Euro Generals suspended

Finally, after two long years and the death of 8 persons in a well-televised hostage-taking incident, the Ombudsman suspended six Euro-generals. The Inquirer reports:

MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered six Philippine National Police officials involved in a controversial trip to Russia in 2008 to be placed on preventive suspension for six months without pay pending its investigation of the case tagged in media as the “euro generals” scandal.

Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez, head of the anti-graft body, identified the PNP officials as Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. of the Directorate for Operations; Director German Doria of the Directorate for Human Resources and Doctrine Development; Chief Supt. Orlando Pestaño, finance service director; Chief Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, budget division director; Supt. Samuel Rodriguez, special disbursing officer and Supt. Elmer Pelobello.

But three of them—Alarcio, Pestaño and Doria—have reportedly retired from the service. (More here)

 Interesting.  So kailangan lang palang me mga mangyari muna bago ang aksiyon. Di ba may kasabihan: Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo?

Kung sabagay, it is better late than never. Ang Ombudsman kaya, kelan din mapapalitan? Mukhang ito rin ang dahilan bakit namatay ang mga Intsik sa Manila Hostage Crisis noong Agosto 23, di ba? Tanungin natin si Capt. Mendoza.

PNP has no "Nego Team" but has "Euro Generals"

It's interesting to note that the Philippine National Police has no "Negotiating Team" organized or trained to handle situations like the Manila Hostage Crisis. This was disclosed by Supt. Orlando Yebra, the one who acted as a negotiator during last month's mismanaged hostage crisis. And worse, the PNP also has no TV or radio that could have assisted in monitoring the situation.

But on the contrary, the PNP has millions of pesos that can finance euro generals and their families to make "lamierda" in Europe. Interesting, isn't it? That's only here in the Philippines.

Manila Police: There are shortcomings in Manila hostage crisis handling

As expected, the Manila police defended the handling of yesterday's Manila hostage crisis. Inquirer reported that "Manila police commander Leocadio Santiago said his personnel had made the correct decision in allowing the stand-off to drag on for more than 10 hours before storming the bus on Monday."

Along with this, Santiago admitted "some obvious shortcomings in terms of capability and tactics used, or the procedure employed and we are now going to investigate this".

Pero nalimutan ni Santiago at ng ground commander na sa shortcomings, nakapusta ang buhay ng mga tao lalo na nang mga hostages. With their shortcomings, na-shorten din ang buhay ng mga nasa loob ng bus maliban sa ilang hostages na nakaligtas. The words of Santiago in an interview is very clear: "But when the driver escaped and reported that he (Rodolfo Mendoza, the hostage-taker) has started killing the hostages, that was the time that the ground commander decided to assault the bus." (Emphasis supplied.)

Malinaw. HE HAS STARTED KILLING THE HOSTAGES. Ibig sabihin, di pa patay lahat. Ibig ding sabihin, may mga buhay pa and storming the bus with bullets and flash bombs and teargas would certainly complicate the situation.

Ikalawa, magtatapon ng teargas eh wala nga silang gas mask? Siyempre di rin agad papasok ang assaulting team dahil aantayin nila na mawala muna ang bisa ng tear gas. Kung magkagayon, siyempre, makakarecover na rin si Mendoza.

Ikatlo, hindi ba nila tinanong muna o tinawagan ang may-ari ng tourist bus o kaya ang manufacturer nito para alamin ano ang mga features nito, saan mahina, saan ang mga bukasan, gaano kalakas ang salamin, at iba pa? Imagine, 10 hours tapos walang ganitong impormasyon? Well, di kataka-taka na palpak ang mga rumesponde lalo na ang ground commander na walang kontrol sa pangyayari. Kaya hayun, ang mga crude na gamit tulad ng maso at kable ay useless.

The PNP says na isa sa shortcomings ay ang kakulangan sa gamit. This may be hard to accept. Me pang-travel-travel nga ang mga Euro Generals sa Moscow at sa ibang bansa, at kasama pa ang kanilang mga pamilya courtesy of the PNP money, tapos walang pambili ng mga gamit kahit gas mask lang?

Sabi ni Von: Nakowww!

Another Euro-General to Set to Retire

From GMANews.TV:

MANILA, Philippines – One of the “euro generals" implicated in the P6.9-million Moscow scandal is set to retire Wednesday.

Philippine National Police regional director Director Jaime Caringal, who has reached the mandatory retirement age of 56, will be replaced by Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao.

The turn-over ceremony will take place at Camp Colonel Romeo Abendan in Zamboanga City in western Mindanao at 10 a.m. Wednesday, PO3 Ella Mae Llanes oi the Region 9 police told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

Caringal was among several officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) delegation who came under fire for incurring “cash advances" of 105,000 euros (P6.9 million) when they attended the 77th Interpol Assembly in St. Petersburg on October 7-10.

The irregular practice was exposed when customs officials at the Moscow airport detained former PNP comptroller Eliseo dela Paz, who had already retired from the service, for not declaring the huge amount of money in his possession.

Dela Paz was subsequently released after the PNP certified the purpose of the money. But Dela Paz is under investigation by the Senate.

Dela Paz, Caringal and PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa are all members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1976. (Source here)

Dapat pala si Tikboy ay nag-police na lang at magpa-promote maging general para kung sakali, pag malapit ng mag-retire, me travel na sa Russia, kasama pa ang asawa. Kung sabagay, si Ping Lacson nga napabalita minsan na may bank accounts sa ibang bansa. Ibig sabihin, nagtravel din siya tulad ng mga Euro Generals. After which, naging senador pa.

Teka, puwede pa bang mag-shift ng propesyon?