Ensogo Philippines Closed Merchants Unpaid

Ensogo announces on on Jun 21, 2016 that they are shutting down all business units in Southeast Asia and laying off staff.

“Ensogo Australia […] will no longer provide financial support to its subsidiary Southeast Asian flash sales and marketplace business units. These business units will be shut down. All staff have been informed and communications will be made to customers in the coming days,” it said in a statement sent to Tech in Asia.

The company’s co-founder Kris Marszalek has also quit his CEO post.

“This decisions have been made to preserve the company’s cash for new investment opportunities,” Ensogo continued.

They were formerly known as iBuy, Ensogo owns a network of ecommerce websites in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand. It is owned by Catcha Group of Patrick Grove, who also established online businesses iProperty, iCar, and iFlix.

Unfortunately, there still unpaid Merchants here in the Philippines who said that Ensogo is scamming people since the Ensogo Philippines website http://www.ensogo.com.ph/ is still online and operational.

Merchants as early as last months have already been complaining that they’re not getting payments from Ensogo.

One merchant has complained that she still has half a million pesos collectibles from Ensogo, who was interviewed by ABSCBN News.

DOJ Dismisses "tanim-bala" Cases Against Airport Police, Personnel They Blame Others

Despite the video and witnesses, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has dismissed the complaints against policemen and security personnel of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) accused in a “tanim-bala (bullet-planting)” incident involving an American missionary Lane Michael White that happened last September.

In a resolution, Associate Prosecution Attorney II Honey Rose Delgado recommended the dismissal of the cases against airport baggage inspector Maria Cena, X-ray operator Marvin Garcia, and policemen – Chief Inspector Adriano Junio, SPO4 Ramon Bernardo, SPO2 Rolando Clarin, and SPO2 Romy Navarro.

Cena and Garcia were accused of planting evidence, while Junio, Bernardo, Clarin, and Navarro were accused of robbery/extortion.

The policemen, including Navarro, were also charged with violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) and Republic Act 7438 (An Act Defining Certain Rights of Person Arrested, Detained or Under Custodial Investigation as well as the Duties of Arresting, Detaining and Investigating Officers).

“We do not find probable cause to indict respondents for all the cases filed against them,” read the resolution.

The 20 years old American missionary Lane Michael White complained that the police officers asked him to pay P30,000 in exchange for dropping the charges against him after a bullet was found in his luggage at the NAIA last September 17, 2015 while he and his family were about to board a flight to Coron, Palawan.

“We believe complainant White that the .22 caliber ammunition found inside his luggage is not his,” read the resolution which noted that a court already dismissed the case against the American for illegal possession of ammunition.

“However, we cannot say with certainty that it was respondents Cena and Garcia who inserted or placed the ammunition inside complainant’s luggage,” it stressed.

The prosecutor said that there is “a high probability that the ammunition was planted by another person or stranger to the case.”

Delgado cited that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage did not show that the two airport security personnel planted anything in his luggage.

Though White underwent the initial security screening, Delgado noted that the flight was cancelled and his family had to stay overnight at the Executive Plaza Hotel.

“The luggage of complainant was left with the valet. The likelihood that the ammunition was planted during such time when the luggage was unattended is not remote,” she said.

Also, the prosecutor pointed out that upon careful evaluation of the incident “we believe that there are no sufficient proof to establish a case against SPO2 Clarin, PCINSP Junio, and SPO4 Navarro for robbery/extortion.”

“In robbery with intimidation of persons, the intimidation consists in causing or creating fear in the mind of a person or in bringing in a sense of mental distress in view of a risk or evil that may be impending, real or imagined. Records of the case failed to establish the element of intimidation,” the prosecutor explained.

Also the Kalibo, Aklan, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 6 has dismissed the criminal case filed against a young couple Jerome Sulit and wife Rochelle who were caught carrying bullets at the Caticlan airport last April.

--- In my opinion the incoming DOJ secretary should look deeper into this and investigate Associate Prosecution Attorney II Honey Rose Delgado for incompetency regarding this matter. Why dismissed the case against the police who are clearly extorting money? Is she also blaming the Executive Plaza Hotel for it?


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Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima Richest in President Aquino's Cabinet

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima is the richest member of President Benigno Aquino III's Cabinet. The poorest is Education Secretary Armin Luistro based on their 2015 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) released by the Malacañang Records Office.

Purisima declared a net worth of more than P301 million. Last year, he reported the second biggest net worth next to then Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario who reported a 2014 net worth of more than P838 million.

Del Rosario, 76, resigned from his post in February citing health reasons

Luistro was the lone non-millionaire with a net worth of P586,107.11. In his 2014 SALN, Luistro reported a lower net worth at P471,064.46.

Cesar Purisima has been accused before if tax evasion, people have questioned the alleged discrepancy in his income tax returns (ITR) and his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) filed from 2006 to 2009.

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Manyak na Jeepney Driver Masturbated Beside his Female Passenger

MANILA - A pervert jeepney driver is facing charges for allegedly masturbating beside a female passenger in Pasay City

The victim a 21-year-old female passenger, said she sat beside jeepney driver Jesse Veron Sewell when she boarded the vehicle in Aurora Boulevard at around 3 p.m. Friday.

She said that she was bothered by the actions of the driver since he kept glancing at her. When all the other passengers have alighted and she was the only passenger left, she said the driver unzipped his pants and started masturbating.

"Pagbaba po ng mga pasahero sa likod, parang naaninag ko po na iyung kamay po niya, hindi ko po alam kung sa bulsa o sa zipper po iyun. Paglingon ko po, nakalabas na iyung ari niya."

"Natakot po ako bigla, nanginig po ako, tumulo na po iyung luha ko. Naisip ko pong tumalon kaso di ko po nagawa kasi baka nga po mamamatay ako," she said.

She took video of the driver doing the act. "Inisip ko na lang po na video-han nang pa-simple para kung ma-post ko man sa Facebook, may mga nag-rescue sa 'kin."

She shouted at Sewell to stop the vehicle when she saw a traffic enforcer at Skyway.

"Nag-para na po ako, sinabihan ko na po siya ng 'Kuya, ang bastos mo. Ipo-post ko 'to sa Faceboook," she said.

The jeepney driver just drove away when three other women boarded the jeepney.

The victim went to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) office and presented her three-minute clip of the incident. LTFRB officials accompanied the victim in filing a police blotter.

Police arrested the 41-year-old suspect at house in Villamor, Pasay on the same day. He has been detained since at the Pasay police station.

She sued Sewell for unjust vexation on Tuesday.

 -- Report from Jeff Hernaez, DZMM

UV Express Rape and Robbery Suspect Accomplice Dies in gun-grab

Quezon City police have arrested the other suspect in the rape-robbery incident, he was
shot dead after grabbing the gun of one the cops arresting him.

Alfie Palana Turado 34, alias “Buddy,” the accomplice of a colorum UV Express driver (Wilfredo Lorenzo) who raped and robbed two women in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, was arrested in Barangay (village) Obrero at around 2:00 a.m. according to the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD CIDU).
But almost two hours after he was arrested and brought to the police station, he was shot after taking the gun of the police officers who escorted him. He eventually died at the hospital while receiving medical treatment shortly before 4 a.m.

QCPD CIDU head Supt. Rodel Marcelo said in the incident report the suspect when they are already at QCPD headquarters in Camp Karingal, asked the police to bring him to his house in Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City to get the items he stole from the female victims.

At 3 a.m., Turado and the police officers left the headquarters.

“On the way to the place where the suspect allegedly kept the stolen items along Tandang Sora Avenue near Visayas Avenue, Turado suddenly grabbed the firearm of PO2 Randy Gandingco, which was tucked in his waistline,” the report read.

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UV Express Driver Who Robbed and Raped 2 Passengers Arrested

Two passengers of a colorum UV Express was robbed and raped inside the van by the driver and his companion in Quezon City. The driver Wilfredo Lorenzo, was caught and confessed, he blamed drugs for his crimes.

The two victims identified Wilfredo Lorenzo as one of the suspect who robbed and raped them. At around 10:00 p.m. they boarded the UV Express van at Centris Edsa Quezon Avenue. They are supposed to alight at Batasan Hills but Lorenzo and his companion declared holdup. After the suspects got their cellphones, they were raped inside the van.

The Ombudsman Is Investigating Secretary Alcala (Boy Bawang) for Garlic Cartel Scam

Current Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and several Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) officials are under investigation by the office of the Ombudsman for graft for their alleged involvement in the garlic cartel that spiked prices in 2014.

In a press statement on Wednesday, the Office of the Ombudsman said their Field Investigation Office (FIO) filed a graft complaint-affidavit against Alcala and four (4) BPI officials: former BPI director Clarito Barron, Quarantine Chief Merle Palacpac, Jesus Bajacan and former Quarantine chief Luben Marasigan. Included in the complaint are Lilia Cruz and the incorporators of the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines Inc (VIEVA).

The FIO also included in the graft complaint alleged dummy importer Lilia Cruz, who headed the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines, Inc. (VIEVA), which is allegedly behind the garlic cartel that spiked garlic prices from P80 to as much as P300 per kilo in 2014. She allegedly used dummies to collect multiple clearances, allowing her to corner a large chunk of the country's garlic supply.

In its complaint, the FIO said from January to July 2014, prices of garlic spiked, which compelled the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct an investigation into possible profiteering, hoarding and cartel-like activities.

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Abu Sayyaf groups beheads another Canadian hostage

According to a report on Al Jazeera, Canadian Robert Hall was executed by the Philippine based terrorist group Abu Sayyaf after ransom demands apparently were not met.  

Robert Hall was confirmed dead on Monday by a military source who spoke to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity prior to the official announcment.

Last April, the severed head of Canadian hostage John Ridsdel, 68, was found on the streets of Samal Island in the southern Philippines.

Robert Hall, his Filipina girlfriend Maritess Flor, fellow Canadian John Ridsdel and Norwegian resort manager Kjartan Sekkinstad were taken from a marina in the Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte on Septemper 21 last year.

SOCE Names Biggest Spender in Election 2016

President-elect Rodrigo Duterte campaign expendetures is at P371.46 million, 4 million less the total campaign contributions he received, according to his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE).

Duterte’s biggest contributors were Antonio Floirendo Jr., P75 million; Dennis Uy, P30 million; Samuel Uy, P30 million; and Lorenzo Te, P30 million, all from Davao City; and Bienvenido Tan of Makati City, P20 million.

Vice President-elect Leni Robredo spent a total of P418,664,130.60 for her vice presidential campaign. She received a total of P423,163,737.34 in contributions. Of this amount, P17,057,487.15 of the donations were in kind.

This is based on the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec):

Vice President Jejomar Binay’s SOCE got a total of P463,453,000 cash contributions, and had a total expeditures of P463,375,216.37.

Senator Gregorio Honasan cash contribution is P25,790,000 and P173,450 in-kind. He spent P26,259,889.20 with P296,449.20 coming from his personal funds.

Outgoing Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago declared having received and spent an equal amount of P74,652,689.87, all are donated in-kind from her party, People’s Reform Party (PRP).

Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., expenditures is at P140,539,366.34, he got a total of P123,640,000.00 in cash contributions and P7,067,735.00 in kind donations. He also paid out a total of P9,831,760.42 in personal funds.

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV based on his SOCE got P61,159,497.87, with P61,000,000 and P159,497.87, in cash and in kind contributions. His total expenditures totalled to P61,896,067.36 including P736,569.49 from personal funds.

Allan Peter Cayetano, it said he received contributions amounting to P188,930,000.00 and spent P189,129,872.48.

Presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe revealed she received a total of P511,950,000.00 in cash contributions and had total expenditures amounting to P510,845,262.56.

Poe’s partner in the May 2016 polls, Senator Francis Joseph Escudero, got a total of P322,100,000.00 in cash and P467,073.60 in kind donations amounting to P322,567,073.60. He spent of P321,014,827.64.

Presidential Race Top Spender:
1. Grace Poe - P510,845,262.56
2. Jejomar Binay - P463,453,000
3. Rodrigo Duterte - P371.46 million
4. Miriam Defensor-Santiago - P74,652,689.87
5. Manuel Roxas II - failed to submit his SOCE

Vice-Presidential Race Top Spender:
1. Leni Robredo - P418,664,130.60
2. Francis Joseph Escudero - P321,014,827.64
3. Allan Peter Cayetano  - P189,129,872.48
4. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr - P140,539,366.34
5. Antonio Trillanes IV - P61,896,067.36
6. Gregorio Honasan - P26,259,889.20

Liberal Party’s standard-bearer, Manuel Roxas II, failed to submit his SOCE.

The top 5 spenders in the senatorial race were:

1. Francis Tolentino at P199,146,623.72
2. Joel Villanueva P163,787,074.02
3. Sherwin Gatchalian, P157,077,338.62
4. Ralph Recto, P131,867,403.89
5. Isko Domagoso, P120,197,670.90.

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