Ombuds Suspends LTO-7 Officials

The Office of the Ombudsman has preventively suspended for six months two top ranking officials of the Land Transportation Office-7 (LTO-7) in Central Visayas for alleged graft and corruption.

The preventive suspension of both LTO-7 Acting Finance Officer Cecile Jinky Estrada and Acting Administrative Officer Aden Belza are implemented pending on the investigation of the complaint they are facing.

Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente, in an order dated February 11, said Estrada and Belza should be suspended and both of them shall be required to submit their counter-affidavit.

LTO-7 Acting Regional Director Arnel Tancinco has been included in the complaint of Carmencita Caballes, but the anti-graft investigator said the complaint against Tancinco is insufficient to place him under preventive suspension.

Caballes, assigned as evaluator of LTO-7’s Manufacturer, Assembler, Importers and Dealers System (MAIDS) section, alleged that Estrada, Belza, and Tancinco are engaged in questionable activities.

The anti-graft investigator said “As to respondent Tancinco, the evidence of guilt against him – as based on the testimonial account initially adduced by herein complainant per her Complaint-Affidavit and Supplemental-Affidavit- does not appear to be preliminary strong.”

Caballes alleged that Tancinco forced her to raise P5,000 a day from public clients for “personal gain” then later on, the amount has been raised to P7,000.

In her affidavit, Caballes claimed that there was an instances that when it is already 3:00 p.m. and she failed yet to deliver the amount, Tancinco reportedly called her and inquired if she already have the money.

But Tancinco denied Caballes’ allegation, saying that the complaint was only in retaliation on him when the complainant was transferred back to her original office in Tacloban City.

Tancinco told MetroCebuNews that they were advised by their lawyer not to give further statements to the media as they will first prepare their counter-affidavit to be submitted before the Ombudsman-Visayas.