Graft charges filed against members of DOTC Eagle Task Force

The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office against five members of the Eagle Task Force of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) for the illegal apprehension of six airconditioned buses of Jell Transport Inc. in Quezon City last year.

Rodel Canlas, Jeremias Malasa, Neptali Gasendo, Melvin Ruiz and Vlady Magno, all assigned at the DOTC Action Center, were charged with violation of Section 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In a 13-page resolution signed by Graft Investigator Leilani Marquez, the Ombusman found probable cause to recommend the prosecution of the five respondents, whose division in the DOTC is tasked in running after colorum and out-of-line passenger buses.

Investigation showed that Canlas, Malasa, Gasendo, Ruiz and Magno allegedly flagged down the six buses when they reached the pedestrian overpass in front of the Citimall in Philcoa on Jan. 6, 2000 for plying the wrong route.

The DOTC Traffic Adjudication Service, however, found that the six buses apprehended by the Eagle Task Force were plying the route assigned in their franchise.

All the buses were ordered to pay fines for several violations.The buses were also impounded for four days, which cost Jell Transport Inc. up to P110,847.45 in damages, including the payment for the release of all the vehicles.

The respondents were ordered by the Ombudsman to file their counter-affidavits but they waived their right to submit evidence.

The Ombudsman, however, cleared two employees of MGP Transit, Douglas Holgado and Margarito Penalosa, who allegedly induced the Eagle Task Force members to apprehend the six airconditioned buses of Jell Transport Inc.