by magnolia_eic | Feb 6, 2011 | Headlines, National News
INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo disclosed on Sunday that some
175 erring policemen, most of them implicated in drug-related cases, have been dismissed
from the police service in the past six months.
Robredo, who is also concurrent chairman of the National Police Commission (Napolcom),
said the dismissal of the policemen should serve as a warning to all policemen nationwide to
shape up or ship out.
“The department does not tolerate cops who are either drug peddlers or drug users, or
worse, those who protect illegal drug syndicates,” said Robredo, who noted such cops would
automatically undergo summary dismissal proceedings.
He, however, assured that those who are sued because of fulfilling their duties will receive full
support from the government.
He said President Benigno Aquino III has earmarked P5 million for legal assistance to police
officers.
While the DILG is strict against police scalawags, Robredo said the department, through
the Napolcom, would provide legal aid to cops who are constantly being harassed with legal
cases for doing their jobs. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Oct 18, 2010 | Headlines, National News
WITH one week to go before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, the Aquino
administration has identified six percent of 42,000 barangays in the country as “election
watch areas” or more commonly referred to as hot spots.
Among those identified as “election watch areas,” according to Interior and Local Government
Secretary Jesse Robredo are Abra, Masbate, Maguindanao and some parts of Mindanao.
Robredo disclosed this Friday before the start of the Philippine Business Conference at the
Manila Hotel, where he signed on behalf of the local government units the memorandum of
agreement with the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the improvement of
the business environment.
“Based on our assessment, if you compare this with the May 2010 elections, we expect it to
be more peaceful and orderly as we have had intensive discussions and monitoring of the
situation in the local governments,” Robredo said.
“Basically we have categorized two groups such as areas with a proliferation of private armed
groups or private armies and those that have active presence of rebel groups like the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group and the New Peoples’ Army,” he said. (PIA)
by magnolia_eic | Sep 15, 2010 | Headlines, National News
President Benigno S. Aquino III maintained on Monday that legalizing jueteng will never happen under his administration.
In an ambush interview after the oath taking of the members of the Truth Commission and other government officials, the President said he will not tolerate and is definitely not in favor of legalizing the numbers game.
“Gambling is not a productive venture except for the people who run it,” he said noting that there is no output in the operation of jueteng.
He urged his critics to concentrate on moving the economy forward rather than pushing for the legalization of jueteng.
The President revealed that prior to the expose of retired Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Oscar Cruz, he has already ordered Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo to come up with a comprehensive plan to stamp out jueteng.
The Chief Executive said he wants Robredo to include in his reports how to prevent those involved in jueteng from jumping to other illegal trades like drug trafficking, if the illegal numbers game is stamped out.
The President added that he wants Robredo to study how the government can make small town lottery (STL) more “competitive” against jueteng, which is believed to be more popular in the localities where STL was marketed as an alternative. (PCOO/PIA)
