Crab Mentality on SEA Games 2019

The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) chairman called for unity amid rumors that the country might lose its hosting rights of the regional showpiece.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano yesterday hit back at former president Benigno Aquino III and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon for their criticism of the P6-billion budget for the 30th Southeast Asian Games to be hosted by the country, branding it as “hypocrisy.”

At a press conference in Tarlac, Cayetano slammed the opposition leaders for their double standard in criticizing the Duterte administration’s expenditure on the SEA Games, particularly the P55-million cauldron for the opening and closing ceremonies that they said is an “unnecessary extravagance.”

Cayetano, also chairman of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC), reminded Aquino and Drilon of the P10-billion budget spent for hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in 2015 during the previous administration.

Crab mentality has been the reason behind the issues hounding the Philippines' hosting of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, Alan Peter Cayetano stressed.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the PHP 50-million cauldron that will be used for the opening of the SEA Games was an "unnecessary extravagance."

In a press conference during the inspection of the SEA Games sports facilities at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Cayetano pointed out that when he was Senate Majority Leader, the Aquino administration asked for a PHP10-billion budget to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila in 2015.

The House leader also twitted Drilon for bringing up the classroom issue since it was during Aquino’s time that the shortage worsened.

He said before bringing up the cauldron-classroom issue, Drilon was asking for PHP50 million for the Cultural Center of the Philippine (CCP), for the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra to conduct a world tour.

He also pointed out that it was Drilon himself who said the cauldron may not be overpriced.

The Speaker said they are asking for another gold medal that will be up for grabs.

Ninja Cops

Retired police official Rudy Lacadin said Gen. Oscar Albayalde called him up to inquire about the case of the so-called "ninja cops" who were ordered dismissed over the raid.

Lacadin then claimed Albayalde told him that some of the drug loot went to him but "only a little."

The Senate on Wednesday, October 9, ordered the arrest of one the policemen involved in a questionable drug operation in Pampanga, after he again failed to appear at the blue ribbon committee hearing on "ninja" cops.

As the roll call started at the Senate hearing on alleged drug recycling among police, Senator Richard Gordon noted that Master Sergeant Ronald Bayas Santos was again not at the hearing.

But former PNP - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief and now Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who blew the whistle on Albayalde, backed Lacadin’s claim.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency chief Aaron Aquino has testified that Albayalde, who was then Metro Manila’s top cop, called him in 2016 to seek updates on the case of the Pampanga cops.

Aquino also revealed that Albayalde asked him not to implement the dismissal order against Baloyo and his men.

Maintaining innocence in the allegations against him and defending his call to Aquino, Albayalde has rejected calls for his resignation ahead of his Nov. 8 retirement.

The best way for the chief PNP to show that he does not have anything to do with them is to complete the proposal of the dismissal and file the necessary cases,” Sen. Sotto told in a forum at the Manila Hotel.

The Senate is probing the alleged recycling of crystal meth, or shabu, seized by 13 Pampanga police officers in an anti-drug operation in November 2013.

The officers were subordinates of Albayalde, who was then the chief of the  Pampanga Police Provincial office.

Albayalde and his former subordinates were accused of benefiting from the 2013 operation against a certain Johnson Lee, wherein the police team allegedly seized some 200 kilograms of shabu but only declared 36 kilograms as evidence.

The Pampanga officers were also allegedly paid to make it appear that the Chinese drug lord had escaped.

The release of "Janet Lim Napoles"

Janet "Jenny" Luy Lim-Napoles (born Janet Lim y Luy; January 15, 1964) is a businesswoman who is believed to have masterminded the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) Scam. She was convicted of plunder for her involvement in the PDAF Scam and is facing charges for alleged involvement in the misuse of the Malampaya fund for disaster response operations.

Alleged pork barrel scam queen "Janet Lim Napoles" was among the inmates released due to the good conduct time allowance (GCTA) law, according to the list submitted by the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to the Senate.

Based on records, the "Janet Lim Napoles" released in the list was not the one facing plunder trial and detained at the Correctional Institution for Women.  Instead, the one release in November 2018 was convicted for rape.

On the list, the charge attached to Napoles was rape, not plunder.

Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the blue ribbon committee, said he was disappointed with the revelation.

ustice Undersecretary Deo Marco, who heads the committee responsible for reviewing activities at Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), said an investigation is underway.

"Either na nasa listahan talaga si Napoles hindi lang natuloy, or nagkamali sa encoding, especially, rape ang sinabing kaso d'yan ni Napoles. I will ask BuCor to explain," Marco said.

“There is an attempt to release as many people as they can, including Napoles,” he said, adding that he would raise the matter at Thursday’s resumption of the Senate hearing on Republic Act No. 10592 that he leads.

The good conduct law drew scrutiny from lawmakers for nearly benefiting rapist-killer Antonio Sanchez whose release on supposed good behavior was aborted amid public outrage.

Napoles was among 2,160 convicts serving time for heinous crimes but released on good conduct time allowance under the 2013 law.

A list from the Bureau of Corrections obtained by the Inquirer showed that a ‘Napoles, Janet y Lim,’ prisoner N211P-2332, was among “persons deprived of liberty” who were freed under the current administration.

Napoles was number 275 in the group of convicts charged with rape who were freed on Nov. 12, 2018.

The release of Antonio Sanchez

Director General Nicanor Faeldon admitted that he signed a release order for former Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez, but insisted that he “stopped the process” for his release.

Faeldon made the admission after repeatedly denying during the Senate committee on justice and human rights hearing Monday that he signed a release order.

He insisted that what he signed was a memorandum to start the process of Sanchez’s release.

When presented by Senator Panfilo Lacson with a copy of the release order for Sanchez which bore his signature, Faeldon still insisted that it was a memorandum greenlighting the start of the release process.

Lacson, however, pointed out that the fourth paragraph of the memorandum dated August 20, 2019 gave the directive to submit a report on the compliance of the order.

He insisted that the release process for Sanchez was not completed.

Sanchez, who was convicted for the rape and murder of Mary Eileen Sarmenta and the killing of Allan Gomez, would have been among the estimated 11,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) who are said to have qualified for a reduced prison term based on good conduct time allowance (GCTA).

The GCTA system allows a PDL, including those convicted of heinous crimes based on the existing implementing rules, to apply for a reduction of his prison term on good conduct.

Good conduct, based on the implementing rules, means participation in any of six programs and not violating any of the 45 offenses listed, Faeldon said.

Faeldon said the recommendation to release Sanchez and several others reached his office on July 20, 2019.

He said he had reservations about releasing Sanchez and that he had been discussing with the BuCor legal office on how to legally stop the former mayor’s release from jail.

But he said he was advised that a case would not be filed against him if he releases Sanchez because there is legal basis for this. But if he holds Sanchez and other PDLs, a case would be filed against him.

Reports on the impending release of Sanchez sparked public outrage.

Gordon questioned the GCTA granted to the former mayor, considering that he was reported to have committed several violations in prison, including not wearing a PDL’s uniform.

RA 10592 was passed in 2013 under then President Benigno Aquino III with the goal of decongesting prisons and giving a second chance to reformed convicts.

The Supreme Court ruled in June that this law should be applied to prison sentences given even prior to its passage.

A total of 1,914 prisoners convicted of heinous crimes have been granted early release since 2014 under the GCTA law, BuCor data showed. Under the Revised Penal Code, any release order granted cannot be revoked.

More than two decades since he was convicted, Sanchez still maintains innocence, saying he was a victim of a frame-up by his political enemies.

Bea Alonzo & Julia Barretto w/ Raffy Tulfo

The issue started when several photos of Gerald and Julia together circulated online, which garnered different reactions from the netizens.

Meme Photo of Bea Alonzo & Julia Barretto w/ Raffy Tulfo Goes Viral

Meme photo of Bea Alonzo and Julia Barretto together with the veteran broadcaster Raffy Tulfo goes viral after it was posted online.

Over the past few days, Filipino celebrities such as Bea Alonzo, Julia Barretto, and Gerald Anderson have been the most controversial personalities on social media.

The speculations regarding the rumored affair of Pinay actress Julia Barretto and actor Gerald Anderson brought the social media by storm.

Inimbitahan ni Raffy Tulfo sina Bea Alonzo, Gerald Anderson, at Julia Barretto sa kanyang radio program upang “ayusin” ang kanilang problema.

Sa kanyang TV program na Aksyon sa TV5 nitong Miyerkules ng gabi, August 7, sinabi ng broadcaster na mas mainam kung maghaharap-harap ang tatlong Kapamilya stars.

Sabi ni Raffy, “Alam mo 'yan, solusyon niyan, itong si Bea, 'tsaka si Julia, 'tsaka si Gerald, pumunta sa Wanted sa Radyo. Ayusin namin 'yan.”

Tinukoy ni Raffy ang kanyang radio program, na umeere tuwing weekdays ng hapon sa Radyo5 92.3 News FM.

Dinadagsa ng mga karaniwang tao na may problemang nais maresolba, inimbitahan ng broadcaster ang tatlo sa kanyang programa para “malaman natin kung sino ang may kasalanan.”

Sabi ni Raffy, “Lahat ng problema ay may solusyon. Para malaman natin talaga kung sino ang may kasalanan.”

Trending at lalo pang tinututukan ng publiko ang kontrobersiyang kinasasangkutan nina Bea, Gerald, at Julia makaraang magkasunod na maglabas ng pahayag ngayong linggo sina Gerald at Julia tungkol sa isyu.