ASIDE from facing a complaint of extortion, four Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas (LTO-7) employees, who were arrested for alleged extortion activities in Bohol province, will also be recommended for preventive suspension.
LTO-7 Regional Director Victor Caindec said in an interview on Tuesday that he would recommend the preventive suspension of the four employees, namely: Gaylord Tamara Pacaña, Bernard Clarin Jamorol, Walter John Yncierto, and Jose Christian Hembra.
The four LTO-7 employees are facing a complaint for extortion filed before the Office of the Prosecutor in Tagbilaran City, said Lawyer Rennan Augustus Oliva, NBI-Bohol (National Bureau of Investigation-Bohol) chief.
LTO 7 assigned the four to the LTO-Tagbilaran office for six months and tasked them to conduct operations against colorum vehicles.
The NBI-Bohol had conducted the entrapment operation after a tour operator filed a complaint against the four, according to Oliva.
Caindec said he had asked a copy of the transmittal of the NBI report which would be made the basis for his recommendation for preventive suspension.
He explained the need for preventive suspension so that the four would not be able to influence witnesses in the alleged extortion case.
In fact, he said, Oliva had informed him that there are others who were interested in becoming witnesses in the extortion case.
However, Caindec stressed that to be fair to the four LTO employees they would be given due process.
He said they would also conduct an internal investigation on the incident.
Based on the complainant, the vehicles were apprehended particularly in Panglao town and Tagbilaran City.
Transport operators and drivers were instructed to deliver alleged bribes in exchange for non-application of violation and penalties at a pension house where these enforcers were staying.
Oliva said that on Nov. 28, a certain Rosendo Magan Jr., who was driving a tourist van owned by Abraham Dante traversing the Panglao Circumferential Road going to Alona Beach in Barangay Tawala in Panglao, was stopped by LTO Region 7 enforcers near Eskaya Resort.
Magan’s affidavit said Pacaña confiscated his driver’s license and the registration papers of his vehicle even though the tourist van has a franchise from LTFRB.
The four enforcers allegedly demanded P10,000 in exchange for releasing the registration papers of his vehicle as well as his driver’s license.
The NBI conducted an entrapment operation, resulting in the arrest of the four suspects.
The suspects face charges of robbery extortion in violation of Article 294 of the Revised Penal Code, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.