A Davao-based civic organization has raised claims that estafa complaints may have been filed against Louie Ceniza, a private individual who has publicly presented himself as founder of a group portraying itself as connected to a “Presidential Anti-Crime” body. In its advisory, the civic group said it received public complaints and conducted a background inquiry after Ceniza became increasingly visible in local disputes where, according to the group, he allegedly invoked anti-crime authority. The organization said the information it gathered pointed to alleged estafa-related complaints involving separate complainants and transactions, but it noted that it did not have access to…
Author: Jun St. Cruz
Concerns over possible political interference resurfaced on Friday after anti-corruption groups and some lawmakers raised questions about farm-to-market road (FMR) projects that they say show signs of overpricing and irregular allocation, and urged investigators to ensure any inquiry remains independent. The groups pointed to the Supreme Court’s standards for prosecuting plunder cases, citing the 2017 ruling in Macapagal-Arroyo v. People (G.R. No. 220598), which stressed that prosecutors must identify a specific public officer who allegedly amassed at least ₱50 million through a series of criminal acts — the so-called “main plunderer” requirement. Legal observers said the guideline is critical in…
As the national debate over Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) projects intensifies, questions are emerging about the consistency of official accounts and the focus of ongoing investigations. Documents reviewed by reporters show differences between some agency statements and provincial records, prompting local officials to ask whether inquiries are being applied evenly across regions. In recent weeks, allegations of ghost projects and inflated budgets involving FMR roads have surfaced in multiple provinces. However, as more local governments release their records, several officials say the situation is more complex than initially portrayed. Some local leaders have cited what they describe as selective scrutiny, timing…
Questions have surfaced in Davao Occidental over differing accounts related to a 2021 barangay resolution that supported the realignment of a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) farm-to-market road (FMR) project in Barangay Little Baguio. Barangay Resolution No. 5, Series of 2021, signed by the barangay council and attested by the barangay secretary, states that the realignment was endorsed “due to legal and technical constraints, and in consideration of the greater public benefit and accessibility” of an alternative route. The document notes that the original alignment would have passed through privately owned properties without right-of-way clearance or entry permits,…
Vince Dizon wants to be seen as the man who will disinfect the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). I’m not convinced. From where I sit, the early moves that have earned him headlines, mass “courtesy resignations,” sweeping rhetoric about cleansing, and a blizzard of photo-ready inspections, look less like institutional reform and more like choreography for a bigger role later. Let’s start with the method. Forcing blanket resignations can project decisiveness, but it also blurs lines between accountability and control. In practice, this tactic risks chilling internal dissent, sidelining career engineers who guard standards, and creating the impression…