33 kidnappings

The latest data from Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO), an anti-crime group, showed 33 incidents of kidnapping across the country involving 50 victims. Of the 50 victims, 29 were freed, one escaped, three were rescued, and one was killed.

MRPO records showed that 9 incidents were recorded in Metro Manila, 10 incidents were perpetrated in the rest of Luzon, and 14 incidents in Visayas and Mindanao, from January to August this year.

Leaders of the Chinese-Filipino community have called on the police to immediately resolve the kidnap-for-ransom cases.

MRPO founding chairperson Teresita Ang-See said they are bothered by the increase in kidnapping cases the last two months. See, an anti-crime advocate, said that what was alarming is that kidnappers have been operating successfully in Metro Manila.

Kidnappers seem to be more daring nowadays as they are no longer deterred by the chronic traffic congestion, saying that Manila was often spared before because of the traffic situation.

MRPO has called on the police to focus more attention on the anti-kidnapping campaign, especially the manhunt operations and buildup of cases against the suspects.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan Purisima encouraged kidnap victims to file cases against their perpetrators. In many instances, victims and their families are afraid and reluctant to go to the police.

Roxas vowed to make the police more effective in fighting kidnap-for-ransom groups, which most victims are Filipino-Chinese, and other organized criminal elements.

Roxas said the police had been using modern technology like data analysis-based police deployment in their effort to curb kidnapping and it has been successful so far.

In the Senate, Senator J.V. Ejercito filed Resolution 833 calling for an inquiry into the peace and order situation in the country.

Ejercito noted that the incidence of crimes is going up. In 2013, 1.2 million cases were recorded this year, from January to June, 603,086 cases have been recorded.

Senator Francis Escudero also bewailed the many crimes committed in broad daylight, an indication of the perpetrators’ contempt for law.

Malacañang has finally taken note of the deteriorating crime situation.

Garlic cartel

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has confirmed that the large increase in price of garlic to P300 a kilo was due to a cartel of 4 garlic importers headed by Leah Cruz.

Leah Cruz has cornered at least 75% of the total garlic importation as permitted by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

Department of Agriculture (DA) insiders allege that Leah Cruz is the girlfriend of a ranking DA official.

DOJ recommended that the BPI must be stripped of its authority to issue import permits.

CCT unliquidated

The Commission on Audit (COA) reported that an audit of Conditional Cash transfer (CCT) funds shows that P5 billion has not been liquidated and accounted for by Philippine Postal Corp. (Philpost).

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), however, claims that only P1.6 billion is unliquidated by Philpost. Assuming that is correct, that is still a huge amount to be accounted for.

There have been many reports of anomalies in the distribution of CCT funds which now total P62 billion. This is a major misuse of public funds that must be fully investigated.

No wonder several research agencies have concluded that the CCT releases have not reduced poverty in the country.

Good show Gilas

The Gilas 81-79 victory over Senegal was an honorable exit for the Philippine basketball team.

The Gilas team could have secured 3 victories if the last-second shots went in the Croatia overtime game and the Puerto Rico game.

Congratulations to Coach Chot Reyes and the players. Next time, we can send a stronger team if Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) teams will allow their stars to join the national team.

The USA team is composed of NBA star players.

Lifestyle check on Gen. Purisima

Senator Nancy Binay called on Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim Henares to conduct a lifestyle check on Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima.

As demanded by various cause-oriented organizations, Purisima has repeatedly refused, supposedly, to publicly disclose his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

The groups of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and the Coalition of Filipino Consumers (CFC) have aired their call for his SALN because of owning a number of prime properties in Metro Manila.

Purisima’s alleged properties included a rest house in the towns of Zaragosa and San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija; condominium units at the Bellagio Residences in Global City, Taguig; units at the Gramercy, Ayala One and Serendra, all in Makati.

The disclosure of Purisima’s SALN is the only way for the PNP chief to debunk allegations over his reported multimillion-peso properties.

Purisima must obey the provision of the Constitution mandating government officials to submit their SALN to the public, according to VACC founding Chairman Dante Jimenez.

A lifestyle check should be conducted on all senior PNP officers.

Tidbits

Carmina Pagatpatan, 37-year-old money changer, was shot dead by a 3 riding-in-tandem at Plaridel, Bulacan after she had just withdrawn P1.2 million from a bank.

The president of a vendors’ association in Batangas was shot dead in an ambush.