City closes stalls with fake permits

The Revenue Task Force of the Cebu City government closed two stalls leased by meat dealers at the Carbon Public Market after they were discovered to have fake business permits.

Christopher Ong, task force assistant head, said that they closed the stall leased by a certain Johnrey Cabuenas after he failed to execute an affidavit on how he got the fake business permit.

The stall leased by Cabuenas' daughter, which was not supposed to be included in the closure order issued by Mayor Tomas Osmeña, was also closed down yesterday after it was found to have a fake sanitary, mayor's and business permits.

Originally, the task force is supposed to close 11 stalls of meat dealers yesterday but the 10 cooperated with the city government by executing an affidavit pinpointing the people behind the issuance of the bogus business permits.

Ong said the 10 stallholders claimed that their bookkeeper, a certain Corazon Tumulak, was the one who processed their permits. They also pointed at two examiners of permits assigned at the City Treasurer's Office as the culprits.

Ong further said they have already forwarded to the NBI the 35 surrendered fake permits for thorough investigation. Another 20 permits of the same kind will be forwarded to NBI next week.

The NBI is currently investigating the people behind the issuance of a fake permit to Banilad Auto Parts, which was ordered closed by Osmeña last month, but was re-opened after the owner executed an affidavit on how he got a fake business permit.

The execution of the affidavit is the concession of the mayor for the establishment to be re-opened.

Three weeks ago, NBI filed criminal charges before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas against two employees of the city government allegedly responsible for the proliferation of fake business permits.

The NBI filed charges of falsification of public documents and violation of Republic Act 3019 otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Remberto Cabigon and Sherwin Baguio.

Cabigon and Baguio were identified to have been responsible in the issuance of a fake business permit to Nolsie Trading located along V. Gullas Street.

The mayor has been urging business owners to check their permits and report anomalous business permits immediately to the city.

He warned that once the city finds out about these fake permits, the business establishment will be closed and the owner or proprietor will be made to pay a fine of as high as P400, 000. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan

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