DOTC: 'Lapse' may have played role in road crash that killed judge

A lapse by transportation agencies may have had a hand in the road accident that killed a retired judge and his wife in Quezon City Monday, Transportation and Communications Secretary Jose de Jesus admitted Tuesday. De Jesus made the admission even as he hinted at heavier sanctions against the bus firm involved in the accident that killed retired Judge Reynaldo Laigo and his wife Leila. "Our Land Transportation Office licensing offices may have had some lapses that allowed unqualified bus drivers to get their licenses. I have heard of instances where drivers get their licenses after paying P250, without going through the needed examinations. We will fix that," De Jesus said in an interview on dzXL radio. As such, he said unqualified drivers who pay the right amount can have the license to drive heavy vehicles like buses in Metro Manila's main roads. He said that in several cases, firms pay up to P7,000 for professional drivers' licenses with their applicants not going through the examinations. The "highest-priced" licenses that go for some P7,000 allow the holders to handle heavy vehicles like trucks, he said. "Sinisinigil at bibigyan na lang ng lisensya (In these cases, the officials just collect the fee and hand over the license)," he said. On the other hand, De Jesus hinted at heavier penalties for Corimba Express, whose unit figured in Monday's accident. He said this is aside from the 30-day suspension slapped on the bus firm by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB). "Normally, the LTFRB suspends the franchise of a bus firm involved in an accident, but the penalty is separate from an ongoing investigation. I am waiting for the LTFRB's report. That is the standard operating procedure," he said in Filipino. He said the suspension will have to be imposed until the LTFRB comes out with its findings. On Monday, Laigo and his wife were killed after figuring in a road accident with a passenger bus before dawn Monday. Bus driver Generoso Maganti Jr. surrendered after the incident. He is facing charges of reckless imprudence resulting in double homicide. An initial investigation showed that the Laigos were on a two-door Mitsubishi mini-Pajero and emerged from the Don Jose Subdivision before 5 a.m. when the bus hit them. Meanwhile, radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad reported the staff of Laigo at the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 56 mourned his death. Laigo retired in July 2010. Before serving Makati, he was metropolitan trial court and executive judge in Olongapo. He was known for controversial decisions including the dismissal of a human rights claims case against the Marcos family. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV