crime – Page 57 – Author Carlo Carrasco

Three Chinese nationals apprehended in Parañaque City over kidnap of a fellow citizen

March 18, 2022March 16, 2022carlocarrasco

Another kidnapping incident involving Chinese nationals happened again in the City of Parañaque recently and the good news is that three suspects were arrested, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Three Chinese nationals were arrested by patrolling policemen when a fellow citizen whom they kidnapped screamed for help in Paranaque City on Tuesday night.

Police identified the suspects as Zhao Lian, 40; Su Xiaoxi, 34; and Long Chen 33. They were charged with kidnapping and illegal detention and are now all detained at the Paranaque City Police custodial facility.

Police said that prior to the incident, the victim, Niu Weicheng, applied for a job and agreed to meet his supposed employer.

The victim told police that he was fetched by the suspects in Makati City for a swab test.

However, the suspects brought him to Norway Building, Kassel Residences in Barangay Moonwalk, Paranaque City, where he was detained at about 9:00 p.m.

He also told police that the suspects demanded P600,000 from him, or else he will be sold as a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operation (POGO) worker in Cavite City.

The above report ended stating that Southern Police District (SPD) director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said that their police officers heard the victim scream for help while patrolling. Fortunately for the victim, the police officers responded which led to the arrest of the suspects.

For the newcomers reading this, the disturbing trend of Chinese nationals kidnapping their fellow Chinese people has been going on for years now. Parañaque itself has been a hot spot for crimes involving Chinese. For added insight, check out this February 2020 news video below…

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, do you believe that Chinese nationals are causing trouble in your local community? Are you concerned that a household in your local community occupied by Chinese nationals could be used for illegal activities such as the imprisonment of kidnap victims, smuggling, prostitution and the like? Do you believe it is high time for local authorities to investigate the POGOs? Does Parañaque need strong rules against kidnapping?

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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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

One of the victims rescued in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City, turned out to be a Taiwanese fugitive

March 3, 2022March 2, 2022carlocarrasco

In relation to what happened recently in Barangay BF Homes in Parañaque City, the local authorities just revealed that one of the victims rescued turned out to be a Taiwanese citizen who has been wanted in her homeland for fraud, according to a Manila Bulletin follow-up story. In their previous report, the two victims of kidnapping were described as Chinese nationals.

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

One of the two foreigners who were rescued by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) during a raid in Parañaque City on Feb. 26, turned out to be a fugitive wanted in Taiwan for fraud.

AKG director Brig. Gen. Ruldolph Dimas said they discovered that Li-You Ci is a Taiwanese and is wanted at the course of the investigation after the rescue operation in Parañaque City where three of his captors were killed in a brief gunbattle.

“We immediately served the arrest warrant for her after verification. Documentation will be undertaken prior to her turnover to the Bureau of Immigration for the deportation proceedings,” said Dimas.

Li was kidnapped by a group of Chinese armed men in Pasay City. She was then kept in a safe house of the suspects while negotiations for her release were being conducted.

The warrant of arrest was issued by the Taiwan Kinmen District Prosecutors Office and was served on March 1,

The AKG, however, could not provide details as to why Li is (being) sought by Taiwanese authorities.

The above report ended stating that despite this strange turn of events, the filing of the case for kidnapping will still push through.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this latest news development? If you are a resident of Parañaque City, are you concerned that houses within your local community occupied by foreigners could have fugitives and other criminals in hiding?

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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Illegal drugs worth more than P350,000 seized in Parañaque City

March 1, 2022February 28, 2022carlocarrasco

Another drugs-related development happened recently in Parañaque City and the illegal substances are estimated to be worth over P350,000, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

A 53 year-old man was arrested by members of the Paranaque Police Sub-Station 4 after he was caught in possession of suspected shabu worth more than P350,000 on Feb. 26.

Col. Maximo Sebastian, Paranaque police chief, identified the suspect as Johnny de Leon who was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. at Small Ville beside Olivarez Condominium in Barangay San Dionisio, Paranaque.

Sebastian said prior to the arrest of the suspect, members of the Paranaque Police Sub-Station 4 were conducting “Oplan Galugad” when they were approached by a concerned citizen who reported of an ongoing illegal drug trade.

The police proceeded to the place to verify the report and caught the suspect in the act of sealing a plastic sachet containing shabu with the use of his lighter.

During a body search, the police found two plastic sachets of shabu placed inside a coin pouch.

Sebastian said recovered from the suspect 51.67 grams of shabu amounting to P351,356.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City, what is your reaction to this latest news story? Do you consider your city as the hot spot for illegal drugs?

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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3 Chinese nationals killed, 2 others rescued in Barangay BF Homes, Parañaque City

March 1, 2022February 28, 2022carlocarrasco

It seems that Parañaque City is still a hot spot for criminal activities that involve Chinese nationals as something happened in Barangay BF Homes that saw the deaths of three Chinese nationals as crime suspects and two others as kidnap victims who got rescued, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Three Chinese nationals, who allegedly kidnapped two fellow citizens, were killed during a police rescue operation in Parañaque City on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 27.

Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, Southern Police District (SPD) director, said the suspects were killed in a shootout with members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Kidnapping Group, Pasay and Paranaque police at about 5:50 p.m. on Vicente Recto St. at Barangay BF Homes, Paranaque City.

Macaraeg said that prior to the encounter, a suspect identified as Lorriel Lozano, 22, admitted his involvement in the kidnapping-for-ransom of one Ling Qang Chang, 43, in Pasay City.

The SPD chief said the joint team launched a rescue operation after learning that two foreigners identified as Zhou Xiang Kin, 42, and Li Ci You, 33, were also kidnapped and being detained inside a dog cage on the second floor of the suspects’ house.

Macaraeg said the operatives were fired upon by the suspects upon arrival in the area. The cops retaliated, wounding the three Chinese kidnappers.

The police rushed the suspects to the Medical Center Paranaque, but they were declared dead on arrival.

The SPD chief said they could not yet release the names of the slain suspects because the PNP is still conducting investigation on the kidnapping incidents involving Chinese nationals.

Macaraeg said the operatives recovered at the crime scene a 12-gauge shotgun, a .45-caliber pistol, one .9mm Uzi, a .9mm pistol, one black Toyota Innova, a white Kymco motorcycle, assorted military and police uniforms, ammunitions, cartridge cases, bullet vests, and gun parts.

For added insight, watch the related ABS-CBN and GMA Network news videos below…

The above news story that took place within Barangay BF Homes is pretty disturbing not just because it took place within a residential area, but also because the suspects accumulated deadly weapons and lots of military and police uniforms. It seems the suspects are working for some powerful people who have yet to be identified. Having that much guns, ammunition and clothing resembling local authorities is very disturbing to say the least. We can only hope that the police will be able to find out who the superiors and financiers of the suspects are.

The kidnapping of Chinese nationals committed by their fellow citizens here in the Philippines is not unusual. More on Parañaque itself, there was a gang composed of almost all Chinese nationals that got arrested for attempting to kidnap another Chinese citizen. With regards to foreigners causing disturbance within Parañaque with other forms of criminal activities, there was even an illegal online gaming operation involving several Chinese and Filipino citizens in Barangay Tambo. As for the cyber sex den in Parañaque that got stopped by the NBI, that illegal operation also involved a Chinese citizen.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are living in Parañaque City, do you believe that Chinese nationals are causing trouble in your local community? Are you concerned that a house in your local community occupied by Chinese nationals could be used for illegal activities like kidnapping, hacking, cybersex, prostitution, torture, smuggling, and imprisonment of other people?

If ever you spot an act of kidnapping happening, are you willing to report the incident to the local police?

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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Wanted foreigners arrested by immigration officials

February 22, 2022February 21, 2022carlocarrasco

Here in the Philippines, personnel of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) successfully apprehended three foreigners – two from South Korea and one from China – who were wanted in their respective countries. According to a Manila Bulletin news report, the three were arrested in two separate operations.

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

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has arrested two South Koreans wanted for telecom fraud and a Chinese charged with economic crimes in their respective countries.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said Koreans Kim Changhan, 25, and Kim Junhee, 38, were arrested last week by operatives from the bureau’s fugitive search unit (FSU) in separate operations conducted in Makati City and Porac, Pampanga.

On the other hand, 51-year-old Chinese woman Zhang Yujie was (collared) in Mandaluyong City last Friday.

The BI chief said that the two South Koreans already have summary deportation orders issued against them in 2019 and 2020 for being undesirable aliens.

FSU chief Rendel Ryan Sy said the deportation order against Kim Changan was in relation to an arrest warrant issued by the Seoul Central District Court in October 2020 while Kim Junhee faces a warrant issued by Seoul Nambu District Court in July 2019.

Information obtained from the Interpol’s national central bureau (NCB) in Manila revealed that Kim Changan is the leader of a telecom fraud syndicate based in Sandong-sung China engaged in voice phishing that defrauded their compatriots of more than 63 million won or nearly US$53 million.

For the newcomers reading this, there are wanted foreigners or undesirable aliens who are present here in the Philippines and it takes time and effort to apprehend them. This past January in Parañaque City, a foreign fugitive was arrested and he turned out to be listed in the Interpol’s Red Notice. Still in Parañaque, a Malaysian national and his Filipino partner got arrested for falsification of documents and usurpation of authority right inside a police station. The two suspects tried to fool the police into releasing Chinese nationals who were arrested for kidnapping.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you suspicious of foreigners living in your local community right now? Do you believe that the immigration officials are the doing good enough to get rid of the undesirable aliens?

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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My five hours with the free trial version of Cyberpunk 2077 on my Xbox Series X

February 21, 2022February 20, 2022carlocarrasco

Before I begin, I want to make clear to all of you reading this that I never got to play Cyberpunk 2077 on any platform when it was first launched in late-2020. Like anyone else, I waited years for that game and I was excited too but Cyberpunk 2077 was released just a few weeks after Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 launched. At that very time in December 2020, I was focused on raising funds for Xbox Series X than buying new games for my console at the time – the Xbox One (which stopped functioning in mid-2021 after 6 years of use). I can also say that the exposure of Cyberpunk 2077’s very flawed state on consoles plus the criticism that followed convinced me to stay away from CD Projekt Red’s promised epic video game.

Very recently, CD Projekt Red not only polished Cyberpunk 2077 with Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in mind, they also released a free 5-hour trial version (with patch 1.5) which I decided to download and play to really experience the game for the first time ever. This post I’m writing is clearly not a game review but my own observation about what Cyberpunk 2077 offered and what I experienced in the five hours I played.

*I was in the second half of my 5-hour playtime with the free trial version of Cyberpunk 2077 when I reached this place.*

After downloading it, I got to play the free trial version on my Xbox Series X with the performance mode chosen as I wanted to play the game with the best frame-rate possible. I customized V in female form and chose Streetkid as her lifepath as I was eager to discover Night City.

While I knew five hours was rather limiting to make tremendous story progress or discover much of the city, I still went on with the main storyline of V, discovered the key characters, and went through the tutorials to learn the basics of combat (both guns and melee weapons), stealth, hacking and, late in my limited playtime, the braindance (note: you get to experience life through another person’s own views and experiences in first-person view and externally).

*The shooting in this game still lacks precision and accuracy when compared to what The Outer Worlds and Fallout 4 have.*

On combat, I find the shooting rather lacking in precision in terms of aiming and controller response when compared to what I’ve played in first-person role-playing games (RPGs) The Outer Worlds and Fallout 4. In fairness, the impact of shots fired against enemies in Cyberpunk 2077 is rather strong, especially when you use powerful weapons like the shotgun. The melee combat meanwhile can be challenging to pull off precisely. Even with the immersive first-person view, I had a bit of trouble estimating if my character’s fists or weapon would be able to reach the opposition figure. I also had similar results with regards to blocking the opposition’s melee attacks on my character. Ultimately, I managed to overcome the opposition to complete the tutorial. Stealth gameplay is challenging as well not only because it was difficult to estimate the farthest reach of the view of the opposing character or security cameras/drones, but also because I found moving around lacking precision.

*Now that’s an eye-catching in-game reference to the Philippines and the Filipino people.*

*There is nothing like facing a highly detailed character nearest to you at the bar.*

The hacking system of the game is well-designed and easily outclasses that of Ubisoft’s hacking-oriented open-world games Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2. Hacking in Cyberpunk 2077 is not only more user-friendly but also comes with options that make sense within the game’s concept and the many different digital set-ups in each different location I have been to. Since I was limited by the 5 hours allowed in the trial version, I got to use the hacking system as far as I could and I saw how more options become available once I got to level up V’s character level, attributes and tech capabilities. I was enjoying the in-game hacking by the time my trial ended.

Braindance is like a video record of events experienced by other people in which players will get to review, move forward or backward, and be able to spot/scan new details in order to progress. While it is very immersive to see and experience happenings through the eyes and memory of another character, the video editing aspect of braindance is where the detective work really happens which I enjoyed. This part of the gameplay really pushed me to be observant with the moments and details to progress.

When it comes to exploration in Cyberpunk 2077, I can clearly say that moving down the many sidewalks, streets and varied spots of Night City is really intense and immersive to play. For one thing, the first-person view itself is immersive visually and the immersion got enhanced a lot more with the very clever sound editing (all those cars moving around, the people and their steps, the sound of products coming out from vending machines, the sound of the street barbeque being cooked, the voices of people talking and more) as well as the high number of civilians around me doing their own things. As I never got to play this game in its debut version of late-2020, I could not tell if the in-city exploration was this dense and lively. What I can say is that exploring Night City on foot, going through the alleys, entering establishment that are open and observing the people around is a very engaging gaming experience for me.

*Depending on timing and location, the number of pedestrians you walk with in Night City can range from a few to several people, including kids.*

*You will witness non-playable characters (NPCs) move around, talk and even purchase goods at vending machines.*

Like in real life, you walk across the street only when the green light is on for pedestrians. You can have V do jaywalking but that is risky as there are a lot of cars that move along the roads in real time.

Going back to combat, the use of an inhaler to keep V’s hit points (note: life) up easily reminds me of The Outer Worlds. In addition, the food and drinks you purchased at vending machines are also helpful to keep not only your life up but also your stamina. As V is cybernetic, hacking is easily a major part of the gameplay and as you upgrade the character’s cyberwear, V will eventually gain more high-tech capabilities like scanning people and machines for information and more.

Conclusion – For the sake of the people who have not yet played Cyberpunk 2077, I decided not to reveal much about the story of V in my limited playtime. I can say, however, that players are allowed freedom to choose places to visit and activities to do. There is also the freedom for players to take time away from doing main story mission in favor of side-activities or moving around freely to do what you think you could do. My playtime ended as I was in the middle of a main story mission that involved the supporting character Jackie, a high-tech small robot (pet-like in design) and infiltrating rooms and devices while V stays inside the room of a very high-end hotel.

*There is a lot of shooting in this game.*

As of this writing, Cyberpunk 2077 is selling at 50% off on the Xbox online store. Now you must be wondering…should you buy the game now that it has been polished and updated with the current generation of game consoles?

In my honest opinion, I prefer to wait first for CD Projekt Red to improve the game even more. I can say that I had an overall positive experience playing the Streetkid path of V during my 5-hour trial play and I had an astounding experience exploring Night City on foot and discovering many new places which show how talented CD Projekt Red’s designers and artists really are. As mentioned earlier, the shooting aspect is still lacking which is unfortunate because it is clear that shooting is the core method of combat. If you don’t like shooting, melee combat is available but that one also needs more refinement to be truly responsive and engaging.

As much as I enjoyed my five hours with Cyberpunk 2077’s free trial, I am not yet convinced to buy the game’s full version for my Xbox Series X now. Not even the 50% discount is enough to convince me to buy it. The game is fun and has its unique ways of entertaining me, but there is still more work needed be done to really make it the great game it was promised to be. To say the least, CD Projekt Red is moving on the right direction on improving the game.

Of course, you my readers who have the means to buy and play Cyberpunk 2077 can decide for yourselves. It’s a risk to take if you really want to spend your hard-earned money on the game now. I’d rather wait for further improvements to be made first before buying it.

*What you see here is only a small part of Night City. There’s so much to discover in this game! Are you willing to spend your hard-earned money on Cyberpunk 2077 now?*

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Over 40 employees of online lending applications arrested over alleged harassment of clients and contact persons

February 16, 2022February 14, 2022carlocarrasco

Here in the Philippines, have you been harassed or threatened by people who are working for online lending applications where you borrowed money from? I had to ask that question because it was revealed that more than forty online lending app employees (including a foreigner from China) were arrested for allegedly harassing and threatening clients who could not pay back their loans in time, 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…

Over 45 workers of online lending applications, including a Chinese national, were arrested for supposedly harassing and threatening clients unable to pay their loans within the prescribed period.

According to Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group Public Information Officer Police Lieutenant Michelle Sabino, the division had received several harassment complaints against lending apps that were being run by the Cashtree Lending Corp.

The terms and conditions of the applications allegedly contained a clause that granted the firm access to clients’ contacts – a requirement for taking out a loan. Once approved by the borrower, the firm is then said to save the contacts into its database.

“Hina-harass nila ‘yung mga relatives, kasi nga stated eh, ‘di ba nga like ‘yung contact numbers mo nandon… so if you do not pay out, ‘ire-rape namin ’to, papatayin namin,’ and all other threats na posible, ‘yun ang ginagawa nila,” she said in a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(They harass the relatives, as there was a clause regarding contacts… So if you do not pay, they threaten to rape, kill, and all other possible threats. That is what they do.)

The application targets mainly low-income households and those unemployed, even if it was found to have no certificate of authority or permit to operate.

The company’s loans were also said to have high interest rates, and they get in touch with the borrower’s contacts once payment is not made within eight days.

Collecting agents have also been reported to encourage borrowers to make other loans with different loan applications for them to make a repayment.

“Minsan merong mga dumadating sa kanila na sasabihin ng collecting agent na ‘Okay, para makasambot ka, para makabayad ka, magdownload ka ng itong loan app nito, would also offer, so para maka-payoff ka dito sa isa, mag-uutang ka na naman which in turn nabaon na nang nabaon si victim,” she said.

(Sometimes the collecting agents would tell the borrower that for them to be able to pay, they should download another loan app. So for them to pay off their debt in one application, they would borrow again leaving them buried in debt.)

For his part, one of the suspects, Shihai Dao, said the firm did not encourage any harassment.

“Never do anything illegal in Philippines, so I’m confused… Never allowed to employ to harass the client to pay the money back. Just reminding them and tell them to pay (sic),” he said in the same report.

The firm would face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2021.

“Do not download ‘tong mga lending apps na ‘to, ‘tong mga loan apps. May tendency na ma-threaten pa ‘yung life mo or i-harass, at ang problema, hindi lang ikaw, lahat ng contact mo,” Sabino said.

(Do not download these lending and loan apps. There is a tendency that your life will be threatened or be harassed. The problem is it will not be just you but all your contacts.)

Authorities from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Privacy Commission (NPC) earlier warned firms against unfair debt collection practices.

Such practices included sending violent threats, using harsh words, disclosing the name and other personal information of the borrower in public, and messaging or calling the people on the contact list of the borrower without his/her consent.

The above report ended stating that lending firms who are guilty of doing the above-mentioned practices may be fined between P25,000 to as much as P1,000,000 and also have their certificate of authority to operate revoked.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent news report? Do you know anyone who got harassed or threatened by people because they are unable to pay back their loans in due time? Have you been seriously considering borrowing money through these online lending apps? Does this recent news development discourage you from taking loans through online lending apps? Do you believe that the immigration officials should do something about foreign workers of online lending apps who got involved with the harassment of clients?

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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Foreign national and local cohort arrested for falsification of documents and usurpation of authority in Parañaque City

February 9, 2022February 8, 2022carlocarrasco

When it comes to the crime in Parañaque City, something unusual happened recently right inside a police station within the city as the Manila Bulletin reported that a Malaysian national and a local cohort got arrested falsification of public documents and usurpation of authority. The two crime suspects as they posed as court process server. The local police verified the release order which was found to be fake.

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

A Malaysian and his Filipino cohort posing as court process server were arrested inside the Paranaque City police station, Monday night.

Southern Police District (SPD) director, Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg, identified the suspects as Owi Jee Hao, 32, of Avida Tower, Alabang Muntinlupa City, and Lorenz Vicedo, 26, of Luzon St., Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Macaraeg said both suspects were detained at the Paranaque City police custodial facility and were charged for falsification of public documents and usurpation of authority.

He said based on the report of Col. Maximo Sebastian, city police chief, the suspects arrived at the police headquarters posing as court process server and showed a release order for Chinese nationals who are suspects in a kidnapping case.

The SPD chief the suspects showed a copy of the release order for Han Xun, Cen Sha Lu, and Shen Fa who were accused of kidnapping a 25-year-old Chinese businessman on Jan. 2.

Macaraeg said the fake order allegedly instructed the Paranaque City police to release the three suspects after paying P100,000.

As seen in the above news story, the suspects used a fake court document to release Chinese nationals who were arrested in a case of kidnapping. This reminds me about a Chinese connection existing in Parañaque and past cases of kidnapping in the city involving Chinese nations (for reference, click here and here). It’s a wonder if the two reported suspects are working for some powerful crime boss.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What can you say about this particular crime story? Where members of your community approached by the reported suspects pretending to serve court orders as a way to compel you to do their bidding? Do you believe Parañaque will continue to be a hot spot for scammers, kidnappers and Chinese nationals who disregard laws? Do you want immigration officials to deport foreign nationals for violating laws?

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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Illegal substances seized and seven suspects arrested in Parañaque City

February 3, 2022February 1, 2022carlocarrasco

Yet another buy-bust operation happened in Parañaque City and this time around seven suspects were arrested while almost P6 million worth of illegal drugs were confiscated, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

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

Members of the Southern Police District-Drug Enforcement Unit (SPD-DEU) conducted a buy-bust operation that led to the arrest of seven suspects and in the confiscation of P5.9 million worth of shabu on Monday night (Jan. 31).

SPD Director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg identified the suspects as Bablyn Cabuenas, 35; Edwin John Gonzales, 39; Ebrahim Karim, 29; Ronnie Bayao, 35; Omera Guimad, 30; Amira Carel, 21; and Datu Rajabuyan,19, all residents of Paranaque City.

Macaraeg said members of the SPD-DEU coordinated with the Paranaque City police Sub-Station 5 for the conduct of the buy-bust operation at about 11:10 p.m. at 159 Football St., Lopena Compound, Area 4, Fourth Estate, Barangay San Antonio, Paranaque City.

Confiscated from the suspects were eight heat sealed transparent sachets and one plastic pack containing about 882 grams of shabu worth P5,997,600.

The SPD chief said the arrested suspects were all brought to the SPD custodial facility and were charged with violation of Section 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Act of 2002.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think makes Parañaque City remain a hot spot for entrapment operations related to illegal drugs? Do you believe that the city is becoming unsafe from criminals?

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 Punisher 2099 #2 (1993)

February 2, 2022January 31, 2022carlocarrasco

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, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we revisit the future of 2099 through the Punisher 2099 monthly series.

For the newcomers reading this, Punisher of 2099 is Jake Gallows who works during the day as a law enforcer which is a nice contrast to the concept of the classic Punisher identified as Frank Castle. In Punisher 2099 #1 (1993), Jake Gallows witnesses the demise of his family that got attacked by a gang of killers led by Kron Stone who is not only the son of Alchemax’s Tyler Stone but also became the deadliest nemesis of Spider-Man 2099.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Punisher 2099 #2, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner, with art by Tom Morgan.

Early story

The story begins with a funeral of Jake Gallows’ lost family members held at the church of Thor. In accordance to the traditions of the Thor religion, the dead bodies were placed on a burning boat floating on the water just outside the church building. As he and his fellow law enforcers watch the ritual happen, Jake confirms that he and the church of Thor do not believe in forgiveness and he himself believes in revenge.

When he is not on duty, Jake goes out as the Punisher hunting and killing criminals in his own brutal ways. Even as he does not wear a mask nor a helmet, his face is digitally covered from detection of security cameras thanks to a special technology he uses to protect his identity.

Meanwhile at an amusement park, lots of children enjoy floating in the air within an anti-gravity chamber. Kron Stone and his fellow killers arrive as they attempt to murder the children. Punisher suddenly comes out and successfully kills Stone’s companions, leaving them together in a standoff…

Quality

*The Punisher has someone assisting him.*

While the sub-par issue #1 was composed mostly of the build-up and emphasis of the futuristic Punisher, this story is pretty much a big pay-off to it. Quite predictably, Jake gets to meet with the gang leader responsible for the death of his family in this issue not once but twice. Along the way, the comic book writers got to emphasize Kron Stone’s wickedness more as well as his continued disregard of human life. This time, Stone’s willingness to kill many children is very disturbing and Tom Morgan’s art style clearly emphasized the villain’s evil.

Within this comic book is a visual tour of the Gallows residence which has a large underground facility and pieces of technology that Jake uses for his campaign against crime (this makes Punisher 2099 becoming similar with Batman and his Bat Cave). He also has a technology oriented partner named Matt who helps him establish a working base of operations.

There is also a sub-plot about the side of crime with the introduction of the Fearmaster who, like Tyler Stone, is with Alchemax and has influence over Public Eye. Unsurprisingly, his introduction is short.

Conclusion

*Jake Gallows and Kron Stone (AKA Venom 2099) meet again, only this time the former is now in his form as the Punisher.*

The best way to describe Punisher 2099 #2 (1993) is that its plot really thickened and unlike issue #1, this one has a more interesting story and the presentation done by the creative team has some entertainment value. While this is unsurprisingly the natural progression of defining the futuristic Punisher to readers, it is also a successful way of expanding his own part of the 2099 universe complete with the introduction of a new villain and conspiracy that connects to both criminals and law enforcers. To be clear, this is far from being an excellent comic book but it is clear that this one is an improvement over issue #1. In retrospect, the one thing that adds weight to this comic book is not Punisher himself nor the creative concepts involved, but rather the presence of Kron Stone who later on became Venom 2099 (read my retro reviews involving him in Spider-Man 2099 issues #35, #36, #37, #38 and #39).

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Punisher 2099 #2 (1993) be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $90 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $200.

Overall, Punisher 2099 #2 (1993) is satisfactory.

+++++

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