NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Northern Mindanao vows to identify the person behind the issuance of fake business permits to several businessmen in Cagayan de Oro City.
Jose Justo Yap, NBI regional director, said based on their initial investigation, a City Hall employee has been pointed and identified as the alleged contact who facilitates in the processing of fake business permits.
"But we don't want to confirm that. We still have to investigate and dig deeper regarding that information," Yap told Sun.Star Cagayan.
The NBI had summoned at least six businessmen in the city who have fake business permits but only four showed up at its office. They pointed a certain person inside the City Hall as the one who facilitated their permits.
Pending its investigation, the NBI declined to reveal the names of the businessmen and the alleged person at City Hall.
Earlier, Mayor Constantino Jaraula requested the NBI to conduct an investigation into the anomaly.
On Thursday, the NBI invited the person identified by the businessmen but Yap said the person is not an employee of City Hall.
The other week, Police Superintendent Antonio Montalba, deputy police director of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), said they have already filed charges against a "fixer" involved in the issuance of fake business permits at City Hall.
"The case has already been filed in November 2009 and it is now at the fiscal's office," Montalba said in an interview over RMN-dxCC.
However, Yap said the NBI's investigation is different from Cocpo's.
With last Thursday's investigation, Yap assured that they would establish solid evidences and trace the person responsible for the mess and file appropriate charges within a few days.
The issuance of fake business permits at City Hall was exposed by Councilor Roger Abaday in a special report at the City Council two months ago. (ALR)