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Cops who won’t wear body-cams are criminals

Cops who won’t wear body-cams are criminals

by | May 17, 2023 | Gotcha

PNP chief Eleazar demonstrating the body-cam in 2021 – PNA photo

GOTCHA

It’s illegal for government to import rice. Yet the National Food Authority announced last month that it intends to do just that. It even claimed to have secured President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval.

Days later, however, a Department of Agriculture official debunked NFA’s plan. “NFA importation is not possible,” said Usec. Mercedita Sombilla. “We didn’t discuss importation; the President knows that.”

Still, anything goes with the DA and attached agencies like NFA. In late February for instance, the Sugar Regulatory Administration set for bidding the importation of 440,000 tons of refined sweetener. Senior Usec. Domingo Panganiban then announced he already chose since January only three importers from a three-page list.

“Government-sponsored cartel,” Senator Risa Hontiveros branded that sham bidding. Ignoring her, Panganiban instructed SRA to clear 6,500 tons earlier seized by Customs. Worth P650 million, the contraband was brought in by one of the three favored traders in early February, before SRA even decided the 440,000-ton necessity.

Marcos Jr. is secretary of agriculture. As such, he chairs NFA, SRA and other DA affiliates. Subordinates wangle his consent to make the crooked look straight.

The 2019 Rice Tariffication Law (RA 11203) forbade government from rice trading. Only private individuals or groups may now import rice at 35 percent duty.

NFA is limited to buffer stocking for emergencies like typhoon, earthquake, volcanic eruption, crop failure. It must procure such hedge stock from Filipino farmers, not foreigners.

NFA needs 330,000 tons buffer this 2023. It says it may not be able to buy enough from local farmers. Will it spend its P9-billion budget on imports by hook or by crook?

That P9 billion is money of the Filipino people meant to benefit Filipino farmers. Importing will enrich traders in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, China and India.

Only director-general Guillermo Eleazar, straight as an arrow, finally required the use of body-cams in 2021. The gadget became part of policemen’s basic gear, along with badge, notepad, pen, baton, handcuffs, sidearm.

But when Eleazar retired from service, the National Police reverted to its old criminal ways. Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, son and nephew of two bemedaled police generals, told Sapol-dwIZ he will legislate mandatory use of body-cams.

Fast rewind to 2016-2019. Police conducted dozens of drug operations per week nationwide. Shabu laboratories and vice lord hideouts were raided. Street buy-busts entrapped pushers. Seven thousand suspects were killed because “nanlaban” (fought back). Three dozen lawmen perished too.

The National Police can’t produce the 7,000 weapons supposedly used by the suspects in fighting back. More basic, they did not think of wearing body cameras which counterparts in Asia, America and Europe have been using for two decades.

Consequence: president/commander-in-chief Rodrigo Duterte and then-National Police head Ronald dela Rosa are now under investigation. The International Criminal Court, hearing accounts of victims’ families and human rights lawyers, says up to 24,000 suspects were summarily executed.

Duterte and Dela Rosa can be charged with crimes against humanity. International warrants of arrests might be issued against them. They will have nowhere to hide from lawmen and bounty hunters.

All because they neglected body-cams.

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Are kickbacks why gov’t wants to import rice?

Are kickbacks why gov’t wants to import rice?

by | May 12, 2023 | Gotcha

NFA must procure buffer stocks from Filipino farmers, not from foreigners – PNA photo

GOTCHA

It’s illegal for government to import rice. Yet the National Food Authority announced last month that it intends to do just that. It even claimed to have secured President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approval.

Days later, however, a Department of Agriculture official debunked NFA’s plan. “NFA importation is not possible,” said Usec. Mercedita Sombilla. “We didn’t discuss importation; the President knows that.”

Still, anything goes with the DA and attached agencies like NFA. In late February for instance, the Sugar Regulatory Administration set for bidding the importation of 440,000 tons of refined sweetener. Senior Usec. Domingo Panganiban then announced he already chose since January only three importers from a three-page list.

“Government-sponsored cartel,” Senator Risa Hontiveros branded that sham bidding. Ignoring her, Panganiban instructed SRA to clear 6,500 tons earlier seized by Customs. Worth P650 million, the contraband was brought in by one of the three favored traders in early February, before SRA even decided the 440,000-ton necessity.

Marcos Jr. is secretary of agriculture. As such, he chairs NFA, SRA and other DA affiliates. Subordinates wangle his consent to make the crooked look straight.

The 2019 Rice Tariffication Law (RA 11203) forbade government from rice trading. Only private individuals or groups may now import rice at 35 percent duty.

NFA is limited to buffer stocking for emergencies like typhoon, earthquake, volcanic eruption, crop failure. It must procure such hedge stock from Filipino farmers, not foreigners.

NFA needs 330,000 tons buffer this 2023. It says it may not be able to buy enough from local farmers. Will it spend its P9-billion budget on imports by hook or by crook?

That P9 billion is money of the Filipino people meant to benefit Filipino farmers. Importing will enrich traders in Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, China and India.

Could the reason be kickbacks, commissions, “tong-pats”?  Plundering from rice imports is an old racket of NFA, DA, Malacañang officials and spouses. They pocket millions of dollars or billions of pesos.

The 330,000 tons is 6.6 million 50-kilo sacks of rice. Usual overprice is $10 or P540 per sack. Crooks can skim $66 million or P3.5 billion.

More dirty money is made from the sack itself: $1 or P54 apiece. That’s another $6.6 million or P350 million from the sacks alone.

Officials extort millions more pesos from subcontracted cargo handlers, shippers, haulers, truckers to 16 NFA regional warehouses.

Alibi for government’s illegal rice import is the sudden rise in retail price. But government itself caused the jump by recently announcing that it expected sellers to add on P5 per kilo. That was a cue for retailers to do just that.

A scheme reportedly is being devised for the illegal import. NFA is not to front. Instead, the government-owned Philippine International Trading Corp. could be used. Cartelists will bring in not 25 percent broken but special grains, for sale to hotels at premium price. They will then replace the contraband with low-grade rice to NFA. Megabucks from mega-scam.

Four major food producers associations have warned NFA and DA against importing. Don’t break the law, chorused former agriculture chief Leonardo Montemayor of the Federation of Free Farmers, ex-congressman Rafael Mariano of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Cathy Estavillo of Bantay Bigas and Jayson Cainglet of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura.

NFA and DA are ignoring their duty. They must help Filipino farmers. Buy domestic produce. Provide irrigation, training, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides. Mechanize drying and improve milling so that more than a measly 65 percent rice is derived from every 50-kilo sack of palay, aromatic at that. Refrigerate rice at 21 degrees Centigrade to prevent bukbok (weevil).

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Using Masungi slopes for prisons will destroy our homes, shops

Using Masungi slopes for prisons will destroy our homes, shops

by | May 10, 2023 | Gotcha

Before and after rewilding, documented by Masungi Georeserve Foundation

GOTCHA

Ongoing reforestation of Masungi in Marikina watershed has lessened floods in half of Metro Manila and Rizal. To use it for prison officials’ offices and manors will set off deadly deluges below.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources should be the first to oppose the Bureau of Corrections’ headquartering there. Its silence means consent to the ruinous consequences.

DENR is instead defaming Masungi Georeserve Foundation (MGF) that’s rewilding hillsides by itself. What’s with DENR, which was also mum on the Mindoro oil spill, Romblon illegal mining and Zambales nickel ore smuggling?

Twenty armed BuCor officers in five vehicles swooped down on Masungi recently. Waving a newly-minted title, they scanned 270 hectares for National Bilibid Prison and office relocation.

Basic science shows unsuitability. Construction will necessitate levelling of slopes. Uprooting trees will erode soil that shield millions of lowland homes and shops from floods. It will disintegrate the spine of the 65 million-year-old limestone formation that earned Masungi Geopark worldwide renown.

Masungi Foundation protested. Justice Sec. Jesus Remulla, under whom BuCor is, blustered: “Relax lang kayo. Masungi will be preserved but government will use idle portions. You’re not the only ones who can protect nature.” Another science flunker?

BuCor’s “Lot 10” title stemmed from president Gloria Arroyo’s 2006 allocating 270 hectares for 29,200 convicts, plus 30 hectares for DENR regional office. Nearby communities howled. In 2009, then-Sec. Lito Atienza instructed DENR-Southern Luzon to look for other prison and office sites. That year superstorm Ondoy devastated Metro Manila-Rizal. Floods killed 464.

Two earlier proclamations by President Ferdinand E. Marcos preserved the mountains of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal and Quezon. Focal was Marikina watershed in Montalban, San Mateo, Antipolo, Tanay and Baras of Rizal. In 1993 DENR head Angel Alcala, a National Scientist, named Masungi a Strict Nature Reserve and Wildlife Sanctuary, banning quarries and other ecologically harmful activities.

Still, DENR crooks in 1999 granted three 25-year quarry permits on Masungi’s hilltop. In the Baras quarry area rose a dozen picnic resorts sans business permits. Culverts diverted rivers onto swimming pools. Protectors are a retired and an active-duty general.

Three years prior, in 1996, DENR contracted Blue Star Construction Development Corp. to build environmentally sustainable staff housing on 130 lower hectares. Reforestation began the following year. DENR in 2002 expanded the housing-cum-reforestation into Lot 10’s 300 hectares. There Blue Star’s Ben Dumaliang saw the degraded limestone ecosystem and restored it to its present state.

With daughters Ann and Billie and ecologists, Ben formed MGF. Wildlife returned within two decades of regreening the first 130 hectares. In 2017, Sec. Gina Lopez tasked MGF to rewild the upper 300 hectares, Lot 10. The illegal resort owners resisted, with goons shooting and mauling MGF park rangers.

Present DENR Sec. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga cancelled the three quarries a year before 2024 expiration. Yet she has not talked to MGF nor appointed a DENR manager for the oversight committee. Then came the BuCor title, which Remulla said he has discussed with her. The Land Registration Authority is also under him.

Yulo twitted the late Lopez’s memo for Masungi to be “a perpetual land trust for conservation… so long as there is no neglect or violation [by MGF].” Supposedly this negates the Constitution’s Article XII, National Economy and Patrimony, Section 2, which limits natural resource concessions to 25 years.

But natural resource preservation is not commercial use. A watershed is for perpetuity. So states the National Integrated Protected Areas System Law.

The National Museum defended MGF, awarded by United Nations and European conservationists. Karst (limestone ridges) need careful management, it said. Masungi’s limestone forest is habitat for unique species of plants, mollusk, crab, other crustacean, insects, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals.

Like flora and fauna, limestone formations can degenerate if unprotected. Woodcutting, agriculture, land clearance, quarrying, waste dumping or landfilling in the vicinity of Masungi geo-tourism park can ruin the karst. Water level and quality can drop.

Wanting quarries back, certain congressmen deride MGF in House hearings. DENR bureaucrats coach them to babble that natural resources must be given away to businessmen for infrastructure. Supposedly floods are inevitable in Marikina, Cainta, Taytay and other cities below. That’s why the valley never was inhabited in olden days.

Wrong! Up to the 1500s, Cainta was in fact a kingdom beside the Pasig River. It was surrounded by bamboo thickets and fortified with logs and lantaka (Malay bronze cannons). Just that, when Gat Maitan refused to pay tribute to Spain, Juan de Salcedo pillaged it in August 1571 on orders of uncle Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Today’s leaders petition to protect Masungi and Upper Marikina Watershed. Signatories are Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Marikina Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Angono Vice Mayor Gerardo Calderon, Pasig City Administrator Jeronimo Manzanero and Malabon City Administrator Voltaire dela Cruz.

As well, Marikina barangay chairmen Bernard Bernardo of Sta. Elena, Segundo Cruz of Calumpang, Randy Leal of Nangka, Miguel Punzalan Jr. of Marikina Heights, Rizalina Teope of Fortune, Ronnie Tiburcio of Barangka and Mary Jane Zubiri-dela Rosa of Concepcion are signatories.

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Suspended PNB staff decry prying into spouses’ accounts

Suspended PNB staff decry prying into spouses’ accounts

by | May 5, 2023 | Gotcha

–

GOTCHA

Time for Bangko Sentral, Labor Department, and Stock Exchange to step in?

The mass suspension of Philippine National Bank employees has been extended anew for a third month, Apr. 28–May 27.

The action is to prevent 18 PNB administrative officers and staff from tampering records. But they still have not been told of specifics on their investigation.

Their second- and third-months suspension are with pay. Still, other benefits were withheld, foremost of which is quarterly bonus of one month’s pay. Labor issues are at play.

The suspended employees complained that superiors pried into not only their but also spouses’ bank accounts without informed consent. Allegedly they were questioned about deposits to their accounts up to several years back. They are consulting lawyers about bank secrecy and data privacy laws.

Citing a pseudonymous whistleblower, some said their suspension was retaliation for their review of a bank executive jet’s overpriced repair. While the directors board rejected the overprice, the insider-attempters have not been probed, they averred.

Others know nothing about the $2.96-million (P160 million) aircraft overprice. Still, they said their suspension was reprisal for other dutiful acts. “Our job is to examine procurements and expenses, and present alternatives,” one explained. “Oftentimes our studies foil some in top management.” At play too are banking rules and interests of depositors and small stockholders.

President Florido Casuela assured that all actions are within lawful banking regulations. He has been hurrying up the probe of the 18, but said each one has to undergo a half-day grilling. “Normal, regular, legal,” he stressed.

The second- and third-months preventive suspensions are “procedural”, Casuela said. He did not explain why those sessions were unconcluded in ten working days, leaving 12 more days within the first month’s suspension to render judgement. Nineteen employees initially were suspended, but one has been exonerated.

Casuela confirmed an earlier column that the 18 are being probed for improper uniform, habitual tardiness, sharing of passwords, missing furniture, and collusion with scrap buyers. These were detailed by another whistleblower against the admin unit. Protecting all identities, Casuela declined to name the 18 or show the white paper.

Admin staffers who were not suspended are also being probed. One said: “We don’t understand claims about attendance, uniform and passwords. We underwent internal audit only recently and there were no adverse findings.”

Some were told to present evidence in their defense. But they alleged to be uninformed of what their infractions are, when and where. “We don’t know what to refute,” they said.

Others were questioned about acts many months back. But because barred access to records, they are unable to defend themselves.

When suspended the first month, they received similar memos on Feb. 27. No detailed complaints:

“This is to inform you that there is an ongoing investigation in connection with alleged irregularities pertaining to your duties and actions of Admin Group. There were purported acts of omission constituting dishonesty and gross violation of bank existing policies and rules.

“After careful evaluation/deliberation, it has been determined that your continued presence poses a serious or imminent threat to the property of the bank.

“For which reason you are hereby placed under preventive suspension in accordance with the bank code of conduct for a period of 30 calendar days without pay commencing from Feb. 27, 2023 to March 28, 2023.

“Accordingly you are hereby relieved from your duties and responsibilities on the specified period pending completion of investigation and barred from entering the bank/branch premises for the period of preventive suspension.”

The second and third memos, extending the suspensions for the second and third months, likewise had no specific infractions. Only the inclusive dates: Mar. 29-Apr. 27 and Apr. 28-May 27 (see photo below). All were signed by Human Resource Group officer-in-charge Socorro Corpus, coursed through Executive VP Aida Padilla.

Calls and texts to Padilla for interviews remain unanswered. Same wist those to Clive Kian, aviation fleet VP and executive assistant to chairman emeritus Lucio K. Tan.

In the care of first wife and family, Mr. Tan reportedly is frail and forgetful at age 88. He bought PNB from the government in 2005 and grew it to P1.15-trillion assets, P11.4-billion profit (first three quarters, 2022), 8,550 personnel, and 670 branches. Forbes ranks it the Philippines’ second-best bank.

In the 15-member board aside from Mr. Tan are wife Carmen, daughters Sheila and Vivienne, grandson Lucio III and son Michael (by second wife Letty, deceased). Bangko Sentral has strict “fit and proper” standards.

* * *

FEEDBACK: Romy Macalintal, election lawyer of 55 years, texted about my May 3 article “Are Fake Voters Invading Your Barangay Like This One?”: “How can Comelec act on your exposé? It has not even resolved a client’s 2018 complaint against more than 200 voters registering LRT station as their address; 300 voters used a call center as address; a vacant lot had 300 registrants.”

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Are fake voters invading your barangay like this one?

Are fake voters invading your barangay like this one?

by | May 3, 2023 | Gotcha

Fake I.D. card of a fake voter attempting to register at Makati Comelec office (watch video here)

GOTCHA

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Did the number of voters in your barangay balloon like in this one? Were there so many new registrants at your Comelec district office?

If so, expect fraud on Barangay Election Day, Oct. 30, 2023. You’ll likely end up with barangay officials you don’t want and never elected. They will not serve but only steal from you.

This happened in Barangay Carmona, Makati City. On new voter registration days, Dec. 12, 2022 to Jan. 31, 2023, 3,697 fake voters signed up with the Comelec. It was an incredible 78-percent increase to 8,415. Last presidential-congressional-local election, May 9, 2022, the barangay had only 4,718 legitimate voters.

The jump in new voters defied the Philippine Statistics Authority’s forecast for Barangay Carmona of only 500 population growth in 2023. There was no mass migration of new residents nor increase in the barangay’s territory, chairman Joselito M. Salvador attested.

Salvador and other longtime voters challenged before the Comelec 497 new registrants. Scrutinizing the applications, they noticed fictitious addresses in their barangay. Names were deliberately misspelled. Identity documents were falsified.

Workplaces and employers were unregistered with the Dept. of Trade and Industry. “There is no business name registration filed,” DTI said of Alpha Work Force, Golden Star Learning Cleaning Service, Astra Resources, MAB Commercial Learning & Janitorial Services, Fastwork Manpower Services, Lotus System Manpower & Service Provider, Lucky Red Services, Sunlight Human Resources, Wbs Manpower Solution, Moderna Systems Employment Services, and JBN Manpower Services.

The 497 “new voters” have executed affidavits to withdraw their Comelec applications. They must have realized that their offense carries a penalty of six years’ imprisonment, disqualification from public office and loss of suffrage rights.

In individual affidavits they swore by their genuine names and identification papers: PhilHealth, vaccination, voter, school, postal, national I.D. card; taxpayer identification number; birth certificate; NBI clearance; driving license; passport. True addresses range from as close as other Makati barangays; adjacent Pasig, Taguig, and Manila cities; to faraway Bulacan, Zambales, Laguna, and Mindoro Occidental provinces.

The mob-for-hire was hauled from a Metro Manila slum. They said that neediness drove them into the racket. Their virtual admission of fakery casts serious doubt on the other “new voters”.

Each was paid P1,000 to register with the Comelec unit at Makati City Hall. Payor allegedly was an aspiring barangay candidate whose brother is a DPWH contractor-supplier classified as “AAA”. Capable of contracting at least P100 million, the latter is suspected to have bankrolled the payoffs.

This could be happening elsewhere. Big businessmen might be taking an interest in barangay polls.

Probable reason? The Supreme Court’s recent Mandanas ruling will transfer to local governments 27-percent more Internal Revenue Allotment starting 2023. Not only provincial, city or municipal IRA shares are to rise but also that of barangays. Barangays in rich cities have higher IRAs.

Can Comelec weed out fake voters in your barangay between now and October? Once flying voters are bused to your polling precinct on Election Day, it will be too late. Thereafter, ghost infrastructures will rise in your barangay — with contractors fully paid and officials receiving kickbacks.

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

Want cheaper cost of goods? Unburden domestic shippers

Want cheaper cost of goods? Unburden domestic shippers

by | Apr 28, 2023 | Gotcha

Aerial view of Manila North Harbor – Wikipedia photo

GOTCHA

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Sinovac safety efficacy and price still need clarifying

Food, clothing, shelter materials and other goods are so costly. Blame special groups who make archipelagic shipping expensive.

A vessel recently docked in Batangas to unload wheat from Cagayan de Oro. Being small, less than 1,000 gross tons, it was supposed to be exempted from harbor pilot fees. Yet it was charged ₱24,794. The shipowner naturally passed on that cost to the shipper, who in turn passed it on to customers.

Another ship berthed in Batangas to haul steel rods to Tagbilaran. Also small and exempted, the owner protested the ₱24,794-pilotage. It was barred from departing for five days until paying up, plus ten-percent penalty. Again, that amount was passed on to the shipper; end-users bore the costlier merchandise.

A private group of pilots controls most harbors. The Philippine Ports Authority accredits them to steer and park vessels to and from piers. That’s to avoid ship collisions and port damage.

In some cases, harbor pilots do not even board the entering or exiting vessel, but just charge pilotage. When they do board, they don’t touch the helm but merely direct the shipmaster. They’re not liable for wrong instructions that lead to accidents. It’s the shipowner or insurer that pays.

Pilots are expected to know every square inch of the harbor. Yet recently in the Visayas the harbor pilot caused the ship to scrape a sunken vessel. The owner spent multimillion pesos to drydock and repair the hull.

Harbor pilot fees vary port to port, ₱2,500-₱5,000 per vessel. But Tacloban, Subic, General Santos, Batangas and Manila are extraordinary, with ₱10,000-₱25,000 rates.

In Sep. 2021 Batangas Harbor Pilot Co. imposed ₱24,794 flat rate for all vessel sizes in the province’s nine government and private ports. It was a three-percent yearly increase from the 2014 rate of ₱20,160. Supposedly the old rate was “inconsistent with the passage of time and changes in economic condition.”

PA general manager Jay Santiago is striving to bring down logistics costs. In international shipping he enforced a Container Registry and Monitoring System to swiftly ship out empty 20- and 40-footers and decongest ports.

Informed of the high pilot fees, Santiago sent the authorized rates:

Note: Highest pilotage charge for domestic vessels is ₱300, a fraction of the ₱2,500 to ₱24,794 that ships actually pay. Lowest charge for huge international vessels is $110, or ₱5,940 at $1:₱54.

The Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) listed 3,623 cargo vessels in 2021. There are no figures on how much pilotage companies earn and pay in taxes per year. One hundred-ten million Filipino consumers suffer costly commodities.

Though private, pilotage firms can be officious. Cargo handler Avega Bros. Integrated Shipping Corp. recently complained to PPA’s Santiago about the situation at Manila North Harbor (MNH).

The Manila Bay Harbor Pilot’s Partnership (MBHPP) suddenly banned Avega’s two tugboats from berthing and undocking its vessels there. Allegedly, Avega’s tug captains were unknowledgeable. This, despite their 15 years’ experience traversing MNH, for which Marina duly licensed them.

A six-hour impasse ensued between Avega and MBHPP. Avega hired two other tugboats from Tugmaster. But MBHPP rejected the replacements, claiming that those too, despite their Marina licenses, “lacked experience and knowledge.”

Avega was forced to hire MBHPP’s two tugs – for ₱28,000. Domestic ships previously were allowed to go in and out unassisted by tugs and harbor pilots. Then, MNH required tug and pilot assists. And this year MBHPP mandated the use only of its tugboats. Goods are priciest in the national capital.

* * *

Catch “Sapol” radio show, Saturdays, 8-10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM)

            “Gotcha: An Exposé on the Philippine Government” is available as e-book and paperback. Get a free copy of “Chapter 1: Beijing’s Bullying and Duplicity”. Simply subscribe to my newsletter HERE. Book orders also accepted there.

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  1. GENERAL RULES AND DEFINITIONS

 

1.1 If you choose to use the jariusbondoc.com service (the “Service”), you will be agreeing to abide by all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement between you and jariusbondoc.com (“jariusbondoc.com “).

 

1.2 jariusbondoc.com may change, add or remove portions of this Agreement at any time, but if it does so, it will post such changes on the Service, or send them to you via e-mail. It is your responsibility to review this Agreement prior to each use of the Site and by continuing to use this Site, you agree to any changes.

 

1.3 If any of these rules or any future changes are unacceptable to you, you may cancel your membership by sending e-mail to jariusbondoconline.com (see section 10.1 regarding termination of service). Your continued use of the service now, or following the posting of notice of any changes in these operating rules, will indicate acceptance by you of such rules, changes, or modifications.

 

1.4 jariusbondoc.com may change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Service at any time, including the availability of any Service feature, database, or content. jariusbondoc.com may also impose limits on certain features and services or restrict your access to parts or all of the Service without notice or liability.

 

  1. JARIUSBONDOC.COM CONTENT AND MEMBER SUBMISSIONS

 

2.1 The contents of the jariusbondoc.com are intended for your personal, noncommercial use. All materials published on jariusbondoc.com (including, but not limited to news articles, photographs, images, illustrations, audio clips and video clips, also known as the “Content”) are protected by copyright, and owned or controlled by jariusbondoc.com or the party credited as the provider of the Content. You shall abide by all additional copyright notices, information, or restrictions contained in any Content accessed through the Service.

 

2.2 The Service and its Contents are protected by copyright pursuant to the Republic of the Philippines and international copyright laws. You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, reproduce (except as provided in Section 2.3 of this Agreement), create new works from, distribute, perform, display, or in any way exploit, any of the Content or the Service (including software) in whole or in part.

 

2.3 You may download or copy the Content and other downloadable items displayed on the Service for personal use only, provided that you maintain all copyright and other notices contained therein. Copying or storing of any Content for other than personal use is expressly prohibited without prior written permission from jariusbondoc.com or the copyright holder identified in the copyright notice contained in the Content.

 

  1. FORUMS, DISCUSSIONS AND USER GENERATED CONTENT

 

3.1 You shall not upload to, or distribute or otherwise publish on the message boards (the “Feedback Section”) any libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, abusive, or otherwise illegal material.

 

3.2 (a)Be courteous. You agree that you will not threaten or verbally abuse jariusbondoc.com columnists and other jariusbondoc.com community Members, use defamatory language, or deliberately disrupt discussions with repetitive messages, meaningless messages or “spam.”

 

3.2 (b) Use respectful language. Like any community, the Feedback Sections will flourish only when our Members feel welcome and safe. You agree not to use language that abuses or discriminates on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual preference, age, region, disability, etc. Hate speech of any kind is grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.2 (c) Debate, but don’t attack. In a community full of opinions and preferences, people always disagree. jariusbondoc.com encourages active discussions and welcomes heated debate in our Feedback Sections. But personal attacks are a direct violation of this Agreement and are grounds for immediate and permanent suspension of access to all or part of the Service.

 

3.3 The Feedback Sections shall be used only in a noncommercial manner. You shall not, without the express approval of jariusbondoc.com, distribute or otherwise publish any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising or solicitation for goods or services.

 

3.4 You are solely responsible for the content of your messages. However, while jariusbondoc.com does not and cannot review every message posted by you on the Forums and is not responsible for the content of these messages, jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to delete, move, or edit messages that it, in its sole discretion, deems abusive, defamatory, obscene, in violation of copyright or trademark laws, or otherwise unacceptable.

 

3.5 You acknowledge that any submissions you make to the Service (i.e., user-generated content including but not limited to: text, video, audio and photographs) (each, a “Submission”) may be edited, removed, modified, published, transmitted, and displayed by jariusbondoc.com and you waive any moral rights you may have in having the material altered or changed in a manner not agreeable to you. You grant jariusbondoc.com a perpetual, nonexclusive, world-wide, royalty free, sub-licensable license to the Submissions, which includes without limitation the right for jariusbondoc.com or any third party it designates, to use, copy, transmit, excerpt, publish, distribute, publicly display, publicly perform, create derivative works of, host, index, cache, tag, encode, modify and adapt (including without limitation the right to adapt to streaming, downloading, broadcast, mobile, digital, thumbnail, scanning or other technologies) in any form or media now known or hereinafter developed, any Submission posted by you on or to jariusbondoc.com or any other website owned by it, including any Submission posted on jariusbondoc.com through a third party.

 

3.6 By submitting an entry to jariusbondoc.com’s Readers’ Corner, you are consenting to its display on the site and for related online and offline promotional uses.

 

  1. ACCESS AND AVAILABILITY OF SERVICE AND LINKS

 

4.1 jariusbondoc.com contains links to other related World Wide Web Internet sites, resources, and sponsors of jariusbondoc.com. Since jariusbondoc.com is not responsible for the availability of these outside resources, or their contents, you should direct any concerns regarding any external link to the site administrator or Webmaster of such site.

 

  1. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

5.1 You represent, warrant and covenant (a) that no materials of any kind submitted through your account will (i) violate, plagiarize, or infringe upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy or other personal or proprietary rights; or (ii) contain libelous or otherwise unlawful material; and (b) that you are at least thirteen years old. You hereby indemnify, defend and hold harmless jariusbondoc.com, and all officers, directors, owners, agents, information providers, affiliates, licensors and licensees (collectively, the “Indemnified Parties”) from and against any and all liability and costs, including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Indemnified Parties in connection with any claim arising out of any breach by you or any user of your account of this Agreement or the foregoing representations, warranties and covenants. You shall cooperate as fully as reasonably required in the defense of any such claim. jariusbondoc.com reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter subject to indemnification by you.

 

5.2 jariusbondoc.com does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement, or other information displayed, uploaded, or distributed through the Service by any user, information provider or any other person or entity. You acknowledge that any reliance upon any such opinion, advice, statement, memorandum, or information shall be at your sole risk. THE SERVICE AND ALL DOWNLOADABLE SOFTWARE ARE DISTRIBUTED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT USE OF THE SERVICE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK.

 

  1. COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN JARIUSBONDOC.COM AND MEMBERS

 

6.1 If you indicate on your registration form that you want to receive such information, jariusbondoc.com, its owners and assigns, will allow certain third party vendors to provide you with information about products and services.

 

6.2 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to send electronic mail to you for the purpose of informing you of changes or additions to the Service.

 

6.3 jariusbondoc.com reserves the right to disclose information about your usage and demographics, provided that it will not reveal your personal identity in connection with the disclosure of such information. Advertisers and/or Licensees on our Web site may collect and share information about you only if you indicate your acceptance. For more information please read the Privacy Policy of jariusbondoc.com.

 

6.4 jariusbondoc.com may contact you via e-mail regarding your participation in user surveys, asking for feedback on the Website and existing or prospective products and services. This information will be used to improve our Website and better understand our users, and any information we obtain in such surveys will not be shared with third parties, except in aggregate form.

 

  1. TERMINATION

 

 

7.1 jariusbondoc.com may, in its sole discretion, terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Service for any reason, including, without limitation, breach or assignment of this Agreement.

 

  1. MISCELLANEOUS

 

8.1 This Agreement has been made in and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the Republic of the Philippines law. Any action to enforce this agreement shall be brought in the courts located in Manila, Philippines.

 

8.2 Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, nothing in this Terms of Service will serve to preempt the promises made in jariusbondoc.com Privacy Policy.

 

8.3 Correspondence should be sent to jariusbondoconline.com.

 

8.4 You agree to report any copyright violations of the Terms of Service to jariusbondoc.com as soon as you become aware of them. In the event you have a claim of copyright infringement with respect to material that is contained in the jariusbondoc.com service, please notify jariusbondoconline.com. This Terms of Service was last updated on November 7, 2020.