Sunday, December 30, 2007 Transport leaders want LTFRB officials suspended
TRANSPORT leaders have urged the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to suspend two Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) officials.
This is to prevent them from possibly doctoring records that could acquit them from the charges they are facing.
Richard Cabucos, chairman of Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association (MCTOA), made the call after he was informed that LTFRB 7 Director Rey Elnar and hearing officer Carmen Misal summoned jeepney and taxi operators and forced them to surrender their questionable franchise.
Cabucos said that about more than 1,000 taxi franchises and 1,000 jeepney franchises were illegal because these were issued by Rogelio “Jingjing” Osmeña between May and October this year even if he (Osmeña) was already separated from the service last April 19.
Lately, Cabucos said that Elnar and Misal conducted “Operation Bawi-Ilis” wherein a franchise issued by Osmeña are be taken back by Elnar and Misal, and in return, Elnar will issue another franchise signed by him.
Elnar and Misal started this operation a few days after LTFRB Board Maria Ellen Dirige-Cabatu said that they will conduct an investigation on the matter because if Osmeña was separated last April, the franchise he signed after this period is considered illegal, Cabucos said.
Irregularities
Elnar did not answer calls to his mobile phone. But in an earlier interview, he denied reports of alleged irregularities in the issuance of franchises for taxis and jeepneys.
The graft office through Director Virginia Palanca-Santiago has ordered Misal and Elnar to answer the complaint filed against them by Armando de Gracia of the Alyansa sa mga Nagkahiusang Drivers Alang sa Reporma (Andar)not later than last Dec. 13.
Application
De Gracia in his complaint said that after Misal conducted hearing on application for franchise, he submitted her recommendation to Osmeña for the issuance of one, even through the Department of Transportation and Communication has already designated Elnar as acting director to replace Osmeña.
Elnar who is not authorized to issue franchise - being only an acting director - issued confirmation order to the franchise issued by Osmeña which made him criminally and administratively liable.
It was not known whether Misal and Elnar filed a sworn answer as required by the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.
Cabucos said that since Cabatu has not yet started the investigation as she promised during the hearing on the fare rate increase petition last Dec. 10, it would be better for the graft office to suspend Misal and Elnar from the service.
According to Cabucos, it’s important to suspend Misal and Elnar so they could be prevented from doctoring documents that could exonerate them from the charges filed by de Gracia. (EOB)
