Another fixer fell into the hands of the combined elements of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Land Transportation Office (LTO), and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Wednesday (June 30) afternoon.
The suspect, identified as alias “Jang”, was apprehended by the ARTA and CIDG operatives, with the greenlight of the LTO headquarters, at a car insurance office just across the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Caloocan at around 2 p.m.
The entrapment operation was conducted after the broadcast of a Super Radyo DZBB anchor about his personal red tape experience at the LTO office. The ARTA investigation team subsequently deployed some personnel acting undercover to conduct a covert investigation.
The report indicated that the ARTA undercover agent initially went to LTO Caloocan, but the security guard barred him from entering for failing to present a theoretical driving course and medical certificates, both prerequisites in applying for a student permit.
He was instead directed to proceed to shops in front of LTO Caloocan where he was apparently approached by the suspect. Alias “Jang” reportedly offered the undercover agent one-day processing for a student permit in exchange for P4,000.
Under the normal process, a student permit only costs P317.63, while the TDC certificate can be obtained for free if the applicant attends the seminar at the LTO Driver Education Center. Topics covered by the TDC include traffic laws, rules, and regulations.
ARTA Secretary Jeremiah Belgica immediately went to personally seek an explanation from LTO Caloocan Licensing Office Chief Romeo dela Cuesta, following the arrest of alias “Jang.”
“Hindi kasi pwedeng dahilan na kasi nasa labas ng opisina mo wala ka nang pakialam,” he told dela Cuesta.“Linisin natin itong harap. Pwede tayong tumawag ng pulis. Tawagan ang ARTA. Maglagay tayo (ng mga tao) sa kiosk.”
Belgica also urged the LTO Caloocan Licensing head to investigate the possible collusion of fixers with his staff.
“Every meeting binibilinan ko lagi ang lahat ng empleyado ko na ‘huwag kayo makikipag-ugnayan diyan sa mga fixer’. Talagang dinidiretso ko. Nakalagay naman, laki-laki, ‘No to Fixer’ sa loob e,” dela Cuesta replied to Belgica.
Prior to this, the ARTA and LTO held a back-to-back successful entrapment operation against two fixers outside LTO Marikina and five fixers outside LTO Headquarters in Quezon City last Friday, respectively.
This is a result of the team-up of the two agencies to bolster the government’s crackdown against fixing.
Tomorrow, the ARTA will join the LTO in its meeting with the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to request police visibility in LTO offices. (ARTA) – jlo
