National Bureau of Investigation agents arrested a Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board  official in Bacolod City in an entrapment operation 3 p.m. yesterday for allegedly soliciting and accepting grease money from a taxi operator.

Nabbed was Arturo Gepes, head of the LTFRB Bacolod inspection and monitoring team, who vehemently denied he had solicited and accepted P5,000 as grease money from taxi operator Lauro Dizon.

NBI special agent Cyrus Alusan said complaints for extortion, violation of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act and ethical standards of government employees were filed against Gepes before the Bacolod Prosecutor's Office.

LTFRB Regional Director Romulo Bernardes said he has directed the regional administrative action board to investigate the allegations against Gepes to determine if administrative action should be taken.

The LTFRB does not tolerate extortion activities by its personnel, he said.

Bernardes also denied that the grease money was being collected on his behalf.

Gepes called to inform him that he had been arrested and to deny that he had solicited grease money, Bernardes said.

Alusan said they conducted an entrapment operation based on a complaint lodged by Dizon, operator of three taxis in Bacolod.

Dizon who was processing a sale and transfer of franchise at the LTFRB in Bacolod alleged that Gepes solicited P5,000 from him to expedite its release from the regional director, Alusan said.

An entrapment operation was then held with P5,000 in marked money   dusted   with   fluorescent powder, he said.

When Gepes accepted the P5,000 at his office, he was arrested by the NBI agents, Alusan said.

Gepes, on the other hand, said he told Dizon to pay the money to the cashier who was out of the office at the time, but the taxi operator insisted on leaving the money with him.

Gepes also said he told Dizon to write his name so a receipt could be issued but as soon as he held the money the NBI agents arrested him.

He said he did not solicit the money from Dizon to expedite anything, and it was not grease money, adding that he has availed of the services of a lawyer to post bail and to defend himself.*CPG

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