LTO-Caraga director held for extortion

MANILA, Philippines — The director of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Caraga has been arrested for allegedly extorting money from driving schools.

Operatives of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested Joel Consulta, 58, a retired police colonel, and his alleged bagman Bob Ilanga, 44, at the LTO office in Barangay Dagohoy in Butuan City on Wednesday.

Consulta and Ilanga were taken to the CIDG regional office.

An initial report said Ilanga accepted P50,300 in marked money from representatives of Breakdown Fast Track Driving School and Shiloh Apra Technical School Inc.

Consulta vehemently denied the allegation in an interview over RMN’s dxBC, saying they could have been set up by the CIDG agents.

He said the police operatives also pointed their guns at him and the LTO employees as if they were criminals.

Consulta said he would never tarnish his reputation and 30-year service as a police officer in exchange for money.

He said he even ordered an investigation into complaints that several driving schools were issuing certificates even if their clients did not attend their lectures.

Consulta said he had consulted his lawyer on the legal actions to be taken against the CIDG agents.

”Marami silang violation,” he said.