PARTNERS IN CRIME? Aurora IPMR Board Member and his secretary arrested in ₱260K Baler entrapment

BALER, Aurora — An Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) provincial board member and his staff were arrested in an entrapment operation in Baler, Aurora over an alleged irregularity involving transportation payments for the province’s 2025 Indigenous Peoples Day, police said.

Arrested on September 18 were Randy Ogian Salo, an IPMR member of the Aurora Provincial Board, and his secretary, Ronalyn Esteban Pasagian, according to the Baler Municipal Police Station.

The operation was conducted at around 10:16 a.m. at a restaurant along Quezon Corner Carrasco Street in Barangay 1, Baler, following a complaint concerning the alleged irregularity in payments for transportation services used during the Indigenous Peoples Day event.

Police said the entrapment was carried out after the parties involved met at the establishment. Salo was allegedly arrested after receiving ₱260,000, which operatives subsequently recovered.

The suspects and the recovered money were brought to the Baler Municipal Police Station for documentation and appropriate disposition. Authorities are preparing complaints under Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for filing before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor.

Reports also indicated that the investigation involves an alleged discrepancy in the number of vehicles declared for transportation services. Police said 64 vans were reportedly declared as transportation units at the provincial capitol under Salo, while only 11 vans were allegedly rented through a cooperative. The information remains subject to verification as part of the investigation.

The two arrested individuals declined to issue statements about the allegations and said they would consult their lawyer, according to a local report.

Aurora Gov. Isidro “Sid” P. Galban has also been informed of the arrests and said his administration would not tolerate alleged corruption in the provincial government. He cited a provincial memorandum circular prohibiting officials and employees from using their positions or names to solicit money from contractors, suppliers, or individuals processing government transactions.

The allegations against Salo and Pasagian remain subject to investigation and the appropriate legal proceedings. An arrest and the filing of a complaint do not by themselves establish guilt.