Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Tuesday, March 26, reiterated her “zero-tolerance policy" against corruption following the arrest of an official of the Quezon City Engineering Office for alleged extortion.
The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) apprehended on March 23 a certain Joel Avila for allegedly extorting money from a businessman.
Police said Avila demanded payment in exchange for fast processing of permits and other necessary documents for the businessman's pet food business.
Based on the police report, the businessman filed a complaint against Avila.
Investigation disclosed that Avila demanded P1.5 million from the businessman for the processing of his building permit, business permit, zoning, and certificate of exemption required for the warehouse of the businessman’s pet food business.
The businessman complied with Avila’s demand by depositing the specified amount into the account of suspect's wife.
However, Avila allegedly requested for an additional P1.1 million on October 22, 2022.
Despite the businessman’s compliance with the demand, he received no documents from Avila, who stopped communicating with him.
The victim was surprised after the suspect reached out to him again on March 15, and he demanded an additional P1.7 million for the zoning reclassification process needed for the issuance of the Certificate of Exemption.
The suspect then lowered the amount to P700,000, which prompted the victim to seek assistance from the QCPD.
QCPD operatives conducted an entrapment operation on March 23 at a restaurant on Visayas Avenue in Quezon City.
According to the city’s public information office, the case has been forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Belmonte emphasized that corruption must not be normalized or tolerated, particularly among the Quezon City Hall employees, as it undermines all the achievements of the local government.
“We won’t tolerate these few bad eggs. We will make sure that they are punished to the full extent of the law to prove that we are serious in eradicating corruption,” she said.
Furthermore, the mayor encouraged all Quezon City residents who have experienced or observed any instances of corruption to report the incident through a dedicated link on the Quezon City E-services portal.
“Reports that are made through the QC E-services site will go straight to the top, and these will be handled with utmost confidentiality and urgency,” Belmonte noted.
In point-of-transaction offices within QC City Hall, prominent posters will also be displayed, reminding Quezon City residents of the shared responsibility of all parties involved.
The local government has implemented various online systems through the QC E-Services portal, promoting zero-contact processes for nearly all transactions with the city.
It encompasses securing assessments and making payments for business and real property taxes, as well as obtaining and paying for business and building permits, locational clearances, sanitary permits, health certificates, occupational permits, and more.
“If we want to continue in our path as pioneers, the only way to do so is to work with uncompromising honesty, integrity, and fairness,” she stated.