It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.
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| https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/521232/soldier-who-went-awol-caught-with-p6-8m-shabu-in-mandaue-buy-bust |
A soldier, who went awol or absent without official leave, will soon have a new home — jail.
This was after the former Philippine Army soldier was caught with a kilo of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation in Realty Road, Barangay Mantuyong, Mandaue City at past 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 10.
Leia Alcantara, spokesperson of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Central Visayas (PDEA-7) identified the former soldier as Stanley Coca, 32, of Barangay Adlaon, Cebu City.
Alcantara said that a joint team of lawmen arrested Coca Coca after the buy-bust went down at 2:40 p.m.
They also confiscated from the suspect 21 plastic packs of suspected shabu, which weighed a kilo and had a market value of P6,800,000.
Alcantara said that Coca was believed to be a member of a newly identified drug group operating in Metro Cebu.
She also said that they did a 3-week case buildup against the suspect and conducted the buy-bust after they confirmed Coca engaging in the illegal drug business.
Aside from that, Alcantara said that despite Coca being new to the business, he had become a drug dealer who could dispose from 500 grams to a kilo of suspected shabu in a week.
She also said that Coca was a soldier five years ago and went awol.
Coca was detained at the detention facility of the PDEA-7 pending the filing of charges.
An AWOL soldier has been busted on drug charges.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/11/coa-flags-dangerous-drugs-board-s-p315-m-unliquidated-fund-transfers-to-gov-t-agencies-lg-us-in-2022 |
The Commission on Audit (COA) has called the attention of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) over the P315.7 million disbursed to various government agencies and local government units (LGUs) but remained unliquidated as of Dec. 31, 2022.
The funds were disbursed as financial assistance in the operation and maintenance of drug rehabilitation centers and other projects in line with Section 75 of Republic Act No. 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Also, COA pointed out DDB’s P2,709,886.33 dormant or non-moving accounts.
In its 2022 annual audit report, COA said that of the P315.73 million unliquidated funds, P121,391,330.05 was disbursed to national government agencies, while P194,342,339.32 was given to LGUs.
"The unliquidated balances of P315,733,669.37 arose because the submission of the Report of Checks Issued (RCI) and Report of Disbursement (RD) by the implementing agencies (IAs) were not monitored by the Accounting Division (AD) in 2022. Only two IAs were monitored," the COA said.
It pointed out that DDB’s failure to properly monitor the unliquidated balances was due to lack of established internal procedures on the manner and frequency of conducting the prescribed monitoring and reconciliation of activities.
It said there was also no proper coordination between and among the DDB personnel on the turn-over of inspection reports and the IAs' liquidation reports that are submitted to the chairman or secretariat of the DDB.
Without proper monitoring and reconciliation, COA said that DDB failed in validating whether all IAs complied with the completion of the projects so they can timely demand for the liquidation and refund of excess funds.
Some liquidation documents submitted by the IAs were beyond the 60-day period after the full utilization of the financial assistance, it said.
COA recommended that the DDB management direct its AD to conduct regular and periodic verification of fund transfers and include specific instructions to IAs on the date and manner of submission of the notice to proceed, bank deposit slips, and liquidation documents, among other things.
The COA has flagged the DBB for unliquidated cash transfers to various agencies.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/13/ex-army-man-arrested-for-fake-money |
Southern Police District chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Mariano warned the public on the proliferation of counterfeit money following the arrest of a dismissed member of the Philippine Army.
Kevin Jhon Soncio, 30, security guard, was arrested on Aug. 11 for using a fake P1,000 bill to buy cigarettes at a “sari-sari” (variety) store in Barangay Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.
A minor was manning the sari-sari store when Soncio handed a P1,000 bill as payment for the cigarettes.
When the witness examined the bill, he discovered the money was fake as it had the same serial number as the one he received on July 30.
He immediately sought the assistance of the Barangay Security Force of Barangay Fort Bonifacio that resulted in the arrest of the suspect.
Recovered from the suspect were nine P1,000 counterfeit bills and 10 different identification cards.
During the arrest, the suspect introduced himself as a member of the Philippine Army. However, upon validation, it was found that he was already dismissed from the service and the government identification cards he possessed were also falsified.
He will be charged with illegal possession of illegal possession and use of false treasury or bank notes and other instruments of credit), usurpation of authority and falsification of public documents under the Revised Penal Code.
A former soldier has been arrested for attempting to pass counterfeit money.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1815976/cebuano-cop-shot-dead-in-calbayog-city |
A policeman was gunned down by still unidentified assailants in Barangay Rawis, Calbayog City, Samar at past 11 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 11.
Staff Sergeant Ray Alcazar, 46, and a resident of Cebu City succumbed to gunshot wounds in his body and head.Policemen are conducting a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators and the motive behind the killing of Alcazar who was assigned at the Calbayog City Police Station.
Initial investigation showed that the policeman had just come from a drinking session with friends when the gunmen peppered the Mitsubishi Strada he was driving with bullets.
A hot pursuit operation was conducted by the police but the perpetrators managed to escape.
A cop has been assassinated.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/878807/catapang-100-bucor-personnel-relieved-amid-probe-over-contrabands/story/ |
Around 100 personnel of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) have been relieved from their posts while they are being investigated over contrabands retrieved from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), Corrections Director General Gregorio Catapang Jr. said Monday.
In an ambush interview, Catapang said around 20 were officers.
(They are being investigated. They have been relieved. They are just required to stay in their barracks so they will be available for investigation in case they need to be called.)
He said those relieved from their posts still receive their salaries.
(It’s just that way. You can’t remove their pay because they might escape.)
Asked what kind of contrabands are being smuggled, Catapang said the PDLs are smuggling whatever may pass inspection.
(As long as it can enter. Remember that we have banned alcohol. Now, they are using yeast, the material to make bread, to create lambanog.)
“Pinagbawal ang drugs, ngayon naman panay kalapati naman yung pinag aalaga nila doon. Tapos sinasanay yung kalapati nandoon sa hawla,” he added.
(We banned drugs, now they are training pigeons.)
100 BuCor personnel have been relieved of duty and are being investigated for contraband being smuggled into the prison.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1816136/39-bacolod-govt-workers-surrender-14-others-warned |
At least 39 of the 53 government workers, who tested positive for the use of illegal drugs in this city, have surrendered for rehabilitation.
Colonel. Noel Aliño, Bacolod police director, said the 14 employees who did not surrender would be included in their illegal drugs watchlist for surveillance and may face charges if evidence warrants.
“Don’t dare me. I warned you, I will arrest all of you,” he said.Aliño said he would gather evidence against the 14 employees who didn’t surrender and find out where they are getting their supply of illegal drugs.
Those who did not surrender, he said, had been given a second chance to do so next week before any police action is taken.
Of those who surrendered, Aliño said 17 were assigned at the Public Order and Safety Office and 22 from the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office.
General Primitivo Tabujara, Bacolod anti-drug program coordinator, said on Friday, August 11, that the 39 who surrendered were subjected to profiling after their mugshots and fingerprints were taken on Thursday.
Of the 39 employees who tested positive for narcotics use, two were regular employees, while the rest were job order and casual workers.
Gallego said the two regular employees had resigned, while the four who were waiting for the confirmatory tests results, were still reporting for work.
39 Bacolod City government employees who have tested positive for drugs have surrendered to authorities.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1816532/ethics-complaint-filed-vs-bohol-solon-for-allegedly-meddling-in-towns-water-dispute |
A Bohol-based organization has filed a complaint against Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto before the House Committee on ethics and privileges for allegedly meddling in the water source dispute between two towns in the province.
In their complaint dated August 10, Bohol Clean Water Alliance (BCWA) officials Emmanuel Ramasola and Erastus Leopando claimed that not only did Chatto got himself involved in the dispute between the towns of Sevilla and Balilihan regarding the use of Bugwak Spring, but that he also influenced Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
The complainants alleged that Chatto intervened during the then-proposed 2023 budget deliberations of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last September 2022, where the lawmaker supposedly influenced a ruling towards Balilihan town, which is headed by his wife, Mayor Pureza Chatto.They cited the transcript of the budget hearing to note that Chatto “subtly recommended to the DENR Secretary to give preference to LGUs over private entities.”
“By his manifestation where he subtly recommended to the DENR Secretary to give preference to LGUs (local government units) over private entities, he unduly influenced the outcome of the pending motion for reconsideration filed by LGU Balilihan represented by his wife, Mayor Puresa Veloso in a pending water dispute with Richli Corporation,” the complainants said in a 21-page complaint.
“By so doing, Representative Chatto violated the spirit if not the letter of the provisions of the Code of Conduct, specifically letters (f) and (g) of Section 142 of the Rules of the House of Representatives,” they added.
Richli Corporation is a local company that sought a water permit from the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), which filed a petition to cancel their permit against Balilihan as the Bugwak Spring was reportedly located in Sevilla town.
Complainants claimed that Chatto’s support for the DENR and NWRB budget — an agency that is attached under the said department — led to the granting of Balilihan’s motion for reconsideration.
“Due to Representative Chatto’s undue intervention in its proceedings, despite the obvious invalidity of the LGU Balilihan’s CWP (certificate of water permit), the NWRB rendered a Resolution on January 20, 2023 granting LGU Balilihan’s Motion for Reconsideration,” the complainants claimed.
Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto is facing an ethics complaint for interfering in a water dispute.
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| https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/14/23/cop-gets-up-to-7-years-in-prison-for-child-abuse |
The Supreme Court has convicted a cop for child abuse for pointing a gun at a minor who refused to vacate a basketball court, in a decision that clarified the scope of the law protecting children.
Senior Police Officer 2 (now Police Senior Master Sergeant) Marvin San Juan was sentenced to a prison term of between 4 years, 9 months and 11 days to 7 years and 4 months and was ordered to pay P40,000 in damages to the boy, who was only 15 years old at the time of the incident.
San Juan was allegedly drunk in the morning of March 26, 2014 when he cursed at the boy and his two friends who were hanging out in a basketball court.
One of the friends, who was only 11 at that time, testified that the cop pulled out his gun and pointed it at the back of his friend, warning them not to hang out in the area.
In his defense, San Juan denied pointing a gun at the boy, insisting that he used a stone to chase the boys out of the basketball court. He said he felt insulted that the boys laughed at him when he asked them not to play basketball.
He also denied he was drunk.
The regional trial court (RTC) convicted the policeman of violating section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act and sentenced him up to 6 years in prison.
On appeal, the Court of Appeals modified the crime to grave threats in relation to the same section of RA 7610 but increased the penalty to up to 7 years and 4 months behind bars.
The Supreme Court, in a 13-2 vote, adopted the RTC’s ruling that San Juan was guilty of child abuse under RA 7610 and not grave threats, although it maintained the penalty imposed by the appellate court.
Speaking through Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, the majority said what the cop did to the boy was “intrinsically cruel” and can be considered psychological abuse under RA 7610.
A cop is going to prison for pointing a gun at a 15 year old boy.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/878873/aparri-mayor-others-named-persons-of-interest-in-vice-mayor-s-slay/story/ |
The Philippine National Police has named Aparri, Cagayan Mayor Bryan Dale Chan as a person of interest in the killing in February of Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda.
At a Senate inquiry, Police Lieutenant Colonel Arbel Mercullo said Chan and several others associated with him were being looked at as POIs in the slaying.
Sen. Raffy Tulfo indicated that Chan was named a POI because of a possible political angle, to which Mercullo said, "Yes sir."
Tulfo and Sen. Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa proceeded to ask how the others on the list became POIs.
Mercullo said one is a bodyguard of the mayor's while the others were associated with the local chief executive.
He said Darren Cruz Abordo is said to be the owner of the get-away vehicle.
Dela Rosa, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said Abordo could no longer be found.
He turned to Chan and asked where the other POIs were.
Chan said some of them were with him at the Senate. He said he didn't know two of the POIs Mercullo mentioned.
GMA News Online is still trying to get Chan's comment as regards his being considered a person of interest in the killing.
During the hearing, Alameda’s widow Elizabeth Alameda claimed that Chan allegedly threatened people who filed cases against him, including her husband.
She also recalled that in one of Chan’s meetings, the Aparri mayor told his employees that if he was removed or suspended from his post, he would get back at the person who filed the case against him.
Chan denied the allegations and said that he did not receive any complaint filed against him with the Office of the Ombudsman.
The Mayor of Apirri is a person of interest in the slaying of the former Vice Mayor.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/15/unqualified-corn-farmers-got-fuel-discount-cards-coa |
There were 25,163 corn farmers who received fuel discount cards from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), but were unqualified to do so since they are not included in the master list of the Bureau of Agricultural and Fisheries Engineering (BAFE).
In its 2022 audit report on the Department of Agriculture (DA), COA said the names of the unqualified farmers were not included in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Management Information System (ABEMIS) maintained by BAFE.
It pointed out that under DA Memorandum Circular No. 29 issued in 2022, farmer organizations including farmers with farm machinery in the corn clustered areas should be enrolled as program beneficiaries for fuel discount cards, and they should be included in the ABEMIS master list.
It said the coverage of the fuel discount has been expanded to include all agricultural commodities, and it covers all farm machinery with attached engines that are being used for crop production as well as motorized banca.
DA’s regional field offices (RFOs) are responsible for submitting the master list of recipients and their corresponding machinery to BAFE, which will then update the ABEMIS, COA said.
But since there were thousands of corn farmer-beneficiaries who were not included in the master list of ABEMIS, COA questioned the credibility of the list.
"The inclusion of the 25,163 corn farmers in the master list submitted to DBM for the issuance of fuel discount cards but not found in the ABEMIS file maintained by the BAFE casts doubt on the accuracy of the master list and whether said farmer-beneficiaries own farm machinery with attached engine that is being used for crop production," it said.
Thus, COA asked DA’s RFOs to strictly enforce the provisions of their circular to avoid the inclusion of unqualified beneficiaries.
It said that DA’s central office asserted that some of the names in the master list from the RFOs were included even without the corresponding ABEMIS number in order to expedite the process of providing fuel assistance to corn farmers.
But COA said that while fuel assistance should be acted upon with dispatch “to relieve farmers from surging fuel prices, compliance with the rules and regulations should be followed."
The DBM has been called out for giving unqualified farmers full discount cards.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207887 |
The chief of the city’s General Services Office (GSO) escaped death Tuesday morning following an ambush carried out by still unidentified gunmen onboard two motorbikes along Sebastian Street here.Almedras Renabor, city public safety officer, said GSO head Pedro Tato Jr. was onboard his pickup truck together with driver Dandy Anonat when fired upon by the perpetrators who were earlier seen tailing their vehicle.“Two motorbikes with about three men were seen tailing Tato’s service vehicle from San Pablo Village and opened fire near the gate of Cotabato Regional and Medical Center,” Renabor said of the 8:30 a.m. incident.Tato emerged with minor injuries but Anonat was critically wounded and is now confined in said hospital.Police recovered empty shells for a .45-caliber pistol at the crime scene.The motive of the attack remained unknown as of posting
A Cotabato city offcial has survived an asassination attempt.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/08/16/2289065/radio-reporter-files-complaint-vs-donsol-vice-mayor-who-punched-him |
A radio reporter on Tuesday filed a complaint against the vice mayor of the municipality of Donsol, Sorsogon after he was allegedly punched by the official twice while covering the launch of Brigada Eskwela.
Wow Smile radio reporter Mario Romero reported the incident to the Donsol Police Station on the same day, detailing the actions of Advincula, who "approached and subsequently attacked and him with a (sic) fist blows on his face,” according to a copy of the police blotter signed by Donsol Police Captain Rey John Renoria.
The 59-year-old news correspondent was covering the launch of Brigada Eskwela when the alleged attack took place.
Romero sustained minor injuries in his upper lip from the incident, according to a copy of the medical certificate from the Donsol District Hospital shared by Wow Smile Radio.
Charges have been field against a vice mayor for punching a radio reporter.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2023/8/16/mandaue-city-gov-t-execs-staff-charged-for-illegally-entering-woman-s-property |
Officials and employees of the Mandaue City government were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for allegedly illegally entering a property and padlocking the complainant inside.
Maria Priscilla Melendres filed complaints for arbitrary detention, violation of the Republic Act (RA) 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, RA 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards of Public Officials and Employees, Administrative Code of the Philippines specifically oppression, grave misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, and Bill of Rights of the Constitution.
Charged were lawyers Julius Caesar Entice and John Bee Biton, assistant city assessor and officer-in-charge of the Housing and Urban Development Office, respectively; Teodorico Montejo II, head of Janitorial and Security Services Unit (JASU), and at least 30 other personnel of JASU.
Melendres said she filed the criminal and administrative complaints after the respondents broke into her property in Barangay Paknaan on May 3.
The respondents presented a notice of demolition when they arrived, Melendres said.
Once inside, the respondents padlocked the two gates of the property that prevented her from going out.
Melendres said the respondents were not authorized to enter his property and tear down structures inside.
She said a tax declaration that she possesses is proof that she is the rightful owner of the property.
Melendres, who filed the complaint on July 24, also asked the anti-graft court to suspend the respondents for 90 days.
Sought for comment, Entice belittled the charges filed against them.
Entice said they were just following orders from the city government to clear the property.
Several officials of the Mandaue City Government have been charged with graft and arbitrary detention.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207905 |
A powerful improvised bomb went off Wednesday morning in Shariff Saydona town, Maguindanao del Sur, leaving a village chairman dead, while a village councilman and a civilian were seriously injured.
Brig. Gen. Oriel Pangcog, the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade commander, identified the slain official as Jun Manot Silongan of Barangay Penditen, Datu Salibo.
Silongan is the younger brother of Datu Salibo Councilor Desmon Silongan, who was killed on April 17 this year while alighting from his car in front of the town Sangguniang Bayan session hall.
Also injured in the 8:45 a.m. blast were Penditen village councilor Salik Datua and a still unidentified civilian, who were both with Silongan.
They were brought to a hospital in Midsayap, North Cotabato for treatment.
Rico Torino, Datu Salibo municipal information officer, said Silongan and his party visited the barangay hall of Ganta on Wednesday morning.
They were leaving the barangay hall premises when a bomb exploded, killing Silongan instantly due to shrapnel injuries in the head and body.
A village chairman is dead and a village councilor woudned in an IED attack.
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207940 |
The Sandiganbayan has sentenced a former governor of Sarangani province and his co-accused to up to 20 years in prison for charges of graft and falsification arising from a ghost financial assistance for fisherfolk project in the province in 2002.
In a 43-page decision promulgated on Aug. 15 penned by Associate Justice Kevin Vivero, the anti-graft court also ordered former governor Miguel Escobar and management analyst Alexis dela Cruz to pay a PHP5,000 fine and PHP450,000 in civil liability.
The court found Escobar liable when he approved the fictitious request for financial assistance and for certifying that the fictitious expense was necessary even as “neither was there a request for financial assistance nor was there financial assistance received” by the Malapatan Fishermen’s Group of Poblacion in Malapatan, Sarangani.
The group was among the groups and cooperatives identified by the Ombudsman in 2004 as having been used to funnel government funds for ghost projects in the province.
“Accused’s Escobar’s silence or inaction despite the knowledge of the anomalous transaction by other officials of the province was tantamount to his approval. Moreover, his conduct of approving the disbursement voucher despite the lack of supporting documents which resulted in the encashment of P450,000 by the person who posed as accused Banzon speaks most eloquently of his participation in the conspiracy,” the court said.
A former governor has been sentenced to 20 years for a ghost project.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/16/2289114/house-expels-tevesover-failure-return-country-terrorist-tag |
The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to expel Rep. Arnolfo Teves (Negros Oriental) over his continued absence from Congress and his recent designation as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council.
The House has given Teves the harshest disciplinary action possible after suspending him twice for his failure to face his colleagues in the lower chamber and for seeking political asylum outside the country.
The House ethics panel’s recommendation to expel Teves, which received 265 favorable votes, 0 negative votes and three abstentions, was based on a number of reasons related to his refusal to resume duties as a lawmaker.
Compared to the panel’s reasons for recommending Teves’ suspension – first on March 20 and then again on May 31 — the committee this time took into consideration Teves’ designation as a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council in its decision. This “reflects the discredit on the House,” the panel stated in its committee report.
In particular, the House ethics panel said it arrived at its decision after it took “painstaking time and effort to inquire with several concerned national government agencies” that could detail recent developments with regard to Teves’ actions.
“And the main basis for this recommendation is his continuous absence without leave in the House of Representatives by his persistent pursuit of political asylum in Timor-Leste. This constitutes abandonment of Public Office and violation of his Oath of Office as House Member,” the committee report read.
Rep. Teves has been expelled from the House of Representatives.
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| https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/879158/grenade-blast-rocks-ex-comelec-chair-sheriff-abas-home-in-cotabato/story/ |
A grenade explosion rocked the home of former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson Sheriff Abas in Cotabato City.
No one was hurt in the incident but shrapnels hit a vehicle parked in the area, according to Bam Alegre's report on GMA Integrated News’ Unang Balita on Thursday.
Abas was not home when the blast occurred.
The family of Abas is clueless about the possible motive and the identity of the person who threw the grenade inside their home.
Authorities have already obtained the CCTV footage which captured the front of the house to help in the investigation.
The Cotabato City government and the brother of the ex-Comelec official, Bangsamoro deputy minister of health Zul Qarneyn Abas, offered P300,000 each for information that could lead to the arrest of perpetrators.
A former Comelec chairman has survived an assassination attempt.
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| https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/08/16/2289099/navotas-police-chief-hid-involvement-11-officers-jemboy-case-pnp-ias |
The chief of the Navotas City police has been sacked from his post after the Internal Affairs Services of the Philippine National Police found that he gave orders to conceal the involvement of 11 police officers over the fatal shooting of a minor.
The PNP-IAS said in a memorandum on Wednesday that Navotas police chief Allan Umipig "instructed the team leader of the operatives to exclude from their reports 11 police officers who were also involved in the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar."
Umipig will be facing charges of dishonesty and command responsibility, while the 11 policemen who were “initially concealed” will be charged for “abandoning the victim and other possible violations of police operational procedures," according to the PNP.
This development comes two weeks after police shot Baltazar dead on August 2 in what they describe as a case of mistaken identity.
The Navotas police chief has been sacked and will be charged with dishonesty for covering up the shooting of a 17 year old.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2023/08/14/2288554/iriga-cop-hit-over-arrest-radioman |
Journalists based in Bicol have condemned the chief of police of Iriga City in Camarines Sur for arresting and detaining a radio reporter, who allegedly accessed the police blotter without his permission.
The Bicol Press Club, BPC-Camarines Sur Chapter, Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster sa Pilipinas-Camarines Sur Chapter and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Albay Chapter criticized Iriga City police chief L.t Col. Ralph Jason Oida for arresting and detaining Jose Rizal Pajarez of the Radyo Natin and dzRH-Bicol.
The incident happened on Aug. 2 at the city police station, and was made public only on Aug. 9.
Oida was relieved from his post on Aug. 10 as a result of the incident.
The BPC said Oida’s action not only undermined the integrity of law enforcement, but also jeopardized the public’s trust in the guardians of the people’s safety and security.
A cop has been relieved of duty after arresting a journalist for accessing the police blotter without his permission.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1817994/cagayan-gov-mamba-ordered-detained-for-failure-to-attend-house-hearing |
Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba is facing detention in the House of Representatives for failing to attend its hearing on his alleged public spending violation during the election campaign period.
Antipolo 2nd District Representative Romeo Acop made the motion for Mamba’s detention order during Thursday’s joint hearing of the House committee on public accounts, and committee on suffrage and electoral reforms.
“Mr. Chair, may we respectfully move that Governor Mamba be detained pursuant to our rules and be meted out the penalty that is supposed to be meted out pursuant to our rules?” Acop asked the joint panel.His request was approved.
Before this move, Acop made the motion to cite Mamba in contempt for his failure to attend the hearing for the past three months.
“Since the governor of Cagayan was not able to obey the processes of these two committees, in the spirit of the equitable provisions of the law, I move that we cite the governor of Cagayan for contempt,” said Acop.
The Governor of Cagayan is facing detention by the House for refusing to attend its hearing.
