PENRO employee in 'hot water' for extortion
BACOLOD CITY -- An employee of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) is in "hot water" after he was arrested by police intelligence operatives for alleged extortion.
Iver Estañol, 49, of Brgy. Eroreco, Bacolod City and detailed at Cenro-Kabankalan City was arrested during an entrapment operation by Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office and Bacolod City Police Office Intelligence and Investigation Branch at the 888 Chinatown Square in Bacolod City, Monday.
Five persons lodged their complaint to the police authorities after they were victimized by Estañol saying that the suspect demanded money from them in exchange for fast-tracking the release of their documents at DENR.
The operatives yielded marked money consisting of three pieces of P100 bills and a P200 bill.
Some victims had shelled out amounts ranging from P60,000 to a maximum of P300,000, to the suspect.
Estañol is now detained at the Police Station 2 for investigation.
CENRO-Kabankalan Rogelio Manuel said PENRO will conduct an administrative investigation on Estañol.
Meanwhile, PENRO Livino Duran was not surprised by the arrest of his employee.
In an interview, Duran said that on record, he personally filed an administrative case against Estañol to their Regional Office in Iloilo City.
The sad story is until now there is no resolution yet because Estañol is always absent the time there was a scheduled hearing on his case.
He discovered the "racket" of his employee since 2006 after he received some documented complaints from different persons transacting in their office.
"I am willing to testify against him if the court will call me to appear," he added.