Tag Archives: Pork Barrel

Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, The Media

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PHILIPPINE JAIL INMATES GO ON HUNGER STRIKE

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Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video "Thriller"
Philippine jail inmates in the viral YouTube video “Thriller”

Cebu City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Chances are you’ve seen the viral YouTube video featuring hundreds of jail inmates dancing to a choreographed version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”

Now these same Cebu City inmates, joined by tens of thousands of others incarcerated in Philippine jails and prisons, have gone into a hunger strike. Their demands?  Larger jail cells, airconditioning and free wi-fi access.

The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) estimate the total prisoners at 80,000.  BuCor has jurisdiction over national prisons while BJMP oversees jails in cities, towns and provinces.

The striking inmates were emboldened upon learning that two senators who are now in jail in connection with plunder charges arising from the Ten Billion pork barrerl scam, have demanded more comfortable jail conditions, including airconditioning, gourmet meals, refrigerators, television sets and Internet access, among others.  The two senators are Bong Revilla, Jr., and Jinggoy Estrada.

“If our leaders can demand better conditions in their jail cells – or bungalows – why can’t we?”  the strikers said.

President NoyNoy Aquino was reported  to be under severe stress as a result of the national hunger strike, especially because he has always proclaimed that under the law, every Filipino will be treated equally. Witnesses observed that Aquino has been continuously puffing cigarettes as a result of the stress.

Business, Film and TV, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics, Religion, The Media, Travel

IS POPE FRANCIS SET TO EXCOMMUNICATE THOSE INDICTED IN THE PHILIPPINES’ PORK BARREL SCAM?

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Rome, Italy (The Adobo Chronicles) – Pope Francis had harsh words for the Italian Mafia on Saturday, describing one crime syndicate as “the adoration of evil” and saying all mafiosi “are excommunicated” from the church. His condemnation was the strongest attack on the mob since Pope John Paul criticized the Sicilian Mafia in 1993.

Pope Francis made the remarks after visiting a stronghold of the ‘Ndrangheta, one of Italy’s most dangerous crime groups. There he comforted the jailed father of a 3-year-old boy killed in a mob ambush and condemned mob violence against children.

Vatican insiders have also hinted that the Pope is set to excommunicate notorious Filipino Catholics, notably those who were recently indicted for plunder, graft and corruption and other charges in connection with the 10 Billion Peso pork barrel scam in the Philippines.  Among those indicted were Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla, Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, along with alleged scam mastermind businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles.  As of this writing, Napoles, Revilla and Estrada have been arrested and jailed.

Napoles and the three senators are known to be devout Catholics.

Prior to being arrested and jailed, Napoles used to have the statue of the ‘miraculous’ Black Nazarene transferred from Manila’s Quiapo Catholic Church to her private residence on many occasions.

bong
Revilla

Just moments before he surrendered, Revilla wore a t-shirt that said “The Lord is on my side; I willl not fear; what can man do unto me?” Before his indictment, he and his family went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Enrile was Justice Secretary and then Defense Minister under the regime of Ferdinand E. Marcos.  Aligning himself with the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, Enrile became on of the leaders of the 1986 People Power Revolution that drove Marcos into exile.

Estrada, on the other hand, resisted calls by a member of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that he apologize for betraying the people’s trust.

It wasn’t clear whether the impending excommunication would be based on the  Second Commandment (‘Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord they God in vain’); the Sixth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not steal’)  or the Tenth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s goods).

Perhaps, all three? And, maybe a fourth for Enrile, a known womanizer — the Ninth Commandment (‘Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife’).

 

 

 

 

 

Business, Economy, Human Interest, International, Law Enforcement, Politics

COIN POSSESSION CAN LEAD TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON IN THE PHILIPPINES

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imageQuezon City, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – The government may never recover the Ten Billion pesos that disappeared into phony projects and pockets of politicians in the pork barrel scam in the Philippines. This, despite recent indictments that have led to the arrest of top senators, businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles and others implicated in the case.

So now, the government is focusing its energy into recovering up to 24 Billion pesos from piggy banks, drawers and closets of ordinary citizens. House Bill 4411 which passed on third reading makes it illegal to be in possession of excess coins. Coin possession will lead to eight years in prison and/or a fine of up to 300 Thousand pesos.

The proposed bill has encouraged politicians and citizens involved or intending to involve in the much more serious crimes of plunder, graft and corruption.  The reason? The penalty for these greater crimes range from hospital arrest to detention in bungalow-type jails, and eventually, pardon.

A true testament to the Department of Tourism’s promotional meme of “It’s More Fun in the Philippines!”