1 of 2 cars donated to Tomas ‘registered’ to Minnie’s son Paolo

A DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 7 official said a private vehicle can avail itself of government fuel if this at the disposal of a government official, especially for relief operations or for the delivery of basic services.

However, it is government policy that a vehicle can only be marked with the name of a government office if the office owns it, with a Land Transportation Office (LTO) registration as proof, said Atty. Aliza Fiel Nogra, DILG 7 legal officer.

One of the Dodge Charger vehicles that were reportedly donated by Bigfoot Entertainment chairman Michael Gleissner to Rep. Tomas Osmeña (Cebu City, south district) in 2009 was registered by the LTO Cebu City District Office on June 29 to Paolo Osmeña Jacinto, son of Osmeña’s sister Minnie.

No comment

It appears that Jacinto, whose given address is Dasmariñas Village, Makati City, Metro Manila, bought the vehicle from the Columbian Autocar Corp. at the West Service Road Superhighway in Parañaque City, Metro Manila last June 29.

The LTO Cebu City District Office also only required Jacinto to pay P229.06 as registration fee.

Nogra yesterday said she would rather not comment on the issue as their office has yet to get the entire facts of the controversy.

She said if the issue is related to government funds being used to purchase fuel for private vehicles, then it is the concern of the Commission on Audit.

“There must be a fact-finding on that issue,” she said.