The Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) clarified the erroneous reports on the entrapment operation of a fixer who offered their illegal services to a top ARTA official outside the LTO headquarters on June 15.
This was after a fixer was arrested outside the LTO’s gate after offering his illegal services to ARTA Undersecretary Brig. Gen. Carlos Quita, Deputy Director-General for Administration and Finance, who posed as someone renewing his driver’s license.
A number of news reports indicated that ARTA said the fixer was caught inside the LTO headquarters, which is false.
The Authority also did not claim that the license that the ARTA undersecretary received was fake, contrary to media reports. In a meeting between ARTA and LTO officials on Wednesday, it was confirmed that the license that was issued is valid.
According to the ARTA investigation team, the fixer asked Quita for a payment of P4,500 with the promise of the fast processing of his requirements for the renewal of his driver’s license.
Quita met up with the fixer outside the LTO headquarters and paid him an initial amount of P2,500. The fixer then assisted Quita in undergoing the fast and legitimate process of the LTO to renew his driver’s license.
ARTA Director-General Jeremiah Belgica said the fixer took advantage of the public’s impression that the government is still implementing slow, bureaucratic services.
“Kung mayroon po sigurong dapat magpaliwanag dito, ‘yung mga fixer sa labas…na taking advantage, of course, sa mga proseso,” he said.
He also appealed to the media not to spin the story into a fight between ARTA and LTO as it will take away from the real issue, which is the fixing incident.
The ARTA secretary assured that all concerned agencies are informed before entrapment operations are launched.
He also renewed the Authority’s commitment to collaborate with other government agencies to eliminate fixing and other acts of extortion that contribute to the proliferation of red tape.
For his part, LTO Assistant Secretary Edgar C. Galvante assured that they will continue to work together with ARTA to rid the area of fixers.
“We welcome the help of ARTA and we are going to ask for their help in helping us out with these fixers,” he said.
He also warned the public not to patronize fixers as this will encourage more individuals to offer illegal services.
Belgica said they are intensifying their anti-fixer operations along the stretch of East Avenue in Quezon City that has long been a hotspot of fixers.
ARTA will seek assistance from the LTO, other transacting national government agencies in the surrounding area, the Quezon City government, and law enforcers to augment the personnel that they will deploy in the vicinity for increased visibility.
ARTA was also informed that the LTO replaced the security guards at their headquarters.
An adequately-staffed Public Assistance and Complaints Desk will also be set up to entertain clients.
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