Mayor of San Simon, Pampanga, arrested by NBI after being charged with extortion, graft, and illegal possession of firearms. According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, Mayor Abundio Punsalan Jr. is still in the custody of the NBI at the BuCor detention facility in Muntinlupa.
Punsalan and his accomplice Ed Ryan Dimla were caught at a restaurant in Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City on August 5 while accepting P30 million in marked money from Realsteel Corp. The money was allegedly in exchange for the issuance of the company's business permit.
Realsteel said they were being asked for a total of P80 million, and were allegedly threatened with the cancellation of their permit and tax incentives if they did not pay.
Six of Punsalan's bodyguards were also arrested and their guns confiscated. They were subjected to inquest proceedings and brought to the BuCor facility.
Punsalan is in his third term as mayor, and he has been suspended four times since taking office in 2019.
