News Briefs: May 2, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, should make a public apology and take back his supposed joke that voters may take money from candidates, a party-list lawmaker said on Wednesday.

Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin said Albayalde’s remarks, later clarified by a PNP spokesperson as a joke, could be taken as an election offense.

“The Omnibus Election Code enumerated the prohibited acts considered as an election offense [which include] vote buying or selling, which happens when a person ‘induces anyone or the public in general’ to influence the outcome of his/her vote. Clearly, the statement of the PNP chief was a direct inducement to take money,” he said.

Albayalde was quoted in news reports as saying that voters could take money from candidates.

“Police officers have a hard time stopping the practice of vote buying. If we, the voters, were offered money, perhaps we can just accept it but eventually vote for the candidates who are worthy,” he said. —Melvin Gascon

Ex-assistant energy secretary convicted of estafa

The Sandiganbayan Third Division has convicted a former assistant energy secretary of defrauding a woman of P100,000.

Former Assistant Secretary Matanog Mapandi, who was dismissed in 2015, was found guilty of estafa and sentenced to a prison term of four months to one year.

He was also ordered to pay the complainant, Elizabeth Sibulo, P100,000 in damages.

Based on the case information submitted by the Ombudsman, Mapandi, and his two coaccused, Myrna Almonte and Francisco Merille, made it appear that they possessed the power and influence to facilitate the approval and release of the P50-million solar street lighting project in Magano, Camarines Sur, in favor of Sibulo’s Cha Construction and Supply for a fee, when in fact they did not. —Patricia Denise M. Chiu

BRP Andres Bonifacio joins ships from 18 countries in SK drills

A 200-man Philippine Navy contingent aboard the offshore patrol vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio joined navies from 18 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region in maritime security exercises that kicked off on Wednesday in South Korea.

The contingent, led by Capt. Roy Vincent Trinidad, is taking part in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus Maritime Security and Counterterrorism Exercise at the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) fleet headquarters in Busan.

The drills, cohosted by the ROKN and Singapore, is the Philippine Navy’s second international defense engagement this year after the international fleet review in celebration of the 70th anniversary of China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy in Qingdao City last week. —Jeannette I. Andrade