LTO-accredited driving school closed for ‘fixing’
THE Land Transportation Office (LTO)’s fight against those giving a “bad image” to the agency will be no letup until it hits the zero mark.
This was the warning made by LTO chief Asst. Secretary Jose Arturo “Jay Art” Tugade after authorities arrested in an entrapment a “fixer” and two personnel of an LTO-accredited driving school who offered theoretical driving course certificate of completion without taking the actual course in Jaro, Iloilo recently.
In a report reaching Tugade’s office, Region 6 Director Eric Lenard Tabaldo said he immediately approved a request for entrapment coming from the field’s Anti-Fixers team and the Jaro Police on a certain driving institute with regards to the illegal practice.
The no-actual driving certificate is reportedly worth only P2,000.
A poseur client contacted the alleged fixer and proceeded to the driving school just a stone’s throw away from the LTO regional office.
Upon handing over the marked money, authorities posted around the vicinity appeared and declared the apprehension.
The suspects, according to the LTO, were brought to the Jaro Police Station 3 facing charges of falsification under Article 172 of the Revised Penal Code of Republic Act (RA) 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Law amending the RA 9485 or the Anti-Red Tape Law.
Meanwhile, the accredited school was ordered closed and meted a 60-day suspension while an investigation was being conducted.
“There is no way we will allow these criminals to destroy the image of the LTO and the government and the way we provide service to the public,” Tugade said.
He commended the Region 6 leadership for being vigilant in kicking these fixers and their illegalities in their areas of responsibility.
