Press Release
GORDON CALLS OUT LTO AND DOTR OFFICIALS ANEW, TO FILE GRAFT AND PLUNDER CHARGES
Senator Richard Gordon berated former and current officials of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and the Department of Transportation (DOTR) who entered into anomalous deals with private companies that caused the delay in the production and distribution of vehicle license plates. Yung kanilang pagpapahirap sa mga tao, whoever causes damage to third parties and other agencies, ay anti-graft yon. Ngayon, dahil ang laki-laki ng pera, baka umabot sila doon sa tinatawag na plunder. Yon ang sinisilip natin ngayon, warned Gordon, Chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
Senator Richard Gordon (Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Gordon, who chairs the said panel investigating the slow implementation of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, said the delay in the issuance of license plates have caused undue damage to vehicle owners and is considered a violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
“Whoever causes damage to third parties and other agencies that’s anti-graft. Because you’re talking here of a huge amount of money that reached them, so that may qualify for plunder. That’s what we are thinking of recommending,” Gordon said in Filipino in an interview over Radio DZBB.
The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed the graft complaint against former Department of Transportation (DOTr) secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and 16 others over the anomalous ₱4.2-billion MRT3 maintenance contract.
Senator Grace Poe was disappointed over the Ombudsman's decision to dismiss the graft charges filed against former transportation secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya and other respondents for an allegedly anomalous MRT-3 maintenance contract.
Sen. Grace Poe
Poe, chairperson of the Senate public serv