CEBU, Philippines – It's final.
Land Transportation Office (LTO) 7 Regional Director Raul Aguilos is retained in his post, while assistant regional director Edgar Catarongan will be reassigned to assume a similar position in the Tacloban City-based LTO Eastern Visayas regional office.
Former City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) executive officer Arnel Tancinco will assume as the second top official of the Cebu City-based LTO in Central Visayas.
Aguilos was in Manila yesterday to facilitate the issuance of their orders for these developments, but he said these were confirmed as final.
His rank, however, was promoted to Director III.
Tancinco already reported to the LTO 7 office yesterday.
"Mi-report lang. Formal assumption will be arranged with Director Aguilos as soon as he returns from Manila," Tancinco told The Freeman when asked about his presence at the office.
Catarongan confirmed that he will be reassigned to the LTO Eastern Visayas regional office: "Yes, hulat na lang ko sa implementing order from the assistant secretary."
He is referring to Assistant Secretary Virginia Torres, the LTO chief.
Aguilos told The FREEMAN yesterday that there would be some minor changes in the LTO 7 office. Heads of some divisions who were not effective on their jobs will be replaced.
"Dunay mga changes pero minor lang. Mag-miting pa mi niini si Arnel," Aguilos said.
The tandem of Aguilos and Tancinco are facing the issue of, among others, the illegal fixers at the LTO regional office who have connections with LTO personnel.
Aguilos, for his part, warned erring drivers who want to claim their driver's licenses not to hire the services of fixers.
The FREEMAN learned that some LTO personnel merely release the licenses to the erring drivers through fixers. But the drivers' violations remain in the electronic records because the money was just pocketed by both the unscrupulous LTO personnel and the fixer. (FREEMAN)