LTO MIMAROPA regional director axed over graft allegations

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended its regional director for MIMAROPA pending investigation into corruption allegations, the agency announced Thursday.

LTO Secretary Markus Lacanilao ordered the official recalled to the central office in Manila as part of what he described as “our extensive anti-corruption effort to clean the ranks of the LTO.”

According to complaints received by the agency, staff under the regional director allegedly demanded P50,000 pesos monthly from applicants in exchange for processing their applications.

One complainant submitted a receipt from a money remittance service as evidence.

“According to the initial investigation, their modus operandi was to keep applications pending at the Regional Office to force payment of P50,000 pesos every month,” Lacanilao said in a statement.

The official also faces separate complaints from transport groups alleging demands for P7,000 pesos per vehicle to avoid document scrutiny or having vehicles flagged for violations.

Lacanilao noted additional deficiencies during an inspection of the MIMAROPA office, including poor customer service and broken chairs in the waiting area.

The LTO, responsible for issuing driver’s licenses and vehicle registrations, has long been plagued by corruption complaints.

Fixers and informal payments have been common at LTO offices nationwide, with Filipinos routinely reporting demands for bribes to expedite services or avoid bureaucratic delays.

Reform programs have repeatedly stalled despite successive administrations’ anti-corruption pledges.

Lacanilao vowed not to tolerate corruption and pledged to strengthen ways to restore public trust in LTO services.