MANILA, Philippines — A barangay (village) chairman in Manila was arrested in an entrapment operation on Tuesday for allegedly asking P15,000 from vendors in exchange for a certification required for their business permit applications.
Richmond Liu, 37, chairman of Barangay 285 Zone 26 in Binondo was presented to Mayor Joseph Estrada Tuesday night by Chief Inspector Bernabe Irinco Jr., head of the Manila City Hall Action and Support Assignment.
He was subsequently released.
A group of fruit vendors outside P. Guevarra Elementary School on San Fernando Street in Binondo had complained about Tiu and sought the help of City Hall.
Irinco reported the complainants as saying that they could not recoup the P15,000 sought by the barangay chairman in the 10 days that their permit would allow them to vend, from Dec. 20 to Dec. 30, to which the community official allegedly replied, “If you can’t pay then don’t set up your store here.”
Irinco said there should be no payment for the barangay certification, a prerequisite for the special permit from City Hall.
Police prepared marked money and conducted an entrapment operation which resulted in Liu’s arrest inside the barangay hall past 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Estrada told the vendors to pay the correct permit fees and they would be allowed in the area until Jan. 6.
The vendor-complainants filed sworn statements Wednesday that they would not pursue any case against Liu.
“They will give him a chance to change,” Irinco reported the vendors as saying.
Liu refused to answer questions when sought for comment before his release.