Atty. Jose M. Molintas - Public Servant

01/06/2026

FLAG RAISING CEREMONY
JUNE 01 2026

- Retirement Rites of Worn-out Philippine Flags
* Flag History and Significance of Activity
* Flag Retreat and Inspection of Flag
* Ceremonial Reading and Farewell Tribute
* Cremation of Worn-out Philippine Flags

- Launching of Pride Month

- Commending and Congratulating Police Corporal Marjorie P. Wacnag of the Baguio City Police Office for her extraordinary compassion in caring for a restless infant during the NAPOLCOM Entrance Examination on April 19, 2026.

- Commending and Congratulating Ms. Eden II S. Llorbera for her honesty and civic responsibility in ensuring the safe return of a lost bag containing money at Baguio City Hall on April 8, 2026. Her presence of mind and integrity reinforce public trust and exemplify the values of the community.

- Commending and Congratulating Police Senior Master Sergeant Roger F. Fateg, Police Corporal Kim Marlou M. Aquino, Police Corporal Eleazar L. Tangalin, Fire Officer 1 Pauline Marie M. Rillorta, Fire Officer 1 Benard D. Saguiling, Fire Officer 1 Christian A. Osngar, and Fire Officer 1 Monico D. Emilio for their extraordinary heroism in assisting an emergency childbirth in Irisan, Baguio City on March 29, 2026.

- Commending and Congratulating Dr. Kate Lynn Camonayan, Dr. Nicole Kate Magkachi, and Dr. Amadeo Corpuz of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center – Department of Internal Medicine for earning First Runner-Up in the inaugural Pautakan Lung Quiz Bowl (National Level) during the 45th Annual Chest Convention of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians.

- Commending and Congratulating the Philippine Science High School – Cordillera Administrative Region Campus, its students, coaches, administration, and parents for outstanding achievements in international and national science and mathematics competitions, including the 2025 International Mathematics Olympiad in Osaka, Japan and the 3rd Philippine Nuclear Science Olympiad. Honoring Team Pisay Karsi for multiple Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, and recognizing coach Phineath Grancalios for exemplary mentorship that led to national championship success in nuclear science.

- Executive/Legislative Meeting

Congratulations to all and have a great week ahead! 💚

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas
Benjie Magalong - Public Servant
Vice-Mayor Faustino Olowan
Baguio City - Sangguniang Panlungsod

31/05/2026

𝗠𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗦 𝗣𝗨𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗨𝗙𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗥, 𝗩𝗘𝗛𝗜𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗥 𝗡𝗢𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘

Councilor Jose Molintas has proposed an ordinance seeking to repeal the outdated Ordinance 487-1968 and enact the Baguio City Muffler and Vehicular Noise Compliance Ordinance of 2026 to strengthen regulation against vehicular noise, align local policies with Republic Act No. 4136 or the Land Transportation and Traffic code, and impose updated penalties and enforcement measures for violators.

Ordinance 487-1968, an ordinance enacted 58 years ago, declares it unlawful to operate motorcycles, motorbicycles, and other two-wheeled motor vehicles in Baguio City without exhaust mufflers or silencers. The ordinance was enacted in response to the growing number of vehicles producing excessive noise after their mufflers had been removed, causing public discomfort and possible health issues for individuals sensitive to noise. Under this antiquated ordinance, violators would receive a warning for the first offense, a fine of P50.00 for the second offense, and a fine of P100.00 for the third offense.

Molintas underscored that existing local regulations such as Ordinance 487-1968 are already outdated and no longer responsive to present-day traffic conditions and enforcement needs. He also stressed that while cities may enact traffic-related measures, these must remain fully consistent with national law which explicitly governs vehicle equipment requirements such as mufflers and prohibits unnecessary or excessive noise emissions.

The proposed ordinance seeks to align local policy with this national framework while updating penalties and enforcement mechanisms to reflect current conditions.

Under the proposed measure, all motor vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines must be equipped with properly functioning mufflers in accordance with the Land Transportation and Traffic Code. The ordinance prohibits the removal, modification, cutting out, or disconnection of mufflers in a manner that produces excessive or unnecessary noise while traversing city streets and populated areas.

The proposal likewise prohibits the operation of vehicles that emit loud, disturbing, or disagreeable noise that may inconvenience the public or disrupt peace and order.

Authorized city traffic personnel and other duly deputized enforcement officers shall monitor violations and issue citation tickets in accordance with existing traffic enforcement procedures. However, confiscation of driver’s licenses and issuance of Temporary Operator’s Permits (TOPs) shall only be undertaken by personnel authorized under the national legal framework.

The proposed ordinance also provides updated penalties for violators to replace the outdated fines imposed under the repealed 1968 ordinance. Repeat offenders, particularly those found committing third and succeeding violations or exhibiting willful defiance of the law, may be referred by the City Traffic and Transportation Management Office to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for possible administrative sanctions, including suspension or revocation of driver’s licenses.

The proposed ordinance was approved on first reading by the Baguio City Council on May 18, 2026 and subsequently referred to the Committee on Laws and Governance for review. -Jordan G. Habbiling

31/05/2026

It was such a pleasure to visit my cousin, Judge Jeff Mencio Agtarap, for the birthday celebration of his son, Lorenzo. A huge thank you to Jeff for gathering the family together! Seeing his children and our grandchildren bond so beautifully was heartwarming—so much so that little Enzo even had misty eyes when it was time for us to leave.
​It was wonderful catching up with everyone, including Jeff's brother Richard and wife, his classmate Atty. Robert Banasen, and the relatives of Jeff's lovely wife, Armi Boado.
​Moments like these always make me look back with love. When they were still with us, Auntie Vicky and Uncle Elpidio Agtarap were always completely devoted to their children—Gen, Jeff, and Iking. I pray they will always look over their children and grandchildren from above. Us-ushongi jo era ni ulay ja angoso say egshakayo dibdibkan.

​We are all so proud of Jeff. As a Judge-at-Large—initially assigned to RTC Urdaneta City and now in Dagupan City—his vast experience as a private practitioner and PAO lawyer truly guides his work. Coupled with the values of diligence and honesty passed down by his parents, he remains a champion for the swift justice and immediate disposition of cases.
​Thank you again for having us, and a very Happy Birthday to Lorenzo! 🎂🎈

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas

30/05/2026

It was truly heartening to visit ATTY. NOE VILLANUEVA recently. As a senior member of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG), he is one of the pillars of human rights advocacy, though he has now retired from both active law practice and teaching. We were informed that he has been in and out of the hospital due to his weak lungs, but it was incredibly nice to see that he is doing fine at home, comfortably surrounded by his grandchildren.

​This visit brought back fond memories of what my dad used to tell me. As a member of the Grand Mason Lodge, he always emphasized the true meaning of brotherhood—how they would consistently visit their senior "brods" to check on their condition and see how they could offer help. I vividly remember growing up in Camdas and seeing Anong "Acks" Pobre, also a senior member of the Grand Mason, visiting my dad together with some brother doctors to do exactly that.

​The last time I crossed paths with Atty. Noe at the Justice Hall must have been just before the COVID-19 pandemic, back when he was still conducting classes at the University of Baguio (UB) School of Law. He was, as always, the remarkably passionate professor who knew exactly how to keep his students alert, awake, and deeply engaged.

​Seeing him now is a powerful reminder of the enduring bonds of community and mentorship. I pray that he continues to be blessed with comfort, peace, and strength under the loving care of his family.

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas

30/05/2026

THE SAGADA 11 PUNKS VS. THE STATE:
Remembering the Day the Sanidad Law Office Defended Rock 'n' Roll
Part 49

​Twenty years ago, a group of alternative music fans and backpackers loaded up for an adventure to Sagada. They had combat boots, dyed hair, patches on their jackets, and exactly zero experience running an insurgency.

​Yet, in February 2006, the state machinery looked at these young punks at a Benguet checkpoint and somehow concluded, "Yes, this is obviously an elite, highly organized guerrilla unit." What followed was a 10-month nightmare of illegal detention, trumped-up charges, and brutal torture at PNP Camp Dennis Molintas—a dark chapter of state overreach that ultimately met its match in a powerhouse defense team.

​The Action-Movie Escape That Shattered the Plot

The police thought they had the perfect closed-door setup to extract forced confessions. Enter 24-year-old Rundren Berloize, whom the authorities had confidently labeled the "rebel mastermind." On February 15, while his captors were distracted by an ill-timed drinking spree, Rundren pulled off a daring, Hollywood-style escape.
​He lunged through an open window, plummeted down a steep creek, broke his leg, dodged live gunfire, and hid out with brave local residents. After a quick DIY haircut to change his look, he hitchhiked back to civilization and made a straight line to Atty. Pablito Sanidad and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). By refusing to stay captured, he blew the lid off the entire operation before the ink on the police's fake reports could even dry.

​The Power of the Pen: Honoring Artemio "Junjun" Dumlao

The truth needed an amplifier, and it found one in veteran journalist Artemio "Junjun" Dumlao. Writing tirelessly for The Philippine Star and Bulatlat, and drawing from his deep principles as a former member of the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP), Junjun turned his typewriter into a weapon. His relentless coverage kept the spotlight burning so bright that the state couldn't sweep their "tormentors" under the rug.

​The Legal Heavyweights: The Sanidad Law Office & FLAG

When the law moved in, it wasn't just a defense—it was an absolute masterclass. The case was spearheaded directly by the Sanidad Law Office and the core Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) team. Led by FLAG National Chairperson Atty. Pablito Sanidad, alongside the tireless legal heavyweights Atty. Joris Dacawi and Atty. Noe Villanueva, this formidable unit took the fight straight into the trenches.

​Atty. Rene Cortes and I were proud to assist on the sidelines, providing backup to this legal dream team as they tore the prosecution's "evidence" to shreds.

​The defense aggressively pushed to move the venue to La Trinidad for a fair trial and filed counter-criminal charges against six PNP officers and attached CAFGU militia under Republic Act No. 7438 for torture. The state's narrative completely crumbled when the team secured official military intelligence documents explicitly certifying that these "hardened rebels" were actually just alternative music fans with clean records.

​By December 21, 2006, Judge Benigno Galacgac of the Benguet RTC Branch 64 officially dismissed the ludicrous robbery, homicide, and arson charges. The remaining nine youths walked out of the Benguet Provincial Jail completely vindicated, mohawks intact, holding their heads high.
​Looking back, the story of the Sagada 11 is a permanent reminder of what happens when community solidarity, fearless independent journalism, and a fiercely dedicated legal defense come together. Justice doesn't just happen—you have to fight for it.

​Never forget. Defend Human Rights. ✊

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas

29/05/2026

Reconnecting in the Highlands

​It was an absolute pleasure visiting Bobok-Bisal in Bokod to see the Bantas Suanding property. The trip was made truly special by the warmth of the community and the chance to catch up with Barangay Captain Fernando Catayao, former Kabayan Mayor Junjun Bantales, and other dear relatives and friends. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Manang Pura and Deanna Suanding for the kind invitation that brought everyone together.

​The Breath Listing View Toward Mt. Purgatory

​The misty heights of Bokod offer a spectacular window into the heart of the Cordilleras, where the approach to Mt. Purgatory unfolds in a magnificent display of raw, high-altitude beauty:

​A Canopy of Benguet Pines: The landscape is defined by an endless sea of majestic pine trees.

Towering straight toward the heavens, their rugged trunks and dense, needle-rich branches form a striking sanctuary of green. As the sunlight filters through the high canopy, it casts shifting shadows across the mountain floor, illuminating a forest that feels both timeless and deeply alive.

​Where the Earth Meets the Sky: The true magic of the vista lies in its dramatic verticality.

Standing among the peaks, the boundary between the mountains and the heavens begins to blur. Brilliant, crisp white clouds hang so low and heavy over the ridges that they seem to cradle the slopes, letting you breathe in the cool mountain air while watching the fog gracefully dance through the trees.

​The Spirit of the Highlands: Beyond the sheer visual grandeur, the view carries a profound sense of serenity.

The vast, open skies and the gentle whisper of the breeze through the pine needles evoke the enduring spirit of Benguet—providing a perfectly tranquil, awe-inspiring backdrop for reconnecting with family roots and sharing stories with loved ones.

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas

29/05/2026

🛑 SLAPP BACK: When a Bully Suit Meets a Human Rights Lawyer
Part 48

​They say comedy is tragedy plus time. But if you’re a doctor making "jokes" about a nursing intern’s breasts during a medical lecture, it’s not comedy—it’s a criminal case. And if you try to sue the journalist who reported on it, it’s a classic SLAPP suit (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation).

​About eight years ago, I took on a libel case that perfectly illustrated how people try to weaponize the courts to scrub their own reputations.

​Here is how truth and press freedom won the day in the courtroom of the honorable Judge Emmanuel Rasing.

​The Dynamic Duo of "Medical Humor"

​Picture this: A young medical doctor and his colleague are giving a lecture to a group of nursing interns at a hospital. Spotting a beautiful female intern, the young doctor decides to display his clinical wit. He openly offers to demonstrate a mammogram on her using an "international demonstration."

​Cue the punchline: The comedian-doctor and his sidekick doctor start laughing hysterically. No one else was laughing.
​In fact, the doctor found his own material so hilarious that instead of apologizing, he decided to "kid" and mock the poor intern again on a completely separate occasion. The humiliation was so toxic and unbearable that the intern literally quit her internship, derailing her medical career.

​Six months later, her mother—rightfully furious at how her daughter was treated—related the whole sordid matter to a journalist.

​The Legal Math: S*x + Harassment = Unjust Vexation?

​The intern courageously filed a S*xual Harassment complaint. However, the state prosecutor looked at the calendar, realized there wasn't a strict, permanent employer-employee relationship, and technically downgraded the charge to Unjust Vexation. Knowing he was dead to rights, the doctor pleaded guilty.

​Enter my client, the journalist, who published an article exposing the incident with the headline: "Doctor convicted of s*xual harassment."

​The doctor, now a convicted vexer, suddenly found his delicate sensibilities offended. He filed a Criminal Libel complaint because the headline used the words "S*xual Harassment" instead of his court-approved discount title, "Unjust Vexation."

​My client had to post a cash bail bond, go through arraignment, and face the stress of a criminal trial just for calling a spade a spade.

​The Courtroom Drama: The "Good Guy" Act Flops

​During the pre-trial, we managed to get a crucial admission from the prosecution: They agreed that the entire body of the article was 100% accurate. The doctor’s only remaining gripe was the headline.

​To salvage his reputation during the trial, the prosecution tried to project a glowing image of the doctor as a man of "good moral character."
​We immediately popped that bubble. We pointed out to the court that this "good guy" had openly committed and been convicted of unjust vexation against a student under his supervision. And the kicker? Despite being handed a laughably measly court fine of just 200 pesos, the doctor never even bothered to go and pay it. So much for stellar citizenship.

​Our defense was simple, concrete, and grounded in reality:

​The "Tomato, To-mah-to" Argument: We argued before the court that no matter how many technical legal gymnastics the prosecutor used to downgrade the charge, the act had everything to do with s*x, and the intern was unequivocally harassed. You cannot use criminal libel to force a reporter to use your preferred, sanitized euphemisms for gross behavior.

​Abuse of Power: As a doctor with moral ascendancy over a subordinate intern, his "joke" was a textbook hostile-environment violation (Buban v. Dela Peña).

​Dismissed on the Merits by Judge Emmanuel Rasing

​We filed a Demurrer to Evidence right after the prosecution rested, arguing they hadn't proven a crime. Judge Emmanuel Rasing did the right thing. He looked at the evidence, upheld the principles of justice, and dismissed the case on the merits.
​The doctor wanted to use criminal libel law as a magic eraser to clean up his record and bully the press into silence. Instead, he got a swift lesson in constitutional law.
​Journalists shouldn't face jail time for reporting the raw truth about power imbalances. Proud to have stood as a wall for press freedom on this one, and hats off to a judiciary that knows how to see through the smoke and mirrors.

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas

28/05/2026

28/05/2026

We were honored to welcome the Local Government Unit of Balaoan, La Union for a courtesy visit focused on market operations and best practices. This engagement serves as a valuable opportunity to strengthen inter-local partnerships, exchange innovative ideas, and share effective strategies. Together, we remain committed to elevating the quality of public service and fostering progress for the City of Baguio and our constituents.

Jose "Joemol" Mencio Molintas
Benjie Magalong - Public Servant
Vice-Mayor Faustino Olowan

28/05/2026