Conduct internal probe, DILG chief advises LTO

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) should conduct an internal investigation to identify officials and personnel who may be in cahoots with carjacking syndicates, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo suggested Thursday. "I suggest that they do an internal investigation in so far as LTO is concerned," Robredo told Malacañang reporters, noting that at least 17 LTO personnel have pending cases with 14 of them still working at the agency. "Right now there are 17 LTO personnel with pending cases, three of them have retired already, 14 of them still in LTO and some of them would not even been relieved from their post. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin (their activities continue)," he said. Among those linked to alleged anomalous vehicle registration is LTO chief Virginia Torres, a shooting range buddy of President Benigno Aquino III. Torres had dismissed the allegation as part of a "demolition job" against her. Robredo said there really seemed to be a problem with the registration papers of a Mitsubishi Pajero, which Torres signed while she was still head of LTO in Tarlac province, but added that Torres could be hardly blamed for it. Something wrong "On paper, clearly there is something wrong, kasi nga yung reference serial number ng vehicle ay sa motorsiklo (because the Pajero’s reference serial number belongs to a motorcycle)," Robredo said. “But then originally that (vehicle) was registered three, four years before the transfer and when this was registered hindi pa siya yung (Torres was not yet the) LTO chief during that time," he added. Robredo’s agency, along with the Department of Justice (DOJ), has been investigating the possible involvement of government officials in carnapping and carjacking activities. The LTO is under the Department of Transportation and Communications. On whether Torres has direct knowledge on the falsification of the document, the DILG chief said it is a different story. "So very likely she presumed that all the documents were regular, in as much as I don’t think she’s in a position to really examine all the numbers and all the documents," he said. Torres liable? Asked on what could be the liability of Torres, Robredo said it will depend on how she would explain her side. "Ang palagay ko nga yung (I think the) appropriate action is to ask people under her to explain what happened. While it is ministerial, I guess the staff should explain why they didn’t exercise due diligence right then," he said. He said since it is clear that there was a problem with the document, those behind it should be named and charged, whether it is Torres, her staff or the people before her. Robredo said Torres should be given due process and be allowed to explain her side, adding that she has to go if ever she is found guilty. Robredo, however, was quick to stress that the charges against Torres were part of the demolition job against her as these were based on facts and evidence. He added the DOJ-DILG committee on carnapping has started sending summons to those allegedly involved in the carnapping. "The reason why we’re not giving the names because we’d like to give them the opportunity to rebut the allegations against them," he said. He said they have submitted a report to President Aquino and will be giving him another briefing next week. He said the report not just pinpoints those who are accused of conniving with carnapping syndicate, but also offers solutions and recommendations to curb the problem. — KBK/RSJ, GMA News