Nat’l Museum execs nabbed for allegedly asking P120k for treasure hunt permit

Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission officials arrested two officers of the National Museum at a Pasay City mall on Friday.

Angel Bautista and Ernesto Torribio Jr. allegedly asked for money from the two complainants in exchange for a treasure mining permit.

Torribio is the head of the museum's Treasure Hunting Section while Bautista is his superior, the acting director of the Cultural Properties Division.

Both were arrested after Torribio accepted P120,000 cash in an entrapement operation set up by he NBI and the PACC on Friday afternoon.

Bautista was also in the area when the cash changed hands.

"Bale ano yan, nag-aapply ng treasure hunting permit. So hindi mabigyan-bigyan ng treasure hunting permit hangggang ngayon," PACC commissioner Greco Belgica said.

"Nag-set and sa P120k lalabas na lahat," he added.

Bautista and Torribio were brought to the office of the NBI-National Capital Region after the operation.

Torribio said there was nothing wrong with the fee they were trying to collect.

Does the fee really cost P120,000?

"Opo, ganun po talaga," Torribio said.

Belgica, however, said that the legal fees only amounted to P3,000.

Still, Belgica admitted that the requirements in securing the permit were vague.

"Mukhang walang malinaw na requirements. So tuwing walang malinaw na requirement at magulo ang requirement, yun po ang, that's what breeds corruption. Yun po ang pwedeng ground ng corruption," Belgica said.

"Nananawagan na rin po ako dun sa mga inagrabyado sa National Museum, punta sa opisina, sa office namin," he added. —NB, GMA News