DOJ probe: LTO chief denies hand in Stradcom takeover

MANILA, Philippines –  Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Virginia Torres denied yesterday allegations that she conspired with a faction of the agency’s information technology provider, Stradcom Corp., in the failed takeover of the firm’s building at the LTO compound last month.

Torres told a fact-finding panel of the Department of Justice (DOJ) during yesterday’s hearing that she was not favoring the group of Bonifacio Sumbilla and Aderito Yujuico in trying to wrest control of the Stradcom building last Dec. 9, 2010 from its current president and chief executive officer, Cezar Quiambao. The incident resulted in a temporary stoppage of the LTO’s operations.

She told the panel, chaired by Justice Undersecretary Francisco Baraan, that she was “a victim caught in the crossfire of wrangling businessmen” and she has “maintained neutrality in this war.”

Torres said surveillance camera footage showing her and Sumbilla’s group entering the Stradcom building together was part of a “colorful story” by Quiambao’s camp, who presented the footage as evidence. “They were behind me but we didn’t enter the building together,” she said, contrary to Quiambao’s allegation during Tuesday’s hearing.

Torres said it was absurd to accuse her of siding with either Stradcom faction since Quiambao’s group filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation and Communications while Sumbilla’s group filed a court case seeking to stop LTO’s takeover of the building.

Torres: I’m a victim, too

The LTO chief said the allegations hurled against her by Quiambao’s camp were malicious. She added that she is a victim caught between “two opposing groups of businessmen” fighting over Stradcom, “a multi-billion peso company that has monopoly over LTO IT services for the past 12 years.” She said this internal conflict has “jeopardized LTO’s services.”

During the hearing, Baraan asked Torres whether or not she found the takeover illegal. She replied that she “was not in the position to determine its legality” and that was the reason they called the Office of the Solicitor General.

News reports have quoted Torres as saying she did not even know Sumbilla and his group. However, members of the panel aired expressions of disbelief because the footage they reviewed also showed Torres talking with Sumbilla and his group at the second floor of the building after the takeover was accomplished.

“There’s no place for the Sumbilla group to be there (in the Stradcom building) since you yourself said you did not recognize their group. So why did you allow them to enter with you? You did not even scold Sumbilla for what happened,” Baraan said.

When asked by Baraan if she asked Sumbilla why they were there, Torres said no.

Baraan then said Torres should have protected the LTO IT system by making sure that the people who were with her had the legal right and authority to be there, but clearly this was not the case.

In an interview, Torres also clarified that DOTC Secretary Jose de Jesus did not ask her to take a leave while the investigation was ongoing. Asked if she is considering vacating her post, she said no.