Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III听on Friday claimed that he was already cleared of involvement in the P6.8 million extortion complaint听filed against him, by the supposed complainant herself.
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鈥淏iglang may tawag sakin, na ito daw si Azizzah, yung nagexecute ng affidavit ay umiiyak-iyak at [nakokonsya] daw siya dahil yun daw nasangkot ako,鈥� Bello said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer.
鈥淕usto nila makipagusap sa akin. Syempre in-entertain ko naman. Doon, tinanong ko si Mrs. Azizzah Salim yung pangalan, sabi ko ano bang problema ninyo,鈥� he added.
Bello said Salim, owner of Azizzah International Manpower Services Inc., denied mentioning his names in听a sworn affidavit she reportedly signed before President Rodrigo Duterte.
Salim, he said,听also admitted that she did not read the affidavit when she signed it.
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鈥溾�橲ecretary, dinala ako sa Presidente. Nagkwento ako tungkol dun sa pangingikil sa akin. Pero kahit minsan hindi kayo binanggit鈥�, sabi niya (Salim),鈥� Bello quoted Salim as saying.
鈥淜ung babasahin mo yung affidavit na yun, halatang halata na isiningit lang yung pangalan ko,鈥� he added.
According to Bello, Salim had asked him to accompany her to the President to clarify the situation. But due to the President鈥檚 busy schedule, the agency owner instead testified before Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.
鈥淜inonfirm niya lahat ng sinabi niya sakin; na hindi niya ko binanggit, hindi niya ko sinasangkot dun sa loko-lokohang nangyayari at lalong hindi niya binasa yung affidavit na nilagdahan niya,鈥� Bello said.
Earlier, Bello also denied receiving P100,000 and an expensive mobile phone from the owner of a recruitment agency. He said the money was supposed to be a birthday gift to him but he immediately asked his secretary to return it.听 Kristine Anne Macasiray 黑料社 intern /muf
READ: DOLE chief denies receiving money, phone from recruitment agency boss
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