Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has ordered the relief of all the officers and employees of a Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Nueva Vizcaya over alleged corruption.
In an order issued April 6, Tugade sacked all the personnel at the LTO’s Bayombong District Office and Aritao Extension Office, following numerous reports of extortion.
Tugade said rice traders and truckers complained to President Rodrigo Duterte of corruption during his meeting with rice industry stakeholders in Malacañang on Thursday night.
“Hindi ako mag-aalaga ng mga anay sa hanay ko. Dati ko pang sinasabi sa inyo, ayaw na ayaw ng Pangulong Duterte ng korapsyon. Sa aksyon o persepsyon, ayaw namin ng korapsyon. Hindi ako nagbibiro, hindi ako magdadalawang isip na yariin kayo,” Tugade said in a statement Sunday.
(I will not allow termites within my ranks. I have been telling you that the President does not tolerate corruption. I am not joking. I will not hesitate to fire you.)
The order was issued by LTO Regional Director Romeo Sales, as instructed by LTO Chief Edgar Galvante.
Sales likewise canceled the deputation orders and Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOPs) issued to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) personnel manning the weigh bridge in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
Rice traders and truckers from Nueva Vizcaya complained that several LTO personnel in the province earn as much as P1 million a day from over a thousand trucks from Cagayan Valley bringing agricultural products out of the region. They said this practice had been going on for over a decade now.
Tugade assured the rice traders and truckers that they would not just teach the erring LTO officials a lesson, but he also promised he would always be ready to respond to any other complaint involving Transportation (DOTr) personnel and officials.
A set of LTO officials and employees have been assigned to temporarily take over the two LTO offices, so as not to disrupt transactions, Tugade said.
Investigations are also ongoing, he added.