NSO aide nabbed over fake papers

MANILA, Philippines - Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recently arrested an employee of the National Statistics Office (NSO) who allegedly demanded money to provide assistance in the nullification of a marriage in Manila.

According to the NBI, complainant Dolly delos Reyes, who works in Japan, said her sister introduced her to Arnelson Taguiam, who holds the rank of Administrative Aide IV at the NSO, in October 2011.

Taguiam, who has worked at the NSO for 30 years, allegedly claimed he could have Delos Reyes’ marriage declared null and void in exchange for P250,000. Delos Reyes told the NBI she paid Taguiam in several tranches from Oct. 6 to Dec. 23 last year.

When Delos Reyes received the supposed documents nullifying her marriage and submitted them to the Philippine consulate in Japan, she was told that her papers were spurious, the NBI reported.

Delos Reyes told the NBI she notified Taguiam about the bogus documents and he reportedly demanded an additional P20,000 to pay employees at Manila’s civil registry office to “fix” her marital status.

This prompted Delos Reyes to seek NBI assistance on Dec. 27, 2012.

NBI agents set an entrapment last Jan. 17 at a restaurant in Sta. Cruz, Manila. They arrested Taguiam when Delos Reyes handed him money.

Taguiam was charged with usurpation of authority, violating the anti-red tape law and estafa before the Manila prosecutor’s office.