Provincial board member nabbed
The operation stemmed from a complaint over alleged irregularities in payments for transportation services used during the event.
The operation stemmed from a complaint over alleged irregularities in payments for transportation services used during the event.
BALER, Aurora — A provincial board member representing the Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) and his staff were arrested in an entrapment operation here over alleged irregularities involving transportation payments for the 2025 Indigenous Peoples Day.
Arrested were provincial board member Randy Salo and his staff, Ronalin Pasagian, who allegedly received P250,000 during the operation.
According to the Baler Municipal Police Station, the operation stemmed from a complaint over alleged irregularities in payments for transportation services used during the event.
Police said 64 vans were declared as transportation units at the provincial capitol under Salo, but only 11 vans were reportedly rented from a cooperative.
The discrepancy prompted authorities to investigate, eventually leading to the entrapment operation.
CCTV footage obtained by Tigerborn showed a woman in pink approaching two men eating at a separate table inside a restaurant in Baler. The woman received a bundle of cash from one of the men before returning to a table where a man in red was seated.
The woman then appeared to count the money while other customers continued eating.
Police said some of the customers were police operatives deployed for the entrapment.
The suspects were taken into custody following the operation and are expected to face charges for alleged violations of Republic Act 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Aurora Gov. Isidro “Sid” Pimentel Galban said corruption would not be tolerated in the provincial government.
Galban also said government officials and employees should not use their names or positions to solicit money from contractors and suppliers or act as fixers in processing documents.
The two suspects declined to comment on the allegations.
