DOTC executives puzzled over Palace denial on request to discipline Torres

Manila, Philippines - Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) officers were puzzled at the claim of the Palace that it was not aware of a request made by outgoing DOTC Secretary Jose de Jesus for President Aquino to discipline his shooting buddy, controversial Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres.

DOTC sources said that the Palace denial was puzzling since the De Jesus memorandum, dated April 6, was issued to the President himself, but coursed through Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr.

The STAR tried but failed to contact De Jesus and DOTC Undersecretary for Road Transport, Public Information and Management Information Systems Dante Velasco to seek their confirmation of the memorandum’s transmittal.

Presidential Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said he was not aware of a specific request from De Jesus but that there was an investigation and its results are being reviewed.

“The process is still being undertaken and when complete then we will have a decision on what to do with that particular case,” he said, adding that due process will be observed in anything the administration will do.

“The fairness is in the eye of the beholder, but we are going to make decisions, we are going to do the process based on what we feel is going to be for the good of the public,” he said.

DOTC sources earlier told The STAR that the frustration felt by De Jesus over the President’s snub of his request for the disciplining of Torres was the primary reason for his sudden resignation earlier this month.

The reason he cited for seeking the imposition of disciplinary action against Torres was the latter’s defiance of various orders he issued on a number of matters at the LTO that the DOTC was overseeing, through her inaction or outright non-implementation of the orders.

De Jesus “requested” the President in the memorandum to impose “disciplinary action” against Torres.

“Assistant Secretary Torres’ continued non-performance of her official duties and obligations as well as her continued refusal to obey and implement lawful directives/orders from her superiors run against the constitutional mandate that all public officers and employees must serve with responsibility, integrity and efficiency,” De Jesus’ memo read.

“Specifically, her inactions constitute gross neglect of duty and gross insubordination which merit disciplinary action.”

De Jesus cited Torres’ refusal to pay the outstanding dues of LTO’s information technology provider, Stradcom Corp., its share of computer fees as stipulated under its build-operate-own contract with the government.

He said Torres’ refusal to pay the IT fees of Stradcom led to the firm’s invoking a force majeure event that could allow it to cut off its services to LTO, which he pointed out “has the potential to cause impairment in the normal nationwide operations of the LTO IT facilities.”

“Unfortunately, up to this moment, despite the latest directive for her to strictly comply with DOTC’s directives on the matter, Assistant Secretary Torres has still not paid LTO’s outstanding dues,” De Jesus said.

Torres was forced to go on a 60-day leave of absence last April as a result of a complaint filed against her by Stradcom for helping businessmen Aderito Yujuico and Bonifacio Sumbilla to stage a failed illegal takeover of their central operations center inside the LTO head office compound in Quezon City last December, which resulted in the disruption of LTO operations for several hours.

The Department of Justice, which formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the complaint, found merit in the Stradcom charge, and recommended the filing of administrative charges against Torres.

While Torres’ 60-day leave of absence would lapse on June 19, no administrative charge has yet been filed against her.

De Jesus also cited Torres’ failure to come up with a new private emission testing clearance (PETC) system that is cheaper to motorists and that will also put a stop to the anomalous vehicle emission testing.

“As of today, again, despite clear and urgent directive from DOTC, Assistant Secretary Torres not only has not come up with a new PETC System but also failed to submit a report as expressly directed,” he said.

De Jesus also cited Torres’ failure to conduct a study on two proposals for the LTO’s Motor Vehicle Registration Card Project, and submit a comprehensive report on the proposals.