Ombudsman urged: Probe LTO "anomaly" in Lapu-Lapu

CEBU, Philippines - An insurance agent has requested the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas to look into the alleged anomalies in the registration of vehicles at the Land Transportation Office in Lapu-Lapu City.

Merlo A. Surilla of Barangay Pajo, in a letter addressed to Deputy Ombudsman Pelagio Apostol, he asked that LTO chief Aurea Angcay in Lapu-Lapu City be investigated for allegedly allowing the registration of vehicles without sufficient documents.

Surilla attached in his letter request printouts of LTO Entry Traceability Report showing some of the vehicles registered by the LTO-Lapu-Lapu City branch lacking the required documents.

He asked Apostol to place Angcay under preventive suspension to preserve the integrity of vital records and to prevent her from intimidating possible witnesses.

Surilla also sent copies of his letter to former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., who will head the soon-to-be created Truth Commission as well as to Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza.

Angcay denied any knowledge to the alleged irregularities.

According to her, if the report is true, some of her unscrupulous people maybe behind it. “Maybe, napalutsan g’yud ko sa badlongon nakong sakop,” she said.

According to Angcay, she is very strict about registration of vehicles in her office considering that she is already about to retire.

The procedure is that a vehicle cannot be registered with the LTO without proof of payment of tax for its importation.

Surilla said Arman Perez of Bayan Muna already filed a complaint about it before the LTO central office in Manila citing the vehicles owned by Marjorie V. Echiverri and others which were registered without supporting documents.

However, Surilla said he was dismayed because the LTO in Manila failed to act on the complaint.

“Their deliberate failure to act on the irregularity shows there was collusion between them and the registrars involved in the illegal registration of imported cars making them liable for dishonesty and graft and corrupt practices act,” Surilla said.

On top of it, Surilla said he is also set to file another case against Angcay for alleged violation of the nepotism law.

Surilla claimed that Angcay appointed her niece, Jenever Agbay Magdadaro, as cashier of the LTO Lapu-Lapu City branch.

Section 59 of the Administrative Code of 1987 provides that one is guilty of nepotism if an appointment is issued in favor of a relative within the third civil degree of consanguinity or affinity of the appointing authority, recommending authority, chief of the bureau or office or persons exercising immediate supervision over the appointees. (THE FREEMAN)