THE Land Transportation Office (LTO) is set to file administrative charges against nine members of its Regional Law Enforcement Section (RLES) in Caraga following their arrest during an entrapment operation for an extortion case on Thursday.
In a statement on Friday, LTO chief Assistant Secretary Marcus Lacanilao, said these administrative sanctions were separate from criminal charges to be filed at the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor.
“Malinaw ang ating polisiya sa LTO na walang puwang ang katiwalian sa hanay ng ating mga kawani. Ang sinumang mapatutunayang lumabag sa batas at sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob ng publiko ay mananagot sa administratibo at kriminal na aspeto (The LTO has a clear policy against corruption. Anyone proven to have broken the law and public trust will face administrative and criminal charges),” Lacanilao said.
He assured that the agency would cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure the proper, fair, and expeditious filing of criminal charges against the arrested RLES personnel.
“Hindi natin kukunsintihin ang anumang uri ng pang-aabuso sa kapangyarihan at patuloy nating lilinisin ang hanay ng ating mga tauhan upang mapanatili ang integridad ng ahensya (We won’t tolerate any kind of abuse of power and we will continue to cleanse our ranks to maintain the agency’s integrity),” he said.
On Thursday, the LTO Central Office set up an anti-“kotong (extortion)” entrapment operation with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Intelligence Division of the PNP Regional Office 13, PNP Regional Intelligence Unit 13, PNP Regional Mobile Force Batallion 13 and the Buenavista Municipal Police Station. PNA
