NBI charges garlic cartel

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has filed graft, direct bribery, and price manipulation charges against 119 public and private individuals, including three Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) officials, namely former BPI Director Clarito Barron, a close associate of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala; Merle Bautista Palacpac, officer-in-charge (OIC) of the plant quarantine service; and Luben Quijano Marasigan, former chief of the plant quarantine.

Lilibeth Valenzuela, a garlic importer, said she paid Barron P60,000 for every import permit.

From 2010 to 2014, 3,652 import permits were issued by Barron, of which 2,469 were issued to the Vegetables Importers Exporters and Vendors Associations (VIEVA) headed by Leah Cruz, who is believed to be romantically linked to Barron.

At P60,000 per permit, totaling 3,652 issued, it amounts to P200 million collected.

Divisoria retailers have said that they get their garlic supply from Cruz who set the prices which increased from P80 per kilo to P300.

Whistleblower Valenzuela said that Director Barron told her that to get her application for import permit, she must have connections with Secretary Alcala.

In view of the precedent set by Malacañang on Health Secretary Enrique Ona, Secretary Alcala must be put on leave. Alcala has been accused of approving the use of Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) connected with Janet Lim-Napoles.

4 Cavite policemen arrested

Four Bacoor City policemen were arrested in a drug-bust operation in Cavite. Members of the Police Community Precinct 2 of Bacoor City Police Station (BCPS) PO3 Paul Barriosa Santoeli, PO3 Jay Salondro Ilagan, PO1 Joeyluz Guiruela Pulusan and PO1 Roger Uy Reble were found with 9 pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of shabu, 3 Glock 9mm pistols, and an M-16 rifle.  

Philippine National Police (PNP) Officer-in-Charge Police Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina gave instructions to Regional Director of Police Regional Office 4-A Chief Supt. Jesus Gatchalian to file necessary administrative and criminal cases against the four policemen. He also instructed Espina to look for other policemen who may be involved in the said operation.

Meanwhile, Nerlie Ledesma, a local radio personality and provincial correspondent of Abante tabloid, was killed. Her killing came a day short of their scheduled dialogue with Justice Secretary  Leila De Lima regarding the National Press Club’s (NPC) role in the Interagency Task Force on Extrajudicial Killings, including media killings. Ledesma is the 172nd journalist killed since 1986. The Palace instructed the authorities to hunt down her assailants.

Seven-year-old Eljon Marzo, son of Maimbung municipal treasurer Jun Marzo, was abducted by 2 suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits outside their residence in Sulu. One of the kidnap men was identified as Namyel Ahajari, alias Gapas.

Grenade exploded at Bilibid

Adding to weeks of violation of prison regulations, an MK2 fragmentation grenade exploded at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) Maximum Security Compound where members of the Commando Gang were confined. 

The explosion killed one inmate and wounded 19 others; two of them in critical condition.

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima rushed to the NBP to personally investigate the bombing. De Lima said the blast could be a ‘retaliatory move’ following the series of raids, stricter rules and inspections yielded contraband items as well as luxurious amenities for some of the inmates.

The Bureau of Corrections (BOC) said that one of the possible motives behind the blast is a gang war as all of the injured were members of the Commando Gang, headed by high profile inmate JV Sebastian who also said to be the real target of the attack.

De Lima ordered gang leaders to surrender the grenade thrower but nobody surrendered after a 2-hour deadline.

Few hours before the explosion occurred, NBP officials presented to the media confiscated items: bolos, grenades, armalites, pistols, ammunitions, refrigerator, and other prohibited items.

De Lima suspended all inmates visiting privileges for maximum security prisoners.

Darlene refutes Trillanes

Pag-IBIG president and chief executive officer (CEO) Darlene Marie Berberabe earlier denied statements made by Senator Antonio Trillanes that Pag-IBIG Fund is involved in an anomaly that allegedly favors contractors whom he claimed were identified with the Vice President.

Binay said Trillanes had no documents that would back up his claims regarding his alleged favor to certain contractors in construction deals with the Pag-IBIG Fund for the government’s housing projects.

Quicho added that under Binay’s and Berberabe’s leadership, the Pag-IBIG Fund was able to institute reforms and file cases against erring Pag-IBIG contractors and developers. The Pag-IBIG fund had also earned P13.09 billion during the 3^rd quarter of 2014, which would translate to more services for all members.

Binay said that Trillanes is suffering from a “messianic complex,” a psychological state in which he holds a belief that he is destined to save the world or mankind, as proven when he led the Manila Peninsula siege, a protest action against the corruption of former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo administration.

Trillanes blamed Binay for the failure of their protest and his detention for almost seven and a half years.

Tidbits

Senator Serge Osmeña said that President Aquino is thinking of a Mar Roxas-Grace Poe team up in 2016.

The Department of Health (DOH) reports that 860 persons were injured by firecrackers, with a high number of 41 amputations.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reports that Typhoon Seniang recorded 71 casualties.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2016 elections on October 15-31, 2015.