• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Bacolod City Administrator Lucille Gelvolea said Jan. 30 that she is still waiting for the formal reply of the three regular employees earlier accused of being involved in the release of fake permits in 2023.
Gelvolea said the City Legal Office (CLO) is also evaluating the answers of two Office of Building Official (OBO) personnel, who allegedly “demanded P5,000 to expedite the OBO clearance approval on Jan. 11, 2024” during a mayor’s permit renewal inspection.
All these employees have been issued memos or show-cause orders, she said, adding the CLO is evaluating their replies for appropriate recommendations, and her office will then take action.
Gelvolea did not name the personnel involved, saying this is for their privacy and that of their families.
Mayor Alfredo Benitez said he will wait for the result of the investigation.
“We have repeatedly warned. We know may iban pa da probaby doing these kinds of things, we advise them that we mean business. Those that will be caught will be sanctioned,” Benitez stressed. “Ibalik ta ang salig sa gobyerno. We want to ensure that all government transactions will be above board, transparent, with no anomalies or violations.”
The two OBO personnel were told to stay put in the office.
The three regular employees of the Bacolod Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), meanwhile, are set to appear before the National Bureau of Investigation in the city today, Jan. 31, over their alleged involvement in the release of fake permits.
Benitez sought the NBI’s intervention to ensure a thorough and impartial examination on the matter, the city said last week. “This underscores the city’s commitment to upholding transparency and integrity in its administrative processes.”
Last year, Benitez said about 90 fake business permits were discovered, and surmised that this illegal activity has been going on for years, or even decades.
He said he believed there was “inside job” in the proliferation of fake business permits, assessments, and official receipts, and that former job order workers were involved, along with fixers.
Benitez thanked Bacolodnons for helping the city identify these erring employees, adding that since his administration already incorporated QR codes in official documents and permits, it will be easy to check if a permit or document is authentic by just scanning the code. | CGC
