DOTr probes corruption allegations vs. LTO chief

MANILA – The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is looking into corruption allegations made by transport and civilian groups against Land Transportation Office (LTO) Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II.

In a statement on Tuesday, DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista said the allegations were made through open letters from the Federated Land Transport Organizations of the Philippines (FELTOP) and the Coalition for Good Governance, among others.

"The allegations about [Mendoza] – betrayal of public trust, grave abuse of authority, loss of trust and confidence, acts prejudicial to the public, reputational risk against the Philippine government, and corruption, among others – are all serious accusations that demand in-depth investigation and equally serious affirmative action," Bautista said.

To date, he asked Mendoza to submit his explanation and comments on the allegations "for our proper disposition and appropriate recommendation to the President, if necessary."

"Rest assured, we always consider the public's best interest and the government's welfare as primordial considerations in resolving these kinds of matters," he said.

Earlier, leaders of FELTOP, Konsumo Pinas, Magtulungan Tayo, Philippine Transport Monitor, Samahan ng Kabataan Para sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago, and Kamalaya Consumer Cooperative published open letters in newspapers, asking President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the German government to investigate their allegations against Mendoza.

The allegations were about the "continued charging" of computer fees by LTO offices that are still under the old LTO IT System while those using the new Land Transportation Management System have removed the fee.

In November last year, FELTOP filed two separate cases against Mendoza on the same issue before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Mendoza said the two cases were good opportunities to prove that such allegations were "totally baseless and absurd." (PNA)