Criminal raps filed vs PRC commissioner over extortion
MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman on Wednesday filed with the Sandiganbayan four criminal charges against Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Commissioner Alfredo Y. Po who was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation early this month in an entrapment operation.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales approved the inquest resolution by the Department of Justice and filed Direct the following cases against Po; (1) Direct Bribery, under Sec. 210 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); (2) violation of the Anti-Graft Law; (3) Solicitation or Acceptance of Gifts, under Sec. 7(d) of RA No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees]; and (4) Simple Robbery (with violence against or intimidation of persons) under Articles 293 and 294 of the RPC.
Based on the case against Po, he demanded a total amount of P478,000 as his commission for the rentals being paid by the PRC for its satellite office in Baguio City.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Ernesto De Los Santos, owner-lessor of the rented building that houses PRC’s Baguio office located at 141 Abanao Extension.
De Los Santos alleged that in November 2012 he went to Po’s office and was given checks representing the security deposit, during which instance, Po said that De Los Santos should give him a monthly commission of P42,800.
On Dec. 5, 2012, an entrapment operation was conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation Counter-Terrorism Division (NBI-CTD) in Po’s office at the PRC in Manila, when De Los Santos was delivering P394,000 to Po.
After inquest proceedings, the DOJ recommended the filing of the cases, upon finding that Po “clearly accepted the money as a consideration for the performance of his official functions as a commissioner of the PRC” and in the nature of a “commission for the facilitation by the accused of the lease contract between PRC and Ernesto De Los Santos[.]”
Po was appointed PRC Commissioner by Pres. Benigno Aquino III in September 2010.
