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TIMPUYOG PILIPINAS STATEMENT OF SUPPORT TO THE INC RALLY AND DENOUNCEMENT OF ANY FORM OF POLITICAL HIJACKING

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Timpuyog Pilipinas stands in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Iglesia Ni Cristo as they gather in peaceful assembly to express their collective call for justice, accountability, and integrity in public service. The right to peaceful protest is a cornerstone of democracy, and we recognize the sincerity of the INC community in voicing their concerns for our nation’s future. We support this rally not as a political act, but as a moral one—a testament that ordinary citizens, regardless of faith or affiliation, have the right to demand transparency from those who hold power. In these trying times, when corruption scandals and systemic failures repeatedly test the faith of our people, the message of the INC is not only timely but vital to the conscience of the nation. At the same time, Timpuyog Pilipinas strongly denounces any attempt by opportunistic groups or individuals to hijack this sacred expression of civic duty for personal or partisan political gain. We reject all eff...
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Alleged Patronage, Financial Networks, and Foreign Influence in the Escudero–Duterte–China Nexus: A Theoretical Examination

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 *Timpuyog Pilipinas Think-Tank Group   Abstract   This paper analyzes claims of a sophisticated quid pro quo network, dubbed the “Secret Alliance of Chiz Escudero, Sara Duterte, and China.” Drawing on an executive summary from Timpuyog Pilipinas, a sworn affidavit, and public records, the study examines the alleged role of businessman Maynard Ngu as a nexus figure—simultaneously a major campaign donor (₱30 million), alleged bagman for ₱160 million in public works kickbacks (SOP) intended for Senator Escudero, and a Special Envoy to China . The analysis critically explores the temporal correlation between Escudero’s role in archiving Vice President Duterte’s impeachment and a private meeting with Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian . By applying theories of state capture and political patronage, and by drawing on regional parallels from Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia, the study discusses the implications of this alleged collusion for Philippine political accountab...
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Restitution in Philippine Criminal Justice: Punishment, Cooperation, and the Limits of Immunity

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*TIMPUYOG PILIPINAS THINK-TANK GROUP   Abstract Restitution in Philippine law plays a dual role: it is both a mandatory civil liability imposed after conviction and a voluntary act of cooperation by accused persons seeking discharge as state witnesses. This paper examines restitution in both contexts, distinguishing between its punitive function as part of final judgment and its strategic function as a prosecutorial condition for cooperation. It also addresses the question of whether restitution by a state witness violates the law. The analysis concludes that while restitution after conviction is compulsory, restitution by state witnesses is voluntary and does not violate the law if offered before discharge. However, compelling restitution after immunity has been granted would contradict the legal status of a state witness as if never charged. The paper argues that clarity in these distinctions is necessary to preserve both the integrity and the credibility of the Philippine ...
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Fraud Auditing and the Commission on Audit: Safeguarding the People’s Money, Defending the Nation’s Integrity

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*Timpuyog Pilipinas Think-Tank Group   Introduction Every peso the government spends comes from the hard work of ordinary Filipinos. It comes from the teacher whose salary is automatically deducted for taxes, from the jeepney driver who pays value-added tax each time he buys diesel, from the small sari-sari store owner who passes on excise taxes to customers. In return, people expect that their money will be used to build classrooms, provide health services, improve flood control, and bring food and assistance in times of disaster. But too often, that expectation is betrayed. Instead of medicines reaching hospitals, they are overpriced. Instead of classrooms rising from the ground, they remain on paper as “ghost projects.” Instead of relief goods reaching survivors of calamities, they rot in warehouses. Corruption, in these cases, is not just about stolen money—it is about stolen futures and stolen dignity (De Guzman, 2023). This is where fraud auditing and the Commission...
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Position Paper of Timpuyog Pilipinas On the Need to Create for a Special Investigation Team to Address Flood Control Corruption Urging President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to Take Executive Action Beyond Senate Political Grandstanding

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  Introduction   Timpuyog Pilipinas, as a socio-political movement advocating federalism , integrity, and genuine service to the Filipino people, expresses deep concern over the continuing revelations of corruption in flood control projects across the country. The recent disclosures, echoed in the privilege speech of former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson , reveal a systemic abuse of government funds, involving not only contractors but also public officials and even legislators.   These anomalies, amounting to billions of pesos, are not mere accounting errors. They represent stolen opportunities—roads that could have been built, classrooms that could have been opened, hospitals that could have saved lives. Every peso lost to corruption is a peso stolen from the Filipino people.   The Problem: Political Grandstanding vs. Genuine Reform   While the Senate has initiated inquiries on the matter, Timpuyog Pilipinas maintains that such hearings often d...
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Position Paper of Timpuyog Pilipinas On the Strengthening of Contractor Qualification Standards in Public Flood Control and Other Infrastructure Projects

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Introduction Timpuyog Pilipinas, true to its advocacy of transparency, good governance, and integrity in public service, presents this position paper as a call to action for our Senators to enact meaningful reforms in public procurement. The issue at hand goes to the very core of nation-building: ensuring that government infrastructure projects are awarded only to contractors with genuine financial capacity and credibility. Recent hearings have revealed a critical gap in the current procurement system. It has become apparent that the Net Financial Contracting Capacity (NFCC) is being used as the main basis for granting contracts to contractors. While NFCC is meant to serve as a safeguard, in practice it has become a technical tool that allows entities with limited capitalization to qualify for multimillion-peso projects. This disconnect between declared financial strength and actual capital capacity has opened the door for weak contractors to secure projects they cannot responsibly...
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