City Hall uncovers 70 fake business permits

The Cebu City Revenue Task Force uncovered more than 70 fake business permits over the weekend, raising suspicions that some City Hall employees were involved in their proliferation.

Christopher Ong, the task force assistant head, said 50 people had executed affidavits pointing to two employees at the City Treasurer's Office as responsible for the issuance of fake business permits.

Ong said the affidavits would be forwarded to the National Bureau of Investigation within this week for the filing of charges against the culprits.

He said that their intensified drive against the proliferation of fake business permits would continue, expecting more than 100 fake permits to be uncovered within the next two weeks

On Friday, the task force uncovered three fake business permits used by traders based at an uptown mall. If the traders will not execute affidavits on how they got the spurious permits, Ong said their businesses would be closed.

The NBI is currently investigating the people behind the issuance of a fake permit to Banilad Auto Parts in Barangay Banilad.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña had ordered for the closure of Banilad Auto Parts last month for possessing fake business permit, but it was reopened after its owner executed an affidavit on how he got the spurious permit.

The mayor earlier requested the NBI to investigate the proliferation of fake business permits in the city because of complaints from the owners of establishments that the city had closed.

Osmeña urged businessmen to check the authenticity of their permits, saying that those who possess fake business permits will be fined as high as P400,000 aside from the closure of their establishments. - Mitchelle P. Calipayan