6 LTO employees, 2 ‘fixers’ released after posting bail

CEBU, Philippines — Six employees of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Central Visayas and two other private individuals, who “conspired” with each other in fast-tracking the issuance of a driver’s license in exchange for a fee, were out of jail on bail.

The suspects— Administrative Aides VI Marilyn Erederos, Jonathan Magudato, and Epifanio Callino, Jr; Administrative Aide Charish Mae Cabigon; LTO employees Gladys Barrio Mendero and Dembert Aldanese Dasig; and two private individuals Fredlyn Velasco De Lara and Dexter Arriesgado Capendit—were charged for violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and the Anti-Red Tape Law.

Each of them paid P126,000 (P90,000 for anti-graft and P36,000 for anti-red tape) bail Tuesday.

They were arrested in an entrapment operation last Friday at the LTO satellite office inside a mall at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City.

National Bureau of Investigation-7 Assistant Regional Director Dominador Cimafranca said their arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by LTO-Quezon City Executive Director Romeo Vera Cruz and LTO-7 Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec.

The LTO officials were informed of the alleged rampant fixing activities at LTO District Office at a mall in Mandaue City.

Applicants of a driver’s license were allegedly told to pay a fee ranging from P5,000 to P7,000 if they opt not to take the written and practical examinations.

The NBI conducted surveillance operations and later on allowed two poseur applicants to process a driver’s license at the LTO-7 satellite office in Mandaue City.

Later, the applicants were referred to another satellite office at SRP, where the actual processing took place before the arrest.

The poseur applicants paid P7,500 each. — KBQ (FREEMAN)