ACTO files graft case vs LTFRB chairman

A graft complaint has been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday morning against Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Martin Delgra III due to his reported bias in granting franchises for public utility vehicles (PUVs).

The complaint was filed by Alliance for Concerned Transport Organizations president Efren de Luna, who wanted Delgra to be held liable for violation of Section 3(e) of R.A. 3019 or the AntiGraft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Aside from Delgra, LTFRB Board Member Ronaldo Corpus was also included in the complaint.

De Luna wrote in the complaint that Delgra and Corpus showed bias in the issuance of Board Resolution No. 45, which was signed on May 31, 2018. In it, certain groups were favored above others and were given unwarranted benefits and preference.

“A perusal of the subject Board Resolution would reveal that in the table of developmental routes mentioned therein, majority of the identified routes has already been given to groups and/ or entities who will be the franchise applicant to the exclusion of other group and/or entity,” the complaint read.

Since other groups were already identified as the franchise applicant, De Luna said no other group can apply for Certificate of Public Convenience for the said route as it is already considered close for franchise.

A total of 1,229 franchises were opened by the Board Resolution across eight regions, which is part of the De- partment of Transportation’s (DOTr) PUV Modernization Program.

However, five routes were already “exclusively reserved and segregated for particular applicants” by the respondents.

De Luna said Delgra and Corpus’ actions reek of “favoritism,” which gravely affects the transport sector. He is hoping for their dismissal from service out of fear that relevant evidence might be tampered with.