Acting LTO-7 chief not eligible for post

CEBU, Philippines - Land Transportation Office (LTO)-7 acting chief, Alita Pulga, is not among the qualified career executives to hold the position she is applying for, according to the Career Executive Service Board (CESB).

CESB Executive Director Maria Anthonette Velasco-Allones has replied to the query of Dr. Danilo Dionson, an accredited LTO physician, whether Pulga is a Career Service Executive Eligible (CSEE).

Allones said that based on records, Pulga is not included in the roster of Career Executive Service Officers (CESOs) or Career Executive Service Eligibles (CESEs) conferred by the CESB.

“There was also no record which shows that Ms. Pulga is presently on-stream or an applicant for the conferment of CES Eligibility,” read Allones’ letter-reply dated January 11, 2017.

Allones added that they have likewise verified in the list of CSEEs conferred by the Civil Service Commission and found no record under Pulga’s name.

In its vacancy announcement, the LTO-7 needs Director II possessing CSEE or CES Eligibility.

The same issue was raised by Dionson during the time of LTO-7 acting chief, Arnel Tancinco, in 2014.

Tancinco said he is a presidential appointee and his term as LTO-7 director is co-terminous with that of the President and has no tenure of office.

Following the vacancy of the position when Tancinco formally vacated his post, Pulga, the next in command, assumed as acting director last August 2, 2016 pending formal designation from President Rodrigo Duterte.

The application of Pulga has been opposed by Dionson and other stakeholders of LTO-Mandaue City Licensing Center before the Office of the President.

Among their grounds pointed out was the briefing memo dated January 21, 2015 from Alden Belza, acting administrative officer of LTO-7, to investigate Cynthia Duterte, officer-in-charge of the licensing center of LTO-Mandaue City.

Jovert Nemenzo, the chairman of National Confederation of Tricycle and Operators Association in the Philippines (NACTODAP)-Mandaue Chapter, filed a complaint against Duterte, which was not acted for almost two years already.

Lawyer Maria Kristine Yulo, the acting director of the President's Personnel Group Secretariat in Malacañang, referred the letter of Dionson to the Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

Pulga earlier said the root of Dionson's anger at her is the impending transfer of LTO-Mandaue City to the LTO-Motor Vehicle Inspection Service in Barangay Subangdaku.

"Wa man na problema iya ko babagan ba, atoa is serbisyo ra man ni. Kung mo-apply ta, we expect two things to happen. Approval or disapproval by the president," Pulga said. (FREEMAN)