Nov 7, 2022 6:04 PM PHT
Antonio J. Montalvan II
'Bantag is the picture-perfect poster boy of impunity'
To look into the damaged character of Gerald Bantag, one only needs to see his sympathetic interview by the overtly partisan  Anthony Taberna . Taberna asked Bantag, “Who will benefit from killing Percy Lapid?”
“Ang unang makikinabang diyan ay ‘yang gusto akong masibak diyan (The ones who will benefit the most are those who want me ousted).”
If we go by his bizarre logic, Percy Lapid was assassinated so that he, Bantag, would be ousted from his position as BuCor director general. In other words, Lapid was just a sacrificial lamb. For drawing on sympathy to Bantag, “Ibalik si Bantag sa BuCor” (Return Bantag to the Bureau of Corrections) was a comment oft repeated by Taberna’s viewers. In actual reality, however, inmates are the ones sycophantic to the director general. Bilibid gangs who obey kill orders do so  in exchange for their freedom . Bantag is the picture-perfect poster boy of impunity. While he was an official of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in 2014, Bantag refused to pay his bill in a restaurant and fired his gun. The Malabon prosecutor’s office charged him with  estafa and illegal discharge of firearm . His record was no longer immaculate even at that time. In 2007, when he was chief of the Navotas City BJMP, he was  charged with attempted murder  by the Navotas prosecutor’s office. Bantag believes in the narco state plot that Duterte advanced, however incredible. It was only natural for him to be handpicked as obedient laborer for the kill, kill, kill perversion of Dutertismo. “Kami’y humuhugot ng tapang under President Digong (We mustered up courage under President Digong),” describing his pet presidential administration. So what transpired during his watch as BuCor director general? In July 2020,  nine high-profile inmates died  one after another allegedly due to the coronavirus. Among the dead was Jaybee Sebastian, a key witness in what is popularly held as the Duterte-orchestrated drug trafficking charges against former senator Leila de Lima. Speculations were raised that they were either eliminated or released secretly. The bodies of the inmates were immediately cremated. The report of the National Bureau of Investigation said that, “ murder, not COVID, killed the inmates .”
“All the deceased prisoners were declared dead on arrival, the cause of death either by cardiac or pulmonary arrest. However, a close examination of the medical profile of the deceased high-profile prisoners generally revealed that they exhibited neither chronic symptoms of COVID-19, difficulty in breathing, nor were they observed to be weak or particularly ill,” the NBI report concluded. In the Taberna interview, Bantag also admitted that donors had been giving him money which had accumulated over time. Must Read
Percy Lapid used the blind item approach in his  September 5 broadcast  (beginning 8:56). He called the subject of his exposé “Ang lalakeng (The male) Cinderella.” Blind items are bait. They work according to the “bato-bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag magalit” syndrome. Instead of keeping quiet, Bantag felt alluded to and took the bait. That was an effective admission that he had the motive to kill Percy Lapid. Charging him with murder is on target. But will it mollify the widespread perception that he is only the ultimate middleman among middlemen, that the murder trail extends to one higher than him who was day-in and day-out in the five-days-a-week Lapid Fire broadcasts labeled as “Digongnyo?” Rodrigo Duterte had the motive to silence Percy Lapid. “Do you want to know  who I will recommend  to the president to be the chief of the Bureau of Corrections?” Bong Go said in September 2019. “ Basta killer, dapat killer .” Game over. – Rappler.com
Antonio J. Montalván II is a social anthropologist who advocates that keeping quiet when things go wrong is the mentality of a slave, not a good citizen. 1 comment

[The Slingshot] The singular defining moment of Gerald Bantag

Taberna case vs bank an acid test for new law
BROADCASTER-ENTREPRENEUR Anthony Taberna continues to hold out hope for a just resolution of his case against EastWest Bank, which he accused before the central bank of allowing unauthorized fund transfers—a total of P15.38 million—to the former finance officer of the successful food business he had built up for years. The Taberna case is seen as an acid test of the regulators’ will to strictly enforce the newly minted Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, which regulators like Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Securities and Exchange Commission, had actively prodded the 18th Congress to pass, citing the over 40,000 complaints of financial consumers between 2019 and 2021. Taberna earlier pressed the BSP to act on his administrative complaint against EastWest and Gualberto Baluyut, the manager of its UP Village branch, for allowing Ernie Patrick Aquino, his former finance officer, to siphon off millions without his knowledge and consent in a series of unauthorized fund transfers between August 2018 and November 2020. This was apparently done because, as Taberna alleged in his complaint-affidavit, Aquino—after convincing Taberna to open a payroll account with the UP Village Branch for Taberna Foods under EastWest’s e-credit facility—was able to open  seven other bank accounts under Taberna Foods. This, without submitting to the bank a secretary’s certificate or board resolution. “Baluyut allowed the opening of all the accounts notwithstanding the fact that they pertained to different branches of Ka Tunying’s Café throughout Luzon. Despite lack of authority and supporting documents, Baluyut allowed the operning of these accounts in clear violation of existing banking regulations,” Taberna said, referring to the EastWest manager. A subsequent review indicated that many transfers were made on random dates that were outside payroll periods, even though it was a payroll facility. As finance officer, Aquino, stressed Taberna, had no authority to approve fund transfers beyond payroll payments. Baluyut in his counteraffidavit denied all of Taberna’s allegations, insisting that he got to know Aquino only when the latter approached him about opening the payroll account, contrary to Taberna’s claim that Aquino persuaded him to open the account because he knew the branch manager well. Taberna said earlier the bank was included in the complaint at BSP because it never informed the client-company about the apparent irregularity. The administrative complaint Taberna filed is handled by the Consumer Protection and Market Conduct Office of the BSP, which the broadcast journalist earlier called out for inaction on his case more than year since its filing. Efforts by media entities to get a reply from BSP have thus far gone unanswered. Still, Taberna was earlier reported as saying he could consider withdrawing the criminal case he filed in court if that is the one thing that stymies the central bank from presiding over a process to resolve the case he filed with it. The 18th Congress had rushed passage of the Financial Products and Services Consumer Protection Act, signed into law last May 6, 2022 by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. During congressional deliberations, officials of the BSP and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had asked lawmakers to rush its passage to give them a wider arsenal for dealing with financial fraud and misconduct by financial institutions, including banks. Then BSP Governor (now Finance secretary) Benjamin Diokno, appearing before the Senate Banks committee, urged senators to rush passage of the measure, which he said will “protect every Juan and Maria making financial transactions.” As things stand, he said, regulators like BSP, SEC and Insurance Commission have limited means for running after wrongdoers or those who abuse consumers of financial products, including bank deposits. The BSP, in fact, has been swamped with so many—42,456—complaints in 2020 and 2021; and the cumulative total of money involved in the complaints from 2019 to 2021 amount to P2 billion, Diokno told senators then.

Taberna case vs bank an acid test for new law

Stronghold Insurance Company Inc. has introduced award-winning Filipino broadcaster Anthony “Ka Tunying” Taberna as its very first celebrity endorser. After 62 years, Stronghold, one of the leading well-funded insurers in the Philippines, picked Taberna as its endorser with hopes of a stronger service to more corporate clients and individuals, including ordinary Filipinos, in terms of basic insurance protection. The firm believes that Taberna, one of the most trusted Filipino broadcast journalists, is the personality that completely represents their aim to be the top non-life insurance company in the country. During the official contract signing, Taberna encouraged Filipinos to acquire non-life insurance from Stronghold. “Doon tayo sa #SubokNa,” he said. In March 2022, the Insurance Commission (IC) reported that Stronghold was the third highest paid-up capital among 57 non-life insurance companies. With a total of 1.5 billion paid-up capital, as of 2021, the insurance firm recorded a yearly increase in the number of clients, corporate companies and individuals. KA TUNYING WELCOMED BY HIS NEW FAMILY. Ka Tunying Taberna poses with his
new partners in the insurance industry;one of the top insurers in the country– Stronghold
Insurance Company, Inc. The commission explained that Stronghold’s impressive standing in corporate governance was emphasized when it was declared as top 10 non-life insurance company in the country, contributing more than P2.3 billion net worth. The firm rose from very humble beginnings and reached the pinnacle of success after the then Mabuhay Insurance & Guaranty Co., Inc. was established on March 21, 1960 as a wholly owned Filipino non-life insurance company. Fire, Motor, Marine, Casualty and Suretyship are among their lines. The non-life insurance covers the lives and properties of the insured arising from unknown and contingent events so that when loss or damage is suffered or incurred, the insurance company, as in this case, Stronghold Insurance will pay to restore in, as much as, the same financial position or condition, the insured for the latter to move on and recover. That is the benefit of being protected by insurance wherein Stronghold Insurance guaranteed protection for over 62 years now and counting. Meanwhile, Stronghold President Romulo Delos Reyes said they look forward to serving their clients better and stronger to be at the top. “We’re elated and excited to embark on a new journey with Ka Tunying as our endorser,” he said. For his part, Taberna said he is thankful for the opportunity to endorse Stronghold as he himself represents a stronger brand after his career, business, and even his family were put to test due to the coronavirus pandemic. He said those challenges taught him two things—to be prepared and strong for the worst in any obstacle that life throws at him—and the values that are very much aligned to that of Stronghold’s, choosing him as their very first endorser. Now with branches in key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, Stronghold is committed to cover the Philippine market with excellent service and non-life insurance that guarantees protection of their clients’ hard-earned investments.

Anthony “Ka Tunying” Taberna endorses Stronghold Insurance Company Inc.

The DAR and Bago, Negros Occidental LGU forged a partnership to fight hunger in the area. DAR-Western Visayas Assistant Regional Director Lucrecia S. Taberna said a memorandum of agreement was signed by the DAR and the LGU, paving the way for the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program in the area. Taberna said that under the agreement, the DAR would provide a total project cost of P340,000 for the construction of the 2.5 m x 2.5m x 2.5 m water concrete tank. Of the total amount, P240,000 is intended for the pipelines and fitting materials and P100,00,000 for travel expenses, office supplies, and other technology-related and training expenses. “The local government unit of Bago City, Negros Occidental would provide labor manpower with an estimated amount of P50,000 as their project counterpart,” she said in a statement. Taberna said Paghida-et Farm Workers Association (PAFWA), the direct beneficiary of the project, continually provides services to its members, through various social-economic activities and expands its services to include the provision of livelihood project facilities. “The project is a big opportunity for the PAFWA for their development and this would be a challenge to them to increase its membership to make it a cooperative.”
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Engineer Arnulfo T. Figueroa also encouraged the association to expand their membership. “DAR will assist and empower the agrarian reform beneficiaries [ARBs] and their ARBOs to increase their production and engagement in agri-based and related enterprises,” he said. Figueroa noted that the project is being implemented to support the ARBs so that they can provide a continuous supply of vegetables to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and motivate them to enhance their agricultural production.

DAR, LGU to build irrigation facilities in Negros Occidental

Tamlin Magee
On the outskirts of Cuenca, Ecuador, bar hoppers might accidentally wander from the Andes right into Los Simpson. On one side of the road, Springfield is spelled out, Hollywood sign-style, above illustrations of Chief Wiggum arresting Bart, Kearney, and Dolph for vandalism. Across the way, the facade of Springfield Elementary School towers over two squat buildings (the full extent of this tiny DIY TV town): “Krosty Burger” and La Taberna de Mou . In the latter, fans are greeted at the bar by a life-size Moe Szyslak cutout, who extends the phone Bart often prank calls in the series. There’s a to-scale Love Tester machine, themed art covering the walls, and barrels of Duff beer, which is also available by can or on tap. This isn’t the only boozy tribute to the show in Latin America — not even the only one in Ecuador. From northern Mexico all the way down to Argentina, scores of bars share a name with Moe — most often Taberna de Moe or Mou. There are examples in states all across Mexico: Moe’s in La Piedad de Cavadas, Moe’s Beer in Coyoacán, Mexico City (complete with melting Homer-meets-Dali decor), San Luis Potosí , Hidalgo , Guadalajara , Guanajuato . In Central America, you can find Tabernas de Moe in El Salvador , Honduras , Guatemala, Nicaragua , and Costa Rica , and farther south in Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Paraguay , Chile , and Peru . Many of them appear in the spitting image of Springfield’s dingiest watering hole, and some even serve character-themed drinks alongside Duff beer. The bars may not be canonically accurate and they likely don’t have the express written consent of Disney (which owns 21st Century Fox, and thus The Simpsons), but none of that matters to fans. Los Simpson is huge throughout Latin America. It’s the most successful imported TV show of all time in Mexico, which produces the dubbed version that’s preferred throughout Spanish-speaking Latin America. It’s partly responsible for popularizing “Mexicanisms” like pendejo and chavo in countries like Colombia, and one neighborhood in Mexico City, Iztacalco, is even dubbed “Sprayfield” for its many colorful Simpsons murals . According to Michell Alvarez and Magaly Lopez, owners of La Taberna de Moe in San José Pinula, Guatemala, The Simpsons is so popular in Guatemala that they “don’t think there’s a single person” of their generation who hasn’t seen it. The duo had dreamed of opening a bar named after Szyslak from a young age, given he’s “the best bartender in history,” before finally succeeding in December 2020, after losing other jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although recently opened, their bar just west of Guatemala City already attracts locals and Simpsons fans, and while there’s no Simpsons-related items on the menu, a wall is decorated with framed stills of the show. For anyone in Latin America, visiting one of these unlicensed bars is a lot cheaper than flying to California or Florida to the official Moe’s Tavern at Universal Studios. “For many, our bar is the only chance to live the Simpsons experience, since our customers often don’t have the means to visit the official Moe’s Tavern,” says Nicolás González Milano. In 2017, he and a group of friends at “differing scales of Simpsons fanaticism” opened a Moe’s Tavern in the Ituzaingó district of Buenos Aires , which has served fans who can’t travel across the globe. But before Milano’s Tavern was a year old, Fox issued a copyright claim against the business : Holders of valuable intellectual property don’t tend to take copyright infringement lying down, no matter how good the intentions of fans. There’s been no shortage of unauthorized Simpsons merchandise over the years, and the show itself has riffed on the phenomenon. But merch sellers can offload a truckload of bootleg T-shirts and then disappear. Tabernas de Moe operating in broad daylight attract more attention, from both fans and lawyers. Two years later, Milano and his partners relocated and renamed it the less legally tricky Ribbon Bar (an homage to Moe’s bow tie). The new pub maintains its Moe’s-esque facade, replete with a life-sized Lyle Lanley, the villainous monorail charlatan and scourge of Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, peeking out from a repurposed train cabin. It may seem absurd for a $284 billion corporation to strong-arm a small bar in the Buenos Aires suburbs, but transnational megacorporations like Disney have lots to lose if they let bootlegs slip by. According to intellectual property law specialist Estelle Derclaye at the University of Nottingham, transnationals are extremely litigious and “very protective” of their IP. Businesses typically fear “dilution,” Derclaye explains, when trademark or copyright breaches weaken the original brand, no matter the size of the alleged offender. Worse, corporations are fearful of negative associations with their brand if customers at an unlicensed restaurant, for example, suffer food poisoning. That doesn’t mean the fight has been one-sided. Some Latin American knockoffs have helped bully the litigious media company into meeting fans halfway. After fighting bootleg versions of Duff in Colombia and Mexico, Fox started brewing the beer itself . A company rep said at the time, “Once you see enough piracy, you are faced with two choices. One is deciding to fight it, and the other is deciding to go out [into the market] with it.” The company had no choice but to brew Duff if it wanted to establish trademark rights, which don’t typically cover fictional products. With the help of British brewer Paul Farnsworth, the company officially launched Duff in Chile, which helped supply Tabernas de Moe across the region. (At the moment, Milano says supply has dried up from the only importer in Argentina, leaving him unable to get enough of that wonderful Duff .) Still, it’s surprising that the majority of Tabernas de Moe throughout Latin America seem to have escaped punishment. Derclaye explains that pursuing legal action against fan-run enterprises isn’t always the wisest decision for corporations because it can result in consumer backlash. The not-quite-legal aspect of the tabernas is key to their charm. It costs $109 to enter Universal Studios to gain access to the official, aesthetically accurate Moe’s Tavern, but that version is wrapped in the glossy, sanitized sheen of The Simpsons circa Season 3,000 — or wherever we’re at now. The off-brand Tabernas de Moe embody the playful parody and scrappy antiestablishment ethos of the show’s celebrated earlier seasons, and those themes resonate with many Latin American fans. Some viewers share Matt Groening’s left-leaning convictions, radically pro-working-class view, and distrust of authority, while others identify with Homer’s archetypal, blue-collar family. “The sense of sometimes-savage irony is very Latin American, while self-criticism and self-mockery are, too,” says Toby Miller, cultural critic and professor at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana. “But the focus on class is also vital, because the most popular regional program in Mexico before it, El Chavo del Ocho, did the same thing.”
At the Taberna de Mou in Ecuador, next to Chief Wiggum holding a poster that reads “Wanted: El Barto,” there’s a message in classic Simpsons font that reads “Un pedacito de Springfield en Cuenca” (a little piece of Springfield in Cuenca). It’s an affordable snippet, just a few bucks for some cans of Duff while you take pictures at the bar, and a lot cheaper than a flight to the States. There are other pieces of the TV town in Santa Tecla, El Salvador, with San Salvador Volcano towering nearby, on the coast of Chile’s La Serena amid neocolonial architecture, along the Pan-American Highway at the tip of southernmost Argentina. The life-size cutouts might not be licensed by Disney and the owners might have to rebrand occasionally, but every Taberna de Moe holds a piece of the soul of Los Simpson, in a way the flashy theme park version never can.

Why Bootleg Moe’s Taverns Are All Over Latin America

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) operates as a government agency. The agency provides services such as land tenure services, Agrarian legal services, and Agrarian policy advisory services. It was founded in 1971 and is based in Quezon City, Philippines.

Department of Agrarian Reform

DAR-Western Visayas Assistant Regional Director Lucrecia S. Taberna said a memorandum of agreement was signed by the DAR and the LGU , paving the way for the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty program in the area .

FinTech Acquisition III

FinTech Acquisition II

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RAIT Financial Trust

Taberna eCommerce is a project in creating and organizing system of quick establishment and follow-up support for online business, based on full-functional free Open Source CMS, simultaneously simple and powerful. In addition to CMS user receives a whole bunch of additional options (from online accounting to logistics service) and possibilities to develop a tiny online store to real online-mart.

Name	Daniel G. Cohen
Work History	FinTech Acquisition III, FinTech Acquisition II, Fintech Acquisition, and RAIT Financial Trust
Title	Chief Executive Officer
Status	Former

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