Is LTO 7 corruption free?

The common “modus” at the LTO is bribery and extortion. How much is Caindec receiving from his personnel who prey on driver’s license applicants?

Ialmost fell off my chair upon reading the Facebook post of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 wherein the agency was commended and lauded by the secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) for its continuing efforts to cleanse the agency of corruption. The Cebu Daily News Digital also came up with an article on the matter written by Irene Sino Cruz.

The report said DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade lauded the efforts of LTO 7 in acting against erring employees. “We welcome the anti-corruption initiatives of LTO 7. It is our hope that these measures will strengthen public trust in the agency,” Tugade said. “We reiterate that corruption of any form will not be tolerated and those who will be found guilty shall face the full extent of the law.”

Tugade cited the complaint filed against former LTO Talisay City extension chief engineer Bernardo Borromeo Jr., before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas in June and November of last year for alleged corrupt practices.

During the investigation, they found that the LTO extension office in Talisay City had an unusually high number of transactions, with registration of motor vehicles under Borromeo’s supervision exceeding more than 1,000 times the maximum ideal number prescribed in the LTO citizen’s charter. If I remember it right, LTO 7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec personally filed the complaint against Borromeo.

Also, complaints were coursed through 888 Citizen’s Complaint Hotline, claiming that Borromeo received fees ranging from P1,000 to P2,000 per transaction. It also cited the arrest of some “fixers” in Tagbilaran City, Bohol, where a former LTO employee was included. Before it was busted, the group was responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of fake licenses.

Caindec maintained that they will continuously improve their services and monitor their employees to ensure zero corruption in his office. “The measures they have taken to regain public trust are just the first in a continuing process to free our regional office from corruption. The Filipinos deserve an honest and efficient government agency,” Caindec said.

Wow! Congratulations to the new thrust of

Caindec. But is he sure that there is no more corruption in his office? The LTO, together with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), is one of the most corrupt government agencies. In fact, a few years ago, President Duterte castigated these agencies for rampant and prevalent corruption. The President was contemplating of abolishing the agencies.

The LTO and LTFRB are two government agencies tasked to ensure safe public travel. Both agencies work hand in hand. LTO registers motor vehicles and issues driver’s licenses, while the LTFRB enforces compliance of policies and franchises of public utility vehicles. Unfortunately, the two agencies also work together against fraud and bribery, which continuously result to passengers’ deaths and injuries. Corruption is so rampant and pervasive that any vehicle in whatever condition can be given the right to ply roads.

The common “modus” at the LTO is bribery and extortion. How much is Caindec receiving from his personnel who prey on driver’s license applicants? How much is his share in every drug test result from various drug testing centers? Sources said that LTO regular employees demand P7,000 per applicant with the assurance that the applicant will pass the examination and be issued a non-professional license. Ug dili makahatag tuyuon gyud ug hagbong. LTO employees receive bribes during the inspection of vehicles stage. LTO inspectors receive money from registrants for non-appearance. They would demand at least P2,000 for big cargo trucks. Smoke-belching results are useless if owners can pay the price. Mao nang daghan gihapon diha nga nagdagan nga kusog mobugwak og itum nga aso.

They do not check the units, especially their road-worthiness, if the price is right. LTO employees demand bribes during stenciling of chassis and engine numbers if the details in the original Certificate of Registration are different from the actual number on the vehicle’s chassis and engine.

Kung nasumpo na ning Caindec, modayig ug mo-abiba ko niya. Pero kon wala, labaw pa siyang “loslos.” Hambug lay kadaghan. Dili na serbisyo ang inyo diha, kung dili panapi.

The Constitutional Commission, whose members the late former president Cory Aquino handpicked and which had progressive elements in it, could only go as far as providing for what has largely become a minor irritant to trapo politics. The best thing that it could have done was to make the party-list polls determine the composition of Congress. That would have been a radical move.