MORE NEWS, PAMPANGA

Pampanga police cited for arrest of 6 carnappers who stole jeep in Benguet BY MAR T. SUPNAD

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Eight policemen were given Medals of Merit (Medalya ng Kagalingan) for the arrest without a single shot of six suspected carnappers recently who stole a vehicle in La Trinidad, Benguet. Senior Supt. Keith Ernald Singian, Pampanga police director bared this identifying the awardees as Mabalacat police head, Chief Insp. Jovencio Flores, Sr. Insp Leonardo S. Guevarra Jr, PO3 Rodolfo D. Agustin Jr, PO2 Michael V. Yusi, PO2 Archimedes L. Abero, PO1 Gerome O. Canlas, PO1 Marlon DJ Dingal, and PO1 Wilma V. Concepcion, all members of Mabalacat police.

The eight Mabalacat police officers were responsible for the arrest of six suspected carnappers led by one Ronald Rivera Jr who were caught in the act of dismantling one Isuzu jeepney, bearing license plate number AYM-755, that was stolen all the way from Km 3, La Trinidad, Benguet, last Nov. 1. Flores said that the vigilance and heroism showed by the awardees is commendable, and the awards will form part of their respective 201 (personnel) files.

"I’d like to reiterate among my men never to miss the momentum of a relentless drive against carnapping,” Singian said. “The successful operations done by our men manifests our commitment to maintain law and order in the province." Other police officers cited for the same merits were Sr. Insp Leonardo S Guevarra Jr, PO3 Rodolfo D Agustin Jr, PO2 Michael V Yusi, PO2 Archimedes L Abero, PO1 Gerome O Canlas, PO1 Marlon DJ Dingal and PO1 Wilma V Concepcion, all members of Mabalacat PNP. Singian said in mid-October, information was received on sightings of a group who were acting suspiciously seen to loiter at Sitio Maligaya, Purok 5, Barangay Mabiga, Mabalacat, this province.

Singian said midnight of Nov. 2, an informant tipped off the police about the presence of a group that was sighted in Sitio Maligaya, Purok 5, Mabiga, Mabalacat town. He said before this sighting of the said group, the Cordillera PNP sought the assistance of his command in looking into the carnapped vehicle in La Trinidad.


Pampanga provincial engineer dismissed
BY GEORGE TRILLO

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga -- The provincial engineer was dismissed on Nov. 12 as recommended by an investigative panel, which found him guilty of serious dishonesty and falsification of an official document.

Engineer Juanito Macatuno was earlier placed under 60-day preventive suspension pending an inquiry into allegations that he falsely declared in his personal data sheet that he was a civil engineering graduate and a licensed civil engineer.

The panel found out Macatuno was not a civil engineering graduate of the Manuel L. Quezon University in Manila in 1978, based on records and other documents submitted by the school.
Macatuno appealed his dismissal saying it violated not only civil service rules and established legal principles but also the Revised Penal Code.


No strings attached or bribe, in P500 K cash gift:
Panlilio Pampanga Gov. Ed Panlilio told the Senate on Nov. 14 the P500,000 cash gift purportedly from Malacanang last month was not a bribe since there were no conditions imposed on him when he received the money.

“I would not say it’s a bribe because there are no conditions,” Panlilio told senators.

The senate began its inquiry into the allegations against President Arroyo of corrupting local officials and congressmen during a gathering at Malacanang last Oct. 11.

Panlilio was among the local officials who admitted receiving P500,000 cash allegedly given to him by a Palace aide he was not able to identify.

Vowing not to be cowed by the bomb attack at the House of Representatives last Tuesday No. 13, the opposition-dominated Senate opened the investigation into allegations that Ms Arroyo’s key allies bribed several House members and governors to ensure support for her as she faced new impeachment complaints.

Malacanang denied the allegations but another local official, Bulacan Gov. Joselito Mendoza, also admitted receiving the cash gift after the meeting.

Panlilio, a respected Roman Catholic priest, told the senators that he thought the money was intended for village projects, but said he became confused after the opposition alleged it may have been a bribe.

“I’m in a quandary what to do with the money,” Panlilio told the senators during the nationally televised hearing.

Panlilio also doubted the claims made by the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) and the Kabalikat ng Mlayang Pilipino (Kampi) party who both owned up as the source of the money.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson earlier alleged the money was sourced from the funds of the Philippine National Police under the supervision of Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

Sen. Francis Escudero said the money can be considered as “indirect bribery,” even though there were no conditions imposed on Panlilio and other recipients of the cash gift.

The Senate took one further step to delve into the issue by inviting the supposed finance officer of the Office of the President to appear before the panel.

Senate Blue Ribbon committee Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano said they will invite a certain Gloria Bondoc to shed light on the issue.

Bondoc has reportedly replied to Panlilio who had sought clarify on whether the provincial government of Pampanga would issue a receipt for the cash gift.

During the hearing, Panlilio testified Mendoza handed the brown paper bag containing the money to his chief of staff Archie Reyes.

Reyes, in turn, later informed Panlilio of the cash gift while on the way back to Pampanga following the meeting in Malacanang on Oct. 11.

Panlilio said it was Mendoza who talked to him during a Kampi gathering that there were “funds” intended for barangay elections.

He claimed to have informed Mendoza that he was not to accept any funds to be used in the barangay elections. Mendoza later changed his statements by declaring he would use the money he received for community projects in the province.

During the hearing, Panlilio even brought the entire P500,000 in five bundles of P1,000 bills. The markings on the five bundles of P100,000 given to Panlilio spelled “W.Y. Bondoc” and “Bank of Commerce.”

Cayetano added the Senate would also invite officials from the Anti-Money Laundering Council to determine if they have monitored a “huge” transit of money in the banking community. Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. said Panlilio’s testimony was “a confirmation that there was something awfully wrong with the money, public or private, being distributed at the seat of power at Malacanang.”

“This is the first time it has ever happened, it might have happened before but this is the first time that somebody blew the whistle,” Pimentel said.

Pimentel said it is no longer a question of where the money came from.

Sen. Miguel Zubiri, for his part, said there is no direct evidence to link Malacanang into the controversy.

Zubiri asked Panlilio if he personally received the money from a Palace official but the governor replied he only received it after it was handed to him by his chief of staff.

“It seems speculative to point the accusing finger at Malacanang until the source himself comes out and says, ‘Well, these funds had come from an employee or an official of Malacanang.’ And that’s why I would just like to establish these facts and it would be important if we can invite Governor Mendoza to this hearing,” Zubiri said.

Zubir even pointed out the usual practice of political parties, citing the Nacionalista Party as an example, to give out funds to its members.” PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. called on Lacson to provide a copy of the report alleging the P160 million distributed to congressmen and local officials cam from police funds.

Razon said a copy of the report being cited by Lacson would help in tracing the source of the funds.

“That is not true (that some P160 million distributed to lawmakers in the Palace came from the police funds). I am requesting Sen. Lacson to give us a copy of the report about the P160 million so we can check his assertion,” Ruazon said.

Razon also directed the PNP-Directorate for Comptrollership to look into the finances of the police force to verify the allegations of Lacson.

Razon maintained there is no chance for the police funds to be spent for the wrong reasons. Lacson has alleged the P160 million cash gifts released by Malacanang for congressmen and governors came from funds of the PNP, particularly from intelligence funds of the Police Security and Protection Office and the Police Anti-Crime and Emergency Response team.

Puno, for his part, belied the allegations made by Lacson, daring the senator to stop raising “wild allegations.”

“I am sure that Sen. Lacson, being a former PNP chief himself, knows that the DILG has no direct access to the funds of the PNP,” Puno said.

“The DILG secretary has no role over the financial administration of the PNP funds, except on a purely ministerial aspect, which is the submission of its funding requests to the Department of Budget and Management,” he said.

Puno pointed out that since the time Lacson stepped down s PNP chief in 2001, there had been no changes in the laws and regulations governing the national police.

Puno appealed to Lacson to “spare the PNP from baseless accusations.”

He said Lacson is trying to involve the PNP in highly political issue.