FIELDS AVENUE “Big 6” threatens to pull out investments.
So screamed the banner of Central Luzon Daily last week, sending chills down the spine of the city government.
So I presumed, what with the millions of dollars in collateral losses attendant to any sudden decamping of the famous avenue’s locators.
The threatened pull-out, so the region’s top police charac…, er, reporter Jess Malabanan wrote, is caused by “pressures coming from authorities” he itemized as “unlawful fees, monthly dues and other illegal collections of money including the (sic) protection racket.”
Quick was Malabanan to clarify though that “The group however was glad the way (sic) Mayor Edgardo
Pamintuan expressed his concern to the industry…”
This, even as he reported that “Obviously fed-up of (sic) the “protection racket,” the source said Richard Agnew, ex-Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in Ireland, is finalizing deal with a New Zealander business executive for the sale of several establishments amounting to P45 million.”
At the mention of the name Agnew, I can very well tell city hall to rest easy. No big deal here really.
Agnew is not the ideal investor Angeles City can hope for. Nor one worth keeping, if I may advance my own prejudices.
But “Agnew owns Golden Nile Bar and a five-storey building for mix-used (sic). He had sold several of his businesses including Cambodia Bar, Executive Hotel, Blue Nile and Nero’s Forum as a sign of his disappointment.”
So what, even if Agnew sold his own soul!
Why, only last September, Agnew figured prominently in the international press over the murder of his business associate. With him, the image of Angeles City went down anew to the gutter, as we commented here then.
The Belfast Telegraph, self-billed as Northern Ireland’s daily newspaper, headlined on 5 September 2011:
Ex-RUC officer denies Northern Ireland friend’s murder in Philippines. Pertinent portions read:
A former RUC officer has denied carrying out the murder of his sex trade business partner after the victim was found shot to death in bed with his Filipina lover.
Northern Irishman David Balmer (54) was found dead in bed with 26-year-old Elma de Guia in their house in Barangay, near Angeles City in the Philippines, a popular destination for sex tourists.
Balmer’s business partner, Richard Agnew (51) – a former RUC officer from Larne who has been accused of running clubs where children are sold for sex – is among those who have been questioned over the killings on Friday.
In July police in the Philippines said they were seeking to charge Agnew after raids on clubs – allegedly owned by the former police officer – led to 100 sex workers being rescued.
The victims had been shot in the head and other parts of their bodies. Chief Inspector Luisito Tan said police had found 14 9mm pistol cartridges.
Agnew told officers: “It has nothing to do with me.”
Agnew, a big name in the Angeles City sex trade, has denied any knowledge of Balmer’s murder, which police believe is business-related.
…Agnew, (is) owner of the Blue Nile Bar, Golden Nile, Sunshine, Tropican and several other sex bars in Angeles city – a focal point in the Philippines sex trade.
…Senior superintendent Rodolfo Recomono jnr said the victims had not been robbed. “We believe these murders were as a result of a conflict of business,” he said.
…Agnew was arrested in 2004 after the National Bureau of Investigation raided the Blue Nile hotel and bar and allegedly found six girls aged between 11 and 13.
It was reported that new girls carried a ‘V’ badge on their bikini tops denoting their virginity.
He was released without charge and agreed to be voluntarily deported to Thailand, but returned a few months later.
Such character this Agnew is!
While we can easily dismiss Agnew as one investor not worth keeping, the city government cannot as perfunctorily dismiss the alleged cause of his planned pull-out – illegal exaction, protection rackets, unlawful fees.
Fields Avenue is rife with talks – not necessarily hush-hush – of a so-called “Je-Jo Group” that allegedly took over the racket of the so-called “Jojo Group” that ran roughshod over every nook and cranny of the red-light district during the Nepomuceno administration.
To be fair to city hall though, someone should really come out with proofs-positive grounding all allegations of illegalities on solid evidence. After all, talk is cheap. And loose lips suck deep?
Like those of the alleged new bully on the block allegedly fronting for some barangay honcho.
“We are subjected to triple taxation, on top of the legal fees and dues we pay city hall,” lamented one bar owner.
“We invest, they profit. This ain’t no way to run a business.”
The Fields Avenue oldtimer could not help but pine for the everybody-happy modus vivendi between the bar owners and city hall at the time of Mayor Tarzan Lazatin.
“So did you hear any complaint from us when Panchito was the overseer of Fields Avenue?” he asked.
No we didn’t.
