Tarlac City’s task force quarry head arrested for alleged extortion

THE HEAD of Tarlac City’s task force on quarrying was arrested on Monday for alleged extortion activities reported by a quarry clearance applicant.

The Anti Red Tape Authority (ARTA) said Tarlac City task force quarry head Pedro Soliman II was arrested after the agency received a complaint from an applicant who was asked to pay P240,000 for a clearance.

“The complainant said she recently went to the Tarlac City Hall to pay a fee of P42,000 for booklets of delivery receipts, a requirement for operating a quarrying firm,” ARTA said in a press release on Monday.

“She was then asked by Soliman to pay P10,000 per finished booklet or a total of P240,000 in exchange for her Tarlac City quarry clearance.”

Mr. Soliman was arrested by a team composed of representatives from ARTA, the police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and Tarlac City Police after he accepted entrapment money poised as an initial P80,000 payment from the complainant.

He may face charges for violating Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 and the circular banning fees on the transport of goods.

ARTA is investigating local government units that continue to charge transport fees on goods despite the circular banning the practice. — Jenina P. Ibañez