Author Carlo Carrasco

Shabu worth P1 million seized in Parañaque City, 2 suspects arrested

August 19, 2024August 12, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, P1 million worth of the illegal substance shabu was recovered by local police officers as they arrested two suspects, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Members of the Parañaque City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit (SDEU) recovered P1 million worth of shabu in a buy-bust operation on Sunday, August 11.

The Southern Police District (SPD) identified the suspects as “Marvin,” 28, and tagged by the police as a high value individual (HVI), and “Eduard,” 20. The two were arrested at around 11:40 a.m. in Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City.

The duo yielded 150 grams of shabu worth P1,020,000, P500 used as buy-bust money, black sling bag, and a green coin purse.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you thankful to the local police for conducting the successful buy-bust operation which resulted in the arrests of the suspects and the seizure of the shabu?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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A Look Back at What If #19 (1980)

August 16, 2024August 2, 2024carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 1980s arts and culture enthusiasts, Marvel Comics fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1980 to examine an alternate story of the Marvel Comics shared universe chronicled through the What If monthly series.

Spider-Man is clearly Marvel Comics’ greatest icon. He is the one Marvel superhero who is easily recognized around the world through the many comic books published, the animated TV shows and the big-budget Hollywood movies released. Given Spider-Man’s real-life fame as a pop culture and American icon, one has to wonder what would it be like had the webslinger decided to have a career in showbiz instead of fighting bad guys. How can Spidey realize that with great power comes great responsibility if he is so focused on being an entertainer?

With those details laid down, here is a look back at What If #19, published in 1980 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Peter Gillis and drawn by Pat Broderick.

Early story

The story begins far into Spider-Man’s past when he started as an entertainer. Spider-Man sees a police man chasing a thief down the hallway (note: this was a key moment in the life of Peter Parker who went to become a crime fighter as Spider-Man). Instead of letting the thief get away, Spidey uses his web to stop him which enabled the police officer to apprehend him.

The next day, the Daily Globe published a front page story showing Spider-Man (described as a TV star) stopped the crook which established him as a heroic entertainer. The story bothered J. Jonah Jameson (The Daily Bugle) so much not only because the rival newspaper reported it but also because he perceived it as a glorification of so-called superheroes.

Elsewhere, Spider-Man and a famous film producer talk about making a movie about him that can really entertain a lot of people…

Quality

*As Spider-Man makes waves on television as an entertainer and endorser, J. Jonah Jameson tells the media the difference between real heroes and the costumed ones with super powers.*

Considering the history of Spider-Man, it is both difficult and risky to come up with a new reality that diverged from the key moment of the icon’s past (letting a crook get away from the chasing cop) resulting in a completely new version of him – Spider-Man as an entertainer. The good news here is that Peter Gillis’ script is solid and its scenes were nicely arranged to make this new version of the icon believable.

As shown on the cover of this comic book, the tale shows Spider-Man as a celebrity who found success and wealth in showbiz. Along the way, the classic Peter Parker gradually transforms into a new version who is not only focused on entertaining people but also engaging in publicity wars without ever becoming journalist. Since Marvel’s most famous icon does not fight crime, you will see him as an entertainment entrepreneur, a fighter through publicity, and as someone who enjoys the high life that most Americans don’t have.

In relation to the concept of the story, J. Jonah Jameson and Daredevil became the next important players to Spider-Man. Jameson is the rival of the webslinger but not necessarily the villain. Through Jameson, you will not only witness how he misuses his power at The Daily Bugle but also his interactions with criminal elements as he searches for ways to deal with Spidey. When it comes to Daredevil’s role, I encourage you to read the comic book to find out.

The story by Gillis moved at a medium-to-fast pace and for each build-up done, pay-offs were satisfying to read. When it comes to the scope of the story, this alternate reality is actually captivating to follow from start to finish.

Conclusion

*Can you just imagine how different superhero comics would have been in real life had Marvel actually depicted Spider-Man as a showbiz figure?*

What If #19 (1980) is a very solid and captivating comic book to read. The creative duo of Peter Gillis and Pat Broderick succeeded in selling the concept of what would happen had Spider-Man became an entertainer instead of fighting evil figures that hound society. Apart from showing a drastically different version of Spidey, the story will compel you to think about the relevance of superheroes in society, why becoming a major player in showbiz is chaotic, and how could Peter Parker be responsible with the power (related to showbiz) he has without combating evil.

Overall, What If #19 (1980) is recommended.

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NBI arrests 12 Chinese nationals who were caught in the act of scamming and for previously detaining and harming a man who refused to work as a scammer

August 16, 2024August 9, 2024carlocarrasco

Every day here in the Philippines, either someone got scammed or someone is secretly organizing a scam to steal money from others. Recently in the City of Manila, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) apprehended twelve Chinese nationals who were caught in the act of scamming and also for illegally detaining and assaulting a man who refused to work as a scammer, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The National Bureau of Investigation-Special Task Force (NBI-STF) has arrested 12 Chinese nationals for alleged online scamming and assaulting and detaining an individual who refused to work as a scammer, it said Friday.

In a statement, the NBI said the victim filed a complaint for alleged violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, serious physical injuries, and serious illegal detention.

The complainant said he was forced to work as an online scammer in a building in Manila and was beaten and assaulted when he refused.

He said the suspects then demanded him to pay the P500,000 ransom, but he was only able to give P300,000. After this, he was released and threatened to be killed if he will report the incident to authorities.

This led the NBI-STF, in coordination with the Manila Police District, to conduct an operation on August 6.

They arrested 12 Chinese nationals caught in the act of committing online scamming activities. Four of them were positively identified by the complainant as the ones who assaulted him.

The suspects were presented for inquest proceedings for violation of 4(b)(2) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act, and Article 263 and 267 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think there could be a lot more Chinese nationals committing crime and harming people here in the Philippines? Have you been scammed before? Do you think the Chinese nationals currently living in your local community could be secretly scamming others online?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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BIR files tax evasion charges against dismissed mayor Alice Guo and two others

August 15, 2024August 14, 2024carlocarrasco

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) formally filed tax evasion charges against former Bamban mayor Alice Guo and two other suspects, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA). For the newcomers reading this, this development is related to the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban, Tarlac province.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Wednesday filed tax evasion charges against dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo and two others before the Department of Justice.

Commissioner Romeo D. Lumagui Jr. filed the charges against Guo, and Jack L. Uy and Rachelle Carreon of Baofu Land Development, Inc., which arose from Guo’s admission that she transferred her shares in Baofu to Uy.

“Upon investigation, the BIR discovered that no capital gains tax (CGT) and documentary stamp tax (DST) returns were filed and paid in relation to this transfer,” the BIR said in its statement.

The three were charged with “attempt to evade or defeat tax, failure to file CGT and DST returns, and failure to file/ supply certain information.”

Lumagui noted that while the parties to the transfer are Guo and Uy, Carreon, as the corporate secretary of Baofu, would also be charged with the same criminal case for tax evasion due to her “deliberate failure to report” the non-payment and non-filing of CGT and DST returns to the BIR.

“She even verified under oath the General Information Sheet reflecting the transfer even if no taxes were paid and no returns were filed,” he said.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this development will compel Alice Guo to escape abroad from the authorities?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Muntinlupa City centenarian receives P100,000 cash gift from City Government

August 15, 2024August 9, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Muntinlupa, an elderly woman received a P100,000 cash gift from the City Government as she turned 100-years-old and Mayor Ruffy Biazon paid a visit, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Mom Teodula Pesigan celebrated her 100th birthday with a P100,000 cash gift from the Muntinlupa City government.

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon personally visited Pesigan at her house in Barangay Putatan to hand over the P100,000 gift, a program of the city government through its Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affairs.

“At her age, very sharp pa ang kanyang isip (At her age, her mind is still very sharp),” said Biazon.

When he asked about her secret to long life, her family responded that she likes to eat lechon and liempo.

“It was a great and fun experience na makilala at makausap si Nanay Dulay (It was a great and fun experience to meet and talk to Nanay Dulay),” the mayor added.

All centenarian residents of Muntinlupa get P100,000 cash gift under City Ordinance No. 2018-147.

Under Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016, all Filipinos aged 100 and above will be given cash gifts to recognize their contribution to the country, added Biazon.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted to learn about the existence of the local ordinance that ensures cash gifts to centenarians? Is anyone in your local community about to reach the age of 100?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Vietnamese victim rescued and three Chinese nationals arrested in Parañaque City

August 15, 2024August 7, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, the local police arrested three Chinese nationals who allegedly robbed and abducted a 23-year-old Vietnamese woman who managed to escape from her captors, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The suspects have been charged with robbery, grave coercion, illegal detention, possession of illegal drugs, and illegal possession of firearms.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

A female Vietnamese national who was robbed and abducted by three Chinese men was rescued by members of the Parañaque City Police on Tuesday, August 6.

The victim was identified as “Lang,” 23 and is said to be working in a money exchange services business in Manila. Meanwhile, the suspects were identified as “Jun,” 31, “Hao,” 27, and “Zhang,” 26.

The police said Lang was rescued after she managed to escape from one of her abductors who fell asleep while guarding her and sought assistance from a lobby security guard of a condominium building located in Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City. The police immediately responded to the report of the security guard and rescued the victim.

Lang said her workplace caters to several Chinese nationals and foreigners seeking to exchange currencies.

At around 12:20 a.m. on August 6, one of the suspects contacted her through Telegram for a meeting to exchange Vietnamese dong to Philippine peso.

Upon arrival at the condominium unit, Lang said she was threatened by Hao with a knife and forcibly took her cellphone. The suspects transported her to an unknown location on board a Ford Ranger pickup.

The suspects forcibly obtained her cellphone password including her facial ID to access her online bank account where they were able to transfer her money to an unknown account amounting to 8,940,000,000 Vietnamese dong from Vietcombank, P1,000,000 worth of jewelry, and P300,000 cash.

Police recovered from the arrested suspects two .9mm pistols; a North American Ans Black Widow 22 Magnum revolver; various ammunitions; P236,000 cash; several electronic devices such as an Apple iPad, Apple MacBook Air, and seven iPhones; a Chinese passport in the name of “Liu”; and a Vietnamese passport under the name of “Dong.”

They also yielded a set of vehicle license plates; one matte black Ford Ranger Sport; 76 ecstasy tablets with an estimated value of P129,200; and 5 grams of suspected shabu worth P34,000.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more Chinese nationals committing crime, accumulating guns and stealing money from others?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Team Xbox delays fantasy RPG Avowed to February 2025

August 14, 2024August 6, 2024carlocarrasco

Welcome back Xbox fans, geeks and gamers!

In case you missed the news – bad ones actually – be aware that the release of fantasy role-playing game Avowed has officially been delayed to February 18, 2025, according to a Windows Central news report. It was previously announced that Avowed was supposed to be released sometime in late-2024 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Windows PC and Xbox Game Pass (XGP).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Windows Central news report. Some parts in boldface…

Obsidian Entertainment and Xbox Game Studios’ upcoming fantasy role-playing game Avowed is being delayed out of the year, as confirmed via the official Xbox X (Twitter) account.

“So many games coming! As such, we’re moving Avowed to Feb 18, 2025 to give players’ backlogs some breathing room,” the message reads. “Stay tuned for more from our games across Activision, Blizzard, Bethesda & Xbox Game Studios at gamescom, including our Aug 23 livestream for a look at Avowed.”

This comes hot on the heels of a report from The Verge indicating that Avowed would be delayed, which Windows Central was able to corroborate. By all accounts, this move is to allow Avowed more breathing room outside of what is shaping up to be an extremely busy fall and holiday period, with multiple Xbox first-party launches and third-party titles including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

While Avowed won’t be playable at Gamescom 2024, Xbox is hosting theater presentations revealing more of the game, alongside similar presentations for Indiana Jones and Starfield’s Shattered Space expansion.

When it arrives, Avowed will be launching across Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PC, as well as being included day one in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

As a long-time Xbox gamer, the delay of Avowed is disappointing and adding more to the disappointment is the fact that an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription (note: the most expensive XGP option) is required to play it on launch day. This effectively locks out (temporarily) many Xbox Game Pass subscribers who could not afford to upgrade their current subscriptions and they have no choice but to wait first before the game becomes available to them.

Ever since it was first announced, I was looking forward to playing Avowed and it was one of the main reasons I bought the Xbox Series X console. I am also a fan of Obsidian Entertainment’s role-playing games such as Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds. In fairness, Team Xbox announced that they will do a livestream presentation of Avowed during Gamescom 2024 on August 23. Hopefully we will see the latest about the game. To ease the pain of waiting, check out the most recent video of Avowed below.

For more details about Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed, click https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/avowed and https://avowed.obsidian.net/

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Ombudsman orders dismissal of suspended Bamban mayor Alice Guo from service

August 14, 2024August 13, 2024carlocarrasco

The Office of the Ombudsman has officially ordered the dismissal of suspended Bamban mayor Alice Guo from service due to grave misconduct, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article. For the newcomers reading this, this development is related to the raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub in Bamban.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal from service of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo for grave misconduct.

In an order dated Aug. 12, the Ombudsman also ordered the forfeiture of Guo’s retirement benefits and perpetually banned her from holding public office.

Guo’s involvement in operations of raided Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in her area bared a “willful intent on her part to violate the law or disregard established rules,” the anti-graft office said.

“The series of acts are interconnected, leaving no other conclusion than that they were committed by Guo with ulterior motive or self-interest.”

Meanwhile, government lawyers said they may opt to pursue the quo warranto case they had already filed against Guo.

“The quo warranto petition will proceed for two reasons: Mayor Alice Guo may still appeal the OMB (Ombudsman) dismissal order. The quo warranto petition, if successful, will make Guo Hua Ping (a.k.a. Alice Guo) ineligible to run for any elective public position in the future,” Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman also found 12 other Bamban officials guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service and were ordered suspended for three months.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think this development will somehow compel Alice Guo to finally come out of hiding and face the government to clear her name?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Las Piñas City awarded by DENR

August 14, 2024August 7, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Las Piñas, the City Government received two awards from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for compliance with Republic Act Number 9003 as well as its engagement in the proper implementation of solid waste management practices, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The local government of Las Piñas received two awards from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for its compliance with the Ecological Solid Waste Act of 2000 and active engagement in the proper implementation of solid waste management practices.

Las Piñas Vice Mayor April Aguilar said the city was awarded after being included as one of the top five local government units (LGUs) who displayed outstanding performance in complying with the Republic Act 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.”

The agency recognized the city government for its efforts during the 2023 LGU-Compliance Assessment and its contributions to the Manila Bay clean-up rehabilitation and preservation program.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? Are you delighted with the newest awards the City Government received from the DENR?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Immigration operatives arrest wanted Chinese national in Parañaque City

August 13, 2024August 4, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the city of Parañaque, operatives of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a Chinese national who turned out to be wanted by authorities in China for alleged acts of human trafficking related to online gaming hubs located in the Philippines, according to a GMA Network news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said it has arrested a Chinese national wanted in Beijing for allegedly trafficking fellow Chinese to work for online gaming hubs in the Philippines.

The Chinese national was identified by BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco as Wang Chuancong, 35.

Wang was arrested last July 30 at a condominium along Roxas Boulevard in Parañaque City by BI’s Fugitive Search Unit operatives. Tansingco said the Chinese government informed the BI of the suspect’s presence in the country.

A detention warrant was issued against him in April 2024 by the municipal public security bureau in Jinjiang, China for human trafficking.

“We were told that he heads a syndicate that facilitates the illegal departure of Chinese nationals by forging documents to facilitate their outbound travel in China,” Tansingco said.

“This allows them to travel to different countries including the Philippines to work in online gaming hubs,” the BI commissioner added.

Wang was found to be an undocumented alien after his passport was canceled by the Chinese government.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be more Chinese criminals hiding in the city?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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