Cagayan Valley LTO head hits back at accuser

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The accuser has now become the accused.

Moises Almuete, Cagayan Valley director of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), has turned the tables on Ernesto Fernandez, officer-in-charge of the LTO’s San Isidro (Isabela) district office, saying, "Fernandez merely jumped the gun on me to cover up several irregularities of his own."

Fernandez, Almuete said, was accused of collecting illegal fees amounting to millions of pesos, all allegedly for non-existent seminars for LTO violators.

These complaints, he said, were all supported by sworn affidavits by hundreds of drivers of public utility vehicles.

In the affidavits, the drivers accused Fernandez of charging P300 each for the non-existent seminars. Informed about it, former Isabela Gov. Benjamin Dy called Almuete’s attention over Fernandez’s alleged exorbitant collection.

Based on records, Almuete claimed that Fernandez has shortchanged more than 10,000 drivers since 1998 when he was designated as officer-in-charge of the LTO’s San Isidro district office.

Earlier, Fernandez accused Almuete of requiring all LTO district heads to give monthly quotas of P10,000 to P15,000 each to him. This, Fernandez said, forced the agency’s "flying squads" to extort money from motorists.

Almuete, however, alleged that Fernandez made the exposé to divert attention from the ongoing inquiry into controversial dealings Fernandez allegedly committed at the LTO’s San Isidro office.

"I admit to giving my men monthly targets of raising collection by 10-15 percent, but not to the extent of forcing them to commit extortion," Almuete said. "An implication here is that this money goes to my personal pockets, which is far from the truth."

Fernandez also accused Almuete of nepotism and favoritism by allegedly employing his relatives, provincemates and fellow members of the Iglesia ni Cristo in LTO offices in the region.

"These are all rehashed accusations," Almuete said, claiming that an investigation panel created by LTO chief Edgardo Abenina has dismissed them, including his alleged imposition of monthly quotas.

"Fernandez, a certified extortionist, practically jumped the gun on me by rehashing the same old accusations. Just when we were about to file a case against him and his associate for collecting illegal fees, he came out with his so-called expose," Almuete said.

"Now it appears as if I am just retaliating for his having spilled the beans on me," he added.

Almuete said he will file damages against Fernandez and his associate for spreading the "false" charges against him.

He said he will also recommend the dismissal of Fernandez and his cohorts for allegedly illegally collecting P300 from more than 10,000 drivers as purported seminar fees.

"I don’t believe that Fernandez alone could have thought of such a step against me. Someone behind him, someone much bigger, must be after my neck," he said.