Tag: PNP

Tourism and peace and order

Published by Ellen on February 1, 2017

Congratulations to the people who made the staging of the 65th Miss Universe in the Philippines a rousing success.
The publicity that the Philippines got from the pageant and the goodwill generated from the 86 beauties were a bonanza to Philippine tourism.

Miss Universe candidates in Boracay. DOT photo.

Last Monday’s pageant financier former Ilocos Sur Chavit Singson said the $14 million he shelled out will return in terms of more visitors to the country that are expected to fill up hotels, resorts airline seats, restaurant and other tourism-related businesses.

The more visitors, the Filipinos would be employed for a more vibrant Philippine economy.

Now, when visitors come, will they feel safe and leave the Philippines with beautiful memories of the country to share with others?

When protectors become tormentors

Published by Ellen on January 28, 2017

Update: SC issues writ of amparo in favor of kin of slain drug suspects
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/597757/news/nation/sc-issues-writ-of-amparo-in-favor-of-kin-of-slain-drug-suspects

Centerlaw's Romel Bagares files the first suit against Oplan Tokhang before the Supreme Court. — Centerlaw’s Romel Bagares files the first suit against Oplan Tokhang before the Supreme Court.

There’s a part in the narration by the surviving victims of Oplan Tokhang in Payatas in Quezon City last August 21 that sends chills down one’s spine.

In the petition for Writ of Amparo filed by Centerlaw before the Supreme Court last Thursday, it related that a few days after the killings, a television reporter and his crew came to Area B, Group 9, Bgy. Payatas to interview witnesses. “However, no one agreed to speak with him or even come near him because unbeknownst to him, the police escort he took with him to the area is PO3 Allan Formilleza, one of the policemen involved in the killings.All the members of the community were terror-stricken at the sudden appearance of Formilleza that day.”

That was frightening.

Duterte’s puzzling lack of outrage over police role in South Korean killing

Published by Ellen on January 26, 2017

President Duterte at the 55th birthday celebration of PNP Chief Ronal de la Rosa.

On the first day of his presidency, during the turnover of command ceremonies at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, President Duterte boasted that he knows the scalawags in the police service.

He issued a strong warning: “I know kung sino ang mga general who are tainted with corruption. You better resign. You have no more future in the police.. I know how you operate.. I will not run this country with a corrupt police.”

In his seven months in office under his relentless drive against illegal drugs, there have been several reports of police abuses. Extra-judicial killings have become a daily occurrence. Impunity by members of the police has reached levels never imagined.

The latest was the killing of a South Korean official of Hanjin Shipping, a South Korean company last October 17 after he was abducted from his residence in Angeles City allegedly by members of the PNP’s Anti-Illegal Drugs Group led by SPO3 Ricky Sta. Isabel.

Ombudsman gives substance to public officials’ accountability

Published by Ellen on July 2, 2015

When the Mamasapano tragedy, which claimed the lives of 67 people including 44 members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, happened and the active role of suspended PNP chief Allan Purisima was exposed, a source told us that Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales was angry.

Who would not be?

The tragedy happened Jan. 25, 2015. The Ombudsman had suspended Purisima in Dec. 2014 and he was supposed to be not involved in the operations of the PNP.

But details of events that led to the tragedy showed that despite the suspension, President Aquino involved Purisima in official operations.

It was a blatant flouting of the law.

Celebrities show conscience and heart for the 44 SAF heroes

Published by Ellen on February 3, 2015

apl.de.ap leads a rousing tribute to the 44 SAF heroes.

Wearing black arm bands emblazoned with “44”, apl.de.ap of the international hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas and one of the judges of The Voice PH, led the performance of one the group’s hits, “Where is the Love?” in last Sunday’s episode of the singing competition.

The lyrics were sharply apt: “Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism/But we still got terrorists here livin’….

“Madness is what you demonstrate/And that’s exactly how anger works and operates/…
“Father, Father, Father help us/Send some guidance from above/’Cause people got me, got me questionin’/Where is the love (Love)…

“Makin’ wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends/Not respectin’ each other, deny thy brother/
A war is goin’ on but the reason’s undercover…

“The truth is kept secret, it’s swept under the rug/If you never know truth then you never know love/
Where’s the love, y’all, come on (I don’t know)”

PBA star Arwind Santos condoles with family of SAF fan

Published by Ellen on February 1, 2015

Police Inspector Joey Sacristan Gamutan, 33, of the elite Special Action Force, was a fan of the San Miguel Beermen.

He won a bet in the championship game for 2015 Philippine Cup title between the San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces last Jan. 21. He was so happy he told his wife, Merilyn, that he will treat her and their five-year old daughter Megan (they have a one year old child) at Jollibee when he comes home after the very important operation he is part of is accomplished.

It would be a triple celebration aside from his favorite PBA team’s victory: Jan. 26 is the birthday of Megan and Jan. 24 is their 6th wedding anniversary.

Joey never made it for the celebration he promised Merilyn and Megan.

On Jan. 25, he was part of the select group who went into Tukanalipao village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao to capture Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias ”Marwan” and Basit Usman, a bomb-making expert, high up in the terrorists list of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The nation mourns

Published by Ellen on January 29, 2015

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.

It took him four days to say something about the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s police force and when the bodies of the fallen police officers arrived at Villamor Air Base yesterday, President Aquino was at Mitsubishi plant Sta Rosa, Laguna inspecting and enjoying the classic cars on display.

What kind of a leader do we have?

Social media was raging over Aquino’s callousness.

Confronted with brutal realities, what do Filipinos do?

Published by Ellen on January 27, 2015

A most painful task: Retrieving your dead comrades

Forty-four members of the Special Action Force, the elite group of the Philippine National Police, were killed by the rebel Muslim group the Aquino government has signed a peace agreement with. Yet, social media denizens are in an impassioned discussion over Philippine Miss Universe pageant candidate MJ Lastimosa’s “cake gown.”

Last Monday, Direk Joey Reyes posted this in his Facebook wall: “Dear Janet, Now you can be at ease. There is another woman more hated than you in the Philippines.Take care.”

Janet, of course, is Janet Napoles, the pork barrel queen through whom senators and congressmen robbed billions of the people’s money.

Thinking it was Social Services Secretary Dinky Soliman, who rounded up almost 500 destitute families in Pasay and Manila and brought them away from the sight of Pope Francis and the foreign press during the Papal visit two weeks ago, I commented, “Korek, Direk.”

Trabaho ng pulis ang manghuli ng mga kriminal

Published by Ellen on September 13, 2014

Bakit ba ang sa isip ni Pangulong Aquino ay utang na loob ng taumbayan kapag ginawa ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan ang kanilang trabaho? Di ba kaya sila sinuswelduhan para magsilbi sa taumbayan?

At kapag pumalpak sila, dapat lang na batikusin sila ng taumbayan na siyang sumusweldo sa kanila.

Nagkaroon ng pangalawang SONA si Aquino noong Biyernes sa Malacañang sa harap ng kanyang mga kaalyado. Nakakatawa. Ito ang sinasabing “preaching to the choir.” Nagse-sermon sa mga taong pareho ang pag-iisip sa kanya.

The impropriety of police escorts for AiAi

Published by Ellen on September 24, 2013

Ai Ai at Kung Fu Diva presscon. Photo by Czeasar Dance NPPA Images from Yahoo.

Clarifying that her security escorts are not from the Presidential Security Group, comedian AiAi de las Alas revealed they are from the Philippine National Police.

Seeing nothing improper about the practice, she bragged, “Ako ang nagpapasweldo doon. Hindi ako nagnanakaw sa bayan. Part iyon ng proteksiyon sa sarili ko. (I’m the one paying them. I don’t steal money from the people. This is part of my protection.)”
She denied that President Aquino meddled in her case as alleged by the lawyer of her former husband Jed Salang. “Problema ko ito at bakit ko sila isasali? (This is my problem so why would I involve them)” she said.

Someone should tell AiAi that having a policemen as her security escorts my not be illegal but it is highly improper considering that the alarming peace and order problem in the country is attributed to the PNP being undermanned and the rise of petty crimes in Metro Manila is due to lack of police visibility.