NBI probes Bacolod workers linked to fake business permit scheme

DUBIOUS TRANSACTIONS Some employees of Bacolod City working in offices at the City Hall (shown in this undated photo) are subjects of a probe ordered by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation over the proliferation of fake business permits. —RONNIE BALDONADO

BACOLOD CITY—The National Bureau of Investigation has issued subpoenas to some employees of Bacolod City’s Treasurer’s and Business Permits and Licensing offices over their alleged involvement in the issuance of fake business permits.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he sought the NBI’s help as early as last year following complaints that fake business permits had been issued to several individuals in the city and that fixers were involved.

“We want to find out who are faking them because a syndicate might be involved,” he said in a recent interview.

Benitez said some regular city government employees were being investigated while others were no longer employed by the city.

Impartial

“I trust the NBI to do its job so those making fake business permits do not do it again,” he said.

The mayor has sought the NBI’s intervention to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation.

“This development underscores the city’s commitment to upholding transparency and integrity in its administrative processes,” Benitez said.

According to the mayor, the city government has taken steps to put safety seals on public documents to prevent forgeries. —CARLA P. GOMEZ INQ