Insurgency: Leaderless

Despite the gains against the insurgency there is still an insurgency. Not only are communist rebels in the hinterlands causing trouble but there are still Islamic separatists causing trouble in Mindanao. All the while China is slowly building up its military presence and seemingly preparing for war in the WPS on islands it has built in stolen territory. Despite these threats President Marcos does not believe the Philippines should increase is defense budget. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/19/beefing-up-defense-budget-not-a-ph-priority-pbbm/

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. thought increasing the country’s defense budget was not a priority, saying there was no point in the Philippines building up its armory since the exercise of military power is not always the primary consideration in addressing national concerns.

Marcos said this after being asked by World Economic Forum (WEF) President Børge Brende if he would follow in the footsteps of Japan, which has reportedly committed to doubling its defense budget from one percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to two percent of GDP.

In response, the President said there would be an increase in the country’s defense budget but only to a certain extent.

“I think to an extent but not — because the belief is that first of all, there is no point in the Philippines building up its armory,” he said.

Marcos explained that the Philippines was not in an economic situation where it could build up to the levels that the Americans or the Chinese have.

More importantly, he believes that the solutions to current issues are not military.

“If they are going to be military, then they are not solutions because this will — it will end badly if it goes that way. It will end badly for everyone involved,” the Chief Executive said.

The President brought up the war in Ukraine as an example, saying the armed conflict has only adversely affected agriculture in many countries, including the Philippines.

“I guess it just goes to show how well-connected that is,” he said.

“If a similar situation would arise in the region, then it would be actually — I would say it would be disastrous for the rest of the world as well, not only for the region but for the rest of the world,” he added.

Marcos is right that if war came to this region it would be disastrous. Yet that is exactly what China has indicated it wants as they saber rattle over Taiwan. It would be doubly disastrous if the Philippines is not prepared for whatever may come if war were to raise its ugly head. If the defense budget is not beefed up how can the AFP continue its modernization program?

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192619

To address challenges to the country's territorial integrity, newly-appointed Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said he fully supports the ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

This is among the new DND chief's thrusts he bared during Thursday's AFP command conference in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City,

"Address the growing and significant challenges to the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty by guaranteeing full support to the modernization program, strengthening coordinative mechanisms with interagency partners, and leveraging and maximizing with the country's defense partnerships," he said.

The Horizon 3 of the AFP Modernization Program is scheduled from 2023 to 2028.

The military is supposed to acquire external defense equipment in this phase such as missile systems and multi-role fighters, among others.

Galvez also wants existing defense initiatives and efforts towards attaining the vision of a transformed defense organization that guarantees Philippine security, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.

This is aside from transforming the DND into a reliable partner in national development and a strategic partner in the region.

Galvez is also pushing for the total defeat of the communist insurgency through the dismantling of all guerrilla fronts and clearing of affected barangays, neutralizing threat groups, and supporting national and local efforts for peace.

It sounds very much like building up the Philippines' armory is a priority for new DND Chief Galvez. 

There have been a lot more surrenders in the past week. Two rebel surrenderees claim the NTF-ELCAC has crippled the NPA in Samar.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193001

A couple who had been with the New People’s Army (NPA) for over a decade admitted Wednesday that the implementation of the whole-of-nation approach against insurgency has crippled the rebel group in Samar province.

Dino Bachicha, an NPA platoon leader who surrendered days ago, said the lack of support even from remote communities in Samar makes it harder to continue the armed rebellion.

“We noticed that since the formation of local task forces against NPA, our supporters have surrendered to the government and they stopped giving us food supplies, other resources, and information,” said 32-year-old Bachicha, a native of Can-avid, Eastern Samar.

“The past years have been boring since there was no information from our supporters about the location of government forces. We’re like lost and starved in the forest,” he added.

He joined the armed struggle when he was 16 through the persuasion of young combatants who happened to be his peers.

His common-law wife, Jennelyn Guarino, 32, a native of General MacArthur, Eastern Samar served as the NPA’s political instructor. Influenced by her rebel mother, she joined the NPA when she was 20.

“Recently, we noticed that we are becoming irrelevant even in far-flung communities. It’s hard to find recruits and fewer people listen to us in our assemblies,” Guarino said.

With their two children growing, the couple decided to surrender last week. They were among the 13 rebels presented Tuesday to members of the media by the Philippine Army.

The couple were former leaders of the NPA Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee, sub-regional committee, Bugsok Platoon operating in the mountains of Pinabacdao, Calbiga and Basey towns in Samar province.

The rebels handed over 10 M16 rifles, two .45-caliber handguns, and one Glock 17 pistol. They also revealed the location of banned anti-personnel mines, medical paraphernalia and several ammunitions.

Isn't it interesting that these former leaders of the NPA is now parroting the AFP line about them becoming irrelevant? How convenient. 

20 activists, not NPA fighters, in Nueva Ecija have pledged loyalty to the government. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192941

Twenty female activists in the town of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija province have returned to the fold of the law and pledged commitment to support the government.

In his report on Tuesday, Col. Richard V. Caballero, acting provincial director of the Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office (NEPPO), said the activists were members of the Women Peasant Sector under the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL)-Nueva Ecija.

Caballero said the joint police and military elements conducted a special intelligence operation at Sitio Saudi, Barangay Pias in General Tinio on Monday that resulted in the withdrawal of support of female activists from the communist terrorist organization.

He said one of the militants, who was also a member of the militant group under the Underground Mass Organization (UGMO), surrendered a .38-caliber revolver without a serial number and loaded with three live ammunition.

“The activists are now undergoing debriefing with 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC)-NEPPO,” Caballero said in a statement.

Meanwhile, he said an internal security operation Tuesday by the same police and military units in Barangay Balaring in General Natividad town, also in Nueva Ecija resulted in the recovery of one 40mm rifle grenade, two M203 40mm, one short magazine of M-16 rifle, and 15 rounds of ammunition for caliber 5.56mm.

Surely their guaranteed benefits of job training, housing, and money are not behind. 

The AFP claims the NPA in the Eastern Visayas is now leaderless.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193153

The remaining members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas are now “leaderless” and disorganized with the recent deaths, capture and surrender of its top leaders in the region, an official of the Philippine Army said.

Maj. Gen. Camilo Ligayo, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said the NPA in the region is on the verge of collapse as they could not find potential leaders who would direct and make critical decisions for the group.

“They are leaderless now since no one is giving them instructions. Many of their members realized that they have been deceived,” Ligayo told reporters on Friday.

Even without a leader the NPA in the Eastern Visayas is still very active and dangerous. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193084

Hundreds of residents were displaced while classes in three schools in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental were suspended on Thursday following two armed clashes between the Philippine Army's 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) troops and New People's Army (NPA) rebels.

2Lt. Weann Sandag, civil-military operations officer of 15IB, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the first encounter took place around Wednesday noon in the hinterlands of Barangay Camalandaan, Cauayan and later in the afternoon in Purok Malipayon, Barangay San Jose, Sipalay during the pursuit operations on of around 20 rebels from the NPA's South West Front.

"We received information about the rebels' extortion activities. The army acted upon the report and we found it to be true," she added.

A soldier of 15IB was injured in the Sipalay encounter but is now out of danger while the evacuees from Purok Malipayon are still staying at the Binulig Elementary School in Barangay San Jose.

Sandag, who helps in debriefing and interviewing of affected individuals, said the evacuation site currently houses 210 persons, including children, from 53 families, based on the report of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).

When will the AFP stop hyping on supposed victories as if the insurgency has been defeated when that is so clearly not the case? 

It's 2023 and Lorraine Badoy is still red-tagging. On the SMNI radio network along with Quiboloy and alleged former rebel Jeffery Celiz Baguio Mayor Magalong was accused once more of working with the rebels. 

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/16/Benjamin-Magalong-slams-SMNI-owner-hosts.html

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong blasted Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) personalities, including its owner Apollo Quiboloy, for accusing him of treason and colluding with communist insurgents.In a statement on Monday, Magalong called out controversial religious leader Quiboloy, former anti-communist task force spokesperson Lorraine Badoy, and former communist rebel Jeffrey “Ka Eric” Celiz over “unfounded accusations” made in the programs of SMNI.

“This tirade against me is unfounded and baseless and has subjected my person to needless and undeserved condemnation,” the local chief executive said.

“To be accused that I have turned my back on my lifelong commitment against the CPP/NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army) is a grave insult that sweeps aside my lengthy and loyal service to the Philippines,” Magalong added.

He also warned of legal action against the three for their "habit of incessantly defaming people without an iota of evidence."

Magalong made the statement after Quiboloy "red-tagged" him, accusing the mayor of supporting the communist movement over his 2022 directive to remove tarpaulins and posters in the city directly linking local activists to the CPP, NPA, and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

In his program Spotlight, Quiboloy stated that Magalong had taken down posters criticizing the party-list groups Kabataan and Anakbayan, which the pastor said were fronts for the CPP-NPA-NDF. The party-lists have consistently refuted the claim.

"The posters showing that the Anakbayan and Kabataan party-list are CPP-NPA-NDF-inclined were removed in the city of Baguio. He stopped the activities against the Kabataan party-list... What do these say? He's an ally, he's an accomplice, he's with them," Quiboloy said.

Badoy and Celis echoed Quiboloy’s remarks on the SMNI program Laban Kasama Ang Bayan which they hosted.

Meanwhile, Magalong asserted that he had participated in anti-communist insurgency efforts and was a member of the regional branches of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

After graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1982, he recounted how he engaged in guerilla warfare against communists in Luzon and Mindanao. He said his first deployment was in Abra, where he was injured during combat operations.

As mayor of Baguio, Magalong said his support for the government remains "unflinching.”

These accusations are particularly ridiculous because Magalong has been appointed by the President to sit on a committee which will investigate all the PNP officers who have resigned.  In essence it means that the intelligence apparatus of the Philippines has failed once more. 

https://opinion.inquirer.net/160418/red-tagging-at-its-worst

The Red-tagging of Magalong by Badoy and Celiz amounts to multiple virtual accusations: that the Marcos Jr. administration has been incompetent in its intelligence work; that the police and military organizations are inept on intelligence matters because the current administration is assumed to have obtained security clearance for Magalong’s appointment; and that the Duterte administration (of which Badoy was very much a part of) was clueless for previously reposing trust in Magalong.

To be fair the police and military are indeed inept on intelligence matters. The fact that they ignored and denied the presence of ISIS and knew about but ignored the plan to take over Marawi is proof enough of that. But maybe they have not fumbled the ball this time around.

Why Was Notorious Canadian Pedophile Frank Orville Mader Allowed to Return to the Philippines?

The Philippines has been noted as being a global source of child exploitation once more in 2022. While the authorities do routinely bust cybersex dens there is a lot more they are not doing to protect children in the Philippines. Take the case of Frank Orville Mader. His story is a little convoluted but is very important to understanding why the Philippines remains a global hub of child sexual exploitation.

https://www.reddit.com/r/whitetourists/comments/z5tpwg/canadian_tourist_orville_frank_mader_orville/

In 2004 Frank Orville Mader, a Canadian, was arrested in Cambodia for allegedly abusing children. 

https://english.cambodiadaily.com/news/canadian-faces-allegations-of-pedophilia-38214/

A Canadian man was charged with debauchery in Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Friday for allegedly sexually abusing two boys aged 11 and 14. 

Court prosecutor Nget Sarath charged Orville Frank Mader, alleging the 51-year-old had the boys fondle him. Under the anti-human trafficking law, Nget Sarath said, Mader could face 10 to 15 years in prison.

Waiting outside the courtroom Friday, a calm, quiet Mader said he did nothing wrong.

Mader, who said he was a teach­er in Japan here on vacation, al­lowed the boys to stay at his rented house because they appeared to be homeless, he said. During the past few weeks, he said, he al­lowed up to 20 boys to stay there at a time.

He and some of the boys en­gaged in “sex play,” he said, but he did not have oral sex or sexual intercourse with any of them.

“It was all very tender and gentle,” Mader said. “It was just normal. The boys were expressing their sexuality and I felt honored to be part of that…. They initiated it.”

“I don’t understand how something tender could be the same as murder,” Mader said, responding to the possible prison term. “I am not a bad person.”

On Thursday, police said they had arrested Mader and raided his house Tuesday, where they found three boys who claimed Mader paid them to have sex with him. Earlier the same day, police said, they had questioned two other boys who also said they had sex with the suspect several times.

The story begins that Mader was a teacher in Japan on vacation in Cambodia. He rented a house and allowed up to 20 homeless boys live with him. He engaged with them in sex play calling it normal and saying they initiated it and he "felt honored to be part of that." 

In 2007 Mader was arrested in Canada over charges that he had sexually abused boys in Thailand. The charges against him in Cambodia had apparently been dropped. 

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-man-wanted-by-thai-police-in-latest-child-sex-abuse-investigation/article18148383/

Police in Thailand have issued an arrest warrant for the second Canadian in three weeks alleged to have had sex with underage boys in the Southeast Asian country.

Lieutenant Sompol Nakkumpan told The Canadian Press the arrest warrant for Orville Frank Mader, 54, was issued after the father of an eight-year-old boy alleged that his son had been sexually abused by the Canadian.

Police say they believe he abused at least three other boys.

Immigration police at border crossing points and airports have been alerted in case Mr. Mader attempts to leave the country.

In 2004, Mr. Mader was arrested by police in Cambodia on charges of sexually abusing two boys, ages 11 and 14, but the charges were apparently dropped.

Sitting outside the courtroom awaiting his hearing at the time, Mr. Mader told The Cambodia Daily he was a teacher in Japan and was in Cambodia on vacation. He acknowledged that he allowed boys, sometimes as many as 20 at a time, to stay at his rented house because they appeared to be homeless.

His occupation is listed as "teacher" on the records, but neither the B.C. College of Teachers nor the provincial Ministry of Education has records of him being registered to teach at public or independent schools in the province.

Even the Globe and Mail seems nonplussed about the charges against Mader in Cambodia being dropped. He continued to claim to be a teacher but there is no record of him being a teacher in Canada which begs the question of how he became a teacher in Japan. Is there even a record of him being a teacher in Japan? In an interview Mader's neighbor offered a little insight.  

Rosemarie Laburda is the mother of Susan Laburda, a 50-year-old piano teacher and organist who is listed as a part-owner of Mr. Mader's house. In an interview from her North Vancouver home, the elder Mrs. Laburda said she and her daughter have known Mr. Mader for more than 20 years. She said the man never taught when he lived in B.C. and only began showing aspirations to teach when he decided to move overseas.

"Orv went to Japan for a job. He thought he would better himself," she said, adding that "the travelling ... he would do during his vacation visits in other countries."

Before he left for Japan, Mrs. Laburda said, Mr. Mader delivered newspapers for a living and did other delivery jobs.

Mrs. Laburda would not say how her daughter met Mr. Mader, who was born in Kitchener, Ont., but has lived in B.C. for at least two decades. However, she did say the two became friends shortly after he moved there.

"He needed a place to be when he moved to Vancouver. I think he was engaged, as a matter of fact. Somehow that engagement fell apart," she said, adding: "I know he's been a mailman at one time. He's done lots of different jobs."

Canada Post said there is no record of Mr. Mader having ever been employed by them, but it's possible he was a temporary worker.

Mrs. Laburda said her daughter and Mr. Mader were never in a relationship, adding her impression is that Mr. Mader is gay.

Mrs. Laburda went on to say that since Mr. Mader moved overseas, he's made only a few trips home, including one after the 2004 pedophilia charges levied against him in Cambodia were dropped.

"When the first thing happened, [Susan]would worry because he was charged. But then she was glad to see that he was let go. She's convinced that he's innocent, that he would never do anything like that. I was never too fond of him. I just had a feeling," she said.

That is not very insightful testimony from the woman who is listed as a part-owner of Mr. Mader's house. She does not say why she was "never too fond of him."

Even though it appeared that the Cambodian charges against Mader had been dropped that was not the case. He was convicted in absentia. 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/restrictions-lifted-on-man-convicted-of-sex-crimes-abroad-1.596581

A man convicted in absentia of sex crimes against children in Cambodia has been allowed unrestricted freedom in Canada, even though the Crown expressed concerns when he was arrested that he was a danger to children. 

While a judge granted a restraining order against Orville Mader meant to protect children back in 2007, that order has been allowed to lapse. 

Now, it's unclear whether the man who has not been charged with offences is Canada will be free to travel to other countries. 

Mader faces a 15-year jail term in Cambodia for sex crimes against children and was accused of sex crimes against a 13-year-old boy in Thailand, but travelled back to Canada shortly after the charges were laid. 

When he arrived in Vancouver in late 2007 carrying nothing but his laptop computer, he was arrested and held. 

At the time, the Crown said investigators were working on sex-tourism charges against Mader. In the meantime a judge granted an order under Section 810.1 of the Criminal Code when prosecutor Wendy van Tongeren Harvey said there were concerns he was a danger to children. 

"He's attracted to not only boys, but young boys. We're seeking conditions where children are safe," she told the provincial court judge in 2007. 

Details of the court proceedings that day were protected by a publication ban that has now expired. 

Among his many restrictions, Mader was ordered to stay away from children and anywhere they might congregate, to stay off the Internet, to give up his passport and to report on a regular basis to the authorities near where he was staying in Surrey, B.C. 

While the order was renewed against him annually in 2008 and 2009, it wasn't renewed in November 2010. 

RCMP Staff Sgt. Ed Boettcher said police did a lot of work on the Mader file both in Canada and internationally. 

"There came a time in 2009 where investigators met with Crown and said this is what we've compiled, Crown looked at it and said it doesn't meet the standards of Canadian evidence." 

He said satisfying the evidence threshold would have taken a massive effort.

Under its regulations, Passport Canada is allowed to revoke travel documents if the person has been charged with an indictable offence in Canada or a similar offence abroad. 

Mader is presumed innocent because no charges will be laid here in Canada, and McConaghy said there would be no reason his passport wouldn't be returned. 

"Which I believe is in error ...," he said. 

Because the Canadian government was not able to satisfy "the evidence threshold" to convict Mader he was not charged with a crime and his passport was returned.  Thus he was able to travel abroad and continue engaging in sexual relations with boys in Southeast Asia. 

In October 2015 he was arrested in Manila for human trafficking. 

https://www.philstar.com/metro/2015/10/16/1511502/canadian-held-human-trafficking

A Canadian man was arrested for human trafficking after he was caught with a half-naked child on his bed in his condominium in Manila Thursday night.

Frank Orville Mader’s arrest stemmed from a tip the National Bureau of Investigation received on Oct. 9 that minors were being abused and drugs were sold in Mader’s unit, NBI deputy director Joel Tovera said.

NBI agents coordinated with the condominium’s security officers, who accompanied them to Mader’s unit.  

Tovera said they have coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Canadian embassy.             

This arrest was noted in the 2016 accomplishment report of the Philippines' Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking. 

https://aseanactpartnershiphub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2016-IACAT-Annual-TIP-Report.pdf

Frank Orville mader, notorious Canadian pedophile, arrested in Taguig for child sex trafficking

One would think a "notorious Canadian pedophile" caught in the act with a boy in his hotel would be sentenced to prison or at least blacklisted from ever entering the Philippines. Neither of those things happened because in 2022 Mader was arrested in Laguna for molesting a boy.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1677192/canadian-man-nabbed-for-allegedly-molesting-boy-in-laguna

A Canadian man was arrested by the police for allegedly molesting an 11-year-old boy in Biñan, Laguna.

A report by the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the victim was accompanied by his father in filing a complaint for sexual abuse against Orv Mader, 65, a retired teacher.

The PNP said the boy revealed the alleged molestation during a confrontation between the suspect and the victim’s family at the barangay (village) hall.

“Thus, upon knowing the incident the father of the victim sought assistance from the barangay tanod (watchmen) which eventually effected the arrest of the suspect after [being] positively identified and pinpointed by the victim,” the spot report stated.

Mader is now facing complaints for violating Republic Act 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”

How was Mader allowed back in the Philippines after being previously arrested for human trafficking? Misbehaving foreigners are routinely blacklisted yet apparently this man was allowed to go free and return to the Philippines with no problems. And where is he now? Is he being detained or has been allowed to leave the country? There are serious questions that need answering here. Most important of all is how is it that this man has been convicted of sex crimes with children, is known to be a "notorious Canadian pedophile," and yet is able to travel the world seeking more victims with no problems. Who is financing this guy?

As I noted before the Philippine authorities do bust cybersex dens and even arrest foreign pedophiles. Take the case of UK national John Crotty. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1672638/bi-nabs-convicted-uk-sex-offender-in-misamis-occidental

A 64-year-old convicted sex offender from the United Kingdom was arrested in Misamis Occidental for allegedly running a child porn website, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Thursday.

In a statement, BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said the suspect, identified as John Crotty, was collared in his rented home in Tangub City last September 15, after officers found evidence of him posting obscene photos of underage Filipino women across his social media accounts and website.

“The sex offender was reportedly jailed for nine years in the UK but moved to the country shortly after his release from prison,” Tansingco added.

Mahanan further pointed out that the suspect arrived in the country to go into hiding on February 6, and has since overstayed his visa.

With this in mind, the BI said Crotty is now facing deportation and was placed under the BI’s blacklist, effectively banning him from re-entering the country.

Will Crotty really be banned from re-entering the country? What guarantee do the people have that such will be the case and that the ban will be enforced? If Frank Orville Mader was banned he was certainly able to gain entry. Perhaps there is something more nefarious at hand here. Perhaps not. As it is the Philippines is poised to remain a global hub for children sexual exploitation for years to come. 

Retards in the Government 293

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

  

 

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/857296/ex-maguindanao-gov-sajid-ampatuan-found-guilty-of-graft-falsification/story/

The Sandiganbayan on Friday found former Maguindanao governor Sajid Ampatuan guilty on eight counts of graft and eight counts of falsification of public documents charges involving P20 million worth of ghost projects involving roads.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division, led by Associate Justice Mary Ann Corpuz-Mañalac, subsequently ordered the arrest of Ampatuan since the convicted former public official failed to be physically present for the promulgation.

"Considering he failed to appear in today's promulgation, he already waived the remedies available to him. Let a warrant of arrest be issued for apprehension and serving of sentence of Datu Sajid Ampatuan," Corpuz-Mañalac said, referring to the remedy of posting a cash bond double the amount of the existing cash bond for provisional liberty pending appeal and other related legal recourse.

Ampatuan was sentenced to six to eight years of jail time for each count of his graft conviction, and another two to six years jail time for each count of his conviction for falsification of public documents.

The anti-graft court also ordered Ampatuan to pay the Maguindanao provincial government P22 million as indemnity due to his multiple graft conviction.

Ampatuan was also ordered to pay a P5,000 fine for each of his falsification of public documents conviction.

Sought for comment, Ampatuan's counsel, Atty. Manuel Castro, said they will appeal the ruling. "We will file the necessary motion," he said.

On his client’s absence, Castro said Ampatuan "is not available today due to gout."

Castro, however, failed to secure a medical certificate attesting to such condition prior to the promulgation.

A former governor of Maguindanao has been convicted of graft. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192591

The Supreme Court has affirmed the ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman finding a former Iligan City mayor guilty of oppression and penalizing him with a fine equivalent to four months of his salary.

In its 12-page decision published online on Jan. 6, the high tribunal affirmed the 2012 ruling of the Ombudsman, which had already been affirmed by the Court of Appeals (CA) in 2014, finding former Iligan City mayor Lawrence Lluch-Cruz guilty of oppression in violation of Section 52 of the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service.

The complaint against the mayor was initiated by Roberto L. Ong, a licensed mechanical engineer in the Iligan City Engineer’s Office, and who had been reassigned to the city veterinarian’s office after he initiated an administrative case against the mayor and several persons in 2009.

Challenging his reassignment, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) in 2011 ruled in favor of Ong and struck down the mayor’s move for not being in conformity with the rules on reassignment.

The CSC added that the reassignment placed Ong on floating status and that the alleged need to rehabilitate the city's slaughterhouse, the reason given for the reassignment by the mayor, appeared to be an afterthought since the slaughterhouse and the city veterinarian’s office were separate and distinct offices.

Following the CSC ruling, Ong filed a complaint against the mayor before the Ombudsman which in 2012 found the mayor guilty of oppression and suspended him from service for four months.

The Ombudsman cleared the mayor however in the charge of violating RA 6713 or "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees."

The Court of Appeals subsequently upheld the Ombudsman’s findings of oppression prompting the mayor to take the case to the SC.

“Clearly, petitioner (mayor) exercised an excessive use of authority to be able to oppress respondent (Ong) in retaliation to the complaints respondent filed against him,” the SC said in denying the mayor’s petition and finding him guilty of oppression.

The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a former Iligan City mayor for oppression. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/17/anti-drug-police-sarge-arrested-in-manila-buy-bust/

Anti-narcotics operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) arrested on Monday night, Jan 16, a suspected drug pusher who turned out to be a police sergeant assigned to the Philippine National Police- Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG).

The arrest of Police Staff Sgt. Ed Dyson Banaag came as the PNP is currently awaiting for the completion of the submission of courtesy resignation of its 953 colonels and generals as part of the “radical” internal cleansing amid allegations of the return of “ninja cops”, or those recycling confiscated illegal drugs, in the police organization. 

Based on the report from the NCRPO, Banaag was the subject of a buy-bust of operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit of the NCRPO at around 8:45 p.m. on Monday night at the corner of Rizal Avenue and Lope de Vega Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Banaag, assigned to the PDEG main office at Camp Crame in Quezon City, reportedly tried to flee using his motorcycle after sensing that it was a bust but he was eventually collared during a brief chase.

Seized from him were around 25 grams of suspected shabu with a street value of P170,000; the boodle money used in the transaction, his service firearm, and a PNP identification card.

Another cop has been busted for drugs. Two of his cohorts who are PNP officers have also been arrested. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1717538/traffic-enforcer-arrested-in-quezon-city-for-alleged-extortion

A traffic enforcer has been arrested in Quezon City for alleged robbery-extortion, the police said Tuesday.

In a report, the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) said Ronnie Santos, 27, was collared along Quirino Highway corner Gen. Luis Street in Novaliches on Monday following a report authorities received from a certain Marek Moens.

As reported by the QCPD, Santos stopped Moens and his girlfriend for allegedly breaking the “no entry-one way” sign while riding a motorcycle.

“[Santos] demanded P2,000 from victim Moens equivalent to the fine of their traffic violation, which was immediately given by victim Moens,” it added.

Afterwards, Santos allegedly let Moens go without issuing him a traffic ticket receipt, as reported by the QCPD.

Police said that upon Santos’ arrest, authorities seized from him the money Moens had paid him.

Santos is currently under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the QCPD.

A traffic enforcer has been arrested for extortion. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1715981/pnp-purge-of-narco-cops-goes-down-to-lower-ranks

The planned purge of police officers with alleged drug links continued down to the lower ranks of the Philippine National Police in Metro Manila after almost 90 percent the country’s police colonels and generals had tendered their courtesy resignations, according to a statement by the national capital police.

Police Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), on Thursday summoned 43 first- and second-level officers who were found allegedly involved in illegal drugs and placed on its “counterintelligence watch list” (CIW).

Only 31 of them appeared on Thursday at the NCRPO headquarters at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City. The highest ranked was a lieutenant.

The CIW tagged 18 as “protectors” and 11 as extortionists. Five were “recycling,” three were using and another three helped in the “proliferation” of narcotics. The counterintelligence group also found one selling, another distributing and a third possessing drugs.

Addressing the officers who showed up for the “dialogue,” Estomo reiterated Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos’ call on the police top brass to resign and challenged the 31 who were present to also resign, and to submit to an investigation by an adjudication board to verify their involvement in illegal drugs.

There was also a surprise random drug test, to which all the officers agreed to undergo.

Many of the police officers who were summoned said they were “confused” and “dismayed” about their inclusion on the watch list, which was made by the Regional Intelligence Division whose sources included other officers and informants.

According to a police official who was present but requested not to be identified as he had no authority to speak with the media, one of the 31 denied he had illegal drug dealings and asked for a copy of the intelligence report implicating him. Another said he was already cleared by a previous investigation and was surprised that he was still on the list.

43 PNP officers from the NCR are being probed for drug links. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1192909

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the sentence handed down by the Baguio City Regional Trial Court against two local officials for graft charges.

The anti-graft court Fourth Division upheld the eight-year jail terms of former Barangay Camp 7 chief Constancio Danao and treasurer Romel Beltran.

"The penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office was also correctly imposed," the tribunal said in the decision dated Jan. 13 and published Tuesday.

The court said it "sees no cogent reason to disturb the findings of the (Baguio City) court which it likewise finds to be in accord with the evidence on record."

The two were convicted for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with irregularities in the purchase of PHP370,000 worth of warning devices and disaster preparedness equipment in 2015.

The court found the two arrogated upon themselves the function of the bids and awards committee (BAC); concluded the procurement and disbursement processes even if they did not have the authority to do so; and acted with partiality in awarding the contract to supplier J&J Tools and Merchandise.

A witness also said a signature was forged to make it appear that equipment purchased were delivered.

The Ombudsman filed the case against the two in 2017 after finding probable cause in the complaint of village councilors and BAC members Juan Baldo, Marcelina Pucdo, Joel Buena and Susan Habbiling, who said they were informed of the opening of the supposed bids for the procurement but they were not aware of such project.

In May last year, the court also found Beltran guilty of four counts of falsification of public documents and malversation by making false entries in the Summary of Collections and Deposits when he altered remitted amounts, ranging from PHP300 to PHP1,000.

He was likewise sentenced to up to eight years.

The graft charges against two local officials has been upheld by the Sandiganbayan.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193024

The chief of the Police Regional Office in Northern Mindanao (PRO-10) on Thursday vowed to dismiss police officers who tested positive for illegal drug use.

Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop PRO-10 director, said four police officers are set to be dismissed for illegal drug use, the latest of whom is assigned to Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.

"We recorded this in 2022, and they will also face administrative charges," he said during a media forum here, referring to the erring police officers.

Coop said most of the administrative cases in the region are related to the use of illegal drugs following the series of random and unannounced drug testing.

Drug testing will continue for this year, he said, noting that it has always been part of the internal operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Four Mindanao PNP officers have tested positive for drugs and face dismissal. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193019

Two employees were relieved from their posts following reports of their alleged involvement in illegal activities, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday.

In an order signed by Commissioner Norman Tansingco on Jan. 17, the immigration officers were relieved pending investigation on allegations that they have been involved in trafficking activities at the Clark International Airport (CIA) and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

“We have received information that the two have links to trafficking syndicates. We are initiating an investigation to verify this information, and if there is indeed the probable cause, we shall file the appropriate case before the Department of Justice (DOJ),” he said in a statement.

Tansingco said the two personnel would temporarily be assigned to back-end office duties pending the investigation.

“While imposing penalties would be subject to the resolution of possible cases against them, we are relieving them from frontline duty to ensure unbiased investigation,” Tansingco said.

Two BI employees have been given office duties while they are being investigated for links to trafficking. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/19/2-village-chairs-wanted-for-murder-nabbed-in-bukidnon/

Police arrested two barangay chairmen wanted for murder in Don Carlos, Bukidnon on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Camiguin Provincial Field Unit identified the suspects as Saturnino Cuesta, 55, chairman of Barangay Mahayahay, Don Carlos, and Rudyrex Cinco, 42, chairman of Barangay Buyot, Don Carlos.

The suspects were nabbed through “Oplan: Pagtugis” and “Oplan: Salikop” launched by the CIDG-Bukidnon and other police units on a warrant of arrest in Poblacion, Barangay San Isidro, Talakag, Bukidnon.

Cinco is the leader and Cuesta is a member of the Cinco criminal group engaged in gun-for-hire and land-grabbing activities in Bukidnon, according to the CIDG.

The group is unlisted with the Directorate for Intelligence (DI), said Capt. Noel Oclarit, team leader of CIDG Camiguin.

The group is the subject of complaints from Allen Capuyan, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) chairman, during a meeting with local government and police units in Bukidnon last Dec. 12.

CIDG said the group is allegedly involved in the land-grabbing of ancestral domain tilled by Lumads in Barangays Imbayao and Buyot in Don Carlos.

Cinco and Cuesta are detained at the Talakag Municipal Police Station.

Two barangay chairman have been arrested for murder. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/19/23/coa-holds-ecija-mayor-accountable-for-p21-m-fire-damage

The Commission on Audit has held San Antonio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Arvin Salonga liable for the losses amounting to P21.99 million due to a fire that damaged their municipal building in 2013.

In a decision dated May 30, 2022 but released recently, the COA proper denied the request for relief from property accountability of Salonga due to late filing.

Salonga filed his request only on July 21, 2016, more than 3 years after the June 8, 2013 fire.

The commission cited Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code which mandates the filing of the notice of loss within 30 days from the occurrence of loss.

“He had 22 days left to file the notice of loss prior to the end of his term as mayor on June 30, 2013,” the COA proper said in the decision signed by Chairperson Rizalina Justol and Commissioners Roland Pondoc and Mario Lipana,

The commission also noted that police investigation stated that the fire could have been intentionally set off to conceal incriminating documents against Salonga whose term ended in 2013.

A criminal complaint for arson was filed by the Bureau of Fire Protection against Salonga but the complaint was dismissed by the Office of the Ombudsman for lack of clear evidence.

“The sample ashes and debris collected from the fire scene yielded negative for the presence of any flammable substance,” the COA noted. 

For his part, Salonga submitted in 2016 a letter with affidavits of then municipal treasurer and two disinterested persons attesting to the facts and circumstances surrounding the loss. 

“He also stated that the old municipal building was not insured because it was built a long time ago and was renovated or rehabilitated by past administrations,” the COA noted.

For this,Salonga was also held accountable by the commission for his negligence to insure the property during his term.

“His failure to do so deprived the municipality of the value and use of the municipal building, such great financial loss on the government’s end,” the COA said. 

An ex-mayor of Nueva Ecija has been held liable for the damage done to his building by a fire because he did not file the correct papers on time nor did he even have the building insured. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1193071

Two village councilors were arrested during the recent serving of search warrants for loose firearms in Rosario town, Agusan del Sur province, police officials said Thursday.

Maj. Jennifer Ometer, Police Regional Office-Caraga Region (PRO-13) information officer, said Councilors Diosdado Reyes Aresal Sr., 61, of Barangay Maligaya; and Salvador Sangalia Jr. of Barangay Tagbayagan were nabbed during the court-ordered search for suspected illegal gun holders in Rosario on Tuesday.

“The operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Agusan del Sur and the 1301st Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion implemented the search warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 in Bayugan City,” Ometer said.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, PRO-13 director, said the law enforcers first implemented the search warrant at the house of Aresal, where a 9mm pistol, improvised shotgun and various ammunition were recovered.

In Sangalia’s house, police found a .45-caliber pistol, ammunition and magazines.

The two were charged with violation of Republic Act 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Two village councilors have been arrested for possessing illegal weapons.