P700 billion lost yearly due to corruption, says official | ABS-CBN

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P700 billion lost yearly due to corruption, says official

P700 billion lost yearly due to corruption, says official

Ron Gagalac,

ABS-CBN News

 | 

Updated Aug 15, 2019 10:45 PM PHT

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MANILA (UPDATED)- The Philippines is losing around P700 billion, or around 20 percent of the country's total budget appropriation, yearly, due to corruption, an official said.

Deputy Ombudsman Cyril Ramos said the Philippines ranked the 6th most corrupt among Asia Pacific countries.

“We need to keep reminding ourselves how destructive corruption is, especially for developing countries like ours," he said during the National Police Commission's summit on crime prevention Thursday.

The figure is equivalent to some 1.4 million housing for the poor, medical assistance for around 7 million Filipinos, or a rice buffer stock that can last for more than a year, he added.

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“With that amount, no Filipino would get hungry.” he said.

The summit, attended by officials of government agencies and various community sectors, seeks to improve crime situation through effective strategies on how to combat criminality including crimes of corruption.

Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Rogelio Casurao said the results of the summit will help rationalize the framework for crime prevention for the next three years of the Duterte administration.

“The ultimate goal is peace and order thru intensifying anti-crime initiatives," he said.

Casurao said illegal drugs, robbery, and theft are still the top crimes in the country, while lack of cooperation and coordination among state agencies, limited resources and funds, and lack of prosecutors to handle cases remain to be top problems of the country’s judicial system.

Atty. Raul Villanueva, deputy court administrator of the Supreme Court, said around 85 percent of cases in the country are criminal in nature, and the judiciary’s “continuous trial guidelines” and “plea bargaining framework” have helped in reducing the number of cases.

The continuous trial guidelines are adjustments to the timeline of judicial process, such as: plea bargaining is now held prior to arraignment, pre-trial and arraignment takes place on the same day, and mediation takes place only after pre-trial has been terminated.

Courts are also mandated to conduct trial hearings both in the morning and afternoon.

In the plea bargaining framework, such as in drug cases, offenders may plead guilty in exchange for a lesser offense or a lighter penalty.

But Villanueva clarified that the courts are strict in allowing plea bargaining in drug cases especially if the offender has a relapse of drug abuse, has been charged many times, and if evidence of guilt is strong.

“In these cases, Supreme Court said courts should not allow plea bargaining," he said.

Villanueva added that the Supreme Court is also about to pilot test in the next two years a video conference mechanism between the courts and high risk inmates.

It is set to be tested between Davao City Hall of Justice and Davao City Jail, New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa, and Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

The policy recommendations that will be formulated in the summit will be given to President Rodrigo Duterte for approval.

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Duterte senatorial bets pitch platform promises to Manila barangay leaders

Duterte senatorial bets pitch platform promises to Manila barangay leaders

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

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Handout photo, Team Atty. Jimmy Bondoc

MANILA — Six out of nine senatorial candidates of Duterte-led Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP-Laban) took their campaign to the local level in a meeting with 180 barangay chairpersons in the city of Manila.

The “unity gathering” was organized by Barangay 670 chair Aleyah Bidua on Sunday, February to show support for the senatorial bets of the former ruling party of which former President Rodrigo Duterte is chair.

Present at the meeting were Sens. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Christopher  “Bong” Go, former Local Government Undersecretary Jayvee Hinlo, actor Phillip Salvador, former Presidential Adviser for Northern Luzon Raul Lambino, and former Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. board member Jimmy Bondoc.

Vlogger “Boss Dada” joined the meeting as representative of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is in jail while facing qualified human trafficking and sexual abuse cases.

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'TEAM SUKA'

Most of Duterte’s senatorial bets capitalized on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s comments about their lack of qualifications as they referred to themselves as Team Suka.

Bondoc meanwhile highlighted what he called “Duterte principles” of anti-criminality, anti-drugs and anti-corruption.

He also hit the blank items in the bicameral conference report of the 2025 national budget, which the Palace said were not in the enrolled bill sent to Marcos Jr. for his signature.

“P241 billion under our noses in-insert, pinaglaruan… nag-file ako ng kaso. Tapos sasabihin nila suka kami? Wala daw kaming kayang gawin?” Bondoc said.

Bondoc was reacting to the President's criticism that Duterte's candidates seem to lack experience.

“Nagtataka nga ako parang ‘yung mga iba na naging kandidato eh nag-deliver lang yata ng suka eh nabigyan na ng certificate of candidacy dahil walang ikukumpara sa ating mga kandidato," Marcos Jr. said this week, referencing a Filipino idiom for people who are unprepared and unqualified for complex tasks.

(I am really wondering because some of the other candidates were only sent out to deliver vinegar but were given a certificate of candidacy because they are no comparison to our candidates)

Lambino for his part also underscored the need to combat corruption for the country to attain self-sufficiency.

“Mura po ‘yung mga pagkain sa probinsya, sa nayon, pero hindi po nakakarating sa Kamaynilaan ang karamihan kaya mahal ang pagkain, kulang sa suplay,” he noted.

He also took a swipe at administration’s senatorial slate, Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas by making a reference to a debunked video alleging drug use by Marcos Jr.

Dela Rosa, Salvador and Hinlo meanwhile lambasted the “ayuda” dependency allegedly being perpetuated by the government through programs like the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations and Ayuda sa Kapos Ang Kita Program social welfare programs.

'VOTE PDP LABAN TO PROTECT VP DUTERTE'

Salvador wants to focus on job creation and senior citizen’s welfare while Hinlo said he advocates for developing regions and agriculture.

They also asked the village officials to vote only for the PDP Laban bets, with Hinlo emphasizing the need to secure votes to prevent the unseating of Vice President Sara Duterte.

“Lahat kami dapat makapasok para ‘pag nakapasok yung lahat ng PDP-Laban vote straight kayo. Wag niyo na dagdagan ang 10, 11, 12. Makadagdag pa ‘yan sa kabila,” Hinlo said.

(All of us need to get in. But if you check our names on the ballot, don't check those of others. That will just add to the numbers of our opponents)

Go, for his part, highlighted the need to prioritize delivering health services to the public.

“Magkakaroon po ng mahigit 700 na super health centers sa buong Pilipinas… pagdating ng panahon ‘yan pa ang pararamihin natin dito sa Maynila,” he said.

Quiboloy representative “Boss Dada” meanwhile also urged the local officials to vote for PDP Laban bets if they do not want VP Duterte to be unseated.

He said Quiboloy would serve as the Senate's "moral compass" if elected.

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