LTFRB exec turns tables on accuser

A high-ranking official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) whowas suspended for 90 days over allegations of corruption turned the tables on his accuser whom he is poised to file perjury charges against for saying he demanded a P4.6 million in exchange for a franchise. LTFRB executive director Samuel Jardin, also the head of the board’s preaccreditation committee that vets franchise applications, said in a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that Michelle Sapangila’s affidavit accusing him of bribery was “fabricated, a complete falsehood.” Jardin was suspended effective on Thursday by the DOTr over the said allegations, which also implicated LTFRB chair Martin Delgra. Sapangila claimed that Jardin demanded P4.6 million—of which P1.5 million was to go to Delgra—in exchange for the issuance of a route measured capacity, a requirement for public utility vehicle (PUV) franchise applications. Jardin pointed out that Sapangila was not a registered PUV operator nor does she have a pending application for a franchise.—