Caindec: LTO-7 operations in Bohol won’t stop amidst criticisms

Victor Caindec, regional director of the Land Transportation Office in Central Visayas. | File photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Land Transportation Office (LTO-7) will conduct more operations in Bohol in the coming days, with double the enforcement team members than the ones that they already had earlier.

Outgoing LTO-7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec is sending the “advanced notice” as he denies allegations that recent apprehensions made in Bohol were motivated by “bias” and “personal grudge.”

“Suko daw kaayo mga taga Bohol nako ug sa LTO kay sige ug panakop. Unya naa pa storya nga gi personal nako ang panakop sa Bohol. Let me give you numbers, because numbers don’t lie. People do,” he said in a Facebook post on Sunday, May 22.

Traffic Violations

So far, LTO-7 already made close to 3, 000 apprehensions in Bohol province from January 1, 2021 to May 2022 and all of those who were apprehended and fined were guilty of traffic violations.

“Take this in contrast to close to [the] 10,000 Theoretical Driving Scholarships we conducted for Boholanos just this year. Libre nga programa sa LTO, ug pinaka importante, we did this at the doorsteps of the people. Kami ni adto sa mga munisipyo para di na ma hassle ug byahe ug wala nay dako nga gasto sa plete ug kaon,” he said.

READ: Bohol is not exempt from traffic, road regulations — LTO-7 chief

In a press conference on Saturday, Caindec admitted that the rampant arrests that they made caused the displeasure of many.  But he gave the assurance that these were made in accordance with existing laws and based on official complaints lodge before his office.

In a social media post on Sunday, Caindec, a political appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte, again talked of the criticisms that he had been getting from those who were affected by their recent operations on the island province.

At the same time, he denied allegations of corruption  that was mentioned in a viral video of a Boholana who was among those who were arrested by LTO-7 personnel for using an unregistered motorcycle.

“One ignorant woman’s viral video changed the narrative of the good we have done. I can’t control that. A “scorned” syndicate head trying to get back at me for all his lost pangwarta is changing the narrative. I can’t control that either. And billionaires trying to bring me down with their money, samot, di lalim,” he said.

“But I know my truth. Nobody thanked me for what we’ve done and I don’t expect to hear that anytime,” he added.

LTO-7 programs

And while they implement a crackdown on the use of unregistered motorcycles and other vehicles,  Caindec said, LTO-7 also brought many of their projects and programs to Bohol in the last four years.

Under his leadership, LTO-7 brought its ePatrol services closer to residents of Panglao town in January 2019.  The program covers the processing of applications for vehicle registration and drivers licenses.

He also added four new licensing offices there in addition to their Tagbilaran City office that used to be swarmed by fixers.

Reforms

Caindec said it is just sad to note that many, including a Panglao-based politician, are unhappy with the reforms and programs that he is trying to introduce.

The politician, he alleged, holds a grudge against him because he was among those who were badly affected after he prohibited the presence of fixers at their Tagbilaran City office.

He said the politician, whom he did not name, was angered after put an end to his “illegal practices.”

“In particular, naay usa ka has-been pulitiko diha sa Panglao nga kani-adto bigtime ang negosyo sa LTO. Siya ga control sa drug-testing, siya ang hari sa mga clinics ug insurance, emissions, ug daghan ang fixer nga iyahang mga cliente. Ako gipa undang ang drug-test kay ang LTO-7 na lang ang nag require sa tibuok Pilipinas. Dakong binuang ug mas dako nga pangwarta ang na undang. Ang fixers gamay na lang kay ni daghan na ang licensing centers,” he wrote.

Wanting to get back at him, Caindec alleged that the said politician is behind the spread of “damaging allegations” against him and his daughter-in-law and former Panglao town councilor Amira Alia Montero-Caindec.

Montero-Caindec, the daughter of outgoing mayor Leonila Montero, run but lost her bid for town mayor in the May 9 elections.

Read: Panglao, Bohol candidate to NBI: Probe Caindec, daughter-in-law for electioneering, graft

/dcb