DAVAO City—Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered a crackdown on fixers and their accomplices at the frontline offices of the city hall.
The order followed complaints about the presence of fixers offering the public fast processing of documents and transactions at the frontline offices in exchange for money.
The frontline offices are the Office of the City Treasurer, the Business Bureau, Office of the City Assessor, Office of the Local Civil Registry, City Health Office, Office of the City Veterinarian, Office of the City Social Services and Development, and the Local Land Franchising and Regulatory Board.
Erwin Alparaque, the chief of the Human Resource and Management Office, said the order came with a stern warning to employees who are working in cahoots with fixers.
“The worst thing that might happen to employees who are involved in fixing is termination from office,” he said.
“There might also be charges filed against them, especially if they are found to be the one accepting money.”
The Anti-Red Tape Act or Republic Act 9485 was enacted to ensure the efficiency of the delivery of government services by reducing red tape and preventing graft and corruption.
Fixing and helping with fixers are considered grave offenses under the law.
“We have been strictly implementing the law but there are those who try to bend it and violate,” said Alparaque.
“We have recently received reports about the presence of fixers and we refuse to tolerate these activities,” he added.
These fixers can be seen mostly outside the Sangguniang Panlungsod building where most of the frontline offices are.
Carpio has dispatched a team tasked to monitor the activities at the frontline offices and make the necessary reports to quell their activities.
