Aquino names ex-graft buster as new LTFRB chief

President Benigno Aquino III has appointed former Presidential Anti-Graft Commission official Atty. Jaime Jacob as chairman of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board, the Department of Transportation and Communications said. In a statement on Friday, the DOTC said Transportation Sec. Mar Roxas personally recommended Jacob to the LTFRB, which implements land-based transportation policies, programs, and projects in the country. Roxas, who is with Aquino on a his state visit to China, described the appointment of Jacob as part of his strategy at the DOTC “to initiate reforms that would open the door to the larger imperatives of public convenience and safety on roads all over the country." Jacob, who is also a former Camarines Sur Representative and former chairman of the Philippine National Railways, will take the place of former LTFRB chairman Nelson Laluces, who tendered his resignation last Tuesday. The DOTC said the Bicol-born appointee, who also has extensive experience as a human rights lawyer, plans to tackle the problems of the local transport industry, specifically the illegal or "colorum" public utility vehicles (PUVs) that ply major roads in and outside Metro Manila. “I feel this problem has a major law enforcement component. Secretary Roxas has instructed me to work on an MOA with Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, the Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership, and the Land Transportation Office to effect a multi-pronged strategy that would ensure adequate law enforcement personnel to arrest recalcitrant colorum operators, and impound their vehicles," Jacob was quoted as saying in the same DOTC statement. “Kailangan mag-pa-sampol para makitang seryoso ang ahensya sa trabaho nito," he added. He said that MOA will address the infrastructure needed to hold all PUVs impounded by arresting officers. “The MOA would include an impounding facility, which has long been a major issue with law enforcers who apprehend colorum vehicles, and other legitimate vehicles found violating their franchise, but have no area to put these once arrests are made," he said. He said they hope to set up the impounding facilities within the PNP camps in various regions, including Metro Manila. “We will discuss this initiative with the PNP to make the necessary logistics arrangement," said Jacob. Last month, Aquino also named Rene Limcaoco, Jose Perpertuo Lotilla and Rafael “Paeng" Santos as the new undersecretaries of the DOTC. Jose Aliling was also appointed as chairman of North Luzon Railways Corp. — GMA News