is a good host who will ask questions of his guest or give a comment of some kind. He does ask questions when he reappears though.

52:26 Have you found any like, uh, archaeological evidence or anything that would suggest or would add to this, um, idea of the Garden of Eden being the Philippines? Have you seen any any finds or anything that just kind of suggests that it's possible?

That is actually a great question but it belies the fact he was even listening because Tim shows a slide that clearly states the Garden of Eden is INSIDE THE EARTH!!!

To ask that question Jon had to have missed this slide which means he was not watching this presentation!

Tim's answer to this question is actually quite stunning.

Um, more, more of it being the land of gold which is everywhere. There's gold deposits all over, uh, not on every island of the 7000 but all over the archipelago and a massive vein, uh, running through throughout.

There's a massive vein of gold running through all 7,000 islands? That is impossible!!! This is not an answer to the question but I admit the question was based in ignorance because Tim places the Garden of Eden beneath the floor of the Sulu Sea and that is not something he can prove positively with archaeological evidence unless he digs below the sea floor. 

Speaking of archaeology Tim has this to say:

50:38. Um, there is a ton of history here. The problem though is no one's really doing any archaeology here. The universities don't do much and when they do they'll they'll accept grants and they'll have a budget but there's so much corruption here unfortunately that, you know, money's handed down and handed down and by the time it gets to the project itself they they have, you know, the money to get a, a spoon and a fork and and do the archaeology.

How does know what universities are and are not doing in regards to archeology? More importantly Tim calls the need for archaeological evidence for his claims an occult paradigm!

25:33 But if Noah and his sons landed on Mt. Everest can we find additional support that they actually settled there? Hm? We can find support. Let's go for it. Which frankly this far back is rather miraculous when you think about it given the circumstances. These are extremely ancient and to think they left archaeology to find may not be so simple and to hold one to that standard as a must is really an occult paradigm that assumes that we must find great architecture in order to prove recorded history especially in an era not known for great architecture largely.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-god-culture-noah-landed-on-mt.html 

In fact for the Philippines Tim says there is NO archaeological evidence to support his claims!

Many seek this architecture in demand to prove this narrative and they are stuck in a false paradigm. There is none to be expected nor has any other nation on earth produced such nor will they.

Ancient Ophir is never described as having temples at all whether alone ones of gold, it is never recored to have great infrastructure in any sense just a mega-abundance of resources. The humble lifestyle of the Filipino even fits the oath of a Rechabite as Farrisol said.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-god-culture-search-for-king.html 

But he can't say something so bold in this interview and risk turning away new subscribers and book buyers. It's too lucrative to risk telling the truth!

There is a lot of outrageous stuff in this...well it's not even really an interview since Tim is given the floor. But this one takes the cake and it is also new. At least this is the first time I have heard Tim make this claim with his voice and not in the comment section of his videos.

48:38 The ancient mapping process required the North Pole to be in the center, in the navel, of the earth. Antarctica is a shelf that surrounds it and it is a flat round disc. That's the way they map it. Whether anybody believes in flat earth or not you can't dispute that.

Not only is the earth flat but Antarctica is a shelf that surrounds it! You can read more about Tim's flat earth beliefs here. 

There is a lot that can be said about this video but Tim's words are more important than my commentary. It's the same old junk but it's compressed into 40 minutes. Imagine 430 videos compressed into 40 minutes. Tim gives his all and rushes through it like a marathon runner and I can appreciate that. He is dedicated to his false worldview and he knows all the beats and how to get it across in the shortest amount of time. There is only one more thing from this video I want to comment on and it is this:

19:45 I've been telling people all this time that if they don't enter a relationship with Yahusha that, you know, they're going to go to hell.

Is Tim really telling people they will be going to hell if they don't have a relationship with Yahusha? Why? Timothy Jay Schwab teaches that when you die you fall asleep in one of three chambers inside the earth.  Then on judgement day everyone wakes up. The righteous inherit eternal life and the wicked are burned up like straw to exist no more!

22:29 The wicked are consumed period. And completely and final, the end that's why it's called eternal fire. Not because it burns and burns and burns forever but because when it burns it burns eternally. that's what it's about. So, don't misread passages that we are consumed by eternal fire as meaning we sit in a furnace when we die that's just not true that's not fact there's no bible verse that ever says that, ever. It's just not there. That assumes Yahusha's eternal fire is impotent, not effective, uh, because it it can only burn us but it it doesn't consume us. It's supposed to consume us that's what the Bible says it does so does it or doesn't it? Well, that ain't scripture. That's, that's the point.

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-god-culture-philippines-is.html 

Who cares if you go to hell when all it means is you wake up from a long nap only to be annihilated! To be annihilated is to know nothing!  In Tim's scheme going to hell only means you will ultimately cease to exist! There is nothing for the wicked to fear because there is only an eternal nothingness which they won't even experience! This man has no idea what he is talking about and his system is fundamentally illogical. 

To sum up this so-called interview is terrible. The host leaves the conversation and apparently did not even pay attention to what Tim was saying. He does not act like a good host and ask probing questions but gives Tim the floor for 40 minutes. It's pathetic really. 

Retards in the Government 273

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

  

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1181713

A total 65 police officers in Central Luzon have been dismissed from service due to various infractions since January last year, the Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3) said on Friday.

Brig. Gen. Cesar R. Pasiwen, PRO-3 regional director, said that aside from police service dismissal, 102 others were suspended, seven were demoted, one forfeited of salary, and 15 were reprimanded.

Pasiwen added that 842 cops were exonerated from their administrative cases while the others' cases have yet to be resolved.

He said those police officers meted with disciplinary actions were given due process during the duration of the investigation before final decisions were released.

He vowed to sustain the PRO-3’s internal cleansing campaign to regain the public’s trust and confidence.

"We will continue to weed out hoodlums and punish the undisciplined among our ranks through the strict application of the punitive sanctions for violations of (the) Philippine National Police rules and regulations and at the same time, intensified counter-intelligence efforts against illegal activities of police personnel are being undertaken,” he said in a statement.

65 cops in Central Luzon have been dismissed for various infractions since January 2021.

https://globaldailymirror.com/Main/full_article/cop-accidentally-kills-himself-with-a-gun-in-northern-samar24626

A police officer killed himself when the gun he was cleaning was accidentally fired in Brgy. Balite, San Jose, Northern Samar. 

The San Jose Municipal Police identified the victim as Corporal Mar Dino Estellero, 35, assigned to the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office (NSPPO). 

In the initial police investigation, the victim was cleaning his issued firearm when he accidentally fired it, hitting him in the head. 

The victim was immediately rushed to the nearest hospital by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (MDRRMO) members, but the attending doctors declared him dead on arrival. 

A deeper investigation into the killing is now underway.

Another police officer has killed himself with his own gun while cleaning it. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1651655/village-councilor-hacked-to-death-in-albay

An unidentified person hacked a village councilor to death on Monday, August 22, in Libon town in Albay province, police said Tuesday.

Executive Master Sergeant Maribeth Corporal, Libon police chief investigator, said Jerry Vargas, 65, was found dead around 3 p.m. with hack wounds on his neck in Barangay Macabugos.

Corporal said Vargas’s son, Norman, found the body near a nipa hut, about 200 meters from their house.

Initial investigation said Vargas left their house at 6 a.m. to tend to his ducks, but failed to return home.

An investigation is ongoing to identify the suspect behind the killing.

A village councilor had been hacked to death by an unknown person for an unknown reason.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1652158/477-administrative-cases-hound-ncrpo

Since the start of 2022 to date, a total of 477 administrative cases have been filed against police officers in Metro Manila, according to data from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

So far, 265 cases, or almost 56%, have been resolved and 212 were still under evaluation.

Of the 265 resolved cases, 209 – or close to 79% — or 209 — are categorized as grave offenses such as dishonesty, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conviction of a  crime, and falsification of official documents.

Of the remaining 56 resolved cases, 30 are less grave offenses such as simple neglect of duty, simple misconduct, gross discourtesy in the course of official duties, insubordination, and habitual drunkenness. The remaining 26 involve simple offenses.

The heaviest penalty for grave offenses is dismissal from the service, according to the NCRPO.

In a bid to achieve a zero backlog of cases, the NCRPO chief, Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, ordered the reassignment of officers who are lawyers to the NCRPO headquarters in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig — specifically, to the Discipline, Law and Order Division — to help solve the remaining 212 administrative cases.

477 cases have been filed against various PNP officers since the beginning of the year.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182032

A total of 176 erring police officers assigned to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have been dismissed from the service from January 1 to August 23 this year, the region's top cop said Wednesday.

Citing the latest data, NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo said they were dismissed for grave offenses ranging from dishonesty to gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conviction of a crime, and falsification of official documents, among others.

Estomo said penalties were also imposed on erring police personnel charged with less serious offenses, such as simple neglect of duty, simple misconduct, gross discourtesy in the course of official duties, insubordination, and habitual drunkenness.

As a result, 29 police officers were demoted, 476 were suspended, 141 had their salaries forfeited, and 76 were reprimanded.

176 PNP officers in the NCRPO have been dismissed since January.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/460005/active-police-officer-nabbed-for-illegal-drugs-in-badian-cebu

An active police officer assigned to the Cebu Police Provincial Office was arrested for possession and selling of illegal drugs in Barangay Poblacion, Badian town on Tuesday morning, August 23, 2022.

Police identified the arrested cop as Patrolman Apollo Concepcion, 41, a resident of Barangay Legaspi in Alegria town and is assigned to the CPPO’s Operations Unit.

Police arrested him during a buy-bust operation conducted in the said barangay, wherein they confiscated 20 grams of ‘shabu’ worth P136,000. Aside from that, police also confiscated one hand grenade from the suspect.

Concepcion’s live-in-partner, a certain Charisse Ylaya, 34, and a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Badian, was also arrested together with a 21-year-old Raphael Legarde, the alleged “boy” of the two. Ylaya was previously jailed for the same offense in 2020.

Police Staff Sergeant Dennis Sun, police investigator, said that the buy-bust operation was made just a few meters away from Badian Police Station. He said that Concepcion tried to escape but he was successfully arrested by responding policemen.

An active duty PNP officer has been arrested for dealing drugs.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/460062/barangay-captain-accused-of-molesting-15-year-old-girl-freed-after-posting-bail

A barangay captain in Mandaue City was charged with acts of lasciviousness after allegedly abusing a 15-year-old girl.

Police Captain Armil Coloscos, head of the Casuntingan Police Station of the Mandaue City Police Office, said the warrant of arrest against barangay captain Eduardo Gumera Sr. was issued and served last Thursday, August 18.

Coloscos said the village chief surrendered to their office on Thursday.

"Actually, even though we were disappointed (after lunch) on August 18, he came to say he was going to surrender because the warrant was issued, we don't know about the person who checked the e-warrant, there is nothing, we looked at the court and it was positive, it was served. We checked on Thursday because it was uploaded to the e-warrant, he was just here and he didn't come back," said Coloscos.

Coloscos said the barangay captain was released on Friday, August 19, after posting bail. He said they cannot file a rape charge because there was no sexual intercourse between the suspect and the victim.

Based on the investigation of the National Bureau of Investigation Cebu District Office, the incident happened last April.

The suspect allegedly helped the minor attend a political rally.

Lawyer Niño Rodriguez, NBI-CEBDO senior agent, said the girl’s mother first refused her daughter’s request to attend the rally because she is still a minor and cannot vote yet. But she later gave her permission because she was persistent and was accompanied by people they know in the barangay.

Rodriguez said that based on the minor’s affidavit, before the rally, she was given money and was contacted by the barangay captain to buy a helmet. She was asked to meet him in Parkmall then was called and brought to Lapu-Lapu City.

"When she saw Kap's motorcycle at the store, she just got off, he said she looked at him while riding and just bent down, all along the girl believed that they were going to the rally, she said the girl was just surprised because she entered his room, as we have assessed that she does not know what this place is," said Rodriguez. When they were inside the room, she was forcibly undressed and molested.

Allegedly, the suspect offered her P3,000 and promised to fund her schooling and would give anything she wants on the condition that she tell anyone about the incident.

The victim first went to her older sister’s house because she was scared and terrified to tell her mother. Her older sister then helped her and told their mother about what happened.

Her mother then sought the help of the police and then went to the NBI.

A barangay captain has been accused of molesting a 15-year old girl. 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/842591/six-boc-personnel-relieved-from-posts-over-alleged-sugar-smuggling/story/

Six personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) have been relieved from their posts over alleged smuggling of sugar at the Port of Subic.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the personnel were transferred to the Office of the Commissioner pending a probe into the incident.

(Some Customs officials were transferred pending investigation of their participation in an alleged smuggling in at Port of Subic.)

(Temporarily, they were assigned at the Office of the Commissioner.)

The Office of the Press Secretary (OPS) said there was an attempt to smuggle some 140,000 bags of sugar from Thailand last week at the said port.

Based on an initial probe, a recycled permit was supposedly used for the importation.

Earlier, Cruz-Angeles warned that heads would roll in the BOC if proven that its port personnel are "in connivance with smugglers using recycled sugar import permits."

Six BOC personnel have been relieved for sugar smuggling using a recycled permit. 

https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends-spotlights/2022/08/24/225921/lawmaker-edits-congratulatory-post-to-swimming-team-after-earning-flak/

A lawmaker edited his congratulatory post for a swimming team in Misamis Oriental after it initially drew flak for prominently featuring his photo instead of the winners.

Rep. Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano (Misamis Oriental, 2nd District) on Monday cheered the swimming team of the Naawan municipality in the province for winning the FINIS Swimfest National Finals held at New Clark Aquatic Center in Tarlac.

“Cong. Bambi Emano provided the team Financial Support for the said sports event. Kudos to Mayor Dennis Roa and the whole Team!” his Facebook post reads, mentioning the Naawan local chief executive.

In the edited version, Emano’s congratulatory post includes other pictures of the team and a clearer version of the latter’s group photo.

Emano previously accompanied his post with a single photo of the team.

However, their photo was edited to make his face appear more prominent upon first look.

While the picture is no longer available on his Facebook post, it can be seen in the comments section where some Filipinos posted it with captions such as “never forget.”

A Congressman who congratulated a winning swim team was forced to change his photo which prominently featured him instead of the team!

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/24/22/brgy-chairman-babae-patay-sa-pamamaril-sa-leyte

The police investigation continues after the killing of a barangay chief in the town of Javier, Leyte this Monday morning.

According to information from the PNP Eastern Visayas, the victim, Joel Riños, was returning home from a neighboring town when an unknown gunman was waiting for him.

The captain of Brgy was shot dead. It was arranged.

The assailant allegedly waited for the victim in Barangay Caranhug, Javier.

The captain has no known enemies who could have a motive for the killing, according to the family of the deceased.

It is said that the authorities are now in possession of a CCTV footage where the assailant and one of his associates who acted as the driver of the motorcycle used in the crime were seen.

A barangay captain was shot dead by an unknown man for unknown reasons. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1182060

A city hall employee here was arrested for reportedly issuing fake vaccination cards to 13 individuals.

The fake vaccination cards contained the falsified signatures and license numbers of the city’s Covid-19 vaccinators.

“This is an insult to the dedication and hard work of our vaccinators in prioritizing the safety of our kababayans (town mates). Ikinalulungkot ko po na nangyari ito (I am saddened that this happened),” Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

Lazatin also issued a stern warning to other employees and asked them to follow the set guidelines of the government.

In a complaint filed by an authorized staff-encoder at the Angeles City Government’s Covid-19 Database center, the suspect was identified as Janine Lising, 21, assigned at the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and a resident of Barangay Malabanias here.

The complaint was filed before Station 3 of the Angeles City Police Office, where the suspect is now in custody.

In the custodial investigation report signed by investigator Cpl. Aaron Joe Lingat, it said Lising was arrested and is now temporarily detained at the station for the crime of falsification of public documents.

An Angeles City City Hall employee has been arrested for issuing fake vaccination cards.