LTFRB chief charged with graft

A transport group filed criminal charges yesterday before the Office of the Ombudsman against Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Chairman Thompson Lantion for his supposedly questionable policies on FX taxis.

The Philippine Confederation of Drivers and Operators-Alliance of Concerned Transport Organization (PCDO-ACTO) charged Lantion with violating the country’s anti-graft law and the government procurement reform law.

PCDO-ACTO president Efren de Luna said they sought the indictment of Lantion primarily due to his policy of requiring stickers for FX taxis.

De Luna said such a rule is irregular since the LTFRB scrapped the requirement in an earlier memorandum circular.

The group also questioned the imposition of an additional fee for the stickers, saying it is already included in the P30,000 fee collected from FX taxi operators.

PCDO-ACTO officials believe Lantion violated the law on procurement when he ordered the outsourcing of the markings and stickers for FX taxis to two private firms without the necessary public bidding.

De Luna told reporters that the group has enough evidence to prove Lantion’s guilt on both charges.

He said Lantion should be ousted from the LTFRB for his “authoritarian style of leadership,” alleging that Lantion abused his authority.

Earlier this month, the same group filed administrative charges against Lantion before the Ombudsman after he supposedly “played favorites among the transport leaders.”

Lantion was charged with violating the code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials, Articles 131 and 268 of the Revised Penal Code, the civil service law, and the anti-graft law.

Before filing the charges, at least 20 members of the PCDO-ACTO staged a rally in front of the LTFRB office demanding Lantion’s resignation.

LTFRB officials said the agency does not recognize the PCDO-ACTO as an official public transport group and that De Luna has been banned from the agency. They found that PCDO-ACTO is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.