By Jing Villamente

A contractual worker from the Quezon City Hall Accounting Office was arrested after allegedly extorting nearly P850,000 from a businesswoman, reviving long-standing concerns about fixers operating with impunity.

The Quezon City government, in a statement Saturday, condemned the incident.

“The Quezon City government strongly condemns any form of corruption, bribery, or extortion, especially if it directly or indirectly involves anyone connected with the city government,” it said.

The arrest came after the victim, who operates a dialysis clinic, reported to police that she was being threatened by a woman who had earlier helped her secure business permits.

City Hall insiders told the DAILY TRIBUNE that the suspect had assisted the businesswoman during the pandemic by supposedly arranging all the needed documents, including a building permit.

What the victim did not know at the time was that the permits were fake. Investigators later learned the suspect had claimed to be working with individuals identified as AJ and Dexter T. from the Office of the Building Official. Together, they allegedly funneled forged documents to the victim while collecting around P4 million.

Quezon City Police District acting director Col. Randy Glenn Silvio identified the suspect only as “Maria,” 41, a resident of Barangay Batasan Hills. She was arrested in an entrapment operation mounted by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit under Lt. Col. Edison Uano.

Silvio said the victim received a text message on 11 August from the suspect, who threatened to have her business closed for supposedly operating with an expired “Certificate of Exemption to Operate.” The suspect then demanded P847,982 for the renewal of the business permit.

Alarmed, the victim went to the CIDU, which coordinated with Quezon City’s Department of Public Order and Safety to lay a trap. On 13 August, at about 5:02 p.m., operatives arrested the suspect inside a KFC outlet along Matalino Street, Barangay Central.

Recovered during the sting were P1,000 in genuine bills, P849,000 in boodle money, a brown envelope, and a cellphone.

The suspect is now facing robbery extortion and attempted estafa charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office.

In Filipino, Silvio expressed gratitude to the victim and urged the public to report similar schemes. “We are grateful to the victim for immediately reporting the suspect’s actions, which allowed us to swiftly address and put an end to this crime. Extortion is a crime that carries a heavy penalty. We urge the public to report any form of threat or illegal activity to the nearest police station or call Emergency Hotline 911/QC Helpline 122.”

The city government, for its part, said it is working closely with police and other authorities to pursue the case to “the fullest extent of the law.” It said it also launched an internal probe to check if other employees may have been involved.

“There is also no need to engage with fixers or middlemen, as our processes and permit applications are already 100 percent online,” it said.

“We encourage residents and business owners to report any suspicious or illegal activities in the processing of permits or documents through Helpline 122 or the People’s Corner on our official website (https://quezoncity.gov.ph),” it added.