Graft raps filed vs. LTFRB chair, 2 board members

A transport group on Thursday filed a graft and corruption complaint against Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) officials, including its head, over alleged inaction and inefficiency in performing their duties.

Named respondents in the complaint filed by the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO) were LTFRB chairman Martin Delgra, and board members Ronaldo Corpus and Aileen Lourdes Lizada. The complaint was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman.

According to ACTO President Efren de Luna, the complaint stemmed from the respondents' "undue delay, inaction and inefficiency in performing their duties as heads of the LTFRB, especially in responding to requests and other communications addressed to them, and in resolving motions and deciding cases."

Samples of the motions ACTO filed w/ the LTFRB they allegedly failed to address/acknowledge. One includes a fare hike 5 years in the making. pic.twitter.com/LSovQyrU3b

— Rie Takumi (@rie_takumi) January 5, 2017

"Ang way ng graft and corruption, 'yung pag-delay ng mga dokumento ay mas pinsala sa amin yun," De Luna said. "Dito tatlong buwan na, walang reply."

Among the motions the LTFRB allegedly failed to address was an omnibus motion for the early resolution of their proposal for a provisional fare increase of P0.50 during rush hours for jeeps. The motion was filed in August 16, 2016 but was supposedly never addressed by the LTFRB.

Another motion regarding jeepney fares was filed in early May last year but the LTFRB has yet to act on it, De Luna said.

"Wala naman silang kasagutan. Nag-file na naman kami nung December 13, at nagre-request na naman kami ng provisional dahil tuloy-tuloy na naman ang pagtaas, wala na namang kasagutan," he said.

Delgra, Corpus, and Lizada were at a meeting at the Department of Transportation (DOTR) when GMA News Online tried to reach them for their reactions to the complaint.

Delgra and the others were charged with Violation of Section 5, subsections a.1. and d.2. of Republic Act (RA) No. 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees; and committing acts punishable under Section 3.e.3. of RA 3019 or Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

They will also be charged with gross neglect of duty, inefficiency and incompetence in the performance of official duties, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service as provided under Section 46.b., subsections 3, 8 and 27, Title I, Book V of Executive Order No. 292 or Administrative Code of 1987.

"Ang nangyayari dito, naglalagay kasi ng walang experience sa transportasyon. Kaya lumalabas ngayon, nangangapa tayo sa serbisyo," De Luna said.

"Yung hanay ng transport group, hindi nagkakaroon ng public hearing. Kung nagkaroon sana ng paguusap, naiintindihan niya. Ang kinakausap niya, yung pinipilit niya, yung maghahanap ng graft and corruption na makapagpaporma siya sa presidente," he added.

De Luna accused Delgra of neglecting his primary duties in favor of carrying out President Rodrigo Duterte's will of removing corrupt officials from office.

"Naka-concentrate lamang siya dun sa parte ng paghahanap, pagtatanong dun sa mga corrupt," De Luna said.

The ACTO national president said Delgra not only failed in his primary duties, but was also unable to fulfill his secondary mandate.

"Na-concentrate siya dun sa part ng pagtuturo at walang tiwala sa kawani dahil naging way pa rin ng away ng chairman at tsaka ng mga kawani. Kapag nag-away yan at hindi nagkasundo yan, ang apektado pa rin, kaming mga operators," De Luna said.

ACTO and other transport groups aim to remove Delgra from office based on the complaints they have laid out before the Ombudsman.

"Lantad na lantad na walang kaalaman sa parte ng [pagganap] bilang opisyal ng gobyerno," De Luna said. —KBK, GMA News