• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
A 25-year-old male graphic artist from Talisay City, Negros Occidental is facing charges for falsification of public documents, following an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Saturday.
The operation was conducted after the NBI launched surveillance to validate a complaint from a business owner in Bacolod City that his 2023 business permit was fake and reported the matter through “Isugid kay Mayor” radio program.
The NBI arrested the graphic artist, who was caught editing a document for a business permit at a portrait shop in Bacolod City where he is employed. He told authorities that he was hired by the owner as a graphic artist but ended up producing fake business permits.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the graphic artist named other persons involved in the illegal activity and the matter is now being investigated. This involves private and public employees. They don’t seem to be afraid of committing this kind of act. They probably don’t know this is a serious charge, he said.
The complainant discovered that he had no record of payment for his 2023 business permit with City Hall or the City Permits and Licensing Division, despite having paid for its renewal, including penalties. He reported that he was referred to a portrait shop in Bacolod City so he could be assisted in the processing of his permit.
Benitez said they will continue their anti-corruption drive at City Hall.
He appealed to business owners to scan the QR Code of their business permits to determine whether authentic or not.
“They should inform us of the process of obtaining their business permit so we will know if it is legal or not. Because after this, if they are caught having fake business permits, they cannot claim innocence anymore,” Benitez added.*
