By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Surigao del Norte Second District Representative Ace Barbers has expressed support for the revival of the death penalty for heinous crimes.

This statement follows a recent shooting incident at the Makati EDSA tunnel.

“Yes, that’s correct. You can see that crimes nowadays are truly heinous. In fact, many of those involved in kidnappings and killings are Chinese nationals,” Barbers said in a radio interview when asked if he supports the return of the death penalty.

The lawmaker mentioned that such punishment should be imposed for drug-related crimes.

“The troubling part is that they get involved in crimes like drugs because they face the death penalty in their own country, but not here,” said Barbers, who chairs the House Committee on Dangerous Drugs.

“It’s disheartening that a series of crimes involving Chinese nationals are happening in our country.”

Barbers previously thanked the Philippine National Police (PNP) for arresting Raymund Yu, the Chinese suspect in the killing.

(el Amigo/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Once reputed as “untouchable,” Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday (12 May 2024) announced that former president Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s economic adviser Michael Yang will be invited by the House of Representatives in connection with the P3.8 billion drug bust in Pampanga.

Barbers noted that in a series of hearings, Empire 999, the company that owns the warehouse where the drugs were ordered to be stored, was found to be owned by Chinese nationals who also owned other companies together with other personalities who have been previously linked to anomalous activities under the past administration.”

The Surigaonon lawmaker gathered that Lincoln Ong, a Pharmally official and an alleged associate of Yang, was found to be an incorporator of a company with links to other companies including Empire 999.

He added that based on findings from Public Accounts Chairman Joseph “Caraps” Paduano, Yang was allegedly linked to Ong.

To find out a connection, Public Order Chairman and Laguna congressman Dan Fernandez moved that Yang be invited to the next hearing of the Committee on Dangerous Drugs chaired by Barbers.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Alarmed by the entry of some Chinese nationals into the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) auxiliary force in the face of China’s incursions in the West Philippine Sea, Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers on Sunday (24 March 2024) urged the PCG to stop recruiting Chinese nationals.

Barbers pointed out that logically, the PCG should not be recruiting other nationalities into its forces even if they serve as volunteers during times of disaster and help donate in relief operations.

“Magandang mayroong mga volunteers diyan sa PCG. Pero it doesn’t make sense na nagre-recruit tayo ng hindi natin kalahi para dito sa operation. Kaya ng ‘Philippine Coast Guard’ eh, hindi naman sinabing Philippine and Chinese Coast Guard ‘yan,” the Surigaonon lawmaker said in his interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

He said in a recent congressional hearing that the Chinese auxiliary members of the PCG may be performing “spying duties in the guise of being auxiliary force members.”

But PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo maintained that there was no strong basis on which to conclude that these Chinese nationals recruited into the auxiliary force were spies.

He claimed that the PCG had a vetting process when the Chinese applied.

Balilo said that the Chinese have been helping the Coast Guard for a long time but for humanitarian assistance and donations only.

Pending the formal investigation into the matter, Barbers stressed that the PCG should stop the recruitment process first for other nationals who want to serve in the auxiliary force.

“Ako’y nananawagan sa officers ng ating PCG na medyo makonsensya tayo ng konti at itigil natin muna ang paggamit o pag-recruit nitong mga Chinese nationals. Number two, habang patuloy ang imbestigasyon dito, dapat i-terminate muna ang mga ‘yan. Wag munang paalisin dahil papatawag natin ‘yan sa Kongreso ‘pag nag-umpisa tayo ng hearing,” Barbers said.

Political pundits told Maharlika NuMedia that the Chinese nationals in the PCG auxiliary force could be the proverbial Trojan Horse.

According to Wikipedia, the term “Trojan horse” is used metaphorically to mean any trick or strategy that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected place; or to deceive by appearance, hiding malevolent intent in an outwardly benign exterior; to subvert from within using deceptive means.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Dang Samson Garcia

SURIGAO Del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers filed a resolution directing the House Committee on Public Accounts to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the alleged misuse of funds and mismanagement of the Surigao del Norte State University.

House Resolution 1319 also seeks a review of all the contracts and appointments signed by University President Gregorio Gamboa Jr.

The resolution was based on complaints of faculty members and students, which reached Barber’s office, that Gamboa disregarded shared governance policies and practices of the school.

The resolution indicated that the Commission on Audit report for 2022 showed that there were irregularities in the school’s financial transactions.

Barbers said that SNSU is the first and only state university in the province, thus, allegations of irregularities must be investigated.

By Liezelle Soriano

HOUSE Committee on Dangerous Drugs chairperson Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said on Monday that the amount of illegal drugs seized under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has already reached P30 billion.

During the resumption of the investigation into the P6.7 billion drug seizure in Manila in October 2022, Barbers said that the P30 billion in illegal substances consisted of 4.4 tons of shabu and nearly three tons of dried marijuana leaves.

“Within the last five weeks, authorities were able to nab 1.3 tons of illegal drugs. And for the last one and a half years of the (Marcos) administration, the street value of these nabbed illegal drugs are already worth at least P30 billion,” Barbers said.

“This amount can most definitely finance the elections and victory of drug lords in our political arena. Such war chest is even enough to fund a presidential campaign,” he added.

The lawmaker added that the country has law enforcement personnel who do their jobs with integrity, “even if there are bad apples within their ranks,” adding these bad apples should not win.

Barbers added: “We will thresh out the whys and hows our country continues to be the favorite destination of illegal drugs and who are the big personalities or even bigger entities behind these shipments to flood us with these contrabands with fictitious and non-existent consignees.”

(ai/mnm)