Retards in the Government 334

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

 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1845015/cops-nab-ph-coast-guard-personnel-for-allegedly-smuggling-cigarettes

Authorities nabbed a Philippine Coast Guard personnel Tuesday in a checkpoint along the national highway in Kumalarang town, Zamboanga del Sur after it was discovered that his car was loaded with 400 reams of smuggled cigarettes.

Lt. Col. Juliuxar Asdani, commander of the 2nd Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Mobile Force Company, identified the suspect as 32-year-old Seaman First Class Nasrin Sangsangan who is assigned at the coast guard station in Pagadian City.

Sangsangan is a resident of Zamboanga City.

The suspect was randomly flagged at a checkpoint when authorities found the cigarettes inside his Toyota Vios car. When asked for relevant documents, Sangsangan failed to show any, hence the goods were presumed contrabands.

Sangsangan was arrested and detained at the Kumalarang municipal police station.

A member of the Coast Guard has been busted for smuggling cigarettes. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211730

Operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) have arrested an active cop and another police officer declared absent without official leave (AWOL) after they were caught selling suspected shabu in a buy-bust operation in Muntinlupa City.

In a statement released on Friday, NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. identified the suspects as Patrolman Rey Palomar Baldonasa, 25, currently assigned at the Drug Enforcement Unit of the NCRPO, and Carlos Rivera Navarro, 31, declared AWOL from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and previously assigned at the Caloocan City Police Office.

Nartatez said the two suspects were arrested by operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Unit of the Muntinlupa City Police during a buy-bust operation conducted in Purok 10, Amparo Street, Barangay Poblacion, Muntinlupa City at about 11:50 p.m. on Oct. 11.

Seized from the suspects during the sting were two 9-mm. Canik pistols, two Canik magazines with live ammunition, two PNP-issued identification cards, and suspected shabu weighing 10 grams with an estimated street value of PHP68,000.

Baldonasa and Navarro will be charged with violation of Article II, Sections 5, 11, and 26 of Republic Act (RA) 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, and RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, in relation to Batas Pambansa 881, or the Omnibus Election Code.

The arrested cops are in the custody of the Muntinlupa City Police.

Two cops have been busted for drugs. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/13/73-immigration-personnel-dismissed-suspended-on-corruption-charges

Seventy-three employees of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) have either been dismissed or susended this year on charges of corruption, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said on Friday, Oct. 13.

Also, Tansingco said there are a total of 72 pending cases before the Board of Discipline (BOD) against erring immigration personnel since he assumed office.

He said he has been enforcing a "one strike policy” wherein personnel involved in controversies are immediately removed from the frontlines pending investigation.

He pointed out that corruption "has been a long problem of the Bureau, and we are making significant strides to catch corrupt employees and prevent other personnel from being tempted to go the rouge path."

He expressed hopes that the technological upgrades at the BI will be able provide another layer of security and prevent corruption.

73 BI employees have been dismissed due to corruption. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/14/sandigan-affirms-conviction-of-ex-water-district-official-in-lanao-del-sur-town

The Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of former acting general manager Jamaloden H. Faisal of the Tugaya Water District in Lanao del Sur for graft and malversation of public funds in the P10 million water supply improvement project in 2011.

Affirmed were Faisal's six to 10 years prison term for graft and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment (reclusion perpetua) for malversation of public funds.  

On top of perpetual disqualification to hold public office, also upheld were the anti-graft court's orders for Faisal to pay a fine of P10.07 million and to return P10.07 million to the Bureau of Treasury.

Faisal's co-accused, Nascon Builders General Manager Alkahin Ebrahim, remains at large. The case against him has been ordered archived pending his arrest.

In filing the cases before the Sandiganbayan, the prosecutors said that the construction for the water supply improvement project was never implemented, and that the whole project was fictitious and non-existent. 

The prosecutors also said that Faisal liquidated the amount of P10,074,680, which was received from the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA), through the Physical Accomplishment Report as of July 2011 prepared by Ebrahim.

In his motion for reconsideration, Faisal told the court that he was never appointed general manager of the water district and that there was falsification of his appointment documents.

In denying his motion, the court said that Faisal had waived his right to file the motion because he failed to appear during the promulgation of judgment of conviction. It pointed out that there was no justifiable cause for his absence, and, thus, he had lost his standing in court.

"Considering that accused-movant Faisal was out of bail during the trial, he is deemed to have jumped bail when he failed to appear at the promulgation of his sentence. It is settled that once an accused escapes from prison or confinement, jumps bail, or flees to a foreign country, he loses his standing in court," the court explained in its resolution.

"Unless he surrenders or submits to the jurisdiction of the court, he is deemed to have waived any right to seek relief from the court," it stressed. 

At the same time, the court said it was not inclined to change its decision of conviction because the issues raised by Faisal "were a mere rehash of the basic issues which were already exhaustively passed upon, duly considered, and resolved in the assailed decision."

The conviction of an ex-water official for graft and malversation of public funds has been upheld.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1212037

Members of the anti-scalawag unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested two former police officers for malversation of public property and failing to attend court hearings in relation to theft charges.

In a statement Wednesday, PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (IMEG) chief Brig. Gen. Warren de Leon said the suspect Luis Jomok III was arrested inside the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City on Monday.

The suspect is detained at the facility after he was arrested in June 2022 on homicide charges over his involvement in a shooting incident in August 2008 in Pasay City that resulted in the death of victim Billy Lozada.

Jomok was ordered arrested by the Antipolo City, Rizal Regional Trial Court Branch 71 in February this year for two counts of theft, with a total recommended bail of PHP68,000.

The arrest warrant stemmed from the complaint of a certain Herminio Tan, owner of a gas refilling plant, who accused the suspect of taking several items and equipment worth PHP70,000 from the plant.

Also on Monday, IMEG members arrested Joel Jasareno, a police master sergeant who went absent without official leave (AWOL), in Tondo, Manila.

Jasareno has a standing warrant of arrest issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 81, with a recommended bail of PHP60,000.

De Leon said the malversation complaint was filed by the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) against Jasareno for failing to return the Galil long firearm that was issued to him. 

2 cops have been arrested malversation of public property.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1848025/coa-flags-davaos-inappropriate-expenses

The local government of Davao City made “inappropriate” expenditures after it charged P6.45 million against its 20-percent development fund, which goes against rules for such funding, according to the Commission on Audit (COA).

Citing the COA’s audit compliance report on Davao City, specifically on the utilization of the 20-percent development fund for 2022, state auditors said the city government appropriated a total amount of P2.1 billion for the fund.

However, their observations cited expenditures “not allowed” to be charged under the P2.1-billion development fund, including catering services (P125,000), financial assistance for centenarians (P3.2 million), payment for prizes of Davao Sports Festival 2022 (P1.9 million), meal allowances (P802,964) and payment of badminton court rental (P56,700), among others.

Overall, the city government spent P6.45 million from the development fund, which state auditors noted was “not in accordance” with the guidelines under a joint memorandum circular of the departments of budget and management, finance, and interior and local government.

Under these guidelines, the development fund should only be spent on development projects and programs that are “essential to the promotion of the general welfare of the people.”

Auditors said they inquired with Davao City’s budget office and the city accountant’s office, which both told the COA that the expenditures were “due to management’s (Davao City) misinterpretation” that the expenses were allowed.

“As a result, the purpose for which the fund has been established was defeated, and the optimal utilization of the fund was not achieved,” the COA said in its compliance report on Davao City.

It also pointed out that if the Davao City government had “properly identified” the projects and had it “carefully evaluated” the expenditure items, the expenses could have been avoided and could have been used for the city’s priority projects.

Other cities with appropriated development funds had been commended by the COA after showing how they properly utilized the allotted budget. Among these cities are Manila, Makati, Pasig, Taguig, Mandaluyong, Parañaque and Quezon in Metro Manila, and Cebu and Mandaue in Cebu province.

The Davao City government had earlier committed that it would use its development fund for social development projects like the construction of buildings and bridges, general public services, economic development program, and environmental development.

State auditors, in their recommendation, asked the city government of Davao to stop its practice of charging such non-related expenditures to the 20-percent development fund.

It also told the city government to require its budget office to review and evaluate the expenditure items under the development fund and to prevent any expenses of “disallowable items.”

Davao City has been flagged by the COA for inappropriate expenditures. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/19/immigration-officer-convicted-for-fabricating-travel-records-of-fugitive-wirecard-exec

A Bureau of Immigration (BI) officer has been convicted in the falsification of travel records which showed that former Wirecard chief operating officer Jan Marsalek was in the Philippines although he did not arrive and leave the country in 2020.

In a statement, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said that BI officer Marcos S. Nicodemus has been found guilty by the Pasay City regional trial court (RTC) of violations of Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and RA 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

An official copy of the RTC decision was not given by the NBI.  It said that Nicodemus "was sentenced by the court to a maximum imprisonment of nine years for each of the criminal cases with perpetual disqualification to hold public office."

A BI officer has been convicted of falsifying immigration records. 

Coronavirus Lockdown: Loyal Dog Waits for Dead Owner, Mental Health Crisis, and More!

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

Mental health concerns have been increasing ever since the pandemic. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211404

The Philippine Mental Health Association Inc. (PMHA) on Monday raised the alarm over the “rising epidemic of mental health crisis” in the country.

The group, composed of mental health professionals and advocates, said the situation needs widespread awareness, support and action.

“We have noticed a sharp increase in mental health concerns during and after the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns,” PMHA president Dr. Cornelio Banaag Jr. said during a World Mental Health Day event in this city.

“Mental health-related issues affect Filipinos of all ages and backgrounds - young or old, rich or poor. It is a silent epidemic that we need to confront head-on,” he added.

In the Philippines, mental illness is becoming a common disability and at least 3.6 million Filipinos suffer from mental, neurological and substance use disorder, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

The PMHA said access to mental health services in the country remains limited and unequal due to stigma and scarce resources.

Hmm. What could it be since the pandemic and afterwards that could have an impact on mental health concerns? How about the lockdowns, the economic shock, and the vaccine.

Tourism continues to thrive post-pandemic. 

https://www.philstar.com/business/2023/10/12/2302971/destination-philippines-toward-post-pandemic-tourism-success

The world is making significant progress toward a semblance of normalcy in the aftermath of the global pandemic. With this, opportunities for recovery and growth emerge across different industries, particularly in those that were deeply affected by the health crisis.

In the Philippines, the tourism sector is steadily regaining its footing and we see promising potential for further development and growth.

Recent data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) reveals that the Philippines recorded over four million international arrivals in the first nine months of this year. DOT said that this positive development positions the country well on track to meet and even exceed its full-year target of 4.8 million foreign arrivals, especially with the upcoming holiday season. The sector has already contributed P344 billion in revenues to the economy, underlining its significant contribution to the national output.

Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco emphasized the need for a developmental approach in improving the industry in the post-pandemic world.

With the renewed global interest and confidence in travel, the Philippines stands prime and ready to further elevate its tourism industry, aiming not only to become the destination of choice for leisure and adventure, but also for health and wellness, sports, food, and heritage, among others.

To unlock the immense potential of Philippine tourism in this new normal, the DOT needs robust funding to effectively develop and implement programs meant to improve the industry. In fact, this year, despite its limited budget, the DOT has made great strides with projects that elevate Philippine tourism and are aligned with global trends, particularly the growing focus on sustainability.

But the DOT needs more funds to develop and implement programs to improve the industry.

The first face-to-face Top Leaders Forum has been held since the pandemic. 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/10/14/1st-face-to-face-top-leaders-forum-after-pandemic-held-highlights-inclusive-resilience

The first face-to-face Top Leaders Forum after the Covid-19 pandemic was held at SMX MOA on Friday, Oct. 13, bringing together top leaders from private and public sectors to establish and leverage resilience as a solid foundation for environmental, social, and good governance campaign. 

This year’s forum, organized by SM Prime Holdings, Inc., carries the theme, “Transforming Victims to Victors: A Multi-stakeholders Approach to Inclusive Resilience.”

In his welcome message, SM Prime Holdings Inc. Executive Committee Chairperson Hans T. Sy said the gathering is not just a forum but “a call to action that transcends titles and roles, and speaking to the very essence of our shared humanity.”

“Our dedication in fostering inclusive resilience must find expression in tangible  actions , addressing these issue head on with innovation and determination,” he said.

Sy, who is also the chairperson of the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies or ARISE Philippines and co-chair of the National Resilience Council for the Private Sector, said pressing concerns call for more than just dialogue, saying “they necessitate and create of clear and innovative solutions.”

“Remember, resilience is not just a word, it is a way of life. It is a commitment to ensure that we have the responsibilities to others and that no one is left behind,” he added.

The objectives of the forum are “ambitious yet essential” as they seek to establish and leverage resilience as a solid foundation for environmental social and governance which is the ESG practices, Sy said.

For her part, Mami Mizutori, the representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for Disaster Reduction, said the word “leader” is very important.

“We need leaders for prevention. The prevention agenda is not a natural agenda. Only leaders who have foresight can take this agenda of prevention and disaster risk reduction forward,” she said in her speech.

With the Philippine taking years to recover from typhoons this kind of leadership in disaster reduction is sorely needed.

A dog who's owner died from COVID-19 waited outside the hospital for him to come home. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/16/23/loyal-dog-waits-a-year-for-dead-owner-outside-hospital

A dog who waited for the return of his dead owner outside a Caloocan hospital for over a year is now looking for a new home, an animal rescue organization said. 

The senior dog’s owner was confined for COVID-19 and passed away at the Manila Central University Hospital in Caloocan last year, the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) said. 

Unaware that his owner was never coming back, the dog stayed outside the hospital. 

The AKF received reports that the owner’s family had to tried to take the dog home, but he persistently returned to the area. 

(Perhaps he was just that attached to his owner, so he kept coming back.)

Guards, doctors, students, and hospital visitors grew fond of the gentle and sociable dog, took turns looking after him, and eventually nicknamed him Morgan after the hospital morgue that he frequented. 

Hospital staff chose not to report him to the pound because they knew that Morgan could be euthanized if captured.

A medical sales representative eventually alerted the Animal Kingdom Foundation about Morgan, who it rescued in early October. Its Facebook post about Morgan has racked up some 2,300 likes. 

(Actually, they were happy because finally someone took notice of the dog that has been staying there for so long. They’re happy because finally he’s going to be given a chance to find a family since he already lost his owner.) 

Of course his owner never returned and now the dog is up for adoption. 

Callao Cave has reopened after being closed for three years during the pandemic. 

https://pia.gov.ph/news/2023/10/17/callao-cave-reopens-today-after-closure-in-2020

After three years of closure for preservation efforts and due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the famous Callao Cave in Peñablanca town in this province has officially reopened its gates today, October 16, for tourists and nature enthusiasts.

The reopening of the cave was agreed upon through a resolution made by the members of the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Peñablanca Protected Landscape and Seascape (PPLS).

On its reopening today, tourists will enjoy a free visit to the cave from October 16 to 27.

However, starting October 28, regular tourists shall be charged an entrance fee of P100.00, while students, local residents, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities need to pay P50.00 to enter the cave. Foreign visitors will be charged P200.00.

Children seven years old and below shall be free of charge.

There's no better Tim to go spelunking than the present. 

For Two Years Inept Philippine Government Has Stymied Odette Recovery

Remember the Super Typhoon Odette? She struck the Philippines nearly two years ago on December 21st, 2021 causing a massive amount of damage. But because the government is so inept and corrupt the nation is still recovering. On October 16th 12,500 resident of Mandaue received cash aid to assist in recovering from Odette. 

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/534028/12500-odette-victims-in-mandaue-to-receive-cash-aid-from-nha

A total of 12,500 Mandauehanons are set to receive Super Typhoon Odette financial assistance, according to an official of the National Housing Authority in Central Visayas (NHA-7).

Mandaue City residents, who were severely affected by Odette, but were not listed in the first tranche of the cash aid, need not worry because they will still be included in the succeeding tranches, NHA-7 Regional Manager Engr. Rizalindo Cabahug said.

Cabahug said that another round of distribution for the succeeding batches will be scheduled after the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.

NHA is giving out cash assistance amounting to P10,000 to families affected by the calamity that hit on December 16, 2021.

On Monday, Oct. 16, NHA started the distribution of the first tranche of the cash aid. This will continue until Thursday, Oct. 19.

A total of 4,000 beneficiaries will receive aid from NHA during the first tranche.

Fe Bancale of Barangay Bakilid was one of the recipients of the NHA cash assistance on Monday.

Bancale said she will use the money to buy new GI sheets to replace their roof that was blown away by the super typhoon.

Since the typhoon, her family had been using used GI sheets, that would leak every time it would rain, for their temporary roof.

"I'll replace [it with a new one] because it still has a hole. [The release of the assistance] took a little time, but it's okay as long as it's acceptable," said Bancale.

According to Cabahug their list of beneficiaries was based on the report that they received from the barangays and the city government.

Prioritization was given to families whose homes were either totally or badly damaged by Odette.

Cabahug said the same cash assistance will also be given after the BSKE to residents of the other localities in Cebu and the rest of the region who were also badly affected by Odette. These will include those who are in the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu and the southern parts of Cebu Province, among others.

The NHA-7 official admitted that they experienced delays in the processing of the cash aid also because of the volume of requests that their office received.

"Actually quite a bit, the NHA itself can't handle it. This [distribution] is like this, that's why we increased personnel coming from the city government, social welfare. If we do this, [then] 4,000 books, I don't think we will really get this much," said Cabahug.

One lady has been so destitute that she has been living with a leaky roof for nearly two years! You'd think she and others would have been able to quickly get some help but the NHA says they couldn't handle the backlog. But two years? To add insult to injury the second tranche of recipients have to wait until after the October 30th elections to receive their share because no political projects including aid to people is allowed during the campaign period.

The Dingat Islands are another area still recovering two years after Odette. Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Uno Ecleo indicates recovery is all he has been working on from the end of his first term until now. The recovery has been so slow that he had to personally ask the President to avail of funds for families whose houses were destroyed by the storm.

https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/10/04/regions/lawmaker-eyes-district-recovery-from-odette/1913112

Recovery from one of the worst storms to hit the country in recent years remains the key priority for Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Uno Ecleo.

In his "State of the District Address" on Monday, which also happened to be the 17th founding anniversary of the island province, Ecleo said that two years since Typhoon Odette struck, resident continue to live under its shadow.

"All our efforts in the tail end of our first term, even in the middle of the National Elections, and through the beginning of our second term have been focused on one thing: paano tayo makakabangon? (how can we recover?)," Ecleo said.

He said that his district has reported several milestones in terms of recovering and rebuilding from the storm that hit the province in December 2021.

These include the Department of Social Welfare and Development 's provision of P119.7 million worth of emergency shelter assistance (ESA) to nearly 12,700 families whose homes were destroyed by the storm.

He also personally sought the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for additional aid of P13.6 million for 1,453 families whose homes were partially destroyed, and P34.4 million for 13,808 families.

"But we are not done. We are still hard at work in reaching 1,075 more families with the remaining 2.7 million pesos worth of ESA by the end of the year," Ecleo said.

He also said that he has secured P267 million in funding for the repair and improvement of school buildings that were destroyed by Odette, with the remaining P933 million still being secured.

Ecleo also showcased the bills that he filed that would establish Dinagat Islands' first state college, Level 2 general hospital, municipal and regional trial court branches, and the island's first airport, which the President vocally supported during his trip to the province.

He welcomed the Chief Executive's desire to continue helping the island province and create plans for its tourism industry, which includes connectivity to the province, calling it "good news".

"We share the President's vision for a more connected Dinagat Islands, that is why among our many other initiatives, we are also pushing the province to be a part of the planned Eastern Nautical Highway," Ecleo added.

He said that there is still much to be done to uplift the lives of people in the aftermath of Odette and of poverty, and has called on for the development of a "pro-poor, disaster-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector" in the province in order to promote food security, livelihood and sustainability.

"And a large part of this is creating livelihood and jobs for all Dinagatnons, through projects like the Multi-Species Hatchery which we enacted into establishment and is now in the process of being constructed." he said.

And there is still much to be done!

So, not only is the Philippines not prepared to endure a typhoon or any severe weather by lessening the amount of casualties and property destruction but they are not even prepared to recover. But if the nation cannot fully recover from one typhoon to the next then it's simply a perpetual cycle of destruction, partial recovery, and destruction. We have seen this kind of inept bungling for years especially with Yolanda. What's it going to take to break the cycle? It looks like nothing. 

Insurgency: Over 500 Community Projects

The AFP is trying new things to end the insurgency. Well, maybe these community programs are nothing new exactly. But they really do underscore the fact that the AFP has transformed good governance into a counterinsurgency program.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211518

The Visayas Command (Viscom) on Tuesday said 569 community development projects in central Philippines’ 16 provinces immensely contributed to the impending complete downfall of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Viscom chief, said the projects hatched through the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) Barangay Development Program (BDP) aided the military to further neutralize communist leaders, most of whom surrendered to authorities.

“We have sustained our gains and prevented the CPP-NPA from regaining their foothold in the region. We will continue our relentless focused military operations to further push the terrorist group to their imminent collapse,” he said on the sidelines of a command conference at the Viscom headquarters here late Monday.

Arevalo said 263 of the BDP in the Visayas were programmed in 2021 while 306 were in 2022.

He disclosed that cases filed against NPA rebels include recruitment, killings, use and stockpiling of anti-personnel mines, destruction of civilian properties, and use of children in armed conflict.

“The CPP-NPA’s reign of terror in the region is nearing its end. Their leaders continue to fall and their members continue to return to the fold of the law,” he said

They do not disclose exactly what these programs are which is disappointing. Where is the transparency? What is it? Roads? Feeding programs? Who knows!

The AFP is now targeting the families of NPA rebels in an effort "to completely wipe out the insurgency in the province." 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211572

The Philippine Army and the local government of Borongan in Eastern Samar will extend more assistance to families of active members of the New People’s Army (NPA) as part of their strategy to completely wipe out the insurgency in the province.

This developed as the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade recently launched the Friends Rescued Engagement through their Families (FReE Families) project to prevent the recruitment of family members of active NPA combatants.

“The FReE Families project aims to help the families of active NPA members in the 802nd Brigade’s area of operation in Eastern Samar from the anxiety caused by the continued membership of their relatives in the NPA," commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, said in an interview on Wednesday.

"It has been observed that these family members are also pressured by the Communist Terrorist Group’s leadership to join or support the armed struggle through disinformation, such as instilling hate and fear of the government."

Some officials of the military, police, and local governments, and 29 family members of 19 active NPA members who are residents of the province witnessed the launch of the project in Borongan on Oct. 4.

“The launch was also a venue to know the families’ concerns on having loved ones involved in the communist armed movement. These family members and relatives of active NPA members were also accompanied by their respective village chiefs during the activity to show their endless support in bringing their misguided loved ones to return to the mainstream society and live a peaceful life,” Vestuir added.

Since the transfer of the 802nd brigade from Ormoc City in Leyte to Borongan City in Eastern Samar in May this year, at least seven active NPA combatants have surrendered, while hundreds of their supporters in some parts of Samar provinces have abandoned the communist ideology.

Vestuir attributed this accomplishment to the FReE Families-related program of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict in collaboration with family members.

This raises a lot of questions. Notably if the AFP knows who is kin to NPA rebels then they know who these rebels are by name. That means they could get a better count on how many rebels remain but we have seen that when it comes to numbers the AFP is just guessing. 

In Neros Island the AFP is ramping up peace programs. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211617

The Philippine Army is strengthening local peace engagements in Negros Island to resolve conflict and encourage Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) rebels to return to the fold of the law.

Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) and Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, underscored such an initiative in support of the whole-of-government approach mandated under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELAC).

“We should support the NTF-ELCAC and local peace engagement to prevent and resolve conflicts and violence,” Sison said in a statement on Wednesday.

He assured that the 3ID would protect the Negrenses and end the decades-long insurgency.

“Whatever we are doing now is part of the efforts that the soldiers of the 3ID are undertaking. It’s not just a promise, it's our commitment to the Filipino people and our country,” he added.

Data from the 3ID showed that from January 2022 to date, the CPP-NPA has been responsible for the deaths of 34 civilians, five soldiers, three former rebels, four government officials, and one police officer in Negros Island.

The communist group had admitted responsibility for 25 violent incidents as published on their websites.

“We are pursuing more comprehensive local peace engagements so that the remaining NPA fighters in the mountains can surrender and avail of our government’s program to start a new life with their families,” Edralin said.

According to the NTF-ELCAC, the local peace engagement intends to facilitate the peace process from the bottom level of the locality or community.

“This is highly encouraged as its main essence is to reach the possible group of surrenderers down the line,” it added.

The main essence of these programs is to reach surrenderers!? If that is the case then there is no reason Marcos has not declared amnesty yet. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1211688

The implementation of an amnesty program for active members of the New People’s Army could help the government address the insurgency problem in Northern Samar, according to Governor Edwin Ongchuan.

The governor said he noticed that rebels with standing warrants of arrest are hesitant to surrender, which hinders the goal of the government to completely wipe out insurgency in the province.

“Many are willing to surrender, but they don’t want to get arrested. The amnesty program will convince more of them to abandon the armed struggle and join the government’s peace and development efforts,” Ongchuan said in an interview Thursday.

During his second State of the Nation Address last July, President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said he will sign a proclamation granting amnesty to rebels involved in armed struggle.

An organization of former rebels in the region, the USWAG Siniringan Bisayas, supported the initiative.

The group said the amnesty program could be a tool to convince those who are still active members of the communist group to lay down their arms and return to the folds of law.

Recently, 35 former rebels from the province received financial assistance from the government through the Enhanced Comprehensive Livelihood Program, a government initiative aiming to provide a comprehensive package of benefits and assistance for those who decided to return to the fold of the law.

Countering insurgency is a top priority of the provincial government as Northern Samar is the last bastion of insurgency with the existence of two active NPA guerilla fronts.

Rebels with long standing warrants means they are known by name. Again that means the AFP knows who these people are. And to give these people amnesty would be a travesty of justice. No doubt these warrants are for murder.

The AFP says the NPA is responsible for the deaths of 34 civilains in Negros Island in the past year. 

https://visayandailystar.com/npa-blamed-for-34-civilian-deaths-in-negros/

The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division reported that the New People’s Army perpetrated 51 violent incidents in Negros Island alone, from 2022 up to August 9 this year, which resulted in the death of 34 civilians, five Army soldiers, three former rebels, four barangay officials, and a police officer

Of the 34 slain civilians, 22 were suspected as military informants, according to a military report.

Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, who yesterday attended a press briefing organized by the National Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, noted that almost all the killings were claimed by the New People’s Army, as published in their social media accounts.

Edralin noted that the increase in numbers of civilians being liquidated also came in the wake of increased encounters between NPA remnants and Army soldiers, where many rebels died, including their leaders.

According to Edralin, their admission of responsibility for killings of alleged military informants form part of the NPA propaganda to prove that they still exist, despite the debacles they suffered in sustained military focused operations of the Philippine Army, the general said.

Aside from killing innocent civilians, Edralin also reported the ongoing purging of suspected military informants among the rank and file of the NPA.

“It shows how frustrated they are, on their current situation,” he added.

Military records further showed that eight heavy equipment and cargo trucks were burned by the NPA.

Why should these criminals be given amnesty and not be held accountable for their crimes? 

It turns out that the AFP does not want these people held accountable because they are convincing families of those slain by the NPA to not press charges.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1845385/courts-acquit-13-npa-surrenderees-in-zamboanga-del-sur

Around 13 former New People’s Army rebels who had surrendered to the military were recently acquitted of various charges by several courts in Zamboanga del Sur, an Army official said.

Lt. Col. Terence Ylanan, commander of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion, told the Inquirer that the former rebels received their respective copies of the decisions on the cases last Monday.

Ylanan disclosed that every former rebel faced three to four cases, mostly murder, frustrated murder, grave threats, and arson — crimes that they allegedly committed while still active in the communist guerrilla movement.

Lawyer Jose Ruel Saniel, head of the legal cluster of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC), assisted the 13 former rebels in the process of dealing with the charges for about a year and a half.

Before having their records cleared, “and in between court hearings, the PTF-ELCAC prepared them for their reintegration to their communities through livelihood and skills trainings while they were secured at the halfway houses constructed specifically for the surrenderees,” Ylanan said.

Ylanan also explained that the legal team assisted in dialogues with families, both from the military and civilians killed in encounters, to convince them to desist from the cases filed against the former rebels.

That is simply outrageous. 

Plastic as a Firestarter

Who does not like a good barbecue or rotisserie chicken? Filipinos know how to prepare juicy meats on the grill and the spit. Some folks have secret recipes for meat sauce. Others know just what to burn to get the flavor into the meat. This guy, like so many others, uses plastic to get his charcoals started. 

Yummy, yummy, yummy! 

Who doesn't want toxins released from burning plastic cooked into their dinner? It gives the meat that perfect flavor so unique to the Philippines. 

The God Culture: The Philippines Is Not Ophir

Have you heard the chatter across the internet that the Philippines is actually the Biblical land of Ophir? It sounds good but once the evidence is sifted the claims turn out to be completely false. Let's take a look at several important reasons why the Philippines is most certainly not Ophir. All of these points have been discussed in my articles debunking Timothy Jay Schwab of The God Culture. 

1. Josephus says India is Ophir

If we want to know where the land of Ophir is why would we not go back to the oldest sources? In the first century AD Josephus wrote an extensive history of the Jewish nation. He tells us in no uncertain terms that Ophir is the Golden Chersonesus which belongs to India. 

4. Moreover the King built many ships in the Egyptian bay of the Red Sea; in a certain place called Ezion-geber. It is now called Berenice; and is not far from the city Eloth. This countrey belonged formerly to the Jews; and became useful for shipping, from the donations of Hiram King of Tyre. For he sent a sufficient number of men thither for pilots, and such as were skilfull in navigation: to whom Solomon gave this command, that they should go along with his own stewards to the land that was of old called Ophir, but now the Aurea Chersonesus: which belongs to India: to fetch him gold. And when they had gathered four hundred talents together, they returned to the King again.

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-8.html

There is only one place in the entire world which is called the Golden Chersonesus and that is the Malay Peninsula. Therefore the Philippines is not Ophir. 

2. Timothy Jay Schwab agrees India has all the resources attributed to Ophir

In his testing the resources of Ophir The God Culture admits that India has all the resources attributed to Ophir. 

#33: Is India Ophir? 100 Clues The Philippines Is Ophir

2:29 One such claim is that India must be Ophir. Now we will give them that India does in fact have the resources on Solomon's list. Yes it does.

In his book The Search for King Solomon's Treasure he says the same thing. 

The only other coherent claim as far as resources are concerned is India yet it’s own history says it had a source of ancient gold and silver, isles to the East thus none of these make any sense except the Philippines. 

 Every resource of Solomon tests as native to the Philippines and all other claims fail in this chapter except India whose claim already failed the test of it’s own history. 

Solomon's Treasure, pgs. 110 and 115

Notice how in the same sentence Tim contradicts himself by saying India's claim does not fail but also fails the test of history despite Josephus claiming India is Ophir. What is important to note is that Tim admits India has all the resources of Ophir which affirms the historical claim of Josephus that Ophir is in India. 

3. No Ancient Map Shows the Philippines

If the Philippines is actually Ophir then why do all ancient geographies omit the Philippines? 

Because no ancient Romans or Greeks ever sailed to the Philippines. If they did then these expert cartographers would have included it in their descriptions of the world. As it is Ptolemy's map, which is the pinnacle of ancient geography, ends with the Golden Chersonesus and an enclosed Indian Ocean. There is no room for any islands east of the Malay Peninsula because no one had sailed that far east. Yet The God Culture claims Filipinos and Greeks were circumnavigating Africa to trade with one another until the time of Jesus Christ. That is ridiculous and there is simply no getting around this fact no matter how many hoops The God Culture jumps through.

4. Roman artifacts have been found in Mainland Asia but not in the Philippines

If the ancient Romans and Greeks had been sailing to the Philippines to trade then why is there no record of their presence? Roman coins have been found as far east as Vietnam.

Óc Eo (Vietnamese) is an archaeological site in modern-day Óc Eo commune of Thoại Sơn District in An Giang Province of southern Vietnam. Located in the Mekong Delta, Óc Eo was a busy port of the kingdom of Funan between the 2nd century BC and 12th century AD and it may have been the port known to the Romans as Cattigara.

The remains found at Óc Eo include pottery, tools, jewelry, casts for making jewelry, coins, and religious statues. Among the finds are gold jewellery imitating coins from the Roman Empire of the Antonine period. Roman golden medallions from the reign of Antoninus Pius, and possibly his successor Marcus Aurelius, have been discovered at Óc Eo, which was near Chinese-controlled Jiaozhou and the region where Chinese historical texts claim the Romans first landed before venturing further into China to conduct diplomacy in 166. Many of the remains have been collected and are on exhibition in Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City.

Funan was part of the region of Southeast Asia referred to in ancient Indian texts as Suvarnabhumi, and may have been the part to which the term was first applied.

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

There have been plenty of archaeological digs and finds across the Philippines but no ancient Roman or Greek artifacts have ever been found in the Philippines. That is because they never sailed to or traded with the Philippines.

5. Ophir is Never Described as a Group of Islands

One thing The God Culture is fond of saying is that in the Bible Ophir is called "the isles in the east at the ends of the earth." 

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 89

These isles are East at the ends of the Earth and they are identified as Tarshish, Ophir and Sheba.

The Search for King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 93

However, the Bible never mentions Isles in the East or At the Ends of the Earth. 

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?hs=1&q=%22isles+in+the+east%22

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?hs=1&q=%22at+the+ends+of+the+earth%22

Chapter 8 in his book is a very convoluted misinterpretation of Scripture but unravelling Tim's ridiculous Bible interpretation is beyond the scope of this article. Here is every mention of Ophir in the Bible. At no time is Ophir ever described as a group of islands.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/search.php?hs=1&q=ophir

What the Bible has to say about Ophir is very limited. All we know about Ophir geographically is that it is in the east from the Red Sea port of Ezion-geber. Other than that and the list of resources brought back nothing is known about Ophir.  Neither Ophir, Tarshish, or Sheba are ever described as being islands and to twist the Bible to make it say otherwise is bad hermeneutics. 

6. The God Culture Lies Too Much to be Trusted About Anything

The above five reasons are more than enough to reject any claim that the Philippines is Ophir. But The God Culture has gone a step further and produced a series of videos and a book full of convoluted, byzantine, and in some cases fabricated evidence to prove the Philippines is Ophir. Here are just a few of those claims:

Antonio Pigafetta saw elephants in the Philippines.

Fernando Pinto shipwrecked in the Philippines and placed them at 9N20.

Filipinos and Greeks regularly circumnavigated Africa to trade with one another. 

The Lequios Islands are Luzon Island in the Philippines.

Antonio Pigafetta's journal is the only eyewitness source to Magellan's landing in the Philippines.

Antonio Pigafetta claimed Samar Island is Cattigara. 

The Philippines is Antillia.

The City of Manila is mentioned on a 1492 map.

The Behaim map is Portuguese when it is really German. 

And the list goes on. 

Over the past few years I have meticulously dismantled and exposed the nonsense of Timothy Jay Schwab. He lies when he says no one has disproved him in seven years. I have done that a multitude of times and I will continue to do so. 

Conclusion

This is just a brief list of the many reasons the Philippines is not Ophir. I believe they are the strongest reasons. The oldest testimony as to where Ophir is locates it in India in the Golden Chersonesus. Ancient maps prove that no one knew anything past the Golden Chersonesus. The Bible never describes Ophir as islands in the east at the ends of the earth. Those facts cannot be overcome and with that Timothy Jay Schwab's case for the Philippines as Ophir is untenable ab initio.