QC government warns public never to transact with fixers, citing examples of duped businessmen
By Chito Chavez
With fixers lurking and taking advantage of the novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Quezon City government on Thursday warned the public never to deal with them as unscrupulous groups are only out to overcharge for their errant services or in the worse case hoodwink them and run away with their money.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many city hall clients have second thoughts about paying their tax and permit obligations and have resorted to acquiring the services of fixers who sweet talk them about having strong connections with city hall employees to facilitate the payments of their dues.
The call was reiterated after a business owner was duped of P339,499.95 by an alleged fixer who promised to expedite the renewal of his business permit, according to the Business Permits and Licensing Department (BPLD).
Massive Integrated Tech Solutions, represented by Norberto Reblora Jr., has filed estafa charges amounting to P339, 499.95 against Mariecris Bobiles after she was arrested by a joint team composed of the QC Police Department and the QC Legal Department.
BPLD head Margarita Santos said Reblora’s case should serve as a warning to other business owners to refrain from transacting with fixers in processing their permits and other documents.
She stressed that there is no reason for the business owners to transact with these crooks citing that Mayor Joy Belmonte had already enforced measures form ease of doing business at the city hall.
Reblora claimed he was approached by Bobiles to expedite the renewal of his business permit last January 2020 and issued her a manager’s check as payment.
After receiving a copy of the permit from Bobiles through his e-mail, Reblora noticed a minor error in his company’s address so he went to city hall to have it corrected.
Reblora discovered that no payment has been made and no business permit was issued to the company which resulted in the accumulation of penalties.
After that, Bobiles then offered Reblora some help with the error in the address.
Reblora sought help from the QCPD, which immediately arranged an entrapment operation with the help of the QC City Hall Police Detachment and the QC Legal Department.