TWO ERRING officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) in the Cordillera region were suspended for 90 days due to grave misconduct.
Undersecratry for Legal Affairs and Procurement Reinier Paul Yebra, yesterday served the suspension order against DOTr-CAR Regional Director lawyer Jesus Eduardo Natividad and Assistant Regional Director Datu Mohammad Abbas who have allegedly committed grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of service and gross neglect of duty.
In separate letters served through Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Tim Orbos, LTFRB Chairman Martin Delgra III, and LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, the DOTr filed formal charges and preventive suspension against the two officials.
According to reports evaluated by DOTr, Natividad allegedly demanded and accepted money in exchange for a favorable decision relative to applications for the issuance of Certificates of Public Convenience (CPC). He is also being investigated for purportedly requiring district heads for monthly remittances.
Complaints say that apart from his frequent absences, the regional Director failed to perform his duty in the conduct of operations against colorum vehicles.
Abbas apparently extorted money in exchange of the release of impounded vehicles. A complaint was also filed against him by a certain Regina Migano for gun brandishing and toting.
Natividad and a transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) group in Baguio City is considering filing of charges against Abbas.
Geoffrey Panelo, representing TNVS–Cordillera, is contemplating on filing charges against the embattled DOTr official for alleging the group is the bagman of Natividad.
"I will be consulting my lawyer relative on what would be the best because we have a reputation to take care of. We will know this week if we will be filing a case and we hope that ARD Abbas can prove that we are bag men because it is hard to accuse when there is no proof," Panelo said.
In a radio interview over the weekend, Natividad is also eyeing possible charges against Abbas.
"He has been giving statements to the public which if I do not answer, may give a negative impression to the public. I am asking the public to weigh their decision on whether the accusations being hurled against me without basis are true or not," Natividad said.
Last week, a memo coming from Usec. Atty. Reinier Paul Yebra is asking Natividad to explain allegations of transport groups on the collection of fees for the issuance of multiple provisional authority to operate and the release of impounded vehicles.
Abbas stated since his assumption as assistant regional director, he alleged to have witnessed illegal activities such as allowing colorum vehicles to operate outside its route. He cited the operation of U-HOP which should operate on a pick and drop basis like Grab and Uber but continuous to operate outside its route based on its issued provisional authority renewable in the amount of P30,000.
"We will take cue from this, and this has been a longtime issue. This provisional authorities should not have been allowed by the central office but it still allows it because there is basis, there is a department order and there is a memorandum circular, so when you say that U-HOP like Grab and Ubber have been allowed, this should not be an issue," Natividad reiterated.
Abbas also alleged the proliferation of corruption and the presence of bag men in the DOTr Cordillera.
"Any accusations he wants to say, he can just say it, this is the reason why he has to be taught a lesson and that he should be filed with a libel case because what he is doing is wrong. His accusations against people are too much,” Natividad stressed.
Abbas also alleged the department's inability to perform its tasked in the apprehension of colorum vehicles in the city and the region to which Natividad denied.
"How can he say that, when we were number two or three in the country in 2017 in terms of colorum vehicle apprehension. We have even strengthened our anti-colorum vehicle apprehension drive. We continue to do the rounds even if we have a limited number of operatives with 11 enforcers. Around nine to seven enforcers are being used in the anti-colorum operations," Natividad added.