Labor officer faces graft for extort case

Graft charges were filed by Cebu City police against a senior officer of the Department of Labor and Employment in Central Visayas (DOLE-7) accused of extorting money from a spa owner before the Ombudsman-Visayas yesterday.

Wilfredo Wagas, a 53-year-old senior DOLE-7 liaison officer arrested in an entrapment operation at a coffee shop in Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City, last Thursday evening denied the charges.

But he admitted sending a text message to Lim asking for “a token.”

“Ang sayop nako nitabang ko sa tawo nga swapang. Sa kadalo ang iyang na-save unya risgo pa kaayo ko ana (My mistake was I helped someone who’s selfish. Considering the amount he would save and I would risk myself for that),” Wagas told reporters at the office of Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) yesterday.

Charged with violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Wagas declined to undergo a preliminary investigation, which would have allowed him to submit his counteraffidavit against the allegations.

The graft charge, a bailable offense, is expected to be filed before the court.

A team from the Investigation and Detective Management Branch (IDMB) of the Cebu City Police Office hatched an entrapment operation against Wagas.

Token

The operation stemmed from a complaint by businessman Johnie Lim, chief executive officer of the Body and Sole Franchising Corp. and president of the Spa and Welnesss Association of Cebu.

In an affidavit, Lim said Wagas presented to him a document listing the reported liabilities his company owed to his employees amounting to over P600,000 and other labor violations.

Last April 1, Wagas interviewed Lim’s employees who reportedly refused to file charges against the businessman.

Lim said Wagas allegedly told him that companies helped by the DOLE would usually give “pahalipay” or tokens to them.

Lim claimed that he gave P5,000 to Wagas, which he accepted.

But last May 2, Lim said Wagas texted him and demanded an additional P7,000.

He aired his complaint to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which sought help from the Cebu City police.

‘Good faith’

Wagas was arrested by the police after receiving the marked money from Lim.

Wagas told reporters that he “acted in good faith” when he received the P5,000 for helping Lim and his employees settle their dispute.

He said he didn’t mention any amount to Lim so his text message couldn’t be construed as extortion.

Lim said he shouldn’t have paid P5,000 to Wagas since his employees didn’t file any charges against him.

Chief Insp. George Ylanan, IDMB chief, said they recovered the text messages sent by Wagas to Lim.

He said they also got two copies of a draft dismissal order prepared by Wagas to be formalized after the payment.

A laundry shop owner also showed up at the City Intelligence Branch (CIB) office before noon yesterday and claimed that Wagas also tried to extort money from her.

Embarrassed

The owner who requested anonymity said Wagas told her that she owed her employees P95,000 in back wages.

She said she met with her employees who didn’t have any complaint against her. Since then she didn’t call Wagas.

Wagas said the “token” would only be given if both employees and employer/s agree to a settlement.

Wagas’s lawyer Salvador Solima said they will wait for the complaint to prepare his defense.

The officer’s relatives also went to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) to defend him from the charges.

Acting DOLE-7 Regional Director Exequiel Sarcauga voiced his embarrassment over the incident and said he wasn’t remiss in reminding employees not to engage in corruption.

He said he always tells his employees not to “entertain any invitations regarding case-related inquiries outside the office.”

As hearing officer, Sarcauga said Wagas was known for being efficient in resolving labor dispute cases.

Sarcauga said he ordered an administrative investigation on Wagas.

He said a labor inspector was previously suspended and then dismissed after being arrested for extortion.

With Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan