Cuizon, ex-DOT-7 chief sued at Ombuds
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB)-7 Director Ahmed Cuizon and Department of Tourism (DOT)-7 former regional director Rowena Montecillo are facing criminal and administrative complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas for alleged “undue patronage.”
In his verified position paper, Jerome Cuizon, who is running the Catalina Car Rentals, said that even though there was a pending moratorium for the issuance of franchise for tourist transport services, Ahmed allegedly issued a franchise, while Montecillo issued an endorsement letter for the operation of the tourist vehicles of Pearl of the Pacific Rent A Car of a certain Herbert Tan.
Sometime in November 2012, Jerome said he filed an application for endorsement of tourist transport service franchise before the DOT with supporting documents, covering his 20 tourist vehicle units, in compliance with the procedure for franchise application.
His application was not immediately granted since there was a pending moratorium on the issuance of franchise for tourist transport services.
In 2013, Jerome again filed an application for endorsement in which Montecillo issued an endorsement letter to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC).
However, DOTC thumbed down his endorsement letter because the DOT reportedly failed to comply with the requirements set forth in DOT Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01, which requires “that only brand new vehicles manufactured in the current year when the application was filed shall be endorsed.”
Thus, Jerome said his 20 tourist vehicle units were unable to operate.
However, sometime in February 2016, he came to know that four vehicles Tan and/or Pearl of the Pacific Rent A Car owns bear tourist plates and DOT Tourist vehicles stickers were able to operate.
Ahmed, in an interview, said if he issued an illegal franchise, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III during the nationwide audit and investigation last year which resulted to the sacking of many regional directors.
“Fortunately, LTFRB 7 was found out to have been the only office that has not violated the moratorium," Ahmed said.
He added that the complainant got angry with him when he did not accept Jerome’s 20 buses for franchise.
"The requirement man gud is that it should be endorsed first by the DOTC. Unya wa man i-endorse sa DOTC. So, unsaon man namo pagdawat nga requirement man na?. Sige siya og hangyo nga dawaton nalang kuno namo kay daku kaayo iyang nagasto. Pero dili man na namo sala," Cuizon said.
Ahmed and Montecillo were sued for a violation of Republic Act 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees and misconduct before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.