(File photo) MANILA - Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) have arrested a retired police officer implicated in a "ghost pension scam" in Rizal province. In a statement Wednesday, PNP deputy chief for administration, Lt. Gen. Jose Chiquito Malayo, identified the suspect as retired Senior Police Officer 4 Romeo Arela, 65, who was arrested by members of the PNP Retirement and Benefits Administration Service (PRBS) in coordination with the personnel of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in his residence in Barangay San Jose in Antipolo City on Monday afternoon. Malayo said the suspect has a standing warrant of arrest dated Nov. 12, 2018, issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 95 for malversation of public funds and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. "Retired SPO4 Arela was criminally and administratively charged for defrauding the government of millions of pesos through the 'ghost pension scam' in the PNP,
Philippine National Police (PNP) Deputy Chief for Administration Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia. (Screengrab from RTVM video) CEBU CITY - The second highest official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday called for a unified force to fight attempts to disrupt the May 9 elections and to resist any forms of destabilization of the government. Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, PNP deputy chief for administration, underscored the need to intensify measures that counter the efforts of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to undermine the sanctity of the upcoming elections. Speaking before members of the force multipliers and advocacy groups attending the Duterte Legacy Caravan at the Camp Sergio Osmena Sr. here, Sermonia hinted at the successful intrusion of the communist front organizations into the different sectors of the community. "Lalo pa po nating palakasin ang puersa na ito dahil sa darating na eleksyon, marahil ba
PNP deputy chief for administration,Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia (File photo) MANILA - Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia is now the second-highest official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) after being named as the deputy chief for administration effective Monday. In an order, PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos named Sermonia as the replacement of Lt. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson, who is now on non-duty status ahead of his mandatory retirement on March 27. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Divina replaced Sermonia as the deputy chief for operations, the PNP's third in command. As deputy chief for operations, Divina will also serve as the new commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Covid-19 Shield, the enforcement arm of the national government in the implementation of quarantine rules and health protocols. Divina is a member of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1988. Meanwhile, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Ano said only President Rodrigo R.
(File photo) MANILA - Another police officer has succumbed to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported on Wednesday. In a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), PNP deputy chief for administration, Lt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz, said the police force's 126th Covid-19 fatality was a staff sergeant assigned to the Jaen municipal police in Nueva Ecija. The 38-year-old patient, who was fully vaccinated, died at the Nueva Ecija Medical Center on January 14 due to Covid-19 and acute respiratory failure. This is the PNP's first death from Covid-19 since November 9 last year. "(He was) vaccinated but with co-morbidities," Vera Cruz said. The patient tested positive for Covid-19 on January 13 and has been under medical care to manage his co-morbidity. His medical records further showed that he had an acute respiratory failure secondary to community-acquired pneumonia and chronic kidney disease. The PNP sent its condolences to t
DILG Secretary Eduardo Ano (File photo) MANILA - Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Ano is back on duty beginning Monday, seven days after he contracted Covid-19 for the third time. "Ok naman ako. January 17 cleared na ako (I'm okay now. I've been cleared as early as January 17)," Ano said in a message to the Philippine News Agency on Sunday. On January 11, Ano announced that he was tested anew for Covid-19 although he was asymptomatic. Ano first tested positive for Covid-19 on March 31, 2020, and underwent a second test on April 8, which came out negative. He, however, tested positive for the virus again on Aug. 16, 2020. On Jan. 11 this year, Ano went on a one-month leave as part of his then post-Covid health recovery plan. As this developed, Ano said anyone with mild coronavirus symptoms, which cover the public and healthcare workers, must isolate for seven days, while those who are not fully vaccinated must do so for 10 days f