Category: Philippine National Police

Showbiz ang hearing ng jueteng

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

Tungkol sana sa report ng Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) ang aking kolum ngayong araw at sinimulan ko na habang ako ay nagmu-monitor sa TV ng hearing sa Senado ng imbestigasyon sa jueteng.

Aba, biglang narinig ko ang pangalan ni Gretchen Barretto . Mas interesante ito, sabi ko.

Actually, hindi sangkot si Gretchen sa jueteng. Lumabas ang pangalan niya kasi tinanong ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada si retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz kung may kuma-usap sa kanya na maghinay-hinay sa pagtuligsa kay Interior Undersecretary Rico E. Puno.

Hindi primero naintindihan o narinig ng husto ni Cruz ang tanong. Sinabi niya “Wala.” Nang maintindihan niya, sinabi niya “Meron.” Nang tanungin niya kung sino, hindi niya kaagad maala-ala ang pangalan. Nagtanong siya sa kanyang kasama na nasa likuran niya. Ngunit dahil bukas ang mike, naririnig ang kanyang tanong, “yung partner ni Barretto?”

Sabi nga ni Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, showbiz na rin pala ito.

Cruz names Puno and Versoza as jueteng coddlers

Published by Ellen on September 21, 2010

From ABS-CBN online

Retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz on Tuesday named Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Rico Puno and retired Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa as the two Aquino officials who are receiving monthly jueteng payola.

Puno, however, immediately denied the accusation and said his name is being smeared because he is working to strengthen the small-town lottery (STL) to wipe out the illegal numbers game.

“I deny receiving jueteng payola. When I assumed office in July 5, I knew that these things will crop up…Because I wanted to have an alternative to jueteng, they are hitting me because mawawalan sila ng kita,” he said in a Senate hearing.

Aquino orders review of IIRC recommendations

Published by Ellen on September 20, 2010

The IIRC report:

http://www.gov.ph/2010/09/17/first-report-of-the-iirc-on-the-rizal-park-hostage-taking-incident/ or

http://www.scribd.com/doc/37763943/20100917-IIRC-Report

President Aquino today said he has ordered the review of the recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) to sanction 12 persons and three networks over the Aug. 23 hostage tragedy.

Statement of the Foreign Ministry of China, Sept. 21, 2010

On 20 September 2010, the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has been given by the Philippine IIRC the First Report of the IIRC on the 23 August 2010 Rizal Park Hostage-taking Incident: Sequence of Events, Evaluation and Recommendations. Since it is a long report, the Chinese side does need time for a careful study. The initial reading indicates that the Philippine side takes a sincere and serious manner in handling with and looking into the incident, to which the Chinese side expresses its appreciation.

We hope that the Philippine side continues to handle with the aftermath in an appropriate manner, so as to console the souls of the victims and render comfort to the bereft families and injured Hong Kong compatriots. We also hope that the Philippine side takes effective measures to strengthen protection of the Chinese personnel in the Philippines and prevent the reoccurrence of similar tragedies. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Philippine side to advance the bilateral relations in a sound and steady manner.

In a press conference, Aquino named the following who were cited by the IIRC for negligence or failure to follow manual:

* Then Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa;
* Then Manila Police District chief Rodolfo Magtibay, who served as ground commander;
* National Capital Region Police office chief Leocadio Santiago;
* Hostage negotiator Manila Superintendent Orlando Yebra;
* DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno;
* Chief Inspector Santiago Pascual, head of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team;
* Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez;
* Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzalez III;
* TV5’s Erwin Tulfo;
* Radio Mo Nationwide’s (RMN) Michael Rogas;
* Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim
* Manila Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno
* 3 broadcast networks.

Aquino’s statement:

De Lima: 10 officials, cops, media liable

Published by Ellen on September 17, 2010

By Nikko Dizon
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima Thursday ruled out friendly fire in the killing of eight Hong Kong tourists but recommended charges against 10 officials, police and media people in the bungled hostage rescue last month.

De Lima did not identify those accountable for the Aug. 23 fiasco or the charges to be leveled against them in the report, which she said was “95 percent” complete. The fact-finding committee will submit its report to President Benigno Aquino III on Friday.

De Lima described the report as “very exhaustive, fact-intensive, and incisive.”

Aquino’s unshaken trust on Versoza

Published by Ellen on September 16, 2010

President Aquino’s trust and admiration of recently retired Philippine National Police Chief Jesus Versoza have remained unshaken despite the Aug. 23 tragedy and the jueteng exposé of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz.

In his speech during the PNP change of command ceremony last Tuesday, Aquino heaped praises on Versoza.

He said: “At tiyak po akong aabutin tayo ng gabi dito kung iisa-isahin pa natin ang mga tagumpay ni General Versoza. Kaya naman po kasama ko ang sambayanang Pilipino sa paghahayag ng taos-pusong pasasalamat sa tapat at mahusay na pamumuno niya sa PNP.
“Sa loob ng halos apat na dekada, isinabuhay niya ang tapang, disiplina at propesyonalismo. Sa kabila ng kislap ng maraming medalyang iginawad sa kanya, namayani pa rin ang kanyang sinseridad at prinsipyo, dahil batid niyang ang pinakamalaking gawad na maibibigay ninuman ay ang tiwala ng taumbayan sa kapulisan.

“ Sa likod ng sangkatutak na batikos at pamumulitikang kanyang pinagdaanan, hinarap niya ang mga ito nang may integridad at walang kinikilingan upang maitama ang anumang pagkakamali, at patuloy na mapaigting ang interes ng sambayan.”

Puno, Versoza named as jueteng payola recipients

Published by Ellen on September 15, 2010

President Aquino, you have the names. The ball is in your court.

From ABS-CBN online

Ibinunyag ng isang opisyal ng simbahan at isang mataaas na opisyal ng gobyerno na sina DILG Undersecretary Rico Puno at kareretirong PNP chief na si Jesus Versoza ang umanoy dalawang mataas na opisyal ng tumatanggap ng payola sa jueteng.

Dalawang mapagkakatiwalaang source ng ABS-CBN — isang opisyal ng simbahan at isang mataas ng opisyal ng gobyerno — ang nagbunyag na sina Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Rico Puno at retired Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa ang umano’y mga opisyal na nadadawit sa jueteng payola.

Kuwento ng dalawa, P5 milyon umano ang ibinibigay sa dalawang opisyal kada buwan at P2 milyon lamang kung mahina ang kita.

Isang retired Colonel Cachuela ang tinuturong bagman umano o tagabigay ng pera.

Jueteng update: just a change of collectors

Published by Ellen on September 12, 2010

The latest exposé of retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz on jueteng should be another wake up call to President Aquino that something is wrong with the setup that he has created at the Department of Interior and Local Government where he stripped the secretary of supervision over of the Philippine National Police, a vital element in local governance.

Inquirer reported that Cruz said two of Aquino’s trusted officials are receiving a minimum of P2 million monthly payola from jueteng. He gave a clue: the two hold security-related positions which include eradication of the illegal numbers game. Another clue: “One of them began getting his share of the other, who came into the picture fairly recently.”

Update: In his appearance in ABS-CBN’s “Umaga Kay Ganda”, Puno categorically denied accepting jueteng money. “Hindi po.Walang nagbigay. Kung may magbibigay, hindi ko tatanggapin.”

Cruz, who was also a studio guest, declined to name the two officials of the Aquino administration resorting to “Secret” when pressed by host Anthony Taberna. He however said they are more than two actually but the officials are “not in a cabinet position.” One, he said, “malapit na.”

He also said there are also jueteng lords who are governors, unlike before when the governors were just jueteng beneficiaries. Although he declined to name the governor-jueteng lords, he said jueteng is rampant in Regions One (Ilocos), Two, (Cagayan Valley) and Four (Calabarzon and Mimaropa).

On Puno,Cruz said, he is impressed by the targets that he has set.

On putting the burden of proof on him, Cruz said, “Na sa inyo ang kapulisan, ang NBI. Be fair. Ibig sabihin kung wala kaming input, wala kayong magagawa?” (You have the police and NBI. Be fair. You mean if we don’t give you inputs, there’s nothing that you can do?)

Cruz practically cleared Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo saying the arrangement in the DILG where the latter is confined to “ a comprehensive plan on delivering social services to and relocating informal settlers in coordination with the local governments” while he retained direct supervision of the Philippine National Police.

Transcript of President Aquino’s interview with three TV anchors

Published by Ellen on September 10, 2010

Gleaning from this interview, do you still believe heads will roll aside from probably Gen. Rodolfo Magtibay?

Click here for GMA-7’s video of the interview.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Today marks one year since the President declared his candidacy. We have traveled far since then. This afternoon, for the first time, the President engages the three major networks on the August 23 tragedy, no holds barred. The order in which they will ask questions has been determined by the drawing of lots. There will be one question and one follow-up question for each panelist. Joining us are Ms. Mel Tiangco, anchor of GMA 7’s “24 ORAS”; Mr. Ted Failon, anchor of ABS-CBN’s “TV Patrol”, and Mr. Paolo Bediones, anchor of TV 5’s “Aksyon”. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the Philippines.

P-NOY: Mel, Ted, Paolo, good afternoon. I would like to thank TV 5, ABS-CBN and the GMA network, and all our friends in the media for agreeing to this one of a kind panel discussion. As you know, in the wake of the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand, your government has launched an independent and transparent investigation into the events of August 23. I am confident that the results of the investigation will be fair, impartial and thorough. We have also begun efforts to improve the capability of our police forces to better handle situations like this should they arise again in the future. We are also examining our internal processes and crisis management protocols to see how they can be improved.

Versoza’s DILG chief dream dashed?

Published by Ellen on September 7, 2010

Despite the Euro-generals scandal at the beginning of his term as chief of the Philippine National Police two years ago, Police Chief Jesus Versoza has been lucky and even re-invented himself from a Mike Arroyo man to Noynoy Aquino ally in the last May election.

Aquino confirms VERA Files story that he had differences with Robredo.

“There are various reasons kung bakit acting. In the case of Jesse, we had some differences during the campaign as to style. We want to make sure we can really work with each other well. It does no good to get him through the whole process of the CA only at the end of the day to find out that there might be difficulties in our working style, among others, our core philosophy, so we did agree na acting na muna,” Aquino said.

“May evaluation period, siguro check ang working style, after two months sigurado na tayo, we still have certain things discussed,” he added. “Dadalawang buwan pa lang kami nagkakasubukan kung talaga nga bang kaya naming mag-mesh.”

Click here: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/07/10/aquino-admits-differences-robredo

Talk in the power circles even said Versoza was slated to be the next secretary of interior and local government after Jesse Robredo has been eased out of the politically strategic department. That’s the reason why as early as last month he was sharing to media his thoughts about going to civilian life earlier than his December official retirement date.

Sablay

Published by Ellen on September 7, 2010

Kahit na dalawang linggo na nakalipas ang trahedya sa Luneta, nakakapanghilakbot pa rin ang maririnig ang pinaka-kritikal na mga minuto kung saan nagwawala na ang hostage-taker na si dating Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza.

Pinatugtug kahapon sa hearing ng committee na nagi-imbestiga ng trahedya noong Agosto 23 ang mga huling minute ng trahedya sa testimonya nina Jake Maderazo, manager ng Radio Mindanao Network at ng kanilang reporter na si Michael Rogas.

Sana hindi na mangyayari ito ulit. Ang bigat sa dibdib at sa pag-iisip. Mabigat sa ating bayan.

Kung sabagay, kailangan siguro natin ito para mayugyug tayo, lalo pa ang ating mga opisyal, lalo pa si Pangulong Aquino na ayusin nila ang pagpalakad ng bayan.