NSO Fixers Nabbed

Bonjour. Mabuhay.

Beware of Fixers. Be wise and smart.

News on the grapevine:
Published : Thursday, April 14, 2011 00:00
Written by : Melnie Ragasa-Jimena (http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/metro/3145-4-nso-fixers-nabbed)

Four alleged fixers at the National Statistics Office were arrested in an entrapment operation in Quezon City Tuesday afternoon.

Senior Insp. Roderick Medrano, chief of the General Assignments Section of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), identified those arrested as Connie Manalo, 56, Dina Balaoro, 42, Socorro Sibal, 37, and Christine Penaonas, 42, all of Manila.

Medrano said his men seized from the suspects the P1,000 marked money used in the entrapment, a brown envelope containing birth certificates, several stamps and birth certificate application forms.

He said the suspects admitted that they have been hanging around the NSO on East Avenue offering to fix documents for a fee.

PO2 Arman Labrador, who acted as a customer, appeared at the NSO and was approached by the suspects who offered to help him secure police clearance and other NSO documents. The suspects charged him P1,000 for their services.

After an agreement was reached, Labrador handed P1,000 to Manalo, then gave a hand signal to other police operatives who swooped down on the suspects.

Medrano said the entrapment was made following a request for assistance from Acting Assistant Ombudsman Joselito Fangon to round up fixers at the NSO.