Ex-WPD cop convicted for forgery

A Manila court convicted former Western Police District (WPD) station commander for forging a Land Transportation Office document that made it appear that his then 17-year-old son was a licensed driver.

Superintendent Ruben Liwanag Sr., was convicted to as much as six years in prison by Manila regional trial court (RTC) branch 6 Judge Lolita Dumlao for falsification of public document.

Liwanag, according to the WPD, has been transferred to the Philippine National Police Central Visayas region. Liwanag was the former Malate police station commander.

Records of the case said Liwanag forged a temporary operator’s permit (TOP) and made it appear that his son, Ruben Jr., had a license to drive in 1994 but this has been confiscated for an earlier traffic violation. TOPs are issued as evidence that a driver had a license but in LTO custody.

But the questioned TOP was issued to a police official colleague of Liwanag, who confirmed this in court. The falsification was discovered on July 3, 1994 after the younger Liwanag figured in a vehicular accident at the South Expressway in Biñan, Laguna while driving a Kia Pride car. The forged LTO paper was then presented to the responding Philippine National Construction Company (PNCC) traffic enforcers. – Jose Aravilla