2025 in the air: Revisiting the guessing game the Dutertes put up every election cycle
The father-and-daughter Duterte duo flirt with the idea of running in the 2025 polls. It's the same charade they put up in past elections......»»
Sandigan OKs online testimony of witness vs ex-FDA chief
The Sandiganbayan has allowed a private doctor to testify via videoconferencing against former Food and Drug Administration director general Nela Charade Puno, who was charged with graft over the alleged unlawful raid and closure of a pharmacy and wellness clinic in Tarlac......»»
Political will test
The rice cartel causing the price problems will fall only one way, which is by applying political will, since it has been proven, not once, that the manipulators are well known to the authorities. In the previous administration, former President Rodrigo Duterte even had the phone numbers of the scalawags to periodically warn them. In a National Security Council meeting, for instance, Duterte called up someone who received the worst scolding ever heard from the president. The person on the other end was the supposed head of the Manila rice cartel who dictated the prices and supply of the staple grain. Duterte then directed the National Bureau of Investigation and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to go after the members of the syndicate, but until today neither agency has produced a single arrest. In one of his State of the Nation Addresses, Duterte indicated that it was not a secret who the members of the rice mafia were. “I now ask all the rice hoarders, cartels and their protectors, you know that I know who you are: stop messing with the people,” Duterte said. Other instances that proved the government knew the identities of their supposed prey were the several congressional probes where specific mention was made of the names of the rice gang. The Senate committee on agriculture had established the existence of the cartel and its intrusion into the National Food Authority but nothing happened after the inquiry. Some 13 trading firms were identified as dominating the rice business in Metro Manila. The panel said the firms hoarded rice from the NFA and mixed it with other rice varieties before these were resold. An instance that indicted the government as being in collusion with the cartel was during the tenure of the detained Leila de Lima as justice secretary, in the investigation of ringleader David Tan alias Davidson Bangayan. Bangayan and his cohorts were accused of establishing a scheme to recruit rice farmers and organize them “to acquire substantial importation allocations.” In 2014, the Senate initiated a probe into rice smuggling and the existence of a grains cartel that focused on Bangayan whose operations were based in Mindanao. Before the 2016 polls, De Lima, who was gunning for a Senate seat, returned the smuggling case against Bangayan to the NBI for further case buildup. De Lima’s excuse was that the NBI needed to gather more evidence against Bangayan. “We have to make sure it meets the probable cause threshold. When we evaluated Bangayan’s case, it was still not enough,” she said when asked about her actions. Most officials, businessmen and even rice retailers in Mindanao knew who the rice smuggling king was, yet De Lima said the NBI needed to prove his identity. Bangayan then was very confident about not being charged as he appeared at the Senate hearing, which even resulted in an overnight detention as he was being elusive in responding to the senators’ questions. The National Bureau of Investigation, an agency under the Department of Justice, ordered Bangayan’s arrest only after evidence in a libel case obtained by then Senate minority leader Juan Ponce Enrile was presented before the Senate committee on agriculture. The case was against businessman Jess Arranza in which Bangayan admitted that he was David Tan. Before Bangayan’s appearance in the Senate, he had met with De Lima to deny that he was Tan. His first NBI arrest papers even bore the clarification, “Davidson Bangayan who is not David Tan,” even though many in the business community were willing to testify that Bangayan was David Tan. Duterte, then Davao City mayor, was among those who vouched that Bangayan and Tan were the same person. Still, the NBI released Bangayan on the absurd reason that it could not establish his identity. An infuriated Duterte then demanded the resignation of De Lima as justice secretary for releasing Bangayan. The charade continued as Bangayan was rearrested on the ridiculous charge of electricity pilferage. It was the height of absurdity since it meant that Meralco was able to positively identify Bangayan which the NBI failed to do. The perpetual zarzuela of government vowing to run after the rice cartel when prices kick up will have to stop — which will happen only when the members of the rice mafia are prosecuted. The post Political will test appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cap cuffs cartel
Cartels have long lorded over the grains industry as they exploit the heavy reliance of Filipinos on rice and the ever-dwindling farm output due to the failure of the industry to modernize. Just like in any other critical sector, the market opportunists will use the flimsiest excuse to put in place a structured profiteering scheme. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. imposed a price cap on rice as he identified “cartels” and hoarders behind the surging charges. Executive Order 39 fixed the maximum retail price of regular milled rice, consumed by many Filipinos, at P41 per kilo and P45 for the higher-quality well-milled rice. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile said the dismantling of these groups that dominate the rice business was on the table during the recent Cabinet meetings. As head of the Department of Agriculture, Marcos is well-informed about the syndicates, which have strong backers even within the people surrounding him. Restoring a level field in the rice market would, thus, be a tough operation but it will be a legacy that Filipinos will not forget. Disposing of unscrupulous traders is easier said than done, however. The previous case of Davidson Bangayan, which is the pseudonym of suspected rice smuggling lord David Tan gives the backdrop to the powerful network that the rice syndicates command. Bangayan was placed in the National Bureau of Investigation custody sometime in 2014 when Enrile was the Senate minority leader. Enrile obtained a libel case, Bangayan filed against a prominent businessman in which he specifically stated that he was also David Tan. Before Bangayan’s appearance in the Senate, he met with then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to dispute that he and Tan are the same person. After his arrest, primarily due to the Senate probe, strange things started to happen. On his arrest warrant stated “Davidson Bangayan who is not David Tan”, which is the phrase used that led to his release. Also, despite the inquiries in the Senate about his being the kingpin of rice smuggling in the country, the Department of Justice filed electricity pilferage charges against him. De Lima’s excuse then was that her agency was still building up a case against Bangayan regarding rice smuggling. The irony, however, was that De Lima was the last to know what several businessmen and trade groups have long volunteered as information to pin down David Tan, who hides behind the name of Bangayan. The libel case filed by Bangayan against Jesus Arranza, chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries, or FPI, in 2005 should have ended the charade since Tan admitted in the complaint that he was also Bangayan. It even took the pointed inquiry of Enrile against Bangayan at the Senate apparently to convince the NBI to re-arrest him after he was released through the help of De Lima. With intelligence units of the NBI, the Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, at her disposal, De Lima had a hard time establishing the identity of David Tan. The elderly Enrile and the other senators, in contrast, were able to amass information to match Bangayan and Tan, pieces of evidence that De Lima did not make use of. The Senate episode on the elusive trader portrays the complex challenges that face Marcos in his goal of removing the mob that manipulates rice prices. Imposing a cap on rice charges sends a message that prices will be the priority of the government and that it will use all means to keep the staple grain within the reach of the majority of the population. The post Cap cuffs cartel appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Phl lacks drug rehab centers
The Philippines is not only lacking in human resources for mental health but also in drug treatment and rehabilitation centers, the Department of Health said Wednesday. During the launch of the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center-Bicutan’s addiction training programs, Health Assistant Secretary Charade Mercado-Grande said that not all provinces in the country have their own TRC. “We can say that in the Philippines not all the provinces have a TRC but our TRC referral network located in different parts of the country is working,” Mercado-Grande said. She added: “We recognize the need to increase (TRCs) but we cannot say the department is not responding because they are given a chance to enhance their facilities every year. The same goes for their patients in terms of their budget.” Presently, there are only 32 government-accredited TRCs in the country. Under Section 75 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the national government shall “establish at least one drug rehabilitation center in each province.” Based on statistics from the Dangerous Drugs Board in 2019, there were 4.7 million lifetime users of drugs aged 10 to 69, of which around 1.67 million were considered current drug users. Likewise, the country is in dire need of human resources for mental health, particularly for addiction treatment, she said. “Are there enough drug rehab or drug care workers in the country? I will say no, we are lacking,” said Dr. Alfonso Villaroman, TRC-Bicutan Chief of Hospital. Citing a World Health Organization situational assessment for mental health, Villaroman said the current ratio of psychologists in the country is 0.1 percent per 100,000 population. “There is a lack of nurses who practice addiction. Only 200 social workers work as addiction specialists or addiction workers. Especially, doctors, there are only a few of us in the government, so we are really lacking,” he said. To cover the lack of drug rehabilitation facilities in the country, the Health Department said it is increasing the bed capacities of existing TRCs. Dr. Manuel Panopio, health program officer of the DOH-TRC, said the addiction training program is the “first of its kind” in the long history of the country’s fight against the use of illegal substances. “The services that are being provided by the different drug rehabilitation centers exist. What we did was to formalize and, at the same time, standardize the training programs for the development of our patients,” he said. “It’s like, we should know only one thing, we should provide the same services to our patients,” he added. “We do not have a formal or standardized program.” Mercado-Grande said the agency will look into adopting addiction training programs that will standardize programs in all public treatment and rehabilitation centers in the country. “This is one of the programs that we will consult with the department where all TRCs may meet and adopt a standard training. We will discuss it,” she said. During the training, trainees will learn how to assess the mental health and well-being of people who use drugs, TRC-Bicutan said. Likewise, trainees will learn to analyze addictive behaviors and related issues. The post Phl lacks drug rehab centers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Kuya Bong looking into Anti-Hospital Deposit Law violations
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has expressed concern over reports that some hospitals allegedly refuse to admit patients in need of medical care as he stressed the importance of endorsing Republic Act 10932, or the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law. The lawmaker — who recently aided residents of Nagcarlan town in Laguna — said that these incidents should be looked into especially in the current pandemic situation where many Filipinos are still struggling financially amid existing health threats. He also said that refusing to admit patients is illegal and a disregard for the welfare of the poor. The senator, as the chairperson of the Committee on Health, said he is prepared to call for a hearing to address these reported violations if necessary. Go emphasized that if hospital representatives fail to attend the hearing, they can be subpoenaed and if they disregard the subpoena, they can be held in contempt. The senator also reminded the medical community not to neglect the welfare of fellow Filipinos and assured them that their kindness and compassion are crucial in their profession. According to Assistant Secretary Charade Mercado-Grande of the Department of Health, the Health Facilities Oversight Board will ensure compliance with the Anti-Hospital Deposit Law by considering the needs of both patients and medical providers. In accordance with RA 10932, individuals working in hospitals or medical professionals who are found to have violated the law will face penalties, including fines ranging from P100,000 to P300,000, as well as a prison sentence lasting from six months to two years. Meanwhile, directors or officers of hospitals or clinics may be subject to imprisonment for a period of four to six years, along with a fine ranging from P500,000 to P1 million, or both penalties concurrently. The post Kuya Bong looking into Anti-Hospital Deposit Law violations appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Unpacking A European Parliament Scandal: A Belgian Judge Charade?
A judicial investigation had rocked Europe in December last year and sent shockwaves to Europe involving plausible bribery implicating MEPs on the charge of receiving.....»»
Ex-PNP chief joins DOH: ‘Insult to health experts’
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Sunday confirmed the appointment of former Philippine National Police chief Gen. Camilo Cascolan as one of the agency’s undersecretaries. In a statement, the DOH said it received the appointment papers of Cascolan and of lawyer Charade Mercado-Grande, who serves as assistant secretary. Also appointed as Director […] The post Ex-PNP chief joins DOH: ‘Insult to health experts’ appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Mourn for ABS-CBN
It was a charade from the start, with an ending lawmakers had already cast in stone before the hearings even opened......»»
‘An attack on press freedom, a charade’
The rejection of the ABS-CBN franchise renewal application in Congress was an attack on press freedom and a charade......»»