{"id":4570,"date":"2016-08-29T11:31:55","date_gmt":"2016-08-29T11:31:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/?p=4570"},"modified":"2016-08-29T11:31:55","modified_gmt":"2016-08-29T11:31:55","slug":"the-muntinglupa-connection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/?p=4570","title":{"rendered":"The Muntinglupa Connection"},"content":{"rendered":"

In what could arguably be the \u201cmother of all scandals,\u201d <\/em>President Rodrigo \u201cRody\u201d Duterte dropped a bombshell in front of Sen. Leila de Lima\u2019s face. Calling it a \u201cdrugs matrix\u201d — known as the \u201cMuntinglupa Connection\u201d — Duterte released a document showing links between De Lima and several others allegedly involved in illegal drug activities at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) during the previous Aquino administration. The NBP is colloquially called \u201cMunti,\u201d<\/em> short for Muntinglupa City where the NBP is located. De Lima at that time was the country\u2019s Justice Secretary. Wouldn\u2019t that be like Don Vito Corleone \u2013 \u201cGodfather\u201d of La Cosa Nostra<\/em> fame — being appointed Attorney General of the United States?<\/p>\n

Drugs matrix<\/strong><\/p>\n

The matrix shows the following: Senator De Lima; De Lima\u2019s former driver Ronnie Palisoc Dayan; former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III; Pangasinan Board Member Raul Sison; Pangasinan provincial administrator Rafael Baraan (Francisco\u2019s brother); former Pangasinan Governor and now Rep. Amado Espino Jr.; retired general and former Bureau of Corrections (BUCOR) Chief Franklin Bucayo; and a certain \u201cMs. Cardenosa.\u201d<\/p>\n

Duterte said that the matrix explains the dynamics of the illegal drug network at the NBP.\u00a0 While he did not disclose the source of the matrix, it shows De Lima at the top with three lines connecting her to former Undersecretary Baraan, Bucayo, and Dayan.\u00a0 The matrix also shows that Dayan was De Lima\u2019s boyfriend since her days in the Commission on Human Rights.<\/p>\n

Duterte accused Dayan of being De Lima\u2019s link to convicted drug lords, who were supposedly allowed to run their illegal operations at the NBP when she was Justice Secretary.\u00a0 In the government\u2019s pecking order, the NBP is under the Department of Justice.\u00a0 The matrix also shows that Dayan is \u201ca known drug user in Urbiztondo,\u201d and that De Lima gave him a house and lot, money, and vehicles.<\/p>\n

Wiretaps<\/strong><\/p>\n

But what is intriguing is a Manila Times<\/em> news report, dated August 21, saying: \u201cPresident Rodrigo Duterte is in possession of wiretaps and ATM records showing that the former driver-bodyguard of Sen. Leila de Lima transacted with drug syndicates at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinglupa when she was Justice Secretary.\u201d<\/em> Further, the report said: \u201cThe two were intimate, he said, based on recordings of their \u2018lovers\u2019 talk\u2019 over the phone.\u201d<\/em> Duterte claimed that a foreign country, which he did not name, provided the wiretaps.<\/p>\n

The matrix also shows that with the help of De Lima, Bucayo was designated as Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Director of Police Regional Office 1. \u00a0It also shows that Bucayo was a go-between of De Lima and Espino.\u00a0 It is noteworthy that after his retirement from the military, De Lima appointed Bucayo as BUCOR Chief.\u00a0 However, he resigned because of alleged involvement in illegal drugs after contraband was found inside the NBP.<\/p>\n

The line that connects De Lima to former Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan III leads to Espino through Francisco\u2019s brother Rafael Baraan, whom Espino allegedly used to cover for his illegal activities.\u00a0\u00a0 The matrix describes Espino as the \u201crichest politician in Northern Luzon.\u201d\u00a0 Both Espino and Baraan were involved in black sand mining in Pangasinan.\u00a0 Recently, Espino has been charged with plunder for an illegal mining case.<\/p>\n

Organized crime<\/strong><\/p>\n

With all these linkages in the \u201cMuntinglupa Connection,\u201d it shows a network that is not unlike the \u201corganized crime\u201d in the U.S. where various layers are used to insulate the boss at the top of the criminal hierarchy.\u00a0 Could Dayan have been De Lima\u2019s conduit — or \u201cconsigliere,\u201d as the Mafia calls it \u2013 to the drug lords at NBP?<\/p>\n

But De Lima, as expected, denied the allegations.\u00a0 She also denied the existence of the illegal drug \u201cshabu\u201d inside the NBP compound when she was Justice Secretary.\u00a0 She also denied allegations that she bought Dayan a house in Pangasinan.\u00a0 However, according to the Urbiztondo Municipal Assessor\u2019s Office, Dayan\u2019s sister owns the land where Dayan\u2019s house was built.\u00a0\u00a0 But this is a typical modus operandi of corrupt government officials: the titles to their properties are in the names of \u201cdummies\u201d \u2013 relatives, friends or associates.\u00a0 Interestingly, the matrix shows that a certain \u201cMs. Cardenosa\u201d is connected to and serving as Dayan\u2019s \u201cdummy\u201d of his properties.\u00a0 The matrix also shows that she is connected to Espino and Sison.<\/p>\n

Congressional investigations<\/strong><\/p>\n

But De Lima, who isn\u2019t taking the whole shebang without a fight, complicates the situation.\u00a0 Calling the accusations linking her to illegal drugs at the NBP \u201cabsolute lies,\u201d De Lima who is the Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, is leading the probe into the summary killings of suspected drug offenders.\u00a0 The House of Representatives is also set to investigate the alleged illegal drug operations at the NBP.<\/p>\n

While it is commendable what Duterte is doing to rid the country of illegal drugs and stamp out corruption in government, some people doubt if he could accomplish all these within the framework of the law.\u00a0 Indeed, Duterte is getting a lot of flak from self-righteous people who believe that the law \u2013 in the strictest sense — should be applied in prosecuting those involved in the illegal drug trade.\u00a0 But that\u2019s what had been done in the past and — guess what? — the illegal drug problem was getting worse, which is turning the country into a major hub in the international drug trade.\u00a0 And as shown in Duterte\u2019s \u201cdrugs matrix,\u201d production of \u201cshabu\u201d is being done inside the NBP under De Lima\u2019s alleged protection. \u00a0With 20 of the country\u2019s major drug lords incarcerated at the NBP, they\u2019ve transformed the prison — with the connivance of prison staff — into a government-owned \u201cshabu\u201d factory.<\/p>\n

Narco-zombies<\/strong><\/p>\n

But while it\u2019s sad that those who are sworn to uphold the law and protect the citizens are protecting the illegal drug trade in this country, it\u2019s horrible to see a growing number of people suffering from addiction to \u201cshabu\u201d and other illicit drugs.\u00a0 What we\u2019re seeing today are people turning into narco-zombies.<\/p>\n

Can you blame Duterte then for trying his best to stop this \u201cbeast\u201d that is gnawing at the fabric of our society?\u00a0\u00a0 And can we blame him if he\u2019s using unorthodox methods to fight an unorthodox enemy who victimizes the people \u2013 anybody — regardless of age or status in life?<\/p>\n

I realize that some people are concerned with the collateral damage in the war against the drug menace.\u00a0 But like any other war, collateral damage cannot be avoided; it can only be minimized.\u00a0\u00a0 And what would be considered minimal?\u00a0 In an attempt to put it on a positive note, the following statistics show some bright outlook in Duterte\u2019s anti-drug campaign.<\/p>\n

The PNP reported that 239 drug suspects were slain in police operations as of July 22. An average of 11 people we killed each day during the first 22 days of the Duterte presidency.\u00a0 In almost all the cases, the PNP claimed self-defense. \u00a0\u00a0The total number of drug pushers and users who surrendered to authorities is 120,038. \u00a0Among them are 7,107 drug pushers and the rest are self-confessed drug users.<\/p>\n

While all these police operations help in fighting this vicious plague, the bottom line is:\u00a0 \u201cCut off the head of the snake.\u201d<\/em> With an approval rating of 91%, is Duterte doing the right thing in going after De Lima, the alleged head of the \u201cdrugs matrix\u201d? \u00a0But the ultimate question is: Will he succeed?<\/p>\n

(PerryDiaz@gmail.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In what could arguably be the \u201cmother of all scandals,\u201d President Rodrigo \u201cRody\u201d Duterte dropped a bombshell in front of Sen. Leila de Lima\u2019s face. Calling it a \u201cdrugs matrix\u201d — known as the \u201cMuntinglupa Connection\u201d — Duterte released a document showing links between De Lima and several others allegedly involved in illegal drug activities […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,52],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4570"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.philippinesentinel.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}