DOJ orders NBI to probe Jacky Co drug case

By Benjamin Pulta  

June 1, 2019

MANILA -- Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will conduct an independent investigation on Jacky Co, the alleged mastermind of how PHP1.8-billion worth of shabu hidden inside imported tea bags found its way into the country.

"The NBI will gather facts first and then identify whom to charge later. This investigation is distinct from the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) investigation," Guevarra confirmed Friday.

The justice chief said prosecutors may also seek a travel ban against Co and his co-accused named in the charges filed by the PDEA as soon as the investigation proceeds.

"The moment a formal preliminary investigation begins, we may consider applying for a precautionary hold departure order with the proper court," Guevarra said.

He noted that according to the consul general of China, a certain Xu Zhi Jian, also known as Jacky Co, has a pending case in China.

However, he is not on the Interpol watch list and this has been certified by the Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Manila.

Guevarra clarified that while there is no record that one Xu Zhi Jian departed from Manila on April 3, immigration records showed that a certain Xu Zhi Jian left on March 20.

"As there was no existing hold departure order against the said person, nor any Interpol alert during that time, the BI (Bureau of Immigration) allowed the said person to depart," Guevarra said.

The PDEA on Friday filed charges against Xu Zhi Jian and 16 others allegedly involved in importing illegal drugs valued at PHP1.8 billion.
Those charged were officers and directors of Wealth Lotus Empire Corp. and Fortuneyield Cargo Services. (PNA)

New PRO-9 chief orders cops to provide better service

By R. G. Antonet Go 

 May 29, 2019

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The new chief of the Police Regional Office in Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) has called on local police units to remain committed in protecting and serving the community.

Brig. Gen. Froilan Quidilla issued the order as he assumed Wednesday as the new PRO-9 director, replacing Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Luis Licup who served for eight months in his post.

Police Brig. Gen. Froilan Quidilla addresses the officers and personnel as he assumes Wednesday as the new Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director. (Photo courtesy of PRO-9 Public Information Office)  

“There will be no new marching orders. We will stick with the basics, the very instruction given by our leaders in order to lead our men in the right direction and be of better service to the community. Let us do more action than mere words,” Quidilla said.

Quidilla told the officers and men of PRO-9 to "be always on alert and ready to be of service to everyone to keep the community safe and conducive for business, education, and travel".

“As police officer, the community deserves no less than the best from us,” Quidilla said.

He also thanked Licup for "laying the groundworks in advancing the mission and vision of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in making PRO-9 a better place to live, work, and do business".

“As I accept the flag and colors of PRO-9, the symbol of authority, I will be one with all of you in the continuance of the good service my predecessor has laid and we will continue the good legacy for the benefit of the people of Region 9,” he said.

Prior to his assignment here, Quidilla has served as the deputy regional director for administration of PRO-4B or MIMAROPA. He belongs to the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) “Tagapagtangol Class of 1987.”

Meanwhile, Licup thanked the men and women of PRO-9 for the support they have extended during his stint as regional director.

“Our accomplishments would not have been possible if not for everyone doing their part and performing to the best of their abilities and responsibilities. The most notable and most recent of these achievements is that we were successful in carrying out our security operations during the recently concluded national and local elections. I am also proud to say that during my stint, we have no cases of kidnapping in the region and we held our own in the campaign against illegal drugs,” Licup said.

Licup, a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) “Hinirang Class of 1987, was reassigned to the PNP national headquarters as the acting deputy director of Directorate for Personnel and Records Management. (PNA)

2 Arrested, 680K Shabu Seized in Zamboanga City Drugs Ops

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Camp Col Romeo Abendan, Zamboanga City – Drugs Enforcement Unit of Zamboanga City Police Station 6 led by Police Captain Ahmed Czar A. Anuary have arrested two (2) drug personalities during the drug buy-bust operation carried out at Fronting Rojo, Barangay Kasanyangan, Zamboanga City at about 3:17 PM of May 16, 2019.

Police Brigadier Gen. Emmanuel Luis D Licup, PRO9 Director identified the arrested drug suspects as Liza Aliuddin Y Innong, 30 years old, single, ex- Abroad, high school level and Almasir Aliuddin Y Innong, 27 years old, single, Fish Vendor, both residents of SM Drive, Talon-Talon, Zamboanga City.

Confiscated from suspects possession during buy bust operation were the following; one (1) heat sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substances of suspected “Shabu” (Buy bust item), One (1) heat sealed transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substances of suspected “Shabu” (Possession items) with an estimated market value of Six Hundred Eighty Thousand Pesos (Php 680,000), One (1) buddle money topped with genuine one (1) thousand pesos marked money.

Seized illegal drugs will be turned over to 9th PNP Crime Lab Office for quantitative and qualitative examination as well as the subject for drug test. The arrested drug suspects are now being detained at Zamboanga City Police Station 6 detention cell.

Meanwhile, Police Brigadier Gen. Emmanuel Luis D Licup, PRO9 Director lauded the police elements of Zamboanga City Police Station 6 (Tetuan) under Police Major Mark Anthony L Karanain for a job well done. (By JONG CADION with PRO9 PIO Press release and photos)

First lady governor of Maguindanao proclaimed

By Noel Punzalan

May 17, 2019

 

MAGUINDANAO LADY GOVERNOR. Election officials raised the hands of Maguindanao Governor-elect Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu (4th from left) on Thursday (May 16) at Shariff Kabunsuan Complex in Cotabato City together with the province’s Congressman-elect Datu Ronne Sinsuat (3rd from left), Vice Governor-elect Datu Lester Sinsuat, and several elected board members of the province. Sangki-Mangudadatu is the first-ever lady governor of the 46-year-old province. (Photo courtesy of Ella Dayawan – Bandera Radio Cotabato)

COTABATO CITY -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has proclaimed outgoing Mayor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu of Datu Abdullah Sangki town as the governor-elect of Maguindanao province on Thursday afternoon.

Sangki-Mangudadatu made history as the first-ever lady governor of the 46-year-old province after winning over his closest rival, Freddie Mangudadatu, by more than 54,000 votes in the province’s 36 municipalities during the May 13 mid-term polls.

“From now on, the welfare of the people of Maguindanao always come first before anything else,” she said when interviewed by reporters here following her proclamation.

The lady governor-elect is the wife of Governor-elect Suharto Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat province, who is the cousin of Freddie Mangudadatu, the outgoing mayor of Mangudadatu town in Maguindanao.

The Comelec’s Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC), which held the 4 p.m. proclamation at the Shariff Kabunsuan Complex, the seat of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao here, said Sangki-Mangudadatu garnered a total of 256,338 votes to clinch the gubernatorial post as against Freddie’s 201,565 votes.

Also proclaimed were Datu Lester Sinsuat as vice governor-elect of Maguindanao and Datu Ronnie Sinsuat as Congressman-elect of the province’s first district.

Hours earlier on the same day, the PBOC correspondingly proclaimed outgoing Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu as the Congressman-elect of the province’s second district together with his son, King Jazer, as board member for the same provincial district. (PNA)

PRO-7 to take complaints vs. vote-buying seriously

By John Rey Saavedra 

 May 10, 2019

CEBU CITY – In support of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to have a clean mid-term election on Monday (May 13), the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Central Visayas on Friday said it will take citizen’s complaints against vote buying and vote selling seriously.

Regional Office (PRO)-7 (Central Visayas) Director Brig. Gen.Debold Sinas (Photo by John Rey Saadvedra)   

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, regional director of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 (Central Visayas), issued a warning to politicians who will resort to influencing the outcome of the mid-term polls through vote buying, that the police will press charges if they will get caught buying votes.

The campaign against vote buying and vote selling will become successful only if the citizens will cooperate with the police, said Sinas in a press briefing at the PRO-7 headquarters in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. here.

“If karon magreklamo ka naay vote buying (If you complain now that there’s vote buying), you have to present facts and evidence and you should tell who’s doing it),” he said.

The charges of vote buying will only prosper if somebody would provide formal statement and file a case, he said.

“Di puede magreklamo may vote buying unya di mo-estorya kinsa, kay kung puro nalang reklamo, mahurot among oras ka-verify tapos wa na kami maabtan didto (It’s not acceptable if one would just complain that there’s vote buying but won’t tell who, because if all are just tales, the police would waste time verifying but would find nothing there),” Sinas said.

The police in the region is active in informing both the candidates and electorate of the intention of President Duterte to have an election that cannot be influenced by money.

Last May 1, the Bohol Provincial Police Office headed by Col. Juluis Cesar Gornez participated in a province-wide caravan to educate the Boholanos about the President’s wish that vote buying and vote selling would be lessened, if not totally eradicated.

Sinas also said they will strictly enforce ordinances such as curfew and anti-vagrancy in order to avoid “groupings” on the eve of elections for the purpose of collecting money from politicians.

Sinas said motorcycles-for-hire in the Poblacion or city center up to the mountain barangays will also be subjected to strict inspections at police checkpoints to prevent them from being used as distributors of money for vote buying.

Public vehicles that are out of bound will also be checked to avoid ferrying of voters, he said.

The PRO-7 chief, however, discouraged citizen’s arrest against a person who will get caught buying votes, in order to avoid trouble.

“Citizen’s arrest depends on the situation. You may arrest (those who will be involved in vote buying), but you still have to bring him to the police station," he said. (PNA)