LTFRB legal officer tagged in illegal franchise issuance

CEBU, Philippines – Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 director Benjamin Go yesterday named his chief legal officer is among the "most guilty" persons who participated in the questionable issuance of hundreds of taxi franchises in Metro Cebu.

Go said he is now studying the possible filing of administrative charges against LTFRB-7 hearing officers Douglas Sanson and Evelyn Carmelita Misal, who, based on the documents, are the ones who endorsed the approval of the illegal taxi franchises despite of the existing moratorium.

The LTFRB-7 director said Misal, head of the LTFRB-7 legal department, was one of those who heard the petitions of some taxi operators who applied for the sale or renewal of their franchises. She was also the one who endorsed to the previous regional directors the granting of more taxi franchises.

Misal was one of those present during the scheduled hearing that Go called yesterday on the cancellation of the questionable franchises and she even acted as one of the hearing officers. However, she quickly inhibited herself from the proceedings after Go publicly accused her as involved in the anomalous activities.

She stood up and walked away but the LTFRB-7 director told her not to leave the room because she will be called later to testify on why she endorsed the granting of additional taxi franchises despite the existing moratorium.

According to Go, he had gathered documents that from 4,000 taxi franchises that were issued before 2003, when the LTFRB-Manila suspended the granting of taxi franchises, an additional of 2,000 franchises were issued by his predecessors.

"From 2004 to 2007, I already counted close to 1,500 new taxi franchises which are all illegally-issued and I expect this to reach over 2,000 units when the inventory will be completed until this year," he said.

During yesterday's hearing, lawyer Manuel Momongan, counsel of taxi operator Richard Peter Corominas, whose franchises are among the subject of the cancellation proceedings, questioned the LTFRB-7 director's power to cancel taxi franchises.

Momongan said only the LTFRB Board in Manila has the authority to cancel the franchises, arguing that even if Go is empowered by the law to cancel taxi franchises, he is not supposed to preside the proceedings as he is already biased because of his earlier announcement through the media.

"Instead of answering the charges, you are hiding and resorting to technicalities and delaying tactics. Although it is legal, it does not show sincerity and good faith in our search for the truth, it is contrary to the principles of transparency and good governance," Go explained.

When Go agreed to step down as presiding officer, he asked Momongan who he could recommend to preside over the hearing to which the latter responded by pointing at Misal.

But the LTFRB-7 director quickly said Misal cannot preside over the hearing because she is one of those persons who are allegedly involved in the issuance of illegal franchises, insisting on his authority to cancel the franchises saying, "100 per cent sure g'yud na. It has been done so many times in the past, but nag-inhibit na lang ko because he has my point in my earlier statement to the media."

Misal, on the other hand, did not react when Go accused her of among the "most guilty" persons in the alleged questionable activity inside the LTFRB office.

Richard Cabucos, president of the Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association, is strongly supporting Go in his campaign to cancel the questionable franchises that were issued by the unscrupulous LTFRB personnel.

Go earlier asked the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) in Manila to help him in conducting inventory of all the franchises issued by his predecessors. - /WAB (FREEMAN)