Ombudsman sacks PRC commissioner

Purple S. Romero

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Commissioner Alfredo Po, an appointee of the Aquino administration, was caught extorting money, says the Ombudsman

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed a commissioner of the Professional Regulatory Commission on Thursday, May 16 for getting commission from the rental payment of the PRC satellite office in Baguio.

Commissioner Alfredo Y. Po, an appointee of President Benigno Aquino III, was ordered dismissed from service by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales after he was caught in an entrapment operation accepting checks amounting to P394,000 from Ernesto de los Santos, owner-lessor of a building being leased by PRC in Baguio.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) conducted the entrapment operation in December 2012 after De Los Santos filed a complaint saying Po demanded a monthly commission of P42,800 in October and November 2012.

He added that Po warned him that if he did not give the commission, the lease contract would be cancelled. De Los Santos then paid him P84,000. 

Po denied this, however, saying he could not have intervened in the approval of the lease contract as he was not a member of the bids and awards committee. He added that it was “inconceivable” for him to extort money after the lease contract was signed. 

But the NBI and De Los Santos said Po had leverage because he was a signatory to the checks issued by the PRC.

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed with the Sandiganbayan separate information against Po for direct bribery, graft, solicitation of gifts and simple robbery. – Rappler.com

 
 
 
 

 

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