Retards in the Government 322

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

 

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207151

The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former official of the Technology Research Center (formerly the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center or TLRC) and 4 others in graft and malversation charges arising from the use of congressional discretionary funds of the late Compostela Valley Rep. Prospero Amatong.

In its 57-page decision written by Associate Justice Oscar C. Herrera Jr. and promulgated on Aug. 4, the anti-graft court's second division said the misuse of the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) of Amatong between 2007 to 2013 in transactions ostensibly for livelihood information programs caused undue injury to the government and gave unwarranted benefits.

The court found Maria Rosalinda Masongsong Lacsamana, Butch Canoy, Vincent Jaudian, Mercy Cabig and Alfredo Soriano guilty of graft and sentenced them to up to 10 years imprisonment. It also ordered them to return PHP10 million representing the amount wrongfully and illegally disbursed.

Lacsamana was the legislative liaison officer and group manager of the Technology and Livelihood Information Dissemination Services Group at the time while the others were chief executive officer, chief operations officer, treasurer and vice president, respectively, of the Philippine Environmental and Ecological Development Association (PEEDAI), which secured the funding to implement the lawmaker's livelihood programs despite doubtful credentials and non-submission of periodic reports.

The court also found Lacsamana guilty of the separate charge of malversation and sentenced her up to 18 years imprisonment, a fine of PHP10 million. She was also ordered to reinstitute the government the amount of PHP10 million

"PEEDAI is not in any way engaged in livelihood programs. Obviously therefore, no lawful nexus connects PEEDAI to the project proposal of Rep. Amatong," the court said of the transaction. 

The Sandiganbayan has convicted a former official of the Technology Research Center (formerly the Technology and Livelihood Resource Center or TLRC) and 4 others in graft and malversation charges arising from the PDAF.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/08/07/2286858/cop-accused-indiscriminate-firing

A police officer surrendered to his colleagues after he was accused of indiscriminate firing and poking a gun at four teenagers in Jaro district in this city over the weekend.

A manhunt was launched for S/Sgt. Nico Galvesolo of Barangay Buntala hours after the incident that occurred at around 8 p.m. on Saturday.

Twelve hours later, Galvesolo surfaced at the city police Station 3 to face the complaint filed against him.

The complainants said Galvesolo poked a gun at them without reason or cause.

Capt. Lester Oliveros, chief of city police Station 3, said Galvesolo admitted to have fired shots, but denied poking a gun at anyone.

Oliveros said probers would check footage of closed-circuit television cameras installed at the scene of the incident.

A cop has been accused of indiscriminate firing and pointing a gun at people. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/520461/barangay-kagawad-in-argao-accused-of-shooting-man

Police in Argao town of southeastern Cebu continue to search for a village councilor, or barangay kagawad in Cebuano, accused of shooting a man late Sunday evening, August 6, 2023.

The shooting took place in a waiting shed in Brgy. Bala-as, Argao at around 11:13 p.m. on Sunday that wounded a 54-year-old man, police confirmed.

The victim was identified as Rolando Abrigana who, as of Monday, remains confined in a hospital in Argao. The suspect, on the other hand, was identified as Bala-as Barangay kagawad Jerfil Cabanas, 32, from Argao.

Police Senior Master Sergeant Bienvenido Amil, investigator of the case, said they received reports that a shooting occurred in the waiting shed in Brgy. Bala-as.

When they reached the area, witnesses told them that the victim had already been rushed to the hospital. They also reportedly told police that the gunman happened to be a barangay kagawad, whom they identified as Cabanas.

Amil said that Abrigana and Cabanas were waiting for a ride at the waiting shed. The former was on his way to work while the latter was patrolling the area, together with other barangay officials and workers.

According to at least two witnesses, Abrigana and Cabanas suddenly got involved in a heated altercation which police later found out stemmed after the victim allegedly insulted the suspect.

The suspect, Cabanas, went home but returned to the waiting shed carrying a gun of still unknown caliber then fired two shots towards Abrigana who sustained gunshot wounds on his stomach.

The victim, Abrigana, tried to chase Cabanas with a bolo but to no avail.

A hot pursuit operation against Cabanas is still ongoing.

A barangay councilor has been accused of shooting a man. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1813353/fwd-3-hurt-after-cops-shot-each-other-at-taguig-city-police-station

Three police officers were wounded, including two  who reportedly shot each other after a heated argument at the Taguig City police station on Monday, according to authorities. 

The Taguig City police identified the two police officers as Executive Master Sergeant Heriberto Saguiped and Chief Master Sergeant Alraquib Aguel. 

Based on an initial report, the shooting incident occurred at about 11:30 a.m. inside the Office of Community Affairs Section of the police station after Aguel arrived and approached Saguiped. 

A heated argument ensued, while Corporal Alison Sindac tried to calm down both officers. 

The feuding police officers eventually shot and wounded each other, as well as Sindac.

Responding colleagues rushed the three police officers to hospital. 

Three cops have been wounded in a gun duel at a police station. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/7/2-ranking-bu-cor-officials-relieved-of-posts

Two Bureau of Corrections’ (BuCor) ranking officials – one allegedly on the “illegal drugs watchlist” and the other a food caterer in one of the prison facilities -- have been relieved of their posts while investigation is ongoing.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. identified those relieved officials as Deputy Director General for Administration and Davao Prison and Penal Farm (DPPF) head C/Supt. Geraldo Aro, and Deputy Director General for Operations and Head Executive Assistant (HEA) Angelina L. Bautista. 

The investigation and the removal from the posts were a result of the issues raised by Santa Rosa City Rep. Dan S Fernandez, chairman of the House Committee on Public Order and Safety, against Aro and Bautista during a congressional hearing last Aug. 3.

Fernandez said that Aro has been in the illegal drugs watchlist of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte, while Bautista was the owner of a food catering service that won the P21 million contract to provide food for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.

Two BuCor officals, one who has been on the illegal drugs watchlist for years, have been relieved of duty pending investigation. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/8/9-cops-accused-of-ransacking-suspect-s-imus-home-relieved-from-duty

Nine police officers involved in an alleged ransacking incident in Imus City were relieved from their duties and placed under investigation on Monday, August 7.

A CCTV footage that went viral online shows several men in civilian clothes forcibly opening the door of a house and tinkering with items from a motorcycle compartment. They were also seen carrying wheel-shaped items and bags containing unknown objects from the house into a parked vehicle outside.

In a statement, the Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) said the nine police officers in question were members of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) of Imus City Police Station.

They reportedly conducted an anti-illegal drug operation in the area that resulted in the arrest of a street-level individual and a cohort. Confiscated during the operation were 20 grams of suspected “shabu” with an estimated street value of P136,000.

Upon receiving a report about the alleged ransacking, Imus CPS Chief Lt. Col. Michael D. Batoctoy informed the Cavite PPO and ordered the police officers to explain. Batoctoy also requested for the immediate relief of the team so as not to influence the investigation.

Cavite PPO Director Col. Christopher F. Olazo ordered the re-assignment and temporary recall of all issued firearms, pending the result of the  investigation and the filing of appropriate administrative and criminal charges.

The team was reassigned to the Provincial Administrative and Resource Management Unit.

9 cops have been relieved of duty for ransacking a house.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1814806/6-cops-involved-in-killing-a-teen-in-navotas-face-homicide-charges

Criminal charges have been filed against six Navotas policemen who shot and killed a 17-year-old boy after mistaking him for a murder suspect last August 2.

PNP public information chief Colonel Redrico Maranan said this in a Viber message to INQUIRER.net.

“Criminal complaint of homicide was filed against involved police officers. Administrative charges are also being readied,” he  said.

For his part, Navotas police chief Colonel Allan Umipig said the law enforcers had admitted that they committed a mistake.

The cops said they did not intend to kill victim Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar.

The policemen were conducting a follow-up operation after receiving a tip that a murder suspect they had been tracking down was along a river in Balanse Street, North Bay Boulevard South (NBBS) Kaunlaran, Umipig said.

(The substation commander reportedly received information that the suspect who had escaped was hiding in a boat. There were two of them — one was the companion and the young victim.)

(The policemen yelled that they should surrender. The victim suddenly jumped. One was just there. The cops made a mistake and fired into the water, and the victim was hit.)

Maranan said the cops already surrendered their issued firearms pending investigation.

6 cops have been charged with homicide for killing a teenager.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/10/23/6-govt-execs-bohol-mayor-facing-graft-raps-over-fraudulent-water-permit

Some high-ranking government officials and a mayor in Bohol are facing a graft and corruption complaint from the Office of the Ombudsman over an alleged "fraudulent" water permit issued in Balilihan town. 

Based on the criminal complaint filed by the Bohol Clean Water Alliance (BCWA) on Wednesday, the respondents include Balilihan Mayor Maria Pureza Chatto, officials from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), National Water Resources Board (NWRB), and the Department of Science and Technology, among others. 

The issue stemmed from the issuance of a water permit in Balilihan over Bugwak Spring, a water source, which the local government allegedly indicated to be located in Barangay Santo Niño. 

Complainants Emmanuel Ramasola and and Erastus Leopando, BCWA representatives, however, said the spring was located in Barangay Magsaysay in Sevilla town. 

The two also cited a result from an NWRB ocular inspection in 2021, "which show that Balilihan misled the NWRB during the application process by indicating in its application form that Bugwak Spring is in Balilihan when ti fact, it was situated in Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol."

This made Balilihan "not entitled" to the water permit, they said.

Aside from this, Sevilla's municipal mayor and barangay Magsaysay were also not notified of the Balilihan town's water permit application on Bugwak Spring, based on the complaint.

This was why the the BCWA representatives said the respondents acted with "manifest partiality, evident bad faith, and gross negligence and gave unwarranted benefits, advantage and preference," to Balilihan's municipal government when they affirmed the validity of a water permit "obtained fraudulently."

“It is the height of inequity for LGU Balilihan to utilize water obtained from Bugwak Spring in Barangay Magsaysay, Sevilla, Bohol," the complaint read. 

"It is an affront to Barangay Magsaysay and Sevilla’s territorial jurisdiction since LGU Balilihan did not secure their consent, much less inform them, before the start of the water supply project’s construction or even ask for a permit from Barangay Magsaysay or from LGU Sevilla,” it added.

6 Bohol executives are facing charges of graft over a water permit. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Criminals Have Become More Active, World Youth Day, and More!

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

The first World Youth Day since the pandemic has been held and Filipinos make up the largest delegation from Southeast Asia.

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/02/23/filipino-pilgrims-attend-first-world-youth-day-after-covid

Around a thousand Filipinos joined Catholics from across the world who gathered here for the first World Youth Day (WYD) since the COVID-19 pandemic struck. 

The Philippines is the largest delegation among Southeast Asian countries for the major Catholic festival that kicked off with a Mass at Eduardo VII Park on Tuesday, according to organizers.   

Filipinos from other delegations such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Australia were also among the participants of the weeklong event. 

Abi Halal, a first-time pilgrim, shared with ABS-CBN News her experience in visiting the famed Marian shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, one of the dioceses included in the pre-WYD activities. 

“Never in my entire life [did I think] that I will step into a place where an actual miracle happened,” she said. 

The Fatima shrine is a main pilgrimage site for Catholics, known as the place where the Virgin Mary appeared to three Portuguese children. Two of them were canonized as saints by Pope Francis in 2017. 

But did they wear face masks? The DOH is urging everyone to wear face masks because of the new omicron subvariant. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/2/wearing-of-face-masks-urged-due-to-new-omicron-subvariant

The Department of Health (DOH) "strongly recommends" the continuous wearing of face masks as protection against the newly detected EG.5 omicron subvariant and other infectious diseases, even after the state of the public health emergency has already been lifted.

"The Department of Health (DOH) strongly recommends the public to continue adhering to our layers of protection such as wearing face masks, isolating when sick, and ensuring good airflow," the department advised on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

"More importantly, the DOH continuously encourages the public to get vaccinated and boosted to further strengthen our wall of immunity and to remain protected against COVID-19," the health department added.

"The continuous wearing of face masks" even though the pandemic is over! Unbelievable. 

Apparantly crime is up now that the pandemic is over. 

 https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/519821/shootings-mean-criminals-have-become-more-active-since-pandemic-lockdown-pro-7-exec

With no more movement restrictions due to the pandemic, criminals are going out and starting to be active again.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said this as an explanation to the spate of recent shootings in Cebu City and the province.

Pelare also assured that these cases would not pose a threat to the peace and order in the city and province.

“There is no need to worry about the recent shooting cases in Cebu City and the province because the police are closely monitoring and investigating these attacks,” said Pelare during a press briefing on August 2.

“Although we have recorded a slight increase in the number compared to last year, we do not see any reason to panic,” the PRO-7 spokesman said, attributing the previous year’s decrease in crime shooting rates to movement restrictions during the pandemic.

He said that the recent surge in criminal activity would suggest that offenders were becoming more active compared to last year.

According to PRO-7, in January to July this year, there were a total of 251 shooting cases recorded in Central Visayas

This number is 39 cases less compared to the total of 290 recorded in the same period in 2022.

“Remember last year, there were still restrictions. But now makita nato ang criminal nanggawas na sad (But now, we can see the criminals are going out again),” Pelare said.

But I heard crime was down. What is the real story about crime in the Philippines?

Congressman Duterte wants the pandemic-era patient referral system to become law. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/3/cong-duterte-on-pandemic-era-patient-referral-system-let-s-make-it-a-law

A second-term congressman wants to institutionalize the pandemic-era patient navigation and referral system to maintain and further expand the linkages among healthcare providers throughout the country.

For this purpose, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte penned and filed House Bill (HB) No.7574, which sought to establish the National Patient Navigation and Referral System (NPNRS).

“The One Hospital Command, which was later called the National Patient Navigation and Referral Center (NPNRC), was used during the pandemic mainly as a means to quickly refer Covid-19 patients to available nearby hospitals and healthcare facilities. This should be improved and expanded into a nationwide network and given sufficient funding to be an effective component of our Universal Health Care (UHC) program,” Duterte said.

Benguet lone district Rep. Eric Yap and ACT-CIS Party-list Rep, Edvic Yap. are Duterte's co-authors.

The NPNRS will interconnect and facilitate communication among the local government units (LGUs), local and national government agencies, hospitals, infirmaries, telehealth service providers and other health facilities.

Its primary goal is to  ensure the efficient use of the country’s scarce health resources by assisting all types of patients in accessing health care facilities appropriate to their medical needs.

“Institutionalizing a patient navigation and referral system, which is a type of service delivery network, will ensure the continuing provision of quality care through the combination of capacities of individual health service delivery points into a unified delivery system,” the bill’s authors said.

“Now that the public health emergency due to Covid-19 has been lifted, the NPNRC can continue to function as a unit under the Department of Health (DOH) to cater to all types of patients to help them gain access to affordable medical care,” Duterte said.

“Let’s put to  good use the lessons we have learned from the pandemic. Institutionalizing the patient navigation and referral system is one of them,” added the former deputy speaker.

He wants to make this part of the Universal Health Care system but UHC has not even been implanted yet!

Bivalent vaccines have now been approved for the general public. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1812184/doh-chief-covid-19-bivalent-vaccine-now-available-for-general-population

The general population could now get the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Ted Herbosa said Friday.

According to Herbosa, the DOH’s executive committee (Execom) decided to make the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine available to the public due to the slow consumption of initial doses of bivalent vaccine, which targets specific variants of COVID-19 like the more transmissible Omicron.

He also admitted that the vaccine’s supply is declining as the shots are nearing its “extended shelf life” expiration.

(This is new; we decided on it at the Execom last week because the uptake is slow.)

(It used to be just the healthcare workers and senior citizens, so we decided to let everyone who wants to get a booster vaccine go ahead.)

This means the general population could avail of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, Herbosa added when asked further.

(Yes, I think so, as long as it’s available, we’ll give it because the supply is going down, it’s about to expire.)

The COVID-19 bivalent vaccine was donated by Lithuania in June and considered expired on July 31, but Herbosa asserted that the manufacturer extended its shelf life until August 31.

The only reason the general public can get it now is because "the uptake is slow" and its about to expire! But will the general public go for these new shots?

The Supreme Court has revised all health protocols in the courts. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/05/23/updated-health-protocols-in-courts-released

The Office of the Court Administrator has released revised health protocols on court operations after President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. lifted the state of public health emergency in the country due to COVID-19. 

In Memorandum Circular No. 271-2023, signed on Aug. 4 but was only released Saturday, Court Administrator Raul Villanueva said only suspected and symptomatic COVID-19 patients require antigen testing. 

Antigen tests can be conducted in their homes or through clinics or hospitals. 

"Positive antigen test result at home should be validated with an RT-PCR result, if still available, and if the result is confirmed positive, the infected person needs to isolate for at least five (5) days from start of symptoms on sick leave," the circular read. 

"If a judge or staff... secure a fit to work certification from a medical practitioner or doctor," it added. 

Antigen testing may also be required by judges for visitors in their courts or halls of justice. 

Wearing of face masks, meanwhile, is now optional inside the Supreme Court premises and the halls of justice. Judges, however, may require face mask wearing inside their courts or halls of justice. 

Face-to-face seminars initiated by Philippine Judicial Academy and the Supreme Court-Office of Administrative Services (OAS), the circular noted, will also continue requiring antigen tests at their discretion. 

"All Judges and Clerks of Court must be vigilant and monitor the health condition of their staff and report any symptomatic or sick employees of COVID-19 to the OAS-OCA," it read. 

Wearing of face masks is optional but may be required by judges inside their courtrooms and suspected infected must be tested for COVID-19.

The God Culture: Ask The God Culture: Which Language is the Original Philippine Dialect?

Welcome back to Ask The God Culture, the place where Timothy Jay Schwab will answer any question you may have. Our first question this week comes from Lisa Galindez. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIWsgUPuwUQ&lc=Ugzlz_Q2dxZrdn7UIO54AaABAg

Lisa Galindez: What language was the original Phillipine dialect, without all the other language mixed in. They are LEVI. our Priests and Priestesses.

The God Culture: Baybayin which has similarities to Ancient Hebrew. Yah Bless.

Lisa wants to know what the original Philippine dialect was before it was mixed with any other languages. Tim responds by saying it is Baybayin.

That is an incredibly wrong answer. Baybayin is not a  dialect. It is a script used to write the words of a dialect. Baybayin was used primarily by speakers of Tagalog but is found elsewhere within the Philippines. 

Baybayin  is a Philippine script. The script is an alphasyllabary belonging to the family of the Brahmic scripts. It was widely used in Luzon and other parts of the Philippines prior to and during the 16th and 17th centuries before being replaced by the Latin alphabet during the period of Spanish colonization. It was used in Tagalog and to a lesser extent Kapampangan speaking areas; its use spread to Ilokanos in the early 17th century. In the 19th and 20th centuries, baybayin survived and evolved into multiple forms—the Tagbanwa script of Palawan, and the Hanuno'o and Buhid scripts of Mindoro—and was used to create the constructed modern Kulitan script of the Kapampangan and the Ibalnan script of the Palawan tribe.

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

Much the same way as the Latin script can be used to write Latin, Spanish, French, and English so Baybayin can be used to write Tagalog, Illocano, and Visayan.

This script also bears no relation to Hebrew. It originates from a completely different family of scripts known as Brahmic Scripts. 

Brahmi is a writing system of ancient South Asia that appeared as a fully developed script in the third century BCE. Its descendants, the Brahmic scripts, continue to be used today across South and Southeast Asia.

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

The real answer to Lisa's question is that there is no original Philippine dialect. That is because the Philippines is an archipelago composed of 7,000 islands and 134 ethnic groups. By some counts there are between 120 to 187 native languages spoken in the Philippines. 

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

The Philippines had contact with India, Indonesia, China, as well as the Lequois who hail from what are now known as the Ryukyu Islands. Thus there are many loan words in all Philippine dialects, especially Tagalog. It is the same for all languages.

Our second question comes from Ric Jamlig.

Answers in First Enoch Part 9: Enoch's Journey to the Garden of Eden in the Philippines 

Ric Jamlig: Flat earth? So how is it that it's morning here in manila with the Sun shining and there America is night?

Timothy Jay Schwab answers:

Oh, I'm sorry Ric. Timothy Jay Schwab deleted your question. Remember as Tim always says,

Don't try to comment in ignorance or you'll be muted.  Our channel, our rules.

Ric, it appears you have commented in ignorance and have been muted. Better luck in the future. 

That's all for this time on Ask The God Culture. See you next time!

Insurgency: Key to Ending Insurgency

In 2016 President Duterte declared Mindanao to be in a state of national emergency due to lawlessness.  That state of emergency has now been lifted.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206575

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has lifted the declaration of state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao, considering the improved peace and order situation in the region.

Marcos on Tuesday signed Proclamation 298, repealing Proclamation 55 issued in 2016 which proclaims the state of national emergency because of a “spate of violent and lawless acts across many parts of Mindanao.”

Proclamation 298 emphasizes that the lawless violence perpetrated by private armies and local warlords, bandits, criminal syndicates, terrorist groups, and religious extremists “have been significantly mitigated or reduced.”

“Through successful focused military and law enforcement operations and programs that promote sustainable and inclusive peace, the government has made significant gains in improving and restoring peace and order in the region,” the new proclamation said.

According to Proclamation 298, the lifting of a state of national emergency would help boost economic activity and hasten the recovery of the local economy.

Former president Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation 55 on Sept. 4, 2016 because of lawless violence in Mindanao, including abductions, hostage-takings and murder of innocent civilians, bombing of power transmission facilities, highway robberies and extortions, attacks on military outposts, assassinations of media people and mass jailbreaks.

Duterte, in issuing Proclamation 55, explained that the acts of violence exhibit the audacity and propensity of the armed lawless groups to “defy the rule of law, sow anarchy, and sabotage the government’s economic development and peace efforts.”

Proclamation 55 was also issued because of government intelligence reports about “credible threats of further terror attacks and other similar acts of violence by lawless elements in other parts of the country, including the metropolitan areas.”

It is simply amazing that the government knew there were credible threats of violence to metropolitan areas and yet the Marawi siege happened anyway. Even more amazing is the government has still not launched a proper investigation into the siege. 

Business leaders believe the lifting of the national emergency will increase economic activity.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206633

The lifting of the state of national emergency in Mindanao will boost economic activities in the island region, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said Friday.

In a statement, MinDa chairperson Secretary Maria Belen Acosta said the move is expected to usher in more investments in the region.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 25 issued Proclamation 298 lifting "effective immediately" former President Rodrigo Duterte's Proclamation 55 declaring a "state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao" in Sept. 2016.

Proclamation No. 298 cited that conditions set in the previous declaration "have been significantly mitigated or reduced."

“MinDA’s advocacy to request the President to lift Proclamation 55 was a key result and recommendation of the Mindanao Development Forum in May this year stemming from the strong push of key participants, particularly the private sector and chambers of commerce,” she said.

“Mindanao now enjoys a general atmosphere of peace and order, in effect, its people enjoy the benefits of safe and secured communities resulting from trustworthy police services,” she said.

Mindanao is far from safe and remains on lists of no-go zones for certain countries. Recently a bus station in Cotobato was attacked. It is not the first this year. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1810008/blast-rocks-cotabato-city-bus-terminal-1-wounded

One person was wounded when several motorcycle-riding men hurled a hand grenade at a bus terminal here early Monday morning.

Maj. John Vincent Bravo, police station 2 chief, said the blast occurred at the gate of Husky Bus terminal along the national highway at Esteros district.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the incident but investigators said it was meant to threaten the bus firm, which had been reportedly receiving extortion demands.

The blast delayed the first trip of the bus which was supposed to leave for General Santos City before 6 a.m. as bomb experts did a post-blast probe.

On May 31 this year, while the city was hosting the regional competition of the Palarong Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association’s (BARMMAA), three improvised explosive devices (IED)s planted in the same bus terminal here were safely detonated by bomb experts.

More than a month before, on April 17, at least six passengers were wounded after an improvised explosive went off inside a new double-decker bus at the public terminal in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

Mindanao remains far from safe but these declarations of safety are not about safety. They are about economic development. The same thing is happening in Samar with stepping up their tourism drive. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206880

The Northern Samar provincial government is preparing local stakeholders for the influx of tourists to the province as the insurgency situation dwindled this year.

Local tourism officials have been undergoing capacity-building activities to enhance the municipal tourism development council’s knowledge of tourism concepts, relevant laws, product development, destination marketing, sustainable tourism, resilience, inclusive growth and tourism planning.

Provincial tourism officer Maria Josette Doctor said they continue capacitating local tourism stakeholders although some areas in the province are threatened by armed rebels.

“We should not sit and do nothing just because there is an insurgency problem in Northern Samar. We are making all efforts to promote our province and it is a good thing if we are declared insurgency-free,” Doctor said in a phone interview Tuesday.

The local tourism office has been posting photos and information about destinations in areas infiltrated by the New People’s Army (NPA).

Northern Samar is the most insurgency-affected province in Eastern Visayas, where two active NPA guerilla fronts operate. 

These people know full well that Northern Samar has an insurgency problem and are pretending that they have been declared insurgency free. Not only that but they are promoting destinations that are known to be infiltrated by the NPA! What kind of sense does that make?? 

One new town has been declared insurgency free.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1810315/govt-execs-say-laguna-town-now-npa-free

Government authorities declared Santa Maria town in Laguna province liberated from the influence of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Local officials, representatives from different national government agencies, the military, and police in Laguna attended the declaration ceremony held on Monday, July 31, in Gumaca, Quezon province.

Mayor Ma. Rocelle Carolino said the declaration of their town with Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status is “a victory for Santa Maria.”

“If there is no peace and order, there will be no progress,” Carolino said in her message during the ceremony, the Army’s 1st Infantry Battalion said in a report posted on their Facebook page.

The military and police evaluated and validated the declaration.

The SIPS status means that the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the National Democratic Front, the NPA, and the rebels’ politico-military organizations “no longer pose a threat to peace and order” in the town, according to the military.

Santa Maria is the second municipality in Laguna to have an “insurgency-free” status.

On July 4, Kalayaan town, once known as a lair of Maoist-inspired guerrillas, became the first NPA-free locality in the province.

During the ceremony, a CPP member and four “people’s militia” formally surrendered to the government

The government is hoping for more such declarations as the offer of amnesty is being readied. The NTF-ELCAC says amnesty is Ley to ending the insurgency.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207037

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said the government's amnesty program is the key to beating the country's long-standing insurgency threat.

"This is a golden opportunity for us to finally put an end to (the) insurgency in our country. We are confident that sooner rather than later, we will be ending the scourge of insurgency in our country," NTF-ELCAC Secretariat executive director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in a post of the body's Facebook page on Thursday.

He also expressed belief that these "communist terrorist groups" (CTGs) will go for the amnesty program due to the "leadership vacuum" currently being experienced by the insurgents following the death and neutralization of their ranking leaders.

"These CTGs will embrace the amnesty because of the 'leadership vacuum' with the death of (Communist Party of the Philippines founding chair) Jose Maria Sison or Joma and other top cadres, some of whom were already either perished or arrested in military and police encounters," Torres said.

He added that there are only an estimated 1,865 remaining listed members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army- National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

Adding to the woes of these remaining insurgents is the "local peace engagement" which Torres said is preventing the CPP-NPA-NDF from getting back the support of its "mass bases" in far-flung barangays (villages) as the government is pouring in basic social services for peace and development.

Torres said the amnesty will be the country's "vehicle towards the path of final victory" against insurgency.

In the Visayas the AFP is targeting top leaders to avail of amnesty. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206823

The Visayas Command (Viscom) on Monday vowed to sustain focused military operations against officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in the central Philippines to support the amnesty offered by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Viscom commander, said while soldiers in the Visayas sustain the momentum in neutralizing communist rebels, they find the need to pressure ranking CPP-NPA members to surrender and avail of the amnesty.

"With the pronouncement of our President to grant amnesty to former rebels, we will sustain our relentless focused military operations to pressure the ranks of the CPP-NPA for them to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law," Arevalo said in a statement.

Viscom's public information officer, Lt. Col. Israel Galorio, said these ranking officials operate under one remaining guerrilla front active in Northern Samar.

"What we are sure about is that the members of this guerrilla front are in low morale, considering the fall of the two of their leaders in recent security operations," Galorio told the Philippine News Agency.

Seeing as the CPP-NPA has already rejected this offer of amnesty it remains to be seen what will happen when the offer becomes official. 

Mass Graves and Ordering Food Online At New Bilibid Prison

The PNP's flagship penal institution New Bilibid Prison is a horror show. Recently human remains were found inside a septic tank. This prompted DOJ Secretary Remulla to speculate that there are more mass graves to be found inside the prison. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1808443/more-mass-graves-may-be-inside-new-bilibid-prisons-maximum-security-compound

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Thursday said there may be more mass graves inside the New Bilibid Prison’s (NBP) maximum security compound. 

This comes after the discovery of human remains in a septic tank inside the prison facility.

(We think we can find two more mass graves inside the maximum security compound through those two septic tanks. Then we are also eyeing one more site which we think may yield human remains.)

Asked to clarify if these mass graves are throughout the New Bilibid Prison, Remulla replied: Only inside the prison’s maximum security compound. 

Remulla said authorities have started their thorough search operations inside the prison after an inmate went missing last July 15.

Remulla said the decapitated body of the inmate, Michael Angelo Cataroja, was found on Thursday.  

And who created those mass graves? Who chopped up those inmates and disposed of their body parts by tossing them in a septic tank? "Certain persons" says BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr.

https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/31/certain-persons-behind-violence-at-bilibid

“In my review, there seems to be bad elements who want to ruin our relationship with inmates that’s why I conducted a deeper investigation,” Catapang said. 

“Now I have good news or lead on who these people are but I won’t publicly reveal them yet until I made my report to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla,” he said.

Could those certain persons be the gang members and leaders who run the prison? Surely they know. The bottom line is if you are an inmate in NBP your life is at risk. But at least you will be given the privilege of ordering food online. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/02/2285546/bilibid-inmates-allowed-order-food-online

Inmates of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City are now allowed to have food delivered to them through online delivery applications.

This can be done through laptops used for e-dalaw, where they can ask their family members to order food for them and coordinate the delivery with jail guards, according to NBP Supt. Angelina Bautista.

“Their families are the ones who order the food and they will message the PDL (person deprived of liberty) through e-dalaw,” Bautista told reporters yesterday.

She said all deliveries are checked by sniffing dogs.

Bautista noted that not only family members can send food, but also organizations that want to help PDLs, considering that the P70-per-day budget for food at the NBP is not enough for three meals.

The e-dalaw is an online visitation program of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), which manages the NBP, as part of the agency’s reformation efforts to give support to PDLs in terms of mental health.

The online visitation program is also in accordance with the Nelson Mandela Rules of the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which states that prisoners should be allowed, “under necessary supervision,” to communicate with their family and friends by corresponding in writing or using telecommunication, electronic, digital and other means where available.

BuCor director general Gregorio Catapang Jr. earlier admitted that there were several instances when contrabands were hidden inside food packages delivered to the national penitentiary.

Catapang, however, said he is not keen on disabling such online delivery applications since it is part of PDLs’ rights to order food.

So, prisoners contact their family members and they are the ones who order the food? And there have been "several instances when contrabands were hidden inside food packages?" What does the BuCor Chief mean the prisoners have a right to order food? He is talking about the Mandela Rules. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/7/31/bilibid-s-pd-ls-allowed-to-make-online-purchases-thru-bu-cor-s-laptops

Persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City have been allowed to make online purchases through laptops owned by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr. said.

“We have laptops where they can place orders,” Catapang said during an interview on DZBB on Monday, July 31.

He said the bureau’s laptops are those used for its “E-Dalaw” program for PDLs.

Catapang responded to the call aired by Anti-Crime and Terrorism Community Involvement and Support (ACT-CIS) Party-List Rep. Erwin Tulfo to look into information that Bilibid inmates can order items online.

He said that allowing PDLs to order online is “This is part of the prison reforms under the Mandela Rules.”

In May 2023, the Philippines became one of the member countries of the Group of Friends (GoF) of the Mandela Rules which, according to the United Nations (UN), was formed “ to create awareness and promote the practical application of the United Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules).”

On online purchases, Catapang said that based on rules and regulations, “inmates are allowed to use P2,000 per day in cash or in kind.”

“They are pitiful because of their condition so you give them some freedoms,” said Catapang as he pointed out that the NBP is a congested facility that can only hold 6,000 inmates but currently has 30,450 PDLs.

Despite online purchases, PDLs are not allowed to own or get hold of mobile phones.

He also stressed that every delivery undergoes strict security inspection.

He assured that contraband items brought inside prison facilities either through online or through visitors are intercepted during inspection.

BuCor Director Catapang defends this practice by claiming it is part of the Mandela Rules. To put it bluntly that is a lot of crap. The Mandela Rules say nothing about allowing inmates to order food or anything else online. As for food they say the following:

https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N15/443/41/PDF/N1544341.pdf?OpenElement

1. Every prisoner shall be provided by the prison administration at the usual hours with food of nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of wholesome quality and well prepared and served.

2. Drinking water shall be available to every prisoner whenever he or she needs it.

Apparently the BuCor is not even following this rule of giving prisoners adequate food. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/08/04/2286069/bucor-flagged-over-measly-meals-inmates

The Commission on Audit has again called out the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) over what the COA described as the measly and unhealthy meals being served to inmates of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) and Correctional Institution for Women (CIW).

“Meals provided to inmates at the NBP and CIW were not in accordance with the Food Subsistence Agreement (FSA) due to failure of the Food Inspection Committee to monitor its implementation,” the COA said in its 2022 annual audit report on BuCor.

Of the P5.264 billion appropriated budget of the BuCor for 2022, P1.264 billion was earmarked for 49,481 presumed number of inmates for the year.

The audit body said a review of the records of meals served to inmates from June to December 2022 revealed that caterers Aurora Sumulong Eatery and Mang Kiko Catering Services deviated from what was agreed upon under the FSA.

According to state auditors, changes in the menu were not approved by the BuCor nutritionist and the NBP superintendent, in violation of Section 8.3 of the FSA for 2022.

“The failure to comply with the required approval prior to substitution of meals may result in serving meals that are not nutritionally appropriate for inmates since the meals were not assessed by the BuCor nutritionist based on the agreed 10-day-cycle menu,” the COA said.

The COA’s breakdown of meals served to the inmates revealed instances wherein the prisoners were merely served bread and coffee for breakfast.

Under the agreed menu, they should have been served a viand, steamed rice and fruit.

Under Day 3 of the agreed menu, the inmates were supposed to be served “kare-kare” and boiled rice for lunch, but were instead given “steamed rice and misua patola.”

For Day 4, a dinner of “pork asado with camote or saba and boiled rice” was substituted with “steamed rice and adobong sitaw.”

A dinner of “chicken afritada with carrots and potato and boiled rice” for Day 9 of the menu plan was replaced with “steamed rice and sardines.”

For Day 10, the inmates were supposed to be served “pork sinigang and boiled rice” but were instead given “steamed rice and mixed vegetables.”

The COA said the caterers also failed to provide the required serving portions of rice specified under the FSA.

The audit body noted that under the technical specifications of the FSA, male inmates should be served two cups of steamed rice, while female inmates should be served one-and-a-half cup of rice to meet the required 2,000-kilo calories per day for each prisoner.

State auditors said delivery receipts attached to the disbursement vouchers showed that all the inmates were served just one cup of rice.

In its response, the BuCor said the “matter is under investigation.”

The matter is under investigation? Let's not hold our breath.

There is not a single thing about inmates using the internet being able to order food or anything else in the Mandela Rules. But there are rules about overcrowding.

1. Where sleeping accommodation is in individual cells or rooms, each prisoner shall occupy by night a cell or room by himself or herself. If for special reasons, such as temporary overcrowding, it becomes necessary for the central prison administration to make an exception to this rule, it is not desirable to have two prisoners in a cell or room.

2. Where dormitories are used, they shall be occupied by prisoners carefully selected as being suitable to associate with one another in those conditions. There shall be regular supervision by night, in keeping with the nature of the prison.

Temporary overcrowding? NBP has contained 5x as many inmates as it is built to hold for years now. The very first rule forbids cruel and degrading punishment and that their security shall be guaranteed at all times. 

All prisoners shall be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity and value as human beings. No prisoner shall be subjected to, and all prisoners shall be protected from, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, for which no circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a justification. The safety and security of prisoners, staff, service providers and visitors shall be ensured at all times.

With overcrowding and mass graves it is rather obvious that the security of prisoners at New Bilibid Prison is not being "ensured at all times." Yet the BuCor director has the gall to bring up the Mandela Rules to justify allowing inmates to use BuCor laptops to order food? It's ridiculous to the extreme.