By TONY CHAVEZ
Emma F. Robianes, a government employee in the City Engineer's Office of Taguig City, was found guilty by Metropolitan Trial Court Taguig City, Branch 116, for Fixing and/or Collusion with a fixer, in violation of Section 11 (b) of Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9485, as amended by R.A. No. 11032.
This law prohibits refusal to accept application and/or request within the prescribed period or any document being submitted by a client; and fixing and/or collusion with fixers in consideration of economic and/or other gain or advantage.
A private complainant, who sought to secure a building permit for his client, was asked to pay Php 30,000 to allegedly cover an “SOP” for the facilitation, competition, and expedition of the release of the permit. This was reduced to Php 20,000 after multiple conversations with Robianes.
After further communication, the complainant decided to lodge a complaint before the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), as the primary agency mandated to implement R.A. No. 11032.
ARTA, through its Investigation, Enforcement and Litigation Office (IELO), coordinated with the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG), to conduct an entrapment operation on 19 November 2019.
Upon being found guilty, Robianes is facing penalties of one-year imprisonment, a fine of Php 500,000, and perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Let this serve as a stern warning to those who continue to violate the law: ARTA is determined to implement the law to the fullest.
Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas brand of leadership, ARTA will continue to fight government inefficiencies towards better public service delivery.
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