Ombuds wants LTO-7 director to probe plaint against branch chief

CEBU, Philippines – The Visayas Ombudsman has requested Land Transportation Office Regional Director Raul Aguilos to investigate Lapu-Lapu City LTO branch head Aurea Angcay following allegations that her office has accepted vehicles for registration even without complete documents.

Assistant Ombudsman Virginia Palanca-Santiago asked that Aguilos inform her office within 15 days of specific actions the LTO will undertake on the complaint filed by Merlo Surilla, an insurance agent based in Lapu-Lapu City, before the Ombudsman.

In an interview with The FREEEMAN, Aguilos said Angcay already submitted her counter-affidavit on the complaint, but he reportedly directed the branch head to furnish LTO a copy of the document.

Aguilos said he is yet to look into the matter, as he was in Manila for a conference with LTO officials at the time Surilla filed the complaint.

The FREEMAN tried to contact Angcay through her mobile phone, but she could not be reached as of this writing.

Surilla had claimed Angcay has violated certain procedures of the LTO when she accepted some vehicles for registration without sufficient documents.

Attached to his complaint were print-outs of the LTO Entry Traceability Report, which reportedly show that some of the vehicles registered with the LTO's branch in Lapu-Lapu City lack documents and information, including the vehicles' motor and chassis numbers and the names of vehicle owners.

Angcay said earlier that if it is true that some vehicles were registered with her office sans complete documents, the alleged anomaly might have occurred at the per-sonnel level because she personally is very strict when it comes to registration of vehicles.

The procedure is that a vehicle cannot be registered with the LTO without proof of payment of tax for its importation.

Surilla alleged further that Angcay has violated the nepotism law when she recommended her niece, Jenever Agbay Magdadaro, as cashier of the LTO Lapu-Lapu City branch.

Under the law, one commits nepotism if an appointment is issued in favor of a relative within the third civil degree of consanguinity or affinity of the appointing authority, recommending authority or chief of office or persons exercising immediate supervision over the appointees. (FREEMAN)